Emery wasn’t sure his pulse would ever slow back to normal. The ringing in his ears, he knew, couldn’t compare to what Sean and Isla and the babies had gone through. Especially Sean.
Sean still didn’t seem sure what had happened, how Erik got into the elevator, until a deputy listened to his story and repeated it back to him. “Your daughter sent the elevator downstairs?”
Sean grimaced. “Damn. Yeah, she did. She probably set it to open the door at the bottom. I didn’t check.” He pressed a palm against his forehead. “I’m a fucking idiot. I didn’t think to check. She likes to do things by herself.”
“It’s okay,” Emery said. “You didn’t know.”
“No, it’s not okay. It almost cost our kids their lives!”
“You saved them,” the deputy said. “It’s a good thing you had that gun.”
Sean slowly shook his head.
They went through the story several times. Emery fought a bout of nausea at the thought of how close Erik came to killing his family.
More of his family.
If he hadn’t insisted on the gun…
He leaned in and kissed Sean’s temple. Erik was still lying in their hallway, but someone had covered him with a sheet from the gurney the EMTs brought upstairs. Not that it would be needed.
He was the coroner’s problem now.
“Em.” Wyatt spoke from the bathroom doorway. “The babies need to be fed and changed, and Isla ain’t had breakfast yet.”
“Take them to my parents,” Sean croaked. Emery realized all the screaming had ruined Sean’s voice. “Take the SUV. My keys are on the counter.”
Wyatt looked at Emery for confirmation. He nodded. “I’ll stay here with Sean. We’ll be there when we can. Call my dad, please.”
“Already done. I did after Chris called me. He on his way.”
“Thanks.”
Wyatt covered Isla’s eyes as he carried her out of the bedroom and downstairs, Chris and a deputy following and carrying the twins.
The deputies took pictures, took the gun as evidence, and ran Sean through another round of questions before finally releasing him and allowing them to go. Emery had to put an arm around Sean’s shoulder and guide him through the door and around Erik’s corpse.
He realized Sean wouldn’t stop staring at it.
At the top of the stairs, Sean froze. “He’s really dead?”
One of the EMTs, who was filling out a form on a clipboard, nodded. “They don’t get much deader.”
After a long moment, and with Puppy still tightly clutched in his arms, he let Emery lead him down the stairs.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Emery had Sean and the kids stay at Sam and Helen’s while he supervised cleanup and repairs at the house. Sam had to go in to the office and take over for Sean, because Sean refused to let the kids out of his sight except at bedtime. And even then, the slightest noise on the baby monitor sent him into full alert and charging into the spare bedroom to check on them.
Alone in the guest bedroom the third night after the attack, he told Emery he wanted to ask Wyatt to take him to get another gun.
That was where Emery put his foot down.
“Babe, you don’t need another gun right now.”
“Yes, I do. I need to be able to protect them.”
“You are suffering from a serious case of PTSD. The last thing you need is a gun in your hand. You’ll either accidentally hurt yourself or someone we love. You don’t want to do that, do you?”
Sean deflated, almost collapsing in on himself as he let Emery cradle him tightly against his body. He pressed his lips against Sean’s forehead. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here with you when it happened,” he said. “I should have asked Wyatt to stay until I got back.”
“He still would have tried.”
“But you wouldn’t have had to face it alone.” He rubbed his chin through Sean’s hair. “I’m so sorry, babe. That’s on me. I’ve been so busy being Alpha for everyone else, I wasn’t here when you needed me.”
Sean snuggled closer. “I can’t lose you.”
“I can’t lose you, either. You’re my life. You’re my heart and soul.”
Sean kissed him, hints of desperation in his urgency.
Emery rolled on top of him and wouldn’t let Sean rush him. After a while, he changed positions, so he could lie next to Sean and suck his cock while Sean eagerly sucked him.
Emery closed his eyes, basking in the sweet warmth from his lover’s body. He couldn’t envision a future without him in it. Hopefully, he wouldn’t ever have to live in a world without him.
He sure as hell didn’t want to.
