Page 112 of Smut Lovers

Chapter One

T he PlayPen looked like an exclusive country club from the outside.

Inside, it was a haven for Littles. Toys and playsets littered the floor where Littles spent their time.

Large round tables lined the edge of the room for daddies to play cards and drink.

Rhodes had been a member for a few years.

At least twice a week, he sat at the same table, playing the same card game with a group of men he barely knew.

Every night, the experience highlighted his lack of having a boy.

He didn’t need The PlayPen to shine a spotlight on that emptiness.

Rhodes went to bed with it every night since Brody left.

It was okay. He was fine. Kind of. Tonight, he wasn’t as sure.

He felt more pathetic than ever, sitting alone and incapable of finding peace.

A light tap on Rhodes’ shoulder pulled him from the edge.

He glanced over, expecting a greeting from any of the dozens of familiar faces.

Instead, he found a sweet, freckled face nearly hidden by a fuzzy brown bear’s hood.

The little ears on top suited the guy, and Rhodes couldn’t explain that. He was adorable.

Big blue eyes met his stare. He held out a stack of cards. “Would you play Go Fish with me?”

God. His heart. The guy sounded so sweet. “I’d love to.” Rhodes pushed a chair away from the table with his foot. “Have a seat. I’m Rhodes.”

“I know.”

Rhodes bit back a laugh. No offer to give him a name.

Just “ I know .” Rhodes knew he knew. Everyone knew.

As part of the Bosi security team, people kept a wide berth unless they, too, were connected to the biggest weapons dealer on the west coast. Beau Bosi employed a lot of rough and tumble guys.

They were often seen around The Playpen for various reasons.

Reason number one being, Beau was married to a Little, so they came so Kylo could play with his friends.

Number two, Beau’s son, Banks, owned The PlayPen.

Honestly, those two reasons were pretty equal.

The second one was the one that had them coming around the longest. Still, no matter what the excuse, they were well known.

His new friend dealt the cards while Rhodes studied him. Rhodes couldn’t take it. “Do you have a name?”

An adorable giggle punched Rhodes right in the chest. “Everyone does, silly.”

Rhodes couldn’t stop smiling. “Am I allowed to know it, or is it a secret?”

“Oh.” He giggled again. “Oops.” He squared his shoulders and held out his hand for Rhodes to shake—like donning his big boy persona. “Cairo Kelsey. Twenty-two. Scorpio.”

The laughter beat him. He hoped Cairo didn’t think he laughed at the guy’s expense. Cairo just lifted his mood with his adorable personality. “It’s nice to meet you, Cairo Kelsey. Twenty-two. Scorpio. Does that mean you hold grudges?”

“Until they turn to diamonds, and I also look amazing in black.”

He was having the best time. Rhodes picked up his cards and arranged them by number. “Who goes first?”

“Me, of course. I’m the baby.”

“Of course,” Rhodes agreed, trying to keep the humor from his voice.

“Do you have any threes?”

“Go fish. Do you have any tens?”

Cairo chewed his bottom lip.

Rhodes swore he forgot anyone else existed. “No cheating.”

Cairo’s shoulders fell. He passed a ten to Rhodes. “Do you have any fives?”

Rhodes passed his two fives to Cairo.

Cairo kicked his feet in happiness as he placed the four matching fives on the table. “I’m very good at this game.”

“I see that.”

Blue eyes latched onto him. “What games are you good at playing?”

There was definite innuendo behind the question, but it was also mixed with innocence.

Before Beau married a Little, Rhodes had never dreamed he would want this.

Seeing the happiness this dynamic had brought to Beau’s life and the entire household by extension had made him curious.

That was how he ended up with Brody. It was possible he wasn’t very good at being a daddy since he hadn’t held on to him.

Interacting with Cairo made him realize exactly how bad he still wanted that feeling again.

“I’m not very good at any games except for the ones played in the dark.”

Cairo’s guileless expression never wavered as he nodded. “We should do that next.”

Damn. That had been a risk on his part. Cairo might have reacted any way.

Rhodes wasn’t disappointed by Cario’s response.

It was not like he would say no. “If that’s what you want.

” He wouldn’t let Cairo walk into things blind, though.

