Wanting Jordie Read online

  “Looks like I’ve been worried over nothing. Glad you two made up,” Zack said with some relief. “Jordie, if you see the other pack members, say ‘hi.’ Some of them kept bugging me to see you, especially Michella.”

  Jordie coughed politely. The pack Gamma had been one of his most trusted confidants when he asked about how Zack was doing. “Maybe we can stop by the restaurant? Some pasta for lunch sounds good,” Jordie asked Matt.

  “You’ve read my mind.”

  After a shower and a change of clothes, Jordie met up with Matt and Zack outside the apartment complex. He closed his eyes, enjoying the sun on his face and inhaling the clean mountain air—aspects of home he missed immensely. The city never smelled, or was as clean as Darkfall. Damn good to be outside, too, after sulking in his room for days after the accident. Too ashamed to admit he’d been at fault like Nestor, Jordie thought he could hide in there forever. Well, time to face the world. In a way, Matt was a good wake-up call.

  “I’ll give you guys a ride, since Jordie can’t exactly get on your bike,” Zack said to Matt.

  In the backseat, Jordie glanced out the car windows. They passed by residential neighborhoods, familiar streets, and finally arrived at the town proper. In the background, Matt and Zack argued back and forth about the game. A feeling of nostalgia hit Jordie. In some ways, a lot of things had changed since he left Darkfall, but some things remained the same, too. A pang of guilt hit him then. He knew how much Matt meant to Zack and vice-versa. How badly would it affect his brother, if he knew—what?

  Jordie and Matt hadn’t exactly done anything last night. The damage was still reparable, but what then? Jordie knew Matt would easily find someone else, and him? Would Jordie fall into the pattern to his old college days, moving from one man to the next, knowing he used each one because he didn’t fight hard enough for the one, for Matt?

  “Jordie, we’re here.” Matt’s voice steered him back to reality.

  Jordie blinked, glancing at Matt and Zack’s expectant faces. “Thanks for the ride. See you home later?”

  “Be good.” Zack grinned when Jordie punched him in the shoulder.

  Before heading out, Jordie paused to ask, “You’re going to let Doc see your arm, right?”

  Zack snarled in annoyance. “Oh hell, if I do, will you shut up about the tiny scratch?”

  “Tiny?”

  “Come on, pet, Zack’s going to be late for work,” Matt said, helping him out of the car and holding out Jordie’s crutches.

  With a groan, Jordie wrestled himself out of the car. Being alone with Matt during the day felt a lot different than the night before. No privacy for one, and out here, everyone knew everyone. They’d already gotten stopped by residents who greeted Matt and even asked Jordie how he was doing. Word traveled fast in small towns, Jordie remembered.

  No surprise everyone knew about the accident. Still, it felt good to be out of the apartment, with Matt by his side. They stopped occasionally for breaks, but at least Matt didn’t treat him any different or ask if he needed help in the bathroom. God, Jordie couldn’t wait to get the damn cast off and be able to walk on his own two legs.

  By the time noon came, Jordie worked up a sweat and an appetite. Esteban’s Pasta Mania had a line by the time they arrived, not surprisingly because it was the best Italian place in town. Jordie had fond memories of the place. The first time Zack brought him here, he remembered looking at the red brick building skeptically and asking what Italian food had to do with werewolves.

  The Esteban siblings, Sergio, Alessio, and Michella were, respectively, the pack Alpha, Beta, and Gamma. They were members of Jordie’s extended family who helped raise him when Jordie was little. Michella, especially, was kind of like his big sister, although the siblings had their hands full with their adoptive pups.

  “Matt, what are you doing?” Jordie demanded, trying to keep up with Matt who walked to the front of the line.

  “Table for two,” Matt said, ignoring the complaining couple behind him.

  “Matt,” Jordie said, panting, tugging at the corner of Matt’s shirt. “We can wait.”

  “I’m hungry,” Matt stated, as if that explained everything. He peered over the flustered waiter’s shoulder. “I see my brother in there.”

  “Mark?” Jordie asked, brightening. Seeing his reaction, Matt frowned at him. He swallowed when Matt stared at him for a few seconds, and Jordie finally admitted he had a network of wolves helping him spy on Zack.

  “You must hate me, huh?”

