“Come on, Ricky. No need to get upset. It’s not like we have to file a report, since it was all a favor for a friend,” the second officer soothed.
Slender, wiry even, the officer must have been stronger than he looked, for he easily got his partner moving. Payson stepped aside to let them pass, and the other guy’s scent hit his nostrils. His eyes widened and he just managed to hold back a low growl. He was a fucking vampire!
The officer smirked and winked. For a split second, his eyes flashed red.
“God, Draven,” Ricky muttered. “Only you wouldn’t care about being woken up too early on our first full day off in two weeks.”
Draven? Where have I heard that name before?
Payson’s attention snapped to Kontra when his alpha hissed in a harsh breath. “Draven?”
The couple had reached the front door. While Ricky stalked outside, Draven paused in the doorway. He looked over his shoulder, directly at Kontra, and flashed a fang. Then he slipped out, slamming the door behind him.
“Please tell me that wasn’t the Draven we’re looking for?” Payson muttered.
Kontra cocked his head. “I have absolutely no idea.” The big alpha looked at him. “Not sure I want a vampire around my mate,” he muttered.
“Especially one with magick, right boss?” he whispered.
“Damn it,” Kontra snarled.
Torn, Payson glanced between the room where Land still talked with his sister and his alpha. If his alpha wanted to go after the vampire, Payson would be at his side. Kontra placed a big hand on Payson’s shoulder and squeezed. “Go to your mate. This is my problem.”
Payson nodded, relieved. “Thanks, boss.”
Just outside the salon, Vail caught his arm. “Who was here?” the wolf shifter asked, his brows creased as he scented the air.
“Just those cops, uh, Ricky and Draven,” Payson said. “Didn’t you see them?”
“No,” Vail murmured, clearly distracted. Without another word, he wandered away. Payson cocked his head, wondering at the man’s frown, then he decided he had other things to worry about and headed into the salon.
Chapter Nine
Land had watched his sister stand up for him. He’d watched the officers leave, knowing his mate probably stood right outside. Payson confirmed his belief when he appeared in the doorway, a thunderous look darkening his sexy features. Just the fact he thought the man extremely hot when so angry hit home how much he liked this man. What Land found even more fantastic was how he felt completely safe, having some soul deep belief Payson would never use his strength against him, except in the best of ways.
Land knew it wouldn’t take much to fall in love with the crazy-wild shifter. And he couldn’t wait for it to happen.
Larissa smacked him on the stomach, refocusing his attention. The corner of his lip turned down and he frowned at her. “What the crap?”
She snorted and rolled her eyes. “Really? You’re asking me that?” Evidently, Land didn’t look acceptably mollified, because Larissa snorted again. “Puh-leeze! You’re in a stranger’s mansion…some fuck buddy keeping you half naked and giving you piercings.” She waved her hands at his chest. “What the hell is going on?”
Land sucked in a deep breath then let it out through his nose. So much for not sharing sexual kinks with his sister, Land wanted to go hide in Payson’s room. He struggled against the blush he felt warming the skin of his chest and neck. “I’ve always liked piercings,” he muttered.
With her hands on her hips, Larissa gave him a narrow-eyed stare. “Then how come you’ve never gotten any before?”
He lifted his gaze to the ceiling, praying for patience and the right words. After a couple of seconds, he focused on his sister. “I’m not sure why I have to explain myself to you, Larissa. I might be eight years younger but I’m not a child. I like men with piercings, watching porn containing uniformed men, and the feel of a big dick in my ass. With Payson, I don’t have to explain why I like them. He’s even happy to indulge in any of those things with me. He doesn’t make me feel weird or perverted, and I don’t feel like I have to hide anything.”
Pausing for a breath, and to gather his next thought string, Land lifted a hand to stop Larissa from interrupting. “Because Payson accepts me just as I am, a skinny geeky nerd, and I do the same for him. That includes the fact that not only has he slept with you, but with countless other people, men and women.” Plus a crap-load of other things that I can’t tell you, like shape-shifting and mates and accelerated healing and strength and…