Page 20 of Sweetheart

Firm hands caught him by his elbows.

Mason looked up. “Levi?” Fuck! He should have been an actor. He sounded so innocent.

“Mason.” Levi said his name quietly. God, what would it be like to hear Levi calling out his name in the middle of the night while they were getting to know each other much better?

Their gaze met and Mason licked his lips. Damn, he wanted Levi even more than when he didn’t know what the other man tasted like.

Someone cleared their throat. “Are you two going to start doing it? The sexual tension—”

Levi growled before he released Mason and stepped back. “Stop, Tristan!”

Who was Tristan? Mason hadn’t heard that name yet. He peered around Levi and nearly swallowed his tongue. Oh! Wow. That man—

Levi sighed. “Mason, this is a…friend of mine, Tristan. Tristan, this is Mason.”

Tristan grinned. “TheMason?” he asked with excitement.

“The only Mason I’m aware of,” Mason retorted. Had Levi been talking about him? That was a good sign.

Tristan rushed forward. Yeah, he was not human. He moved too smoothly. Was too attractive. There was something otherworldly about him.

Levi moved, subtly putting himself between Mason and Tristan.

Mason loved seeing the protective instincts that Levi exhibited without even realizing it. He gave so much about himself away. Mason was trained to read people and he was starting to figure Levi out. Levi had all the Daddy instincts that Mason was searching for while also being one of the sweetest beings to ever live. The perfect combination of man that Mason had to have.

“Hm,” Tristan hummed. “Aren’t you cute?”

“Cute,” Mason repeated. Sure, he might not be as big and muscular as the men around him, but Mason wasn’t some fragile human that needed to be watched over. He rolled his shoulders then lifted his chin in challenge.

“And spicy.” Tristan leered at him.

Levi stepped back until Mason’s chest was against that strong back. A low growl escaped from Levi. Interesting. Mason knew Levi wasn’t human and really wanted to know what type of paranormal he was.

“No wonder Levi wouldn’t let me sex him up,” Tristan said.

Cold fury overtook his senses until Mason could only see red. His temper had always been sharp and something that he struggled with. Mason took three long slow breaths, knowing hecouldn’t lose his shit in front of Levi. He slid his hand across the small of Levi’s back while stepping up beside Levi to take Tristan’s measure.

“Are you trying to make me jealous?” Mason asked coldly. “Or are you just an idiot?”

Levi stiffened beneath his hand, but Mason didn’t…wouldn’t…allow Tristan to screw up what Mason was working so hard to fix.

Tristan grinned. Even bright white teeth. They were too perfect. Some kind of glamour? “Maybe a little of both?”

Levi shook his head, but Mason leaned into his side.

“Well stop it. You’re upsetting Levi, and I won’t fall for it.”

Tristan narrowed his eyes at him.

The hairs on the back of his neck stood. The natural reaction of his body telling him that he was in danger. He wanted to shake off the feeling but also knew he couldn’t give anything away. Mason stared back at the stranger.

“Interesting,” Tristan hummed.

Levi turned toward Mason, pulling Mason’s attention to where it should be. Mason smiled up at his man but didn’t relax his guard.

“What are you doing out here?” Levi asked.

Really? Were they going to play this game? Okay, if that was how Levi wanted it. “My job,” Mason replied. “You remember the shooting last night?”

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