Chapter 19

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Wade stepped out of the elevator into the penthouse suite, the lights on and the smell of food saturating the kitchen area. The private chef was nowhere to be found, but when Wade went into the kitchen and opened up the oven, he could see the Dutch oven filled with beef bourguignon on the rack there, and two fresh loaves of bread were covered by a towel on the counter.

"Awesome," Wade said as he reached for the Dutch oven's handles. The metal was warm against his palms, which probably meant it would be too hot for a mundane human or anyone else not immune to fire and high heat to handle. It didn't bother him, and he easily hauled it out of the oven, setting it on the stove. "I asked the chef to make dinner for us because I didn't think I could wait for delivery."

"When did you do that?" Riordan asked as he came up beside Wade. He reached for the lid but then jerked his hand away when he realized it was hot. "Ow."

"It was staying warm in the oven. What made you think it was a good idea to touch it?"

"You touched it."

Wade rolled his eyes and started opening up cupboards to figure out where the bowls were kept. "Heat doesn't bother me."

"You're pretty hot."

"That was the dumbest line. Please don't ever say that around my pack."

Riordan laughed and crowded Wade up against the stove for a lingering kiss that definitely burned hotter than the Dutch oven he'd just set down. He tilted his head, parted his lips some, and could have kept on kissing Riordan, except his stomach growled, reminding him he was hungry.

"All right, let's feed you," Riordan said after breaking the kiss.

Wade was torn for a single second between more kisses and food, but food won out. He had a loaf of fresh bread to attack. "There should be some clothes for you in the bedroom. I had the concierge go out and buy some for you since you only have what you're wearing. You can change after dinner or now, whatever you prefer."

Riordan stared at him for a moment before shaking his head. "I haven't even thought about everything we lost. Thank you."

It earned him another kiss, this one close-lipped and brushing soft and gentle against the corner of his mouth. It made his skin tingle, warmth spreading through him. Riordan stepped back and started opening up a few drawers, looking for an oven mitt. He used it to lift the lid off the Dutch oven and take a whiff of dinner. "Smells good."

"I wasn't sure if you'd like it."

"I'd like anything you gave me."

"Well, you also get a loaf of bread you don't have to share with me only because I made sure I got my own."

Riordan laughed and set the lid aside. "Duly noted."

Between the two of them, they found the tableware and utensils, got the beef bourguignon ladled into bowls, and figured out there was a wine fridge in the kitchen island. Wade wasn't a connoisseur of wine in any way, but Riordan seemed impressed by whatever was stored in there. "Do you care what bottle I pick?"

"I'll drink whatever you open," Wade said.

They served the meal on the dining table near the long line of windows that overlooked Boston. The curtains weren't shut, and the sky outside was black due to the late-evening hour. The buildings that stretched out before them glowed with light, making it difficult to see the stars. The view was nice, but Riordan was better looking, even with the stress of the day lending a darkness to his warm brown eyes. Wade wanted to erase the pain he could see there but didn't know how.

The plan they'd come up with at Lady Caith's had essentially been a Trojan horse of sorts. They'd let the vampires have fun hunting Niall tonight. Tomorrow, they would reach out to the asshole—if he was still alive, and Wade could hope he wasn't—and Saoirse would give herself up to Niall. Wade would tag along to help get her skin back and figure out where Casey was being held prisoner in the bay. The Boston god pack would be waiting with the Maguire Clan at the harbor to help search the islands.

Of course, all of that hinged on Niall actually letting Wade join Saoirse as a prisoner. The fae still thought he was human, but Wade had an idea to rile Niall up and allow himself to be taken as an extra prize. Men who had power were never happy when things they considered theirs were damaged or destroyed—like the waterfront hotel—and Wade was certain that arrogance applied to fae as well. Which meant Niall would probably want revenge, and Wade would be the focus of that rage.

Riordan had not been happy with the plan, but Saoirse had been stubborn in her determination to place herself in Niall's hands. The ensuing fight between the siblings was what had prompted Wade to leave Lady Caith's with Riordan in tow. If there was anything he knew about pack that could be applied to clan, it was that giving each other space to calm down was the best for everyone.

Donal and Saoirse would be safe with Lady Caith, and Riordan would be safe with Wade.

"Do you travel to help other packs out often?" Riordan asked.

Wade tore off a piece of bread and dunked it in his bowl. "We have alliances with other god packs, way more after the Battle of Samhain than before. But no, generally, we don't. Other cities aren't our territories, and there are some we steer clear of because Sage doesn't want the headache of a lawsuit."