Sean’s cock throbbed against Emery’s tongue, hard and hot, tangy pre-cum leaking from the slit with every flick against his glans. He swallowed him to the shaft, withdrew, and engulfed him again.
All the while, Sean’s urgency continued. He worked on Emery’s cock as if time were running out, hard and fast, eagerly, desperately.
Emery closed his eyes and let him do it, not bothering to hold back, knowing Sean wanted this, maybe even needed it. The anchor to reality, to sanity.
To safety.
Sean worked a hand between Emery’s legs and palmed his sac, gently massaging.
Emery swirled his tongue around Sean’s cock and let loose with a soft moan that he knew would resonate throughout Sean’s body as his balls drew up, tightened, and finally emptied.
Sean moaned in response, his mouth working harder and faster as Emery came, sucking every last drop of cum he could coax from his balls until, finally, Emery had to reach down and make him stop because he was too sensitive.
Then Sean lay back and Emery could focus totally on him. His head bobbed up and down Sean’s cock, tongue working on him, wanting to make Sean feel as good as he’d just made him feel.
Sean let out a soft moan and began rocking his hips in time with Emery’s mouth. “Give it to me,” Emery said through their mate-bond. “I’m here. I want it. Give it to me.”
Sean plunged his fingers into Emery’s hair, holding on, now actively fucking Emery’s mouth and growing closer to his release. Emery held on to Sean’s thighs, moving with him, encouraging him, loving him.
It felt like Sean hung on the edge, frustrated, unable to get over. Emery sensed it and finally took over again. “Come!” he ordered through the mate-bond.
Sean’s entire body went rigid, a gasping sob escaping him as jets of hot cum pumped into Emery’s mouth. He stayed with him, sucking, licking, not letting a drop escape until he was sure he was finished.
Then he turned and gathered Sean into his arms. When he started sobbing against Emery’s chest, he held him tightly, stroking his back. “Let it go, babe,” he whispered into his ear. “I’m here, I’m yours, and you’re mine, and I’m not going anywhere. It’s all right.”
Sean’s fingers dug into Emery’s arm as he cried, the fear and pain and grief and anger finally unstoppered and flowing freely.
Emery closed his eyes, nuzzling the top of Sean’s head. “Let it out, babe. Just let it out.”
“He was in our fucking house.”
“He’s gone.”
“He was within feet of our baby.”
“He’s dead.”
“She could have died because of me, because I didn’t check the elevator.”
“She didn’t, and neither did the twins. You’re all safe. And that fucker’s never coming back.”
“But what about the others?”
“What others?”
“Yellowstone. Louisiana.”
Emery didn’t have an answer for him. He let out a sigh. “Let’s not worry about that right now. For now, we’re all safe.”
“For how long?”
“I don’t know, babe. I wish I did.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Emery felt a brief flare of panic deep in his soul when he awoke just after dawn that June morning and found the bed next to him empty.
Throwing the sheets off, he j
umped out of bed and ran through the bedroom door without bothering to put clothes on.
As the light sound of a child’s laugh rose to the second floor landing, he paused at the top of the stairs, heart still pounding.
Everything sounded well.
Then he heard Sean’s laugh.
He breathed a sigh of relief. Even though it was a couple of months since the showdown, sometimes he still panicked when he wasn’t sure where Sean and the kids were.
He returned to the bedroom.
Need clothes.
They would raise the kids to be comfortable with nudity, because as dolphin shifters, it’d be a common occurrence in their lives. But they didn’t need to see Dad flouncing downstairs in the altogether first thing in the morning.
At least the brief scare had chased away his morning woody.
After donning a pair of shorts, he descended the stairs, the sweet tang of fresh Gulf air riding on the breeze flowing through the house, carrying with it the delicious aroma of brewed coffee. Sean had the living room sliders standing wide open since the day hadn’t turned hot yet. He sat on the floor of the back porch with the kids, a mug of coffee in his hand. Isla sat between the two baby carriers, a bottle of formula in each hand, feeding the twins.
