Chapter One
The headlights were blinding, but Jesse didn’t dare pull over and stop on the side of the road. He pushed down harder on the gas pedal and picked up speed. He had to make it home before they caught up to him. They ran me out of my home over ten years ago, why can’t they just leave me alone? Fear snaked up his spine as he watched mailboxes fly by his window.
Jesse had just closed up the diner where he worked as a cook and driven Sarah home. The waitress had been on her feet all night, and considering she was over sixty and still working five days a week, no way would he allow her to walk home no matter how nearby.
Jesse had been staying at his boyfriend Royce’s house for the last few weeks, helping him recover from a gunshot wound he’d received in his shoulder while protecting their friends Bear and Rick as well as their nephew Josh from Josh’s biological father. Before then, Jesse had been living in an apartment above Bear’s diner since he’d arrived in Brighton, Texas.
He thought he’d be safe here, that they’d never find him, but he’d been very wrong. The lights were catching up, and he didn’t dare go any faster on the rain-slicked roads. Jesse was beginning to panic, and he knew that was what they wanted, him to panic and make a mistake. Then they’d have him. How do they manage to always find me when I’m alone? Someone has to be watching me.
The car jarred violently over a pothole, causing the undercarriage to squeal out in warning. Ghostly trees lit by his headlights flew by as the houses grew fewer and farther between. Royce’s house sat at the edge of town, only minutes away, but it might as well have been a hundred miles with the other car now kissing his rear bumper, pushing him to lose control. Jesse was honestly surprised he hadn’t already lost traction. Why were they doing this to him all over again? He’d left town, lost everything he’d worked for, and lost his family and friends. Wasn’t that enough penance for the sin of being gay?
Another jarring hit vibrated through the entire car, but he held on tight and kept his vehicle on the road. Jesse could see the pole light outside the main barn on Royce’s property; he was almost there. There was a long driveway leading up to the little farm Royce had created, and Jesse was thankful for its length. He’d need a lot of room to slow down with how fast he was driving. The driveway had a soft curve leading off the road, so at least he wouldn’t flip, he hoped.
Seconds later, he took his foot off the gas and veered onto the dirt driveway, fishtailing before he regained control over the vehicle. The lights in his rearview mirror disappeared, confirming that they had stayed on the main road, not daring to come near the house where there were witnesses. Jesse slowed the car, his hands shaking as he parked in his spot. His breathing was still coming out in gasps, and he couldn’t stop the tears that escaped his eyes no matter how hard he tried.
He was just considering getting out of the car when his driver’s door opened, and Jesse instinctively curled into himself and protected his head with his large arms. Even though he was 6’2” and weighed 245 pounds, Jesse wasn’t a fighter normally. The only time he allowed himself to use force was when protecting someone else.
“Jesse, honey, it’s me. What’s wrong? What’s happened?” Royce’s calming voice bled through Jesse’s fog of fear. “Was it your family again?”
Jesse uncurled his body and looked up at the man he loved so completely and nodded his head. “I don’t know why my cousin and his buddies won’t just leave me alone. It’s been so long, almost a year since the last time, why now?”
Royce leaned into the car and held Jesse close, helping him to settle even further. Even though Royce was three inches shorter and sixty-five pounds lighter than Jesse, Royce was the emotionally stronger and more dominant of the two, and Jesse was completely on board with that. Due to his size, many men assumed Jesse to be the dominant one in their relationship. But Royce knew what Jesse needed, which made Jesse feel free to be himself for the first time in his life.
“I don’t know why they’re coming after you, Jesse, but we need to step up our security until we find out or have enough proof to have them jailed,” Royce answered. But Jesse knew how they worked; they never attacked him when someone else was around to witness the abuse or threats. That was how they’d stayed below the radar back home, and what led to Jesse escaping one lonely night ten years earlier.
“They never try anything when someone else is with me. They have to have someone watching me, because they waited until I dropped Sarah off before they attacked,” Jesse explained.
“I’m going to call Chief Graham once we get you inside, and tomorrow I’ll drive you to work.”
“What about your shoulder?” Jesse asked.
“It’s healing up well enough, and I’m more than capable of driving safely. Even if I’m a shot-up paramedic on medical leave, I can still protect my boyfriend,” Royce explained gruffly.
Jesse smiled. He couldn’t help himself. He’d never had anyone protect him before. He’d caused indifference, disgust, hate, and even pity from the people in his old life, but never had he felt protected. Royce and Brighton had given him his freedom and peace; now he just had to figure out how to keep it.
“Thank you, Royce. I would feel better if you drove me.” Jesse truly would. He hadn’t ridden his Harley since members of his parents’ fringe church showed up and demanded Jesse return with them to begin his rehabilitation for the sin of being gay. If he’d ridden his bike tonight, he could have been knocked off, which only brought out more questions. If they wanted to take him back, why would they try to physically harm him or worse? After the initial contact, he’d only seen his cousin and five members of the congregation from a distance. Why were they here now? Something is not adding up.
