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Brac Village 9

Jordan’s Desires

Bailey Fester has been burned by a lover he thought he could
trust. Now jaded, Bailey refuses to let anyone in, including the

dark and handsome stranger who keeps showing up in Bailey’s
life. He isn’t ready to love again, and he definitely isn’t ready to
give his heart away. But Jordan seems determined to show Bailey

that he is there to stay.

Jordan Sommers is the new mechanic at Mark’s Garage. He knows

he has his work cut out for him when he meets his mate and
realizes that Bailey has been scorned. The guy is adamant about

remaining friends, and shows up at the most inopportune
moments. Bailey has already seen Jordan kill two men.

But when someone poisons Jordan and shoots at Bailey, Jordan is
determined to keep Bailey safe while showing the man what love
truly means. But will Bailey accept what Jordan has to offer, or will

he turn Jordan away, too cynical to understand that giving his
heart does not equal betrayal?

Genre: Alternative (M/M or F/F), Paranormal, Shape-shifter
Length: 35,393 words

JORDAN’S DESIRES

Brac Village 9

Lynn Hagen

EVERLASTING CLASSIC

MANLOVE

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IMPRINT: Everlasting Classic ManLove

JORDAN’S DESIRES
Copyright © 2013 by Lynn Hagen
E-book ISBN: 978-1-62740-090-9

First E-book Publication: June 2013

Cover design by Siren Publishing
All art and logo copyright © 2013 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

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JORDAN’S DESIRES

Brac Village 9

LYNN HAGEN

Chapter One

Bailey finished off his glass of beer and gave a subtle wave to the

bartender for another. “I’m getting really sick and tired of seeing
those campaign signs. Thank fuck the election will soon be over.”

Travis—Bailey’s fellow firefighter and friend—nodded as he

lounged back in his chair. “Amen to that. If I see one more sign for
Bart Fishman, I’m going to rip the damn thing down. He’s plastered
those signs all over the county.”

Bailey gave a quick thanks to the bartender when his mug of beer

was set down in front of him. “I’m voting for Maverick Brac. He’s
been the mayor in Brac Village since forever and he’s doing a damn
good job from what I’m told.” Bailey had only been living in the
village for the past few years, but he had no complaints when it came
to Maverick.

Travis turned toward him, wagging a finger at Bailey. “Have you

noticed that the mayor hasn’t given one speech or put up one damn
sign yet he’s winning by a landslide?”

“He doesn’t need to campaign. Everyone knows what he stands

for. He donates not only his money but his time at the local rec center,
has made it known that he is an advocate against violence with the
resource center, has funded many of the new businesses in town, and

Lynn Hagen

he isn’t one of those stuck-up snobs. The guy is easy to talk to.”
Bailey curled in his fingers after he had ticked off his list. “Besides, I
don’t trust that Fishman fellow.”

Taking another drink of his beer, Bailey leaned to the side when

some random guy pushed close to the bar, encroaching on his space.
There was plenty of room so Bailey didn’t understand why the man
was so close. When he looked over his shoulder, the guy smiled at
him.

“Hi.”
Bailey turned around without saying a word. The stranger got his

drink and walked away.

“Damn,” Travis said as he stared at the stranger walking away.

“Could you have been any more frigid?”

“I’m not interested,” Bailey answered. He already had his heart

torn out once and it had taken him a while to get over Harley Grouper.
There was no way he was going to subject himself to that kind of pain
again.

Leaning forward, Travis smacked Bailey’s knee good-naturedly.

“There is only one way to get over a guy,” Travis said and then gave
Bailey a knowing wink. “And I’m pretty sure you know where this is
going.”

Even though it had almost been a year since Bailey ended things

with Harley, he still wasn’t ready to date. Even a one-night stand
didn’t interest him right now. “Can we leave my nonexistent love life
alone?”

Travis sighed as he sat back. Everyone at the fire station had been

giving small comments about how Bailey needed to move on and find
somebody. None of them knew what he was going through or
understood. He had undergone counseling at the resource center when
it had first happened, but Bailey had convinced Taylor Tate that he
was fine.

But he wasn’t fine.
“Are you going to the cookout at Bear’s house Saturday?”

Jordan’s Desires

Bailey shrugged. “I’m not sure.”
“He invited a few people from town. You never know, you just

might get lucky.” Travis held up his hands when Bailey glowered at
him. “Okay, I’ll back off.”

Downing the rest of his drink, Bailey set the empty mug on the

bar. “I’m heading home.”

Travis stood, grabbing Bailey’s arm. “Seriously, you can’t let one

man ruin your love life. Harley was a work of art, we all know that.
He fucked your head up, Bailey, but it’s time to give a decent guy a
chance.”

“You offering?” Bailey asked jokingly, wanting this conversation

over with. Travis was a good friend, but Bailey didn’t want to talk
about Harley to anyone. The wound still hurt like hell.

“If you were my type, Harley wouldn’t have gotten near you,”

Travis replied in an affectionate tone. “Just don’t keep closing
yourself off. You just might let Mr. Right slip through your fingers.”

Easing his arm from Travis’s grip, Bailey nodded. “Good advice.”
“Advice you won’t take,” Travis said before Bailey walked from

the Lucky Clover and into the night air. He wished everyone would
leave him alone when it came to dating. He knew his friends cared or
they wouldn’t be trying to help him through this. But Bailey needed to
work things out on his own.

It didn’t matter who gave him advice. Until he was ready to move

on, the words were lost on him. He pulled his keys from his pocket
and swooned a little. Bailey sighed, knowing he’d had one too many
beers to drive.

He considered asking Travis for a ride home, but Bailey didn’t

want to hear any more lectures about being frigid. Hadn’t Reno said
something about taking Baker to the diner for dinner? Maybe Bailey
would hitch a ride home from his other fellow firefighter. Reno was
the only person who hadn’t been pestering Bailey about his love life.

Turning away from his car, Bailey began to walk down the street.

The diner wasn’t that from the bar. It was a nice, warm night anyway.

Lynn Hagen

The walk would help him clear his mind as well. Maybe Travis was
right. Maybe Bailey needed to get laid. He wasn’t going to let his
heart become vested in another man, but sex was just sex.

Bailey rubbed his sternum, feeling that familiar ache whenever he

thought about Harley. He wished to god he had never met the guy. To
have a person give him everything he could ever desire in a man and
then rip that false dream away was something Bailey never wanted to
experience again.

Fuck love and fuck committing himself to another. Sex was it for

him, nothing more. He wasn’t going to allow himself to care for
anyone else. If he didn’t care, he couldn’t be hurt again. It sounded
very logical to him.

Bailey came up short when a pretty tall guy walked out of Mark’s

Garage, the two nearly colliding. When the muscular stranger turned
to look at him, Bailey almost gaped at the guy.

Wow…just…wow.
The stranger had smoldering amber eyes that took Bailey’s breath

away. They were worldly and sharply intelligent. Bailey felt drawn to
him in a way he’d never experienced before.

“Sorry, I wasn’t watching where I was going.” The stranger stuck

out his beefy hand. It looked like it could swallow Bailey’s whole.
But Bailey was only half paying attention to the man’s hand. The
voice was so rich, so deep that his insides quiver. It was cultured and
smooth as the man gazed at him with a sparkle of merriment in those
bedroom eyes. “I’m Jordan Sommers, the new mechanic here.”

Without thought, Bailey shook the man’s hand, shivering at the

warmth that enveloped him as something passed in the air between
them. “Bailey Fester, fireman.”

Jordan gave him a dazzling smile as he pulled his hand free.

Bailey just couldn’t get over how large and handsome the man was.
Fate was a cruel, cruel bitch because Bailey couldn’t get over how
fascinated he was, either. “I’m new in town. Is there someplace I can
go for dinner?”

Jordan’s Desires

Bailey felt a bit panicked when his heart leapt at the thought of

going to dinner with Jordan. The man was not supposed to interest
him. Hadn’t Bailey sworn off dating? Yeah, Jordan could be a one-
night stand, but damn, the man was smoking hot! His fingers itched to
reach out and touch the guy’s raven-colored hair, letting the shoulder-
length black strands slip through his fingers. His teeth ached to take a
nibble at the man’s jaw that held just a small amount of shadow from
a beard. The stranger was ruggedly handsome.

“There’s a couple places to go,” Bailey answered as he blinked

out of his semi-daze. “There’s The Pit, Lucky Clover, or the diner.”

“Have you eaten?” Jordan asked, the timbre in his voice vibrating

inside Bailey. It was an invitation to seduction, pure and simple.
Jordan’s voice was nothing short of liquid heat that could probably
make Bailey orgasm if he listened to it long enough.

Bailey stopped himself from shuddering at the sound. He had to

get out of there because his cock was reacting to this guy. He could
just imagine having all that muscle wrapped around him. The guy was
like a huge teddy bear and Bailey was not about to snuggle with
him—no matter how tempting he was.

“Yep. Have a nice night.” He began to walk away. He knew he

was being a prick, but he wasn’t about to get involved with someone
else. Harley had trained him well in the art of broken hearts and
Bailey wasn’t willing to have another lesson with this guy.

And Jordan was hot enough for Bailey to want more than just sex.

The guy was well over six foot five, nicely built in all the right
places—that he could see—and his attributes were stuff legends were
made of. Bailey didn’t need the temptation. Hadn’t he already learned
not to trust a good-looking face?

He put as much distance as he could between him and the striking

man. Bailey knew that there were more than good looks that made up
the man’s package. He wasn’t willing to find out if Jordan’s
personality matched his amazing physique.

Lynn Hagen

Pulling the door open to the diner, Bailey stepped in and spotted

Reno and Baker just finishing up their dinner. Perfect. “Hey guys,” he
said as he slid in next to Reno. “Mind giving me a ride home?”

Reno quirked a brow. “Had one too many?” he asked as he wiped

his hands on a napkin.

“How do you know?”
“I can smell the beer on your breath.”
Bailey grabbed Reno’s cup of coffee, draining the mug. He

winced. How had he forgotten that Reno liked a little coffee with his
sugar? Bailey might as well have unscrewed the lid on the sugar
container and taken a drink.

Baker chuckled. “Too sweet?”
“And then some,” Bailey said as he set the cup down. “I’m

surprised you don’t have diabetes by now.”

“I can take you home,” Reno said as he polished off the rest of his

food. “Although a buddy of mine wants me to pick his cousin up, so
you’ll have company in the back seat.”

Bailey stood, moving out of the way as Reno pushed from the

booth. His friend grabbed the check and took it to the counter to pay
for his meal. Bailey and Baker headed toward the door.

He didn’t care about Rio picking up some friend’s cousin. The

only thing Bailey wanted to do was go home and take a hot shower. It
had been a long day and hanging out with Travis, listening to the man
badger him about dating wasn’t a great way to end his night.

Leaning his head back and closing his eyes, Bailey relaxed as

Reno drove. He didn’t even bother to open his eyes when his friend
stopped. They must be picking up the cousin Reno had mentioned. He
heard the back door open and close and then the car began to move
again.

“We meet again.”
Bailey’s insides froze when he heard Jordan’s deep and alluring

voice. Un-fucking believable. His night seemed to be getting better
and better. He didn’t bother to open his eyes. Bailey chose to ignore

Jordan’s Desires

the man. If he opened his eyes, he would only be reminded of
Jordan’s amazing looks and huge-ass body.

“Are you always this standoffish?” Jordan asked quietly from

beside him, his tone low and satiny.

“What’s today?” Bailey asked sarcastically.
“Wednesday,” Jordan answered and Bailey could hear the humor

in the man’s tone. The guy had to know what Bailey was about to say.
He didn’t know the man from Adam, but Jordan had looked like a
fairly intelligent guy.

“Yep,” Bailey answered. “Wednesday through Tuesday.”
“But that’s all seven days,” Jordan said playfully.
“You catch on quick,” Bailey answered as he turned his head

away from Jordan, his eyes still shut. He didn’t want to have a
conversation with Jordan. The guy’s voice melted him like hot butter
and Bailey wasn’t going to allow the man to get to him.

“So young to be so jaded.”
Bailey shrugged uncaringly. Maybe he should have asked Travis

for a ride home. He had thought Reno the safer choice, but fate
decided to fuck with him again. Bailey hoped like hell that Jordan
didn’t live too far. He didn’t want to spend any more time than
necessary around this guy. He was five seconds away from telling
Reno to pull over so he could walk home.

“Tell me, Bailey. Who broke your heart?”
Bailey gnashed his teeth together at the whispered tone, refusing

to answer Jordan. The man was getting just a little too personal for his
taste. If he didn’t talk about Harley to his friends, Bailey sure as hell
wasn’t telling a stranger.

“The man was a complete idiot.”
Bailey snapped his head around, narrowing his eyes at Jordan.

“Mind your damn business.”

Jordan didn’t seem the least bit put off. That alone pissed Bailey

off to no end. Who the hell was this man anyway? He had no right to
sit there and give Bailey his opinion.

Lynn Hagen

Jordan’s amber eyes seemed to fill with fire as he studied Bailey

in the backseat that was only lit by passing street lights. There was
something intense about the way the mechanic was staring at him,
studying him. He didn’t like that look because it made Bailey
uncomfortable, as if Jordan could see right through him, to his very
soul.

He looked away, unable to stand the man’s probing stare. It felt

too damn intimate. They rode in silence for a few miles before Jordan
spoke again. “How long have you lived here?”

It was an innocent enough question. “A few years.” Bailey hadn’t

bothered to turn around when he answered Jordan. He just kept
staring out of the window, wishing he was out of the car already.
Clenching his hands in his lap, Bailey reminded himself that he
wasn’t interested in Jordan.

He wasn’t interested in anyone. He just wanted to be left alone.

Talking with Jordan only reminded Bailey of his heartache. Bailey
could tell that if he hadn’t been hurt, hadn’t been screwed over, that
he would be very interested in the stranger who seemed to rattle him.

But he had been betrayed. He had been hurt. Jordan was nothing

to him and Bailey needed to remember that.

“Brac Village seems like a nice enough place to settle down.”
Why did the guy insist on talking? Why couldn’t he leave Bailey

alone? Couldn’t Jordan take a hint? Bailey knew that he was going to
have to spell things out. He turned back toward Jordan. “Look, you
seem like a nice enough guy. But I’m not interested.”

The side of Jordan’s mouth twitched. “I wasn’t aware that talking

about the town was a secret way of asking a guy out.”

Bailey blinked at the man. He thought of the things Jordan had

said to him since almost running into the man. He inwardly grimaced.
Jordan hadn’t said one word about dating or being interested. Bailey
had just made an utter fool of himself. Jordan was just being polite
and Bailey had taken everything the wrong way, looking for things
that weren’t there.

Jordan’s Desires

“Sorry,” he said as he settled back.
Could he have made himself look any more foolish? Bailey

rubbed at his sternum, hating himself for jumping to conclusions.
Jordan probably thought that Bailey was the biggest ego-centered man
around.

“People can be friendly without lascivious intent.”
Bailey dipped his head. “I know.”
Jordan turned his head and stared out the window, leaving Bailey

sitting there feeling like an idiot. He wanted to reach out and press his
hand into the man’s strong arm, telling Jordan that he was sorry. But
Bailey didn’t do that. He left things alone instead.

He would never see the man again so it didn’t matter that his first

impression—and second—had sucked. Bailey would go on making a
fool of himself and Jordan would go on being a nice guy once they
parted, their paths never crossing again.

“Here we go,” Reno said as he pulled into a driveway. This must

be where Jordan lived. It was a small farmhouse, nicely painted and
well-kept. There were two comfortable-looking chairs sitting on the
front porch, a small table in between. Bailey spotted a few hanging
plants, cinching the homey look.

“Nice place,” Bailey said conversationally.
Jordan gave him a tight smile as he slid from the back seat and

thanked Reno for the ride. Did Bailey blame the guy? He had acted
like a complete ass when all Jordan tried to do was be friendly. He
would have deserved it if Jordan had turned around and told him to
fuck off.

But then again, Jordan was too nice of a guy to say that.
Bailey watched Jordan disappear through the front door before

Reno pulled away. A light came on in the front window and Bailey
wondered—no, he didn’t care what Jordan was doing inside. He
didn’t care about a damn thing except getting home and taking a nice
hot shower.

“Are you coming to Bear’s cookout Saturday?” Reno asked.

Lynn Hagen

“I don’t know.” Bailey gave Reno the same answer he’d given

Travis. Although he liked the men he worked with, Bailey was still
trying to pull his life together. Maybe an afternoon of hanging out
with the guys would be good for him. “Yeah,” Bailey said.

“Good,” Reno answered but didn’t say any more.
Once Reno dropped him off, Bailey walked inside and dropped

down on his couch. He needed to pull his head out of his ass and start
living again. Before Harley, Bailey had enjoyed hanging out and
having a good time. He had enjoyed laughing, being with friends, and
sex. God, he missed sex. Since Harley, Bailey hadn’t done any of that.

He was still resolute about no one having his heart again, but the

least he could do was get back to his old self. Bailey was going to
take Travis’s advice and get laid. This celibate shit was getting old.

Bailey was only twenty-three, too young to shut down his sex life.

Maybe he would go back to the Lucky Clover tomorrow and see if
that stranger was still there. Feeling a hell of a lot better after his
decision, Bailey headed toward the shower.

* * * *

Bailey stood on Bear’s back deck, drinking a beer. He had gone

back to the Lucky Clover Thursday evening, but he hadn’t run into
that stranger. He wasn’t even sure the guy would give him the time of
day after the way Bailey had acted.

“Glad to have you here,” Spencer, Bear’s boyfriend said as he

joined Bailey. “I honestly thought you weren’t going to show.”

Bailey didn’t think he’d make it either. Over the past year, the

chief had invited the guys over a few times for a cookout and Bailey
had declined each time. He was glad he didn’t pass this moment up.
The guys from the station were here, along with Hawk and Johnny.
Bailey had met the two a while back. It seemed Johnny and Spencer
were good friends, and since Spencer hung out at the station, Johnny
occasionally dropped by.

Jordan’s Desires

There were a few people he didn’t know but had been introduced

to. Blair and Kota were talking with Hawk, Randy and Priest were
chatting with Bear. It was late evening, the sky warm and inviting.
The sun was casting long shadows in the woods beyond the porch,
telling Bailey it would be dark soon, but still perfect for friends to
gather and have a good time.

Bailey relaxed and enjoyed himself. Not even Travis’s occasional

needling about Bailey dating bothered him. His day was going
great…until Jordan walked through the door. He just shook his head
and sighed.

Figures.
Tossing his empty bottle into the recycle bin, Bailey grabbed

another beer from the cooler that was sitting on the back porch. He
looked back through the kitchen window and Jordan’s sensual amber
eyes locked onto Bailey. They held a gaze for a moment, and then
Jordan looked away right before he began to talk to Reno.

Bailey turned and dropped down into the chair, staring off into the

forest. Bear really did have a nice place. It was secluded and homey.
The chief came out and started messing with the grill as Bailey
relaxed in his chair.

“Having a good time?” Bear asked as he flipped the steaks.
“Yeah,” Bailey answered before taking a long draft of his beer. He

actually was having a nice time. It was tranquil on the back porch. He
could spend the rest of the afternoon out here and be content.

“Would you mind refilling the cooler?” Bear asked.
“No problem,” Bailey said as he set his beer bottle down and

hopped up from his chair. “Where’s the stash?”

“Spencer will show you.”
Bailey walked inside and spotted Spencer talking to Johnny, Blair,

and Randy. All four were laughing and chatting. Bailey weaved
through the crowded kitchen until he made it over to Spencer. If Bear
was going to keep hosting cookouts, the guy needed a bigger place.

“Hey, Spence. Bear wants me to refill the cooler.”

Lynn Hagen

“You’ll have to get the extra drinks from the back of his truck.”
Bailey nodded and headed toward the front door. Once he was at

the truck, he began to lift the cases of beer from the bed of the truck.
He spotted Jordan on the front porch talking to someone Bailey had
never met before.

The stranger was just as good-looking as Jordan. Bailey tried not

to stare. He wasn’t interested. No, not at all. He stacked the four cases
on the ground, knowing he was going to have to make a couple trips.
Not all of it was beer. There was a case of orange soda and a case of
bottled tea.

Bailey grabbed two cases and headed toward the front door. He

could feel Jordan watching him but the man didn’t say a word. And
here Bailey thought he would never see the guy again. This made for
an awkward situation, considering how much of an ass he had made
of himself last night.

Unloading the first two cases into the cooler, Bailey went back for

the other two. This time when he stepped outside, he noticed another
guy had joined Jordan and the stranger. The newcomer had boyish
good looks, was slim, and was cuddled into the first stranger.

He grabbed the other two cases he had left on the ground by the

truck, swearing that he felt the people on the porch watching him.
When he turned to head back inside, he knew he had been right. All
three sets of eyes were on him.

Bailey gave a polite smile as he walked past the three. Jordan had

probably told the other two what an ass Bailey was. Since he now
knew that Jordan was friends with some of the guys at the station,
maybe Bailey needed to extend an olive branch.

Once he had the cooler fully packed, Bailey tossed out the empty

cartons. He sat back down in his seat and grabbed his beer from the
ground. No one was on the back porch. Bear was now inside talking
with everyone.

Just as he began to indulge in his moment of solitude, Jordan

stepped onto the back porch. Bailey thought the man was going into

Jordan’s Desires

the cooler, but the mechanic walked past the cooler and dropped into
the chair next to Bailey.

God, this is awkward.
Jordan didn’t say anything. He just sat there. Bailey wasn’t sure if

he should strike up a conversation or leave well enough alone. The
guy’s thick frame filled his seat and then some as he gazed into the
forest. Bailey continually snuck covert peaks at the arrestingly
handsome guy.

Now that they were in broad daylight, Bailey noticed a few tattoos

on the man’s left upper arm.

He groaned.
Could Jordan be any more delicious or tempting? Bailey needed

to get out of there. Even though he was on the back porch, there
didn’t seem to be enough air. He smiled politely at Jordan as he got
up and walked inside. He was going to make his excuses to Bear and
then bail the hell out of here.

Even though he was going to stop being an ass toward Jordan, that

didn’t mean Bailey was capable of handling the guy right now. Jordan
was like a quiet rainstorm, lulling and peaceful to be around.

If Bailey wasn’t very careful, Jordan would have him. And that

was the last thing Bailey needed.

Lynn Hagen

Chapter Two

Jordan watched his mate run from him. There was nothing he

could do about it at the moment. Someone had crushed Bailey’s heart
and the only thing Jordan could do was be patient and slowly work his
way into Bailey’s life.

