Chapter Ten

Ezra

Ezra paced in front of the living room window. He couldn't settle and knew that until he saw Eric again, all the feelings that were tangled up inside him weren't going to allow him to sleep.

He'd assured Brandon that he would wait up for Eric. There had been a few messages exchanged over the night, so they knew Eric was safe and that Joey still hadn't been found. Ezra strolled to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water before returning to the living room.

Headlights flashed through the curtains and Ezra rushed back over to the window. Eric's black SUV pulled into the drive. Finally! Ezra ran to the entrance, waiting impatiently until Eric had unlocked the door and stepped inside.

"Is it over? Did you put him in jail?" Ezra wanted Joey in his past so he could concentrate on his future, his baby girl, and Eric.

Eric's head snapped up. He looked tired. Worn-out. Dark circles under his eyes and stress lines visible on his forehead. He smiled at Ezra though. "Not yet, baby." Eric closed the door and locked it behind him.

Ezra shuffled forward. "Are you okay?"

"Yes." Eric pulled Ezra into his arms. "I spent all night staking out the casino. I was sure that he'd show up there. There hasn't been a trace of him though."

He had to tilt his head back, but Ezra could see the same need staring back at him from Eric's eyes.

"I want you." Ezra put it all on the line.

"I want you too. So damn bad." Eric ran his hands down Ezra's back to cup his ass. "Except this time, I want you in my bed."

That was exactly where Ezra wanted to be. "Do we need to talk about what I called you?"

Eric smiled. "I wondered if you remembered you said that."

"I didn't realize it in the moment but reflecting. Yeah, I remember saying it."

"And you regressed when you were playing with Bran in his room," Eric stated. "I was watching for a while. You're a little."

"I was," Ezra told him. "In college. My roommate and I stumbled across a kink club one night even though we had no business being there. I was horrified by some of the scenes at first. Then I came across the playroom."

"That must be quite the story. I'd love to hear it."

"And I'll tell you sometime."

"As well as why you gave it up?"

Ezra bit his lip. "I have Annabelle. Nothing comes before her. Not even my desires."

"It doesn't have to be all or nothing."

Ezra thought about that. Really thoughts about what Eric was saying and the last three years. "It did. I left everything behind so that Annabelle wouldn't live the kind of life that I had. The past three years haven't been easy, but I did right by my girl."

"You are raising a bright and happy little one," Eric said. "You have nothing to be ashamed of."

"I know that." Ezra was a good father. He didn't doubt that about himself. "But I couldn't be the father she needed without sacrifices. I'm not in the same place I was three years ago."

"No, you're not." Eric urged him closer until their bodies were pressed close together.

"I needed to be safe. To have found my own way. I'm happy with where I am in life. And I feel safe with you," Ezra confessed.

Lowering his head, Eric brushed their lips together. "I feel safe with you too."

Ezra wrapped an arm around Eric's neck. "Then I want you to take me to bed. I want to start building something with you."

"Me too. I've never wanted anyone like I want you. I felt it the first time I laid eyes on you. I have no idea what this thing between us means but I'm all-in, Ezra. I want to see where this goes."

"Annabelle will always come first," Ezra told him. "I need you to acknowledge that. To put her first too."

"I understand what an amazing package the two of you make," Eric said. "And I have to ask the same of you. Brandon will always have a place with me. I won't be moving him out. If he chooses to leave one day, that will be up to him, but my home, and I hope my partner's home, will always have room for him."

"I hope he doesn't decide to leave anytime soon. I like this family that we're building together."

"You are amazing," Eric said. "Everything I want."

Ezra figured that was enough talking for now. He pushed up to his tiptoes and kissed Eric.

Eric lifted Ezra into his arms as Eric took control of the kiss. Ezra put every ounce of want and desire into the kiss. He wasn't afraid. Not when he was with Eric. They were still getting to know each other. Would probably argue. Might even have fights. Ezra also knew he was where he belonged.

Eric lifted him, allowing Ezra to wrap his legs around Eric's waist. Ezra didn't care where Eric was taking him. He broke the kiss to pull in long breaths as Eric carried him into the bedroom.

"Are you sure about this, baby? You can change your mind."

