Page 13 of Honey Heat (Sin & Steel #9)

“I look forward to teaching how to suck my cock,” Lucio murmured. “I’m going to show you all the pleasures of the body.”

Ethan wished he would stop talking. The dirtier Lucio’s words, the closer Ethan was to coming. “I’m relaxed. You can move.”

Lucio began to rock his hips in a slow, circular motion that hit places inside Ethan he never knew could feel so good. Each thrust was measured, controlled, yet Ethan could feel the restraint in Lucio’s body, the tension in the arm wrapped around his waist.

“You don’t have to move that slow,” Ethan gasped, bracing himself on his elbows. “I promise I won’t break.”

Lucio complied, his thrust becoming more powerful. One hand slid around to grasp Ethan’s erection, stroking in time with the lunges.

Pleasure built inside Ethan, coiling tighter with each roll of Lucio’s hips. The dual sensations of being filled and stroked were overwhelming, pushing him closer to the edge with every movement.

“Lucio,” Ethan whimpered, feeling a buildup wrap around his groin.

“Let go,” Lucio said, his rhythm never faltering. “Don’t fight it, elegido . Surrender to it.”

Ethan’s release hit him hard, tearing a cry from his throat as pleasure crashed through him in pulsing waves. His body clenched around Lucio, who groaned in response, his thrusts becoming erratic.

With a low, guttural sound, his mate sank his canines into Ethan’s shoulder. A kaleidoscope of color burst behind his eyelids as he felt their bond snap into place.

“Lucio!” Ethan’s orgasm intensified, his cum spilling on the bedding beneath him.

His mate followed him over the edge, his body going rigid as he spilled inside Ethan’s ass. Then he pulled his canines free, tilted his head forward just enough so Ethan could pierce soft flesh with his sharp teeth.

Lucio shouted, burying his cock deep inside Ethan. The snap resonated, deepening their bond as Ethan extracted his teeth.

For a moment, they stayed frozen in that position, connected in the most intimate way possible, before Lucio carefully eased out and collapsed beside him.

Gentle hands turned Ethan over, and Lucio gathered him against his chest, mindful of the wet spot on the bed. His lips pressed against Ethan’s neck, his breathing still ragged.

“Did you enjoy your first time, carino ?” He kissed Ethan behind his ear. “Was it everything you’ve ever imagined?”

“Do you really expect me to think right now?” Ethan lay there trying to catch his breath. His bear rumbled with satisfaction, finally settling down.

Lucio kissed his skin again, his arms tightening gently around Ethan.

They lay together in comfortable silence, his mate’s fingers tracing patterns on Ethan’s skin. Outside, birds began their morning chorus, sunlight filtering through the curtains to paint the room in soft gold.

“We should probably clean up,” Lucio said eventually, though he made no move to release Ethan.

“Probably,” he agreed, equally reluctant to leave the warmth of his mate’s embrace. His body was a languid noodle right now. If he got up, Ethan just might collapse from how relaxed he felt right now.

A sudden pounding on the front door shattered the peaceful moment. Lucio tensed.

“Stay here,” he said, pressing a quick kiss to Ethan’s lips before climbing out of bed. He pulled on his pajama pants, his movements swift and efficient.

Ethan sat up, wincing at the various aches in his body, both from his injuries and from getting thoroughly wrecked. “Who is it?”

“No idea.” Lucio grabbed a gun from the nightstand drawer. “But whoever it is, they’d better have a damn good reason for interrupting us.”

The pounding came again, more insistent this time. Lucio disappeared into the hallway, leaving Ethan alone with his racing thoughts. Had someone found them? Was it the man in the suit, come to finish what he’d started?

Or was it his father, finally returned to make peace with their new reality?

Hell if Ethan was going to stay in bed. He reached for his clothes, quickly dressing, cursing at the pain of stretching his arms. His bear was instantly alert, ready to protect their mate.

Hurrying from the room, Ethan eased down the hallway to see who was knocking on the door at the ass-crack of dawn.

* * * *

“Got breakfast, bitches.”

Percy strode in, Santiago right behind him, bags of food in his grasp. The enforcer didn’t look repentant that he’d interrupted Lucio’s snuggle time. He just stared at Percy like his elegido hung the moon and stars.

Lucio began to close the door, only for Cesar and Jamie to walk into the house, followed by Diablo and Brett. What the fuck?

“Heard you found your mate,” Percy announced. “Where is the cute little bear? I’ve never seen a bear shifter before. I’ve totally got to meet him.”

“Is he really a bear?” Jamie bounced where he stood, his hands clasped in front of him, pure excitement in his eyes.