“Okay, that’s settled. Now let’s get you inside the house.” Royce scanned the area. His left arm was still in a sling while his wound healed.
It warmed Jesse’s heart to know he wasn’t alone anymore. Ten long years of living a transient lifestyle, never staying in one place too long, had taken its toll on Jesse. When he’d arrived in Brighton, he thought maybe he’d found his new home. After he met Royce Evans, he knew he’d been right.
*****
Royce got off the phone with the police chief, not feeling any calmer than he had before he’d called. They’d come and look at the dented bumper first thing in the morning and keep an eye out for the suspect’s car, but there was nothing more they could do. Without a witness or more evidence, it was a ‘he said, he said’ situation. Jesse was relaxing on the couch watching some sort of reality show while Royce made his calls. Royce knew all too well that the other car involved would be gone in the next few hours, never to be seen again without having some bodywork done.
The chief had other crimes and issues to deal with, and stalking might not be top on the list of his concerns. Royce knew by the way the Redemption Squad—as he liked to call Jesse’s family and followers—had upgraded to straight-out violence, something had changed. Proving that hurting Jesse or worse was now an option.
Royce couldn’t stop his thoughts from drifting to over three and a half years earlier when his world stopped turning—the day his husband died. They’d been high school sweethearts and married once they both finished college. That day Royce’s heart had been ripped out and his soul left ravaged and unrepairable—at least that’s what he thought, until he laid his eyes on Jesse working in the diner one morning before his shift.
They’d gotten to know each other while Jesse was healing from a knee injury he sustained pushing their friend Johnny out of the way of a speeding car. Since that incident, Royce and Jesse had been together every day, only apart when Royce was on shift as an EMT for Brighton’s Emergency Services or Jesse was at the diner. They’d either sleep at Royce’s house or Jesse’s apartment, but in truth Royce wanted Jesse in his home full-time. They’d been dating for over four months now, and Royce hadn’t felt this alive and in love in a long time.
But the question still remained, how would he be able to protect the only other man he’d allowed himself to love? He had to figure it out because he wasn’t allowing anything to happen to his Jesse.
The throbbing in his injured shoulder only brought back the fact that life was short and he needed to live it. He rubbed his arm, trying to lessen the pain without the use of painkillers.
“Your shoulder hurting, babe?” Jesse asked from the open doorway. Royce hadn’t heard him approach. “Don’t answer, because you’ll just deny it. I’ll go get the cream for your shoulder and meet you in bed.” Jesse raised and lowered his eyebrows a few times and gave him a goofy grin. God he loved that man.
Before Royce could answer, Jesse was gone, undoubtedly in search of the muscle-relaxing cream he’d been prescribed. Royce’s muscles would seize up around the wound, causing more pain than the actual gunshot did. Physiotherapy had helped, but the doctors kept saying it would take time to heal. The one thing he didn’t have was time. The Redemption Squad had upped the pressure on Jesse, and he wouldn’t stand for that.
Royce got up, double-checked all the locks, and set their new security system, which monitored any motion outside or attempted entry into their house. He knew his gorgeous boyfriend would be lying in their bed waiting for him, and if he were lucky, Jesse would be in only his boxers.
Sure enough, that muscled, tattooed body lay sprawled across the bed in only black boxers and a smile. Jesse’s sandy blond hair spread out across his broad chest and down his abdomen. His deep brown eyes were filled with need and lust. He was such a contrast to Royce’s own red hair and green eyes. Without a word, Royce began to remove his sling from his arm and immediately hissed from the pain. Jesse was off the bed in seconds, gently holding Royce’s arm stable.
“I’ll help you, Royce. Hold your arm while I unbutton your shirt and remove your pants.”
“I can do it.” The last thing Royce wanted was to look weak in front of the man who meant everything to him and whom he needed to protect.
“Please, Royce. Let me help you.” With only a handful of words, Jesse managed to melt any resistance Royce might have had; Jesse excelled at that.
“Thank you, babe.”
With gentle hands, Jesse unbuttoned Royce’s shirt and slid it down his arms before placing it across the chair. His pants soon followed. Now they both stood only in their boxers and both equally hard.
“Lie down on the bed, Royce, so I can rub your shoulder.”
“Can we skip the painful part and get to the fun stuff instead?” Royce was not looking forward to this particular massage. Though he still lay down and carefully arranged his arm on a pillow.
“No, but if you’re good, I’ll make sure you have all the ‘fun stuff’ you can handle,” Jesse negotiated as he came to sit beside him with the medicated muscle-relaxing cream in his hand.
Royce smiled at his gentle partner, then lifted his uninjured arm over his head and said, “I’m all yours, baby.”
“You’re definitely all mine, and I’m all yours,” Jesse replied while squeezing a small amount of lotion on his hand, and Royce prepared himself for the pain.
