Chapter Twelve

W atching his mate sleep, knowing he was safe and secure for now, eased some of the tension Kelvin carried. Looking into the living room, he rolled his shoulders, wincing at the ache he felt. A few seconds later, Gray appeared and came over to stand next to him.

“CCTV is already hacked into. I’ll put sensors on the doors and windows and update the alarm he has. The one he never uses.” Gray arched an eyebrow at Kelvin. “A couple of cameras like we discussed.” Glancing into the bedroom, he asked, “How is he?”

“He isn’t threatening to kill me, so much better.”

“You have irrevocably altered his life. There is no going back for him.”

“I know. I thought I could control it,” Kelvin snorted and shook his head. “How wrong was I?”

“The urge to mate is strong. I’ve heard it overrides almost all of our senses.”

“Yeah, I always thought that was an over-exaggeration, but it isn’t. Not at all.” Kelvin rocked on his feet. “I managed it the first time well enough, but the second—”

“I don’t need to know the details.” Gray placed his duffel on the floor, crouched down and unzipped it. Kelvin watched him take out the sensors, alarm, and cameras, plus wiring. Lots of wiring, and a drill. “I won’t start the drilling until later. I can do plenty that’s quiet while he’s sleeping.”

“He wants to tell his dad about us.”

“He’s close with Charles.”

“You know his name?” Kelvin shouldn’t be surprised at how much Gray knew, but he was this time.

“He’s your mate. Of course, I ran a background check. Nice guy too. Loves his son. Loves his wife and visits her grave every week to place fresh flowers.”

“That’s love.”

“It is. One that transcends death.” Gray picked up a sensor and stood. “We believe humans can’t feel love the way we can because we mate, but we’re wrong. I’ve seen it many times. Humans can and do love just as deeply as we do.” Walking over to one of the windows, Gray looked outside. “You can be seen from the rooftop opposite, which you know all about.”

Coughing, Kelvin agreed. “Weak spot.”

“It is. I’ll place a camera here so we can keep an eye on it and wait for Maxim to appear, which we both know he will. He has both your scents now and can use that against you by threatening your mate. It could place you in a position where you are forced to become his spy.”

“He’s always wanted to find a way inside our security.”

“Now he may believe he has one. An enforcer with a human mate? He knows the laws better than anyone. He knows how to tread a fine line when he needs to or jump straight over it when he wants something, but he’s careful. We can never pin anything on him with a degree of certainty.”

“He knows what he’s doing, but look where he comes from? His family is responsible for where we are now.”

“And now they live in the shadows because of it and they know we watch them, which is why they stay under the radar as much as possible.” Gray approached the window and began cleaning it. “Go and sleep. You’re as tired as your mate.”

Kelvin nodded and left Gray to do the job he was more than capable of doing. In the bedroom, he paused to watch his mate sleep, then quietly stripped and crawled into bed behind him, spooning him. Inhaling his mate’s scent, Kelvin felt his body ease and closed his eyes. He could sleep a little better knowing they would be safe.

Hearing faint murmurs roused Kelvin from sleep, and when he rolled over, he found the bed empty and the sheets cold. Throwing the covers back, Kelvin pulled his jeans on and walked into the living room, finding Key and Gray sitting and talking.

Key watched him, then pursed his lips. “Morning.”

“Morning?” Had he slept that long?

“I need to leave, but I’ll use the alarm you’ve installed. You can poof your way home.”

“Wait.” Kelvin reached over and took Key’s arm. “You can’t go to work.”

“I never said I was leaving for work, but I was leaving to pick up some groceries. It turns out I’ve been fired, so I have lots of free time.” Shrugging Kelvin’s hand off, Key grabbed his keys and left.

Kelvin glanced between the closed front door and Gray. “He’s been fired?”

“Told him not to bother coming back, and they’d mail his stuff to him.”

“Shit.”

“Offered him a job with me. You know Key isn’t his real name, right?”

“It isn’t?” Gray knew more about his mate than Kelvin did.

“It’s Jax, but he’s called Key because there is no IT system he can’t crack. Why he’s working where he is, or was, is beyond me. A guy with his skills will be a huge benefit to me and our team. And that is what you are going to run with when you get hauled in front of the council for breaking our laws.”

Standing, Gray put his laptop away in his duffel bag, something Kelvin hadn’t even noticed was there, and then stretched. “Long night, but the apartment is secure. Not sure how you slept through me drilling, but you did.”

“I was tired.” Kelvin scanned the room, noticing everything he’d failed to notice when he’d first walked in from the bedroom. There were sensors on the windows, a nice up-to-date alarm by the door, and a camera blinking away in the corner of the living room. There was probably more hidden away that Kelvin couldn’t see.

Gray packed away his belongings, then stretched again. “Speak later.” With those words, he disappeared, leaving Kelvin alone in his mate’s apartment, but with no mate to speak of.

While he had the time, Kelvin took a shower and remade the bed, then looked inside Key’s fridge. It was empty except for some bottles of beer and a half-eaten apple. Grimacing, Kelvin threw the apple in the trash and closed the fridge door. As he rummaged through the pantry, Key came back.

“Hey.” Kelvin rocked on his feet, watching Key unpack several bags of food. “Sorry about your job.” Having him as a mate hadn’t done Key any good so far, and Kelvin was going to do everything he could to change that.

“You can eat normal food, so I’m making vegetable soup. We can have it with some warm rolls.”