“I just saw your mate take off,” Rio said. His cousin took a seat

next to him, Fire—Rio’s mate—sitting on Rio’s lap. “You told me it
was bad, but now that I’ve seen what you’re talking about…damn.
What are you going to do?”

If only Jordan knew. Bailey had a steel wall built around him—

impenetrable. The human’s body language practically screamed fuck
off. He could see that he was in for a rough ride. “Be patient,” he
answered honestly. “That’s all I can do.”

He had no choice. Pushing Bailey would do more harm than good.

The man wasn’t ready and Jordan wasn’t going to force the guy to be
with him. As much as Jordan wanted to touch his mate, kiss him, and
hold him, he was going to have to approach this slowly. Taking his
time wasn’t a problem. Jordan just hoped he wasn’t wasting it. Bailey
was as unreachable right now as the stars.

“Whoa,” Bear said as he walked onto the back porch, his eyes

locking with Jordan’s. “Did I hear you correctly? Bailey is your
mate?”

Jordan nodded. He really didn’t know the bear shifter all that well.

Jordan had only moved to Brac Village about two months ago and
was still getting to know everyone. The guys at the fire station seemed
like a pretty nice group of men. The firefighters seemed open and
friendly—all except Bailey, the one man Jordan desired the most.

Jordan’s Desires

Bear sighed deeply as he ran a hand over his head. Jordan could

tell the man had something on his mind and his gut told him he wasn’t
going to like what the bear shifter had to say. “Claiming him isn’t
going to be easy.”

No shit. Jordan had already figured that much out by the frigid

way Bailey acted toward him. He had a feeling that if Bailey could
have bailed from the car last night, he would have.

Bear waved for Jordan to follow him. They walked down the steps

on the side of the house and began to stride through the woods. He
had no idea what the guy wanted.

“I normally stay out of other people’s affairs, but I think you

should know something.”

Jordan listened as Bear told him about Bailey, Harley, and what

had happened. The longer Bear talked, the angrier Jordan became. He
didn’t like the fact that his mate had fallen in love with another man,
but he couldn’t get mad over something that had taken place before
meeting the fireman.

But what Harley did to Bailey only told Jordan that his chances

had just dropped very low for getting Bailey’s heart. The guy had
been royally played and had even gone to counseling. If Jordan were a
lesser man, he would walk away from the struggle he was about to
face.

But he was a black panther. Patience was something he had an

abundance of. He was going to have to slowly gain Bailey’s trust and
help the guy get over his wound. It sounded pretty damn simple in his
mind, but he knew that was far from the truth.

“And Harley hasn’t come back to Brac Village?”
Bear gave a deep chuckle. “Fuck no. Would you defy Maverick?”
Jordan had met the alpha of the local wolf pack. He could see

what Bear meant. He just hoped Harley wasn’t stupid enough to
return. The guy was probably somewhere else wreaking havoc on
unsuspecting men. Scum like that never learned their lesson.

Lynn Hagen

But Bailey was his and Jordan would kill anyone who tried to

come between them. “Thanks for giving me a heads up.”

They walked back toward the house, Jordan no longer in a festive

mood. “Would you be offended if I took off?”

“Not at all,” Bear said. “It was nice meeting you, Jordan.”
They shook and then Jordan let Rio know he was leaving. He

wasn’t sure how he was going to befriend Bailey, but he had to try.
He could tell last night in the car that his mate was hurting. He just
hadn’t guessed that it was this deep.

Jordan walked out of the front door and was stunned to see that

Bailey hadn’t left. He was standing by his car, cursing.

“Something wrong?”
Bailey’s head snapped up at Jordan’s voice, his sage-green eyes

growing dark. He could see the man’s defenses locking into place as
he stared at Jordan. “My damn car won’t start.”

Now there was something Jordan could fix. It made him inwardly

smile to know that he was helping Bailey, even in this small way. He
wanted to protect the man, take care of him, and shield Bailey from
any more hurt.

Fixing the man’s car was a start.
“Pop the hood.” Jordan walked to the front of the car and waited

while his mate reached inside and pulled the release lever. Once he
had the hood secured, he called out, “Try and start it.”

Bailey did as Jordan asked, and all he heard was a clicking sound.

He immediately knew what was wrong. He’d dealt with this kind of
problem too many times before. “Your alternator is shot.”

Bailey stuck his head out of the car. Jordan held back the growl he

wanted to emit at the sight of his mate’s bewilderment. Did the guy
know how truly handsome he was? “My what?”

Jordan grinned. The man looked totally confused. His cat was

encouraging Jordan to go to Bailey, to rub his scent all over the man.
If only he could. Bailey would no more let Jordan rub his scent all
over that sexy fireman body then he would let Jordan fuck him. Too

Jordan’s Desires

bad. He really was a fine-looking human. “Basically, you won’t be
driving this car anywhere until you bring it into the shop for me to
fix.”

A veil of suspicion fell over Bailey’s handsome face. Jordan knew

what the man was thinking and it pissed him off. His good humor was
instantly snatched away by his mate’s wariness. He didn’t need to
sabotage a damn thing in order to have more time with the firefighter.
He wasn’t an underhanded man.

He let the hood drop with a resounding thud as he began to walk

to his truck. “Or not,” he said. He wasn’t going to stand there and
convince the human that he had nothing to do with his car not
starting. Jordan was willing to help Bailey heal his broken heart, but
he wasn’t about to be accused of being shady.

His life had nearly been destroyed by such accusations and Jordan

wasn’t willing to travel down that fucked-up road again. He had come
to Brac Village to start over.

End of story.
Bailey climbed out of his car and closed the door, his expression

guarded. “Would you mind giving me a ride home?”

Keeping his appearance deceptively inscrutable, Jordan headed

toward the driver’s side of his truck. “Hop in.”

From the corner of his eye, Jordan watched Bailey grab some

things from his car before walking over to Jordan’s truck. Hunger,
need, protectiveness, and anger over what his mate had been through
vied inside of him as Bailey buckled himself in. Those emotions
twisted inside of him as he started the truck.

“Thanks.” Bailey shook his head. “I don’t understand why it went

out on me.”

Jordan pulled away from Bear’s cabin. “Cars need constant

maintenance.”

“I guess.” Bailey turned, looking out the window. Jordan could

practically feel the man pushing him away. His mate turned back to
face him. “I forgot to give you directions.”

Lynn Hagen

Jordan listened to Bailey tell him how to get to his mate’s home,

remaining silent. He had tried to converse with his mate twice and
twice he had been shut down completely. Jordan wasn’t going to be
shut down a third time. Bailey could initiate things this time. That
didn’t mean Jordan didn’t want to be around his mate—far from the
truth. But he wasn’t a glutton for punishment.

Bailey just had no idea. Jordan wasn’t a chatty person. Trying to

pull a conversation from his mate had been going above and beyond
for him. Most kids in school got into trouble for talking too much.
Jordan’s parents had to listen to the teachers complain about his
muted participation.

It wasn’t that he was shy. Jordan just believed in action instead of

words. He had gotten straight A’s in school. He didn’t see what the
big fuss was. His dad had told him that as long as he kept up his
grades, he wasn’t too worried about Jordan’s preference for silence.

The remainder of the ride was quiet. Bailey kept his head turned,

staring out the window as Jordan drove. He knew he couldn’t be his
usual quiet self if he was going to win Bailey over. The man was held
up inside of himself, perfectly content in keeping the world at bay—
or at least other men.

“Do you like breakfast?”
Bailey glanced at him, his brows pulled down. “Yeah,” he

answered cautiously.

“I was going to head to the diner in the morning. Want to join

me?”

Bailey’s sage-green eyes roamed over Jordan’s face for a long

second. “That probably wouldn’t be a good idea.”

Jordan was clueless on how to get his mate to spend just a small

amount of time with him. It was like trying to pull teeth from a lion
with a toothpick. “You don’t believe in making new friends?”

“Are we friends, Jordan?”
“I would like to think so.”
“Even after I acted like an ass last night?”

Jordan’s Desires

At least the guy admitted he had acted pissy. “Water under the

bridge.” Jordan could feel the tension coming from his mate. Bailey
was afraid to open up. “We can try again.”

His mate didn’t say anything as Jordan finally pulled into Bailey’s

driveway. The human opened the door and Jordan thought the guy
was going to shoot him down again. But before he closed the door,
Bailey turned toward him. “Thanks for the ride,” he hesitated.
“Breakfast would be nice.”

Jordan inwardly breathed out a sigh of relief. It was just breakfast,

but he at least had his foot in the door now. “Pick you up at seven?”

Bailey nodded before closing the door and heading toward his

house. Jordan watched his mate’s ass as Bailey climbed the steps.
And what a nice ass it was. Jordan smiled to himself as he thought
about having Bailey naked, writhing beneath him as he fucked the
man until Bailey was shouting his name.

He pulled from the driveway before Bailey caught him ogling his

backside. Just as he pulled onto the road, Jordan spotted something
moving in his mate’s backyard. It could have been Bailey, but Jordan
didn’t think—his stomach dropped when he saw the glow of red.

Vampire!
Jordan shoved the truck into park and jumped out, racing toward

the creature. What in the hell was a vampire doing in Bailey’s
backyard? He knew rogues wandered these parts. Running across an
occasion rogue wasn’t a surprise. Jordan was just frustrated that the
damn thing was wandering around Bailey’s backyard.

He came up short when he rounded the house, his eyes scanning

the darkened area. Now that he was closer, Jordan could scent the
vampire. He just didn’t know where the thing had gone.

Moving closer to the back door, Jordan kept his senses wide open.

His panther yowled softly, menacingly at the thought of Bailey being
in any sort of danger. Jordan slowly turned his head, his eyes taking in
every aspect of his mate’s backyard.

Lynn Hagen

A twig snapped behind him. Jordan spun around just as the

vampire attacked. He was knocked onto his back, but Jordan used the
momentum, kicking the vampire clear of him. Rolling to his feet,
Jordan slammed his body into the vampire’s, narrowly avoiding his
sharp fangs as the creature tried to take a bite out of him.

He cursed when his foot got caught in a divot of grass, sending

him onto his ass. Jordan threw his arms up, staving off the vampire as
he kicked out. They rolled, Jordan landing on top. He going to teach
the creature about wandering around these parts so close to Bailey’s
home.

His claws elongated and Jordan dug them into the vampire’s

throat, ripping blood and tissue from bone. The creature gurgled and
then fell silent. Jordan pushed to his feet, exhausted. The vampire
hadn’t gone down easy.

His head snapped around when he heard a quick inhale of breath.

Bailey was standing in the doorway, his face ashen. When Jordan
locked eyes with him, Bailey slammed the door shut. He had seen the
horror and panic in his mate’s sage-green eyes.

Shit. Bailey was probably in there right now calling the cops.

Jordan needed to get a hold of the alpha before this got out of control.
He wiped the blood from his hand onto his jeans before grabbing his
cell phone.

He knew he had just fucked himself as far as Bailey was

concerned. His job of getting close to the guy had just gotten that
much harder.

“Maverick.”
“This is Jordan Sommers, Mark’s new mechanic. I just killed a

vampire in my mate’s backyard. I think he’s inside calling the cops
right now.” He quickly gave the alpha Bailey’s address.

“Rogue?”
Jordan wiped the back of his hand across his forehead as he gazed

down at the dead vampire. “I’m pretty sure. I dropped Bailey off and

Jordan’s Desires

was getting ready to leave when I saw the vampire in the backyard.
He attacked me from behind.”

“I’ll intercept the phone call to the cops. One of my sentries will

be there shortly to get rid of the body.” Maverick cleared his throat.
“There’s nothing I can do about what Bailey saw. You’ll have to work
that out with your mate.”

Jordan had heard how hyperaware the alpha was when it came to

his town and what happened in it. He shouldn’t have been surprised
that Maverick knew about him and Bailey. “Easier said than done.”

“Always is,” Maverick said before he hung up.
Taking a seat on the back step, Jordan wondered how he was

going to explain this to Bailey. His mate had just seen Jordan kill a
man, unaware that it was a vampire. Talk about having his work cut
out for him.

Jordan stilled when he felt something hard pressed into the back

of his head. “Don’t move. I already called the cops and they should be
here any moment.”

This was not happening. Did his mate really have a gun at

Jordan’s head? He didn’t know Bailey well enough to know if the
man would pull the trigger or not. Jordan had been in some truly
messed up situations in his life, but this had to be the worst, hands
down.

“You don’t know what you’re doing,” Jordan said. “You have no

idea what is going on here.”

“I have eyes,” Bailey answered. “It doesn’t take a genius to see

what you did.”

“He was in your backyard, ready to kill you if I hadn’t interfered.”
“You don’t know that for sure,” Bailey said. “Even if he was here

to break into my house, you could have just called the cops instead of
killing the man.” Bailey swallowed audibly. “What kind of monster
rips someone’s throat out?”

Lynn Hagen

Jordan moved at lightning speed, disarming Bailey. His mate’s

eyes grew wide as Jordan grabbed Bailey by his shirt front. “The kind
I just killed. If I hadn’t stopped him, you would be dead right now.”

Jordan smelled timber wolf before the shifter appeared from the

side of the house. They gave each other a subtle nod. The shifter
grabbed the vampire from the ground, tossed the dead creature over
his shoulder, and walked away without saying a word.

Bailey pushed at Jordan, the palms of his hands slamming into

Jordan’s chest. “Who the hell are you?”

Jordan’s upper lip curled. “Just your friendly neighborhood

mechanic.” He shouldn’t be pissed that Bailey was terrified of him.
His mate was human and from his reaction, knew nothing about the
paranormal world. It was a typical reaction, but Jordan did not
appreciate being viewed as a monster.

“What are you, some sort of mob or biker member?”
Jordan wanted to laugh at the ridiculousness of his mate’s

question. “I told you already. I’m just a mechanic.”

“Get away from me,” Bailey said as he began to back away. “I

don’t know what you are into, but leave me out of it.”

Jordan knew that there was nothing he could say to convince his

mate otherwise. He could tell him the truth, but Bailey was already
fracturing. Jordan didn’t want his mate to have a complete meltdown.

He would give the human time to absorb what he had seen before

Jordan approached him with the truth. He just hoped like hell that
Bailey didn’t run from him. Jordan was not giving up his mate.

Against his better judgment, Jordan handed the gun back to

Bailey. “I’ll see you around, Bailey.” He walked down the two steps
and headed toward the side of the house.

“Don’t come near me again,” Bailey called out loudly as Jordan

walked to his truck. He briefly closed his eyes, those words searing
his heart. It was going to take a miracle to fix this. Bailey already had
a steel wall erected around him. Killing a vampire in front of his mate
was only going to make Bailey build that wall even higher.

Jordan’s Desires

Jordan drove home, showered, and then sat at the kitchen table

with a cup of coffee. He had moved to Brac Village to start over,
never suspecting that he would find his mate. How much more
complicated could his complicated life get?

He could almost breathe in Bailey’s pain whenever he was near

the man. It infuriated him because Jordan knew he could give the
human so much better. From the moment he had laid eyes on Bailey,
he’d known there was going to be struggling ahead. Bailey had that
pained look that all men carried when their hearts had been ripped
out.

Jordan just wished that Bailey would give him half a chance. But

hell, after tonight, he was pretty damn sure that Bailey was going to
run from him every time he saw Jordan.

Letting out a disgusted sigh, Jordan set his cup in the sink, ready

to go to bed when his phone rang. He wasn’t sure who would be
calling him this late. Maybe it was the alpha wanting some more
details.

Scooping his phone off the table, Jordan checked the caller ID but

didn’t recognize the number. He had gotten a new phone number
since coming to this town so it wasn’t anybody from his past.

He pressed the phone to his ear after the fifth ring. “Hello?”
“You need to get over to your mate’s house,” Maverick said. “It

seems that rogue wasn’t alone. I instructed Ludo to stick around after
he picked the first body up. A precautionary measure. Bailey saw
Ludo shift when he attacked the second vampire.”

Jordan was heading out of the door before Maverick finished

talking. Why hadn’t he stuck around? It was foolish of him to leave,
even though Bailey was shouting at him to go. It was a stupid mistake
that almost cost his mate’s life.

Now Jordan had to go over there and not only try to calm Bailey

down, but explain to him about the paranormal world. This was not
how he wanted to handle things.

Lynn Hagen

He drove quickly over to Bailey’s house, parking in the driveway.

He didn’t bother to knock on the front door because Jordan had a
feeling Bailey wouldn’t answer. The guy was probably freaking out
right now.

Opening the door cautiously—because Jordan knew that Bailey

owned a gun—he glanced inside. Jordan quickly moved back outside,
pressing his back into the house when a bullet came too damn close to
his head.

“It’s Jordan.” He waited, but Bailey didn’t reply. Jordan’s eyes

flickered over to the side of the house and saw a wolf padding away.
Ludo must’ve stuck around until Jordan arrived. Even in wolf form,
Jordan could see the sympathetic look in Ludo’s eyes.

“I’m coming in, Bailey. Don’t shoot me.” Jordan sent up a prayer

before easing around the doorframe. His eyes scanned the living room
but he didn’t see Bailey anywhere. “I’m unarmed,” he said into the
empty room. He kept his hands at his sides so his mate could see that
he was indeed weaponless.

“How do I know you’re not one of those?”
Jordan didn’t want to lie to Bailey. He knew his mate was talking

about shifters. “You don’t.”

“He was—” Bailey moved from around the doorframe, the gun

aimed high. “I don’t know.”

“Scary?” Jordan lifted his hands so Bailey could see them.

“Downright frightening?”

Bailey quickly nodded, his hands gripping the gun tighter. Jordan

could see a sheen of sweat on his mate’s face. Bailey was so high
strung right now that one false move and Jordan was going to be shot.
“Lower the gun, Bailey.”

Bailey’s sage-green eyes were wildly looking around. “What if

that thing comes back?”

“He’s not coming back.”
“How do you know?”

Lynn Hagen

Chapter Three

Bailey dropped the gun and then covered his mouth with his hand

as stark terror gripped him like a tight fist. He was shaking so badly
that he felt like he was going to be sick. What the hell had he done?
Please don’t let me have killed him. Moving quickly toward Jordan,
Bailey dropped to his knees.

“You fucking shot me,” Jordan groaned.
“I thought you were one of them,” Bailey said as his hand hovered

close to Jordan’s shoulder where the blood was spanning out.

“Goddamn it, Bailey. I told you I was unarmed,” Jordan said

angrily.

“We need to get you to a hospital.” When Bailey stood, Jordan

grabbed him and pulled him back down to the floor. He couldn’t
understand why Jordan was preventing him from calling an
ambulance. The blood continued to spread across the guy’s shoulder
and Bailey feared he would bleed out before help arrived.

“No need.”
“But you’re shot!”
Jordan grunted as he tried to sit up. Bailey reached out and

carefully helped the guy. Too much was happening in one night. He
wasn’t even sure why he was so concerned with Jordan’s injuries.
Hadn’t he watched the man kill someone in his backyard not even an
hour ago?

Things were just too bizarre around here tonight. Still, Bailey

couldn’t let the guy bleed to death. “I need to call an ambulance.”

“I’ll heal.”

Jordan’s Desires

He paused. Realization dawned on him and Bailey fell over

himself trying to scoot away. “You’re one of them!”

“Calm down, Bailey.” Jordan hissed as he tried to push to his feet.

His right arm was dangling at his side, the shirt growing more and
more crimson in color by the minute. “I would never hurt you…even
if you just shot me.”

Bailey didn’t know what to believe. He had seen—no, he either

had to be stressed out and imagining things or he had hit his head and
was imagining things. Either way, he knew for damn sure that he did
not see a man change into a wolf.

It wasn’t physically possible. Oh god, he was going to pass out.

He was hyperventilating as he moved as far away as he could from
Jordan. The teeth. The fur. The claws. Bailey swallowed at the
memory, a metallic taste forming in his mouth. As badly as he wanted
to believe that he had hallucinated everything, Bailey knew he hadn’t.

He damn near crawled up the wall when Jordan slumped over and

then…and then…he changed into a black panther. Oh fuck!

This is not happening.
This is not happening.
He pulled his legs up to his chest, waiting for the large cat to wake

up and attack, but it just lay there, breathing heavily. Bailey wasn’t
sure if he should call the cops or animal control. He’d never dealt
with anything like this before. There sure as hell wasn’t a support
group in existence that would be able to help him out.

Bailey wanted to call Travis, but he wasn’t sure if that would

make the situation any worse than it already was. He knew he
couldn’t just sit here. He had shot a man…who turned into a cat.

Resting his head in his hands, Bailey tried his best to control his

breathing. God, why couldn’t he stop shaking? Maybe because
Jordan is lying there in the form of a panther.

Okay, he needed to pull himself together. There had to be a

rational explanation for all of this. Taylor Tate would probably have

Lynn Hagen

Bailey locked up if he told the counselor he saw a man change into a
wolf and another into a cat.

Loony bin here I come.
He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Bailey knew he

should call the cops. It was the right thing to do. So why was he just
sitting here staring at Jordan? No, he had to get this taken care of.
Bailey was not insane.

Finding the backbone to push to his feet, Bailey crept along the

wall until he was in his kitchen. He quickly grabbed his phone and
dialed.

“Nine-one-one, what is your emergency?”
Bailey opened his mouth and then closed it. What was he going to

say? He couldn’t very well tell anyone that a black panther was
passed out on his living room floor. He sure as hell wasn’t telling
anyone he shot a man who changed into an animal.

“Please state your emergency.”
“I’m sorry, I thought someone was breaking in but my cat just

came into the house. I’m sorry to bother you.” Bailey hung up. He
hugged the phone close, wondering what he was going to do.

Bailey damn near jumped out of his skin when a loud knock

sounded on the back door. Who in the hell would be coming by this
late at night? Had someone heard the gunshot? Was it the cops?

Setting the phone on the table, Bailey hurried toward the back

door. If it was the cops, he needed to get rid of them. There was no
way he was going to become a media focal point because he had a
guy who could shift into an animal in his house. He peeked out of the
curtain and wasn’t sure if he was relieved when he saw Travis
standing on the back steps.

“Open up, Bailey. I see you peeking out.”
He quickly unbolted the door and yanked Travis inside, slamming

the door closed and locking it.

“Glad to see you, too.” Travis eyed him strangely. “Are you

feeling all right?”

Jordan’s Desires

Bailey was sweating, shaking, and felt a little green around the

gills. He wasn’t even sure where to begin. Instead of trying to explain
things to Travis, he lifted a trembling hand and pointed toward the
living room.