  Jordie looked away, biting his lip. “That’s not it. Matt, you said you weren’t interested in me that way, remember?”

  Matt cursed under his breath, and began tugging him in, ignoring the protesting waiter. It was hard to be dragged around, too, given Jordie had crutches. Damn werewolf. What the hell was up with Matt? Why was he reacting like some brat? Seeing Mark was apparently on a date with another guy, Jordie swallowed. “Matt, be reasonable.”

  “Reasonable?” Matt snarled at the human sitting opposite Mark. The human jumped. “Scoot.”

  Face red, Jordie wrenched his hand back. The human fled, not surprising given Matt looked frightening.

  “What the fuck, Matt?” Mark rose from his seat, and then saw Jordie limping behind Matt. Mark broke into a grin, his entire demeanor changing. No mistaking the two were brothers. Both were about the same height and apparently liked spending time in the gym, although Matt’s hair was a shade darker.

  “Damn, Jordie, it’s good to see you.” Mark was about to pull him into a hug, but Matt tugged Jordie back.

  Matt snarled, baring his canines and tucking Jordie close to his shoulder. “Fuck off. He’s mine.”

  Oh, shit. The restaurant went silent. Way to announce their secret in the pack’s base of operations, and in front of so many shifter diners. Jordie intended to go for something more subtle. Was that why Matt was acting like such a prick, because he was jealous? Holy hell, what did it say about Jordie since he was both pissed and excited about Matt’s possessiveness?

  To his credit, Mark regarded his brother with a calm Jordie didn’t expect. He’d grown up amongst werewolves and they were volatile by nature. “Since when is Jordie yours, brother? We all helped raise him. He belongs to all of us.”

  “You know what I fucking mean.”

  “Gentlemen, you’re causing a commotion. Why don’t we take this elsewhere?” asked a calm and gentle female voice by Jordie’s shoulder.

  Michella Esteban might look like a tiny blonde thing, compared to the males in the pack, but she could move mountains. Jordie gave her a look of relief. She squeezed his shoulder in reassurance. The brothers continued glaring at each other.

  “Sergio’s upstairs doing accounts and you know how he is with numbers. How will he react, once he finds out two of his wolves are fighting in his own establishment?”

  That broke the staring match. Ignoring the two seething wolves, Michella turned to Jordie, brown eyes full of warmth. “Jordie, I’m so glad you’re well enough to visit.”

  When Jordie’s stomach let out an embarrassing grumble, she laughed. “Come on. Let’s get you some lunch first.”

  The restaurant resumed its usual chatter and Michella steered their group into the employee’s section of the restaurant, past the kitchen, and into the break room.

  “You fellas settle your differences while Jordie and I catch up,” she told Matt and Mark dismissively, then turned to Jordie. “So, how is everything?”

  Hot food straight from the kitchen came soon after. Jordie didn’t know why he’d put off returning for so long, but it truly felt like he’d finally come home. He’d always been able to tell Michella everything, and it was no different now. Jordie noticed Mark and Matt continued chewing on their respective pizzas, glaring at each other, not talking.

  Finally, Michella turned to Matt, who straightened at his seat. Being Gamma, she outranked both men. She always acted calm and the voice of reason for her two older brothers and the pack, but it was
the first Jordie had seen her look serious.

  “Matthew, is this true? Are you making an official claim on Jordie?”

  Jordie knew what that meant in terms of pack politics. If Matt put a claim on him, it meant Matt was dead serious, because it meant anyone who hit on Jordie had to deal with him. He expected Matt to hesitate. After all, what could one night do? Plenty apparently, because Matt answered immediately, “I meant every word, Gamma. I have every intention of making Jordie mine. He’s always known and so do I.”

  Michella sat back in her seat, regarding him. Mark fell silent, too. “Matt, does Zack know?”

  Jordie fiddled with his food and answered for both of them. “Soon. I mean, I don’t even know there’s a ‘we’ yet.”

  “Oh, there is, pet. It’s only a matter of time before I make you mine.” At Matt’s intense and hungry look, Jordie suppressed a shudder. What the hell, Jordie didn’t care if others knew. Hadn’t he been waiting for this a long time?

  “Fuck, Matt. You’re serious,” Mark said with some surprise.