"A lawsuit?"

"Uh, well, Patrick sort of was the catalyst for some property destruction in New York City, Chicago, London, and Paris some years ago."

Riordan stared at him. "The zombies in Paris was your pack?"

"No! I mean, we fought them, but we didn't raise them."

"I can see why you wouldn't want to risk being arrested."

"I miss the macarons and croissants. Sage says I can't go visit even if I fly there myself."

"I don't know about macarons. I like cannoli better."

They debated their favorite desserts, which devolved into arguing over the best snacks. Between Wade's passionate defense of Pop-Tarts and Riordan's love of Boston cream pie, by the time they finished the entire pot of beef bourguignon, Wade was ready for dessert while Riordan was ready for a shower.

"I'll clean up," Wade said.

Riordan disappeared into the bedroom, and Wade heard the shower turn on a minute later. He closed all the curtains first before carrying the dirty dishes to the sink, where he gave them a quick rinse before shoving everything into the dishwasher. He left the empty Dutch oven to soak in the sink and wiped down the table with one hand while he called Jono with the other.

"Hey," he said when Jono picked up. "I'm checking in."

"How are things going in Boston?" Jono asked.

"Fine. I found Harper."

Wade proceeded to update Jono with the day's events, glossing over what he had planned for tomorrow. He knew Jono and the rest of his pack would hate that he was going to hand himself over to Niall. If they knew, they would probably all fly up to Boston, and no one needed the mess that would cause.

Wade loved them, but his pack could be so overprotective sometimes.

"I'll call again tomorrow," he said, hoping he could keep that promise. Maybe if he called in the morning, his pack wouldn't think anything was wrong.

"Patrick should be home soon. One of us can come out to you once he's free."

"No, it's fine. I got this."

"We know you do, but it's okay to ask for help if you need it."

"I know. Talk to you later." He ended the call, setting his phone on the kitchen island as he tossed the sponge in the sink and washed his hands really quick.

"Hey, I know you said the concierge bought some clothes, but I didn't see them, and I didn't want to go through your things. Are they in the closet?"

Wade looked over his shoulder in the direction of the bedroom and nearly swallowed his tongue. It seemed to be his usual reaction whenever he saw Riordan without clothes. Granted, that was only a couple of times, but still, the selkie was really, really hot.

Riordan had a towel wrapped around his waist, showing off all the muscles in his abdomen and chest and arms, and it was a crime he kept all that skin hidden under clothes. Wade's brain short-circuited a little at the sight Riordan presented, fresh from the shower, looking like a literal wet dream and no longer smelling like smoke and magic. All Wade could smell was the hotel soap he'd used to wash up and that intrinsic salt-ocean scent that he'd first noticed in Ella's home.

It still smelled like the best thing ever.

"Uh," Wade managed to get out, tongue a little unwieldy in his mouth.

Riordan left the doorway and crossed the living space, coming to where Wade stood in the open kitchen. He let himself be pushed up against the kitchen island, hands gripping the edge so hard he had to consciously think about his strength so he didn't crack the marble. Riordan stepped in close, the heat from his skin something Wade wanted to burrow into as Riordan's hands settled on his waist, grip surprisingly gentle.

"Or would you rather I didn't get dressed?" Riordan asked in a low voice, the words rumbling in his chest. His pointed ears parted through his damp hair, and Wade had the sudden urge to follow the droplets of water slowly sliding down Riordan's throat with his tongue.

"Yes," Wade said in a voice that was only slightly strangled. "That."

He wanted, in that moment, to have Riordan close. To know what it felt like for someone else's skin to press against his own because he wanted them to. Desire was a foreign sensation, but Wade rather thought this was what it should always feel like—an aching kind of need that buried itself deep in every inch of his body.

His cock twitched, and okay, yeah, he was doing this. With Riordan.

Because it was Riordan, and that's what he wanted.

Riordan's pupils dilated a little at whatever scent he got off Wade, fingers flexing but not in a way that hurt. "I would like you to tell me what you want. I only want to do what you want."

"You. I want you." Wade let go of the countertop and hesitantly reached for the edge of the towel, tugging on it lightly. "Without this."

Riordan smiled slightly, amusement mingling with lust in his gaze, in his scent. "Okay."

