STORY EXCERPT

“Henley, I want to talk to you,” Conrad Moorland growled into his ear.

Henley sighed, glancing at the phone on speaker on his desk and wondering what his brother’s problem was now. He thought he’d be exponentially happy now that his first wife’s son was exactly where Conrad wanted him, out of his life.

Conrad had hated his son, Chance, who wasn’t actually his son by birth, as it turned out. Chance had been the product of an affair Chance’s mother, Conrad’s first wife, had had. Henley understood the woman had been lonely with Conrad cheating on her at every turn.

“I can’t believe you did this to me,” Conrad snarled. “You knew I wanted Brunswick. How could you go behind my back and buy it?”

“You wanted to dismantle it,” he replied patiently. “I made them a better offer. Now, if you don’t mind—”

“I do mind,” Conrad growled. “We need to talk in person.”

“You’re right,” Henley replied patiently. “I had planned to talk to you tomorrow in the office.”

“You’re going to turn the company over to me? Merge it with—”

“What makes you think I’d do that?” he cut in, humor coursing through him.

“You’re going to make me buy it?” Conrad demanded.

“I’m keeping the company Conrad,” he responded. “In fact, I’ve already got my first collection ready to go. I’ve already met with the staff along with my VP, and we’ve decided which of the staff we’re keeping and who we’re letting go. Now, we’re going to go about the business of putting our first collection out.”

Henley decided not to tell his brother they were going to be putting out two collections this year. One of them would be released in two months while the other would be geared toward college and high school teens later this summer in time for back to school.

His brilliant son even had mini holiday collections planned, but they were simple seasonal décor items such as placemats, curtains and candles. Henley admitted he liked the idea of mini seasonal collections.

He wouldn’t be stealing it for Moorland Company, his family’s company, the company Henley owned the controlling interest in. Conrad was a year older than him and had been on track to run the company until the screw-up with his first wife.

Their father had seen the situation as a sign that Conrad wasn’t reliable or capable of maintaining a scandal free life. However, Henley had come to learn, after their father’s death, that their father had never intended to make Conrad his successor. He had found him too emotionally immature and short-sighted to run the company with success for long.

Now, Moorland Company would be in the control of Henley’s heirs unless Henley decided to train one of his nieces or nephews to take over.

“You said it yourself, they were—you hired Law,” he snapped angrily. “How could you do that?”

“He’s good, and he’s going to make this company a very profitable one for me and my offspring.”

“You don’t have any damned children,” Conrad growled. “So, what are you going to do?”

“I’d prefer to talk to you about this in the office tomorrow,” he said. “I have some things I want you to look at, and I’d like Junior and Sam to be present since they are the two that will be the most immediately affected.”

“I hired Penny back,” he said. “She’s going to replace Law.”

Penny was one of Moorland Company’s designers, but she was by no means an apt replacement for Jamie. She didn’t have the talent or the vision his son had.

“That would be a mistake since she was the one behind the theft of his designs,” Henley replied.

“Mistakes were made, but she’s a good choice,” he said.

“What about Susan?”

Susan was Conrad’s eldest daughter and the only child he had with his second wife. Conrad hadn’t been able to gain custody of her in the very nasty divorce in which Conrad had paid through the nose for.

Wife number two hadn’t cheated on him, but she had proven Conrad cheated on her, which had left Conrad over a barrel in the divorce.

“Susan. She is graduating design school next year, but she’s already good,” Henley murmured.

The young woman was talented and more so than Penny. However, she was no prodigy like Jamison.

“No.”

“She’s your daughter,” Henley said, but he already knew his brother was too stupid to hire his daughter.

“She’s a little bitch, just like her mother,” he muttered.

Henley took exception to his brother’s description of the young woman. Susan was sweet and intelligent. Consequently, she’d never been snowed by Conrad’s lies. With her talent, she would be an excellent asset for Country Cotton.

“You’re a bastard, Conrad, but we’ll finish the conversation in the morning. I’ll be in the office at nine.”

* * * *

After Jamie had driven away, Chance made his way to his car where the two cat shifter bodyguards awaited him. Noll had suggested the agency, telling him it was run by Brady Lawry of the Peyton City Cats community.

The agency employed black panther shifters, wolves and wildcats. The team assigned to him consisted of one wildcat, two panthers, and a wolf.

“I’m going to head to my place and pack a bag. Then, we’re heading to my lover’s. Has the team put security in place there?”

“The guys have done their job,” Brady Lawry said. “I’m going to go with you to your place and to his, but after that I’m going home. I’ll be back here in the morning.”

“I think these guys can get me there,” Chance told him. “You head on home to your mate.”

“I’m here to do a job,” Lawry told him. “So, I’ll ride over with you. Danvers, you’re with us. Everyone else, meet us there.”

The drive to Chance’s was filled with light chatter about sports. Once they reached his condo, Chance parked in the lot, and they waited for the rest of the team before going inside.

On unlocking the door, Chance picked up a subtle scent that reminded him of the hyena from the store today.

“I’ll go first,” Lawry told him. “You’ve got a guest.”

“The same one from earlier,” Chance murmured.

“Danvers, cover me,” Lawry said and moved into the condo.

Chance was behind them with the other members of the security team, having waited at the car to make sure Chance’s car wasn’t tampered with.

