Chapter 1
Dante
I willedmy stomach to stop rolling as I removed my finger from the doorbell and waited. No way in hell was that prick going to get the upper hand over me again. Maybe I could have overlooked the fiasco with him walking in on me getting a little bit of action in the bathroom during Hawke and Tate’s wedding reception, but I sure as hell wasn’t going to let what had happened in Ronan’s office rattle me…well, not anymore.
The second Magnus had stepped into the office, he’d immediately said, “No” in that no-nonsense tone of his that grated on my nerves. I had no idea if he’d been given a heads-up about Ronan’s desire to have him shadowed for whatever trial he was testifying in, but after sparing me the briefest of condescending looks, he’d pinned his cold blue eyes on Ronan and Memphis, repeated the word “No” and crossed his arms, as if the discussion were over.
But that hadn’t been the disturbing part…no, I’d actually enjoyed the little scene because I’d been eager to watch Memphis and Ronan take the fucker down a notch.
Only I hadn’t gotten to see any of it.
Because said fucker had looked at me briefly before casting his eyes back at my bosses and his expression had spoken volumes.Ronan hadn’t even looked my way when he’d politely asked me to leave the room.
Fucking dismissed like I was nothing.
And by the two men I respected above all others. Two men I’d actually thought would stand up for me when push came to shove. I’d waited outside the door long enough to confirm not even a single raised voice coming from inside and then I’d done what I always did…whatever the fuck I felt like.
Not caring that I hadn’t actually been given permission to leave, I’d hunted down my sloppy mouthed Caterer Guy who’d been busy loading glasses into packing crates in the quiet kitchen. I’d grabbed him and a bottle of what I’d suspected was very high-priced whiskey from the kitchen counter and dragged him outside and around the corner of the house. It had been pitch black outside, but that hadn’t stopped me from popping the top off that bottle, downing several swallows as I’d shoved Caterer Guy to his knees in front of me to finish what he’d started. He’d protested for all of five seconds before I’d grabbed him by the chin and told him I’d get him off twice for his efforts. When I’d slid my hand over his ass and squeezed hard, he’d let out a greedy moan and then fumbled with my zipper.
It hadn’t taken him long to get me ready because my fury had already gotten me where I needed to be. I’d let him suck me down for as long as it had taken me to fish a condom and some lube out of my wallet and down another swallow of booze, all as I’d kept shoving my dick down his throat until he’d been gasping for breath. Then I’d manhandled him to his hands and knees and told him to get his pants down. His underwear had barely cleared the backs of his thighs when I’d pushed a well lubed finger into his body and nailed his prostate on the first glance. When he’d let out a startled cry of pleasure, I’d slammed my hand over his mouth, plunged a second finger into him and finger fucked him until he was ready to blow. The second my cock pressed past his tight outer muscles and slid over his sweet spot, he’d come hard. After that, I’d ridden him to my heart’s content, wrenching another orgasm out of him as I’d vented much of my initial frustrations on his tight hole before finally letting myself come. And the second the aftershocks had started toebb, I’d pulled out of him, tossed the condom on the ground, grabbed the nearly full bottle of whiskey and left him there on the cold, wet grass, his body still quaking with pleasure as I’d strode around to the driveway to my car.
At that point I hadn’t given a shit about anything, including the one thing I had left in this fucked-up world…my work.
Because with one spiteful look, Magnus had taken that from me too.
I’d fully expected to wake up the next morning hungover and with a text telling me I was fired, considering I’d walked out of Ronan and Seth Grisham’s house despite still being on the job as Matty’s bodyguard. I’d gotten the hungover part, but the only text I’d had from Memphis had been to meet him back at the house later that morning. I’d figured that meant I’d be getting the kiss-off in person, but when I’d arrived, Memphis had merely told me that Magnus and I would be leaving for Texas on New Year’s Eve day and that while I would be following Magnus’s lead, my first and only priority was to keep the older man safe and bring him home to his grandson.
When I’d started to apologize for not being around the night before to shadow Hawke, Tate and their son, Memphis had put his hand up dismissively and explained that the other operative I was sharing the duty with, Cain Jensen, had informed them of the change in who was covering the little boy. Since there’d been no conversation with Cain about switching duties, I’d wisely kept my mouth shut because I’d highly suspected my boss also knew such a conversation hadn’t taken place and, for whatever reason, was letting me off the hook.
