Accidentally on Porpoise Read online

  “Tell me you didn’t do anything,” he whispered, even though he was alone in his car. “Tell me you didn’t do this.”

  “Do what, sir?”

  Joseph was no fool. He heard the false tone in Erik’s voice. “Tell me you didn’t cause the accident, dammit!”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  If Erik had been standing in front of him, Joseph knew from Erik’s tone of voice that he’d have a grin on his face. “If his mate dies because of what you did, there won’t be anywhere for you to hide. I’ll see to it myself.”

  “Wh–What?” Erik’s tone had changed from confident to questioning.

  “You heard me.”

  “But…but you said there would only be one other option.”

  Horror filled Joseph’s heart. “Yes, exiling my son! What did you do? I never said anything about hurting anyone!”

  “But you…but you said—”

  “I said it was an option for me alone. And I meant it! Only I have the ability to exile a member of our pod!” He hung up on Erik, his pulse racing. What had he set into motion? He’d never dreamed…never thought…

  Now he understood the anger in his wife’s voice. Had he just lost not only his son, but his entire family? No one would forgive him if they thought he was behind Sean’s accident. He wouldn’t blame them, either.

  He sped back onto the highway to get to Bayfront.

  * * * *

  They were only allowed a half hour with Sean before they had to leave. They could come back in a couple of hours.

  Emery wanted to stay with him, but at least his mate was safe.

  His mate would live.

  Back in the waiting room, Emery’s mother hugged him. “I love you, son,” she whispered in his ear. “I will stand beside you and your mate, I swear it.”

  He hugged her more tightly. “Thanks, Mom.”

  She walked over to Helen and hugged her, then Sam. “I guess this makes us in-laws, huh?” she joked.

  Helen nodded, glancing at Emery. “Emery told us he didn’t think you and your husband would accept their relationship.”

  Louise sighed. “My husband, unfortunately, is a very stubborn man. Frankly, I don’t give a rat’s ass what my husband thinks. I’m done letting him speak my mind for me. If my son is happy, then that’s all I care about. I’m ashamed to admit I let my husband’s views be my own for far too many years simply because it was the easy way to maintain peace at home.”

  By the time the man arrived not too long after, he faced the angry faces of his wife and son, as well as the Moritas and Diane, who had been filled in on the basics.

  “Is he going to be okay?” Joseph asked.

  Emery stood, his fists clenched. He wouldn’t tolerate his father ranting here, especially in front of Sean’s parents. “He will.”

  His father walked over to him and in a low voice said, “I swear upon the oceans of the Goddess I didn’t order this done. I am afraid, however, I indirectly caused this.”

  “Excuse us,” Emery said to everyone. He grabbed his father’s arm and dragged him out into the hall. “What are you talking about?”

  He ran a hand through his hair. “Erik Chait. He’s somehow responsible. He heard me talking about another option. I meant exiling you. My guess is he assumed I meant getting rid of your mate, but, son, I swear it, I do, I didn’t know he was going to do this!”

  Emery’s gut ran cold. “How do I know you’re not lying to me?”

  He shook his head. “The pod be damned! I’ll pass on Alpha to you and exile myself if you’ll believe me.”

  Shocked, Emery stared at him for a long moment. “You’re telling the truth?”

  His father nodded.

  He leaned against the wall and tried to digest that. He wanted to kill Erik with his bare hands. He’d also never seen his father this obviously distraught before. If he was willing to walk away from the pod…

  He stared at the floor. “I will not give him up. He is my mate. If you want to exile me, fine. But I won’t give him up.”

  His father’s hand gently clasped Emery’s shoulder. “You really can talk to him mentally?” he softly asked.

  Emery nodded without looking up.

  His father didn’t speak. When Emery finally looked, he saw the tears in his father’s eyes. “When he is healed,” his father whispered, “I will be first to welcome him to the full moon swim as your mate.”

  Emery let his father hug him as he closed his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief. Joseph Nadel wasn’t an easy man to sway. But one of the things he’d always respected about his father, despite their differences, was his ability to admit when he was wrong.