"I appreciate you saying that, but I want this. Don't make me beg. I will if I have to, but I've been thinking about this for days."

"I'll take my time," Eric told him. "I want to devour every inch of you." He placed Ezra in the middle of the massive bed.

Ezra moaned. His cock was so hard. Straining against the pajama bottoms he'd slipped on earlier.

"You are beautiful," Eric said. He stood at the foot of the bed, staring down at Ezra, full of emotions. Brandon had accused Eric of having a savior complex. That might be true. Ezra wasn't a project that needed fixing though. He just needed support, a partner, someone who would have his back while Ezra took care of his responsibilities.

"And you have too many clothes on," Ezra teased.

Eric ran his hand down his chest, watching Ezra back with intensity. Ezra's body trembled with anticipation. Eric pushed off the leather jacket he'd pulled on earlier, letting it land on the floor. Damn. Ezra licked his lips. He wanted Eric naked. Eric yanked the black T-shirt from his jeans and over his head. Eagerness had Ezra wanting to get closer. He started to rise but Eric shook his head.

"Stay where I put you, boy."

Ezra laughed. "Yes, Daddy."

The reaction was instant. Eric's eyes darkened as he pulled too hard on a button of his jeans and it popped off.

"Shit!" Eric muttered.

Ezra was proud of himself. He was making the usually controlled older man lose his shit. "That wouldn't be an issue if you would hurry."

"Patience, my precious," Eric said in a pretty good villain voice.

Fuck this shit. Ezra eased up on his elbows. "Really?" He kept eye contact as he shimmied his hips, letting Eric see his erection. He quickly sat up and pulled his T-shirt over his head. He tossed the garment at Eric. "You're falling behind here." Next, he pushed down his pajama pants, making sure to snag his briefs as well. Once he was naked, Ezra leaned back against the mattress. "See? Why am I the only one naked here?" It was a decent question in Ezra's opinion.

"Did I say you could do all that?" Eric asked. He'd paused with his hand on his ruined jeans, watching Ezra the entire time.

"You didn't say I couldn't," Ezra quipped.

"I get it now." He tugged the jeans down.

Ezra smiled as he wrapped his fingers around the base of his cock.

Eric quickly removed the rest of his clothes unbelievably fast, including tossing his boots over his shoulder. "I need to be more specific with my demands."

"I'm just trying to move things along. I feel like I've waited forever for this," he confessed.

"Me too, baby." Eric moved around to the side of the bed. He opened the drawer of the nightstand and pulled out a bottle of lube and a condom. He placed both items on the pillow next to Ezra's head. "But I didn't say that you could touch yourself."

He gave himself a few long strokes. "Touching like this?"

Eric caught his wrist. "No touching yourself ever. Not sexually. That is a rule."

Ezra stuck his bottom lip out. "But I'm horny."

"That's my job," Eric told him. "As well as making the rules. I think you're going to need them. A lot of them."

"Hmm." He shuddered. That was hot. He liked Eric's stern voice. And he wouldn't mind rules. That would solidify what was happening between them.

Eric's hand replaced his, his hold firm, and he started to stroke Ezra. That was even better than handling himself. Ezra spread his legs farther open.

"Such a good boy," Eric praised.

The words, the touch, having Eric finally, all of that stole Ezra's ability to form words. He could only moan as he pushed through Eric's fingers. He could chase his orgasm this way, but he really wanted to feel Eric inside him this time. Just as he had that thought, Eric released his cock.

Ezra whined.

Reaching for the lube, Eric joined Ezra on the bed. He squirted lube onto two of his fingers as he leaned down. Eric licked at Ezra's lips. Ezra opened his mouth, sucking on Eric's tongue. He sucked harder as Eric brushed a finger between his legs and over his hole. So long. Too long. Ezra wanted this! He pushed down and the tip of Eric's finger breached him. The small, sharp bite of pain was no deterrent for Ezra. He knew that pleasure would come quickly.

Eric pushed his thick digit in slowly. By the time that Ezra was full, Eric pulled back from the kiss.

"You are going to feel amazing around my cock."

Panting, no doubt red-faced, Ezra nodded. Eric sawed his finger in and out, stretching Ezra. Ezra lifted his legs to pull Eric's finger in deeper. Eric kissed Ezra's neck and shoulder. He nipped Ezra's sensitive flesh while adding a second finger.