“It’s Dante!” I heard Matty call and I looked down to see his face peeking through the window next to the door. He waved at me and then disappeared as the lock on the door disengaged. I quelled the anxiety rushing through me and leaned against the door frame like I didn’t have a care in the world.
No amount of preparation took away the bout of lust that went through me when Magnus opened the door and that just pissed me off further. “Hey, Pop-pop,” I said, plastering a smile on my facethat I knew would rile the man along with my use of his grandson’s nickname for him.
I barely managed to maintain my composure when Magnus didn’t acknowledge me or the title I’d bestowed on him.
Fucker and his goddamn unflappable control.
“Dante,” Matty said happily and I forced my eyes off Magnus and dropped down so I could be at eye level with the boy. He threw his arms around me and I carefully held onto his still frail little body. I’d been watching the kid battle cancer for months now and I’d never met anyone as fucking brave as him. I’d told him as much the day before, minus the fucking part, when he’d been humiliated during the ceremony when his overexcited puppy had tripped him while he’d been walking down the aisle. The little boy, though unhurt, had been distraught when he’d realized he’d lost one of the wedding rings he’d been entrusted with, but I’d spied it almost instantly and pointed it out.
Matty had grabbed it and carefully put the treasure back in his pocket. But it wasn’t until I’d told him that I thought he was the coolest, bravest superhero ever, that he’d smiled his unique, big, heartfelt smile and thrown his arms around me. And for a moment I’d forgotten where we were and that it was an entirely different little boy in my arms and I’d let the joy of that unfettered, unquestioning trust wash over me like a tidal wave. It wasn’t until the music had started playing again that I’d forced myself to release Matty and grab the puppy so she couldn’t chase after him as he’d continued his walk towards the arch where his fathers would be getting married. I’d lifted the not-so-light dog in my arms and carried her to the far side of the room so we’d both be out of the way for Hawke and his fiancé’s walks down the aisle.
And that’s when I’d felt it.
That shiver that snaked down my spine and caused my insides to tighten up. And I’d been helpless to ignore it, though I’d known the cause. But this time when my eyes had met the flinty blue ones, my first instinct hadn’t been to hold the stare in some‘my dick is bigger than yours’showdown. No, I’d felt a wave of heat go through me atthe hard look in Magnus’s eyes…and not because he’d seemed pissed. Nope, he’d just looked…confused.
And for the first time in a long time…in a really fucking long time…I hadn’t been able to keep my chin up. I hadn’t been able to find the balls to send him my standard, albeit silent,fuck youlook. So, I’d dropped my eyes and pretended to be focused on calming the wriggly dog in my arms and ignored the hope that had been unfurling like an ugly serpent in my belly…the hope that maybe, just maybe, Magnus had seen something more…something very few people in my life, if any, would ever admit to seeing. Something evenIcould no longer see in myself.
But that little glimmer of light died out for good just a couple of short hours later when he’d walked in on me getting a less than stellar blow job in that bathroom…or the end of the evening when he’d had me dismissed like I was no more than an errant child.
Or now when I could feel his derision bouncing off my body. How the fuck was I going to survive weeks cooped up with this asshole? No way in hell was I following his lead, despite Memphis’s order.
I forced myself not to put any pressure on Matty’s little body despite the tension running through my system and I pulled back so I could reach into my long jacket for the package that was tucked in a side pocket along with my gun. “I brought you something,” I said as I ignored the twitch of embarrassment that I hadn’t thought to buy actual wrapping paper for the present, choosing to use newspaper instead. “Merry Christmas, Matty.”
His already big eyes went even bigger as he took the present and then he was looking up at his grandfather. “Can I open it, Pop-pop?”
Magnus flashed me the briefest of looks before he nodded and then held the door open for me so I could follow Matty into the living room. I sat down next to him on the couch and began helping him get some of the paper off since I’d gone a little over the top with the tape on the corners.
“It’s Magneto!” Matty cried out happily as soon as enough of the paper had been cleared away to see the doll.