  “I love you, Dad.”

  “I love you, too, son.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Emery’s father made him promise not to go after Erik, to let him deal with it. Despite it chafing him to the very core, he agreed.

  The next morning, after further CAT scans confirming no skull fracture or brain injury, Sean was moved from ICU into a regular hospital room. The doctors scratched their heads at how fast he seemed to be healing, but Emery knew the truth.

  Emery’s mother returned to visit late Saturday, after Sean’s parents had left. “I envy you both,” she quietly said.

  “Why?” Sean asked.

  Emery had never seen his mother look so sad. “You have something I don’t even have with Emery’s father,” she said. “You two have a mate-bond.”

  “Why did you marry him if you weren’t mates?” Emery asked.

  She shrugged. “It was an arranged marriage. I do love your father. I fell in love with him when we met. I know many of our kind who fall in love and marry without a mate-bond. Until you told me about yours, I didn’t know anyone personally who’d experienced it, although I had always heard stories about it.”

  “No one?” Sean asked.

  She shook her head. “You know we don’t talk about stuff like that, usually.”

  “Father told me yesterday he’ll accept Sean as my mate,” Emery said. “Does he still feel that way?”

  She nodded. “He would be here today except he’s out with Ambrose and Stephen, trying to find Erik.”

  Emery’s gut churned. “Did the eel run?”

  “Yes. When your father went to his apartment yesterday, it looked like he’d packed and left in a hurry. If his parents were still alive, they’d be so disappointed in him.”

  An investigator from the FHP had stopped by earlier to report they’d discovered Sean’s brakes had been tampered with. They had given them Erik’s name, and the truth that he was a jealous, spurned lover. “Good riddance. If he crosses my path again, I’ll kill him.”

  She laid a hand on his arm. “You’ll do no such thing.” She cast a smile at Sean. “You have a mate to care for.”

  “I hope Father finds him before the FHP does.” Pods tended to take care of people like Erik in their own way.

  In permanent ways.

  “I don’t want to talk about that,” Louise said. “I want to hear all about your new house, and when we can have a housewarming party for you two.”

  * * * *

  It was late that evening, and Sean was alone, watching TV, when Joseph Nadel walked into his room.

  “Hello, Sean.”

  Despite the good, relaxing painkillers he was still getting, Sean’s gut churned. “Hello, Mr. Nadel.” He knew Emery and Louise had told him the old man had a change of heart worthy of Scrooge, but he wouldn’t believe it until he saw it for himself.

  “May I talk with you?”

  Sean nodded.

  He pulled up a chair next to his bed and sat. With his hands clasped together and his elbows resting on his thighs, he took several long moments to finally speak. “I want to apologize for the other afternoon, Sean.”

  Warily, Sean eyed him for any sign of sarcasm. Eventually, he nodded. “Thank you. I appreciate it.”

  Joseph looked up. Sean couldn’t miss the resemblance t
o Emery in his eyes. “I was wrong, and I admit it. We’ve done things a certain way for so many generations, it’s hard to admit the world has moved on, and so should we.” He sighed. “I never intended for Erik to harm you. I hope you can forgive me for that.”

  Emery had told him the story. Sean also didn’t want to hold a grudge. “I do. I don’t want to fight, Mr. Nadel. I just want life to be peaceful.”

  A sad smile crossed the old man’s face. “As do I. But I would consider it an honor if you’d call me ‘Dad.’ You are my son’s mate. You are a part of my family.”

  Sean nodded. “Thanks, Dad.” He felt himself relaxing. “Did you find Erik yet?”

  “No, I’m sorry to say. I’ve put word out to other pods he might try to join up with. If anyone sees him, they’ll notify me immediately.”

  “Do you think he’ll try again?”

  “I wish I could say no, but who knows? My instinct is that he’s left the area and won’t return for fear of being captured by us. He knows what will happen if he is.”

  “What?”

  Joseph’s face hardened. “You don’t hurt mates. Ever. It’s forbidden. It’s one of the unbreakable rules of our pod. Mates and children are off-limits. If you have an issue with someone, you take it to them and the pod Alpha.”