"Eric!" Damn! Fuck! He didn't want to come yet! If he didn't have Eric's cock inside him soon, Ezra was going to scream.

"I've got you, baby boy," Eric whispered in his ear. He hooked one of Ezra's knees with the crook of his elbow as he held Ezra's legs wide and fucked Ezra with those thick digits.

Eric's mouth remained as busy as his fingers. Ezra moaned and wiggled. His legs trembled as a third finger entered him.

He was ready. He was stretched. "Eric!"

"Are you all ready for me?" Eric asked him.

"Yes!" Ezra hissed. He rode Eric's fingers hard and fast. Ezra didn't care if it made him look like a needy little slut. He would love to be Eric's needy little slut anyway.

Eric withdrew his fingers. Ezra could feel the loss through his entire body. He rubbed at Eric's chest. Loving how hard the muscles felt under his palms. Raising his head, Ezra latched on to one of Eric's nipples. Making Eric jerk under his mouth.

"That's it, baby. Yes!"

Eric's head bent back as Ezra suckled on him. Ezra had to force his mouth away. "No getting distracted."

"Right." Eric nodded. He grabbed the condom and had his cock covered in seconds. Adding more lube to his condom then swiping the remainer across Ezra's hole. "I'm going to love on you so hard."

Ezra had to close his eyes as the picture of that threatened to send him over the edge.

Eric held Ezra's legs open as he pushed inside. Eric didn't wait for Ezra to adjust to the invasion of his body. He filled Ezra up before pausing once he was buried deep. Ezra shook. He had never felt so full. So owned.

Ezra whimpered. "Daddy!"

"Fuck, baby." Eric drew back before he plunged forward again.

The bed rocked.

Ezra gripped Eric's shoulders.

Eric groaned low.

"More," Ezra demanded.

"Whatever you want," Eric promised. He flashed a quick grin and then all Ezra could do was cling to the older man. Eric fucked him with hard, deep thrusts. He moaned his approval as Eric rocked his world.

"That's it, baby," Eric said. "Take me. Take all of me. You like this, don't you? Like Daddy owning your body. Controlling you."

"Yes!" Ezra managed to hiss.

"Good!" He slammed in hard.

Digging in his fingers, Ezra lifted his hips, moving with Eric. Eric managed to pick up his already frantic pace. Eric adjusted Ezra slightly and that had Ezra practically seeing stars. Eric's shaft rubbed over Ezra's prostate.

He knew he was babbling. Not that the words were important. No telling if Eric was even paying attention to them. Ezra shook his head, strained, and begged.

Eric's hand went back to Ezra's cock and it only took a handful of strokes before he was coming. As his hole clamped down on Eric's dick, Eric closed his eyes while he grunted out his own release.

They really needed to do this when they were alone in the house. Ezra really wanted to hear Eric roar.

Eric fucked Ezra through the last of his tremors before stilling inside him.

Ezra could tell that Eric was staring at their bodies where they were joined, and it was the hottest damn moment he'd ever been a part of. His cock even gave one last pulse of come.

"That's hot," Eric mumbled. He lowered his forehead against Ezra's as they both fought to catch their breaths.

"You're hot," Ezra said. He wasn't even sure that made sense, but it was all he could manage. "I'm sleepy." He yawned before smacking his lips. Would Eric let him suckle his nipple again? That had been comforting.

"Let me clean us up. We'll get some sleep before I wake you up and we do that again."

Ezra didn't even bother to open his eyes as he smiled.

* * * * *

Eric

Phone. Why was a phone ringing? Eric grunted as he forced his eyes open. The bedroom was dark and there was weight on his chest. He lifted his head as he peered into the darkness of his bedroom.

"What's that ringing?" Ezra asked as he lifted his head off Eric's chest.

"Phone," Eric told him.

"But why!" Ezra whined.

"I don't know."

"Make it stop!" Ezra ordered then nuzzled into Eric's chest.

Hmm, they hadn't been sleeping long. The shadows of the room told Eric that it was still in the middle of the night. Thankfully the ringing had stopped though. Ezra snuggled closer then latched on to Eric's nipple. It was the third or fourth time that night that he'd felt that sensation. It was something that he could easily become addicted to.