No matter how gently Jesse rubbed, the pain was instantaneous, and no matter how hard Royce tried, he couldn’t keep the pain-filled groans from escaping his lips. Even though Jesse never rubbed near his wound, simply rubbing his cramping muscles felt like his skin was tearing apart.
“Easy, I’ve got you,” Jesse whispered as he lightly moved his hands over Royce’s skin and worked each muscle in his shoulder and arm.
After a few moments, Royce’s sore muscles began to relax and his tension faded away. Jesse continued to rub until Royce melted into the bed, and he might have fallen asleep if it weren’t for the warm, wet mouth that was suddenly sucking his cock in long, lazy pulls. He had no idea when Jesse had removed his boxers or stopped rubbing his arm, but Jesse was now doing something infinitely more satisfying.
“Yes, babe, turn around. I want to taste you,” Royce suggested.
“Not this time, love. This is all about you.” His deep brown eyes seemed to sparkle before Jesse sucked down Royce’s hard cock to the back of his throat and swallowed.
Royce cried out in pleasure and spread his legs farther apart, giving Jesse complete access. He kept his left arm cradled on the pillow, not wanting to reinjure anything, but he couldn’t stop from flexing his hips and fucking Jesse’s mouth. Jesse began humming, and the vibration nearly made Royce shoot. His tongue laved the underside of Royce’s cock from his balls to tip before sucking him down once again.
By now Royce had forgotten his pain, knowing that was what Jesse had intended all along. He was close to coming and warned his lover, “Soon, babe.”
Instead of slowing, Jesse sped up and sucked harder. His tongue slapped the sensitive head of Royce’s cock and dipped into the slit; that was all it took. Fire raced down his spine, his balls throbbed, and pulled up tight just before he screamed and came down Jesse’s throat.
He tensed his shoulder for a moment and then every muscle in Royce’s body relaxed. Royce could have fallen asleep right there but he would never simply leave his partner needing. “Let me take care of you, sweetheart.”
Jesse raised his head and smiled at him. “No worries, I’ve already come, baby, just from listening to your moans and feeling your body react to me. I couldn’t help myself.”
“You always know what I need,” Royce said. “Every muscle in my body is relaxed now.”
“That was the plan. I’ll go get cleaned up, and then we need some sleep. It’s almost one o’clock in the morning.”
Royce got comfortable and rearranged the pillow cradling his wounded arm, just as Jesse walked back into their room in all his naked glory. His tanned, muscled body was simply beautiful, scars and all. At first Jesse had been embarrassed when Royce saw the injuries he’d received at the hands of his family. Those brown eyes showed every emotion Jesse had, making it easier for Royce to determine when there was another run-in with the Redemption Squad or if he’d had a rough day.
His thick, uncut cock swayed as he walked over to the bed, crawled up beside Royce, and turned off the bedside lamp. “I love you, Royce.”
“I love you too, Jesse. I never thought I’d be lucky enough to have this with you. Never thought I’d be able,” Royce admitted.
“I’m the one who’s lucky. I can finally trust someone again. I’ve lived for so long without a single person to trust, to believe in me like you do. You accept me just the way I am. I don’t have to pretend to be the tough guy with you. I can be myself.” Jesse’s voice cracked as he spoke. “I’m sorry I brought those people into your life.”
“Even if I knew you had a screwed-up family hunting you down, I wouldn’t change a thing about our relationship. I still would have pursued you just as hard as I did. I wouldn’t leave you after the first sign of trouble. I love you, all of you, no matter what’s thrown our way,” Royce assured him, and Jesse’s eyes misted over with tears. “You and me, through thick and thin. I’m just glad you finally gave me a chance.”
Jesse pulled the covers up over both of them and cuddled into Royce, his head on Royce’s chest on the opposite side of his injury. They’d had to change the sides of the bed they slept on because Jesse now needed to lie on Royce’s right side, so Jesse could still cover Royce’s body with his own, without accidentally hitting his wound.
“You wore me down,” Jesse teased.
“Well, thank God for that,” Royce huffed. “Because I know it wasn’t my suave, debonair pick-up lines.”
“You’re suave to me and very confident and charming.” Jesse looked up, his eyes soft and expressive.
“Thank you, babe, that’s all that matters,” Royce said. “Now let’s get some sleep. Chief Graham will be by in the morning.”
Jesse laid his head back down on Royce’s chest, his big leg slung over both of Royce’s. It was their usual position and it didn’t take long for Jesse’s breathing to even out as he fell asleep. Royce stayed awake for a long time, working out how to better protect Jesse. He thought about asking the Sentinel Team for help, but knew Jesse would never accept that because someone other than himself might get hurt. The Sentinels were a group of former military personnel who called Brighton home, when not out on missions recovering or protecting others.
But what if Jesse didn’t know and he asked only one of the team members to keep an eye on Jesse to keep him safe? That might work. He didn’t like keeping things from Jesse but his safety came first. Royce felt a little bit better and decided to call the team first thing in the morning.