“Since you know who I am, I assume you know who I work for. Our home has a lot of armed protection. I don’t want you to be scared. ”

Cairo’s serious look never wavered. “You’re very big. I’m sure you can keep me safe.”

Rhodes didn’t know whether to laugh or to growl in possessiveness.

“Damn right.” No one would be touching his boy.

Rhodes blinked at how dark and dominating his thoughts had turned, and how quickly it happened.

Maybe he shouldn’t mess with this after all.

Cairo looked so sweet and pure. Someone like Rhodes could only sully him.

“Do you have any threes, or can we go now?”

Considering Rhodes had already said he didn’t have any threes, it seemed the boss had spoken. It was time to go. Maybe Cairo wasn’t so angelic after all.

*

He drove a Hellcat. Cairo wasn’t surprised at all.

Rhodes just looked like a guy who would drive a badass car.

He was tall and all sleek muscles. Even if Cairo hadn’t already known Rhodes worked for one of the most dangerous men in the U.S.

, he would have guessed he worked security of some sort.

He had that look about him. Eyes always moving, watching for threats.

Those eyes were terrifying. They were an indescribable mixture of blue and light gray.

It felt like the guy stared into his soul each time he focused on Cairo. Cairo was in danger, and he loved it.

When they reached what could only be described as a compound, butterflies stirred in Cairo’s stomach.

Rhodes hadn’t been exaggerating. Heavily armed guards were posted everywhere.

There were so many huge buildings that each looked like mansions.

He couldn’t tell what was a house, garage, or what they were.

He wished he felt out of his element. Unfortunately, this situation felt very familiar, but Cairo needed a strong and deadly man to protect him from another one.

He had watched Rhodes for a while. The guy had a neediness in his eyes that spoke to Cairo.

Cairo had been forced to bide his time. Now that his plan had been set in motion, he was scared shitless.

This could go wrong in a million different ways.

All he could do was his best. He could be a good boy.

Rhodes pulled into a garage attached to one of the many buildings.

The door slipped closed behind them, shutting them inside.

After killing the engine, Rhodes unbuckled Cairo’s seatbelt for him.

Cairo twisted the straps of his backpack in his nervousness.

Anything could happen to him now. There was no going back.

But everything had already happened to him over the years.

He had to take this chance for something good.

Rhodes jumped from the car and circled it to Cairo’s door.

He helped Cairo out, taking away some of the fear starting to grow.

Rhodes looked so dangerous and touched him so gently. It messed with Cairo’s head a little.

“Time to get ready for bed, little one. Do you have everything you need in that bag to stay the night?”

Cairo nodded. For the life of him, he couldn’t get his voice to work.

He hoped Rhodes didn’t feel the way he shook.

Cairo was so nervous, he didn’t even look around on their way inside.

He kept his eyes glued on Rhodes’ back as they climbed a set of stairs.

It didn’t help there were guards everywhere, making him feel scrutinized every step of the way.

He hated that one-night stand feeling of being judged.

Finally, they were shut inside a bedroom that looked more like a fancy hotel room. It had a kitchen and a couch, along with a massive bed.

Rhodes took his bag from him. “Come on. A bubble bath before bed will help you sleep.”

Cairo put his mind on lockdown. It was too late to overthink. Plus, he couldn’t say he didn’t want Rhodes. Damn, he was sexy and smelled delicious. Cairo had never had someone so beautiful care for him. He hoped he didn’t embarrass himself.

Cairo stood in the center of a large bathroom.

It looked nice. There was an entire wet room with an enormous tub.

He wondered if Rhodes planned to join him.

Cairo watched Rhodes start the bath water before returning to his side.

He set Cairo’s bag on the counter. Then his intense focus locked on Cairo.

It became a little harder to breathe. Rhodes wasted no time.

He pushed Cairo’s hood off. A smile snapped to his lips at the sight of Cairo’s strawberry-blond hair.

No doubt it stood on end. Cairo couldn’t look away from Rhodes’ perfectly angled face.

He should be on the cover of magazines with his dark hair shaved short on the sides but curly on top.

Just the right amount of facial hair and dark skin tone that always made Cairo wonder at his ethnicity. He had to know.

“Is it okay if I ask where your parents were born? That sounds awful. You just have an amazing skin tone that has me curious. You’re very pretty.”