Page 2

Gavin

Stepping from the front of his shop, Gavin looked both ways before he crossed the street. Their little town had changed a lot over the years since they’d first claimed the territory for their family. Axel’s power had grown with every member of the family that had been added. It didn’t matter if it was a shifter, paranormal, or human. Axel’s power came from him collecting family, his treasures.

Gavin’s own connection to the land thrummed under his chest. This was home. His to protect.

He nodded as he passed the residents of their town. They knew him, his chosen family, even without having a clue about the paranormal. At one time their family had been careful to keep to themselves and away from the humans but over the last several years their presence had helped the community.

Starting businesses and helping the town thrive was important to them all.

Gavin grabbed the handle of the diner’s door and swung it open. He stepped inside and smiled at the greetings. Gavin returned hellos as he made his way to the booth where Levi was waiting. They were having lunch in town, both on their lunch breaks, to spend some time catching up.

Gavin missed hanging out with Levi. He didn’t blame Levi for spending time with his mate but Gavin being the only one unmated left him on his own more often than not. Not that Gavin wasn’t keeping himself entertained with his own little stalker. There was no other word for Stryker. He was totally stalking Gavin and Gavin loved every minute of the game they’d started.

He looked around the diner before sliding into the booth across from Levi. If the place had cameras, there was no doubt that Stryker would be watching.

Slouching in his seat, Gavin spread his legs, giving his cock more room as just the thought of Stryker watching him made him hard.

Levi smirked. “What’s going on?”

Gavin gave a small shake of his head. He hadn’t told anyone else that Stryker had become Gavin’s naughty little stalker. His family would be concerned. Gavin didn’t want them worrying about him when Gavin was having the time of his life.

Stryker might be inside Gavin’s networks, but the boy had no idea how good old-fashioned, down and dirty, real hands-on searching felt. Gavin was almost certain that Stryker was much closer than he was pretending to be. The boy just couldn’t stay away. Gavin could feel it. He knew that Stryker was somewhere just out of reach.

“Gav!” Levi nudged his foot under the table.

Gavin jumped.

Levi nodded toward the waitress standing at the end of their table.

“My apologies,” Gavin told his favorite waitress. “Got lost in my head.”

“It’s fine, hon.” She waved her hand. “What will you have?”

“Iced tea and a burger with fries, please,” Gavin ordered.

“Iced tea and a club sandwich, please,” Levi added.

“Coming right up,” their waitress, Sally, said before hurrying off.

“So, what’s on your mind?” Levi asked.

“Nothing much,” Gavin replied easily.

Levi snorted. “It sure has been raining a lot at night. Mason says that the state park hasn’t been this green and healthy in years.”

Gavin sighed. “I’ve just been stretching my wings.”

“Every night? For two weeks?” Levi questioned.

“Yes.” Gavin didn’t really feel like explaining himself, but he owed Levi something. Levi was one of his best friends and if he was worried, so were the rest of the family.

“Just tell me that you’re okay,” Levi pleaded softly.

Gavin smiled at his friend. “I’m okay. Dealing with the coven and all the talk about the hunt brought back some memories.” He ran a hand roughly down his face. “The nightmares came back.”

“Fuck, man,” Levi spat. “What can I do?”

“I’m dealing with it,” Gavin responded.

“Let us help you,” Levi begged.

Shit! Gavin hated this. He despised being weak. The nightmares were some bullshit trauma he should have outgrown years ago. He wasn’t the only being who’d suffered during the hunt. Many species had been wiped out, not just his own family. “I don’t know how anyone can help.”

“I get it,” Levi said quietly. “But if there’s something—”

“I’ll let you know,” Gavin promised. He wasn’t being completely honest with his friend. One thing helped. The masked troublemaker that constantly watched him at least took Gavin’s mind away from his past.

“Here you go, boys,” Sally said, dropping off their drinks. “Your food will be out soon.”

“Thanks,” he and Levi said in unison.

Gavin’s phone chimed and he dug into his pocket to pull out the sleek device. A text message waited, and he thumbed it open.

What’s for lunch, Papi?