Travis stared at him questioningly before turning and heading into

the other room. Bailey grabbed the back of the kitchen chair, taking in
deep breaths.

“Dude, why do you have a panther sleeping on your floor?”

Travis called out. The guy didn’t sound freaked. His tone was light,
inquisitive, as if he’d seen things like this all the time. Bailey’s legs
were wobbly as he walked into the living room. Travis was squatting
right next to the cat, his head cocked to the side.

“I shot him,” Bailey confessed, feeling relieved that he finally told

someone.

Travis’s eyebrows shot up high on his forehead. “You shot your

mate?” he asked in a voice that sounded shocked. “Why in the hell
would you do that?”

Bailey cracked. “He killed a man in my backyard. And then

someone just came and took the body away. Jordan left. Another man
came and tried to break into my house. Then another man came and
killed the burglar. He changed into a wolf. Jordan showed up and I
shot him, and then he changed into a cat.”

“Whoa,” Travis said as he stood and moved toward Bailey. “Slow

down before you pass out.”

“Why are you being so damn calm!” Bailey shouted as he swiped

his hands over his hair. “Did you hear what I just said to you?”

“I think the next county heard you.”
“What am I going to do?” Bailey asked desperately. “I. Shot. A.

Man.”

“No. Shit,” Travis replied sarcastically. “I can see that. I still can’t

believe you shot Jordan.” The man shook his head. “He is going to be
pissed when he wakes up.”

Lynn Hagen

“What about the guy Jordan killed?” Bailey asked a he threw his

hands out in front of him. “Are we just going to pretend he didn’t rip
someone’s throat out with his bare hands?” God, the images just kept
playing over and over in his mind.

“He really did that?” Travis asked. “I’m impressed.”
“What!” The guy was making absolutely no sense. Why would

he— “Oh hell, please don’t tell me you are one of them.” Bailey
glanced to the floor where he had dropped his gun, wondering if he
could get to it in time. He had known Travis for a few years.
Wouldn’t he know if the man could change into an animal?

“Don’t even think about shooting me,” Travis warned as he took a

step closer to Bailey. “Jordan won’t kick your ass, but I will.”

“I just don’t get what is going on here,” he said as he lifted a

shaky hand to his mouth. “Nothing makes any sense.”

Bailey watched as Travis retrieved the gun, shoving it in the

waistband of his pants before going over to Jordan, kneeling in front
of the black cat. “He’s healing right now. You better be damn glad
you didn’t kill him.”

“Are you—” Bailey expelled a heavy breath, telling himself to

calm down and listen to his friend. “Are you one of them?”

“I’m a grey wolf.” Travis’s answer was clipped. “If you can’t

accept what’s going on, you need to tell me now, before Jordan wakes
up.”

Bailey studied the black cat. It was a very strange feeling knowing

that Jordan was inside the animal somewhere. Jordan was the animal.
Now his friend was telling Bailey that he could change into a wolf?

Bailey took a seat on the couch, rubbing his temples as he studied

the floor. “You’re asking me if I accept this, but you haven’t even told
me what this is. I am totally lost here.”

Travis turned and sat on the floor next to Jordan. “You live in a

town full of nonhumans.”

“And?” There better be more to it than this. Bailey had surmised

that much already. He needed Travis to fill in the rest of the blanks.

Jordan’s Desires

His friend watched him intently for a long moment before he

finally spoke. “Mayor Maverick Brac is the alpha who runs this town.
We all had to ask for permission before moving here—even me.
There are many different mixtures of breeds that make up the shifter
population.”

Bailey tried his best to absorb what Travis was telling him without

freaking out. He had seen two people shift—one into a wolf and one
into a cat. The initial shock was starting to wear off, allowing Bailey
to look at the situation from every angle. “You said something about
Jordan being my mate. What does that mean?”

Travis gave him a rueful smile. “I know you have gone through

hell dealing with Harley and what he’d done to you. You told me you
weren’t ready to date again.”

Bailey didn’t like where this was going.
“Jordan is your mate, partner for life, husband. However you want

to look at it, but he knew he moment he laid eyes on you what you
were to him.”

Jumping to his feet, Bailey quickly walked into the kitchen. He

was once again hyperventilating, unable to suck in enough air into his
lungs. He didn’t think there was enough air in the world to help him
right now. Mate? Partner for life? Husband?

Bailey placed his arms on the counter and then rested his head on

his arms. He rocked back and forth slowly as his mind tried to take
everything in and make sense of it. Why the hell was this happening
to him? He didn’t want a husband. Hadn’t Harley proved to him that a
man could place the world at his feet and then rip everything away?

He couldn’t do this.
“It’s a lot to take in,” Travis said he leaned his shoulder into the

door frame, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Get out,” Bailey said bitterly. All he could think about was how

Harley had said all the right things, done all the right things, and the
entire time he had been playing Bailey for a fool. He couldn’t go

Lynn Hagen

through that again. He wasn’t sure how things played out in the
nonhuman world, but in his world a broken heart was a broken heart.

Travis straightened, giving Bailey a firm nod. “Am I taking

Jordan with me?”

Bailey wanted to shout yes. He wanted to tell Travis to take

Jordan and get the fuck out. So why did the guilt begin to eat away at
him? Bailey wanted Jordan gone and he didn’t want him to leave. He
was so damn confused right now that he was getting a migraine.
“Yes.”

Travis didn’t say another word as he turned and walked into the

living room. Bailey took a seat at the kitchen table, wrapping his arms
around his stomach as the old, familiar pain of having his heart ripped
out began to resurface once again.

Why couldn’t anyone understand that he was scared to love

again? He was bone-deep terrified of trusting someone else with his
heart. He laid his forehead on the table and sighed deeply, wondering
if he was doing the right thing.

It didn’t matter because Bailey was through being another man’s

sucker.

* * * *

Standing in the kitchen of the fire station, Bailey watched as

Travis sat in one of the lounging chairs, scarfing down a plate of pasta
and watching TV. He looked so damn normal. If Bailey hadn’t known
that Travis could change into a wolf, he never would have guessed it.

“In my office,” the chief said as he stood in the hallway by the

kitchen. As Bailey followed behind Bear, he wondered why the chief
was in such a pissy mood. He wracked his brain but couldn’t think of
anything he had done wrong.

As soon as he cleared the doorway, Bear pointed to the chair in

front of his desk. Bailey immediately sat down.

Jordan’s Desires

Bear leaned against his desk, crossing his large arms over his

chest. “I’m told that you know about shifters.”

Bailey’s heart immediately began to pound in his chest. The only

way the chief would know was if he was a shifter himself. That
knowledge made Bailey feel as if he didn’t know his friends at all. He
nodded as he tried to bring his racing heart under control.

“I’m also told that Jordan is your mate.”
“I don’t want a husband,” Bailey thoughtlessly snapped at Bear. It

mattered that the guy was his chief, and normally Bailey respected his
superiors. But if Bear was taking this to a personal level, then Bailey
felt as if he could speak his mind—attitude and all.

“Let me guess,” Bear’s tone was cutting. “Because of Harley,

you’ve sworn off all men.”

“Pretty much,” Bailey said in a flippant tone. “I don’t expect you

to understand.”

Bear stood to his full height, glowering down at Bailey. “Oh, I

understand. I know what it’s like to have my heart ripped out. Spencer
isn’t my first love.”

Bailey stood and moved a few steps away, needing the room.

“Then you should know what I’m going through. Are you here to
speak up for Jordan? Did he put you up to this?”

“Hardly. But I know you can’t shut yourself off. Harley was an

idiot, and he was human. Things work differently in the shifter world.
A mate means something totally different than what you had with that
asshole.”

Bailey didn’t want to hear it. He didn’t care how different things

were. “Can you guarantee that I won’t be hurt again?” he asked,
knowing Bear couldn’t.

“I can guarantee that Jordan would rather cut off his own arm than

hurt you.”

Bailey snorted. “You don’t even know him. How can you make

that claim?”

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“He’s a shifter. That’s all I need to know.” Bear took a step closer.

“If you refuse him, you’ll be throwing away the best thing to ever
happen to you.”

Angry beyond belief, Bailey stormed from Bear’s office,

slamming the door behind him as he walked outside. How could Bear
know this? Jordan may be able to shift into a black panther, but he
was still a guy who had the capability to destroy Bailey.

What was worse was the fact that Bailey couldn’t stop thinking

about the guy. He had spent the better part of last night tossing and
turning, images of Jordan’s handsome face haunting him while
awake, and following him into his dreams.

“Just give him a chance,” Bear said as he stepped outside. “I’m

not saying you have to give him your heart, but at least get to know
him.”

“Fine,” Bailey grumbled. He knew he was agreeing because some

part of him was anxious to see Jordan again. He couldn’t explain it
and he didn’t know why, but it was a hard fact. Everything about
Jordan’s physical appearance appealed to him. Bailey had never seen
anyone with amber eyes and they simply fascinated him. He just
hoped the guy’s personality matched.

“You can have the rest of the afternoon off. Go by the garage and

see him.”

Bailey threw his hands up, disgusted with everything. Fuck it. He

was going over to the garage to see Jordan. Bear might be able to talk
him into doing this, but he couldn’t make Bailey like the mechanic.

Besides, his car was at Mark’s Garage getting looked at. Bailey

could use that as an excuse to come by. He didn’t want to seem
desperate. But he wasn’t going to apologize to Jordan for shooting the
man. Not until he found out why Jordan killed a guy in his backyard.

He walked to Mark’s Garage and then hesitated outside. Bailey’s

nerves were beginning to wind tight. He could hear pneumatic tools
and smell the oil as soon as he stepped into the bay. He spotted

Jordan’s Desires

someone looking under the hood of a car and wondered—yep, it was
Jordan. He stood up straight, wiping his hands on a shop rag.

Bailey cleared his throat.
Jordan glanced his way, but didn’t say anything. He stuffed the

rag into his back pocket and went back to work. Bailey had the
distinct impression the man was pissed at him. Was it for shooting
him or making Travis take him away? Both?

He was about to turn around and leave until Mark walked out of

his office, smiling at Bailey. “Come to check on your car?”

Bailey latched onto that excuse. “Yeah, have you fixed it?”
Mark gave him a knowing grin. Bailey glanced over to where

Jordan was working, but the man was acting as if Bailey wasn’t even
there. “Jordan was on it as soon as your car hit bay two. It’s ready, I
just haven’t had a chance to call you yet.”

Bailey was stunned. He had treated Jordan like shit and the guy

still made sure his car was taken care of. Letting out a deep sigh,
Bailey knew the least he could do was take Bear’s advice and give the
guy a chance. If nothing else, they could become friends.

“Is it okay if I go over there and talk to him for a minute?”
Mark nodded. “It’s more than okay.” He said it like he knew that

Jordan was supposed to be his mate. Bailey was beginning to wonder
if he was the only one in town who hadn’t known that shifters existed.
It seemed everyone he talked to knew about the nonhumans.

He approached Jordan, watching him work for a very long

moment. Neither said anything and he was just about to give up hope
when Jordan moved around him to get a tool, touching the small of
Bailey’s back. If the black panther hated Bailey, he wouldn’t be
touching him.

“I’m sorry about last night,” he began.
Jordan didn’t say a word. The guy sank back under the hood,

leaving Bailey standing there feeling as if he should just get lost.
Jordan had every right to be mad about Bailey for shooting him. He
still wanted an explanation about the guy killing a man in his

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backyard, but he was starting to see that more was going on in Brac
Village than met the eye.

“Thanks for fixing my car.”
Jordan glanced over his shoulder and gave Bailey a curt nod.

Okay, he was willing to give this a try, but there was no way he could
carry on a one-sided conversation. Bailey didn’t care how hot Jordan
looked with the bandana wrapped around his raven hair, or how good
he smelled even though he was covered in grease.

He pivoted and began to walk away.
“You missed breakfast.”
Bailey stopped walking and turned, gazing at the muscular man.

“I thought—”

“You agreed to meet me.”
The guy hadn’t said anything about Bailey putting a bullet in him,

but he was angry that Bailey missed their breakfast date? “Uh, sorry
about that.”

“Don’t ever stand me up again,” he said as he dipped back down

under the hood. “I’ll see you over there for dinner.”

Bailey walked back over to Mark who was standing there with a

clipboard in his hand. “Damn, that’s the most I’ve heard him talk
since he started working here,” Mark said as he gave Bailey the
paperwork to sign.

Grabbing his keys from Mark, Bailey strode out of the garage,

heading over to the diner to wait for Jordan.

Jordan’s Desires

Chapter Four

Maverick sat at his desk looking over business proposals. Skyler

was sitting on the black couch, playing with her dolls. The two had a
dinner date at the diner. Murdock had just dropped her off and
Maverick was ready to head out when his cell phone rang.

“This better be important. I have a very pretty lady waiting on

me.”

“Ah, another dinner date with Skyler?” Christian asked.
Maverick relaxed in his chair. “You know, I’m good looking

enough to attract the ladies.”

“Yes, but you would have no interest in the ladies once you

caught them. Besides, I wouldn’t say that too loud when your mate is
working down the hall from you.”

Maverick glanced at the door, hating that Christian was right. “He

doesn’t have me on a yoke.” He couldn’t let the vampire know that he
really didn’t want Cecil to hear him.

The bastard laughed, unfortunately knowing Maverick a little too

well when it came to his mate. That only aggravated him. Christian
was the same way with Yasuko and Minsheng. The man had no room
to talk. “Did you call to harass me or was there something you
actually needed to talk to me about?”

“One of my coven members captured a Vampire Hunter. He had

some very interesting things to say by the time Christo was finished
interrogating him.”

This got his attention. “Shi—shoot.” He glanced at Skyler, giving

her a wide smile. She slipped from the couch and walked over,
handing Maverick one of her dolls.

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“I’m hungry.”
“We are about to head out, princess.” Thankful that no one could

see him, Maverick played dress up dolls with Skyler while he talked
to the prince. He still sucked at doing the dolls’ hair, but he was
getting better at it.

“It seems Kenyon is rallying his men to come and investigate Brac

Village. My second-in-command caught the Vampire Hunter in my
club, snooping around.”

Maverick snarled into the phone. “Let him come. I’ll”—he

glanced down at Sklyer—“put them in time-out.”

Christian burst out laughing on the other end. “It is amazing the

way we speak when our children are around. But yes, we will kill
them all if they mess with our families or the people we protect.”

“Dang right.” Maverick was five seconds away from sending

Sklyer to Cecil so he could talk freely when his mate walked in.
Maverick immediately set the doll down, but not before Cecil busted
him. His mate grinned from ear to ear. He ignored Cecil as he pointed
to Sklyer and then the door.

Cecil understood. “Come on, little lady. You can play dolls with

Uncle Maverick later.”

Making sure Skyler’s back was turned, Maverick flipped the man

off. Cecil wiggled a doll at Maverick, teasing him before he shut the
door behind him.

“Did the Hunter say when this intrusion was supposed to

happen?” Maverick asked.

“It’s already begun.”

* * * *

Jordan had just cleaned up and was ready to head to the diner

when someone pulled a car close to one of the open bays. He groaned.
He knew he should have closed that bay door. There was nothing
worse than last minute requests.

Jordan’s Desires

“Can I help you?”
The stranger closed his car door and walked over to Jordan. “Do

you have any windshield washer fluid?”

“They sell it at the gas station,” Jordan replied. He had finished

for the day and was ready to get over to the diner where Bailey was
waiting on him. He knew they had a lot to talk about and Jordan
wanted to set a few things straight.

“I’ll have to remember that,” the stranger said. “But I’m already

here.”

Jordan really wanted to tell the guy to go to the gas station, but

decided to save himself an argument. He would get out of here a lot
quicker if he just grabbed a gallon of washer fluid and took care of the
guy.

Walking back inside, Jordan snagged the plastic container

containing the blue liquid. He turned, ready to hand it to the stranger
when he saw that the human had followed him inside, holding a gun
in front of him.

What was with humans holding guns at him lately?
“I have a file on you, Jordan Sommers. It says that you are a black

panther.”

Jordan burst out laughing. “Do you know how stupid that

sounds?” Who in the hell was this guy and how did he know about
Jordan’s cat? There was no doubt in Jordan’s mind that the stranger
was human.

His heart began to beat a little faster when the stranger smiled

maliciously at him. “I don’t think it sounds stupid at all. Not when I
witnessed you killing a vampire last night. No human could have
done that. And then you came back later and shifted into a black
panther.” Jordan watched as the guy reached into his back pocket and
pulled out some pictures. He tossed them at Jordan. “There’s your
proof.”

Jordan glanced down at the floor where the pictures had fallen to

see exactly what the stranger had said. He was standing in Bailey’s

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backyard fighting the vampire. He saw another picture and it looked
like the photographer had been peering through the window, Jordan
shifting into his cat.

He left the pictures on the floor as he gazed at the stranger. Jordan

could no longer deny the man’s accusations. He had the proof in
colorful photos. His body coiled when the stranger lifted the gun a
little higher.

“What are you after?” Jordan asked, never taking his eyes off the

weapon.

“What I want is very simple,” the stranger sneered. “For humans

to be the only species once more.”

Jordan shoved his arm out, the heel of his palm slamming into the

stranger’s nose, driving the bone up into the guy’s skull. The stranger
dropped to the shop floor, dead. That was two people he had killed
within a twenty-four hour period. He was beginning to wonder what
the hell was going on in Brac Village.

Mark came out of his office and came up short when his eyes

landed on the dead body. “Care to tell me why you killed him?”

Jordan squatted and gathered the pictures, handing them to Mark.
“Was he trying to blackmail you?”
Jordan shook his head. “Wanted me dead.”
“Did you know him?”
Again, Jordan just shook his head. He had never met the man

before in his life. He himself couldn’t understand why the guy had
wanted to kill him. The human said that he wanted nonhumans gone
from the face of the earth. Was he a single nut job or was he a part of
a group?

“Lock the place up,” Mark said in a grave tone, heading back

toward his office. “I need to make a phone call.”

Jordan did one better than that. He pulled the stranger’s car into

the bay before closing it. The less people who knew the guy was here,
the better. Now all he had to do was figure out how to dispose of the

Jordan’s Desires

body. He honestly hadn’t meant to kill the man, but Jordan had seen
in the stranger’s eyes that the guy meant to kill him.

It had all boiled down to who could kill the other one first. Since

Jordan treasured his life and had done nothing wrong to the stranger,
he had no qualms about preserving his own life. When Mark walked
out of his office a few minutes later, Jordan did not like the pinched
look on his boss’s face.

“It seems the guy you killed was a part of some group that hunts

vampires.”

“He was hunting more than vampires,” Jordan replied.
Mark handed the pictures back to Jordan. “Destroy those. Some

human name Kenyon is out to extinguish the paranormal world. He
just recently found out about shifters.”

Jordan was stunned at the news. “How much does he know?”
“Enough to sink us if he wanted to.”
Jordan knew that Mark was human, but he had a shifter mate. This

affected him just as much. What he couldn’t understand was why they
had come after him. Jordan was just a mechanic, no one special or
high up in rank. He knelt and dug the guy’s wallet out. The stranger
had said he had a file on Jordan.

He needed to destroy that file.
After retrieving his wallet and looking inside, Jordan felt his

hands shake. “He’s a lawyer.” It wasn’t going to be so easy to hide his
death. Jordan handed the business card to Mark.

“Ah, man,” Mark said as he ran a hand over the back of his neck,

his expression a mask of stone. “This is really bad.”

“We’re going to have to set this up to look like an accident.”

Taking a deep, unsteady breath, he stood. Jordan was not a criminal
and this didn’t set well with him, but his hands were tied. The deed
was done and now he had to clean up the mess.

“Car accident?” Mark asked as he handed the wallet back. “We

could make it look convincing.”

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They both jumped when someone knocked on the door. Jordan

and Mark looked at one another and then down at the body.

“I’ll get rid of whoever it is,” Mark said as he hurried to answer

the door. Jordan shoved the wallet back into the lawyer’s pants.

“Hey, Jordan.”
Jordan glanced up to see Bailey standing next to Mark. His mate’s

eyes were gazing at the body on the floor. Great. This was all he
needed. Bailey already looked at him like he was some kind of
murdering maniac. Seeing Jordan kneeling over a dead body was not
going to help his case.

“Did I come at a bad time?” Bailey asked.
“He tried to kill Jordan,” Mark explained to Jordan’s mate. “He’s

a spy sent here to find out if Brac Village truly has nonhumans.”

Jordan appreciated his boss trying to explain things to Bailey, but

he knew he was the one who had to fix this. “That was a vampire I
killed last night. He was coming to drain you.”

Bailey slowly blinked at Jordan, his face slack. “I’m sorry, I

thought I heard you say vampire.”

“He did,” Mark interjected. “The one last night was what we refer

to as rogue.”

“And him?” Bailey pointed to the man on the ground.
“Human,” Jordan answered. “A fucking lawyer.”
“Okay, another sort of vampire,” Bailey said as he let out a slow

breath, pushing his hands in front of him. “I’m not going to freak
out.”

“Good, because I don’t have time to get shot today,” Jordan

grumbled. “Help me get the body into the car.”

“Oh hell no,” Bailey said as he took a step back. “I am not

touching a dead body.”

“He can’t hurt you,” Jordan said as he opened the door of the car.

“It’s not like he’s going to jump up and attack you.”

“It still gross,” Bailey replied. “He’s dead.”

Jordan’s Desires

“I’ll take care of it.” Mark walked toward the car and opened the

driver’s door. “You need to go find that file.”

Bailey’s brows slanted into a frown. “What file?”
After closing the back door of the car, Jordan turned and faced

Bailey. “It seems the Vampire Hunters are well organized. This
guy”—Jordan chucked a thumb at the back of the car—“said he had a
file on me. If that’s true, I need to destroy it before it falls into the
wrong hands.”

“As long as I don’t have to touch any dead bodies, I’ll help.”
Jordan was stunned that Bailey would offer after his mate had

tossed him out last night. Travis had told him what had transpired
after Jordan shifted to heal. He had been crushed and angry at what
Bailey had done. But as he worked today, Jordan had thought about it
and knew that if he were human and just found out about shifters, he
probably would’ve done the same thing.

But he wasn’t going to tolerate his mate standing him up. “Then

we need to get going,” Jordan said as he walked toward the door. “I
saw his address on his ID card. We have a long ride ahead of us.”

Mark was just standing there, almost gaping at Jordan, but spoke

to Bailey. “I’m not sure what you’ve done to him, but I’ve never
heard him talk so damn much.”

“Shut up,” Jordan muttered.

