“Um… we’re not together.”
“That’s okay, Quade, you don’t have to hide it.” Kieran grinned at Quade. “It’s about time this girl landed herself some prime real estate.”
“Okay, that’s it. You’re on time-out, mister.”
“But why?” Kieran pouted. “What did I do?”
“No questions. Get in the house and up to your room. Go on.”
He heaved a sigh. “Yes, Sir.” Kieran shuffled into the house, turning and giving a beseeching look over his shoulder at Matt.
“Don’t even try it. Go on.”
As soon as the door closed, Matt broke out in a laugh. “I’m sorry about that. He’s excited to see Caden, and sometimes he gets a little out of hand.”
“He called you Sir. The two of you made it formal yet?”
“Yeah, his collar is hidden by his shirt.”
“Collar?”
Caden turned to face Quade. “Matt and Kieran are into BDSM. Kieran needs Matt to keep him grounded because, as you see, he can get a bit exuberant. But he’s a great guy, I swear.”
“He is,” Matt agreed. “It’s just that sometimes he needs to be reminded he’s loved and wanted, and his collar helps him feel secure.”
“I knew you were talking about it before I left. I wasn’t sure you’d ever go through with it.”
“It wasn’t really my thing, but Kieran needs it, and I need him, so I’ll do what I have to. Besides, the sex is out of this world.” Matt’s gaze went to Quade. “I hope you don’t think badly of us.”
“What? No, why would I? There’s nothing wrong with BDSM, and if it works for you and Kieran, then fuck what anyone else has to say.”
“I like this one, Caden. I think he’ll be good for you.”
“Seriously, it’s not like that between us. We’re friends and that’s it.”
Quade wasn’t sure why the words hurt so much. He was happy to have Caden as a friend, and there couldn’t be more between them. Caden might one day prove to be powerful if he was able to get his abilities under control, but he was still pretty much a human. Soft, sweet, nurturing. The way he was with Ten, how he’d fed Quade, not to mention the fact that Quade’s story hadn’t sent him scrambling for the hills, all amounted to something Quade could see as something more than a friend.
If he wasn’t afraid of tearing him apart during sex. Fucking lycan blood.
“Yeah, just friends, like he said. He wanted to show me where he used to live, and I figured I could use some time off, so here we are. If you don’t have room for me, I can sleep in the car.”
Matt seemed horrified by the suggestion. “Hell, no! Look, we can set you up on the couch, if you want. It won’t be the most comfortable thing to sleep on, but it’s better than braving the elements by sleeping outdoors.”
If only he knew how often Quade had slept outdoors. But he smiled and nodded. “Thanks, the couch would be great.”
“Matt? If I say I’m sorry, can I come out? I really missed Caden is all. I really am sorry.”
Looking up, Matt gave a toothy smile and gestured to Kieran, who took off like a shot and jumped into his lover’s arms.
“You’re going to behave now, right?”
“Yes, Sir.” He turned to Quade. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine. I get you’re happy to see Caden after so long. I probably would be too.”
Kieran’s cheeks pinked. “He’s our best friend ever. Life isn’t the same without him in the house. We both miss him like crazy.”
And now Quade felt guilty that he’d thought about keeping Caden away from them forever.
God, he was such a bastard.
Chapter 11
“So then Caden steps up to the guy and stares him down. The jock sneered and raised a hand. Matt was there in a flash, twisted the asshole’s arm behind his back, and shoved him up against the wall. He told the fucker if he ever came near Caden again, he’d snap the damn thing off.”
God, Caden had almost forgotten about Chris showing up at the restaurant the night they went out to celebrate Caden’s A on his final exam. It had been an extravagance they couldn’t afford, but decided that they’d eat ramen noodles the rest of the month if they had to. They’d been sitting at the table when Chris came up behind him and tapped Caden on the shoulder.
“Oh. What do you want?”
Chris gave that smile that always made Caden weak in the knees, but this time it just turned his stomach.
“I wanted to apologize to you about how things ended. I thought maybe we could try again. Can I buy you a drink?”
“No. I’m here with friends.”
Then, seeming to think that counted as an invitation, Chris took the empty chair.
“What are you doing?”
“Please, let’s just talk.”
The plaintive edge to his voice had Caden’s resolve wavering. Chris was still handsome and charming, but….
“Not tonight. Like I said, I’m here with my friends. Why don’t you call me later in the week and we’ll see if we can meet up?”
Chris huffed and stood. “Forget it. You’re not that good of a lay.”
Kieran had jumped up and punched Chris in the nose, creating a crimson spray across the tablecloth. “You’re an asshole.”
Chris’s face went as red as the stain on the tablecloth. He dragged a hand back as though he intended to hit Kieran, but like a knight in shining armor, Matt was there. He yanked Chris’s arm behind him, then pushed him against the wall. He got up in Chris’s face, his voice low and gravelly.
“That’s my boyfriend you’re raising your hand to, and if you know what’s good for you, you’ll leave now before your nose isn’t the only thing bleeding.”
Caden wasn’t sure what Chris saw in Matt’s eyes, but he stepped back and held up his hands. “Sorry, man. I didn’t know.” He grabbed a cloth from the table and shoved it against his nose, wincing when he did.
God, that had been a mess. The restaurant kicked them out without them even having a chance to eat. They ended up at a restaurant where they served all-you-can-eat pizza. As far as Caden was concerned, that was better than anything they served at Le Palm anyway.
“And the best thing of all?” Kieran was laughing now. “Before Chris stormed from the restaurant, he told Caden he’d call.”
“Which he never did. Because you know I sat by the phone waiting.”
That set the three of them off, each laughing harder the more they looked at one another.
Caden bit into his egg roll. He’d missed the cheap Chinese joint’s food. It was inexpensive but filling, and best of all, there was always enough to share.
He peeked over at Quade, who sat there quietly. He nudged him under the table. “You okay?”
“Yeah, fine.”
There was tension in the words, and Quade’s hands were clenched into white-knuckled fists. He was like a spring that had been wound too tight, and Caden worried he might snap.
“Why don’t we step outside for a minute?” Caden wiped his mouth. “Will you guys excuse us?”