Again.
It was a power I never knew I’d be drunk on. But I found myself craving every part of him. I needed him, to possess him, to own him.
My hand reached down and rubbed along my aching cock, head tipping back. I was losing time to leave my present, if I was going to do it. But the need to find some relief was too great. Even if it would have been even better if Aiden were the one bringing it to me.
With a willpower that had to have been granted by the gods themselves, I stilled my hand and relaxed the fist that had clenched around the bird figurine. My heart clenched as I carefully looked it over, but just as I expected, it was more durable than one would expect.
Heaving a heavy sigh, I glanced at the clock and knew I was pushing my luck, so I hurried out of the car and made my way down the street. I was careful to keep my head down and the collar of my coat up in order to help obscure my face from any nosy neighbors. In hindsight, despite the fact I had brought my older sedan, I probably should have dressed down after work before I stopped by so I’d fit in better with the neighborhood.
But it was too late, considering I was already there and half a block from his house.
I was surprised by the number of live plants he had on the porch in pots and planter boxes, especially for a single manwho worked so much. The thought of someone stopping by to help him take care of his plants or his house sent a spike of jealousy through me. No one should be helping him with things except me.
My shoulders sagged. But that wasn’t my job. Not really. At least not until I was able to properly meet him and insert myself into his life. Judging by the state of things, I needed to do that sooner rather than later before someone else got it into their head they could encroach onto my territory.
Looking around the porch, I tried to find the perfect place to leave my gift for him. I didn’t want it to be hidden, yet I didn’t want it to be too obvious either. When I saw the bird feeder on a shelf with a plotted plant, it seemed like the perfect place.
Just as I placed the delicate figure on the ledge, the unmistakable roar of an engine cut through the night air. With a final glance around the porch, I took the steps two at a time as I made my way down and slid back into the car.
Taillights came down the street as I sat there, breathless, sliding down low in my seat, despite the distance between myself and his house. When his car pulled into the drive, it slowed and then slid into the garage.
My heart raced for a few minutes as the house remained dark, before a single light went on from what looked like the back of the house, barely casting a soft glow for me to see from where I watched. I needed to get closer, but it was too risky. Every fiber in my being ached to be close to him and the distance between us burned like a flame eating me alive.
I wondered if he felt it. The ache of our separation. But I knew the answer. I saw it in the line of his shoulders as he trudged through the house, slunk through the grocery store, and dragged himself along at work.
A growl tore through my chest, and I wished I could have seen how he looked right after getting back from examining something so intimately that wasmine, just like he was. Theywere both a part of me and my mind screamed to take him, possess him, own him. To claim him.
But I had to play my cards right. Rushing in and claiming him wouldn’t get me anywhere except maybe in a jail cell or a body bag. And that would leave my little bird all alone. Unprotected.
Which was unacceptable.
The front door opened and I perked up, caution thrown to the wind. I pressed forward as he stepped outside. Despite the chill in the air, he didn’t have a jacket on. He seemed lost as he ran his fingers through his hair, looking around the porch.
I clocked it, the moment he found the figurine on the shelf. His body froze before going completely lax. I couldn’t see him pick it up, but I could tell he had it in one hand and a beer bottle in the other as he settled on the porch swing.
He drew his knees up, wrapping his arms around them, and stared at the bird figure. I could imagine the look on his face, but there was something about the tension in his body that had me drawing in a sharp breath.
Something was definitely wrong. That wasn’t my confident little bird who could take on the world without a thought. I knew the scene he had to have come across with Thomas’ body couldn’t have been pleasant, but what was it that had him looking so weary? What had caused the tears I could just barely see traces of that streaked down his face?
My fingers itched to run through his hair and soothe him. I wanted to hold him in my arms and tell him it was all right, that I would have him and keep him safe. But that was just a fantasy. One I wouldn’t be able to indulge in.
The shrill sound of my phone cut through the stillness of the night, ripping a snarl from deep within me.
Christian.
Of fucking course.
He was becoming a thorn in my side. If he didn’t watch himself, he’d end up on a list he didn’t want to be on.
I took a deep breath, needing to calm myself before I answered the call.
“What?” So much for calming myself.
There was silence on the other end for a moment and I had to look at the screen to make sure we were actually connected.
“Umm. Boss?”
I’d never heard the other man sound so frazzled, so undone. Not even when I had been splitting him in two with my cock. It instantly put me on alert. “What’s wrong?”