“Did you know bears can run as fast as thirty-five miles per hour? Also, it was Lewis and Clark who gave grizzlies their name! I’m so hungry.

Where did Santiago put the food? I need to eat before my stomach tries to climb out of me. ”

Cesar kissed his mate, a technique he used to quiet the excitable guy.

“Sorry for the interruption,” Brett said, his face going nuclear.

Lucio had never seen anyone who could blush that deeply. His cheeks were so red Lucio feared they would catch fire.

Movement from the hallway caught his attention. Ethan peeked around the corner, his eyes wide as he took in the crowd of strangers filling the living room. Hesitantly, he took a step forward, clearly overwhelmed by the sudden invasion.

Lucio crossed the room in three quick strides, slipping his arm around Ethan’s waist and pulling him close.

The warmth of his mate’s body pressed against his side felt right, grounding him amid the chaos his friends had brought into his quiet home.

Ethan smelled of sleep and sex, a combination that made his wolf rumble with satisfaction.

“ Osito , these idiots are my pack,” Lucio murmured close to Ethan’s ear. “They have zero boundaries and apparently no concept of privacy.”

“It’s okay,” Ethan whispered back, leaning into Lucio’s touch. “They seem nice.”

Jamie bounded across the room like an overgrown puppy, practically vibrating with excitement. His hand shot out toward Ethan while words tumbled from his mouth at machine-gun speed.

“Hi! I’m Jamie! Did you know bears can smell food from over a mile away?

And your sense of smell is seven times better than a bloodhound’s!

Can you climb trees? Grizzlies can’t climb very well, but black bears can climb thirty feet in thirty seconds, which is really impressive, and oh my god your eyes are so pretty! ”

Ethan blinked rapidly, clearly overwhelmed by the barrage of bear facts. He carefully extended his bandaged hand to shake Jamie’s.

“Let him breathe, colibrí ,” Cesar called from across the room, amusement coloring his voice.

“Sorry!” Jamie grinned, not looking sorry at all. “I just never met a bear shifter before!”

Lucio surveyed his living room, now transformed into a chaotic jumble of bodies, voices, and laughter in less than five minutes.

Brett hovered near the coffee table, arranging napkins and plastic utensils with careful precision.

Percy rummaged through Lucio’s cabinets for “decent” glasses, and Jamie was still rattling off bear trivia.

Santiago had commandeered the kitchen, laying out containers of food on the counter in a makeshift buffet. The rich aroma of bacon, eggs, and something sweet filled the air, making Lucio’s stomach growl.

Despite the intrusion, Lucio couldn’t help but feel a surge of contentment. This was his family, his pack, and now they were meeting his mate. He loved every second of it.

While Ethan settled onto the couch between Jamie and Brett, Lucio loaded up two plates with food. He piled Ethan’s high with pancakes, remembering how much his mate had enjoyed them at the clinic, adding extra bacon and a generous portion of eggs.

The heat from the food wafted up, carrying the sweet scent of syrup and butter.

“Here you go, osito ,” Lucio said, handing over the loaded plate.

“Thanks.” Ethan smiled gratefully then glanced down at his bandaged hands with a frown.

“Need me to feed you again?” Lucio asked with a wink, keeping his voice low enough that only Ethan could hear.

Color bloomed across his elegido’s cheeks. “I think I can manage, but thanks for the offer.”

“I’ll grab you something to drink.” When Lucio returned to hand Ethan a glass of orange juice, he stopped short.

“What are you doing?” Lucio asked, setting down the glass.

“They’re fine. Dr. Martinez was being overly cautious.”

“You sure about that?” He watched as Ethan wiggled his fingers, noting the stiffness in the movements.

“Positive.” Ethan started on his other hand. “I need to be able to feed myself. Plus, they itch like crazy under these wraps.”

Lucio couldn’t argue with that logic, though he made a mental note to keep an eye on his mate’s hands throughout the day.

The living room buzzed with energy—forks scraping against plates, multiple conversations overlapping, occasional bursts of laughter punctuating the din. The scents of coffee, maple syrup, and warm bodies filled the space, creating a comforting Sunday-morning atmosphere despite the early hour.

Lucio stepped into the kitchen to refill his coffee, keeping an eye on Ethan through the doorway. His mate seemed to be holding his own, nodding along to something Brett was saying.

“Your little bear seems to be fitting in,” Santiago observed, leaning against the kitchen island with a plate in his hand. “Doesn’t look much like Boone, though.”

