Chapter Seventeen
There was something going on with Storm, although it took a while for Pax to notice it. In all honesty, still beaming with the success of his flying attempt, it took about two full days for that flush of pride to dull down enough so he could actually start to notice other things.
Storm was proving to be the most attentive mate – making runs to the bakery every time Pax's stomach rumbled, easing Pax's way into making friends with the other assassins. He didn't seem to tire of Pax's body, touching him and hugging him whenever Pax was in arm's reach, and that little thing about putting his mouth down there seemed to be something he really enjoyed doing.
So Pax blamed feeling completely spoiled on his inability to notice something was going on with his mate.
Until he did start to notice, and then he started to worry.
Clue number one – there were the calls Storm took outside. Clue two – the way he and Cyrus would be huddled together when they all met at the grill in the evenings. But whenever Pax got close enough to hear, Storm would always notice him and start teasing Cyrus about having grease under his fingernails or something silly.
No one else seemed to think anything was unusual, or if they did, they weren't saying anything. Flint was super friendly, especially when Pax kept Storm away from his strawberries. Devon never said a lot, but he always had a ready smile anytime he saw Pax outside. Pax found the bull shifters fascinating. He couldn't work out if Levi and Calvin were brothers or a couple, but then one night Calvin said something about how they were hoping for their mate to come along one day…and that sent Pax's brain off on an unusual tangent about the two bulls who lived together.
Like, did Calvin mean one mate for two people, or did he and Levi want separate mates? Levi and Calvin always did their jobs together and Pax had never seen them apart. But when he asked Storm one night about if they were related to each other, Storm just said they came from the same herd, which really wasn't much help.
It didn't take Pax long to decide it wasn't his business. What people did in the privacy of their own house was up to them. Levi and Calvin spent most of their spare time in the workshop, creating elegantly carved furniture, although Levi could cook a mean grill, too, and didn't seem to mind cooking for everyone. Pax was fast falling in love with the grilled pork ribs Levi served.
But back to Storm and his weird behavior. It was getting close to lunchtime on the third day. Storm had gone back outside to take yet another call, leaving Pax inside the house. Pax already knew what would happen when Storm came back inside. If he asked about the phone call, which in his head was the logical thing a concerned mate would do, Storm would start kissing him. Kissing would lead to Pax melting in his mate's arms, and he'd forget very quickly that he had any concerns at all.
I need to stop that happening. Pax chuckled quietly at the nonsense his brain could come up with sometimes. Stop Storm kissing him? The man could make Pax come in his pants from the way he kissed Pax as if he was starving at breakfast and the most precious person in existence before dinner. Pax wasn't stupid enough to stop something that could make him feel so good. But the secret phone calls and private discussions with Cyrus were worrying.
We're mates. If Storm is worried about something, then he should be able to share that with me.
He's probably trying to protect me. Mates do that.
There. See? Pax was getting better at being reasonable. But if Pax needed protecting from something… What was it? More importantly, didn't he have a right to know about it, if that thing – whatever it was – concerned him?
Storm should've learned by now not to leave me to my own devices.
Pax sighed, drumming his fingers on the tabletop. He was doing his best to be sensible. Storm was an assassin. There was probably a whole stack of things Pax wasn't allowed to know about relating to Storm's job.
But…but…Cyrus already said that Storm wouldn't be sent out on another job for at least a week. He was given a mating holiday. Cyrus said that. And Flint said just yesterday that when it came to jobs, the assassins usually only got about one a month, and they all took turns, so it could be three months before Storm even gets another assignment.
Ooh. That piece of logic didn't make Pax feel any better at all. That meant whatever Storm was talking about on the phone couldn't be job related.
"Ugh." Pax jumped out of his chair and went to peer out the kitchen window. He could just see Storm, over by the trees about twenty feet away from the house, his phone still pressed against his ear. He didn't look very happy.
"Who are you talking to?" Pax forced himself away from the window, not wanting to appear pathetically nosy if anyone saw him, going back to his chair.
It couldn't be a boyfriend or anyone like that. Pax knew mates were a deadly serious business to shifters. Now that Storm had claimed him, Storm couldn't get his cock hard for anyone else. Even if Storm had a special friend before he found Pax in that bear shifter's clutches, Storm would've broken up with them immediately. It was what shifters did.
