“Damn, I feel like a prisoner.” He caught an intense gaze from Brett and flushed a bit.“I’m sorry.I love you, and I don’t want to leave. It’s just that it’s all so new and strange.”

“I know it’s a lot to get used to, honey, but give it a chance. Lie down here beside me and rest until dinnertime. We’ve both been through a lot in the past day or so. You’ll feel better about things once you’ve settled in.”

Evan allowed himself to be pulled down beside Brett, but he wasn’t too sure about getting used to things and feeling better about them in a few days. As a matter of fact, he already felt a little stir crazy. Brett rolled over and put a heavy leg across his thighs and snuggled his face into Evan’s neck. His lips brushed softly against his throat. A feeling of such passion and love for the man swept over him that it left him a little shaken. Well, damn.

He snuggled in a little closer to Brett, feeling Brett’s large erection brushing his thighs. Maybe he could get used to some of it after all.

“I’m going to help Logan with the self-defense training for the other pets. Please, Brett. Marco has approved the training, and it’s for the good of the pets. I’m going to go crazy sitting around here doing nothing all day.”

Brett folded his arms over his chest and frowned. “So if you’ve made up your mind, I guess it doesn’t matter what I think about it.”

Evan stood his ground, glaring back at Brett, only dropping his gaze when it became clear Brett was growing more irritated.“Of course it matters! Please, Brett.I don’t want to fight with you over this, but Idon’t want to sit at home like your little bitch.”

Brett drew back, astonishment on his face.“I never said that! I never treated you like my bitch, for God’s sake!”

“No? What about how you acted when I got that letterfrom Eric last week?”

Brett pressed his lips together and narrowed his eyes, saying nothing.

When Evan sent his mother a letter letting her know he was okay and telling her where he was, he got back two replies, one from his mother and one from his former lover, Eric. Brett had been furious, throwing the letters down on the sofa beside him and glaring down at him.

“Who the fuck is Eric?”

“What?” The name still made him flinch a little, and of course Brett picked up on that immediately.

“Who is he? What is he to you? Where the fuck do you know him from? Why is he writing to you?”

“Wait a minute, Brett, give me a chance to answer!He’s an old boyfriend and I have no idea why he’s writing to me.”

“Open it. I know you’re dying to find out.”

“You mean you’re dying to find out.” He blushed a little when Brett growled low in his throat.“Please calm down. I don’t want to open it with you looming over me. Go sit over there onthe chair and I’ll see why he’s writing.”

With a long, warning glare in his direction, Brett went over to the chair and plopped down in it, leaning forward a little.

Evan shook his head, by now used to these little displays every time another man so much as looked at him. He’d found it best to try and ignore Brett until he finally realized what an ass he was being and apologized, wanting make-up sex. This was the tactic Evan was using now.

He opened his mother’s letter first and read it eagerly, scanning over it to see if his family had suffered any retaliation of any kind from the Hunters. They were fine, if worried about him, and his mother was full of questions about when she could meet this new man in his life and whether or not he was being treated well. Apparently the Hunters had notified her of his “kidnapping” and made her think he was in the hands of a killer, so her relief at knowing he was fine came through loud and clear, with only a hint of skepticism. She told him she’d feel better when she could talk to him and see him in person so she could make sure he wasn’t being coerced to say he was all right.

While Evan was reading his mother’s letter, he was aware that Brett was fuming and fidgeting around in his chair. He had to admit he loved the fact that Brett was so damn jealous of him. Eric had never seemed to care much one way or the other. Evan sort of enjoyed making Brett suffer just a little, but he knew he was pushing it a bit. Later, when Brett took him to bed, Brett always made sure to leave no doubt in his mind about exactly whom he belonged to.

Deliberately dragging it out as long as he could to make his man suffer, he took another sip of his soda before finally opening the letter from Eric. Evan could almost feel the waves of fury emanating off Brett.

“What do you mean by an old boyfriend? In high school? Or more recently? Was he your lover?”

“Yes, Brett, he was my lover up until about six months before you and I met. I did have a life before that, you know.I wasn’t a monk. Eric and I were together for about a year and then he cheated on me.”

“So he left you? Does that mean you still have feelings for him?”

“No, baby, I don’t have feelings for him at all.As intense as you are, I don’t have room in my head for anybody but you.”

