That evening, Cal headed home as soon as he could, excited to see Hunter and Bru. The afternoon hadn’t been as bad as he expected after the nice pick-me-up Barnes had given him, but he felt more urgently than ever the need to talk to his boyfriend.
Their careers didn’t exactly align, not since they finished the Liberty Association case, and he wasn’t sure what Hunter was doing with his days besides walking Bru at noon so Cal didn’t have to race home.
He let himself into their condo and frowned as the door caught on one of Bru’s toys. They shouldn’t be in the entry way—Hunter knew how Cal felt about tripping hazards—but he brushed aside that minor annoyance as Bru himself came zipping and yapping toward Cal’s ankles. The tiny ginger Pomeranian wasn’t dressed, and Cal took a moment to be annoyed Hunter hadn’t put one of his dozens of outfits on him. He was, however, wearing a little spiked collar that made him look vaguely like a punk rocker.
Bru got cold so easily, and Cal hated for him to be at risk. He got upper respiratory infections frequently—more so since the fire. His fur had grown back, but Cal fretted. It was in his nature to worry.
He scooped the little dog into his arms and cuddled him, letting Bru kiss his face and cover his suit in soft peach-colored hairs. The dry cleaner would handle that. Snuggling Bru, he headed toward the living room, his attaché case in his other hand.
“Hunter?” As Cal exited the hallway into the living room, he groaned. His temper flared. He took a deep breath.
Hunter was in his boxers, fixated on a video game, with an open pizza box lying on the floor beside him. It was obvious Bruiser had helped himself.
That was not in Bru’s diet. Poor Bru’s GI tract was going to punish everyone for that.
“Hunter.” Cal approached the flickering television set, setting Bru down and leaning his attaché case against the coffee table. “Earth to Hunter. Come in, Hunter.”
“You like that? Huh? You want some more? There! Take that punch in the dick, fucker!” Hunter held up the controller in victory briefly before his gaze settled on Cal. “Shit! Gotta go.”
Hunter pulled off his tiny headset and exited the game. Then he looked around, bewildered. With heavy curtains covering the condo’s floor to ceiling windows, he’d apparently lost track of time, which made Cal wonder how long he’d been at this.
“Hey, you’re home early…late?” Hunter winced as he scanned the room, apparently looking for a clock. “Good day?”
“Fu—Frakking heck, Hunter.” Cal crossed his arms over his chest as he stared down at his boyfriend. The ever-present want he felt in Hunter’s presence hummed along his agitated nerves. “You let Bru have pizza! And you didn’t dress him! And you left the pizza in the frakking floor like some fudging slob! What were you doing all day? Playing this goddang game?”
Seething, he snatched up his attaché case as Bru yipped around his heels, running back and forth between Cal and Hunter. His distress was almost enough to snap Cal out of his fury, but not quite.
“I’ll be in the bedroom. Clean up. I’m going to change.” He realized he couldn’t even withhold one of his homecooked dinners because Hunter had ordered a frakking pizza. That sent a wild spike of rage coursing through him, and he growled as he stalked to the wardrobe to withdraw lounging clothes.
“It was hot outside, and Bruiser is covered in fur!”
It was a warm day, so maybe Cal could overlook that, but the pizza was beyond the pale.
Cal often suspected that Hunter just didn’t like being seen with a dog in clothing. They had compromised with outfits that Hunter tolerated, though ever since Bruiser had eaten his IT clown costume, Hunter seemed less enthused.
Hunter’s bare footfalls slapped against the hardwood a few moments later. “Not that I have to answer to you, but actually, I went to the range earlier. Then I decided to do a campaign with my guild. Is that okay with you, Dad?”
Cal hated it when Hunter called him Dad. It just felt wrong. Creepy. That he was kind of into the idea of Hunter calling him Daddy just made it worse.
“You do have to answer to me. We frakking live together, Hunter!” Cal fizzed with a fresh burst of effervescent anger. He unknotted his tie and left the ends hanging around his neck as he unbuttoned his shirt. “Your actions affect me. Is that so hard to understand?”
Staring at Hunter across the room, all those confusing signals fired in his brain at once: the fury, lust, bitterness, and possession. He muscled into Hunter’s space and gave him a little shove, enough to take the edge off the bubbling stew of emotions.