  “Do I want to know what will happen if you catch him?”

  “Let’s just say if we did catch him, he would permanently disappear. You don’t need to know anything more than that.”

  * * * *

  Sean struggled not to succumb to cabin fever while in the hospital. By Monday, he felt fine except for how badly his healing arm itched. Even the worst of his bruises had mostly faded. The doctors still scratched their heads, but admitted it looked like his body was recovering quite well. Denby, Emery’s brother, and several friends helped Emery get all their things moved to the new house. By the time Sean was released from the hospital the next Wednesday afternoon, they had everything ready as well as a kick-ass welcome-home party for him.

  Both Sean’s and Emery’s parents came. Mindful of the Moritas’ ignorance of the shifters, nothing of that was mentioned.

  Sean couldn’t wait for everyone to leave. Once Emery closed the door behind the last guest, Sean pounced on him, wrapping his good arm around his neck. “Do you have any idea how horny I am?”

  Emery grinned. “Can’t be worse than me.”

  “Um, yeah, it can be. Do you know how hard it is trying to rub one out southpaw when you’re a righty?”

  Emery cupped the front of Sean’s shorts with his hand. Sean’s cock throbbed under the material. “I did offer to help you with that in the hospital.”

  “I didn’t want a nurse coming in and catching us. You can help me with it now.”

  Emery gently squeezed. “Gladly. Get your sweet ass into our bed.”

  Emery’s bed had been set up in the master bedroom because it was larger than Sean’s. Sean stripped as fast as he could hampered by his cast and lay on his back on the bed. His cock throbbed and stood fully erect.

  “Like this?”

  “Exactly like that.” Emery quickly stripped and crawled up the bed to lie between his legs. He flicked the tip of Sean’s cock with his tongue. “Lie back and enjoy this, baby.”

  Sean wanted to watch him, but the feel of Emery’s hot mouth engulfing his shaft was just too good. His eyes fell closed. He rocked his hips in time with Emery’s tongue and fingers. He brought him close to release time and again, backing off and keeping him simmering.

  Finally, Sean couldn’t take it anymore. “Please get me off!”

  He had just enough time to open his eyes and lock onto Emery’s smoldering grey gaze when Emery slipped a finger into Sean’s rim.

  Sean’s whole body tensed as his cock exploded. He watched, fascinated, as Emery deep-throated him down to the root, his tongue flicking against his sac as he swallowed every drop of cum he spurted into his mouth.

  Spent, Sean’s body went limp. His eyes fell closed.

  Emery released his cock with a final suck. “Better?”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “Aw, did I wear you out?”

  “Just for a couple of minutes. Then I want your cock in my ass.”

  “Ooh, I wasn’t going to ask in case you weren’t up for it.”

  “Oh, believe me, I’m up for it.”

  Emery grabbed a towel to slide under Sean’s ass and the lube. His gaze burned into Sean’s. “I’ve missed you so much,” he hoarsely said. “I don’t know what I would have done if I’d lost you.”

  “Quit thinking about that and fuck me, dammit. You’re harshing the mood.” He wanted Emery’s cock inside him. Right now!

  Emery slicked his cock with lube before working a generous amount into Sean’s dark hole. He pushed Sean’s legs up and back before pressing his thick knob against his rim. “You’re the only thing in my life I give a damn about.”

  “Less talky, more fucky.”

  Emery laughed as he pressed forward, slowly breaching Sean’s ass and giving him a minute to adjust to it again before sliding his generous length all the way in. “Like that?”

  Sean wiggled his hips against him, trying to take him as deeply as possible. He loved being skewered on Emery’s cock. “Oh, yes, exactly like that. Only harder and faster.”

  Emery took a hard, deep stroke, his balls slapping against Sean’s ass. “Like that?”

  “Better. Now repeat. A lot.”

  Emery leaned forward, bracing his arms on either side of Sean’s head. He began fucking him hard and fast. “Like that, mate?”

  “Uh-huh!” Sean grabbed his arms and held on tight. “Just like that.”

  “You’re going to spend the weekend naked and well fucked.”