He took Wade's hand and, rather than strip right there in the kitchen, led him back to the bedroom. A tiny bit of trepidation slid through Wade's mind, and he squashed it. This wasn't like any of his previous experiences—Riordan wasn't like any of the people who had ever hurt him.

Riordan was his choice, and that made all the difference.

For all that Wade wanted this, he had no idea where to start. But Riordan made that easy for him, those warm, strong hands divesting him of his clothes one piece at a time in between kisses that neatly distracted Wade from getting naked with a person of his choosing for the first time in his entire life.

The air in the bedroom was cool from the air-conditioning, but Wade barely noticed, always running hot and feeling hotter in that moment as Riordan finally tossed his towel aside. Wade swallowed thickly and let himself look at Riordan's cock and think about how he wanted to touch it. Then there was no thinking involved, only doing, when Riordan took Wade's hand and guided it to his cock, pressing Wade's fingers around it.

"Anything you want," Riordan said with a soft groan before kissing Wade with a bit more intent. "However you want it. We go at your pace. If you say stop, we stop."

Stroking another guy's cock was weird , but in a good way, Wade decided. The way Riordan grew harder beneath his fingers was enticing, and the thought of getting that cock in him hit like an electric shock that held only pleasure and no fear.

Did he want to go that far? He poked at that thought a bit while stroking Riordan's cock before deciding that yeah, he did, because it was Riordan.

"I want you in me," Wade said after a few more kisses that grew increasingly more desperate while his own cock got harder.

Riordan didn't respond in words, which was fine by Wade when he found himself guided backward to the bed. He moved clumsily, distractedly, not wanting to let Riordan go but also wanting to lick the water off his skin. Sinking down on the bed was nice, and having Riordan follow him down should have been nice as well. But the second Riordan caged his body in, Wade went rigid, fingernails one shift of mass away from becoming talons where they pressed against Riordan's ribs.

"Wade," Riordan said quietly, no fear in his voice. "Look at me."

Wade didn't realize his breathing had kicked up fast until he locked eyes with Riordan. "Um."

Riordan eased up a little, revealing more of the ceiling and the room, and Wade found it easier to breathe. "Tell me how you're feeling."

Wade swallowed, steadying himself, refusing to feel ashamed for the reaction he'd just had. "Maybe not like this?"

"Do you still want to? We can stop and just sleep."

Wade shook his head. "No, I want to."

Riordan didn't question his request and immediately pulled back. "Come here."

It took some maneuvering, but eventually, Riordan was leaning against the headboard, propped up by a couple of pillows, and Wade was sitting in his lap with an easy means of escape. Not that he wanted to escape, not with the stupidly hot way that Riordan was stroking their cocks together in one big, warm hand, lube from a bottle that Wade knew he hadn't requested from the hotel easing the friction.

"That wasn't in the bathroom when I first checked in," Wade muttered, head tilted toward where the small bottle was discarded on the bed. The angle let Riordan kiss down his throat in a distracting way.

"Call me hopeful."

"Sure, Hopeful. Just keep touching me like that."

It was honestly difficult to think around the sensation of Riordan's fingers on his cock. The firm but careful drag of fingers over his length sent sparks zinging up his spine, making Wade rock into the touch. He ran his fingers through Riordan's damp hair, over the breadth of his shoulders, memorizing the feel of him. Riordan's sealskin was draped in jacket form over the back of the chair in the corner, but Wade didn't miss it at all.

He couldn't, not when he had Riordan underneath him, pressed close, the selkie's heartbeat loud in Wade's ears.

It was easy to get distracted by Riordan's fingers and mouth, the flex of muscle beneath his searching hands. But then all his focus snapped to attention, and Wade went still when slick fingers slid over his ass.

Riordan's hands stayed where they were when he turned his head, capturing Wade's mouth in a slow, deep kiss, giving him all the room he wanted to flee if he needed to. "We can stop."

"No, I want to. I just—" Wade broke off, swallowing, staring at Riordan. "I haven't had sex where it didn't hurt and?—"

Rage that reminded Wade of a storm's fury flashed across Riordan's eyes, but none of it was in his touch, in his voice. "I promise I will never hurt you."

Wade drew in a shuddering breath that tasted like Riordan, like the sea, filling his lungs with the scent of them and not old memories that had no place here. "I know you won't."

That was a belief Wade clung to, realizing it was true on every level as Riordan slowly, carefully slid a finger inside him after Wade nodded his okay to continue, no pain radiating out anywhere. The intrusion wasn't like anything he'd experienced before, and Wade ducked his head, biting at Riordan's collarbone to muffle the sound that wanted to escape his throat.

