Chapter 19
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Nick
I hadn’t known what to expect as I’d walked into Matt’s apartment. I’d seen the officer arrive and had panicked. I’d gotten into my car and driven to his building without much thought or plan. I’d waited in my car for the officer to leave, watching the Ring feed. He’d left holding a box and I had to know what was so bad it had warranted him calling the cops.
It was a crazy feeling seeing that Matt was actually okay when he opened the door. The relief that washed over me was unexpected. The man was affecting me in ways nobody ever had.
Then he invited me for dinner, and I was once again calm because he wasn’t tossing me out. If I had it my way I’d stay here until this mad person was no longer a problem. Ideally, I’d love to wrap Matt up and bring him back to the house, where I knew he’d be safe.
“This was really good.” I wiped my mouth and put my napkin on my empty plate.
“I’ll take that as a high compliment, since I know for a fact that Shepard is an outstanding chef.”
“He’s good, but we all contribute. Shep’s specialty lies in baking. It’s why Saintly Sweets works so well.”
Matt stood and gathered the plates. I followed him to the kitchen, where he started filling up the sink.
“I’ll wash. You cooked, after all.”
Matt smiled. “Thanks. I can get us a drink, if you’d like.”
Still not booting my ass.
“That would be great.”
I washed in silence for a minute while Matt poured us wine. Not my usual favorite, but I’d drink it.
“Saintly Sweets is a real bakery and coffee shop. I know you said it was a front, but how does that work? I mean…” He sighed, and I gave him a minute to gather his thoughts. “People pay you to protect them or help them. I imagine it’s a high price. How do you explain your finances? Do you launder it?”
I chuckled. His questions were valid, but he clearly watched way too much TV. “First of all, each case is different, and we don’t actually charge out the ass. For example, there was a case my brother, myself, and Angel took where these guys were lighting small businesses on fire up north. We got wind of it and reached out to a local motorcycle club who’d been trying to figure out who was doing it. We offered our services for a reasonable fee.” I shrugged and placed the dishes in the drying rack. “Then we handled it and came home.”
“I won’t ask what ‘handled it’ means.” He gulped his wine. “Again, how do you explain the income?”
I nodded; it was a fair question. “Part of it is explained through the bakery, but we also have a tech security company that’s pure bullshit. Sure we help some here and there, but we create clients to explain the income.”
“Sounds complicated.”
I shut off the water and dried my hands. “It’s a boring and long explanation. I don’t even really understand a lot of how it works; that’s not my strength.”
Matt handed me a wineglass, which I gladly took. “And what is your strength?”
I sipped the liquid, it was sweet yet tart…not bad. “Noel and I are experts in computers, security, hacking…that sort of thing.”
“I see.” He walked over to his living room and I followed, smiling when he patted the cushion beside him. “I decided to stay with JJ—he’s come so far, and I want to see it to the end.”
I joined him on the couch and didn’t interrupt him.
“I did a little research on you guys. What you told me about your sister, it was difficult to find. I caught bits and pieces. So much was buried and unlike you, I don’t have computer talents. I did, however, get a lot on Harper Reese and the shit storm that was his life.” He placed his wineglass down. “Nothing about what happened to JJ, but there were a lot of other stories about what people said and the monster Harper was. I followed as best as I could about what happened to some of the rescued kids.”
I swallowed, wondering where this was going. “And?”
“The more I read the more shattered I became.” He reached out and gently touched my arm. “What you and your brothers did for those kids was amazing. You’re right, no one would have been able to uncover it without you guys helping.”
I nodded. “We almost lost JJ doing it, but we didn’t and we saved Four and yeah, we killed people.” I inched forward, looking directly into Matt’s eyes so he understood the truth. “And I don’t lose one second of sleep over that. This world needs some serious rebalancing, and if my brothers and I can be part of that for the good guys, we’re going to.”
He didn’t speak; his eyes watched me. I was breathless with how beautiful he was. I was about to sit back when he cupped my cheek with his hand. The next moment, his lips were on mine.
Holy shit. Matt was kissing me. I didn’t want to scare him by pushing him onto the couch and devouring him, so I did my best to chill. He broke away, but fuck that—I wasn’t done. I put my wine on the table, grabbed his face gently, and kissed him again. This time I made it clear how I felt.
His tongue slid along mine and I wasn’t sure who moaned first, him or me. He tasted like a motherfucking dream. I wasn’t a virgin—far from it—but I couldn’t remember a time when I’d gladly have died kissing someone. If I were told Matt’s tongue was poison, I’d let death take me just to keep kissing him.
“Damn,” he breathed against my lips. “I wasn’t sure…”
“Sure about what?” I brushed my thumb over his cheekbone.
“I shouldn’t have kissed you. What if you weren’t into guys? Or into me?”
I smiled. He was adorable, his eyes glassy, lips swollen, and that blush. “I’m into guys, and very into you.”
He hummed. “The night at The Alibi.”
He didn’t expound on that sentence, but it didn’t take a genius to figure out what he was asking.
“I wasn’t going to take advantage of a drunk person, Matt…and you were very drunk.”
His eyes flickered to my lips, and I wanted to kiss him again. So I did. This time I gently pushed him so his back hit the cushions and I was pressed along his body.
“Nick,” he whispered between kisses. I hummed and went about devouring him, hoping we’d never stop.
I rotated my hips slightly, my cock rock hard, and he hissed. Grinning, I did it again until his head lifted, exposing his neck. My tongue licked his Adam’s apple, his chin, and buried itself into his mouth once more. I never stopped my slow humping. I could feel my orgasm cresting, and I didn’t give a shit that I’d be coming in my pants. I didn’t want to move. I wanted to kiss him, press against him until he was crying out my name.
“I’m gonna come, Nick.”
“I’m counting on it.” I chuckled as I pushed his head to the right and sucked his lobe, nibbling just enough that he groaned with pleasure.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck.” Matt pushed up, chasing the feeling that consumed us.
I turned his face forward, and his eyes met mine. “Come,” I growled.
He jolted upward once more and shouted my name. That was all I needed to hear, and I was following right after him. I felt my orgasm through my entire body.
When I came down from it, my face was buried in Matt’s neck, and we were panting. We’d come in our pants, and while I wanted to laugh I also didn’t ever want to move again. I hoped Matt didn’t regret this. I closed my eyes and waited for him to speak.
“That was better than I’d imagined.” His tone was full of awe.
I smiled against his skin. “The best.”