“You’d better not,” Brett mumbled, still glaring across at him as he read his letter. The letter only expressedconcern for him, saying he’d read in the newspapers that he’d been kidnapped by some kind of homegrown terrorists, and was so relieved when he’d called Evan’s mother,and she’d told him the truth. He gave him his new cell phone number and asked him to call. He hinted that he had an exciting new job,and he’d love to tell him all about it.

Evan looked up from the letter and over at Brett. His handsome face was creased with worry.“What is it? What did he say?”

Evan tossed the letter over to him, not wanting to cause him any more pain.“Nothing, love. Nothing at all. Read it for yourself, and then throw it in the trash. I have no interest in his phone number or anything else he has to say. You have nothing to be jealous about, and you know it.”

Brett caught the letter, jammed it in his pocket and came over to wrap his arms around Evan.“I’m sorry—I guess I can be alittle jealous sometimes.”

Evan laughed out loud.“You think?”

“I’m just so crazy about you—I can’t get enough of you, no matter how many times we make love.I love you so much, baby.”

“I love you too, sweetheart.” He put his head back and let Brett claim his mouth. Brett pushed him down on the sofa and started pulling at his jeans. Evan smiled, knowing Brett had to reclaim his mate whenever his jealous rages overcame him. Since Evan usually got fucked into the nearest available surface whenever that happened, he wasn’t complaining too much.

Brett pulled his own jeans down, freeing his cock and pressing it against the length of Evan’s. He bent to push Evan’s mouth open, scraping his teeth against his mate’s hot tongue. Brett pushed Evan’s shirt up and began working his nipples, one at a time, licking and biting. His hand moved down to massage Evan’s balls, not roughly, but not exactly gentle. Their cocks continued to rub together, driving Evan wild with desire.

All of Evan’s senses felt filled up with Brett. His mouth was being attacked, his cock stimulated and his balls still being massaged by Brett’s talented fingers. He felt like he was drowning in a flood of sensations.

Brett pulled his head back from Evan’s mouth long enough to whisper, “Lube?” It took Evan a couple of seconds to process what he was asking, and then he nodded.“Um, on the end table, I think, where you left it last night.”

Brett reared up and reached behind him, finding it and squeezing some onto his fingers. He began to rub it over his cock, knowing Evan was watching, taking his time. He bent down and lifted Evan’s leg, setting his calf on his shoulder. He leaned in then and spread the lube slowly over Evan’s sensitive skin. He slipped in one finger, teasing it in and out as Evan bit back a moan.

“Feel good, darlin’? Right there? Hmmm?How’s that?”

“God, Brett,” Evan groaned hoarsely. “Are you going to fuck me or talk me to death?”

“Maybe a little of both if you don’t watch that smart mouth.” Brett chuckled and pushed in another finger deeply, working it in and out. Evan flinched at the invasion of two fingers, and Brett pressed up, searching for his sweet spot again. He found it and Evan arched up with a deep guttural sound.

“Gettin’ tight again, sweetheart. I might have to make you wear that plug again for me.” He slid his fingers in and outat the same time he palmed Evan’s cock, drawing his hand down over the length. He slid his thumb over the slit and Evan began to spurt, straining for breath and coming all over Brett’s chest and his own stomach.

Brett milked Evan’s orgasm, pumping his cock with his other hand as he guided his cock to his entrance and slid inside. His cock went in deep at the first thrust, then slowed down, sliding all the way in with a slow stroke and then pulling back out, setting up a rhythm that drove Evan crazy.“Harder. Do it!” Evan urged him, and after only a few strokes, Brett came with a deep groan, pulling Evan closer and then collapsing on top of him.

He lay there for a few moments, his bodybetween Evan’s strong thighs, his head on his chest, trying to get his breath.He levered himself up and nipped at Evan’s nipple as he rose, causing him to jump in surprise.“Damn it, Brett. You’re such an asshole.”

Brett turned him over and slapped his butt three times in rapid succession.

“Ow!” Evan cried out.

“Apologize or you’ll go over my knee, smart ass.”

Evan rapidly swallowed down the sharp retort on his lips and looked over his shoulder at him as meekly as he could.

“I-I’m sorry, Brett.”

Brett leaned over and kissed and licked the red marks on his skin.“You know you love it,” he said, moving toward the bathroom to get a warm washcloth.

Evan sighed deeply, still feeling the burn and ache on his tender ass and the boneless, languid feeling that he’d just been well and truly fucked. “Yes, I do,” he said quietly. “God help me.”