Chapter 16 #2
Fray snorted. “You gotta rawdog it. But it’s fine. Our kind can’t carry STIs.”
Ciaran growled at Fray, and Sawyer sat up and looked at Ciaran’s chest, then his face. “Okay. First off, what is that noise? Because holy fuck, it’s hot. And second, when he says exchange, he means you need to... finish... inside me?”
The guttural sound Ciaran made this time should have embarrassed him, but he had no room for shame when every ounce of self-control was spent on not taking Sawyer right then and there. He didn’t care who watched.
Then Sawyer’s pupils blew out, he licked the corner of his mouth, and he hummed. “That’s fucking hot.”
Kellan startled them by clapping his hands. “Can we focus. Sawyer, do you have more questions?”
He blinked himself back to reason. “Uh, yes. Of course.”
“Then can I suggest getting dressed,” Kellan said. “We can talk out in the office, not in your bedroom, which reeks of...”
“Sex,” Fray supplied. “And they haven’t even done it yet. Can you imagine how bad it’s gonna be after they do?”
Kellan grimaced. “Mm. Perhaps I can suggest you go to the hut for the ritual itself. Give us here in a town a break from the...”
Fray fanned his nose. “Sex pheromones.”
“Fuck off,” Ciaran mumbled, though he couldn’t help but smile.
They were now talking about when it would happen, not if.
Could he dare to hope?
Was Sawyer actually considering being his mate?
“He needs to eat,” Kellan reminded him. “His human metabolism is different from ours, as is his blood sugar.”
Then Sawyer made a face, and he was pale again. “Now that you’ve mentioned food,” he said, “I think I need to eat.”
Kellan made a disapproving sound from the door. “Sawyer, get dressed. Ciaran, make him something to eat. If we’re going to answer questions, it could take a while.”
Ciaran gave a nod and helped Sawyer off the bed. “Can I make you something to eat in your kitchen?” he asked gently.
Sawyer’s soft smile told Ciaran he appreciated being asked. “Sure.”
Ciaran found enough ingredients for a sandwich, which he was plating when Sawyer came out of his room. He was fully dressed in jeans and a navy-blue sweater. He even had socks on. He was wearing a nervous smile interrupted by him chewing on his bottom lip.
“Everything okay?” Ciaran asked. He was grateful for this moment of quiet, of privacy.
Sawyer gave a nod. “I feel better the closer I am to you. I don’t know if I should like that as much as I do. I...” He let out a low breath, meeting Ciaran’s eyes. “I don’t understand it, but I can’t deny it.”
“Would it make you feel better if I told you it’s new for me as well? Does this happen to our kind? Yes. Has it ever happened to me? No. Or anyone I know? No.” Ciaran shrugged. “This is new for all of us.”
“Your consortium?” Sawyer asked, then he snorted and shook his head. “I cannot freaking believe it.”
“I know, right?” Ciaran said. He made a face. “A human. A biped.”
Sawyer’s eyes darted to his, and any offense he might have felt at the human biped comment melted away when he saw Ciaran smile. “Just kidding,” Ciaran said.
“You better be,” Sawyer said, only half serious.
“You have more questions,” Ciaran murmured, his eyes warm.
“About a thousand.”
Ciaran handed him the plate. “Then let’s get started.”
He opened the door to the police station to allow Sawyer to go first, but Sawyer only got to the threshold and stopped.
Ciaran knew why without looking.
There were seven guys in the small room, all waiting. Tobin stood with Kellan by Sawyer’s desk, Otis was on one of the guest chairs, Fray was sitting in Sawyer’s chair, and Aurin, Dylan, and Hendrix were all perched up on the cot inside the jail cell.
Salem the cat was purring on Aurin’s lap.
“Ahhh,” Sawyer said, still not moving. “Did you not want to go and get Mr Brown? Then the whole town could be here.”
Ciaran snorted. “Morning,” he said.
Fray and Otis were both grinning at him. Tobin’s expression was unreadable. Kellan looked tired. Dylan seemed nervous, but he was flanked by the other two, and Ciaran was glad about that.
Sawyer took his plate over to his desk and hooked his thumb at Fray. “Get the fuck out of my chair.”
Fray’s surprised face just made it funnier, and Ciaran couldn’t help but laugh.
Fray got up, nodding slowly at Ciaran. “I see how it is, brother.” His smile told Ciaran there was no heat in it, but he knew he and Fray would need to talk about what this all meant.
It was a good reminder that this bonding with Sawyer affected them all, and Ciaran had been so caught up in himself, caught up in Sawyer, he’d neglected his consortium. His best friend. His brothers.
Ciaran sat on the end of Sawyer’s desk, wanting—no, needing—to stay close. “Thank you all for being here,” he said. “It means a lot to me to have your support. I know the timing is not great with everything else, but—”
“But it can’t be helped,” Kellan said. “It’s not anyone’s fault. Now, I explained to them that Sawyer is aware of us, is aware of the bond, but no decision has been made. He has questions, which we will do our best to answer.”
Everyone turned their attention to Sawyer, who had a mouth full of sandwich. He looked a little panicked, glancing up at Ciaran, then at the others. He swallowed. “Uh, okay. So, Christ, where to start?”