Page 32 of Mated to the Human: Volume One

Cane nodded and watched Jake walk out of the room.

* * *

Jake used his key to open his sister’s apartment door. He walked into the living room and waited. It only took a few moments.

“Jake?” Calliope’s sleepy voice called from her bedroom.

He moved that way. “It’s me.” When he got to the door, she was already sitting up and reaching for the bedside lamp. She clicked it on, and soft golden light filled the room. He held in his chuckle at her gravity-defying bedhead, but he couldn’t keep the corners of his lips from turning up.

“You better not have woken me up just to make fun of my hair,” she said, smoothing the dark strands into some kind of order. “What’s wrong?”

He told her—about waking up to find Cane gone, about how scared he’d been, and about how the wannabes with bandanas tied over the lower half of their faces had attacked Cane after he won.

“And they said it was because he mated with you?”

“Yeah. He wouldn’t say the exact words they used. I’m guessing they were…colorful.”

Calliope arched one dark brow. “Trying to spare your feelings?”

The twist of his lips wasn’t exactly a grimace, but it was close. Cane went from zero to a hundred and back again in the blink of an eye. He’d like to believe Cane not telling him exactly what the men had said was to shield him—even though that wasn’t necessary—but he couldn’t be sure. “I don’t know. He’s all over the place right now.”

“You think that’ll settle as you two get more comfortable?”

He met his sister’s concerned gaze. “I hope so. I get the feeling that Cane hasn’t had anyone in his corner in a long time.”

“That’s awful.”

“I know.” Jake sighed. “Should I call Knox and tell him about this?”

Calliope shook her head. “No. I’ll take this to Lenette myself. See if she thinks this was a one-off or something bigger. It’s possible he’s a target because he’s also the mayor’s son.”

“I had that thought, too.”

She reached out and took his hand, giving it a squeeze. “Go take care of your mate.”

“Hope you can get back to sleep,” Jake said, heading for the door.

“Me, too. Good night, Jake.”

“Night.” He closed and locked the apartment door and headed up the stairs. He didn’t hear the shower running when he stepped inside his apartment. Their apartment, now.

Moving down the hall, Jake paused at the open guest room door. The bed was empty, and across the hall, the bathroom was dark. His heart started to pound. He didn’t feel alone, which left only one place Cane could be. Jake stepped into his bedroom.

Cane was on his stomach, sprawled over more than half the bed with the sheet and blanket pushed down so low they barely covered his ass. The only light in the room filtered around the blinds, leaving just enough to see the creamy expanse of Cane’s back against the dark gray sheets.

He moved, rolling until he faced Jake. “You gonna stand there all night?” His voice was raspy, like Jake had woken him. His movement pulled at the covers, revealing the dark thatch of hair surrounding the base of his cock. Fuck, he was naked.

Tearing his gaze away from the junction of Cane’s legs and swallowing hard, Jake moved farther into the room. Pulling his shirt over his head and shucking his pants, he paused when he reached the bed.

Cane propped himself up on an elbow. He pointedly looked at the boxer briefs Jake still wore, then back up to his face. A challenge. A smile broke out over Cane’s face when Jake slipped his thumbs into the waistband, pushing the underwear down and off.

“Come here,” he said, lifting the covers.

Jake didn’t know what had caused this most recent one-eighty, but he couldn’t deny him. Even if he wanted to.

6

Jake slid into the bed and hesitated. Cane kept the covers held up, arms open, waiting for him. Slowly, Jake scooted over until all his warm skin was pressed against the front of Cane’s body. Fuck, they fit together perfectly. He could feel the half-hard drag of Jake’s cock against his, the crinkly dark hair on his legs sliding over his, and the solid curves of their pecs pressing together.

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