Epilogue
Simbel
“You guys got enough drinks? Snacks?” I pointed at each of the teens standing behind various instruments in the garage. “Bubblegum or whatever?”
“I can’t sing and chew gum at the same time, Officer Simbel,” Brian pointed out.
“Bro, you can’t walk and chew gum at the same time,” Jaxon snorted, shifting the strap of his base guitar. “But yeah, the cooler is full of Gatorade for when we need a break from jamming.”
“And the chips are the right kind?” I prompted, having a vested interest in these five kids staying right here in the garage for at least the next hour.
“They’re awesome, Officer Simbel.” Ethan didn’t look up from tuning his guitar. “Name brand and everything. ”
“And your parents are picking you up when?”
Hank lifted his hand. “I’m going home with Jax tonight. Ms. Gray said I could leave my keyboard here next to Trick’s drums.”
That made sense. I nodded, trying to figure out how to ask the question again. Trick, however, knew me well enough by now, and rolled his eyes.
“We’re going to jam until nine at least. The school dance is in three weeks, and we’ve gotta be ready by then.”
I offered him a thumbs up, glad to know what time frame we were talking. “You all sound great already. Rock out, or whatever it is you say.”
Jaxon played a riff, beaming. “Good enough, bro!”
As I backed out of the garage and pulled the door closed behind me, I heard Hank say, “Bro, you have the coolest stepdad!”
And I smiled. Because… I mean, if I’d never considered myself lucky enough to find a Mate, I’d definitely never considered having a kid. And now I had a son any male would be proud of, and he had four friends who were over at our house more often than not.
I was happy to buy them Doritos and Sour Patch Kids and put up extra layers of soundproofing in the garage, if it meant having these five young men trust me—trust us —enough to spend time here. More than one of them had come to me with questions in the last months—questions about females or growing pains—and I’d done my best to answer them in a thoughtful manner .
I felt like I was still learning, but we were learning together.
And that made me proud.
I stopped in the kitchen for two big glasses of ice water. Standing there in front of the dispenser, I thought of where I’d been a year ago.
Living in the tiny apartment Memnon and I shared in the city, working long shifts with the scum of the earth. Our whole lives, we’d had each other’s back…until we didn’t. Until we moved to Eastshore, and life took us in separate directions.
I once thought that losing my twin brother would be the worst thing that could happen to me. But meeting Rissa taught me that I was stronger than I’d expected. And having those kids look up to me filled a hole in my heart I hadn’t known existed.
They were good kids, and having their respect had helped me keep the peace at work too.
Yeah, in the months since our move to Eastshore Isle, in the months since marrying my Mate, I’d found a different path in life. A better one.
And although it had taken him a bit longer, so had Memnon. He and his new Mate were still living in our old apartment above her shop…although I suppose I had to call it their shop now, considering what they’d changed the name to.
Anyhow, he was happy, which was something I honestly never truly expected to see.
And me ?
I took my two glasses to the bedroom.
I had two hours to dehydrate my Mate as much as possible.
So yeah, I was grinning when I walked in and saw Rissa standing there in the middle of the room, wearing only a robe. Her eyes lit when she saw me.
“Are those for me?”
I only stumbled once on my way to the bedside table, but that was because I couldn’t take my eyes off her. “They’re for both of us, when I make you hoarse from screaming my name.”
She flushed, but I could smell her arousal. “I’m not going to scream anything. God, Simbel, we have five teenage boys in our garage.”
“And they’ve already started playing.” Even with the soundproofing, I could hear Trick’s beats thumping through the house. “I’ve locked our door, and I’ll know if any of them come into the house.” Using my most soothing voice, I moved toward her, already eyeing the tie on her robe, wondering when I could get her out of it. “You trust me, don’t you?”
Her chin rose. “I do. If you think we can do something as wild and crazy as fuck our brains out while we’re supposed to be babysitting, then I suppose I can try.”
My mind had admittedly hiccupped hearing her say fuck our brains out , but now I reached her, and my hands slid down her arms. “We’re not babysitting, they’re mostly grown. And I promise you, this isn’t reckless. I’ll let you know if we do anything reckless. ”
“I’m still going to be as quiet as a mouse,” Rissa declared, and yanked open the tie of her robe.
She was naked before I could process what was happening, the silk just a pile on the floor behind her.
My brain said Duuuuuuurrrrr while my Kteer howled joyfully, knowing what was coming.
Rissa grinned wickedly. “What’s the matter? Mouse got your tongue?”
I didn’t know what that meant, and as soon as I could pull my gaze away from her tits, I’d tell her that. “Not fair,” I murmured. “I wanted to undress you.”
“Too bad, mister. It’s my turn.”
And with that, my Mate reached for the waistline of my gray sweatpants.
