Federal Paranormal Agency 6 - Leannan Page 5

  Humming to himself, Thomas tucked the cleaning supplies away inside the hallway closet. He was strolling out when the front door crashed open, stopping him in his tracks. He leaned back a little bit, watching the scene play out.

  “Bastards,” Duncan growled, stomping into the pub.

  “What?” Niall stopped stocking the liquor bottles and came out from around the bar.

  “Our shipment was seized by the authorities.”

  “I was guaranteed—” Niall started.

  Duncan lifted a hand, stopping Niall from finishing his sentence. “I want you to find out who’s responsible. We have enough police officers on the payroll that this shouldn’t have happened.”

  “Yes, sir,” Niall said, moving toward the front door.

  “Niall,” Duncan called out, and the man stopped immediately. “Make sure you send a strong message. Nobody fucks with us.”

  “My pleasure.” He nodded.

  Thomas’s heart hammered wildly, threatening to break free. He took a few steps back, hiding in the dark hallway while he caught his breath. Leaning against the wall, Thomas put his hands on his knees and tucked his chin against his chest. Shit. It’s my fault. He didn’t need confirmation. The text he’d sent last night before climbing into bed. The message led the other agents to the dockyard, and they’d confiscated Duncan’s shipment. He should be elated. This was the reason he was in Belfast, but truthfully, Thomas felt like a traitor.

  A strong hand gripped his shoulder, and Thomas jerked upward, a fearful little cry slipping from his lips. He came face to face with Duncan. In an instant, anger drained out of Duncan’s eyes, replaced by concern.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah.” Thomas nodded rapidly. “I’m fine.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “I’m a little tired…uh…I think it might be jetlag. The time difference is finally catching up with me.”

  Duncan studied Thomas, staring deep into his eyes. If Duncan had been paranormal, Thomas was sure the other man would’ve been able to read every single thought based on his scent alone. Thomas took a calming breath, taking control of his emotions. After several minutes, Duncan took a step back, giving Thomas some much-needed space.

  “How was your first day?”

  Thomas shrugged. “It’s only been a few hours, but I really like it here. Niall’s been great. He even went out and bought some supplies for the puppy.”

  “If you’re planning on keeping him, you should probably give the little guy a name.”

  “Yeah, that’s probably a good idea. Do you have any suggestions? I’ve never named an animal before.”

  “You’ve never had a pet?”

  “Nope.” Thomas shook his head. His upbringing wasn’t normal by anyone’s standards. He’d grown up in a mansion surrounded by trained FPA agents, most of which were shifters.

  “Give it some thought. You don’t have to name him today.”

  “Okay.”

  “I’ve got a few things to take care of in my office. When I’m done, I’ll take you home.”

  Before Thomas could respond, his cell phone started ringing. Shoving his hand into his back pocket, he withdrew the device and stared at the screen. Dad flashed in bright, bold letters.

  “Are you going to answer it?” Duncan inquired.

  “Uh…yeah, I guess.” Thomas hit the talk button and lifted it to his ear. “Hey, Dad, how are you?” he asked, staring at Duncan.

  “Can you talk?” Lionel Palmer immediately answered.

  “Hold on a minute.” Thomas pressed the phone against his chest before turning his attention back to Duncan.

  “Take the call. I’ll find you when I’m done.”

  “Okay.”

  Duncan turned on his heel, leaving Thomas in the hallway alone. After almost a full minute, Thomas lifted the phone to his ear.

  “What’s going on, Dad?” Thomas questioned as he headed toward the exit leading to the alleyway. He pushed the door open and stepped outside.

  “Interpol confiscated the container.”

  “That’s good news.” He kicked a large shard of glass, and it hit the brick wall, breaking in half.

  As far as the mission went, it was great. But Thomas wasn’t really sure if he should be happy or not. He felt numb. The knowledge that he’d betrayed his own mate weighed heavily on his heart, but what choice did he have?

  “It was filled with firearms, including automatic weapons and military AR-15s arriving from South Africa.”