His cell phone started to ring again.

Ezra whined again as he sucked harder.

"I can't get the phone from the bed," Eric told his boy. He had been too preoccupied to worry about plugging his phone into the charger on his nightstand. The stupid little thing was probably still in the pocket of his jeans.

The phone stopped again. Then started ringing for a third time.

Must be important.

Eric extracted himself from his boy, receiving a very unhappy grunt for his efforts. He followed the ringing until he found his jeans.

Dane's name was on the screen.

"What's up?" He answered the phone with his question.

"Thank fuck! I was about to bust your door down to check on all of you," Dane said.

"Why?"

"Besides you not answering your phone?" Dane asked.

Good point. "I was sleeping."

"Well wake up. I found Collins."

All sleep instantly vanished. "Where?"

"Don't freak out."

"I don't like the sound of that," Eric told his friend.

"I was thinking about what you said. How sure you were that Collins would be around the casino. How you thought he might target Ezra."

"Yeah?"

"What if he was at the casino? And he saw you. Knew that Ezra was most likely with you?"

"Okay." Eric started to pull on his jeans. "What are you getting at."

"I followed you home," Dane said. "Parked down the street and decided to watch your house."

"You—" Eric shook his head. Of course Dane would do something like this. "You're staking out my house?"

"It's a good thing too," Dane told him. "Collins is parked two houses north of you. Been there about twenty minutes."

"Fuck!" Eric rushed to get the rest of his clothes on. "You're sure it's him?"

"I acted like a neighbor out walking my dog. Took Maverick and we circled the block. He wasn't even paying attention to me. It's him."

"He's still there?"

"Yes. I called it in, but he looks antsy."

"I'm on my way."

"Go out the back. Come from the side of the house and he shouldn't see you. I'll come up on the passenger side."

Eric glanced back at the bed. Ezra was sound asleep. "Give me five minutes."

"Got it."

Since Ezra and Annabelle had moved in, Eric had begun to keep his service weapon in the safe that was hidden under the carpet of his SUV. He couldn't risk going out to his vehicle and being spotted. He did have a spare gun in the safe of his bedroom closet though.

He was quiet as a mouse while finishing dressing and walking to the closest. He used his thumb and passcode to get his safe open and grab his firearm. The house was still, no movement, but they'd left the living room lamp on when Eric had carried Ezra into his room.

Five minutes wasn't long to get into position. He slipped out the sliding glass door and into the backyard before he hurried around to the side of the house. The gate wasn't locked and while that helped him in that moment, it was a reminder that he needed to beef up security. He couldn't have Annabelle or the boys playing and anyone able to stroll right in.

The gate was new and didn't make a sound as Eric passed through it.

Eric stayed up against the side of the house as he made his way toward the street. He was right on time.

Sticking to the shadows, Eric moved.

He spotted Dane but that was from experience. They could move as a team without needing to say a word. One house away, Eric could see the vehicle that Dane had spotted.

Just as he was preparing to show himself, Collins pushed the door open.

Fucking idiot.

Eric would have had a harder time getting Collins out of the vehicle. Instead, he waited for his prey to come to him. Joey was obviously trying to remain quiet, but he didn't have Eric or Dane's training.

Dane was sneaking up behind Collins.

Taking a deep breath, Eric raised his weapon. Collins stopped instantly when Eric stepped into his path with his gun raised.

Collins stilled just as Dane's gun met with the back of his head.

"We've been looking for you," Eric said. "Thanks for coming to me."

"Fuck you!" Collins spat even though the white of his eyes showed his fear.

Dane chuckled as he removed the cuffs from his belt. It was a good thing that Dane had come prepared because Eric hadn't even thought about cuffs. "I believe Eric's dance card is full. Better luck where you're going."

It was a shame when Collins put his hands up in the air and didn't offer any resistance. Eric was really hoping that Collins would do something stupid and have to be put down to the ground hard.

The first black and white cruiser pulled up in front of Eric's house with a uniformed cop rushing out.

"The cavalry has arrived," Dane said. "And we got our man."

"I better start a pot of coffee." Eric turned back to his house. "And wake the boys."