"Want you," Trent growled in his ear, his hot breath sending tingles to all the right places. As much as Marly wanted to give in, there was still the little matter of Clive sitting on their couch. But then Trent's hard mouth hit his lips, and, well fuck. How was a man supposed to think about anything, with the kissing God plying his trade? Marly wrapped his arms around Trent's neck, and stood on tip toes, so he could get closer, and more kisses. Definitely more mouth action.
"Er, as hot as you two are together, do you think we can we talk for a moment, before you get too carried away," Clive's voice came from behind Marly.
Trent lifted his head and growled.
Chapter Sixteen
All Trent could feel was the warmth of Marly's body, and the smell of his arousal. He desperately needed to be deep inside of his mate, the young mans' body wrapped around his cock, giving them the connection that Trent craved more than life itself. He'd been gutted when Marly took off on the back of Clive's bike although he totally understood the reason why. But having to deal with Stephanie and her not so subtle comments, which Trent prayed Marly hadn't heard, instead of holding his mate close and checking to make sure he hadn't sustained any injuries, was pushing him to the very limit of his control.
"I can't be at the club anymore, boss, surely you can see that," he said, refusing to give up his hold on Marly, and glaring at Clive over his mate's pretty blond head. Marly's hair was still in a braid, although looking a little mussed and Trent found himself undoing the tie and combing through the long tresses with his fingers. He truly loved his mate's hair.
"Yeah, your friend and I have been talking about that," Clive said with a grin. "Your mate has some spunk. You should be proud of him."
"I am," Trent said without thinking and then Clive's words caught up with him.
"Mate?" He said, moving over to sit on the armchair, pulling Marly onto his lap. He took comfort from the warmth of Marly's hand on his neck, and the feel of that tight little ass sitting over his cock. Marly wasn't heavy but even his weight helped Trent breathe a little easier.
"Clive knows what we are," Marly said quietly. "Apparently he's met shifters before, and for some reason he didn't believe I'd had military training. Imagine that."
Trent took a moment to grin at his mate. Nobody would ever consider the idea that Marly had been in the armed forces, even if the man dressed in full uniform. He screamed twink from every moisturized pore in his body, and Trent loved that about his mate.
"It must be your hair," he said gravely, stroking the long silken mass down Marly's back. "Most military men keep theirs short."
"You think?" Marly said laughing at him. "Clive said I was too short and too pretty to be a military man." Trent growled at the idea that his boss would call his mate pretty, but Marly thumped him on the chest and his glare told Trent to get over his jealousy pretty quickly. Remembering what Marly had witnessed at the club with Stephanie, Trent calmed down a bit.
"Yes, so after talking to your friend here, I'm thinking we can make him a club member. That way you won't feel you have to leave," Clive said.
For tiny moment, Trent was sorely tempted, even as his mind screamed no. He did like his life with Clive and he had a couple of other good friends in the club- Levi and Saul. The money and the hours were good, and for a lone Alpha wolf like himself it was the closest he would ever get to a pack of his own.
But he shook his head. "I can't boss, even though I really appreciate the offer. This mating thing … even if I could overlook the initiation process, the constant slurs Marly would get for the way he looks, the fights and everything else, quite honestly I can't keep my hands off him when we're together. I won't be put in a position where I have to deny what Marly means to me."
"I don't want you to have to. The club culture needs to change," Clive said. "Look, there are some selfish reasons why I want this to happen. Marly pointed out that the reasons I had for letting the gay bashing go on was wrong, and he was right. I don't like it, and I should have stopped it well before now. Secondly, I like the way we work together, the deals and the money are really good. I trust you by my side, and I know you can handle any flack you two might get in the club until the others have gotten used to it. You could help change the culture of the club from the inside."
Trent thought hard. He knew Marly wanted to stay in Orlando, at least for a while longer. Marly wouldn't have to work for the Epitaphs, he could keep his job and they could maybe look for a larger apartment for the pair of them. Then another sour thought hit his gut.
"I don't think I could handle Marly going through the initiation process," he said.
"What initiation process?" Marly lifted his head from Trent's neck.
"All new club members have to fuck or fight their way into the club," Clive explained. "I couldn't make an exception for you, no matter how much I might want to."
"Do I get to choose which one I want to do?" Marly said with a grin.
"Women fuck, men fight," Trent said firmly.
"Yeah, but I kinda slip between the two don't you think?" The smile on Marly's face was precious and Trent couldn't help but return it.
"You'd have to fight," he said.
Marly shrugged. "It's not as though I haven't fought some of your men already, and won, I might add. I wouldn't have to fight you, would I, because I couldn't do that?" He said, looking at Trent.
"No," Clive said. "You would be presented to the club as a possible member. Up to six men would have the right to fight you and if you win four of those fights then you are in. But me and Trent don't participate. You are not going for rank. You have to prove you can hold your own among the members."
"Individually or together?"
"Individually," Trent said, tilting Marly's head up so he could look into his eyes. "Look, I don't want you doing this. I know you can hold your own, and I know you can fight better than anyone else in the club except maybe me or Clive. But think about it Marly. The club has been homophobic for generations. I'm not worried about me, or my reputation, but even some of those women can be pretty nasty and you can't hit them."
"I wouldn't want to," Marly huffed. "I'm not like that. I didn't hit Stephanie today, did I? I take it that was that Stephanie who had her claws in you when I left?"
"Yes, that was Stephanie, and she was pretty determined to get me into bed. She's not a bad person, she just can't stand being told no," Trent said with a sigh, thinking of the words the two had shared.
"What did you say to put her off this time?" Clive said with a grin.
"I finally told her that this sweet little ass here," Trent palmed Marly's buttocks, "Was far better for my cock than any mink lined muff and she'd just have to accept that it wasn't going to happen."
"Fuck, that was a ballsy thing to do," Clive said. "Outing yourself to the biggest gossip of the club was like taking out a full page advert in the Orlando Sentinel."
"Yes, well, I didn't think I was going back, did I?" Trent said. "I'm supposed to be taking my mate on a road trip, and I wasn't planning on coming back. To the club I mean," he added when he saw a frown cross Marly's face.
Clive stood up. "I'm not letting you go without a fight," he said to Trent. "You're the best Sergeant at Arms that the club has ever had. You're the closest friend I have. I want Marly's fighting skills with us, and I think once the guys get to know him, it will help change their viewpoints on being gay. Talk about it between yourselves and if you are keen, come into the club tonight at 8pm for the meeting and we will initiate Marly then. That way no one will know what is happening and they won't have time to set up anything sneaky. Then after Marly's been accepted, you can go on your road trip and this will all be waiting for you when you get back. Simple really."
Trent nodded but he didn't walk Clive to the door. That would have meant putting Marly down, and he couldn't do that. Not yet anyhow. His whole being was agitated, horny, and possessive – both human and wolf sides of him. Seeing Marly with a knife at his throat, had terrified Trent, and then watching as Marly left on the back of someone else's bike, was the final nail in his sanity coffin. He needed Marly close, in his arms, where he was safe, and he desperately wanted anything to shut out the fear that he had gone through only an hour or so before. So no. Letting Marly go was not an option.