* * * *

Bailey was out cold when Jordan pulled into his mate’s driveway.

It had been a long night and Jordan was exhausted himself. He had
found the file that the lawyer had been referring to.

Slipping from the truck, Jordan walked to the other side and lifted

his mate out, carrying him inside. Bailey was not a light guy. Thank
goodness Jordan was strong. He gently lowered Bailey onto the
couch.

Lynn Hagen

He knelt there, studying Bailey. Since finding out that the human

was his mate, things had snowballed out of control. Jordan really
hadn’t had a chance to talk to the guy or get to know him.

He brushed his hand over Bailey’s short, brown hair, wondering

just how hard it was going to be between them. He knew Harley had
broken Bailey’s heart, but he also knew the human was his, not
Harley’s. Jordan wished he had come to town sooner. Maybe he could
have saved his mate the heartache instead of picking up the pieces.

Bailey opened his eyes and Jordan was amazed once again at how

beautiful the sage-green coloring truly was. Everything about Bailey
appealed to Jordan. His compact body, handsome face, espresso hair,
and pretty eyes, made up one hell of a package. Now all Jordan had to
do was crack the man’s defenses and find out who Bailey was, what
made him tick.

“How long have I been out of it?” Bailey asked.
Jordan’s eyes were glued to the man’s mouth when his tongue

flicked out and licked his bottom lip. Before he knew what he was
doing, Jordan leaned in and tasted his mate for the very first time.

Jordan’s tongue licked purposefully at the upper lip and was

granted entry to the warm wet cavern. The kiss sent the pit of his
stomach into a wild swirl as he pressed Bailey’s lips to his, caressing
his mouth more than kissing it.

Their tongues dueled and fought over who would control the kiss

as Jordan pinned Bailey against the couch. As if in slow motion,
Bailey’s head tilted back as Jordan kissed his mate’s throat. Bailey
moaned as Jordan teased his flesh with his lips and the sound sent
shivers through him.

Jordan moved back to Bailey’s mouth and their tongues tangled in

an intimate glide, his emotions whirling and skidding, the need to
claim almost overwhelming.

“I can’t.” Bailey pushed at Jordan’s chest.
Jordan pulled back, gazing down at his mate and then their

mouths crashed together again, hungrier and more desperate than

Jordan’s Desires

before, muffling the sounds of their pleasure. Bailey tried to push at
Jordan again, but Jordan grabbed his mate’s wrists and held them in
place, refusing to be rejected.

Bailey arched his back, opening his mouth wider and Jordan felt

as if he were burning in the fiery passion of their kiss. Jordan guided
one of Bailey’s hands to his aching cock. He thought the man would
try and push him away again, but Bailey’s touch was oddly soft and
caressing.

The smoldering flames he saw in Bailey’s green eyes startled him.

He smiled when his mate’s cheeks colored under Jordan’s gaze. It
was like the man had been starving for affection and Jordan was
finally feeding him. But he wasn’t foolish enough to think that Bailey
was totally giving himself over.

The man wanted sex, pure and simple.
As long as Jordan didn’t bite, then he wouldn’t bind Bailey to

him. He knew his mate wasn’t ready for that, to commit, to give
Jordan his heart. At the moment, Jordan would accept the man’s
body, even if his heart wasn’t a part of the act.

Bailey didn’t protest when Jordan released the man’s wrists and

began to remove his mate’s pants. He tossed them aside and then
stood, undressing. Bailey’s eyes stayed riveted to Jordan as he
lowered himself to the couch, blanketing his mate, careful of his
weight.

He braced himself by his hands on either side of Bailey’s head as

he leaned down to recapture Bailey’s kiss-swollen lips. Bailey’s arms
wrapped around Jordan’s neck, his mate’s lips opened to his.

But it wasn’t submission Bailey gave him. It wasn’t supplication.

It was a man demanding with harsh groans and subtle touches.
Shudders of pleasure raced beneath his skin as his free hand began to
caress Bailey, moving up the man’s back, over his waist, and up
Bailey’s side as his tongue stroked his mate’s mouth.

One of Jordan’s hands slid lower, his fingers searching for and

finding the heated length of Bailey’s cock as it pressed against

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Jordan’s side. Thick and iron-hard, throbbing beneath his touch, the
silken flesh was like a flame in Jordan’s hand.

“Oh god.” Bailey’s head fell back. His hips arched against

Jordan’s touch as his fingers began to slowly stroke the man’s heated
flesh. Jordan gave a low growl when Bailey tangled his fingers in
Jordan’s hair. His mate gave a light tug and pleasure surged through
him.

Damn, if Jordan didn’t fuck Bailey he was going to die from the

need. He had to get inside his mate. He had to fill him, thrust inside
him. Feel the pleasure that exploded into complete nirvana when he
came inside his mate.

His cock hardened to painful intensity at the need.
“Sex…just sex.”
Jordan nodded, even though it pained him to do so. He wanted

more than just sex with his mate but knew that was all Bailey had to
offer at the moment. Releasing his mate’s cock, Jordan moved further
up the couch. “Suck me.”

He leaned over and fed his hardening dick to Bailey’s panting

mouth. His mate took Jordan’s erection into his mouth in one swift
move and sucked ferociously. Jordan hissed as he pushed his cock to
the back of Bailey’s throat, waiting for the man’s reflexive swallow to
squeeze the sensitive tip before retreating and fucking into him again.

Every time Bailey’s gaze met Jordan’s, his heart turned over in

response. His fingers curled into the back of the couch as he watched
his cock repeatedly disappear between Bailey’s lips.

Jordan suppressed the purr rumbling in his chest. That wasn’t

what Bailey wanted. His mate didn’t want to get to know Jordan’s cat.
He didn’t want to be claimed. The man had stated that all he wanted
was sex.

So that’s all Jordan gave him. He began to thrust his hips toward

Bailey’s face and cried out when Bailey played with his balls. His
mate knew exactly how to drive Jordan insane and that scared the hell
out of him because Bailey wasn’t willing to commit.

Jordan’s Desires

Knowing this, knowing that he was only a means to sate Bailey’s

lust, Jordan held Bailey in place as he rolled his hips backward and
pulled his dick from his mate’s mouth with a damp pop.

Bailey gazed up at him confusedly.
“On your hands and knees,” Jordan commanded in a rough tone.

He moved back enough to give Bailey room, watching as his mate
turned over and presented Jordan with his smooth, tight ass.

Jordan scooted back and then began to lick at Bailey’s tight

entrance. His tongue flickered and probed, caressed and stroked, each
lick light and easy, teasing and tempting. As he feasted on his mate,
Jordan reached down and pulled the travel size lube from his jeans.
Tearing the packet open, he lubed his fingers before slipping two into
his mate’s backside.

Bailey bucked, his legs sliding further apart as he jutted his ass

into the air. His mate’s ass clenched around his fingers, holding a
tight grip against the rapid strokes that Jordan filled his mate with,
stretching him.

A need poured through him, ripping at Jordan. His canines

elongated, the need to claim strong. It was a hunger he couldn’t
eradicate from his soul, yet he couldn’t satisfy because his mate
refused to open himself up and give Jordan his heart.

It was wild, the way the sensation thundered through Jordan,

throbbed in every beat of his heart, kept him on a ragged edge of
desperate hunger. Jordan reared back and pressed the swollen head of
his cock against Bailey’s stretched hole, nudging against the tight
opening.

He gripped Bailey’s hips, barely able to breathe for the silky heat

cupping the tip of his cock. As he sank deep, rapid bolts of fiery
sensation tore through him. His thighs tightened, his hips arched,
thrusting his shaft harder, deeper inside Bailey as he fought back the
release that nearly slipped his control.

Hips clashed, writhed, perspiration built. He could feel the

whirling sensation as it attacked his senses. The feel of his cock inside

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Bailey, throbbing, shuttling in and out in deep, rhythmic strokes was
almost too much.

Jordan used every vestige of control he possessed in order not to

bite. Bailey arched his back, sensual moans filling the room as he
began to meet Jordan thrust for thrust. Their movements became
faster, harder, stronger.

Bailey was the first to cry out, screaming Jordan’s name. His

control slipped, just a notch, and then it shattered as Jordan’s climax
tore through him. Unable to stop his beast, Jordan sank his teeth into
Bailey’s shoulder.

Jordan was thrown into a conflagration of sensation that he

couldn’t stop. His hips were moving at lightning speed as he rode a
wave of such pure pleasure that control was impossible. His hands
held Bailey’s hips fiercely as he thrust into his mate, plunging,
throwing himself higher with each stroke into an orgasm that
threatened to destroy him.

He circled his arms around Bailey as he pulled his canines free.

His hand stroked down his mate’s chest. “You’re like a flame against
me,” he whispered. “So sweet and hot.”

He could hear Bailey swallowing hard. His mate pulled at

Jordan’s arms and Jordan knew that Bailey was shutting down on
him. He had fucked around and claimed Bailey even after he told the
man that it would be nothing but sex.

There was nothing Jordan could do about it now. He only prayed

that Bailey didn’t crush him as he had been crushed.

Jordan’s Desires

Chapter Five

Bailey was sore as hell the next day at work. He was also

paranoid, waiting for the cops to show up and arrest him because of
the man Jordan had killed. Jordan had explained everything to Bailey
on their ride to the lawyer’s home.

Jordan had told him about shifters, vampires, demons, Vampire

Hunters, and everything in between. His mind was still trying to
absorb it all. But out of everything Jordan had told him, what scared
Bailey the most was what he felt for the man when Jordan was
fucking him.

“Long night?” Travis asked, his eyes flickering to the spot where

Jordan had bitten him. That bite had shocked him, but Bailey had
been too far gone at the time to care. Now that it was the next
morning, Bailey wondered what the biting meant, if anything.

He also wondered if Travis knew what had taken place in Mark’s

Garage. “Why do you ask?” Bailey tried not to sound guilty. He
phrased his question in a nonchalant tone.

Travis laughed. “You have a glow about you, my man. Did you

finally get laid?”

If Travis only knew. Jordan hadn’t just fucked Bailey, he…he…

Bailey couldn’t even think of a way to describe what Jordan had done
to him. Not even Harley had been so tender, so raw, and no one had
ever made Bailey come without touching himself. He normally
couldn’t come at all with a cock in his ass, but Jordan had changed all
that.

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Bailey was terrified of what Jordan was doing to him. But as

Travis grinned at him, Bailey couldn’t help but return the smile. It had
been freaking fantastic!

“Maybe.”
“I knew it!” Travis hooted with laughter. “I sure as hell hope the

old Bailey comes back. I miss him,” Travis said somberly.

Bailey was kind of feeling like his old self. Who knew one bout of

sex would help wash away Harley? The only problem with what had
taken place was the fact that Bailey was starting to develop feelings
for Jordan.

He was torn between giving in to what Jordan wanted and

protecting his heart. He never wanted to feel that kind of pain again.

Bailey had told Bear that he would give this a try, and that’s what

he was going to do. He just wasn’t going to let his heart go until he
was one hundred percent positive that Jordan wasn’t going to crush
him.

They had a dinner date tonight and Bailey was looking forward to

it. He just hoped Jordan didn’t kill anyone before they had a chance to
eat this time. Just in case, Bailey headed toward the kitchen to grab
some lunch.

“I have to know,” Travis said as he followed Bailey. “How did

that mountainous man talk you into letting him claim you?”

“Don’t start, Travis. I’m just getting to know him. Jordan and I are

only friends. Don’t even think about needling me as far as mating is
concerned. I’m not ready for that.”

Travis cleared his throat but didn’t say any more. Bailey was

surprised that his friend wasn’t all over him about letting Jordan mate
with him. In the past year, Travis had tried his best to pull Bailey out
of his depression. The guy should be talking nonstop about Jordan
being Bailey’s mate.

The man’s quietness was a little off-putting but Bailey let it go.

He had other things to think about besides Travis’s muteness. Like
Jordan. It was as if some kind of switch had been flipped on inside of

Jordan’s Desires

him. Bailey couldn’t get the handsome and muscular man off of his
mind. All he kept thinking about was how he had run his hands
through Jordan’s hair or the way Jordan had kissed and touched him.

Bailey’s body ached for the black panther. It was insane. They had

only had sex one time, yet Bailey couldn’t stop thinking about it—
thinking about Jordan. Gah, he was a mess. Bailey was starting to
think that no matter how much he fought his attraction, he was going
to fall hard for Jordan.

And the implications of that terrified the hell out of him.
Bailey, lost in his chaotic thoughts, almost dropped the jar of

mayonnaise in his hand when the warning bell went off. He looked at
the jar then at the meat and cheese piled on his sandwich.

“There goes lunch,” Bailey grumbled to himself as he put the

mayonnaise away and then wrapped up his sandwich and stuck it in
the fridge. At this rate, he was going to wither away to nothing.

He could see the other firefighters snapping on their turnout gear

and grabbing their jackets. Bailey did the same. He grabbed his gear
then ran to the fire truck, jumping on as it started to drive out of the
station house.

He hadn’t been a firefighter all that long but he enjoyed his job.

He liked knowing that he might be saving someone’s life or at least
saving their possessions for them. Strangely enough, in most cases, it
was the thing that would mean nothing to a burglar that usually meant
the most to those that lost them. He couldn’t imagine losing every
memory he had of his family due to a fire.

When the truck careened around a corner, Bailey started to slide

forward out of his seat. Training took over and he grabbed the oh shit
bar and held on for dear life. He liked fighting fires. He wasn’t so
keen on riding in the fire truck at breakneck speeds.

Bailey was the first to jump down when the truck came to a halt.

He stood there for a moment, totally confused. There was no smoke,
no flames, nothing.

Lynn Hagen

“What the hell is going on?” Reno asked, looking just as confused

as Bailey. The house stood in complete silence, not a lick of flame or
a puff of smoke in sight. Bailey scratched his head, trying to figure
out what was going on when he heard something whizz past his head.

“Get down!” Bear shouted.
Bailey didn’t understand what was going on. Travis grabbed him

and both men dropped to the ground. He heard another whizz and
then a ping. It finally registered that someone was shooting at them.

Bailey covered his head, feeling the panic rise up inside of him.

He had no clue why anyone would be shooting at them. He cringed,
trying to crawl backward under the truck as the bullets kept coming.

“Why are we being shot at?” Bailey asked in a shrill tone.
“Fuck if I know,” Travis answered. “I haven’t slept with anyone’s

husband…lately.”

Bailey gaped at Travis. “Are you serious?”
Travis shrugged.
Great, just great. Bailey was going to die because Travis was a

horndog. That’s exactly what he wanted on his tombstone too. Just so
everyone knew what an idiot Travis was. “You sleep with married
men?”

“Never said I was perfect.”
Bailey wanted to punch the guy. He was already dealing with

enough crap. He didn’t need to add Travis’s sordid life to the mix. He
was half-tempted to throw his friend from under the truck and let the
shooter have him.

Sirens could be heard far off and Bailey prayed the cops made it

here in time. Bear must have called them. Bailey kept his head
protected as shouting sounded all around him. He wasn’t a chicken by
nature, but he knew a bullet was a bullet.

If he was hit by one of those, dead was dead.
The cop cars pulled up and chaos broke out. Bear warned Travis

and Bailey to stay under the truck until the police gave the all clear.

Jordan’s Desires

Bailey wasn’t going to argue with that. Thank fuck he wasn’t in full
gear or he would have never fit under the truck in the first place.

After what felt like eons, Bear finally called for them to come out.

Bailey scooted on his belly until he was clear, and then got to his feet.
“Who was it?” he asked as he brushed a hand over his head, cursing
when he saw how badly his hand was shaking.

“They haven’t found anyone,” Bear informed them. “We’re going

to head back to the station while the cops do their job.”

Bailey was taken aback at Bear’s growl. One of the cops scowled

at Bear and the chief flipped the cop off. “Fuckers think they can talk
to me any way they want to.”

“I can haul you in!” the cop shouted at Bear.
“Try it,” Bear shouted back. “Just because you have a badge

doesn’t mean you are god.”

Bailey climbed into the truck, ready to get out of there. He was

shaking and needed time to himself to compose his nerves.

Bear stopped arguing and drove them back to the station. As soon

as Bailey climbed from the truck and stripped his gear off, Jordan
came rushing into the bay. He wasn’t sure what the hell was going on,
but Jordan pulled Bailey into his arms, crushing him with a tight hug
before the man began to rub himself all over Bailey. A heated blush
crept across his face when his fellow firefighters snickered.

“What are you doing?” Bailey hissed.
“Are you hurt?” Jordan asked as he continued to rub his body over

Bailey’s. If he didn’t know any better, he would have thought that the
man was marking him with his scent.

“No,” he answered. “Just a bit shaken up.”
“Get a room,” Flint shouted.
Bailey ignored the man as he pulled Jordan to the other side of the

fire truck. Before he could say another word, Jordan planted a kiss on
his lips that made Bailey’s cock ramrod straight. Jordan pushed
Bailey’s back into the fire truck, inserting his knee between Bailey’s
legs.

Lynn Hagen

“Not here,” Bailey moaned, but made no move to stop Jordan.

“Are you nuts?”

“Just worried,” Jordan said as he kissed Bailey along his jaw.

“Did they catch the shooter?”

Bailey tilted his head to the side, giving Jordan plenty of room to

explore with his tongue. “How did you know about the shooter?”

“Word travels fast.”
Apparently. It hadn’t even been thirty minutes and Jordan had

found out. Bailey dropped his jacket to the cement floor as he
wrapped his arms around Jordan’s neck. “Are you going to fuck me
right here in the bay?”

Jordan purred. It was the sexiest damn sound Bailey had ever

heard. It rumbled up Jordan’s chest, vibrating against Bailey. He
wanted to hear it again. The guy’s hands were all over Bailey,
touching him everywhere.

He’d never had anyone this happy to see him. He felt another part

of his wall crumble as Jordan kissed and nuzzled his neck.

“I need to put things away,” Bailey insisted as he halfheartedly

pushed at Jordan’s chest.

“They can wait,” Jordan said as he nuzzled a particularly sensitive

spot under Bailey’s chin. “I can’t.”

Bailey felt Jordan’s tongue swipe over the tender skin right under

his ear and melted into a puddle of goo. “Okay.”

He couldn’t believe he was doing this at work but he was slowly

losing the will to care. The feeling of Jordan’s body pressed up
against his, the man’s tongue licking over his skin, Jordan’s knee
between his thighs—it was becoming more important than getting
caught in a compromising position.

Jordan’s tongue stroked over the sensitive spot on Bailey’s

shoulder where the man had bitten him the night before, and that was
all it took. Bailey keened as his body went ramrod stiff, his cock
thickening, aching so much it was close to pain, and he exploded.

Jordan’s Desires

“That’s it, sweetheart. Come for me.” Jordan’s sexy purr gave

sound to the pleasure sweeping through Bailey’s body, adding to it
and making it seem even more exotic. Of course, the way the man
was humping his hips against him might have done it too.

Bailey’s mind was fogging, filled with ecstasy, but not hazy

enough that he couldn’t figure out that he had come and Jordan had
not. And the man needed to desperately if the steel pipe pressing
against him was any clue.

Bailey reached down and palmed Jordan’s cock, squeezing it with

his fingers. His eyes lifted to watch the pleasure moving across
Jordan’s face in vivid detail. Had he ever seen a more stunning sight?
Had anyone ever looked at him like he was the answer to all of their
prayers?

Was this what it meant to be the center of someone’s universe?
Jordan’s lip suddenly curled back, a low growl emanating from

somewhere deep inside of the man. His body stiffened until he looked
like he was a statue made of marble. Bailey tightened his hand around
the hard cock in Jordan’s pants and watched the man toss his head
back and roar. Hot liquid saturated the front of Jordan’s pants, wetting
Bailey’s hands through the thin denim material.

Bailey felt like a king.
He had done this. He had brought this gorgeous, lethal man so

much pleasure that he came in his pants from a simple touch—in the
middle of a firehouse. Bailey felt his face heat up as he realized what
they had just done and where. Anyone could have walked around the
side of the fire truck and seen them. And there was no way anyone
could have misunderstood exactly what they were doing.

Bailey was so embarrassed.
“Don’t,” Jordan said vehemently as he grabbed Bailey’s jaw with

his fingers. “Don’t ever be embarrassed by what is between us. I’m
not.”

Bailey swallowed hard, some of his embarrassment fading under

the weight of Jordan’s scrutiny. “You’re not?”

Lynn Hagen

“I’d shout it to the world if you’d allowed me to.”
Bailey’s face flushed again but this time it wasn’t because he was

embarrassed. Harley hadn’t exactly hidden their relationship but he
hadn’t shouted it to the world either. Jordan seemed to want everyone
to know that they were seeing each other.

They were seeing each other, weren’t they?
Bailey wasn’t sure.
He cocked his head to one side as he tried to read the strange

emotion in Jordan’s amber eyes. “Are we dating?”

Jordan’s wide grin was sensuous and filled with promise that

Bailey didn’t fully understand. “For now.”

What in the hell did that mean? Bailey let it go. He didn’t want to

ruin this moment. He was still riding his high of making Jordan—a
strong predator from what Bailey had learned so far—come in his
pants.

“Are you done yet?”
Bailey jumped at Reno’s voice, trying to push Jordan off of him,

but the guy kept a steel grip on him. Jordan wasn’t letting Bailey go
just yet.

“Almost,” Jordan called out, and then tucking his fingers under

Bailey’s chin, he lifted Bailey’s head, feathering a kiss over Bailey’s
lips. “Don’t ever scare me like that again, my sweet Bailey.”

Bailey rolled his eyes. “I’ll try not to get shot at by a maniac

again.” Like he could help it. He didn’t even know who the shooter
was or why they had rained bullets at the firefighters.

Jordan nipped his lower lip. “Smart ass.”
Bailey groaned and then shoved harder at Jordan’s chest. “I really

do need to get things put away.” And he needed to get cleaned up. His
pants were sticky now. As if reading his mind, Jordan ran his
knuckles over Bailey’s soft cock.

“I’ll be back for you later.”

Jordan’s Desires

“Dinner, right.” Bailey cleared his throat, feeling the awkwardness

of what they had just done set in. Jordan gave a low chuckle as he
kissed Bailey’s nose.

“You are so adorable when you blush.”
Bailey swatted at Jordan. “Go back to work while I change my

clothes.”

The man’s rich laughter rang out in the bay as he gave Bailey one

last kiss before walking away. Bailey just stood there for a moment,
watching Jordan’s sweet backside and then he headed around the
truck, every one of his fellow firefighters standing there grinning at
him.