Hunter’s pupils dilated as they always did when Cal got close to him. His breathing grew unsteady, excited, but his eyes narrowed. He was aroused, but he apparently wasn’t done being angry. He pushed Cal back. Hunter was at least twenty pounds lighter, so when Cal didn’t move, Hunter was infuriated. “Then you’ll be happy to fucking know how well I represented you in game. Dog was walked. Okay, I missed that he had himself a little snack. He’s a dog. They do that.”
“He’s on a special diet. You can’t just let him run wild.” Cal crowded Hunter again and reached behind him to pull the door shut, backing Hunter against it. His breath coarsened at the press of their bodies together. Cal leaned in and brushed his lips against Hunter’s, rough and demanding as he reached for both Hunter’s hands and yanked them above his head to pin against the wood. Cal shoved his knee between Hunter’s legs and pressed his thigh to Hunter’s crotch. His voice came out in a low, dangerous growl. “Say you’re sorry.”
Hunter let out a soft, low moan. There was something wanton in the way Hunter responded. Their sexual tension could have faded, but it never seemed to. Hunter was ever defiant, always something new, something sexy, something that pushed Cal past his comfort zone.
Tilting his hips forward to slide his hardening length against Cal’s leg, Hunter whispered, “I’m sorry your dog is so out of control.”
“You little brat.” Cal exhaled heavily against Hunter’s mouth and ground against him before holding both Hunter’s hands in one of his and pulling off his unknotted tie. He brought it up to bind Hunter’s wrists with the silk and then released him to yank down Hunter’s boxers. “Weren’t even dressed, were you? You wanted me to come home and do this.”
“No.” Hunter averted his gaze as his cheeks lit up. The corners of his lips tipped up as his cock twitched, leaving a small dot of precum on the tip. “It wasn’t my plan.”
He smirked, finally meeting Cal’s gaze. “I like this plan, though. Even if none of this was my fault.”
“Oh, you….” Cal trailed off, incoherent with his mingled anger and lust, and bit at Hunter’s lips. He fucked his tongue roughly into Hunter’s mouth as he took Hunter’s cock in hand and squeezed hard enough to hurt a little.
Hunter gasped into the kiss, fidgeting as if he wanted to return the favor or perhaps undress Cal, but he was frustrated by the tie keeping his hands together. Instead, he brought his arms down around Cal’s neck to pull him closer, kissing him back deeply, pressing their chests together.
Then he bit Cal’s tongue, not hard enough to draw blood, but verging on it. After a naughty grin, Hunter sprung up to wrap his legs around Cal. “I wasted the whole day, Cal. Couldn’t even be bothered to eat the food in the fridge.”
“You had the leftovers from dinner in there. I made them just for you.” Cal snarled and grabbed Hunter’s ass, carrying him to the bed and tossing him onto it. He followed him down with Hunter’s arms behind his neck and bit Hunter’s throat, punishing him with little bruises.
Hunter settled himself into the middle of the bed as he squirmed out of his boxers. Cal took a moment to appreciate the pale, ivory skin only marred by a couple of bite marks and finger bruises.
He was so easily marked, even when Cal was careful, but Hunter loved it best when Cal wasn’t careful at all.
“I was too tired to find them.” Hunter spread his legs obscenely over the unmade bed.
The bed that Cal specifically remembered making that morning.
The irritation goaded him into biting Hunter again, grabbing his wrists anew in one hand and pinning them where Cal wanted so Hunter was stretched out lean and breathtaking across the rumpled sheets. Cal was so hard it hurt, his cock throbbed against the constraints of his suit pants. He reached down with his other hand to open his fly and free his erection.
“I don’t know why I put up with your bullcrap.” Cal’s growl came out a little too breathy.
Hunter let out a lusty chuckle of his own. He pressed his hard cock against Cal, reminding him just how into it he was. Cal knew Hunter trolled him, knew he sometimes spent days coming up with elaborate schemes to irritate Cal into this state.
From the outside, it might seem highly dysfunctional. Certainly, Cal had had relationships with far less extreme people. Loving, sure. But Hunter’s love was relentless, needy. He would not be ignored, would not be set aside. Even when Cal had to leave for days for his research, Hunter would demand attention over a special app, would put on entire shows for Cal that he knew would drive him mad with desire.
It was a crazy love, fiendish in its intensity. It was amazing how Hunter could so easily wipe out the frustrations of Cal’s day, giving him singular focus.
“I need you,” Hunter whisper-whined.
“You need me?” Cal echoed, momentarily disoriented by the rush of passion those words triggered. He rubbed his fingertips between Hunter’s cheeks, seeking his entrance, and massaged it roughly as he bit Hunter’s lips. “Tell me what you need.”
