7. Vito

7

VITO

I smiled at Zeke’s retreat. Go ahead and run. I’ll catch you eventually. By then you’ll be so hungry for me you won’t even try to escape.

I exited the bar, knowing that if I kept flirting with Zeke from across the room, I was going to go over to him and insist that he come home with me. That would cause a scene. Neither of us needed to attract that much attention.

I wasn’t ready to move to the next stage anyway. I was watching him openly now, letting him know how I felt, but we weren’t going to go beyond that. Not yet. Still, I couldn’t force myself to leave.

I settled into the comfort of my nondescript black SUV and watched the entrance of the bar. I knew I might be in for a long wait, but I didn’t care. I didn’t have anything urgent to do.

Finally, Zeke stepped out of the bar. He was alone, and I was so damn tempted to jump out, grab him, toss him in my SUV, and have him home with me in no time. Or I could have him right here, the backseat was plenty big enough even for the two of us.

You’re assuming he wants you to fuck him.

He does. I can tell by the way he looks at me. He’s resisting it though, because he senses how dangerous I can be. He’s trying to be a good boy.

I watched him as he walked to his black Mercedes AMG-GT. I hung back until he pulled out of the parking lot, then followed him. I made sure to keep a car or two between us. I doubted he’d notice the tail, but I didn’t want to take chances. Not yet.

He whipped around a corner, and I followed, certain now that he was heading back to his apartment.

I hadn’t found out too many details about him. I wanted there to be some mystery, some surprises, but I had found out where he lived, his phone number, his schedule, all the basics I would need to keep a close eye on him.

To stalk him .

I dismissed that scolding voice in my head which sounded far too much like my brother.

Not that Val was any kind of saint. If Liam had tried to run from him, Val would have followed him to the ends of the earth and dragged him right back here. Once he set his sights on Liam, he knew the man was his.

Just like Zeke was mine.

So why are you playing games? If he’s yours, take him.

I need some fun.

You’re scared.

Fuck no. What do I have to be scared of?

Zeke not wanting you the way Liam wanted Val.

He wants me. I can see it in the way he looks at me.

He’s scared.

And I’m going to find out why.

Maybe because you’re stalking him.

Maybe because he wants me.

I didn’t believe that though. Something was bothering him, something far worse than a hot man making his intentions clear.

Zeke turned into the garage for his building, and I drove past and circled the block. By the time I found some street parking, I assumed he’d had time to head up to his apartment. As I’d driven around the block, I’d made note of the fire escape that went up the side of the building. My research of the schematics told me his apartment was on the third floor, two units over from those stairs. I stared up at his balcony, wondering if I could access his apartment that way.

As I climbed up the fire escape, I glanced around to see if anyone was watching. I’d already looked for obvious cameras. If there were any, they were well hidden. If there weren’t any, I needed to talk to Zeke about demanding better security. Not that he’d need to worry once I moved him to my house.

When I reached the third floor, I studied the gap between the stair landing and Zeke’s neighbor’s balcony. If I climbed over the railing and stretched, I might be able to reach the balcony, but I’d probably have to jump for it, then do the same to get to Zeke’s balcony.

I looked down. The street seemed very far away.

It’s just three stories, not that far really.

You won’t be saying that when you’re smashed on the pavement.

I probably wouldn’t be saying anything at all.

But I’d never been a coward, and I’d always been stubborn as fuck, so I lifted one leg over the railing, then the other. I stood there, feet still on the metal flooring, hands tightly wrapped around the railing as the wind whistled around the building. My hair fluttered, tickling my neck. I looked over at the balcony, then down, and?—

Nope. Never look at the ground. I knew better.

I took a breath, crouched down and let go with one hand. I stretched nearly far enough to pull my arm out of socket. The balcony railing was just out of reach.

A few inches more, and I’d have it.

But I couldn’t stretch any more. I was going to have to jump.

Three. Two. One.

For a fraction of a second I was suspended in the air, then my hand locked around the railing, my second hand slipped, and I hung from one arm. Fuck, my shoulder was going to be feeling this tomorrow.

I pulled myself up and managed to grab hold with my other hand. Once I got a foothold, I was able to climb over and safely stand on some stranger’s balcony.

I focused on the present, assessing my situation. Thankfully, curtains had been pulled across the balcony’s sliding door, and despite the reverberating metal and the creak of my steps, the apartment remained dark.

Only then did I let myself think about how close I’d come to falling.

Why are you risking your life for this man?

That was a really good question. And the only answer I had was that he called to me from the moment I saw him. Something about him fascinated me. It had been a while since anyone or anything had intrigued me like he did. I’d just been moving through life, through men and women, through endless parties, not feeling much of anything.

Every time I saw Zeke, I felt more alive than I had in ages. Heat rose up through my neck and into my face, and I grew sweaty and restless. I needed him, needed to touch him, to take him, hold him down, fill him and spill inside him, marking him as mine. I was an animal, and he was my prey. I would bring him down, but I would also enjoy the hunt. I needed something that was all my own, not something I’d been assigned to do. I needed to pretend I was in charge of my life and that I had choices, and in this, at least, I did.

First, I had to make the choice to jump to Zeke’s balcony. I leaned out enough to see that his curtains were parted. There was some faint light coming through, though his apartment seemed mostly dark.

Would I be able to see him, to watch him get ready for bed, to see what he did in the privacy of his home?

The idea of watching him when he had no idea I was there made my cock start to harden. I told it to calm down. I had to actually get over there.

I looked at the distance to Zeke’s balcony from the side of the one I was on. It wasn’t much farther than the stairs to this balcony. I could make it.