Lawry headed straight for the bedroom and the low growl made Chance’s fox bare its teeth. The mangy animal showed itself within seconds and Lawry growled in warning, but the animal launched itself at him, and Lawry backhanded the animal, sending him reeling into a wall.

The hyena made a wounded sound, and Lawry and Danvers advanced on him. The hyena tried to bite Danvers and Lawry grabbed him by his neck. The animal attempted to escape, and Lawry broke his neck before throwing him onto the floor.

Chance frowned. He hadn’t expected the man to kill the shifter.

“Fuckers,” Danvers muttered. “It’s got to be one of the small Spotted Clan that’s moved in near the wolves.”

“I recognized that scar on his right leg,” Lawry commented. “This could turn into a problem for you, man. These animals are hell in groups, but if he’s one of the Spotted Clan hyenas, they’re assassins.”

ADULT EXCERPT

“You can trust him,” Chance assured him and kissed him.

Jamison rested his hand on Chance’s nape as he parted his lips, allowing Chance’s tongue to invade his mouth. The kiss was sweet but quickly turned hungry.

Chance pushed his fingers into Jamison’s curly hair and tugged his head to one side before brushing kisses along Jamison’s throat. He licked the slim column and then sucked even as he tightened his grip in Jamison’s curly locks.

Jamison made a soft noise as pleasure coursed through him, hardening his cock.

“Chance, the door.”

“We’re alone in the building, sweetie,” he murmured. “If you don’t want to, just tell me that.”

“I never tell you no,” Jamison replied softly. He never had the will to say no to Chance. His body always thrummed with desire and burned with a fire that he couldn’t put out even if he wanted to.

“Tell me you want me,” Chance urged. “Tell me—”

“I want you,” Jamison whispered as he looked into Chance’s sapphire eyes. His red hair was cut short but the cut was growing out, giving him a sexier look that Jamison preferred to that severe short cut.

However, he never said anything about Chance’s hair, never thought he had the right to.

Chance caressed Jamison’s cheek. “My gorgeous sweetheart,” Chance murmured and kissed him.

Jamison ran his hand down Chance’s chest and tugged his shirt from his pants before pushing his hand beneath. He stroked, and Chance’s tongue brushed against his own.

Heat warmed Jamison from the inside out and he pinched Chance’s nipple as desire coursed through him, taking him over.

Jamison moaned and pinched Chance’s other nipple as Chance’s lips trailed along the side of Jamison’s neck. Moaning, he worked Chance’s belt free before releasing the button from its mooring. Next, he slipped his hand inside, stroking warm flesh.

His fingers slid through the red nest of hair around Chance’s cock before he gripped the thick length and pumped it. Jamison ran his thumb around the head, and Chance groaned.

Jamison moved off Chance’s lap onto the floor and Chance widened his legs, looking down at him even as he grabbed a throw pillow from the couch.

“Kneel on this, sweetie.”

Jamison took the pillow and situated himself on it before unzipping Chance’s pants and tugging his thick prick free. He licked his lips and Chance smiled.

“Go ahead and suck that dick,” Chance murmured.

Jamison pumped Chance’s long cock and lowered his head, swiping his tongue over the plum head while keeping his gaze on Chance’s. He knew how much Chance enjoyed the contact while he was sucking him off.

Jamison tightened his grip just a touch before licking around the flushed tip, and then he glided his tongue over the slit, watching Chance’s blue eyes darken with arousal. Drinking in the fire, Jamison’s own dick was achingly hard, and taking Chance into his mouth aroused him even more.

He sucked, drew his tongue around the rim and sucked again.

Chance hissed as he locked his fingers in Jamison’s hair. He closed his eyes for only a second before sapphire pools took Jamison in again as he sucked Chance’s prick harder.

Chance’s taste had changed slightly. It was a hint peppery and slithered over Jamison’s tongue and filled his mouth. Curious, he’d have to see if he could find any books on fox shifters, but for now, Jamison devoured him.

“That’s it, Jamie,” Chance moaned. He pushed deeper into Jamison’s mouth and drew back, fucking it with shallow strokes, lips drawn back, revealing strong, white teeth in a silent snarl of pleasure. “Oh, yeah,” Chance groaned.

Jamison licked down the thick, vein-rich cock to the heavy sac. He caressed one orb with the tip of his tongue, teasing the claw mark on Chance’s balls. Chance made a strangled sound, and his hips jerked.

He knew the slightest touch of that mark heightened Chance’s pleasure and made him lose control. He would come within seconds. It was clearly some kind of shifter erogenous zone.

“Jamie, stop licking me there,” Chance ordered harshly.

Jamison grinned and drew the tight sphere into his mouth and sucked as he pumped Chance’s cock, slick from saliva.

Chance cried out, feet pressed to the floor, tendons standing out on his neck. “Shit!”

Jamison released the flesh and turned his attention to the other orb. He stroked it with his tongue tip before taking Chance’s cock back into his warm mouth.

As he did so, Jamison drew his thumb over that little paw and Chance made a sound akin to a fox’s cry.

Jamie,” he cried.

He tightened the suction of his mouth, head bobbing up and down and one hand working the flesh he left exposed. He couldn’t get enough of Chance. His own dick was pulsing and leaking. His balls were tight.