So the boy was watching. Gavin quickly responded before setting his phone face down on the table.

Me, if you ever get off your ass and come find me.

That should force Stryker to make a move. Gavin was becoming impatient with their game. Or lack of movement. He expected more from Stryker. Hadn’t Gavin enticed the boy enough to come out in the open? The boy had disappeared from the small apartment he’d been staying in after Dean and Noah had rescued him.

It had taken just one late-night flight to track down where the boy had been. That was why Gavin suspected that Stryker was close.

His phone chimed but Gavin ignored it as he caught up with Levi. Levi entertained him with stories of his mate’s twin brother who’d mated to a demon. Gavin wanted to check his messages, but he resisted. It would drive Stryker crazy knowing that he was purposely being ignored.

When his phone chimed three more times in a row, Levi lifted a brow.

“Ignore it,” Gavin demanded.

“Stryker?” Levi asked.

Gavin narrowed his eyes.

“Do you really think that we don’t know he’s stalking you?” Levi questioned.

“How?”

“Magic,” Levi quipped.

“Magic?” Gavin repeated.

“Dean’s made sure that we’re protected. With Lucifer’s help no one can get to us by coming at us physically or electronically. Stryker’s been in the network of our home security and all our businesses,” Levi said.

“Why hasn’t anyone stopped him?”

Levi shrugged. “He’s just watching. Dean trusts him. We figured it didn’t hurt to have an extra pair of eyes. Not if they’re on our side.”

“There isn’t much of a threat to watch out for,” Gavin pointed out.

“The coven and hunters might be gone but that doesn’t mean that no one else will come after us,” Levi said.

“We can’t live in fear,” Gavin told him.

“We’re not. We’re just ensuring the safety of our family.”

“And we trust the masked biker hacker?” Gavin asked.

“We trust him. You want to fuck him,” Levi replied. He smirked before draining half his iced tea.

“I—” Gavin coughed.

“Want to fuck him,” Levi repeated.

“I don’t even know what he looks like.” It wasn’t a denial, but Gavin hoped it worked.

Levi laughed. “You do know that argument doesn’t work with me. I was in love with Mason when all I knew about him was from talking on a dating app.”

“Mason was your mate,” Gavin pointed out.

“Okay, dude.”

“What? It’s true.”

“Noah and Dean have assured us that Stryker’s attractive. Not that I think it matters to you,” Levi teased. “He intrigues you.”

“He’s a little brat that needs to be put over someone’s knee,” Gavin growled.

“Someone’s or yours?”

Gavin’s phone chimed two more times.

“Persistent little thing,” Levi commented.

Gavin picked up his glass. “I’ll teach him patience yet.”

“Yeah, good luck with that.” Levi laughed.

“So, everyone knows?” Gavin asked.

“About your stalker? Yeah.”

“No one has said anything to me.” There was a question in that sentence. Gavin’s family was nosy after all. The boys wouldn’t be behaving unless it had been an order from their alpha.

“I’m not the only one that has noticed the recent increase in rain.”

“I’m fine,” Gavin insisted.

“Good. Because it’s family dinner night and the boys have been dying to get you alone. I’d expect them to corner you no matter what Axel says.”

“Fun times,” Gavin deadpanned.

* * * * *

Stryker

He was not jealous! Stryker was not jealous that he was sitting coped up in his amazing RV while Gavin and his friends were cooking steaks, drinking beer, and having a great time.

Stryker didn’t need friends.

He was better off on his own.

Having friends meant that someone was close enough to put a knife in your back. Stryker had learned at an early age that it didn’t matter if the person was family or claimed to be a friend—if given the chance, everyone only looked out for themselves.

Still watching from the camera above the back door, Stryker couldn’t help but scowl as Gavin relaxed in a deck chair while sipping on a beer.

Gavin was wearing another pair of those indecent jeans that he seemed to enjoy provoking Stryker with. The rips and tears showed off all that toned tanned skin that Gavin liked to flash Stryker glimpses of. Fuck! Gavin was hot as hell. The black tank that he wore had stretched to one side, revealing one dark nipple.