I climbed over the railing, crouched, stretched, and jumped, not giving myself time to think.

This time, I caught the railing with both hands and easily pulled myself up and over. I heard movement from inside Zeke’s apartment, so I pressed myself flat against the wall beside the sliding door.

Footsteps came nearer, and I tried to make myself smaller. I needed to blend completely into the shadows.

I heard the curtains slide as he opened them wider, and I tensed, waiting for him to open the door and see me.

Would that be so bad?

I want this on my terms.

So step out, open the door, and take what you want.

No, he’s not ready for that.

But he’s ready for you to be stalking him from his balcony like a crazy person?

He won’t know if he stays inside.

A few seconds later, footsteps retreated from the door. He must have decided there wasn’t anything he needed to investigate.

The light dimmed again, and I dared to move, taking slow, silent steps. I worked my way around the edge of the balcony until I could see in through the gap in the curtains. I was looking into his living room.

He was seated on the couch, the only light was coming from the TV screen. He held the remote in one hand, but I didn’t care what he was watching. I only cared about the fact that he was wearing nothing but a pair of boxers.

The light from the TV played over him as he leaned back, giving me a good look at his broad shoulders and chiseled chest, his dusky brown nipples that I desperately wanted to bite, and the beautiful ridges of his abs.

“So hot.” I whispered the words, unable to hold them in. He was even more gorgeous shirtless than I’d expected. I continued letting my gaze move down his body. His legs were spread, and the bulge in his boxers was in plain view. I imagined myself slipping in through the door, kneeling there, mouthing his cock, listening to him moan, and feeling him shake with need when I took him in my mouth, drawing him deep into my throat until he was whimpering, begging, ready to give himself to me completely.

I shifted and rearranged my expanding cock. Fuck, this guy got to me like no one else. I wanted him so fucking bad, but I was enjoying our game.

The game he doesn’t know he’s playing.

He knows. The way he watched me, the way he betrayed himself the moment my hand touched him, the look in his eyes when I licked the thumb that had touched his lip. He isn’t stupid. He knows where this will end.

Zeke lifted the remote and pressed a button, then another. He seemed to be scrolling through options. When he finally set the remote down, I wasn’t prepared for what I heard coming from the screen: the unmistakable grunts of two men going at each other. Harsh breathing. The sound of a hand slapping against flesh.

Holy fuck.

Zeke’s hand went to his cock, pulling it through the slit in his boxers.

I couldn’t breathe as I watched him. The light from the TV illuminated him perfectly. I could see the thick shaft in his hand, the dark pink tip. I wanted to move closer. I needed to know if he was leaking precum. I imagined how it would taste it on my tongue, but I had to stay hidden. Tonight wasn’t the night, but I was going to get so much more of a show than I’d even wished for.

Was he thinking about me as his hand wrapped around his cock or only the men on the screen? I wished I could see them too. I needed to know what he was into, though I was certain I could make him like anything I wanted to do to him. He was so fucking responsive.

His hand began to move up and down on his cock, slow at first, then faster. His eyes remained on the screen, his lips parted, and his chest rose and fell as his movements sped up.

I fought it as long as I could, then I unzipped my pants and pulled out my own cock. No way in hell could I watch him without getting myself off.

He closed his eyes and sank his teeth into his lower lip. I heard one of the men he was watching grunt loudly like he was coming. Zeke gasped, opening his eyes again. He focused on the screen as his hand worked in rough, fast strokes. His thighs tensed as he lifted his hips, fucking his hand.

That’s it, baby. Come for me. I want to see your face when you do.

What would it be like to say those words to him out loud? To feel his reaction under me, to hold him down and make him come again and again until he was too exhausted to move. What would it take to wear him out completely?

I was going to find out.

My hand worked slowly as I watched him. He lifted the remote and paused the video. The sound of the TV cut out, but light from the screen remained. I squeezed my cock, waiting to see what would happen next. No way was he going to leave himself hanging. Although a guy with a denial kink would be so much fun to play with. I’d keep him from coming for days. I’d have him in tears.

No, he wasn’t going to wait, he pushed off his boxers and let his head drop back on the couch as he worked himself again, faster and faster.

His mouth formed words, but I couldn’t hear them. It looked like his was saying please over and over. As long as he asked me nicely, I’d do whatever he wanted, no matter how filthy it was.

His other hand gripped his balls, tugging on them, squeezing them, making them bulge in their sac. I wanted to lick and suck them to tease him, only tasting him there and leaving his dripping, begging cock alone.

Fuck. My hand was moving faster now. I was so fucking close. I wanted to break in though the sliding door, hold him down, and come all over him. I wanted him covered in my seed, marked as mine.

As if he could hear my thoughts, he drove up into his hand and cried out. He was so close; I could feel it. The tension in the air was thick, heavy. It was killing me to hold back, but I wasn’t going to come until I saw him. I needed to study every single detail of his reaction to pleasure.

His mouth moved again, and I wanted him to be calling my name, to be picturing me jerking him off, sucking him, driving deep inside him.

His face scrunched as his body went rigid and cum shot from his cock. I jerked myself faster, keeping a tight grip on my cock. Zeke was so fucking beautiful with his abdomen coated in spunk, his chest, neck, and face flushed red. His mouth hung open, and his chest rose and fell so rapidly I wondered if he’d be okay. He lay still, but he had a smile on his face. I needed to be the one to put that smile there. He fucking better have been thinking of me. I was going to erase every other man from his mind.

That did it, I gave myself one final stroke and spilled my cum onto his balcony.