Page 19

The sound of loud voices arguing from the hallway had them all turning to the door.

The tug in his soul when Rocco was near had been steadily growing as they talked.

Emilio followed the pull, yanking the door open to find his mate and Brand in each other’s faces just outside.

Red filled his vision as he stalked toward the treasurer threatening his mate, his growl cutting off whatever words they’d been throwing at each other.

Rocco’s eyes flicked behind Emilio as he approached where Blaze and Storm must be before settling back on Brand. “I’ve got this, Emmy. Head up to my room and I’ll join you shortly.”

Emilio’s growl increased in volume.

“Emilio. I like you, but this is MC business,” Blaze said. “The stairs up to the living quarters are at the end of this hallway.”

Fuck. He couldn’t afford to give away how much he wanted to murder Brand for threatening his mate any more than he already had.

Luckily, he had the arranged marriage as a screen, especially given no one in the MC but Blaze, Storm, and Rocco knew it was just a contract.

Turning to face Blaze, he made his position clear.

“Anyone who disrespects my fiancé disrespects me and, by extension, the pack. Keep that in mind when you’re dealing with your business.”

“Are you threatening my people in my own fucking home?” Blaze asked.

“I’m just explaining the lay of the land,” Emilio said.

Grabbing his bag, he paused by Rocco as he made his way down the hallway towards the stairs Blaze had gestured to. His mate was still watching Brand warily, but his eyes closed in pleasure as Emilio gripped his nape and pressed a biting kiss to the hickey he’d left on his neck.

“Don’t keep me waiting,” he murmured, loud enough for everyone to hear, before heading upstairs and following the tantalising promise of his mate’s scent to his rooms.

Knowing he didn’t have much time before Rocco hunted him down, he picked the lock on the door.

He’d worried about what the living situation might be like here, but it wasn’t as bad as he’d feared.

The door opened on a small living space with a kitchenette.

Two more doors led off to a bedroom and bathroom.

There was no guarantee when he’d next have a chance to look through Rocco’s things unbothered, if ever, so he knew he needed to undertake a quick and dirty search of the man’s space while he could.

He was still certain Rocco wasn’t the air witch who’d been helping conceal the D-2S, but he knew his judgment was clouded by the potential mating bond, so he had to treat him like any other suspect.

There was nothing of interest to be found in the public spaces or Rocco’s desk. Most records these days would be electronic, so that wasn’t a surprise. Bending down to check under the solid metal of the bedframe, Emilio pulled out a long box.

The contents, once again, weren’t a huge surprise.

Bondage materials and toys for the kind of play it was obvious Rocco enjoyed.

His cock thickened as he carefully looked through each item to check he hadn’t missed anything.

He was just about to replace the box when he looked a little closer at the bottom edge, frowning.

It didn’t look as deep as it should be. Tipping out the contents onto the rug he was kneeling on, he ran his fingers along the leather lining of the box, his breath catching when he felt a small depression he could use to lever the bottom panel upward.

Fuck. He really hoped he wasn’t about to find the proof he’d been certain wasn’t here.

The click of the front door opening interrupted his search.

He had about five seconds to decide how he was going to play this.

A quick scan of the documents hidden in the box revealed a photo of grainy security footage of someone who looked suspiciously like the club’s treasurer, and a bank statement with Brand’s legal name at the top.

He breathed a sigh of relief, and his heart rate slowed.

This he could work with. He didn’t bother trying to hide what he’d been doing when Rocco entered the bedroom.

His mate froze in the doorway, and Emilio shifted to face him.

“Naughty puppy,” Rocco growled, stepping closer.

Emilio went to stand, but his mate’s hand gripped his shoulder tightly, pressing down to keep him kneeling. He was stronger. He could’ve stood if he’d wanted. But, for now, he stayed where he was.

“What are you looking for on him?” Emilio asked, doing his best to ignore the bulge in Rocco’s pants that was right in front of his face as he craned his neck to look up at the witch.

Rocco stared down at him for a long moment, clearly trying to decide how much to reveal. “Brand was the one who ‘ found ’ my glove outside Andy’s house and reported me to the prez.”

“Careless of you.”

“No, it wasn’t. There’s no way I left that glove there.

It was planted. And given Brand’s had it in for me since I got here, it’s not hard to figure out who planted it.

What I don’t know is why. Is he being paid off by the criminals my testimony put behind bars back in the capital?

Does he think I’m a threat to his position in the MC? Did my face just offend him?”

“And you haven’t found anything yet?”

“No.”

“I’ll have Luca look into him,” Emilio said.

Rocco’s eyes widened in surprise, and he leaned over to grip a hand in Emilio’s hair so he could hold him where he wanted. “You’d do that for me? You don’t think I brought it on myself with my stalking?”

Emilio wanted to claw at everyone who’d put that thought in Rocco’s head—the MC and his family both. Well, maybe not his family if they were going to be his in-laws. That might make dinners awkward.

“It’s not a big deal,” Emilio said.

“It is to me.”

Emilio knew his wolf was showing in his eyes as satisfaction filled him at providing for his mate. Once again, he went to push to his feet, but Rocco kept a tight hold on his hair. Not that he couldn’t have easily overpowered him if he tried.

“I like you down there, puppy,” Rocco said, pupils dilating as the telltale bulge in his pants grew larger.

Emilio rolled his eyes, but he still didn’t get up.

At least he couldn’t accidentally give the guy a mating bite from his knees?

