“I love you too, you sexy brute,” Gavin responded with a smile of his own.
They both laughed and continued to stare at each other.
Somehow, in all this darkness, Gavin had finally found his knight in shining armor.
It appeared that romantics do get their happily ever after, after all.
Sometimes it might just take a serial killer and a drive in a trunk to get you there.
34
MARCUS
One Year Later
“You know, sometimes I wonder about that dog. He doesn’t seem to be altogether…theresometimes,” Marcus said, watching Puppy as he rolled around in their yard.
Puppy… yes, they decided to keep the name Puppy after all—confusing as shit as it may be, but Gavin grew attached to the name, and Marcus had quickly learned that whatever Gavin wants, Gavin fucking gets.
Puppy would be running around the backyard, then he would stumble, fall, and roll onto his back. Then he’d spread his doggy arms and legs wide, as if letting the sun warm his nuts, before turning back onto his stomach and repeating the whole course all over again.
At Marcus’s last count, this was his fourth time warming his nuts.
“Well, which one of us isn’t altogether there?” Ace asked, turning his head toward Lucas, his best friend and part-time psycho.
Lucas nudged Ace with his foot before taking another sip of his sangria.
It was summer, and Marcus was having one of his summertime barbecues at his place—well, now that the little monster had moved in, he guessed it was technically both of their places. Either way, the whole Shadow Viper crew had shown up for the event.
They had just finished chowing down on some delicious steaks and sausages—plant-based “burgers,” if you can call them that, for Gavin—and were now enjoying a few drinks out in the sun.
“Well, he did save my ass by leading you to that murder cabin before that psychopath could have his way with me and carve up my beautiful skin,” Gavin added.
Marcus reached over and took Gavin’s hand. He hated thinking about how close he had actually come to losing his love forever. “Yeah, I guess you have a point. But still. Look at him.”
Puppy was rolling onto his back and spreading his legs once again up at the sun. His tongue hung lazily out the side of his mouth, and he seemed to be happier than a pig rolling around in shit.
Gavin gave a chuckle. He stood up from his chair, then walked over to where his beloved dog was staring at him from the side of his eye.
“Oh, don’t listen to Daddy number two,” Gavin said as he reached down and scooped up his dog. He nuzzled his face into his fur before walking with him back to his seat next to Marcus. “He’s just jealous that he isn’t as flexible as you and can’t lick his own balls.”
The guys around them began to chuckle.
God, he loved the sense of humor in his boy.
He placed his hand on Gavin’s thigh and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Now, why would I ever need to lick my own balls? That’s what I have you for, sweety.”
Gavin’s mouth dropped open in mock offense. He punched Marcus in the arm, appearing to regret it immediately. Marcus was a solid wall of muscle, so the only thing he accomplished was practically breaking his hand on Marcus’s bicep.
Marcus couldn’t help but laugh as Puppy began barking at Gavin. It appeared that he didn’t like Daddy number one beating up Daddy number two.
“Traitor,” Gavin said, nuzzling his head into Puppy, clearly trying to keep his smile buried in his fur.
It had been about a year since the babbling spitfire came tumbling into Marcus’s life. And it was the happiest, most annoying, and greatest year of his life.
Who needs peace and quiet, or covers at all, when youcan spend your days with a man who doesn’t stop talking, who insists on sleeping with you as their blanket, and never stops making you smile?
He used to believe that love was a luxury he couldn’t afford. That, because of who he was and the responsibilities that came with being the leader of the Shadow Vipers, being in love would only be a distraction. One that could put everybody’s lives at risk.