“Hey.” He walked out and sat next to them, leaning over to kiss Isla on the head and brush one across Sean’s lips. “Up early, aren’t we?”
Sean smiled and nodded at the twins. “Blame them. Little Miss Super Ears heard them and came in and got me.”
Isla glanced over her shoulder and flashed him a smile that nearly broke his heart. “Wanted to let you sleep, Daddy.”
I’m sooo going to be beating up boys over her when she’s a teenager. She had him and Sean wrapped around her little fingers. He could only imagine how many male younglings would be scrambling for her attention when she was older.
“Thank you, punkin.”
“Aunt Mari said I can help her take care of her baby, too.”
“I’m sure you’ll be very good at it,” Emery said. Hell, she was three, and she’d already started reading. She eagerly helped where she could with taking care of the twins.
He wondered if the pain in his heart would ever quit hurting. The sharpest ages of his grief had blurred the tiniest bit, but only because of elapsing time, not because it got easier to mourn his sister and brother-in-law.
So many firsts that Olivia and Brad wouldn’t be there to witness.
They’d never meet Christopher’s or Marisela’s babies.
They’d never see their own babies grow and get mated and have children.
They’d never get a chance to grow old together.
He stared at Sean and managed a smile when his lover turned those brown eyes on him, silent questions in them.
Emery gave a tiny shake of his head. Not there, not in front of their kids.
Their kids.
Then a little laugh escaped him.
“What?” Sean asked.
“Do you know what today is?”
Sean smiled as he nodded. “I certainly do.”
“It’s French toast day,” Isla said.
Emery grinned, genuinely. “Yes, that, too.”
He sent Sean a wink. Oh, he was well aware what today was. One year ago, he’d ended up getting hit by a boat driven by the hunky man supervising their older daughter bottle feeding their twins.
Sean winked back and blew him a kiss.
Emery returned it.
“I’m sorry we didn’t get back to Yellowstone like you wanted,” Emery told him.
Sean shrugged. “That’s fine.” He nodded toward the Gulf. “I’m thinking maybe Grandma comes and babysits for a few hours and you and I take the boat out.” He grinned. “I already called them and had them put it in.”
Emery returned his mate’s grin. “Oh, really?”
“Yeah, really.”
“Can I go?” Isla asked.
“No, sweetie,” Sean said. “You need to help Grandma with the babies, because you’re a big girl.”
“Oh. Okay.”
* * * *
Three hours later, they were out on the water and heading for one of Sean’s near-shore fishing spots. Fortunately, there was no one else on the spot when they arrived. Emery went forward and threw the anchor. When he returned, Sean wore a grin and nothing else.
And he held up a tube of waterproof lube.
“Last one in does the fucking,” he said as he dove in.
Emery laughed as he stripped off his trunks. “That’s not exactly a threat, you know.”
“I know,” Sean said as he threw the tube of lube at Emery, who caught it. “I’m just in the mood for my Alpha bull to fuck my ass nice and hard today.”
“Well why didn’t you say so.” His cock was already hard and throbbing. Slathering lube on it and stroking didn’t alleviate the situation any. He jumped in and grabbed Sean, pulling him close.
Sean wrapped his legs around Emery’s hips while Emery’s cock bumped against his ass.
“Fuck me already,” Sean said as he draped his arms over Emery’s shoulders.
“I’m trying. You’re squirmy.” He reached under him and grabbed his cock, then worked it up and down until he found his lover’s puckered rim.
Sean let out a moan and impaled himself all the way to the root. “Fuck, yeah,” he said. “I’ve been using the big butt plug the past couple of days. Put it in at work.”
“Oh, really,” Emery said, amused. “You have, hmm?”
“Yeah.” He kissed Emery, tongue looking for and finding entrance as he brushed it against the seam of his lips.
Emery grabbed his hips and took a long, slow thrust that made Sean moan. “So you want that nice, thick, big Alpha cock up inside there, hmm?”
“Yeah.”
Emery hoped he could do it without accidentally engaging a full shift in the water. He kissed Sean and closed his eyes, focusing, trying not to think about how nice and tight his lover’s ass would feel with the larger cock buried up to the root inside it.