“Soup from scratch?” Kelvin couldn’t remember the last time he’d eaten anything made from scratch.

“I can cook… now. My mom thought I’d never learn, but it’s amazing what having food poisoning can do for you.”

“I’m sure it is?” Kelvin was sure Key had been angry at him when he left, but now he appeared calm.

“I was angry, but where will that get me?” Key continued to put items away. “It wastes time and energy and I want to live my life, so yeah. Not angry now.”

“That’s good to hear.”

Key finished putting everything away, then pointed to the bedroom. “I want sex.”

“That’s direct.”

Grinning, Key sauntered over to Kelvin and put his arms over his neck. “I’m not angry, but I am horny and I have a mate who knows how to fuck me. So, let’s fuck.”

“I see romance isn’t dead.” Chuckling, Key walked backwards, leading Kelvin to the bedroom, and he was more than happy to follow, if a little bemused at the change in Key’s attitude toward him.

Once in the bedroom, Kelvin stood and watched Key strip until he was naked, then lay back on the bed. He crooked a finger at Kelvin, then pointed over to where he lay. “Come here.”

Kelvin quickly stripped and crawled over his mate and kissed him. Key moaned softly and Kelvin licked across his lips before sliding inside. He moaned when he tasted his mate, their tongues sliding together in an erotic dance. Key’s hands grabbed Kelvin’s ass and Kelvin arched into him, rubbing their hard leaking lengths together.

“I don’t want to wait. I want you to fuck me. I know that’s what you want to do.” Key tapped the side of his head. “I can tell.”

Kelvin kissed him again, then leaned back and flipped Key over onto his front. He moved between his legs and spread Key’s asscheeks, then licked across his wrinkled hole. Key moaned loudly and pushed back. “Yeah. Like that.” Kelvin did it again, Key’s intense flavor bursting over his tongue. Hardening his tongue, he stabbed at Key’s hole, sliding it in and out as he spread Key’s cheeks wider.

Key rocked back onto Kelvin’s tongue as Kelvin slid a finger in alongside it, causing Key to moan again. He pulled his tongue free and pushed another finger inside, then glanced up when he heard a dull thud next to him. Lube. Just what he needed.

Pouring it on three fingers, Kelvin pushed them in and scissored them, then pulled them out. He lubed his dick, then lay over Key and whispered into his ear, “Ready?”

“Fuck me now.”

Kelvin groaned and pushed inside, pausing as a tight heat enveloped him and pushed him to the edge. Too soon. He wasn’t going to come just yet. He wanted to feel his mate explode beneath him first. He pulled out, then pushed inside again, setting a steady rhythm until Key urged for more.

“Harder. I want to feel you.”

Planting soft kisses across Key’s back, Kelvin fucked him like he wanted. He felt Key shudder beneath him, then pulled out and flipped him over so they were face to face. Sliding back inside, Kelvin kissed Key, their tongues tangling as Kelvin took Key hard and fast.

Key moaned, his body arching up into every thrust, his hands tugging on Kelvin’s hair, pulling his head any way he wanted. Kelvin loved it. Loved seeing his mate unrestrained. Loved feeling him inside and out, knowing he was pushing his mate closer to the edge.

Key bit his lip and Kelvin growled low and deep. Key’s eyes widened, and he turned his face to one side, exposing his neck. “Bite me. I can feel you want to.”

Groaning, Kelvin pounced, his fangs sliding in easily. He moaned at the first taste of Key on his tongue and shuddered when Key clenched around his dick, Key’s body exploding in ecstasy beneath him. Kelvin held on, feeling Key and knowing how to move to prolong Key’s pleasure.

The connection between them was intense, and Key’s pleasure became Kelvin’s own as he arched back, crying out as he came. He shuddered and trembled, his orgasm riding over him, making him see stars until it left him weak and shaky, sweat coating his hot skin.

It wasn’t long before Kelvin came to his senses and licked across Key’s neck, closing the wound. Key rolled his head to the side to they could see each other, then smiled. “My turn next.”

Chuckling, Kelvin nodded, then winced slightly when he slipped free from Key’s body. “It is. Take it easy with me. It’s been a while.”

“And for me, but someone helped me out.” Key waggled his eyebrows, and Kelvin laughed again before rolling onto his back. His heart rate slowed as he closed his eyes, feeling Key’s emotions. Key was happy but scared, and Kelvin understood why. He felt the same way, too. Unsure what the future would bring and how Kelvin could gain the best outcome for them. He had no choice but to challenge the laws if he wanted to have Key in his life.

“We’ll figure it out.”

Kelvin nodded. “We will.”

“You need to research why it came into effect and if it’s been challenged before and have good enough reason why the law should be revoked now.”

Exhaling heavily, Kelvin murmured, “A lot of research needed.”

“I’m sure Gray is already on it.”

Snorting, Kelvin agreed. “He’ll have it all figured out in no time. There are a number of laws he doesn’t agree with.”

Sitting up, Key winced. “I need to go to the bathroom.”

“Sorry?”

“Pfft. Don’t apologize for something you’re not sorry about, and I’m not sorry either, but clean up isn’t the best.”

“No, it isn’t, but remember, I’m the one who will be doing it next.”

Grinning, Key stood and stretched, and Kelvin’s eyes roamed over his body, his dick twitching in anticipation.

Key stared down at him. “Give me a minute and I’ll see to you.”

Yeah. Kelvin could give his hot mate a minute.