  “Of course I am.”

  “But we can’t tell anyone else yet. Please. I want Matt and me to tell Zack when we’re ready,” Jordie pleaded.

  “All right,” Michella said eventually. “Can you two give us some time alone?”

  “I’ll be outside,” Matt said, clasping the back of Jordie’s neck before he stood, squeezing. Jordie licked his lips. Why did Matt’s touch always affect him this much?

  “Well, it’s about time,” Michella muttered once the brothers left.

  “What?”

  “Everyone can see it, the way Matt always held himself back,” Michella said softly. “When you left, it nearly broke his heart.”

  “He broke my heart, too.” Jordie sighed. “Back then, neither of us knew what we wanted, but we do now.”

  “I can see that.” Michella sounded amused. “Just be gentle with Zack. Although he doesn’t look it, Zack’s pretty sensitive. He’ll take this really hard.”

  “Zack, sensitive?” Jordie asked, skeptical. “I know. All of this is confusing. Matt and I need to sort out stuff, too.”

  The door to the break room opened, revealing Sergio, looking disheveled and clutching papers in his hand. “Fuck, Michella. I think we need to hire an accountant.”

  “Oh, I can help with that.”

  Sergio blinked, as if realizing Michella had company. Seeing Jordie, he grinned. “Pup, you’re back. Finally had the guts to show your sorry-ass face here?”

  “Brother,” Michella warned. “Play nice.”

  “I heard those two knuckleheads nearly broke into a fight in our restaurant over our little human pup.” Sergio joined them at the table and Jordie managed to wrench the crumpled papers from him.

  “Don’t call me, pup. Seriously, Sergio,” Jordie grumbled.

  “Don’t take it too hard, he still calls Jared and Jane that,” Michella added.

  Having grown up with the werewolf cubs the Esteban siblings adopted, Jordie grinned. “Damn, who did your accounting though?”

  Michella’s eyes twinkled. “Can you really help? Not for free of course.”

  Belly full and with a new job, Jordie came out of the restaurant, grinning. Catching sight of Matt nursing a smoke, he fumed, about to stalk to him—well, limp to him—when another man beat Jordie to Matt.

  “Matt-baby, it’s been awhile.” Mack Rocha practically purred at Matt.

  In terms of pack hierarchy, Mack fell at the bottom of the barrel, only accepted as a favor because of his dependable twin, Harland. Jordie never did like Mack, who seemed intent on sleeping with anyone in the pack in the hopes they’d make him their mate. Envy rammed its ugly head the moment Mack ran a finger down the exposed line of Matt’s throat.

  “What do you want, Mack?” Matt asked, pulling away.

  “Don’t be like that, gorgeous. Last I remembered, we had such a wild night. You promised you’d call me.”

  “Yeah, well. I changed my mind.” Matt turned his head, finally catching sight of Jordie.

  A gorgeous smile curved on Matt’s lips and Jordie knew Matt was his. He also knew that nothing and no one could stand in their way, not when Matt only had eyes for him.

  “You ready, pet?” Matt asked.

  Mack narrowed his eyes when Jordie finally reached them, slightly out of breath. As if by instinct, Matt wrapped one possessive hand around Jordie’s waist and tugged him close until their bodies touched. Jordie suppressed a groan at the collision of flesh. That was just how much Matt affected him. One touch, even under the sticky afternoon sun, and Jordie knew who he belonged to.

  “Him? The human pup the pack fawns over? I don’t see your mark on him,” Mack spat out. “What’s so special about this crippled piece of—”

  Before Mack could finish, Matt grabbed a fistful of his shirt and slammed Mack against the wall, snarling. “This is my first and last warning. If you ever insult my mate in front of my fucking face again, you’ll feel my claws on that pretty face you value so much. Are we clear?”

  “Crystal,” Mack rasped. After Matt released him, he threw Jordie a dirty look before scampering away.

  “I think we've had enough excitement for the day,” Matt said as if nothing happened.

  “Oh, you’re not escaping this conversation, buster. What’s between Mack and you?” Jordie couldn’t keep the heat out of his voice.

  Matt raised an eyebrow. “You jealous, pet?”

  “Answer the question.”

