With Caution Excerpt

With Caution
Coming from Samhain Nov. 20th
Copyright Oct. 2007 by J.L. Langley

“If you want my help, you have it, but I need to know what’s going on.”

Remi glanced up, his eyes solemn. “I don’t even know if I can afford to pay you.”

Jake started shaking his head as soon as the word afford left Remi’s lips. “I’m not worried about it. You’re my”—mate—“my friend. If you feel like you have to pay me, we can work something out. I’m not agreeing to help you for money. I keep getting the hint that you think Sterling is in danger of being hurt by someone and I want to help if I can.” Not to mention that helping—protecting—his mate was his job and made him feel good.

“Okay.” Taking a sip of his beer, Remi pulled his other foot onto the couch, bending it in front of him and resting his arm on it. He watched the beer bottle dangling between his fingers for a few moments and nodded, like he’d made up his mind. “It’s Dirk. He’s never hurt Sterling before. This is the first time, but…”

“But it probably won’t be the last,” Jake finished for him. Fuck. Even Remi called him Dirk. The guy was a piece of work. What kind of man didn’t want his own kids calling him dad?

“Well, that was my experience when I lived there, but I’ve always kept him from hurting Sterling. He pretty much ignores Sterling as long as Sterling stays out of his hair and I continue to live my life by his rules.” Shaking his head, Remi snorted. “I’ve done that. I don’t even hang around my fag best friend anymore.” The venom in Remi’s voice said the word fag wasn’t his, but his father’s. “Well, not where he would find out about it anyway. I still go to Chay and Keaton’s, I just hide my bike. Pretty fucking pathetic, huh?” He took a long swig of beer, finishing it in one shot. He set it on the table and rested both his hands on his knees. He appeared far away, lost. “Simon and Bobby came with me to pick up Sterling one day and he kicked them out of the house. He told them to never come back because they’re still friends with Chay. So I pretty much steer clear of them too.”

Jake had the urge to pull Remi into his lap and assure him it’d be okay, but instead he sat and listened. His heart ached for Remi. Given what he’d learned throughout the day, it shouldn’t come as such a shock the amount of control Remi’s father had over his life, but it did. And it pissed Jake off to no end. The idea of someone threatening his mate didn’t sit well with him.

Remi’s eyes were watery, the scent of tears heavy in the air, but he didn’t cry. He laughed, almost evilly. “The son of a bitch even told me what I was going to do for a living. One night over dinner he said, ‘You need to fill out this application to the fire department, I already told the fire chief to be looking for it.’ He threw the application at me and asked Sterling, ‘What do you think about Remi being a fireman?’ I don’t know if it was a threat or not, but I didn’t even argue. Besides, Sterling seemed to think it was cool. Of course, most six-year-olds do, huh? They all want to be firemen, policemen or astronauts…or a sports star. At that age, I wanted to be the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys.”

“Ah, that explains your jersey number in high school. Roger Staubach, huh?”

Remi grinned. “Yeah.”

“You were damn good. You probably could have been the Cowboy’s quarterback, well a NFL quarterback at least. Tell me truthfully, how many colleges offered you football scholarships?”
“Only two. The scouts were watching other players, not me.”

Jake didn’t ask why Remi didn’t take them up on it or seek out a scholarship to a school of his choice, when it meant he could’ve escaped his father. He didn’t need to.

Jake came to the sudden realization that Remi’s sexual orientation and getting him to accept being Jake’s mate, were not the only obstacles in the way. He needed to help Remi find a way to protect and care for Sterling while getting the threat of Remi’s abusive father out of their lives.
Setting his beer on the table, Jake moved a bit closer to Remi. “What about your mother? Is she still around?”

“Since I moved out, it seems like he beats Mom more. Sterling says it’s because she makes sure Dirk doesn’t go after him.” The tears Remi had been holding back dripped down his cheek. Turning his head toward the TV, which was now a blue screen, he rested his cheek on his knee. “She’s a lost cause. I’ve tried. I’ve tried so damn hard. She won’t leave. Says she loves him and he needs her. At first I thought she was scared, but now…” He dashed the tears away with his hand. “Now, I think he means more to her than we do. Sterling and I have always depended on each other. That’s how it’s been since he was born. If it weren’t for Sterling…” Remi raised his head, tears no longer on his cheeks, but his eyes were brimming with them. “I’d have never gotten out of there alive if not for Sterling. Now, I need to get him out too before something terrible happens.”
Jake swallowed the lump in his throat at what Remi implied. The thought of Remi not being around twisted Jake’s insides in knots. Already, he saw a man he admired, even if Remi weren’t his mate. The fact that he was made him that much more special.

Remi shook his head, and the tears ran down his cheeks. “I don’t know why she didn’t love us enough to leave. How could she choose him over her own kids? How can—? I should have taken him and run away a long time ago. This is my fault, I failed Sterl—”

“Shh. No, you didn’t. Looks to me like you’re doing a damn good job of looking out for your little brother.” Jake touched his cheek, half expecting Remi to pull away. He didn’t. Running his hand over Remi’s face, Jake brushed away the tears. From day one, Remi’s smaller size made Jake want to protect him, but now the feelings were even stronger. “It isn’t your fault, Remi.”

Remi leaned forward. His eyes shifted to wolf eyes as his head cocked. Finally, he closed his eyes.

Fuck, if that wasn’t a turn-on Jake didn’t know what was. His own eyes changed, drawing a groan from him. Blood rushed south, right to his cock.

Wrapping his hand around the back of Remi’s neck, Jake tugged him forward. The smell of arousal pierced his nose before his lips covered Remi’s. Jake didn’t mess around. He caught his mate’s chin in his other hand and pulled down as his tongue swooped into Remi’s mouth.

Opening for him, Remi followed Jake’s lead. His tongue slid along Jake’s as his hands found their way to Jake’s shoulders.

Jake ran his tongue over Remi’s teeth, feeling the extended canines, and his own reciprocated. He’d never lost control over his body—his eyes and teeth—like he did with Remi around. It was both frustrating and fascinating at the same time. He wanted Remi writhing beneath him, wanting to please Jake as much as Jake wanted to please him.

His need to take over was so intense he was nearly shaking with it. He barely managed to suppress his more aggressive tendencies. Given Remi’s past, Jake didn’t want Remi feeling trapped.

They ended up with Jake lying on the couch and Remi on top of him.

Remi’s hard cock pressed into Jake’s hip and his dark hair fanned around them, concealing their faces.

Grabbing two handfuls of his mate’s ass, Jake pressed against him, making sure Remi had no doubts that he was hard too.

Remi moaned and thrust his hips. He turned his head, breaking their kiss and exposing his neck as he nuzzled his face against Jake’s shoulder.

Oh fuck. Jake’s cock jerked, his hips bucking. The submissive action was almost his undoing. Turning Remi’s head further, he brushed his hair back and licked a long line over the slim column of his throat.

Remi’s pulse thundered beneath his tongue, attesting to his arousal just as strongly as the erection pressed against Jake’s.

Dragging one fang down Remi’s neck, Jake fought the urge to bite. He wanted to pin Remi still with his teeth and fuck him until neither of them could move. He didn’t dare.
Remi shivered, spreading his legs, allowing Jake more access, and pressed his neck into Jake’s teeth.

Oh fuck. It was too much. How could Jake resist such a sweet offer?

Written by JL Langley

JL is a full-time writer, with over ten novels to her credit. Among her hobbies she includes reading, practicing her marksmanship (she happens to be a great shot), gardening, working out (although she despises cardio), searching for the perfect chocolate dessert (so far as she can tell ALL chocolate is perfect, but it requires more research)
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