“Perverts.”
“It’s just good to see you happy again,” Flint replied. “You’re a

handsome man when you smile.”

“Better not let Jordan hear you say that,” Reno warned. “The guy

might just be a mechanic, but I have a feeling he’s pretty lethal when
it comes to Bailey.”

Bailey ignored the men as he headed toward the showers. He

didn’t know why everyone assumed that Jordan was so possessive of
him. They were just friends right now. Okay, friends with benefits.
Although Bailey truly enjoyed what he and Jordan had going, he
wasn’t foolish enough to believe that Jordan was that head over heels
for him.

For fuck’s sake, they barely knew each other.
Bailey liked Jordan, a lot. But everyone made it sound as though

Jordan would kill someone over him. That was ludicrous.

Bailey took a quick shower and changed, heading into the media

room. Travis and Flint were in there, arguing over the remote. He
solved their argument by snagging the remote out of Flint’s hand and
dropping down in one of the chairs.

“What did you do that for?” Flint asked.
“Because I could,” Bailey answered, wiggling his eyebrows.
Travis laughed. “The old Bailey is back. It’s about damn time.”

Jordan’s Desires

Chapter Six

“So, are you going to come over to my place?” Jordan asked as he

finished off his meal. He had taken Bailey to the Lucky Clover for
dinner and was now ready for dessert. Bailey being the dessert of
course.

He had been terrified when Mark had come out into the bay and

told Jordan about the shooting. Jordan never wanted to experience
that level of fear again in his life. Even though Bailey had no clue that
they were mated, the human had to feel their bond growing deeper.

He did.
Bailey shrugged nonchalantly but Jordan could see the spark of

desire in his mate’s sage-green eyes. The man was more than
interested. Jordan just couldn’t understand why Bailey was playing
hard to get.

“I was thinking about just going home and crashing tonight,”

Bailey said as he stabbed at his mashed potatoes.

Jordan sat his cloth napkin on the table and leaned forward,

entwining his fingers together as he gazed at his mate. “Is that right?”
It seemed Bailey wanted to tease and Jordan had no problem playing
along.

“Yep.” Bailey shoved a forkful of mashed potatoes into his

mouth.

Jordan sat back, feigning indifference. “You could end your night

that way. But don’t complain when you wake up in the middle of the
night and I’m sliding into your bed, naked.”

Bailey choked, covering his mouth as he stared wide-eyed at

Jordan. “You would break into my house?”

Lynn Hagen

Jordan gave the man a devilish smile. “Sweetheart, I would break

in Fort Knox if you decided to sleep there.”

Wiping his mouth, Bailey chuckled. “I would really like to see

that.”

The man seriously thought Jordan was playing. He wasn’t. Their

bond was deepening and Jordan couldn’t stand to think of spending a
night away from his mate. He knew he had to confess what he had
done to Bailey.

The man deserved to know.
Jordan just wasn’t ready to be shot again. He had lost control,

unintentionally mating Bailey, but he was pretty sure that his mate
didn’t want to hear that. Bailey was still feeling Jordan out. If the
human only knew how much Jordan desired him, wanted him, needed
him.

The hunger was almost maddening.
“So are you coming home with me or am I breaking into your

house?” Jordan took a sip of his wine as he waited on his mate to
answer him.

“Somehow I have a feeling you would do just that,” Bailey stated

as he set his fork down. “Since I don’t have to work tomorrow, I
guess I can spend all night with you.”

Jordan grinned at the way Bailey made it sound so blasé. As if it

were a true hardship. But Jordan knew better. He could practically
smell the lust shimmering off of Bailey. He raised his hand for the
check. Jordan wasn’t going to deny that he was just as hard for his
mate.

The human was coming to mean the world to him. He just wished

Bailey felt the same way. He knew it would take time, but knowing
this was one-sided was frustrating as hell.

Jordan paid the bill and then walked with Bailey out of the

restaurant.

“Thanks for dinner,” Bailey said as they walked to Jordan’s truck.

“It was delicious.”

Jordan’s Desires

Jordan turned and cupped Bailey’s cheek. “Trust me, sweetheart.

It was all my pleasure.” It still amazed Jordan how much larger he
was than Bailey. His hand practically covered one side of Bailey’s
face. “And I plan on getting my dessert.” He wiggled his brows.

“I’m starting to believe that you can never be sated.”
Jordan grew somber. “Trust me, Bailey. When it comes to sex,

you satisfy me in every way.” He grinned when Bailey blushed. The
human was just too adorable for words.

“You know how to say all the right words,” Bailey stated as he

pulled back.

Jordan ground his teeth. He knew Bailey was thinking about

Harley and that pissed him off. He was nothing like that scumbag
human. “I mean every word I say to you.”

“I know,” Bailey said. “I believe that you believe what you say.”
Jordan wasn’t going to stand there and try to convince Bailey. The

man needed to be shown. Grabbing his mate’s hand, they walked the
rest of the distance to the truck in silence. Jordan refused to have their
mood ruined.

He opened the passenger door for Bailey, giving his mate a sexy

grin as Bailey climbed into the truck. Time would tell and that’s all
Jordan could give the man. He felt a cramp as he walked around to the
driver side. Jordan ignored it as he climbed into the truck, started it,
and pulled away.

“I’m sorry,” Bailey said. “I’m jaded and I know this.”
It was a start. “All that I ask is that you give me a chance.” Jordan

winced when the cramp deepened.

Bailey smoothed his hands down the front of his jeans. “You’re

the first person I’ve given a chance to since it happened.”

It referring to Harley. Jordan really hated that name. He reached

over and slid his hand into Bailey’s. “All I can do is show you that I’ll
never hurt you.”

Bailey nodded as he glanced out of the window. Jordan’s fingers

gripped the steering wheel tighter as he began to sweat profusely.

Lynn Hagen

What in the hell was wrong with him? He managed to make it home
and put the truck in park before a wave of dizziness made him
nauseous.

Bailey’s eyebrows pulled down into a frown. “Are you all right?”
Jordan’s mouth went dry, his hands shaking as he reached for the

door. “I just need to get inside.”

Bailey glanced out of the windshield. “Does this have anything to

do with the full moon?”

Even in pain, Jordan laughed. “Shifters are not chained to the

moon. Besides, that would be a wolf, which I am clearly not.”

“Oh.” Bailey jumped out of the truck, his cheeks coloring. “My

bad.”

Jordan walked to the front door, unlocking it and waving Bailey

inside. He managed to make it to the couch before he doubled over in
pain. “Something’s not right.”

Bailey quickly moved to Jordan’s side. “Should I call an

ambulance?” He could hear the worry in his mate’s tone.

Jordan shook his head. “You can never call an ambulance for me.

If I need help, you should always call the pack doctor.”

“Right,” Bailey said and then scratched at his jaw. “And who

would that be?”

Jordan began to pant heavily as he gripped his side. Something

definitely wasn’t right. Maybe he needed to give the doctor a call. He
grabbed his cell phone and handed it to Bailey. “Dr. Sheehan.” Jordan
gritted his teeth as a wave of pain blasted through him.

He could hear his mate talking on the phone as Jordan curled up

into a ball. His insides felt like they were on fire. He didn’t
understand what was happening to him. He had never felt anything
like this before.

Bailey knelt down next to him. “He’s on his way. Is there

anything I can do for you?”

“No,” Jordan answered between gritted teeth. How could his mate

help him when Jordan didn’t know what the hell was wrong with

Jordan’s Desires

him? The pain was increasing, making him sweat until his clothes
were saturated.

“You’re burning up.” Bailey pressed his hand over Jordan’s

forehead. “I don’t like this.”

Neither did Jordan. He just wished—Jordan rolled to his knees

and emptied his stomach contents. The fire inside of him was burning
hotter and Jordan feared he would combust.

He barely heard the knock on the front door. Bailey got up and

answered it. “Are you Dr. Sheehan?”

“I am.” The doctor quickly moved inside the house, hurrying over

to Jordan. “You look like shit.”

“Thanks,” Jordan managed to say.
The doctor turned to Bailey. “Tell me what happened leading up

to this.”

Bailey shook his head as he wrapped his hands over his stomach.

“Jordan picked me up for dinner and we ate at the Lucky Clover.
Nothing out of the ordinary happened.”

The doctor began to examine Jordan. The only thing he could do

was lie there like a helpless kitten. Jordan just wanted the pain to go
away.

“I’ll have to do further testing, but from your symptoms and the

rash spreading on your neck, I would have to say that you were
poisoned.”

“He what!” Bailey shouted. “How can you tell just from

examining him?”

The doctor turned to Bailey. “Wolfsbane has very distinct

characteristics. As I stated, I’ll have to do further testing. But if he
was poisoned with wolfsbane, I need to treat him now.”

Jordan felt himself slipping in and out of consciousness, barely

grasping what the doctor was saying. His mind was hazy and his body
was growing heavy. He felt his head being lifted up and something
hard-pressed against his lips. Jordan opened and then gagged when
the foul-tasting liquid passed over his lips.

Lynn Hagen

“Drink it down, Jordan.”
It was a struggle, but Jordan drank until the hard object was

removed from his lips and his head was lowered back to the floor.
“It’s going to take you a while to recover. Wolfsbane is some nasty
stuff. You’re not going to bounce right back on your feet even if you
shift.”

Jordan closed his eyes, feeling the haze take him under.

* * * *

Bailey had no clue what to do. The doctor had said to make

Jordan comfortable. It had taken both of them to lift Jordan’s heavy
weight and place him on the couch. He brushed his hands over
Jordan’s damp, raven hair. He hated to see the strong panther so weak
and Bailey was angry beyond words that someone tried to poison
Jordan—had poisoned Jordan.

Why would anyone want to do that? Jordan may be intense and

didn’t speak a lot, but he was the sweetest man Bailey had ever met.
He even knew why Jordan had killed those two men, and Bailey did
not look at him any differently.

Jordan had done what he needed to do in order to keep both him

and Bailey safe. He would be forever grateful that Jordan had stopped
that vampire from attacking him. Now if he could only find out who
poisoned Jordan, he just might be the one who was killing somebody.

Bailey found where Jordan kept his washcloths and soaked one of

them in cold water before returning to the living room and placing it
on Jordan’s heated forehead. The doctor said he would be back to
check on Jordan, but until then it was up to Bailey to ensure that
Jordan wasn’t in any pain.

He essentially had become Jordan’s caretaker for the moment.
The doctor also told him that he wasn’t sure what kind of lasting

effect the wolfsbane would have on Jordan. That worried Bailey.
Someone had tried to kill Jordan, and Bailey was going to find out

Jordan’s Desires

who the culprit was and make sure he was brought to justice—even if
he was brought to shifter justice.

They weren’t going to get away with what they had done.
“Water,” Jordan croaked out a few hours later.
Bailey quickly got Jordan some water, helping him hold his head

up while he drank. Bailey hated how weak Jordan had become.
Someone had taken a strong man and reduced him to rely on someone
else for his basic needs.

Bailey inhaled deeply as he set the glass on the coffee table. “How

do you feel?” He brushed aside Jordan’s long black strands, mustering
up a smile.

“Like someone ran me over.”
Removing the washcloth from Jordan’s forehead, Bailey held it in

his hand as he studied Jordan. “You scared the hell out of me.”

Jordan opened his eyes, the amber deep and intense as he gazed

up at Bailey. “So you really do care?”

How could the guy joke around at a time like this? A smile was

tugging at the corner of Jordan’s lips and Bailey felt something deep
inside of him stir. His feelings for Jordan were growing by leaps and
bounds. The man was so gorgeous that Bailey could just sit and stare
at him for hours. But beyond that, Jordan was simply a nice guy. He
was intense, caring, and sweet. He might look lethal, but Bailey knew
how tender Jordan could be.

Bailey dipped his head. “I’m starting to.” And that was the honest

truth. Yes, it scared him. But Bailey was starting to realize that what
he felt for Jordan was nothing like what he had felt for Harley.

With Harley, it had been fast-paced, out of control, and almost felt

like an obsession. With Jordan, it was slow stirring, on a much deeper
level, intense, and Bailey felt like he still maintained who he was.
Bailey felt as though this was what love should really feel like. His
emotions were still erratic, but he didn’t feel as if he was suffocating
under the weight.

Lynn Hagen

His feelings toward Jordan were light, sweet, and refreshing.

Bailey felt as if he could build something off of this. With Harley he
felt like everything was crashing down around him.

Jordan winced as he tried to sit up. Bailey gently held the man

down to the couch. “What do you need? I can get it for you.”

The panther gave him a soul-stirring smile. “A simple kiss, that’s

all. I just need to touch you to remind myself how lucky I am.”

Bailey damn near swooned at Jordan’s words. He reached out

until his fingers ran along Jordan’s jaw before he leaned in and gave
the guy the simple kiss he had asked for. It wasn’t heated or intense,
but the simple touching of lips still had Bailey panting for breath.

He was starting to see forever in Jordan and the thought didn’t

terrify Bailey as it once had. “You need to rest.”

Jordan’s eyes fluttered closed and then snapped back open.

“Promise you won’t leave my side.”

Bailey tugged on a few strands of Jordan’s hair. “I’m not going

anywhere, Jordan.” Surprisingly, Bailey meant it. He wasn’t just
talking about the situation. He could feel it in his bones, Jordan was
the one.

The man gave a slight nod before letting his eyes close again.

“Good. That’s real good.” Jordan’s head gently thrashed from side to
side for a moment before he spoke again. “I love you, Bailey.”

Jordan finally settled into a restful sleep as Bailey knelt there,

stunned. Jordan’s words touched him deeply. No one had ever
declared their love for him, not even that cheating harlot.

As Jordan slept, Bailey felt the need to stay close. He ran his

fingers through Jordan’s sweat-soaked hair and ran his knuckles along
the man’s strong jaw. What would it be like to have someone as
strong and powerful as Jordan to love him and only him?

Could he trust Jordan? Could he trust the man’s words and take

them at face value? Bailey finally stood and took the washcloth to the
bathroom, soaking it in cold water again. He placed it on Jordan’s

Jordan’s Desires

forehead and made sure the man was comfortable before heading into
the kitchen for something to drink.

He knew he had a long night ahead of him. Bailey wasn’t going

anywhere. He was going to make sure that Jordan was comfortable
and well taken care of. There was no way he could leave the man
vulnerable, not after Jordan had saved his life.

Not from the vampire, but from himself. Bailey had been in a

downward spiral, life no longer holding any happiness for him. Jordan
had changed all that. Bailey was beginning to see that he could have a
man’s love with no strings attached, no trickery involved.

He smiled to himself, feeling as if he finally knew what falling in

love truly meant. Bailey wanted to shout to the world that Jordan was
his and his alone. He almost felt…giddy.

Bailey scowled at himself. He was starting to fear that he fell in

love too easily, gave his heart too freely, but knew that Jordan was
different. Something inside of him told Bailey that he wasn’t going to
make a fool of himself this time. But there was still a minute part of
him that was skeptical, hesitant, and mistrusting.

How could anyone be this happy without paying a price? It was a

scary feeling to let go and give his heart once more. He wasn’t sure he
was ready for that, but he knew walking away from Jordan was no
longer an option.

Bailey answered the front door when someone knocked. He rolled

his eyes when he saw that it was Travis. He loved his friend, but
sometimes Travis was a pain in the ass. “What?” he asked as he let
Travis in.

“I just came by to check on Jordan.” Travis slid through the door

and glanced over at the couch. “I heard what happened.”

“Does anything stay a secret around here?”
Travis cut his eyes at Bailey and shook his head. “Not really. The

paranormal community is pretty tight knit. We look out for one
another. I may not know Jordan, but it pissed me off that someone
tried to poison him.”

Lynn Hagen

Bailey closed the front door and led Travis to the kitchen so they

wouldn’t disturb Jordan. “The doctor said it was something called
wolfsbane.”

Grim lines formed around Travis’s mouth. “That stuff is very rare

and very nasty. I’ve never met anyone who was poisoned by it. How
is he doing?”

Bailey grabbed two bottles of water from the refrigerator and

handed one to Travis. Instead of drinking his, he held it close to his
chest. Now that he was talking about it, Bailey realized just how
scared he had been for Jordan.

“He’s resting. The doctor said he wasn’t sure if there were going

to be any long-term effects.”

Travis gazed intently at him. “You know if there’s anything you

need, all you have to do is ask. Bear gave you a few days off to take
care of Jordan. Mark, Jordan’s boss, said that Jordan’s job is waiting
for him when he recovers.”

Bailey was stunned at the support he and Jordan were receiving.

“It really is a tight-knit community, isn’t it?”

“We look out for ours. The alpha has shut the Lucky Clover down

and is having all the food and drinks tested. Maverick is determined to
get to the bottom of this. Wolfsbane is deadly. Jordan is one lucky
man.”

Bailey felt a fine tremor just under his skin at the thought of how

this could have turned out so differently. The doctor had said the same
thing, how lucky Jordan was. Bailey was beginning to feel like he was
the lucky one. If Jordan had died…Bailey couldn’t even contemplate
that thought.

“Need company?” Travis took a long swig of his water. “I cleared

my night so I could sit with you if need be.”

“There’s nothing I can do while he rests. I guess we can watch

some television. But if he wakes up, I’m kicking you out.”

Travis chuckled. “I would be worried if you didn’t.”

Jordan’s Desires

Bailey leaned against the counter, his thoughts going right back to

Jordan. “Can you think of any reason why someone would want
Jordan dead?”

His friend shrugged. “I really don’t know Jordan that well. He’s

new here. It could be something going on from his past, or those
psycho-ass Vampire Hunters. No one really knows right now.”

“What about the shooter?” Bailey asked. “Did they ever find out

who it was?”

“Not yet,” Travis answered, anger inflecting in his tone. “But I

would love to know who it was.”

Bailey would too. He didn’t appreciate getting shot at. As far as

he knew, he had done nothing wrong to anyone. “Or it could be
someone seeking revenge against you.” Bailey remembered Travis’s
confession about sleeping with married men.

Travis waved off Bailey’s concern. “I was just pulling your chain.

I would never violate the sanctity of marriage.”

Bailey was relieved. He really liked Travis and would always

remain his friend, but he had hoped the man had more scruples than
that. “You lied?” Bailey tried and failed to keep the humor out of his
voice.

“It was a stressful situation. I was just trying to add a little levity

so we both wouldn’t die of a fucking heart attack.”

“Next time try not to add shock value to your statements.” Bailey

punched at Travis’s shoulder. “Because I would cut your dick off if
you came anywhere near Jordan.”

Travis rubbed his chin, tilting his head in contemplation. “I don’t

know, man. Jordan is one fine-looking shifter. Who wouldn’t want all
that muscle wrapped—”

Bailey growled as he pulled Travis into a headlock. “Don’t even

think about it!”

Travis laughed. “Uncle!”
Bailey released him, shoving at Travis as he smiled.

Lynn Hagen

Travis swiped the bottle of water off the table as he pointed a

finger at Bailey. “It really is good to have the old you back.”

“Why is being mated so different from just dating someone?”
Travis’s looks became guarded. “Talk to Jordan about that. He’s

the one that can best answer your questions.”

“Why can’t you?” Bailey asked.
Travis took a long drink of his water, his eyes studying Bailey.

“It’s not my place,” he finally answered. “Ask Jordan.”

Once again Travis’s eyes dropped to Bailey’s shoulder. He was

starting to suspect that Jordan had mated him. The sex they had was
wild and passionate, and Bailey wondered if maybe the man hadn’t
lost control.

He would ask Jordan, but when he was better. Jordan was dealing

with enough right now. Plus, Bailey needed time to come to terms
with the fact that he was ninety-nine percent positive he was now
mated.

So why wasn’t he freaking out? Why wasn’t Bailey demanding

answers? Why was he standing in Jordan’s kitchen, calm? He felt a
deep connection to Jordan, something he had never felt for anyone
else.

Bailey wasn’t sure what to think right now. He needed time to

absorb it all. But at the moment all Bailey cared about was getting
Jordan better. Once the man was fully healed, then Bailey would
throttle him. Not for mating Bailey, but for not telling him about it.

“Come on, let’s go watch some television.”

Jordan’s Desires

Chapter Seven

Jordan cracked his eyes open. It had been six days—roughly,

since Jordan was out of it and time seemed to mean nothing to him—
since he was poisoned, and every single time he woke, Bailey was at
his side. He honestly thought the man would have bailed by now.
Bailey had made it clear on more than one occasion that they were
just friends.

Why would he stick around?
His mate was sitting on the couch, at Jordan’s feet, Jordan’s legs

resting across the man’s lap. Bailey was watching television, giving
Jordan’s calves a slow massage. He lay there enjoying his mate’s
fingers pressing into his skin, feeling himself getting hard.

Bailey glanced his way and smiled. “You’re awake.”
“Barely,” Jordan said with a raspy voice. But there was one part

of him that was standing at full attention. “What day is it?”

“Saturday,” Bailey replied as he lightly squeezed Jordan’s leg.

“And before you ask, it’s seven in the evening.”

Jordan stretched, feeling his joints pop. It felt damn good. He was

sore as hell but didn’t feel anything wrong with him. He hoped like
hell the wolfsbane had no lasting effect on him. Jordan still had to
stand and try out his limbs, but so far, he was okay.

Bailey continued to hold onto Jordan’s legs, his fingers gripping

him.

“Have you been home?” Jordan noticed that Bailey was wearing

his shirt and the man looked damn good in it. The T-shirt was a bit
large for Bailey, but that only made the man look sexier.

“Nope, I had a patient to look after.”

Lynn Hagen

Jordan yawned and turned over onto his back. “I don’t get you,

Bailey.”

His mate grabbed the remote and turned the television off.

“What’s there to get?”

Jordan almost forgot what he was talking about when Bailey

began to massage his legs again. “Why you stayed. If we are just
friends—”

“Mates.”
Furrowing his brows, Jordan gazed at the guy. “What?”
His mate looked peeved as he glared at Jordan. “You mated me.”
Jordan gulped—loudly. Had he been talking in his sleep? He

couldn’t figure out how Bailey knew.

Bailey snorted, a very unattractive sound but one Jordan was

pretty sure he deserved. “Don’t look so stunned. I figured it out when
Travis couldn’t stop looking at my shoulder.”

Jordan was going to strangle Bailey’s friend and thank him. While

in and out of consciousness, Jordan had tried to think of a way to tell
Bailey the truth. It felt like a burden had been lifted from his
shoulders and a brewing storm at the same time. “Are you mad?”

“Hell yes,” Bailey said as he slapped Jordan’s leg.
Maybe he should have stayed unconscious a little while longer.