“Takes after his mother,” Lucio replied, helping himself to more coffee. The rich aroma filled his nostrils as he poured the dark liquid into his mug.

“So…” Diablo sidled up next to Lucio, a smirk playing on his lips. “Boone McCade’s son, huh? You realize you’re going to need a fucking permission slip signed in triplicate before you can take his precious cub anywhere.”

Santiago snorted coffee through his nose, coughing as he tried to hide his laughter. “Papa Bear’s gonna make you fill out an application just to hold hands with his boy.”

“Does he know you mated his precious cub?” Cesar asked with a shit-eating grin. “Or should we expect a formal request for a permission slip crossing Matias’s desk?”

“Imagine that conversation,” Santiago said. “Dear Alpha Boone, please allow your son to mate my pack member. Check yes or no.”

“All of you can fuck off,” Lucio replied, though there was no real heat behind it. “Boone’s... coming around.”

“Coming around with a shotgun, maybe,” Santiago muttered, wiping his face.

“Just wait until family gatherings,” Cesar added, barely containing his laughter. “You'll be sitting at the kiddie table while Boone gives you the death stare from across the room.”

“You’re all assholes,” Lucio muttered, though he couldn’t help grinning.

“Bet he makes you call him sir,” Diablo added before he cracked up.

“Christmas presents from your father-in-law,” Santiago chimed in. “Here’s a sweater and, oh, this box contains your worst nightmares.”

“You’re all just jealous.” Lucio growled, though there was no heat behind it.

“Of having Boone as a father-in-law?” Santiago raised an eyebrow. “Hard pass, thanks. That guy could bench press an entire forest.”

“And probably has,” Diablo added. “Just to intimidate potential suitors.”

“I heard he once ripped a tree out of the ground to use as a javelin,” Cesar said.

“That’s bullshit.” Lucio rolled his eyes. The pendejos were just trolling him.”

“Is it though?” Santiago looked thoughtful. “Bears are fucking strong, man. And that’s just regular bears. Alpha bears? Whole different level.”

“Better watch your ass, Alcaraz,” Diablo warned with mock seriousness. “One wrong move and Papa Bear will be using your spine as a toothpick.”

Lucio was about to fire back when the sound of Ethan’s laughter caught his attention. His mate was doubled over, clutching his sides as Brett finished what appeared to be a particularly hilarious story. Ethan wiped tears from his eyes, his whole body shaking.

His bear shifter fit into the pack dynamic so naturally, as if he’d always belonged there.

Warmth spread through Lucio’s chest at the sight. His mate’s eyes crinkled at the corners, his head thrown back, revealing the mark on his neck where Lucio had claimed him. Sunlight streaming through the windows caught in Ethan’s hair, turning the brown strands to burnished copper.

“Earth to Lucio.” Diablo waved a hand in front of his face. “You’re staring like a lovesick teenager.”

“Let him be,” Santiago said, his voice softening. “It’s not every day your wolf chooses.”

From across the room, Ethan looked up, catching Lucio’s eye. His smile softened, becoming something private and intimate despite the chaos around them. He tilted his head slightly, a silent question in his eyes.

Lucio found himself moving toward Ethan without conscious thought.

“What’s so funny?” Lucio asked, settling beside his mate.

“Brett was just telling me about the time Jamie tried to adopt a raccoon,” Ethan explained, his voice still laced with amusement. “Apparently it didn’t go well for anyone involved, especially Cesar’s favorite boots.”

“That raccoon was misunderstood,” Jamie called from across the room. “He just needed love and proper guidance!”

“And rabies shots,” Brett added dryly. “Don’t forget those.”

Fresh laughter rippled through the room, and Lucio found himself joining in, one arm draped casually across Ethan’s shoulders. His mate leaned into the touch, warm and solid against his side, fitting perfectly into the space Lucio hadn’t realized was empty until now.

For all the chaos of the morning—the unexpected visitors, the teasing about Boone, the general mayhem of pack life—Lucio wouldn’t have changed a thing. This was what mattered. His mate safe and happy, surrounded by people who would protect him with their lives if necessary.

As if reading his thoughts, Ethan turned to meet his gaze, a soft smile playing on his lips. “Your pack is great,” he whispered, just for Lucio’s ears.

“ Our pack,” he corrected, pressing a kiss to Ethan’s temple. “They’re your family now too, osito .”

The weight of those words settled between them, a promise and a future wrapped in a simple phrase.

Around them, the noise continued—stories and laughter, the clatter of dishware, good-natured arguments about nothing important—but in that moment, it was just the two of them, connected by something neither time nor distance could sever.