Of course, it was obvious in many ways Hunter needed Cal. He was a barely functional human being without a steadying influence.
That wasn’t what Hunter meant. Hunter could get so overwhelmed with lust that Cal could ask just about anything of him.
It was so satisfying.
“Need you inside me.” Hunter had broken out in a sheen of sweat, pale face pink as he gazed at Cal.
“Yeah?” Cal nuzzled Hunter, the first tenderness he’d expressed, and then exhaled shakily as he reached for the nightstand and pulled out the lube. It only took a moment to slick his fingers, and then he pushed them inside Hunter none too gently, giving him what Cal knew he needed. As Hunter arched into the pressure, Cal kissed along his jawline and then bit the hinge of his jaw and growled against his ear in sheer pleasure and want. “This?”
Hunter let out a loud moan. He was always so responsive. His caustic attitude vanished, leaving him a being of pure need. “Yes.”
Hissing through his teeth, Hunter writhed on Cal’s fingers, fucking himself for all he was worth, arms still up over his head like a helpless sacrifice. Though Cal still wore most of his clothes, his cock was free, and he rubbed it against Hunter’s leg as he pushed another finger in.
“You’re such a little slut, Hunter. You make me fucking crazy. You do all this to get to me, don’t you? Admit it. You’re just winding me up, waiting for me to snap and fuck you.” He devoured Hunter’s mouth for long moments before lifting his head to gaze into Hunter’s dilated pupils. “You’re too sexy for your own good.”
He stretched his fingers, spreading Hunter wide, and nibbled along his jaw. “I’m going to have to take you now.”
God, Hunter could get loud. He was already moaning, gasping as he wrapped his legs around Cal, drawing him in. He pressed kisses over Cal’s face before meeting his lips to take his mouth voraciously. Cal adored their games.
Hunter whispered, barely audible over the movement of the sheets, “I love you.” Sometimes he said it so quietly that Cal wondered if he meant it to be a secret, but then he moved hungrily against Cal, making it impossible to focus.
“Love you too.” Cal nipped at Hunter’s bottom lip. He pulled back, freeing his fingers, and then slicked up his cock. He positioned himself between Hunter’s thighs and stared down at him, drinking in his beauty. What Cal felt for Hunter couldn’t be contained.
He braced one hand beside Hunter’s head to hold himself up and then reached down to guide his slippery head to Hunter’s grasping entrance. Hunter was always so eager to give himself to Cal’s possession. It meant everything to Cal, this dichotomy of impossible rebel and yielding lover.
With a deep breath, Cal sank into Hunter, taking him in a hard, deep stroke and reclaiming all the space his fingers had readied. As Hunter exhaled sharply at the stretch, Cal inhaled, stealing his breath. Then he kissed him and pumped into him, slow at first, testing, and then picking up speed.
“Oh god, yes.” Hunter brought his arms down to wrap around Cal as if he couldn’t get enough. He kissed him between the loud exhalations as each of Cal’s thrusts punched the breath from Hunter. Cal loved how much pleasure Hunter took from him, how much he gave back, tight and hot around Cal, making him feel as if they were one person.
No matter how much consternation his choice of partner caused in his career, if Cal had ever entertained a moment of doubt, how they came together erased it. This wasn’t just good fucking, this was passion—acceptance and need all rolled into this joining. However exasperating Hunter could be, there was no doubt in Cal’s mind that Hunter was the One.
The heady combination of frustration and lust left Cal driving into Hunter faster and rougher, taking what he needed, knowing Hunter would adore every moment. Difficult as he could be, in this Hunter was easy; he wanted to be used and roughed up and made to come until all the fight went out of him.
That, Cal could do.
Cal pounded into Hunter faster still, putting his back into it and staring at Hunter in fascination, watching the beads of sweat trickle down his pale skin to dampen his hair. Cal chased a droplet with his lips, kissing away the salty beads and sighing in bliss as Hunter’s scent filled his senses. It made him feel safe. Somehow, the unpredictable Hunter had become Cal’s anchor as surely as Bruiser was.
Reaching between their bodies, Cal wrapped his slick hand around Hunter’s cock, not quite stroking as much as squeezing and rubbing his fingertip around the head.
