Page 26 of Deadly Promise
When Teagan’s eyes prickled with tears, Hayden spoke up. “Last summer, right when we decided to cross the line from best friends to lovers, two guys I’d befriended in our apartment building jumped Teagan for being gay and put him in the hospital.” Hayden’s throat bobbed as he strangled the hem of his shirt. “I convinced Teagan to press charges, to go through the trauma of a trial, to relive the attack, to trust there would be justice, and all they got was six months.”
Six months? White-hot rage raced through Liam’s veins. What kind of bullshit was that? His smaller mate had been hospitalized, and the perpetrators were basically given a slap on their wrists? That’s why the preternatural lived by their own code. Human laws often failed those it was supposed to protect.
Like Teagan.
Pack justice didn’t give a shit about two evil bastards gaming the system and getting off light. If Edwin and Ramos came anywhere near Hayden and Teagan, they wouldn’t live long enough to regret their mistake.
“I think I was supposed to be their target,” Hayden quietly admitted.
Teagan stared wide-eyed at him. “You never told me that.”
Wiping at his eyes, Hayden licked his lips. “I’d mentioned to Edwin over the phone that I was heading out to the store.”
Liam scooted closer, rubbing his hand along Hayden’s legs as Teagan slid his arms around their mate’s waist.
“Take your time,” Liam said.
Hayden closed his eyes, breathing in deeply. “After I hung up with Edwin, my favorite show came on, so I asked Teagan to make the run for me instead.” Tears slowly dripped down his cheeks. “He nearly died over some fucking snacks I was too lazy to get myself.”
“Oh my god.” Teagan hugged him tighter. “You’ve been carrying around that misguided guilt since the night it happened? Why didn’t you tell me that’s how you felt?”
“You wanted me to remind you of the most traumatic moment of your life and how I failed to keep you safe?” Hayden looked horrified. “It was my fault you were attacked, so it was my burden to bear alone. Not yours. Mine, Teag.”
Liam was downright baffled. How could this beautiful man blame himself when it was those bigoted assholes who’d made the choice to commit violence? The only ones who should carry the blame were Edwin and Ramos. “There was no way you could’ve known their intentions, Hayden. You chose to believe there’s good in everyone. There’s nothing wrong with the way you see the world.”
He didn’t want either of them to feel as if they had to hide who they truly were. Hayden was a free spirit, and Liam would nurture that side of him in any way he could. Teagan was a closeted, adorable goofball. Liam refused to let him crawl back into the box his smaller mate had been forced to create to keep them safe.
That was Liam’s job now. To protect his mates with extreme prejudice.
“It is when Teagan told me he had a bad feeling about them!” Hayden tried to bolt off the couch, but for such a small guy, Teagan had a fierce grip on him. Liam was impressed.
Now, if only I can get him to hold me down like that. Hell, I’ll even let him manhandle me.
Liam needed to focus and keep his mind on the matter at hand. But in his defense, he’d just found his mates, and until he claimed them, his brain was happily rolling around in the filthiest gutter.
“You’re not allowed to run away from my fabulous hugs!” Teagan’s tone dared their mate to argue. “And Liam’s right. Even if you’d heeded my warning, those bastards had it out for us. They would’ve found a way to hurt us, no matter what precautions we took. You got that, Hayden Douglas Coleman? I won’t let you sit here and wallow in guilt that rests solely on their shoulders.”
“Shit,” Liam murmured, staring incredulously at Hayden. “He invoked your full name, Hay.” His whistle came out low and deliberate. “I wouldn’t want to be you right now. No, sir.”
Maybe Liam was hamming it up a little, but it gutted him to see one of his mate’s crying. He would put on a full-blown Broadway performance if that’s what it took to make his dark-haired angel smile.
Swiping at his tears, the sides of Hayden’s mouth twitched. “Why? What’s he going to do to me?”
Leaning in, Liam kept his voice low, like he was sharing state secrets, but took a second to inhale their different, unique mate scents. You just love torturing yourself, don’t you? “Bend you over his knee, slide your pants down to reveal your plump, naked ass, and spank you until you let go of the guilt that isn’t yours to bear.” Liam pressed his lips together and shook his head, so turned on his cock hurt but also fighting a smile. “Teagan looks like he’d gladly spank your bottom raw.”
They sucked in a sharp breath like synchronized vacuums, their eyebrows riding the same stunned wave toward their hairlines.
“I’ve never been spanked before,” Teagan said in a hushed tone, his pink tongue darting out to moisten his lips. “Would I enjoy it?”
Hayden glanced at Teagan as if the smaller man just swiped the last cookie. “I’m the one who’s supposed to be punished, dork.” Then a slow, wicked smile bloomed. “But hey, be my guest if you want to take my place. I’m sure Liam wouldn’t mind using those big hands to make you cry uncle.”
Teagan’s gaze shot to Liam, his breath shallow, a silent question burning in his eyes. One that said he trusted Liam to take charge just as long the experience was pleasure instead of pain.
What the fuck had Liam stumbled into? Did…did Teagan really want to get spanked, or was this nothing more than a hallucination brought on by a barbeque food coma? This was too damn vivid. Just to be absolutely certain…
“I’m awake, right?” he asked Hayden without breaking eye contact with Teagan.
“I think you broke him, Teag.” Hayden grinned.