Would it be bad if he jerked off for the third time in a day?

Stryker was dying to have Gavin’s attention on him and only him. Stryker was the one that should be making Gavin laugh and smile.

It didn’t help that Gavin still hadn’t returned any of Stryker’s text messages.

Fifteen messages since Gavin had sent the one that had Stryker nearly riding his bike into town and tracking down his Papi. Fifteen unanswered messages. Fucker! The fucker knew what he was doing to Stryker.

Even reclining on that chair, Gavin was taunting him.

The asshole wasn’t wearing underwear. Stryker just knew it. He’d seen Gavin dress enough time in those jeans to see where every naked inch of him was. If Stryker were there, he could slip a hand inside one of those tears and touch Gavin.

Pushing his chair from the desk, Stryker rose to stomp to the freezer.

“Nuggies!” Stryker said. “You’ve never let me down. You don’t tease me. Just give me nourishment and yumminess.” He grabbed the half-open bag then slammed the freezer door shut.

He couldn’t help glancing back at his monitors as he dumped the nuggets into the basket of the air fryer. He didn’t need steak. Or beer. Or whatever else Drake, the amazing chef of the family, was cooking up. He had nuggies and an air fryer. He was a God in the RV world.

Air fryers were so cool! Better than nuking his nuggies in the microwave where they would be soggy, and didn’t take as long as they did in the oven. The RV had come with the air fryer, so it had been the first one that Stryker had ever used. He was totally taking the air fryer with him when he gave the RV back to that dumbass agent.

Although if the government agent and his private dick didn’t get on the ball then Stryker might not return the RV at all. They were annoying him. He’d left plenty of breadcrumbs for them to follow but they hadn’t made a move.

Returning to his desk, Stryker plopped back down into the chair.

Gavin was still sipping on that beer. Axel, Levi, and Drake were all hanging out with him. Boring. Stryker left Gavin’s fine form on one monitor while moving another camera to the monitor beside it.

The boys of the family were climbing on that giant playset that was in front of the deck. That sort of looked fun. Not that Stryker wanted to play with the other boys. He was fine where he was. Watching.

It had taken Stryker a few days to figure out the dynamic of the friend group. At first, he’d been worried that Dean and Noah had somehow found themselves in the middle of a paranormal harem or something. Not that Stryker couldn’t see why that would appeal to someone since the men were hot as fuck. Slowly, Stryker had realized that the friends were more like family.

There were couples and throuples in the group, but they were all committed to their partners. Mates. They called themselves mates. Their dynamics were interesting, loving, and Stryker was still not jealous. Damn it, he might be a little jealous.

Stryker didn’t want to dress in diapers or drink out of a bottle, had no desire to wear a puppy tail, or anything like that. There was an appeal that he recognized but Stryker was pretty sure he’d make a horrible little or pup. Stryker couldn’t keep his mouth closed when needed. It was a whole thing. He did love watching the more dominant partners care for and spoil their boys.

The more submissive partners were doted on whether they were little, puppy, bratty, or just submissive. Loved. Cared for. They were given attention without even having to ask for it. That must be addicting, to have found someone who loved them that much.

Watching from his safe little spot in the RV, Stryker wished for once in his life to be a part of something like the men he observed.

Not that Stryker expected that they’d accept him.

No one ever did.

He wouldn’t find love there like the other men. Stryker hadn’t even been loved by the people who had brought him into this world. Or the ones that had been paid to raise him. There was just something about him that was…unlovable.

The beeping of the air fryer yanked him from those terrible thoughts.

Stryker jumped up to grab a paper plate and dumped his nuggies on it. He grabbed ketchup from the fridge and added some to the plate. The perfect balanced meal of yummy nuggies. Of course it was better with an ice-cold coke.

Returning to the desk, he began to munch away as Drake called the family to the table for their dinner.

He snorted. The family. Like they were mafia or something. Which maybe they were for all Stryker knew. They were a powerful group of paranormal and humans. They pretty much ran the entire town. The businesses opened helped fund the community. Until Gavin and his family had come, the town had been dying off. Now as an in between the state park and university, the town thrived. Mafia, maybe.