And then…Sean let out a happy moan. “Fuck, yeah,” he whispered as his head dropped to Emery’s shoulder. Emery’s cock swelled inside Sean’s ass, and Emery felt Sean’s stiff cock rubbing between their bodies.
He reached between them and wrapped his fingers around it. “You gonna come for your Alpha, baby?”
“Oh, fuck yeah.”
Emery squeezed it until Sean let out a moan. “Not yet,” he said, chuckling when Sean moaned again, this time in frustration. “Not until I say so.” He floated on his back, Sean impaled on him and doing his best to wiggle and make Emery move.
He slowly angled them toward the boat, until they were by the swim step. “Reach behind you, babe,” Emery ordered. “Hold on.”
Sean did, his lids heavy, eyes glazed with passion.
Emery reached around him and held onto the swim step, too, and now he could really pound his cock into his lover’s sweet ass. With Sean’s cock perfectly pinned between them, Emery began thrusting, hard and fast and making Sean moan with every stroke.
“Come!” he ordered through their mate-bond, enjoying the sound of Sean’s unfettered cries in his mouth as his cock exploded between them.
And still, Emery held back. He waited several minutes, until Sean’s cock had hardened again, between the friction of their bodies and the way his cock hit his gland inside him. “Come!”
Sean moaned again, his ass squeezing Emery’s cock as he was compelled to obey the command.
Emery lifted his head and looked down into Sean’s eyes. “You wanted a good, hard, Alpha bull fucking, that’s what you’ll get, my sweet little mate. Come!”
Sean’s eyes squeezed tightly closed as his moan rolled out of him. Now Emery felt his own orgasm wanting to explode, his balls heavy and full as he watched his lover forced to climax on his command.
When he recovered from that one, Emery chuckled. “Guess what?” he said as he took another hard stroke.
“Wh–What?”
“I’m ready to fill that sweet ass with my cum,” he said.
“I want it!”
“But first you have to give me something else.”
“What?”
Emery nipped his lower lip. “Come!”
Sean cried out and Emery drove deep inside him, his own satisfied cries mixing and swirling together with Sean’s as he felt his balls pumping his seed deep inside his lover’s ass.
After a few minutes, he gathered Sean close and they floated together near the boat while Emery’s cock slowly shrank back to normal.
“Good?” he asked Sean.
“Uh-huh.”
“You still glad you ran over me?”
Sean chuckled and lifted his head so he could kiss him. “If I’d known how much fun life would be with you, I would have run over you on purpose just to be with you sooner.” He rested his head on Emery’s chest again.
Emery closed his eyes, smiling as the sun beat down on them, warming them. “Sean?”
“Yeah?”
“If I’d known how much fun I’d have loving you, I would have run in front of your boat a lot sooner.”
“Good to know, dude. Good to know.”
“You ready to go home?”
He nodded. “I do believe Grandma Helen is helping Isla throw us an impromptu anniversary party.”
They slowly separated, Sean only wincing a little when Emery’s cock slid out of his ass. As they returned to the boat, Sean kissed him one more time before getting out of the water. His expression looked solemn. “I hope our girls don’t mate with Alphas.”
“Why?”
“Why? You ask me that? I don’t want to think about them possibly…you know.”
Emery pulled himself up and out of the water onto the swim step. “I told you, Uncle Wyatt will chaperone them.”
“Until they’re fifty,” Sean insisted.
Emery laughed. “Eighteen.”
Sean smiled. “Deal, Daddy-o.”
THE END
WWW.TYMBERDALTON.COM
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tymber Dalton lives in the Tampa Bay region of Florida with her husband (aka “The World’s Best Husband™”) and too many pets. Not only is she active in the BDSM lifestyle, the two-time EPIC winner is also the bestselling author of over fifty books, such as The Reluctant Dom, The Denim Dom, Cardinal’s Rule, the Love Slave for Two series, the Triple Trouble series, the Coffeeshop Coven series, the Good Will Ghost Hunting series, and many more.