  Thomas closed his eyes and shook his head, disappointment choking him. Why did Duncan have to be a weapons dealer? Why couldn’t he just be a normal businessman? All things considered, Thomas was slightly relieved to know that Duncan didn’t deal with drugs or human trafficking.

  It took Thomas a minute to find the right words, but eventually he asked, “Are you telling me to come home?”

  “No, not yet. We want you to gather more intel. The paperwork on the container leads to a dummy corporation. There’s nothing specifically linking it to Duncan Ó Branagáin at this time. We’ve got a forensic accountant working on it.”

  Thomas let out a relieved breath. Thank goodness. He wasn’t ready to leave Duncan, not yet. Their days were already numbered.

  “If you hear anything about another shipment, send me a text. We’ve got the dockyards covered, and we’re checking all the containers, both inbound and out. But we’re spread thin, and we don’t have enough manpower.”

  Why weren’t you doing that before assigning me to this mission? It seemed so damned obvious, but he didn’t say anything aloud.

  “You got it.”

  “Is there any way you can get inside Duncan’s office? Can you check his computer and cell phone?”

  “I’ll see what I can do.” Thomas didn’t have a lot of experience hacking into computers. If Duncan’s things were password protected—which he assumed they were—he wouldn’t get very far.

  “Stay vigilant.”

  “Yup.” Thomas ended the call without another word.

  Shoving the phone into his pocket, Thomas dragged his feet as he made his way back inside the pub.

  * * * *

  After the brief conversation with his father, Thomas seemed distant. He held the puppy tightly against his chest and stared out the passenger side window. With his brows drawn together and a frown gracing his lips, the young man looked more lost than usual. Duncan tapped his finger against the steering wheel, feeling far more frustrated than he should.

  “Do you get along with your father?” Duncan asked, breaking the silence.

  “I guess,” Thomas muttered, shrugging his thin shoulders.

  “Does he know you’re gay?”

  Thomas scoffed. “Oh yeah, he definitely knows I’m gay.”

  “Does your family accept you?”

  “It’s complicated.”

  Duncan was completely out of his element. He could do many things, but being an emotional confidant wasn’t his forte. He’d never had a meaningful relationship. Duncan wasn’t the type to fall in love, but he couldn’t deny that he was already starting to have feelings for Thomas. With his expressive eyes and innocent demeanor, the young man was needling his way past Duncan’s defenses.

  He knew it wouldn’t take long before Thomas took possession of Duncan’s heart. And truth be told, he wanted Thomas for a hell of a lot longer than a temporary lover. He was thinking long term, and even though the thought shocked him, he wasn’t scared to admit the truth.

  “If you want to talk, I’m a good listener, and I can keep a secret.”

  “Thanks,” he mumbled.

  Once again silence surrounded him, and Duncan decided to change the subject to something a little less serious. “Did you eat anything while you were at the pub?”

  “No.”

  “If you’re hungry, I could grill some steaks.”

  “It’s raining.”

  “It rains a lot here, but don’t worry about that. I can still manage to grill a
couple of steaks.”

  “Okay.”

  “Are you hungry?” Duncan asked.

  Trying to get a response from Thomas was like pulling teeth. The young man was definitely in a funk. Whatever happened on the phone with his father had changed everything dramatically.

  “Yeah.” He nodded. “Starved actually.”

  “I wish you would’ve said something sooner.”

  “It’s okay. I wasn’t really thinking about food until you mentioned it.”

  Duncan pulled up in front of the security gate. He hit the remote, and the locks disengaged. The gate opened, and Duncan pulled forward, making his way down the long driveway. He glanced in the rearview mirror, watching it close behind them, locking back into place.

  He was still on edge because of the incident last night. First, someone tried to kill him, and then, his shipment was seized. Duncan still didn’t know who was responsible. None of the other gangs in the area had taken credit, and he doubted that anyone would step forward, considering the hit was a failure. He wondered if it could be an inside job but quickly pushed that thought away. Duncan trusted his men with his life. They’d been together for many years.

  Duncan pulled his SUV to a stop near the front door and shut the engine off.

  “Why don’t you park in the garage?” Thomas asked as he opened the passenger side door. “Wouldn’t it be safer?”

  “There isn’t any room.”