Given the noises Hunter was making, it wouldn’t be long before he let go. He soaked up the turbulent treatment, appearing to enjoy the rough fucking in ways that Cal had fantasized about but never expected to find. Hunter would take it all and beg for more, growing ever louder as he twisted his hips, seeming to demand Cal be everywhere at once, always angling to one spot but seeking the stretch.
Hunter twisted his arms to fist Cal’s hair as he bellowed his release. That was all it took. Cal teased him, fucked him, and Hunter spilled hot seed over Cal’s fingers.
Cal groaned at the heat and stroked Hunter through his climax, thrusting against his prostate to milk out every drop of spend. Taking care of Hunter gave Cal purpose, now more than ever.
As Hunter’s climax wound down into aftershocks and Hunter clung to him, Cal buried his face in Hunter’s neck and breathed him in. That comforting scent left him full of tenderness and warmth, and he took Hunter more slowly now, deep and easy, working himself up to a calming release of his own. Everything was always better after, when they’d both blown off some steam. Nothing seemed as bad with Hunter lazy-limbed and dripping with Cal’s spunk.
The pleasure took him over inch by inch, spiraling outward from his groin, until Cal was panting into Hunter’s neck and shuddering. He buried himself deep as he came, biting Hunter’s throat, wanting him marked, wanting everyone to know this little brat belonged to him.
When Cal had spent his last, he and Hunter kissed sloppily, full of real affection as Hunter worked the tie from his wrists. He grinned as Cal rolled away so they could cool off.
Once he had the tie off, Hunter smoothed it out. They ruined more clothes that way. “I think there’s some pizza Bruiser didn’t lick, if you’re hungry.”
Just the mention of junk food gave Cal a fresh flare of anger, and he growled before breaking down laughing, too sated to sustain negative emotion. He rolled onto his side to look at Hunter and raised a brow. “I think I’ll eat those leftovers you didn’t have for lunch. Last night’s dinner was good.”
Cal smiled and toyed with a strand of Hunter’s two-toned hair. Then he added, “I have someone I want you to meet.” Now seemed as good a time as any to bring it up.
“Oh?” Hunter’s expression was inscrutable.
Cal could hardly blame Hunter’s suspicion when it came to the FBI these days. For the most part he’d taken Cal’s introductions in stride, even taken on some small projects.
As Hunter scanned Cal’s face, he realized that he was probably just as difficult to read right now. “First lady ready to make a break for it?”
Cal snorted. “No. Actually, I had lunch with my old partner today, Justin Barnes, and he wanted to meet you. He works for Dark Sun, and he thinks he might have some work. Plus, I think he wants to know who I ended up with. I don’t think he knows what to do with the information I’m living with a hacker.”
He studied Hunter and added, “He was really important to me for a long time. You’re important to me now. I’d like the two of you to get along. Think you could play nice?”
Nope.
That much was obvious from Hunter’s expression.
“What kind of partner was he?”
Hunter had only met one ex. Once. In the ER when Hunter had food poisoning. He’d been incorrigible in the beginning, the two men sizing each other up, but he’d mellowed eventually. Might’ve been the Dilaudid.
“We never dated,” Cal said, and he knew that his unintentionally virtuous tone would just rile up Hunter. He dialed it back and added, “We knew each other carnally a few times during high stress situations, but we weren’t together. It was a professional relationship.”
“Dark Sun, huh? Sounds ominous. Is it one of those lawless government contractor things?”
Hunter at least seemed to be mollified by Cal giving the most straightforward answer. Mentally, Cal patted himself on the back for knowing that withholding that tidbit from Hunter would probably just escalate the situation.
Of course, Hunter questioning another government contractor’s lawfulness was highly hypocritical. Cal had to decide whether to let that slide or not.
“In calling them ‘lawless’, are you implying disapproval, or…?” Cal trailed off, giving Hunter a pointed look before leaning in and kissing him again. He pulled away slowly, languidly eye-fucking him. “You’re not exactly a model citizen. Are you sure you want to throw stones?”
“I don’t shoot people.” Hunter play pouted, but Cal could see that tug of amusement at the corner of his lips. “Mostly because someone won’t let me have a gun. I suppose, if you think he’s a quality person.”
He sulked and shrugged. “I mean, your doctor friend did make with the good drugs. After I barfed on him.”
Cal was pretty sure Hunter hadn’t barfed on purpose, but sometimes he wondered. It was, admittedly, a little cute that Hunter got jealous. As long as he didn’t devolve into being destructive, anyway.