Leaning forward like he was in some kind of trance, he nuzzled into Rocco’s thigh, inhaling the intoxicating scent of his mate’s arousal.

He couldn’t even bring himself to growl as Rocco unzipped and pushed his pants down, leaving himself exposed.

Turning his head, his tongue snuck out to lap at Rocco’s balls. A temptation he couldn’t have resisted if he tried .

“Fuck yes, puppy. Just like that.”

Glaring up at his mate, he let his mouth trace up one of the pulsing veins of his shaft, lapping at the pre-cum leaking from his slit.

As Rocco’s taste burst across his tongue, it was all he could do not to take the man to the floor, flip him over, and rim him until he was begging for his knot.

That would not be happening. The second he had Rocco on his hands and knees for him, he was going to lose control and bite him. This position was much safer.

Shoving down the need to dominate and possess, he sucked the tip of Rocco’s cock into his mouth, teasing him with not quite enough suction as he kept lapping at the delicious taste of his essence.

Fingers tugged at his hair as he kept up the sensual assault, ignoring his own arousal in favour of driving his mate crazy with need.

Pushing forward, he swallowed around Rocco’s cock until it was lodged deep in his throat, his nose pressed tight to the neatly trimmed hair of Rocco’s groin.

“Emmy!” Rocco groaned his name, long and drawn out, as he worked him over relentlessly. “Coming.”

Ecstasy filled him as his mate’s cum shot down his throat.

Pulling back so he could taste it, he let it fill his mouth, swallowing again and again as his mate’s body was wracked with pleasure.

He was so focussed on the sensory overload of Rocco so close that he barely even noticed his own release spilling into his pants as he came. Untouched .

“Damn, puppy,” Rocco said when he finally stopped thrusting into his mouth.

Emilio ignored him and kept suckling on his shaft that had hardly softened. Rocco pushed at his shoulder, but he ignored him.

“Too sensitive,” Rocco complained, but he wasn’t pushing all that hard. “Let me take care of you.”

Emilio winced and pulled back, looking away. “Don’t worry about it,” he said, stalking over to his overnight bag to find a clean pair of pants to change into.

Rocco’s low groan washed over him, leaving goosebumps in its wake as he bent to find what he needed.

“You came just from sucking me? That’s so hot.”

“Don’t even think about joining me in the shower,” Emilio replied, heading to the ensuite.

Rocco’s joyful laughter followed after him, a siren’s call to sink into what they could be together that he was going to continue to ignore.

Just like he was ignoring the way his resolve was eroding day by frustrating day.

Ignoring that quiet voice at the back of his head murmuring that maybe he could move back to the city if there was someone here just for him.

The image of his father’s gravestone flashed in his mind, and he came to his senses. That way lay madness.

When he returned to the bedroom, Rocco was sitting up in bed, shirtless, reading a book. The breath in his lungs left him for a moment as he took in the beautiful picture his mate made. Thankfully, the vibration of his phone interrupted the moment. The Silverlake Alpha had finally got back to him.

SL:

Heard you were hunting. We might have something for you. We’ll be in touch.

“Who was that?” Rocco demanded, as Emilio tucked his phone in the pocket of his jeans. “And why are you still dressed?”

“I’m heading out. I’ll be back by morning so everyone thinks I slept here.”

Rocco scowled at him. “The contract says you have to stay.”

Emilio smirked and headed to the window where he’d be able to use the fire escape to get down to the ground. “If it makes you feel better, I’m not planning to sleep anywhere else, either. ”

A band of solid air wrapped around his throat, holding him still, and Rocco’s snarl that would’ve done a wolf proud filled the air.

“Who are you meeting?”

Emilio couldn’t help but smile at the possessive jealousy contained in the words and the feeling of ownership that settled over him from the touch of Rocco’s magic on his skin.

“No one. I have work to do.”

“I’ll come with you. Brand might try something.”

Emilio held up his right hand, shaking the leather bracelet and its magic and letting the poisoned ring he wore flash in the light of the reading lamp casting a soft glow on the room. “Magic doesn’t scare me. I’ll be fine.”

Rocco scoffed. “I literally have you at my mercy right now. Your toys don’t make you safe,” he said, throwing the covers back and stalking over to where Emilio was held suspended by the open window.

Emilio couldn’t help the way his eyes slid down his chest to his mate’s cock, swaying fully erect as he moved.

Rocco barely noticed, seemingly too focussed on his bracelet.

The sensation of Rocco’s magic intensified as his mate wrapped strong fingers around his wrist, gripping just this side of too hard.

“What are you doing? That cost me a fortune,” Emilio snapped as he felt the bracelet vibrate so hard he was surprised it didn’t shred to pieces.

“I won’t have my fiancé wearing someone else’s magic.”

“Would you rather leave me vulnerable?”

“I’m not leaving you fucking vulnerable. I’m improving it. Your little advanced warning system will still work, but I’ve glamoured the bracelet and your ring so no one will see them anymore.”

“Let me guess. You’ve put a tracker in them while you’re at it,” Emilio said, annoyed at his high-handedness .

“No need,” Rocco said, smirking. “I’ve been tracking you since the start.”

Emilio stepped away from the temptation of Rocco’s naked body as soon as he was released, turning back toward the open window.

“Don’t wait up.”

Rocco’s soft voice carried after him as he slipped down the fire escape. “You’re welcome, puppy.”