  “Oh,” he murmured.

  “My father restored classic cars. It was the only thing he loved. After he passed away, I was going to sell them, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it, so they’re sitting in the garage.”

  “Do you ever drive them?”

  “No.” Duncan didn’t give any further explanation.

  He didn’t want Thomas to know that his father had been a brutal tyrant that hated him. It was fear deeply ingrained in him as a child, and he couldn’t seem to shake it off. Duncan couldn’t bring himself to even step foot inside the garage. Every time he even thought of the damn cars, he could hear his father’s voice inside his head, cursing his existence and calling him “a worthless piece of shit.”

  Climbing out of his SUV, Duncan strode toward his home. He unlocked the front door and put his code into the alarm system, shutting it down.

  “Would it be okay if I set up the portable playpen in the living room for Lucky?”

  Duncan smiled at the name Thomas had chosen for the puppy. “My house is your house.”

  Duncan took off his suit jacket and hung it on the coat rack beside the front door. Walking toward the kitchen, he unbuttoned the dress shirt at his wrists and rolled the material up to his elbows. He opened the refrigerator and pulled out a couple of steaks and the ingredients to make a salad. Setting everything on the counter, Duncan got to work making an early dinner.

  The tinkling sound of Thomas’s laughter reached Duncan’s ears, and he grinned. He glanced toward Thomas, watching as the young man played with Lucky in the living room. The two of them rolled around on the ground, wrestling. It was an amazing sound that sent a rush of pleasure through Duncan’s veins. He was much happier now that Thomas’s mood had changed.

  Duncan cut the vegetable and seasoned the steaks, without taking his eyes off Thomas.

  He couldn’t seem to stop himself from looking at the young man. He was incredibly beautiful, but it was more than that. Duncan couldn’t quite put his finger on what exactly drew him to Thomas, but his emotions were out of control, especially since he’d only met the guy. Duncan was connected to another person.

  His heart was alive for the first time in his life, expanding within his chest to accommodate Thomas. It was as if an invisible rope tied him to Thomas, tugging him to get closer, refusing to allow him to pull back. He might not understand it, but Duncan wasn’t going to fight it.

  Chapter Seven

  After dinner, Thomas sat on the couch beside Duncan. He cuddled close to the other man’s side, resting his head on Duncan’s chest. Duncan held him, his strong arms wrapped around Thomas, giving him a real sense of peace. It was moments like this that Thomas would cherish and keep in his heart long after he was separated from his mate. He wasn’t going to lie to himself. It was inevitable. All of Duncan’s past sins, big and small, would catch up with him, and he would have to pay the price. Until then, Thomas closed his eyes and breathed Duncan deep into his lungs, savoring every second that they were together.

  When Duncan’s phone started ringing, Thomas groaned in disappointment. He leaned back, giving Duncan enough space to pull his cell phone out of his pants pocket.

  “Hold on a second, it’s Niall.” Duncan hit the talk button, putting the device against his ear. “Do you have something for me?”

  “I think you should have a talk with your new boy, Duncan.” Thomas’s heart jumped at the accusation in Niall’s tone. “He might know more than he’s leading us to believe. After talking to my contacts, I found out that Interpol is working with Scotland Yard and the FBI to bring you down. Do you think Thomas spoke to someone? He might’ve heard something at the pub last night.”

  “I’ll take care of him.” Duncan reached out a hand and grasped Thomas’s jaw, holding his face in a firm grip.

  Thomas swallowed hard. He knew what was coming. His cover was blown. Duncan ended the call and dropped his phone onto the couch. He stared at Thomas for several agonizing seconds, as if trying to figure out what he should do. He didn’t want to fight with his mate, but Thomas wasn’t going down easily.

  “Are you going to take care of me?” Thomas whispered.

  “Yes,” Duncan answered in the same quiet tone.

  Duncan moved his hand from Thomas’s jaw, wrapping it around the base of his neck. He pulled Thomas forward, and Thomas didn’t fight. He went willingly. Please don’t hurt me. When Duncan pressed their lips together, Thomas gasped in surprise. He was expecting pain, not pleasure. Duncan took advantage of his shock and swept his tongue inside Thomas’s mouth.