He didn’t like the anger in Bailey’s sage-green eyes. There was
nothing he could do to unclaim the man, and Jordan didn’t want to.

“I’m mad because you didn’t tell me.”
It took a second for Bailey’s words to sink in. His mate wasn’t

mad that Jordan had claimed him, just pissed that Jordan hadn’t told
him. “You weren’t ready to hear that I had claimed you. What would
you have done if I’d told you that I accidently lost control and mated
us?”

Bailey looked as if he was mulling Jordan’s words over. He was

still rock hard from his mate’s massage and that wasn’t helping
Jordan’s mood. He wanted release, even if he was still weak from
being poisoned.

Jordan’s Desires

Sighing, his mate’s grip loosened. “I would have freaked out.”
“Exactly.” Jordan pressed his legs closer to Bailey. “And now?”
Bailey turned his head away, but not before Jordan saw the fear in

his mate’s eyes. The man was still scared as hell to trust Jordan with
his heart.

“Come here.” Jordan held his hand out.
“You’re still weak, Jordan. You can barely move—”
Jordan jackknifed, grabbing Bailey and pulling the man over his

chest. “Never call me weak.”

Bailey slapped at Jordan’s chest. “Fact is fact.”
Jordan grabbed Bailey’s wrists and held them firmly in his hands.

“I may not be at full strength, but I have never been weak.”

“Touchy.” Bailey propped himself on Jordan’s chest. “That

wasn’t a strike against your manhood, Jordan. I was only saying that
the poison has—”

Jordan growled. “Don’t say it.”
“Made you weaker,” Bailey said challengingly.
“Then I guess you’ll have to do all the work.” Jordan decided that

fucking his mate was a much better option than arguing with him. But
if Bailey wanted to keep arguing, Jordan was going to shove his cock
down the man’s throat.

He would put Bailey’s tongue to better use.
“I’m not going to have sex with you when you can barely hold

your damn head up,” his mate continued his protest.

“My head is holding up just fine.”
Bailey narrowed his eyes at Jordan. “I wasn’t referring to that

head.”

“Sweetheart,” Jordan said as he pulled Bailey closer, his voice

dropping to a low growl. “I could be inches away from death and still
have the strength and desire to fuck you.”

“Why do I believe you?”
Jordan ran his hand over Bailey’s short cropped hair, feeling more

than just a lustful need. His heart quickened when Bailey gave him a

Lynn Hagen

sensual smile. Not even the man who had tried to kill him had the
power to destroy him the way Bailey had. His mate was wrapped
tightly around Jordan’s heart and he could barely breathe as he held
the man in his arms.

“Because not even death will stop me from wanting you.” Jordan

cupped the back of Bailey’s head and drew him in for a soft kiss.

Bailey pulled back. “As much as I love kissing you, you really

need to brush your teeth.”

Jordan laughed as he hugged Bailey to him. “Then get me a

toothbrush. And get naked while you’re at it.”

“Relentless,” Bailey said as he pulled away and walked toward the

hallway.

Jordan may not be at full strength, but he wasn’t so weak that he

couldn’t kick his boxers off. He tossed the covers aside, waiting for
his mate’s return. Bailey walked back in, naked as the day he was
born, a toothbrush and a bowl in his hand, his folded clothes tucked
under his arm.

If the man only knew just how stunning he truly was. The thought

of anyone hurting Bailey—even emotionally—made Jordan want to
growl. He managed to sit up and brush his teeth. It felt like he had
days’ worth of growth on his tongue.

He handed the toothbrush and bowl of water back to Bailey. “Any

more demands?”

Bailey set the items on the coffee table. “I’m not sucking your

cock until you take a shower, that’s for sure.”

Groaning at the image of Bailey’s lips wrapped around his dick,

Jordan held out his hand. “Then I guess you’ll just have to ride me.”
His shaft jerked at the thought of Bailey sinking onto Jordan’s cock.
He was telling the truth when he told his mate that he could be dying
and still want the man.

Only death would rob Jordan of that desire.
Grabbing Jordan’s hand, Bailey cautiously straddled his hips. “If

this sets you back, I’m going to kick your ass when you get better.”

Jordan’s Desires

Jordan ran the palms of his hands up Bailey’s chest and pinched

both nipples. He shivered when his mate’s lips parted and a moan
escaped his lips. Jordan was fascinated by the sight. He gripped the
back of Bailey’s neck, pulling his mate down, his lips taking Bailey’s,
his tongue plunging forcefully into his mate’s mouth.

Bailey tasted so damn good. Eagerly, Bailey’s tongue mated with

his, the spicy taste of man making Jordan grow harder. Like a drug
addict in the first seconds of his fix, Jordan tried to devour Bailey.

Bailey’s hands gripped Jordan’s hair, holding Jordan to him as

their teeth and tongues clashed. The kiss was hard, hungry, and
Jordan urged his mate closer, deepening the kiss. Jordan’s arms
wrapped around Bailey, blunt nails scraping along Bailey’s back as
his mate arched into Jordan, his nude body twisting closer, as if
desperate to mate every cell in their bodies together.

Jordan licked at Bailey’s lips, nibbled at them, drew Bailey’s

tongue into his mouth and sucked at it. Bailey arched even closer, the
bare flesh of his cock jerking against the long, hot thickness of
Jordan’s erection as his mate’s soft flesh laid against him.

“I want to ride your cock,” Bailey whispered against Jordan’s lips.

The rumble of pleasure that echoed through his chest made Jordan
shiver.

“Then ride me,” Jordan gasped, his head arching back as that

rough, raspy tongue stroked over his neck. Jordan twisted in a grip of
erotic heat that was burning him alive. He reached behind Bailey,
ready to slip his fingers into his mate’s ass when he felt something
hard lying between the man’s ass cheeks.

Bailey blushed deeply as he bit at his bottom lip. “I wasn’t sure,

so I wanted to be ready.”

Jordan wiggled the butt plug, watching as Bailey fell apart in his

arms. His mate’s fingers dug deeply into Jordan’s biceps as he
swiveled his hips, grinding his erection into Jordan’s abdomen.
“Don’t stop,” Bailey begged. “F–feels so good.”

Lynn Hagen

In that moment, Jordan knew that he would give Bailey anything

the man asked for. He was totally lost in his mate. Jordan would
capture the stars and lay them out at Bailey’s feet if that’s what his
mate wanted. He was hopelessly and irrevocably in love with Bailey.

Since Bailey’s legs were on either side of Jordan’s, he pushed his

legs further apart, opening Bailey wider for him. Jordan used the plug
to fuck his mate before removing the hard plastic. “Ride my cock,
sweetheart.”

Using Jordan’s biceps as leverage, Bailey lifted his hips as Jordan

guided his cock to his mate’s hole. He hissed when the head of his
shaft touched Bailey’s entrance, his body growing tense as his mate
began slowly lowering himself.

His hands gripped Bailey’s buttocks as his mate seated himself.

His cat yowled in enjoyment, the man trembled in pleasure. He held
tight to Bailey’s ass as Jordan pulled back, leaving only the head
inside before plunging his full length up into Bailey’s ass once again.

Bailey’s body arched, his mouth opening on a low cry as he

shuddered with the pleasure Jordan brought him. His mate’s nails
pierced Jordan’s arms, his legs tightening around Jordan’s hips as
Jordan plunged in and out of the silken grasp encasing his cock.

Bailey was breathing hard, his chest rising and falling in hard

breaths.

“Harder, Jordan.” Sultry, Bailey’s voice low and husky, his body

hot and wild as he raked his nails down Jordan’s chest, watching him
through half closed eyes. “Or should you just lay back while I have
my way with you?”

Jordan stopped moving, a sly smile emerging. “Do your worst,”

he challenged.

He had said the words, but was not prepared when Bailey began to

bounce on his cock, his own shaft jumping around freely. Jordan held
the man’s ass, cupped his cheeks, as his mate took his pleasure from
Jordan’s body.

Jordan’s Desires

“That’s it, sweetheart. Pleasure yourself.” Jordan’s fingers dug

into Bailey’s ass as his mate gyrated his hips, his movements now
slow and measured. Bailey was spurring Jordan’s need higher. He
wasn’t sure what drove him more insane, the fast bouncing or the
leisurely movements.

“Gods, you feel so damn good buried in my ass.” Bailey swiveled

his hips, dropping down onto Jordan’s cock over and over again.
Jordan was coming unglued, falling apart at the seams as Bailey took
what he wanted, what he needed.

Jordan opened his eyes, seeing Bailey’s grimace of pleasure, the

raw lust that transformed his handsome face. Jordan hadn’t thought
his mate could get any better looking, but staring up at the man, he
knew he had been wrong. The strange scent in the air was wild,
untamed, and pulled at Jordan’s heart.

“You are a beautiful creature,” Jordan said as he brushed his

knuckles over Bailey’s cheek. He was fighting not to plunge deep
inside Bailey. Jordan could feel his beast rising, trying to take over,
but he refused to allow this to happen. And then Jordan almost lost his
mind when Bailey clenched his inner muscles, encasing Jordan’s cock
in a tight vise-like grip.

Unable to stand it anymore, Jordan quickened his movements and

soon he was fucking Bailey with passion, ramming his cock hard and
deep into his mate’s ass. It was the most amazing feeling in the world.
Jordan could die this second and know that he had visited heaven
already.

Bailey began to slide back up Jordan’s cock, the grip like an iron

fist as Jordan’s body trembled. He growled gently, looking to where
their bodies joined together, watching his cock reappear from Bailey’s
giving flesh. There was no other way to describe the growing
madness inside of him.

Bailey’s legs tightened around Jordan’s hips, locking him into

place as Bailey slammed his ass onto Jordan’s cock harder.

Lynn Hagen

Bailey’s head rolled from side to side, his back arching as his

mate let out a throaty groan. The muscles in Jordan’s thighs grew
tight as he watched the beautiful sight above him. His fingers traced
over Bailey’s hard chest, touching each dip as he rocked his cock in
and out of Bailey’s body.

Jordan wanted to bite, the need so intense that his gums ached. “I

need to bite you.”

Bailey grunted as his hands curled into fists, the knuckles turning

a ghostly white from the strain. Jordan pulled his mate toward him,
pressing their chests together. His mate tilted his head, exposing his
neck to Jordan, as if knowing what Jordan wanted, needed. The
acceptance rocked Jordan to his very core.

Bailey’s hands left Jordan’s chest as he grabbed Jordan’s hair,

pulling it hard as Jordan’s canines sank into Bailey’s shoulder. An
explosion rocketed through Jordan’s body, the sensation racing down
his arms and then scattering to the four corners. His mind was
fragmenting as he shoved his cock into Bailey’s ass, his seed
forcefully being pulled from his body.

Bailey arched his back, letting out a guttural sound as hot liquid

spread across Jordan’s chest. Jordan kept going. Bailey’s ass was
pulsing, milking Jordan’s cock with ferocity. He wanted to possess, to
claim, and let his mate know that Jordan was playing for keeps.

Jordan grabbed his mate’s chin, yanking Bailey’s head down. As

he stared into his mate’s eyes, Jordan felt the drugging feeling of his
orgasm gradually fade. Giving his hips a few more plunges, Jordan
held tight to Bailey’s body as he slowly relaxed.

Jordan was exhausted as he held his mate in his arms. He might

have used precious energy, but Jordan couldn’t find it in himself to
regret what they had just done.

All that mattered to him was feeling Bailey’s body next to his,

wrapped around him. No sooner than Jordan began to drift off into
sleep, he heard a small click. His eyes flew open and he scanned the
room, but he didn’t see anyone.

Jordan’s Desires

Bailey lifted his head, gazing strangely at Jordan. “What’s—”
Jordan covered Bailey’s mouth with his hand. When he was sure

that Bailey got the message, he lowered his hand. “Get dressed,” he
mouthed.

Without hesitation, Bailey slipped off of Jordan and began quickly

and quietly getting dressed. Jordan hadn’t seen Bailey’s clothes
folded neatly on the edge of the coffee table but was thankful that
they were there.

Once his mate was dressed, Bailey grabbed Jordan’s underwear

and handed them over. With measured movements, Jordan slipped
them on. He didn’t have any other clothes nearby. His boxers would
have to do.

Bailey looked terrified but he held it together. Jordan was proud

of him. He knew his mate couldn’t hear the subtle sounds of someone
breaking in. It only endeared Bailey to him, knowing that his mate
trusted in Jordan.

Cocking his head to the side, Jordan listened intently. The sound

was coming from his bedroom down the hall. They could easily slip
out the front door, but Jordan wasn’t sure who was breaking in and
how many men there truly were.

He couldn’t risk Bailey’s life.
No matter what, Jordan had to protect the man. He grabbed

Bailey’s shoulders and pulled his mate close before pressing a kiss to
the man’s lips. His mate stared at him quizzically as Jordan pulled
back and then removed his boxers. He shifted.

Bailey’s eyes grew wide but he didn’t run from Jordan. Full

understanding dawned in his mate’s sage-green eyes, as if he
comprehended the gravity of the situation. Jordan butted his head into
Bailey’s legs, pushing his mate toward the closet.

“I am not hiding like a coward,” Bailey mouthed indignantly.

Jordan could see the tightness around Bailey’s mouth, the barely
suppressed anger in his sage-green eyes. But even deeper than that,
Jordan could see the wounded pride.

Lynn Hagen

That still didn’t sway Jordan.
He didn’t have time for this. Jordan rammed his head into

Bailey’s thigh, letting the human know that he was not going to argue.
The nervous tension in his mate almost choked Jordan.

He was stunned when Bailey slapped at his neck. Was the guy

nuts? No one had ever dared strike Jordan, especially in his shifter
form. Bailey glared at him, giving him a defiant look.

Jordan wanted to bite the man. He was going to have a long talk

with his mate about safety and stubbornness. Bailey wasn’t a twig, but
he wasn’t a shifter either. If they were facing someone more lethal,
Bailey was fucked.

This would only complicate things, but Jordan relented. He turned

and padded down the hallway, his senses wide open. The only thing
he could scent was Bailey and the familiar aromas of his house. That
meant that whoever was breaking in hadn’t breached the window yet.

Stepping outside his bedroom door, Jordan sniffed the crack

between door and floor. A sudden rush of air told him that the
intruder had just opened the window. The scent of human filled his
lungs.

“I have a gun and I know how to use it!” Bailey shouted.
The scent of human quickly faded. The intruder was now gone.

Jordan turned toward Bailey, letting a rumble sound in his chest. He
was considering spanking his mate’s ass for pulling a stunt like that.

Bailey shrugged, his hands spread wide. “What? You think I’m

going to let you fight when you’re not at full strength.”

Jordan snapped his teeth at Bailey. When was his mate going to

learn that Jordan knew how to protect the man?

Bailey glowered at him. “You can get as mad as you want, Jordan.

I know that you are damn good at protecting, but have you ever
stopped to think that maybe my manhood demands that I protect you
until you are fully healed?”

Jordan wanted to argue but he could see the resolution in Bailey’s

eyes. A small part of him grinned widely at the way Bailey was trying

Jordan’s Desires

to protect him. It meant that the man cared. That was more than
Jordan had been hoping for.

“I’m calling the cops. Get your ass back on the couch and change

into your human form while I handle this.” Bailey was pointing
sternly toward the living room, his expression telling Jordan that he
wasn’t going to argue.

Knowing the intruder had fled, Jordan padded back toward the

living room. Pride filled him from head to toe as he basked in the
knowledge that Bailey cared about him. He heard his mate talking on
the phone as he crawled up onto the couch and shifted.

He had to admit that he was tired as hell. Fucking Bailey had

pretty much drained him. Tossing the blanket back over him, Jordan
relaxed. But he still kept his senses alert just in case the burglar came
back before the cops arrived.

As he lay there, Jordan couldn’t help but smile to himself. He

didn’t care what Bailey said. The human felt their connection and was
acting like a mama bear protecting her cub. It was an odd sensation
for Jordan, considering how muscular he was. He had no problem
defending himself but gloried in the fact that his smaller mate was
willing to risk himself to keep Jordan safe.

It was an idiotic notion, but that didn’t stop Jordan from grinning

ear to ear. He was going to have Bailey’s heart yet.

Lynn Hagen

Chapter Eight

“You didn’t see anyone?” the cop asked Bailey.
He was a quivering mess on the inside, but Bailey managed to

hold himself together. Too much craziness was going on and Bailey
hadn’t a clue who was trying to harm Jordan. “No, by the time I
opened the bedroom door the intruder was gone.”

He couldn’t very well say that his mate—a black panther—had

scented the intruder. He had to add a touch of fabrication to his story.
Bailey was trying to stick as close to the truth as possible, but some
things needed to be fudged.

“Is this your home?”
Bailey shook his head. “My boyfriend has the flu. I’m over here

taking care of him.”

The cop nodded. “We didn’t find anything outside. But it looks

like the window was jimmied open.”

The confirmation that someone had tried to break in made a cold

knot form in Bailey’s stomach. He was certain that it wasn’t a
vampire because the sun hadn’t fully set. Could it have been one of
the Vampire Hunters? Since Jordan had killed that lawyer, no one had
heard anything else as far as Bailey knew.

Maybe the group had finally put two and two together and was

coming after Jordan for revenge. They were careful not to leave any
prints at the lawyer’s house but that didn’t mean that they had gone
unnoticed. What if someone had seen them?

Once the cops had completed their investigation and taken

Bailey’s statement, he was finally left alone with Jordan. He locked

Jordan’s Desires

the front door and then walked over to the couch, kneeling by
Jordan’s side.

The man was fast asleep. Bailey ran his fingers over the side of

Jordan’s face, smiling at his…mate. Bailey grinned at the possessive
word. He liked it. But then again, he was coming to like everything
about Jordan.

As much as he fought against it, Bailey had fallen in love. He

couldn’t muster up the regret as he stared into Jordan’s handsome
face. His mate was nothing like Harley, and Bailey was thankful for
that. Jordan didn’t shower him with pretty words or present him with
a dozen roses. No, what Jordan gave him was priceless.

He gave Bailey nothing but the honest truth and for him, that was

better than any pretty words or more cherished than any flowers that
bloomed. What Jordan gave him was everlasting.

“You’re watching me.”
A grin pulled at the sides of Bailey’s lips. Jordan’s eyes were

closed, yet he knew exactly what Bailey was doing. “I am.” His voice
was a little rough, filled with emotion as Jordan opened his eyes, the
amber irises seeming to glow with intensity. “What is a mate?” He
knew what it was, on a basic level. But Bailey had a feeling that being
mated meant so much more.

He wanted to fully understand what was happening between him

and Jordan.

Jordan rolled to his side and placed his large hand on the side of

Bailey’s face, his amber eyes sparkling as he gave Bailey a rueful
smile. “You were born just for me, Bailey. From the moment you
were conceived, you were mine. The fates connected our souls, bound
us together, and made sure we fit together as perfectly as the stars
shimmer for the moon.”

He inhaled softly when Jordan rested his forehead against

Bailey’s. “You’re the one, Bailey—the one that was made for me to
cherish.”

“But what if—”

Lynn Hagen

“There will never come a time when I don’t want you, desire you.

I will never wish to have another in my bed.”

Damn, damn, damn. Bailey was not going to cry. No, he was

going to hold it together. Jordan was just—wow—fuck, the tears were
growing heavy in his eyes. Bailey cleared his throat as he snaked his
arms around Jordan’s neck. He held on for dear life as he absorbed
Jordan’s words.

He had known Jordan was different from the very beginning, but

Bailey had been too damn afraid to let anyone in. Jordan’s strong
arms wrapped around him, holding him tight as Bailey finally
composed himself enough to speak. “You’ll never hurt me?”

“The only time you may feel pain is if you eat my cooking.”
Bailey laughed into Jordan’s neck, kissing his mate’s rough beard.

The man needed a shave. “I’m going to trust you, Jordan.” Those
were the scariest words Bailey had ever spoken.

“Thank you,” Jordan replied.
Bailey wasn’t sure why the man was thanking him, but he finally

felt like he belonged, like he had found someone that wasn’t going to
use how Bailey felt against him. Jordan had said he was the one. He
couldn’t see why the man would lie to him, not after all the shit they
had been through so far.

“I’m starving,” Jordan said as he pulled back. “But I don’t think I

can sit at a restaurant.”

“I’m a decent cook,” Bailey admitted. He could cook up a mean

grilled cheese. Together, they were screwed. He could see now that
they were going to dine out a lot. “Let me see what I can whip up for
you.”

Jordan lay back, looking exhausted. Bailey was glad to see the

guy slowly coming back. It had worried him when Jordan had done
nothing but sleep for days. The doctor had told Bailey to expect that,
but going through it was hell on the nerves.

He gathered the bread, butter, and cheese. Next Bailey grabbed

the pan. In minutes he had two hot grilled cheese sandwiches sitting

Jordan’s Desires

on a plate, along with a glass of juice. He had barely been able to get
Jordan to swallow soup when he was sick.

Something solid in the stomach should make the man feel much

better. He began to hum to himself as he carried the plate and glass
out to Jordan, setting it down so he could wake his mate.

He silently cursed when he spilled some of the juice. Bailey

grabbed a towel from the kitchen and then bent down to clean up the
mess. As his hand swept under the couch, he hit something. He bent
further and gazed under the couch, frowning when he saw a small
device that looked like the end of a headphone set.

What the dickens was that?
Grabbing the hard piece of plastic, Bailey pulled it free and

examined the thing. It was the strangest thing Bailey had ever seen.
He brushed his hand over Jordan’s side. “Wake up.”

Jordan turned, his eyes slowly opening. “It smells great.”
Bailey held up the piece of broken headphone. “You need better

cleaning skills, buddy.”

His mate stared at Bailey’s hand in confusion. Bailey didn’t

understand. It was just a broken piece of headphone. Why would
Jordan look that way? He tossed the piece of plastic on the coffee
table, forgetting about it until his mate pushed into a sitting position
and clamped a hand over Bailey’s mouth.

Jordan’s amber eyes flew back to the broken piece of plastic.

“Don’t say anything else,” he mouthed.

Bailey was the one who was confused now. Jordan’s paranoid

expression didn’t make any sense to him. He nodded and Jordan
removed his hand. He picked up the piece of plastic and dropped it
into his glass of juice.

“Why did you do that?”
Jordan stood, swayed slightly, and pointed toward his bedroom. “I

have to get dressed.”

Lynn Hagen

He was doing something funny with his face, as if he were trying

to tell Bailey something—or he had real bad gas. Bailey wasn’t sure
at this point.