I knew she found me hot in my uniform—more than once, when I’d cornered her in the office at school, she’d whispered that to me breathlessly before we’d straightened our clothing and gone back to work, pretending to be professionals.
But I think we both preferred it when I spent the time at home in sweatpants. Easy access, you know.
When I was naked, Rissa threw her arms around my neck, stretching up on her toes to kiss me. Growling low in my throat, I gladly scooped her into my arms, grabbing her ass to lift her up.
Her legs went around my waist as her tongue teased me. Gods below, I loved it when she licked my tusk like that—it made me want to give into my Kteer and go all primal. Growling louder now, I slid her up my body, my cock jutting up toward her wetness.
Because oh hells yes, she was wet. My Mate was dripping and ready, all needy for me.
“Mmmm,” I said against her throat as she tipped her head back, offering me better access. “What have you been doing in here without me?”
“I got lonely. Oh God, Simbel, right there.”
I scraped my tusk along the top of her breast, and her thighs squeezed around me. “You got lonely, so you touched yourself. Didn’t you? You naughty girl.”
“I was being…” She cut herself off with a groan. “Bold. Reckless.”
I licked her nipple. “And you know I love it.”
She was gyrating against my abs now, and the sweet scent of her arousal was driving me mad. Her desire was painted across my body, and my Kteer howled with the need to take her.
“Rissa,” I groaned, my claws digging into her ass. “I need…”
“Oh, I’m well aware of what you need, Mate.”
Not going to lie; when she called me Mate , my Kteer took over more often than not. With another growl, I turned and took two steps, pushing her against the bedroom door. “ Now .”
It wasn’t a question, but Rissa smiled and lifted herself. “Yes. ”
And as I positioned my cock, she slid down to seat herself fully.
Her wonder-filled gasp was all I needed, and as her inner muscles began to spasm around me, I slid from her, then back into her warm, tight, drenched pussy. The pleasure was indescribable, and Rissa moaned happily, burying her face against my neck as I fucked her.
I fucked her up against the locked door as the distant thumping kept time, my grunts mixing with her moans as her orgasm continued.
She must have been teasing herself for a while before I arrived, in order to be this primed.
The thought of her standing in our room, wearing only a robe, stroking herself and waiting for me…it was more than I could stand.
“ Dkaar ,” I groaned, close to spilling.
Her inner muscles were still contracting, still milking me, as her climax continued.
And then she bit me. Her teeth scraped against my skin right where my neck met my shoulder, in the age-old tradition of the Mating dance.
Roaring her name, I came, spilling my seed upward into her welcoming pussy.
I felt her lick the spot she’d bitten, then smile against my skin.
It was a hundred long heartbeats—maybe more—before I could rouse myself. I had collapsed against the door, squashing her. But my Mate was still wrapped around me, her core still cradling me .
“Not fair,” I mumbled again, steadying myself with my palm on the doorframe. “I wanted to take it slow. Make you come three or four times before me.”
When I straightened, the movement shifted Rissa, and she sank even further down my cock, which was already beginning to soften. She moaned, her thighs gripping my sides as her hold on my neck tightened.
“Just…take the edge off,” she murmured against my skin. “But what was that about being quiet as a mouse?”
Grinning ruefully, I slowly walked toward the bathroom, my Mate still attached to me, and each movement sliding her along my cock. I could smell our releases mixing, but she was already getting wet again, wasn’t she?
“Soon,” I promised her, dropping a kiss on her lips before I carefully peeled her away and lifted her off me. I sat her on the lip of the garden tub and ran the warm water. “We need a little relaxation first.”
As she twisted to look for the bath oils, I hurried to get our ice waters. In the background, the drum beats and wailing of what I suppose I could charitably call music told me the guys were still busy.
And you know what? I felt like I had my shit together. I was a Mate and a stepfather. I’d ensured those kids were happy and healthy…and then I’d fucked my Mate up against a door.
Grinning, I slid into the tub behind her. “Drink this,” I ordered, thrusting the water at her.
Giggling, she did as I commanded. “Prepping for round two? ”
“I can’t have you dehydrating on me.”
With a sated hum, Rissa eased back against my chest, the warm water buoying her. I clasped my hands around her and slid her along my skin.
By my calculations, I could make her come at least twice more before we even finished our bath.
Goals are very important.
“Hmmm.” She wriggled happily as I cupped her breasts, playing with the nipples. “Have I told you today how much I love you?”
“Only three or four times,” I confess. “But then, I think I’ve only told you I love you sixteen or seventeen times, so you can be forgiven.”
I felt her laughter. “That used to be my nickname in college.”
It made no sense, but that’s what made it funny. I pinched her nipples, and her chuckles turned to moans.
“I love you, Rissa,” I whispered.
She arched into my hold. “And I love you, my Mate. Forever .”
What a beautiful concept.