  “Mack’s nothing to me. We got together for one night during the full moon. That’s all. Everyone in the pack knows he’ll fuck anything on two legs to get what he wants.”

  Jordie regarded him for a couple of seconds. Matt called him his mate in front of Mack. That shook him a little, frightened the hell out of him, but also gave Jordie hope. Growing up with shifters, Jordie knew plenty about their customs. They mated for life, making the mating ritual more sacred than any written marriage certificate. Did Matt make a slip, or did he really mean those words? Hell, it was too early to tell.

  “Okay then.”

  “Good news?” Matt asked.

  “I got myself a job.” Jordie couldn’t help but grin as he told Matt about his conversation with Michella and Sergio.

  Well, he purposely left out the part about talking to Michella about his relationship concerns with Matt. They started the walk back to the apartment since they had no ride. Jordie didn’t mind. It felt good to walk alongside Matt, and they made excuses to make a stop for coffee, cake, then ice cream at the ice cream parlor Zack took Jordie to when they were kids. They entered the parlor, empty at this time of the day, and found a seat on the counter. After ordering and getting their cones, they continued their conversation.

  “I thought you didn’t like accounting,” Matt pointed out, seemingly distracted by the way Jordie licked his cone.

  Jordie wondered if Matt imagined it was his dick Jordie was licking. Unable to help himself, Jordie took his time, licking the top, tracing the shape with his lips until Matt groaned.

  “I don’t relish working in an accounting firm or wearing suits every day to work,” Jordie corrected. “But working as a private accountant for the pack? It’s perfect. Plus, after all they’ve done for Zack and I, I want to do something for Sergio and Michella.”

  Matt grunted, dragging his gaze from Jordie’s dessert. “Well, if it makes you happy, go for it.”

  “Can I have a taste?” Not waiting for Matt’s permission, Jordie leaned over, tongue darting out to lick Matt’s rocky road ice cream.

  This time Matt snarled softly under his breath, as if he knew Jordie did it on purpose. “You’re really asking for it, aren’t you, pup?”

  Jordie met his gaze evenly. “Everyone in that restaurant heard you claim me.”

  “They did,” Matt said, watching him carefully. Was Matt waiting for Jordie to say the words?

  “Even Mack said I don’t wear your mark.”

  Matt’s nostrils flared
. “You’re being forward, Jordie. I think I like this side of you.”

  “You do?”

  Matt answered Jordie by taking his lips. Jordie felt Matt clasping the back of his neck, pulling him close. Electricity coursed from Matt’s mouth to his. Responding, Jordie let Matt deepen the kiss, liking the feel of Matt pushing his tongue down his throat. Hard not to imagine, how Matt’s dick would feel like in his mouth. Incredibly aroused, Jordie moaned into Matt’s mouth when Matt released him.

  Jordie blinked, staring at his cone. Droplets of strawberry ice cream coated his hand. Noticing what he looked at, Matt, lifted his hand and licked the melted ice cream away.

  “Finish your ice cream, pet,” Matt ordered, going back to his.

  “What the hell was that?” Jordie couldn’t help but demand.

  “A preview of what’s to come,” Matt said with a grin.

  Chapter Four

  Unable to wait any longer, Matt yanked Jordie to him when the elevator doors hissed shut behind them. He kissed Jordie again, all tongue and teeth, liking the look of longing on Jordie’s face when he released him. They stood in the corridor of Zack and Jordie’s apartment. Matt walked up to their unit and used his spare key to open the front door. A part of him wondered if they should have gone back to his place instead. Matt didn’t deny there was a strange, forbidden allure though, taking Jordie in this place.

  The three of them practically grew up together. Given Matt spent most of the time getting in trouble with Zack, Jordie was always in the background, the kid brother Matt never had—until Jordie kissed him during his high school graduation. Matt admitted he handled that particular incident badly, but he was a kid, too, too ashamed of his feelings for Jordie. How could he pursue Jordie when Zack was practically his brother?

  “I’ve had enough of the sun for one week,” Jordie muttered, limping in.

  Matt locked the front door behind him, watching Jordie make his way to the living. Dumping his crutches to the side of the couch, Jordie slumped into his favorite spot— right in front of the TV. Even Matt knew that little tidbit. Hell, Matt knew plenty of things about Jordie.