Which made the issue of who Storm was talking to all the more confusing. It couldn't be job related because Storm was on a break. It definitely wasn't another partner or significant other. Storm had already said he had nothing to do with his family, so…
Suddenly Pax remembered the brother with the loud bike. Is this a family thing? Did Cyrus's contacts find out something new? Is Storm's family still looking for him?
If that was the case then it wasn't Pax that needed protection, it was Storm. Pax hurried back to the window, but Storm wasn't where he had been standing before. In fact, Pax couldn't see him anywhere. In a panic, Pax ran to the door, flinging it open and bumping straight into Storm's chest.
"I wasn't gone that long, was I?" Storm's carefree grin lit a spark of something in Pax's chest and he pushed out his hands, encasing Storm with his magic.
"There. Now you're protected from your asshole family." Still using his magic, Pax propelled his mate into the kitchen and sat him in the chair he'd been using. "Don't move. You've been stressing me out. I'm going to the bakery." He headed for the door.
"Er… Pax. Precious. Babe. I'm having a bit of trouble trying to move here. Didn't you want me to come with you?" Storm was trying to raise his arms, but Pax's magic stopped him.
"I'm protecting you." Turning, Pax folded his arms across his chest, tapping his foot on the tiles. "Seven secret phone calls in three days. Three huddled whispered conversations with Cyrus when you think I'm distracted by one of your friends, two of them just last night. You're clearly in trouble and you won't tell me about it. Well, fine. You don't have to say anything, but you forgot one thing when you claimed me – that claim makes me responsible for you, as much as you believe you're meant to protect me. I might not have claws and sharp teeth, but I have magic. Nothing can touch you now. Did you want pies or bacon buns for lunch?"
"Pies." Storm had lost his grin. "Pax, I admit there's a few things going on I haven't mentioned yet …"
"I know." Pax threw up his hands. "I thought mates weren't meant to have secrets from each other, but maybe it's different because I can't shift. Who knows? I certainly don't. So I'm doing the best thing I can do with the lack of information I have. I'm protecting you."
"Babe, I didn't mean to keep things from you, but this magic business is a bit over the top, isn't it? I can't move at all."
"Good, then you won't go getting yourself into any danger. The kitchen can be your safe space. I'll go and get your pies."
"Pax, please…"
Nope. Pax wasn't going to listen, and he definitely wasn't going to kiss Storm goodbye, although every instinct he had was screaming at him that he should. He was only going to be gone for five minutes. At least he'd know that Storm would be safe until he got back.
/~/~/~/~/
Well, shit. Storm tried to move his arms again, then he tried to get up from the chair. But it was as if his brain was completely disconnected from his body, and it just wouldn't move. He'd known he was going to have to have a serious chat with his mate, but Storm had been putting it off. He liked seeing Pax laugh, relaxing in their little corner of the world, and he didn't want that to stop anytime soon.
And now I'm stuck. Although perhaps I can shift? Storm tried calling on his crocodile, but the beast wasn't in a good mood either. Storm knew why. His crocodile was pissed because they'd upset their mate, and his crocodile could be stubborn if he wanted to be. Apparently, when Pax said, "don't move," his crocodile decided that they wouldn't move, overruling Storm in the process.
I will talk to him. I promise I will. But can't you see how humiliating this is? We're supposed to be the strong one in this relationship. All Storm got was a snort for that one and in a way Storm could see his animal side's point. He was the one stuck in the chair with no way to even scratch his nose. Our friends are never going to let me live this down if they catch sight of me like this.
Quietly pondering his life choices, because Storm didn't have anything else to do, he was relieved when Pax turned up safe just ten minutes later. His mate had a slight ring of sugar around his lips, and Storm guessed Pax needed the fuel from a donut to complete his walk back. He sniffed appreciatively as the smell of fresh baked goods flooded the kitchen. "Are you going to free me now so I can eat?"
"Just your top half for now." Storm felt the brush of magic as Pax put his packages on the table. "But you're not getting up from that chair until you can convince me you're safe, so I hope you didn't need to use the bathroom." Pax smirked as he picked up a bacon bun and bit into it.
Storm guessed he was in one situation where he couldn't save himself with kisses. At least I can eat the pies.