  He grasped the hem of Thomas’s shirt, pulling it up, exposing his skin to the cool air. Duncan disconnected their lips to remove Thomas’s T-shirt. He tossed the material to the floor before reaching for Thomas’s jeans. With a quick flick of his wrist, Duncan unbuttoned the denim.

  “Off,” he ordered.

  Jumping up, Thomas rushed to obey. He pulled his jeans off in a hurry, kicking them away. Once he was naked, standing before Duncan, the other man rose from his seated position on the couch. He made fast work of his own clothing, dropping his dress shirt and pants onto the couch. Thomas barely got the chance to glance at Duncan’s gloriously naked body before he was pulled against the other man’s muscular chest. Naked skin touched naked skin, and Thomas groaned.

  Duncan didn’t waste a moment. He picked him up, and Thomas wrapped his legs around Duncan’s waist, locking his ankles. Duncan connected their lips in a hard, possessive kiss, stealing Thomas’s breath and making his head spin. He grasped Thomas’s ass as he went up the stairs, gently rocking Thomas’s hips back and forth. Thomas ground his hard cock into Duncan’s stomach, whining in need.

  Duncan massaged his ass, inching his fingers closer to his hole, teasing him. With each step Duncan took, the friction against Thomas’s shaft grew. His orgasm rushed through his system, fast and hard.

  “I’m gonna…I’m gonna…” Thomas dug his blunt nails into Duncan’s shoulders. He threw back his head and came.

  Panting, Thomas went limp, leaning his head against Duncan’s shoulder. He ran his tongue along his canines, willing the sharp points away as he put a tight leash on his fox.

  His back connected with soft sheets, and he looked up at Duncan.

  “Hands and knees, love.”

  Thomas turned over, lifting up on his hands and knees. His mind and body were in two different places. His body craved more pleasure, but he was trying to make sense of the situation. Is this how Duncan was going to punish him?

  “Don’t move.”

  Thomas’s e
ntire body tensed as he stared down at the pillow. He gripped the sheet beneath him, holding on for dear life. When the bed moved, he knew Duncan was joining him. Thomas held his breath, waiting and wondering what would happen next. When Duncan touched him, Thomas jumped.

  “I’m not going to hurt you,” Duncan promised.

  Thomas glanced over his shoulder, looking into Duncan’s blue eyes, and saw the truth.

  “It’s my first time,” he confessed.

  “I’ll be careful. The last thing I want to do is cause you any pain, love.”

  Thomas swallowed hard. He wanted to reply, but the only thing he managed to do was nod.

  * * * *

  Duncan knew that Thomas was nervous. He was practically vibrating with tension. He took a few minutes to calm the young man by massaging Thomas’s back and shoulders until his muscles relaxed. He moved his hands down to Thomas’s ass, kneading the meaty flesh. Duncan spread Thomas’s ass cheeks. Leaning down, he opened his mouth and spit on a spot just above Thomas’s hole.

  He watched his saliva run over Thomas’s tight rosette before leaning forward and pressing his face into the crease of Thomas’s ass. He licked Thomas’s hole, running the appendage back and forth, coating the little pink rosette in a thick coat of saliva.

  Thomas jerked, his entire body shuddering.

  He circled Thomas’s hole, flicking out his tongue. Duncan alternated speeds, and Thomas went wild, pumping his hips.

  “Oh, God…that’s fucking amazing. Keep doing that.”

  “This?” Duncan pushed his tongue into Thomas’s hole, fucking him with it.

  Thomas shouted. “Ah…ah…ah…”

  He changed his pace, adding stimulation. Duncan was desperate to make everything perfect for his young lover’s first experience. When Thomas started chanting his name, Duncan knew Thomas was ready for more. He grabbed the bottle of lube he’d snatched from the bedside table before climbing onto the bed, and flicked the lid open. Pouring a large dollop onto his fingers, Duncan covered his digits in a thick coat of the slippery substance before slowly penetrating Thomas’s ass with one digit. With his free hand, Duncan massaged the man’s hip while watching his finger disappear.