Stryker finished off his nuggies before eyeing the freezer. There were another three bags inside. Maybe just a few more nuggies.

* * * * *

Gavin

He ignored the laptop open on his desk as Gavin slowly pulled his shirt over his head. Gavin knew, could practically feel the eyes watching him. Stryker was there. He was always there.

Gavin turned and faced the laptop camera then threw the shirt into the corner of the room. He sat on the edge of the mattress, staring directly at the camera before picking up his phone.

Purposely he scrolled through the messages he’d received earlier from his little stalker.

Get off my ass?

Or get off on my ass?

I do have a fantastic ass!

Want to see it?

(Picture of Stryker’s ass in form-fighting black pants)

The first five messages were amusing.

Gavin kept scrolling.

Why are you ignoring me?

Stop smiling at Levi!

Are you talking about me?

You are, aren’t you?

If you answered my messages, you could be talking to me!!!

Gavin could just imagine how frustrated Stryker had gotten. He was the type that needed attention on him all the time. Leaning back on one elbow, Gavin went to the spicy texts.

Levi already has a mate.

He doesn’t want your fine bod, but I do.

Will you give me a show tonight? Like you did a couple nights ago? Strip for me?

Come on, Papi! Show me the goods.

You know you want to.

Gavin finally replied to the text chain.

Show me your face.

He hit send before returning his gaze to the laptop.

The chime from his phone came a second later.

Gavin glanced at it.

Show me your cock!

Oh, so the boy was feeling feisty, was he?

Gavin rose. Making sure that his entire torso would be in the shot, he flicked the button on his jeans open. Slowly he drew the zipper down. Pushing open the edges of his jeans, he showed his little stalker that he wasn’t wearing any underwear.

His phone chimed.

More!

Demanding little shit. Gavin turned away from the camera then pushed the jeans past the swell of his ass.

Yes, Papi! Turn back around.

He hid his smile as he read the message. The boy wanted more? Gavin shifted slightly to the side. Where his form would be in profile. Wrapping a hand around the base of his shaft, Gavin gave himself a firm stroke.

His phone chimed.

Let me see!

Oh no, that was not how this was going to work. Gavin closed his free hand around the phone as he stroked himself faster. And faster. Precome leaked from the tip of his cock and he collected the juices before smearing them down his shaft.

Please! Papi! Let me see!

That was better. Gavin liked the begging. It wasn’t enough. Not yet. Gavin replied with one hand.

Not until I see. Show me your face or no more seeing me.

He released his cock before reaching over and typing in the command that would take down the entire network. A hard reboot. It would take several hours for everything to come back online. Gavin had no doubt that Stryker would be able to worm his way back inside, but the wait would kill him.

Fucker!

You kicked me out!!

You’re going to pay for this!

Chuckling, Gavin sent one last text.

Show me your face.

He pressed send before turning off the phone.

Now let’s see how the boy responded. Anticipation burned through his core. It was time to turn the tables on his little stalker. It had been fun, but Gavin was taking the game to the next level. In person.

Gavin left the bedroom and strolled through the cabin. He pushed his jeans down and kicked them off. Opening the front door, he sauntered out onto the deck. It was late enough that no one else should be up and moving around. And if they were, everyone had already seen him naked a thousand times. Maybe not erect and hard and wanting but Stryker did that to him.

He stepped onto the lush grass.

There was moisture in the air. A storm brewing overhead. Just like the one inside him. The weather matching the array of emotions that Gavin was hesitant to name. There was a connection with Stryker. Was it all in his head, his heart, or was there something more going on? Was it finally his turn?

Did Stryker mean more to Gavin than he’d expected?

Had fate finally smiled on Gavin?

Gavin was almost afraid to find the answers he needed.

He was no coward though.

It was time for the final stage of this game that he and Stryker were playing. And there was a very good chance that Gavin was playing off a different set of rules than Stryker. Gavin was playing for keeps.

Gavin had an idea of just where his little stalker was hiding. He’d been thinking about it. Hard to think about anything else. It was time to make his nightly flight and track down his wayward boy.