“Barnes is a quality person. He saved my life a few times. I wouldn’t even be here for you to torment if not for him.” Cal tugged at a lock of Hunter’s hair and smiled, his best, most seductive grin. “Besides, he’s old news. You know you’re exactly what I wanted in a man.”
That had the benefit of being entirely, specifically true.
Hunter rolled on his side and wrapped a leg around Cal, scooting him bodily closer. “And if I don’t like him, am I allowed to destroy him and everything he holds dear?”
He smiled sweetly, but Hunter was probably more destructive without a gun than most people were armed to the teeth.
“No, dearest, you are not allowed to ‘destroy him and everything he holds dear’, but if you really dislike him, I won’t make you hang out with him. Deal?” Cal offered his hand to shake despite the cramped constraints of their smushed-together bodies.
Hunter narrowed his eyes at Cal’s hand. He leaned in and nipped his fingertips. “He thinks there’s work I’ll be interested in? What about you? Is there work you’ll be interested in? Why’s he coming up now?”
Cal had hoped the topic wouldn’t turn to this. Talking about work with Hunter was always dangerous. He shrugged one shoulder and thumped Hunter’s nose gently. “Sit tight. I’m gonna let Bru in.”
Bru was whining at the doorway. No doubt he felt left out. As much as Cal preferred not to have an audience for sex, he had no excuse to keep Bruiser out now, and the cute little fella might provide a buffer. It took Cal a moment to tuck his cock away and neaten his clothes.
The moment Cal opened the door, Bru rushed in and circled his feet, dizzying in his enthusiasm. Cal bent down and scooped him up. Bru licked his face and squirmed as Cal headed back to the bed and plopped Bru next to Hunter, hoping to distract him.
“Not an ominous dodge at all.” Hunter had retrieved and pulled on his boxers. He patted Bru as the dog moved between them, as if trying to make sure they both felt they were loved.
Bru’s breath stank of pizza, and on being dropped on the bed, he let out a little gas. It was going to be good times overnight.
“Cal, are you going to be working with him?”
“No. Barnes is gonna provide cover for my real objectives.” Cal frowned at having his feet held to the fire. Not only was it uncomfortable to do things outside of protocol, it was uncomfortable to admit to Hunter he was doing it. “You know the Bureau doesn’t want me looking into domestic terror these days unless it’s Antifa or BLM. Dark Sun is looking into both groups. Barnes can get me data I need under the guise of pursuing the leads the Bureau wants me on.”
“Well that’s nice of him.” Hunter raised a brow, his stare near unblinking. He had a suspicious mind, one that tended towards conspiracy. When they first got together, Cal had found him on the verge of paranoia, but these days it was hard to dispute that there was often more than met the eye. “Just out of the goodness of his heart?”
“He’ll benefit from looking effective, and he’ll be in the good graces of our Seattle office. Dark Sun’s not the biggest or the oldest.” Cal shrugged. “I trust him. We’ve been watching each other’s backs for a long time.” He hardened his gaze on Hunter, skimming it over him sternly. “Don’t fill my head with anxiety over one of my oldest friends. I refuse to read into him helping me out. He wants me to work for Dark Sun with him, sure, but he doesn’t want me there because I got forced out of the Bureau.”
Hunter’s eyes widened. Apparently, that wasn’t what he’d worried about. “If cases get…intense…you come to me, right? I watch your back now, and I don’t have commercial interests or strings attached. I just want to make sure our doggy grows up in a happy household.”
He lifted his chin as if too proud to admit insecurity, but Cal knew to expect Hunter to come up with a thorough background check on Dark Sun.
Hunter leaned in and kissed Cal’s nose. “I’m watching your front, too. Maybe especially.”
Cal laughed, a little embarrassed. It hadn’t even occurred to him that Hunter would question his fidelity. He rubbed his nose against Hunter’s and then kissed him deeply as Bruiser squirmed, forcing Cal to catch him by his spikey collar and hold him still. Then he pulled away and drew Bruiser in for a cuddle. “You have nothing to worry about. You’re the only partner for me these days.”
Sliding his fingers through Cal’s hair, Hunter gazed at him, expression almost painfully earnest. “You’re a good man, Cal. I just don’t want anyone taking advantage of your integrity.”
Hunter’s lips twitched as if he were recognizing his own hypocrisy. “Yeah, I know. Hush.”
Grinning, Cal leaned in for one more kiss. “You’ll have to look out for me then.” Bru yipped, and Cal laughed. “You’ll have this little guy to help. No problem.”