  Sean’s heart raced at the growling tone in Emery’s voice. “I hope so.”

  “We’ll have to wrap a bag around your cast so we can break in the pool.”

  Sean felt his cock inflating again, between Emery’s thick cock hitting his gland on every stroke and the thought of reliving the pool sex. “Yes!”

  Emery slowed his pace and leaned in to kiss Sean. “You want to feel my cock grow inside you, don’t you? Just spend an entire day impaled on it.”

  Sean shuddered with need, wanting exactly that. His cock now throbbed between them. Emery looked down, saw it, and wrapped his fingers around it. He slowly pumped it with his hand.

  “You are a horny man, aren’t you? Look at you, with my cock buried in your ass and your cock already hard again.” Emery’s deep, sensual tone wound Sean’s need tighter. “Who do you belong to?”

  “You!”

  He squeezed Sean’s cock. “Who does this belong to?”

  “You!”

  He took a hard, vicious stroke that nearly finished Sean off. “Who does this ass belong to?”

  “You!”

  Emery leaned in and nipped the base of Sean’s throat while taking hold of his cock again. “Come for me, mate. Show me.” He quickly pumped Sean’s cock as he bit down, hard.

  Sean let out a cry. His balls drew up tight and filled Emery’s hand with his cum. After several more pumps, Emery kissed him and released his cock. “Goddess, that’s a beautiful sight.” He started fucking Sean hard, quickly building up speed and force until he was driving Sean up the bed with each stroke. Emery arched his back and threw back his head, letting out a loud, satisfied moan before falling still. Sean felt his lover’s cock throbbing inside him, filling him, joining them.

  He wrapped his good arm around Emery and pulled him down to him, both of them trying to catch their breath.

  As Emery’s cock began growing limp in his ass, Sean nipped his ear. “Mine,” he said.

  Emery laughed and kissed him. “Always.”

  * * * *

  The next afternoon they went truck shopping. Sean silently thanked his father for harping on him to keep up comp and collision coverage on his truck despite its age and battered state. The payout he received from the insurance settlement
was enough for a down payment on a good used truck despite Emery wanting to buy him a new one.

  “I don’t need a new one,” Sean said. “Having AC will be a bonus.”

  “You’re my mate. I want you to have the best I can afford.”

  Sean kissed him. “I don’t need a new truck. End of story, buddy.”

  Emery nuzzled his ear. “I should have fucked you in the pool before we came out today. You’d probably agree to anything if you were impaled on my cock.”

  Sean struggled to keep his knees locked under him. “That’s not playing fair.” All he could think about that morning was getting home for pool sex.

  “All’s fair in love and war.” Emery nipped his earlobe. He straightened, a playfully evil smile on his face.

  When they got back to the house, Sean duct-taped a garbage bag around his arm and waved a tube of lube at Emery. “Pool. Now.” He walked out through the sliders.

  Emery roared with laughter. “Getting pushy, are we?” He stripped in the living room and followed Sean out onto the lanai, where he was already naked and lubing himself up. He jumped into the pool and swam over to where Sean was walking down the steps.

  His cock was already hard. He grabbed Sean, who draped his arms around Emery’s neck and his legs around his waist. Emery seated his cock deep inside Sean before wrapping his arms around him. “Ready?”

  Sean eagerly nodded.

  Emery kissed him and sank backward in the water. Sean let out a loud moan as Emery’s cock swelled inside him. The pinching burn as his ass stretched to accommodate him quickly turned to searing pleasure he couldn’t control. When Emery rose up again, Sean laid his head against him. “Fuck! I came!”

  Emery silently chuckled and pressed his lips to Sean’s. “You’re a horny mate. Lucky for you, I can keep it up a looong time.” He slowly swam backward around the pool with his arms around Sean, deliberately twitching his cock in Sean’s ass. “I love feeling you squirm against me.” It didn’t take long for the friction of Sean’s cock sandwiched between them to get him up again. “Fuck yourself on my cock. I don’t want to hurt your arm.”

  Sean let out a moan, but he started moving, bouncing up and down on him in the water.