Thinking it a better option than kneeling there wondering what

was going on, Bailey followed Jordan. He wanted to make sure the
guy didn’t fall over as well. Jordan wasn’t too steady on his feet.

His mate used the wall for support as he walked down the

hallway. Bailey jumped out ahead of Jordan, stopping the man from
entering the room until he could check it out. Jordan gave him a deep
scowl, but Bailey ignored it.

Someone had tried to break in. He wasn’t going to allow Jordan to

go into the room first and possibly be attacked. Shifter or not, the man
didn’t look like he could defend himself against dust bunnies right
now.

Bailey nervously opened the door and peeked inside. When he

saw that the window was closed and no one was in the bedroom, he
moved aside for Jordan.

“Don’t do that again.” Jordan whispered the growl in his ear.
Deciding that it was better to ignore the guy instead of arguing, he

rummaged through Jordan’s closet and pulled out a burnt-orange
button-down shirt while his mate grabbed a pair of jeans. He hadn’t
seen Jordan in anything but jeans and T-shirts. Well, except for when
they dined at the Lucky Clover, and Jordan looked like a delicious
piece of eye candy when he was cleaned up.

The black panther had even worn his long raven hair in a thong.

The actor Jason Momoa—who had been Bailey’s all-time favorite
until he met the mechanic—had nothing on Jordan. His mate was
even more handsome and rugged looking.

Without argument, Jordan grabbed the shirt and put it on. Bailey

bit his bottom lip, his cock hardening as he watched the man dress. He
had to remind himself that Jordan wanted to get out of here, not let
Bailey undress him and have his wicked way with the man.

Jordan’s Desires

It was tempting as hell, though. The way those jeans hung on

Jordan’s ass was dreamy. The man had a killer body. He was like
Bailey’s own personal mountain that he could climb. He knew he was
busted when a sly smile curled up the side of Jordan’s mouth. The
man was enjoying the way Bailey was ogling him!

Once Jordan was dressed, Bailey had to fight not to touch his

mate. The burnt orange seemed to ignite the amber in Jordan’s eyes,
making them ‘pop’ out and be noticed more dramatically.

They walked from the room, Jordan pointing toward the back

door. Bailey was still clueless about what was going on but kept pace
with his mate. He didn’t say a word until they were in the truck and
pulling away from the house.

“Okay, now tell me why you went all secret agent on me.”
Jordan pulled onto the road. He hadn’t even bothered to argue

with his mate about driving. Jordan wasn’t the type to hand over the
control. He had gone straight to the driver’s door and Bailey hadn’t
stopped him.

“That wasn’t a missed piece of trash left under the couch. It was a

listening device.” Jordan’s knuckles gripped the steering wheel
tighter.

“How do you know?” Jordan was just a mechanic, right? How

would he know what a listening device looked like?

“Because I left the city I was living in when the woman I was

dating accused me of being the company mole.”

Wait, woman? “You dated a woman?”
Jordan cut his pretty eyes at Bailey. “I tell you I was accused of

trying to bring this large corporation down and you focus on the
woman?”

“Well, yeah. Are you gay or is it just me?”
Jordan let out a long sigh. “I’m bisexual, Bailey. But that’s not

what I’m talking about right now.”

Oh, they were definitely going to talk about it later. Definitely.

Lynn Hagen

“Someone in the company placed listening devices around my

apartment. It was all fabricated bullshit. Come to find out it was Mina
who was the mole. She was just trying to cast the blame on me so no
one would look too hard at her. It almost worked, but she screwed up
and was caught downloading sensitive files. I left town anyway. My
dad used to own a garage and had taught me everything I needed to
know about cars. I had run from who I was, wanting more, a grand
life, but once I had it, I found it to be very empty. When Rio told me
there was a job opening here, I took it.”

Bailey snickered. “Dude, that’s the most I’ve heard you talk since

we met.”

“I’ve never been big on words,” Jordan admitted as a blush stole

across his handsome face. “You learn a lot about people when you sit
back and quietly observe or let them do all the talking.”

Bailey gripped his seat belt, glancing out the side window. “And

what have you learned about me?”

Jordan pulled one hand from the steering wheel and slid it over

Bailey’s. “That you have a very big heart and have been hurt. You are
afraid to be hurt again, which is understandable. You feel things
deeper than most, take things to heart.”

Bailey squeezed Jordan’s hands at the truth. He knew everyone

was fully aware of his heartbreak. He just hadn’t known Jordan could
read him so effortlessly. “I’m a fool who falls in love too easily.”

“No,” Jordan said as he twined his fingers with Bailey’s. “You’re

a man who isn’t afraid to fall in love.”

“But I fought being with you.”
“True, but tell me, Bailey. Have you fallen in love with me?”
Bailey yanked his hand free. “Are you making fun of me?”
“Quite the opposite,” Jordan replied. “I’m elated that I didn’t have

to wait years for your heart.” He reached out and ran his knuckles
down Bailey’s face. “I’m honored that you would trust me with
yours.”

Jordan’s Desires

Bailey dipped his head as he wondered why Jordan would be

honored. Bailey felt like a booby prize compared to the gorgeous man
sitting next to him.

“Looks aren’t everything.”
How did the guy know what Bailey was thinking? Jordan was

sometimes too damn spooky. “Won’t you miss being with females?”
Bailey didn’t want to know the answer, but the question had been
sitting on his lips since Jordan confessed that he swung both ways.

“Will you miss dating other men?”
“No,” he said without hesitation. “When I’m with someone, I’m

with that person. I don’t even contemplate being with other people.”
That’s what Bailey never understood. How could Harley date a ton of
people and not have guilt eat him alive? He hoped to hell the guy got
what he deserved.

“Exactly.”
He had told Jordan that he would trust him, and that’s what Bailey

was going to do. He now realized that he couldn’t go at a relationship
half-assed. He was the type to give it his all or nothing.

There was no way he could give Jordan nothing, so he was going

to cross his fingers and take the plunge. He just prayed he didn’t land
on jagged rocks.

“Where are we headed?”
“My cousin’s house. Rio won’t mind. He’s mated to a fey named

Fire.” Jordan gave him an apologetic smile. “Don’t mind Fire.
He’s…unique.”

What did that mean?
He would soon find out because Jordan was pulling into

someone’s driveway. Bailey was about to meet Jordan’s family. He
had briefly met them on Bear’s front porch, but they were about to
spend some time here.

“Relax. Rio is a laid-back guy.”
That was easy for Jordan to say. He had known Rio forever.

Bailey just hoped he measured up to Rio’s appraisal.

Lynn Hagen

* * * *

“A listening device?” Rio asked as he took a seat at the kitchen

table. “Are you sure?”

Jordan glanced toward the living room where Fire was

entertaining Bailey. He knew his mate had been nervous about
meeting Jordan’s family and hadn’t wanted to leave Bailey alone, but
his mate had insisted he was fine.

“I’m positive. I just don’t know who planted it there.”
Rio ran a hand over his stubbled jaw. “Maverick put out the word

that Vampire Hunters were in town and to watch our backs. You
killed that lawyer before you fell sick. Do you think it could be one of
them, you know, the Hunters?”

“I’m not sure. Mark was supposed to make the lawyer’s death

look like an accident.”

“Oh it was very believable,” Rio said. “The guy is damn good,

Jordan. Remind me not to get killed around him. Mark could easily
make it look like an accident and everyone would believe it.”

“I didn’t know about the Hunters. I was poisoned before I got the

memo.”

“Did anyone find out who poisoned you?”
“I haven’t heard anything yet.” Jordan was frustrated as hell that

he didn’t know a damn thing. He wanted to get to the bottom of who
was shooting at Bailey and who had poisoned him. “I need to figure
out who is causing all this bullshit. I don’t want Bailey hurt.”

Jordan sat back when Bailey walked into the kitchen. His mate

took a seat in his lap, snaking his arms around Jordan’s neck. Jordan
placed his hand on Bailey’s hip, amazed at how good it felt to have
his mate in his arms, in his life. He had been telling the truth when he
said his life had been empty.

Jordan’s Desires

But with Bailey, Jordan finally felt complete. He would be

devastated if anything happened to his sexy firefighter. Jordan could
tell by Bailey’s body language that he was still a bit nervous.

“We’re going to figure this out, Bailey. I promise.”
“I know. I just don’t like the feeling that someone is out there

hunting us.” Bailey shook his head emphatically. “It doesn’t sit right
with me.”

That was the understatement of the year.
“Just remember that the paranormal community is a very close

community, Bailey,” Rio said. “We protect our own and now that
you’ve mated Jordan, you’re one of us. We have your back.”

Jordan quickly tucked his lips in when Bailey’s head snapped

around, a glint of wonder and anger darkening his sage-green eyes.
His mate was so damn adorable when he was pissed.

“Just how many people know that we’ve mated?”
Jordan tried to keep a straight face when Rio burst out laughing.

“Um…pretty much everyone.”

“It’s not something you can hide from a shifter, Bailey.”
Jordan rolled his eyes in exasperation when Bailey turned to glare

at Rio. “Dude, shut the fuck up. You’re not helping here.”

Rio just raised his hands in the air. “I’m just saying…”
“Well, don’t. I’ll explain it to Bailey.”
“Is there something you don’t want me to know?” Bailey snapped,

turning back to Jordan. “Are you hiding something from me?”

Jordan groaned. This was so not turning out how he expected.

“No, baby, I promise. I am not hiding anything from you. Rio just
doesn’t have any damn tact. I was trying to explain it to you a little
easier.”

“What in the hell did you do to him?” Rio asked in almost a

whisper of wonder. “I’ve never heard Jordan talk that damn much.”

Bailey—much to Jordan’s shock and surprise—just grinned. “I

mated him.”

Lynn Hagen

* * * *

Bailey leaned against the doorframe and watched Jordan as he sat

talking with Rio and Maverick. He was still a little weirded out at
learning that Maverick Brac was a shape shifter. The man was
certainly big enough to be one of the largest wolves around, and he
exuded power like a second skin.

But the mayor as the alpha of a wolf pack?
That was just a little hard for Bailey to wrap his mind around.
The power the man was able to call up with a single flick of his

pinkie finger was just as damn weird. While they all sat snug inside
Rio’s house, sentries—as Bailey had learned they were called—
patrolled the outside.

Even more of Maverick’s pack members were over at Jordan’s

house investigating not only the break in but the listening device
Bailey had found. Since nothing had been found at the restaurant, that
was a dead end. That didn’t leave much more to investigate.

Still, everyone seemed determined to find out just exactly who

was after Jordan. No one was more determined than Bailey. He
refused to consider the possibility that something could happen to
Jordan after giving the man his heart, and his trust.

Bailey rubbed his forehead as he started going over everything he

knew. He might not be a shifter but he was just as smart as the next
guy…er… shifter. He would figure this out. Jordan’s life depended on
it.

“You said that some woman was really pissed at you before you

came here,” Bailey said as he stepped into the room, gaining
everyone’s attention. “She was caught stealing from the company but
did they charge her or just let her go?”

“She was fired and charges were filed against her. I’m not sure

what really happened to her after that. Why?”

“Could she have come after you?”

Jordan’s Desires

“It’s possible. She was pretty damn pissed when she got caught

but I’m not sure she was pissed at me exactly, more like that she got
caught in the first place.”

“But she could be a possibility?”
“I suppose so.”
“Anyone mad at you since you arrived in Brac Village?”
“Besides you?”
Bailey smirked. “Yeah, besides me.”
“Not that I can think of.”
“So, we have this woman, the Vampire Hunters—especially if

they know the truth about the lawyer—and vampires in general.”
Bailey glanced around the room, his eyes landing on the faces of
everyone. “Did I miss anyone?”

“Have you pissed anyone off?”
Bailey grinned at Jordan. “Just you.”

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Lynn Hagen

Chapter Nine

Bailey settled in bed. He and Jordan were sleeping in the guest

bedroom at Rio’s house. He missed being home. He didn’t mind
staying at Jordan’s house to take care of his mate, but nothing beat
sleeping in his own bed.

Jordan slid his shirt off, his back to Bailey. He turned on his

stomach and propped his head in his hands, watching as the muscles
flexed and bunched on the man’s back and arms. Could the guy be
any more handsome?

“You’re watching me.”
Bailey couldn’t help but grin. He loved everything about Jordan,

down to his sexy toes. He loved the way Jordan smiled, laughed,
argued, fucked, and smelled. The list went on and on. For someone
who had refused to try at love again, he sure as shit was in love.

“I am. I’m waiting for you to remove your pants so I can see your

gorgeous backside.”

Jordan began to pull his jeans down but revealed only the top half

of his butt cheeks, smiling at Bailey over his shoulder. “What, this old
thing?”

The tease!
He had no clue his mate had it in him to tease Bailey. He liked

this side of Jordan. It was also frustrating as hell because Bailey really
did want to see the man’s ass. Both mounds were sculpted to
perfection, tight, firm, and he absolutely loved the twin dimples that
rested just above those globes.

So sexy.
So bitable.

Jordan’s Desires

101

“If you don’t show me your ass, you won’t get mine.” Two could

play at the teasing game. Of course, there was no way Bailey was
going to hold out. Letting Jordan fuck him was living and breathing
nirvana.

Jordan crossed the room, his jeans hanging from his hips as he

reached over and ran his fingers up the crease of Bailey’s ass. “Are
you sure about that?”

Bailey betrayed his threat by moaning and arching his ass into the

air. Jordan gave a low and deep chuckle as his fingers continued to
play with Bailey’s backside. He should tell his mate to back off until
Jordan removed his jeans, but he wasn’t able to make his mouth work.
The only sounds he was producing were noises that couldn’t even be
categorized as words. Jordan had long, thick fingers and the man
knew how to use them. The tips kept getting extremely close to
Bailey’s quivering hole, but then backed away at the last second.

Jordan was out to kill him!
“I think my mate wants me to fuck him right here.” One lone

finger slipped in to the first knuckle. Bailey whimpered, his head
nodding in short bursts. Teasing was overrated. Bailey wanted some
action.

Pushing to all fours, Bailey leaned forward and bit Jordan’s

stomach, the patch of skin right over the fabric of his jeans.

“You going to suck me off, honey?”
The hopefulness in Jordan’s voice was Bailey’s undoing. How

could he deny his mate when he sounded so sensual, so needy? Thick
fingers continued to play at his ass while Bailey released Jordan’s
heavy shaft.

The pre-cum was already oozing from the tiny slit.
They were guests in Rio’s home and Bailey had to remember not

to scream until the walls caved in. That was going to be hard. He
loved when Jordan laid it down heavy and hard on him. Bailey
especially loved the way Jordan curled his hips and rode him hard.

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Lynn Hagen

Bailey licked until the head of Jordan’s cock was glistening before

sucking it into his mouth. Hearing the sultry groans that spilled from
Jordan’s mouth caused Bailey’s own cock to ache and leak.

Using his tongue, Bailey laved the tender depression beneath the

swollen crown and then tongue-fucked the tiny slit, licking away the
salty taste of Jordan’s desires. His mate’s fingers dove deeper into
Bailey’s ass as he groaned at what Bailey was doing.

He pushed out, grinding into the thrusts to take Jordan’s fingers

even deeper. Bailey was so damn ready that he nearly came on the
blanket below him. Jordan must have sensed this because he began to
spear his fingers faster.

Swallowing the erection to the root, Bailey cried out around the

man’s shaft as he came, his cock pulsing out his orgasm.

“Mmm, so nice.” Jordan pulled his fingers free and then slipped

out of his jeans. Bailey had collapsed on the bed, panting, and wishing
he hadn’t just fallen into his own cum. It was cooling and was messy.

He didn’t lay there long, though. Jordan flipped Bailey onto his

back and then scooped him up until he was straddling impressive
thighs. Jordan was acting as if he hadn’t been fed in years. He was
devouring Bailey, his hands everywhere, his lips as well.

“Fuck, I want to eat you alive.” Jordan growled in his ear before

Bailey felt something wet at his ass. Jordan was lubing him. Bailey
gasped, tossing his head back as Jordan licked, sucked, and kissed his
throat, jaw, and shoulder.

Moments later he was crying out as Jordan impaled him. He’d

never seen Jordan so wild or so damn freaky. The man was purring,
his fingers pressing heavily into Bailey’s sides. When he grabbed a
fistful of hair, Bailey felt like he was petting the panther.

The noises Jordan was making…wow…erotic.
He shivered and let out a long moan when Jordan’s canines began

to descend. His shoulder pulsed in anticipation as his mate’s cock
drove deeper into his ass. Bailey cried out, his hands gripping
Jordan’s hair tighter.

Jordan’s Desires

103

“Jordan,” Bailey gasped as he was raised and lowered over and

over, relishing his lover’s strength and endurance. He buried his head
into Jordan’s damp hair, breathing the man in. Just when he thought
he couldn’t take anymore, Bailey wailed as Jordan’s angle altered and
his sweet spot was struck again and again.

“Come for me, baby.”
“God, yes,” Bailey groaned. Jordan curled his hips a few more

times before Bailey shattered in the man’s arms. He shouted Jordan’s
name at the top of his lungs before Jordan bit down on his shoulder,
his canines breaking skin.

Jordan let out a low growl as he hammered into Bailey’s ass, his

cock stretching Bailey wide before Jordan grunted, Bailey’s ass filling
with his seed. He rested his head on his mate’s shoulder as he panted,
sweat covering Bailey’s back.

“We should shower.” Jordan eased out of Bailey, holding onto

him as he pushed from the bed. Bailey wasn’t about to argue with his
mate about carrying him. He was too whipped. He smiled into
Jordan’s chest, sore and content.

* * * *

Jordan was driving into work. Mark had told him that he would

keep the bay doors closed so no one knew he was there, but he had a
living to make and he wasn’t going to get paid sitting on his ass.
Bailey had been picked up and had gone to the firehouse, Bear
promising to keep a close eye on him.

He wasn’t sure how much more of this he could take. Jordan was

ready to settle down with Bailey, but it seemed something was always
getting into the way. He was ready to—Jordan slammed on the brakes
when a semi pulled out in front of him. His foot nearly went through
the floor, but he wasn’t slowing down.

He jammed his booted foot in as far as it would go, but his truck

continued on its collision course. Thinking quickly, Jordan unsnapped

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Lynn Hagen

his seat belt and pushed the truck door open. It wasn’t easy. The wind
was fighting against him, trying to keep the door closed.

He pushed with all his might and then leapt, right before the truck

impacted the semi. Jordan rolled a good thirty feet before stopping.
Fuck! His body was protesting, pain encompassing him. It felt like his
left arm was broken. He couldn’t move it and when he tried, agony
shot through his entire left side.

Unfortunately, Jordan didn’t have time to lay there and wallow in

pain. Someone began to shoot at him. He pushed to his feet, his left
arm tight at his side as he ran into the woods to his right.

Was it the truck driver? Is that who was shooting at him? Why? It

hadn’t been his fault that his truck had no brakes. Why didn’t his
truck have brakes? Jordan knew the answer. He just hated thinking
that someone was really out to kill him. First he was poisoned and
now this.

Could it be Mina? Somehow Jordan doubted it. Vampire Hunters?

Possibly.

“There’s no use in running.”
Jordan didn’t recognize the voice. It definitely wasn’t Mina.

Knowing he was going to have to shift in order to climb a tree to get a
better look, Jordan moved to his right. His arm was still killing him.
Even if he changed into his panther, it would still take time to heal.

He wasn’t going to be able to climb.
Calling someone would help. Not at this very second, but if he

called his boss, Jordan would stand a better chance since he was
wounded.

He was getting sick and tired of being wounded.
Not wanting to give his position away, Jordan texted Mark. He

hoped like hell his boss had his phone close by.

“You’re going to die. So you might as well stop running and face

me.”

Not likely.

Jordan’s Desires

105

Jordan wasn’t going to die today or any other day if he could help

it. He had a long life to live with Bailey and he wasn’t shortchanging
his mate. Besides, he liked breathing. If he could manage with his
injuries, Jordan was going to kill the bastard hunting him. He was sick
of this bullshit.

Moving as quiet as a black panther, Jordan continued to step to his

right. He wanted to get out of the man’s line of sight, but he also
wanted to see who was after him. The sound of sirens could be heard
in the distance.

Had Mark gotten his message and called the cops?
“You got lucky today,” the man called out. “Don’t count on that

luck holding out much longer.”

Jordan rested his back against a tree as he waited for the sirens to

come closer. He wasn’t sure if the pursuer was still close by and he
wasn’t chancing anything. Twice he had gotten lucky—one when the
lawyer had held a gun to him, the second time when he was poisoned.

The bastard was right. Jordan’s luck wasn’t going to hold out

much longer. He needed to find out who it was and end the man’s life.
Until then he needed to shift and heal. Jordan wasn’t going to be able
to do that until he got to the garage.

He sure as hell didn’t need the cops finding a black panther passed

out cold in the woods.

When the sirens stopped, Jordan knew they were by his destroyed

truck. He cautiously walked from the woods, his eyes scanning his
surroundings the entire time as he finally made it to the road.

There were two cop cars, their lights swirling as they talked with a

guy Jordan assumed was the truck driver. That ruled that guy out. The
truck driver pointed over toward Jordan.

The cops turned and then two of the uniformed officers began to

hurry over to him. “Are you hurt, son?” one of them asked. Concern
was etched in the deep lines of his face. He reached out to put a hand
on Jordan’s shoulder, but Jordan moved out of the way in time. If the
cop touched him right now, he just might crumble in pain.

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Lynn Hagen

Jordan knew that if he told them he had a broken arm, they would

insist he go to the hospital. He couldn’t go to the hospital. There was
a fifty-fifty chance he wouldn’t be seen by Dr. Sheehan and anyone
else looking at him wouldn’t be good. He was a shifter, after all. “I’m
fine.”

“Mind telling us what happened?” the second cop asked.
Jordan glanced over to his truck and felt his blood run cold. The

whole frontend was gone. It lay on the side of the road in a twisted
mangle. If he hadn’t jumped… “My brakes failed.”

“Then what were you doing in the woods?” the first one asked, his

light-grey eyes filled with concern.

Jordan didn’t have a ready answer.
“I think he’s concussed,” the second cop said. “He looks a little

disoriented.”

If Jordan said he wasn’t, they would badger him about the

accident. If he used that excuse to get out of explaining things, he
would end up at the hospital. It was a no win situation.

Relief flooded him when Mark pulled up and got out of his truck.

He’d never been so happy to see anyone at the moment. The large
tattooed man walked over to him, his eyes gazing over at the accident
and then at Jordan, knowledge of what could have been Jordan’s fate
glimmering in his eyes. “Jordan, are you all right?”