Riordan took his time, which some part of Wade was grateful for, but by the time he was squirming on three thick fingers, he was desperate for Riordan to get on with it . He dug his fingers into Riordan's shoulders, trying to remember that shifting mass right about then would be a bad idea.

"Get in me," he gasped against the curve of Riordan's neck and shoulder, the words vibrating against warm skin.

Riordan made a noise that had to be agreement because he pulled his fingers free, and Wade made a displeased sound that had Riordan laughing. It turned into a sharp moan when Wade bit at his muscle, licking up sweat. "You need to help me out with this. You're taking the lead, mo chroí ."

Oh. Oh . Well then. He could do that.

Wade's coordination wasn't the best right then, but he somehow managed to rise up on his knees, let Riordan get his hands on him and guide him back down. The press of Riordan's cock against his entrance had him freezing for a split second, but the fingers skating up his thigh to palm his hip and the soft kiss Riordan gave him was distracting enough to push aside everything but the here and now and the growing heat in his gut that had nothing to do with fire.

He sank down onto Riordan's cock, panting against the other man's mouth like he was flying and diving in a dizzying spiral. It didn't hurt, not when he could go at his own pace, not when Riordan had ensured the stretch would be easy and feel good. It still felt weird, but Wade decided he liked it. Then he tilted his hips while chasing after Riordan's mouth for a kiss, and Riordan's cock pressed against a spot inside him that lit up every nerve in his body, and Wade made a noise he didn't know he was capable of in human or dragon form.

"Yeah," Riordan rasped, biting at the edge of his jaw. "Take whatever you want."

"You?" Wade muttered, clumsily circling his hips, wanting to feel that sensation again, trying not to claw open Riordan's skin as he braced himself against the other man's body for leverage.

Riordan laughed, the sound disbelieving and raw as Wade rose up on his knees a little and sank back down on that hard cock. "You gave my skin back today."

Wade groaned as he dug his knees into the bed and figured out how to make his body move to ride Riordan's cock. "Not gonna keep it if you don't give it to me."

He wanted to—desperately wanted to keep Riordan the way he'd never wanted to keep anyone else—but he'd never take someone's heart if it wasn't freely given. A deep instinct had drawn him to the selkie, but it was Riordan's whole personality and kindness that had led Wade into his arms, into his bed, riding his cock with the freedom to stop whenever he wanted.

Only he really didn't because it felt so good when Riordan filled him up, the way Riordan let him set the pace and only ever steadied him, kissed him, made him feel like he was about to burn up in the best way possible. Any lingering remnants of memories of other times he'd done this were washed away by hot waves of pleasure that eddied through his nerves. Everything narrowed down to the undulation of his body as he chased that building pressure of pleasure, to the hands that never left his body, anchoring him to the human shape of the life he preferred to live right now.

Wade's orgasm caught him by surprise, not knowing what the edge felt like until he tumbled right over, desperately grinding down onto Riordan's cock while Riordan stroked Wade's through his release. Riordan kissed away his startled cry, swallowing the noise as he tried to figure out how to breathe.

"Your scales are beautiful," Riordan murmured, lips dragging away from his mouth to kiss his cheek, the edge of his jaw, down his throat, anywhere he could reach.

Wade's chest ached with the need for air, as if he'd done a cross-country flight with no stops, hands gripping Riordan's shoulders tight. He could see the sheen of red scales scattered over the back of one hand out of the corner of his eyes, a trail stretching up his forearm. He didn't remember losing control of his body like that.

Wade hummed, feeling loose-limbed and happy, even as he realized Riordan was still hard inside him. "You didn't come."

"Close," Riordan muttered, tightening his arms around Wade before releasing him. "Lift up."

Wade slid off Riordan's cock and settled on his lap. He watched through half-lidded eyes as Riordan stared at him, breathing hard as he stroked his cock until he came, spilling between them, some of it hitting Wade's stomach. Curious, he wiped up a bit of the cum and put his finger in his mouth. The sound Riordan made was definitely better than the way his cum tasted.

"Might pass on that," Wade admitted.

Riordan laughed, hooking his other hand around the back of Wade's neck and pulling him in for a lazy kiss. "Whatever you want."

You , Wade thought, even if he didn't say it out loud as he leaned against Riordan and let the older man hold him.

It'd be nice if he could make that desire come true.