No. He felt like passing out on the ground. His entire left side was

killing him. He still didn’t know who had been after him and Jordan
wasn’t sure if the guy was still in the vicinity, watching him. It was an
eerie feeling. “I’m fine.”

He was tempted to cradle his arm but managed to make his stance

look casual. It wasn’t easy and Jordan wanted to shout out in agony,
but he didn’t.

Mark studied him for a moment and a light shone in the man’s

eyes, understanding that Jordan wasn’t okay but needed to get
somewhere private to shift.

Jordan’s Desires

107

As much as he wanted to leave, Jordan stood there in pain and

told the cops what happened. He had no choice. Mark called for a
tow—Caden, Mark’s mate, said he would tow Jordan’s truck. Jordan
apologized to the truck driver and then let Mark put him in the front
seat of his vehicle after the cops were done taking down what
happened.

He was never so glad to get away from somewhere.
Mark started the truck. “I’ll have you back at the garage in no

time. What hurts on you?”

“Everything,” he said as he tried to find a comfortable position.

There wasn’t one. “I think my left arm is broken.”

A grim line formed Mark’s mouth, his expression full of anger.

“From what you explained to the cops, it sounds like your brakes
were cut.”

Jordan nodded. “That’s what I’m thinking.”
Mark drove away from the accident and headed toward town. “As

soon as I have your truck in my garage, I’ll check it from bumper to
bumper.”

“Do I still have a bumper?” Jordan asked, trying at levity but

failing. He was in too much pain to even crack a smile.

“Probably not,” Mark answered solemnly. “Your truck is totaled.”
Jordan tried to sit perfectly still, but that wasn’t helping the pain.

Nothing would until he could shift. “If I hadn’t jumped, I would be as
well.” And that thought made Jordan light-headed.

If he hadn’t jumped, he would be a part of the twisted metal.
As soon as Mark pulled into his garage, Bailey was hurrying

toward the truck. He wasn’t sure how his mate found out so quickly
but was glad to see him.

“Oh my god!” Bailey said as Jordan eased from the truck. “What

the hell happened? Bear told me you were in an accident, but he
didn’t know anything else.”

Jordan wasn’t sure he should tell his mate his brakes were cut. He

didn’t want to send Bailey over the edge with worry, but he couldn’t

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lie to the man either. Mark showed him to a comfortable-looking sofa
in his office. It looked like it had seen better days, but it also looked
well broken in.

As he eased down, Jordan gritted his teeth in order not to shout.

“I–I—” Goddamn, his pain had escalated and it hurt to even talk now.

“He needs to rest, Bailey,” Mark said. “Let him shift so he can

heal. I’ll fill you in on the details.”

Bailey knelt in front of Jordan, his sage-green eyes shimmering

with worry. “What can I do for you?” His mate’s hands hovered
close, but he didn’t touch Jordan. As much as he wanted to wrap
himself around the man, Jordan knew that would be too painful.

“Heal,” he managed before he slumped over and shifted.

* * * *

Maverick hung up his phone, clutching his arm around his

grandson, Xavier. That was the second time someone had tried to kill
the black panther. He believed Mark when the mate had said he
suspected someone cut Jordan’s brakes. The human would have to
examine the truck, but Maverick was pretty sure Mark’s instincts
were dead on.

A few other shifters had run-ins with the Vampire Hunters as

well. Reno, a firefighter at the station, had said that he caught a
Hunter snapping pictures of him from a distance. And Kade, a snow
leopard who owned his own handmade furniture store, said someone
had been following him.

Maverick needed to get rid of the Vampire Hunters. He just didn’t

know who they were or where they were hiding out.

“Is he going to be okay?” Cecil asked as he walked into

Maverick’s office and plucked Xavier from his lap.

“Mark said that Jordan just needs to heal in his panther form.”
“That’s a good thing,” Cecil said as he took a seat on the black

sofa. “Do you know who is trying to kill him yet?”

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“Vampire Hunters,” Maverick answered. Who else could it be?
Cecil shook his head, his amethyst eyes pinned on Maverick. “The

others are just being followed or having their picture taken. Why is
Jordan suffering all these attacks? It sounds pretty personal if you ask
me.”

“But who would want Jord—Son of a bitch!” Maverick sat

forward, slamming his fist on his desk. His grandson looked over at
him curiously but didn’t cry at the sudden aggressive outburst. “This
is personal.”

“Duh, I just said that.” Cecil sat Xavier on the floor so the boy

could crawl around.

“Look at this from another angle, Cecil. With all the vampire stuff

going on all around us, who would we immediately suspect was out to
kill Jordan?”

“The Vampire Hunters,” Cecil gave the obvious answer.
“But who would want Jordan out of the way? Who would gain

from Jordan’s death?”

Cecil scratched his head. “Does he have a life insurance policy?”
Maverick chuckled. “I wasn’t talking about Bailey trying to off

him. Who did I kick out of town?”

Understanding dawned in Cecil’s eyes. “But why would Harley

want Bailey? He is a gigolo. One man doesn’t interest him. Besides,
wasn’t Bailey shot at?”

That was true. “Maybe Harley wanted to throw everyone off his

trail. I have a feeling that Bailey could have stood on his tiptoes and
he wouldn’t have been hit by a bullet. It was a scare tactic, nothing
more. “

Cecil sat back and threw his arm over the back of the sofa. “And

the Vampire Hunter that came after Jordan in the garage?”

“Totally different incident. It just so happens that Harley returning

for Bailey came at a time when the Vampire Hunters decided to pay
our town a little visit. The two situations are separate.” Maverick
leaned down and pulled Xavier from the floor. His grandson had

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crawled right to him. The little guy knew who his favorite granddaddy
was. He would just never tell Cecil.

His mate sat forward, wiggling a finger at Maverick. “If Harley

was the one who poisoned Jordan, how would he know about
wolfsbane? Only a shifter would know about that stuff. And from
what you told me, Harley is human.”

Maverick was becoming aggravated. “Stop shooting down all my

ideas.”

“I’m not. But if you are going with the Harley theory, you have to

tie up all loose ends. How would he know about wolfsbane?”

Bouncing Xavier on his knee, Maverick mulled it over. He didn’t

like what he came up with. It was a disturbing thought. But it fit
perfectly. “Because Harley Grouper is a Vampire Hunter. The very
first Kenyon sent in.”

“But what about that cop a while back? He had been working for

Kenyon,” Cecil stated.

“Harley has lived here longer,” Maverick answered in cold dread.

If a resident who had lived here for a few years had been a spy, then
who else was working for Kenyon? Maverick didn’t like the fact that
he couldn’t trust the townsfolk. Brac Village was supposed to be a
peaceful place to live.

The low-slung buildings and the few existing traffic lights called

to the community who were long on pride and history. The
businesses’ names were stenciled on the front windows or chalked on
a board right outside the front door. Some newer ones were neon.
They advertised anything from places to eat and drink to places a
person could buy handmade furniture. Maverick even loved the old-
fashioned barber pole outside of Heaven’s. The grey wolf had set a
bench out there for the old timers to sit and pass the time regaling
over their youths.

It was a quaint village and Maverick wanted it to stay that way.
If he was right about Harley, then there was no telling if any of the

other humans had been bought by Kenyon. He was glad now that he

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111

had allowed Christian’s vampires to wipe the residents’ minds when
they discovered that shifters existed. Maverick had been opposed to
the idea, but the Ultionem had decided that it was best that no
unmated human knew they existed.

Even if a few of the vampires had gotten out of hand. It was better

than any of the residents being armed with the truth. Now he had the
daunting task of figuring out who was an actual resident and who was
a spy.

It tore at his heart to know that the small community he had

worked so hard to build just might crumble. He was going to do
everything in his powers to rid the town of the Hunters and spies and
bring peace back.

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Chapter Ten

Bailey sat on the side of the couch, watching Jordan finally shift

back into his human form before waking. He was used to his mate
shifting by now. Jordan had done plenty of it when he was healing
from the wolfsbane. “How are you feeling?”

“Like I ran my truck into a semi.”
Caden had left some clothes on the desk for Jordan, and Bailey

was thankful. His mate was completely naked. The slim shifter had
been a big help while Jordan was healing.

“Mark confirmed that your brakes were cut,” Bailey said, his

stomach tying into knots at the thought of what could have happened
to Jordan. He reached out and slapped Jordan’s shoulder. “Don’t you
ever worry me like that again!”

Jordan grabbed his wrists and pulled Bailey close. “I promise not

to have a psychotic man hunting me down anymore.”

Okay, so it sounded ridiculous to him, but Bailey had been

terrified that Jordan had been killed when Bear told him about the
accident. He never wanted to feel that level of fear again.

That thought slammed into Bailey so hard and so fast that he

almost went to his knees under the anguish that he nearly lost Jordan.
He pressed his hand against his chest when he couldn’t get enough air
to his lungs.

“Breathe, baby.”
Bailey knew when his boss told him about Jordan that he was

head over heels in love with the guy. He knew before then that Jordan
had his heart, but he hadn’t known how deep his love ran until Bailey
thought he lost his mate.

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113

Bailey curled up next to Jordan, wrapping his arms around the

muscular man’s body. His hands slid through Jordan’s raven hair as
he thanked whoever was listening that Jordan hadn’t been taken from
him.

Thick arms encircled him as Jordan ran his hand over Bailey’s

back. “I’m fine, sweetheart,” Jordan said in a hushed tone. “Whoever
it is will have to come better than that. I’m a tough cat to kill.”

“Don’t say that,” Bailey begged. “That’s twice you were almost

taken from me. You shouldn’t joke about it.”

“Oh, honey.” Jordan squeezed him tight with his arms. “I’m sorry.

You’re right.”

Bailey finally pulled himself together, resting his head on Jordan’s

chest. They lay like that for a while, Bailey inhaling his mate’s scent,
Jordan brushing Bailey’s back with his knuckles. He wanted to find
out who was trying to take his mate from him so he could kill the
bastard. Bailey had finally found true happiness and he wasn’t going
to let anyone take that away from him.

Jordan tapped his back. “Grab my clothes, baby. I need to get

dressed and talk to Mark.”

Reluctantly, Bailey pulled away. He grabbed the stack Caden had

left on the desk and handed the clothes to Jordan. He wanted to help
his mate get dressed but knew the temptation was too much.

If he went near Jordan while he stood there gloriously naked, they

wouldn’t make it out of the office for another hour or two. When
Jordan was dressed, Bailey walked with his mate out to the bay. Mark
was out there working on another car, already searching Jordan’s
truck and sending the wreck in for scrap metal.

Even though they had proven Jordan’s brakes were cut, how were

they going to accuse the Vampire Hunters in court? They couldn’t
expose anything that was going on in this town. Bailey knew that and
it angered him to know that whoever was doing this was getting away
with trying to kill Jordan.

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Mark glanced up from under the hood. “Glad to see you up and

around,” he said as he wiped his hands on the shop rag he had stuffed
in his back pocket. “I went over your truck.”

“Bailey told me.” Jordan moved closer, leaning his hip against the

car Mark was working on. “I would love to know who cut my brakes.
Now that I’m healed, I’d like to have a personal talk with them.”

Bailey knew what that personal talk would consist of. He’d

already killed two men that Bailey knew of. He also knew that it
wasn’t in the massive man’s nature to be violent. Jordan did what he
had to do.

“Rio said he would give you a ride back to his place and then you

can figure out things from there.”

“Are you firing me?” Jordan asked.
Bailey held his breath. None of this was his mate’s fault. Jordan

hadn’t asked to be poisoned or have his brakes cut. If Mark fired
him—

“Hell, no. You’re a damn good worker. I would be a fool to let

you go. Just get this shit straightened out so you can get back to work.
Things are piling up.” Mark slipped the rag back into his pocket. “If
you need me, just call or text.”

“You called the cops for me, didn’t you?”
Mark nodded, his face set in tight lines. “I knew I wouldn’t make

it there in time. I had to give you some sort of advantage.”

“Appreciate it.” Jordan slapped Mark on his shoulder. “I was

pretty banged up.”

“Must be Rio,” Mark said.
Bailey turned when he heard the door to the shop open and had to

do a double take. Was that really Harley? “What are you doing here?”
The question just flew out of Bailey’s mouth, his tone wrapped in
astonishment. Bailey didn’t understand when Jordan grabbed him and
pulled Bailey behind his towering frame.

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115

It was just Harley, the man who had broken his heart and played

him for a fool. What was there to be concerned—Oh! Bailey spotted
the gun in Harley’s hand.

“You recognize him?” Jordan asked.
“That’s Harley Grouper,” Bailey stated, still feeling a bit strange

to see the man after all this time. Now that he was mated to Jordan,
Bailey was beginning to wonder what he had ever seen in the
scoundrel. He wasn’t that good-looking, and he was a bit on the lean
side.

Bailey had grown used to Jordan’s large, teddy bear size. He

loved it. Although it made him seem a bit small compared to his mate,
Jordan never made Bailey feel as if he were any less of a man.

“It was you!” Jordan bellowed with outrage. “You are the one

who has been trying to kill me.”

“What!” Bailey was shocked. Harley didn’t care about him. The

man was kicked out of town, leaving a string of lovers behind. He had
no heart. Why would he be back here? Why would he try to kill
Jordan?

“Just give me Bailey and no one will get hurt.” Harley moved a

little closer, the gun tucked close to his body.

“Why, Harley?” Bailey asked.
“Because Jordan is an animal. I won’t allow him to violate you

like one.”

Bailey was utterly confused. Harley had cheated on him with

numerous men and now he cared what happened to Bailey? He would
have died to have that declaration months ago. Now it just sickened
him.

For the first time, Bailey saw Harley for what he truly was—a

pathetic human being. He wanted no part of the man. How in the hell
had he been blinded by this guy? “You are the animal,” Bailey
snapped. “You are the one who thinks playing with people’s hearts is
okay, that it won’t affect anyone’s life. Now you come back here
demanding to be with me?”

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Harley’s eyes softened when he turned them on Bailey. “I tried to

tell Spencer how much I cared about you, but he wouldn’t listen.” His
face contorted into a mask of rage. “Instead of helping me win you
back, he had Maverick kick me out of town. These filthy beasts won’t
get away with what they are doing. The world is going to know they
exist and then I am going to enjoy watching them being obliterated.”

“You’re a Vampire Hunter,” Mark stated with a growl. “You have

lived here for years as a Hunter!”

A malicious smile formed on Harley’s face. “I was gathering intel

right under your noses. It just goes to show how stupid you creatures
really are.”

“Lose the gun and I’ll show you just how stupid I am,” Jordan

threatened.

Bailey couldn’t believe he had fallen for such a bad guy. He

wanted to punch the man for making him look like an idiot. He was
an idiot because Bailey was an all-around nice guy and he would have
never fallen for Harley’s bullshit if he had known.

He had to think of a way to save them. Bailey could think of one,

but Jordan was never going to go for it. He turned toward his mate.
“Trust me,” he mouthed.

Jordan’s brows furrowed as he stared at Bailey. He could tell his

mate was trying to figure out what Bailey was talking about. Bailey
couldn’t let Jordan realize what he was doing until he was doing it or
the big lug would stop him.

Bailey quickly moved away from Jordan, heading straight for

Harley.

“Bailey!” Jordan shouted. “What the fuck are you doing?”
“Stopping him from killing you.”
“How touching,” Harley said as he held his hand out for Bailey.

He didn’t want to touch the guy. “I should have killed him long
before now. I see he has corrupted your mind.”

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117

Bailey was terrified to be next to Harley, especially since he had a

gun, but he couldn’t think of any other way around this. “You said
you would let them go.”

“I lied,” Harley said as he raised his gun. “You should have never

slept with him, Bailey.”

Oh god! He was going to shoot Jordan. Bailey couldn’t let that

happen. He jumped at the gun, wrestling with Harley to get the damn
thing out of the man’s hands.

Harley wasn’t a pushover. The man was putting up one hell of a

struggle. Bailey knew he was going to have to fight down and dirty.
He needed the upper hand. Pulling his leg back, Bailey let his knee
fly, connecting it with Harley’s groin.

The man gave a loud grunt but didn’t release the gun. The tactic

hadn’t worked. Bailey was becoming desperate. If he didn’t get the
gun from Harley soon—Bailey froze when the gun went off. His eyes
grew round as he gasped.

“Bailey!” Jordan shouted as he raced across the garage. “Bailey,

baby, are you hurt? Did you get shot?”

Bailey could hear the stark terror in Jordan’s voice. He took a step

back when Harley slumped to the ground. Blood was spanning across
the man’s abdomen. Jordan grabbed Bailey in a tight grip, pulling him
against the man’s wide chest. “Don’t ever scare me like that again.”

“I promise not to have a psychotic man hunting me down

anymore.”

Jordan growled. “Not funny.” He cupped the back of Bailey’s

head, kissing his hair. “Not funny at all.”

“We need to get rid of the body,” Mark stated.
“Déjà vu,” Bailey said. “And I’m still not touching a dead body.”
“Only this time it was you. I can’t take you anywhere,” Jordan

said before kissing Bailey on the temple this time.

“Don’t worry,” Mark interjected. “I’ll get rid of the body.”
Bailey turned toward Jordan’s boss. “Exactly what did you do

before owning a garage?” The man was a little too proficient at

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disposing of dead bodies. He was expecting Mark to say undertaker or
morgue worker and was surprised when he replied, “Owned a tattoo
shop.”

“Then how—” Bailey shook his head. Did he really want to know

about Mark’s talent at getting rid of the dead? Not really. The less he
knew about this criminal stuff, the better. His insides were still tied
tightly into a knot and now he had just killed a man.

Bailey knew the ramifications of what he’d done hadn’t fully set

in yet. They couldn’t have because he was being too damn calm.
Jordan’s arm never left his side and Bailey was grateful. He needed
the grounding.

“Aside from the Hunters snooping around, I think you are pretty

safe,” Mark said as he pulled his cell phone out. “Head on out of here.
You don’t need to know my secrets.”

The man was smiling, but Bailey had a feeling he wasn’t joking.

He didn’t want to know Mark’s secrets. Hell, Bailey didn’t want to
know anyone’s. The only thing he did want was to go home with
Jordan.

Bailey still couldn’t believe that it was semi-safe to go home.

With the Hunters around, it would never be totally harmless, but was
there really any place that was one hundred percent safe anymore?

He didn’t want that question to be answered. Bailey wanted to live

with the delusion that he was safe with Jordan. He knew he was safer
with Jordan in his life. He just hoped like hell that all the craziness at
least slowed down now.

“Wow, Harley,” Bailey said as they walked out of the shop. “I

never would have suspected.”

“You’re not the only one,” Jordan said as they headed toward the

diner. Bailey suspected that they were going to grab some lunch
before getting a ride to Jordan’s house, or his, it really didn’t matter to
him at the moment.

“Do you think he was the one who planted that listening device

under your couch?”

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119

“I’m positive it was him,” Jordan answered as he pulled open the

diner door, allowing Bailey to enter first. “It doesn’t matter. Maverick
had my place swept for bugs. It seems the one under the couch was
the only bug in my home.” Jordan cleared his throat. “Our home,” he
corrected.

“Slow down, big boy. I’m not sure how things are done in the

paranormal world, but I still believe in dating and taking my time.”
Bailey slid into a booth. Jordan moved into the bench across from
him.

“I’d like that,” he admitted.
So would Bailey.

* * * *

Bailey opened his eyes. It was the dead of night, so why was he

awake? He turned, seeing Jordan fast asleep. Propping his head in his
hands, Bailey’s eyes roamed over mountains of muscled flesh,
appreciating the beauty lying next to him. He smiled when he
remembered what an ass he had made of himself with Jordan the first
night he met him. Gods, that seemed like eons ago.

His stomach did a funny little flip as he inhaled his mate’s scent,

his heart fluttering at the warm and rich scent that belonged to Jordan
Sommers. His mate had classically handsome features. There was an
inherent strength in his face. Bailey loved the shadow of a beard and
was going to ask Jordan not to shave.

It added to his ruggedness and manly aura that turned Bailey on.

He also had a generous mouth and an aquiline nose. Bailey grinned as
he glanced at Jordan’s chin. The set suggested a stubborn streak that
Bailey knew Jordan possessed.

“You’re watching me.”
Bailey smiled. Jordan hadn’t opened his eyes, but he knew. He

always knew. “I am.”

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Without opening his eyes, Jordan turned over and pulled Bailey

close. He snuggled in close, relishing the feel of his mate’s muscles
surrounding him, keeping him safe. “I love you, Bailey.”

Bailey swallowed roughly. He never thought to hear those words

spoken to him. Well, except for the time Jordan was out of it from
being poisoned. But that hadn’t counted. His mate had been feverish
and hallucinating.

Tilting his head back, Bailey stared up into amber eyes, eyes he

had grown to love so much. His throat was tight with emotions as his
body began to tremble. “I love you, too, Jordan.”

It felt as if something had been set free inside of him once he

spoke the words in his heart. He had finally found someone who
wasn’t going to hurt him and who truly loved him.

Jordan cupped the back of Bailey’s head and captured his lips.

Not only were Bailey’s toes curling but he was certain he could hear
angels singing…or maybe that was just the blood rushing through his
ears. The gentle massage sent currents of desire through him as
Jordan slowly moved over Bailey, hovering as he kicked Bailey’s legs
apart. Bailey was shattering like fine crystal that had been dropped
into a kiss that rocked him from head to toe.

Jordan reached under Bailey with one arm, curved it around

Bailey’s back, then turned and pulled him in close for a kiss filled
with heat and intense passion. Bailey loved that Jordan kissed him as
if the act were an art. Not many men kissed like that anymore.

His lips glided over Bailey’s, his tongue slowly exploring. The

scrape of his stubble sent thrills through Bailey, right down to his
groin.

Jordan reached between Bailey’s legs and then grinned into

Bailey’s mouth. “Plug?”

“I wasn’t sure, so I wanted to be ready.”
He hissed loudly when Jordan began to play with it. “I can

guarantee that you can always be sure I want my mate.”

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121

Bailey spread his legs wider as Jordan removed the plug—his ass

well lubed from inserting it earlier—and slid his cock inside Bailey as
if he had all the time in the world.

And they did. Bailey wasn’t going anywhere. He was Jordan’s

desire, his heartbeat, and Jordan was his.

THE END

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lynn Hagen loves writing about the somewhat flawed, but

lovable. She also loves a hero who can see past all the rough edges to
find the shining diamond of a beautiful heart.

You can find her on any given day curled up with her laptop and a

cup of hot java, letting the next set of characters tell their story.

For all titles by Lynn Hagen, please visit