Man in the Middle [Wolf Creek Pack 9] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour ManLove) by Stormy Glenn (elon musk reading list txt) 📗

wouldn’t permit it even if Chase were. He had to remind himself why he was keeping his distance as Taylor smiled at him.

“Do you know when he’s going to be back?”

Taylor shrugged. “In a couple of hours, I guess. Is there something I can help you with?”

Wow, that was a loaded question. He could think of a million different things that Taylor could help him with. Just not right now. Chase shook his head instead of giving the answer he really wanted to give.

Images of Taylor on his knees floated through Chase’s mind. He also could image just what Taylor would look like—and sound like—bent over the kitchen table while he fucked Taylor’s tight little ass.

Gods, he needed to pull himself together.

“No, that’s okay. I just wanted to check and make sure Justin was okay. Like I said, he was acting a little strange.”

Taylor stood back and waved his hand inside the apartment. “You’re welcome to come inside and wait for him. He shouldn’t be too much longer.”

“Thanks, but I need to get to work. I’m late already.”

Taylor smiled as he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against the doorframe. “How’s that new job working out for you?”

Chase’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “You know about my new job?”

Taylor chuckled. “Justin and I made it our business to learn everything we could about you.”

That was news to Chase. And a part of him liked the idea that his mates were checking up on him. “Why would you do that?”

“Chase, you’re our mate.”

“No, I’m not.” The response was automatic and out of Chase’s mouth before he could stop it. He wished he had kept his mouth shut when Taylor’s face paled, and he glanced away, swallowing hard.

“No,” Taylor said once he looked back at Chase, “I’m coming to realize that, and I think Justin is, too. Maybe that’s why he came by to see you today, to find out why you won’t accept us.”

Chase did not want to have this conversation now, or ever. He had just wanted to check on Justin. Mission accomplished. He needed to get the hell out of there. “I tried to explain it to Justin this afternoon, but he wouldn’t listen.”

“Then explain it to me.”

What was it with these two? “Look, I need to get going. Like I said, I’m late. Call me when Justin gets home, and let me know if he’s okay.”

“Why do you care?” Taylor snapped, glints of anger filling his eyes. “You don’t want us.”

“Taylor, it’s not that I don’t want you, because believe me, I do, but—”

“Wait.” Taylor held up his hand. “Let me guess, it’s not us, it’s you.”

“Well…” Chase blinked in surprise. “Yeah.”

Taylor rolled his eyes and grabbed the door. “Tell it someone that believes you, Chase, because I don’t.”

Chase’s jaw dropped when Taylor stepped back into the apartment and slammed the door closed. Chase wasn’t sure if it was a good thing that Taylor’s flared temper turned him on. He raised his hand to knock and demand that Taylor listen to him until he realized he really didn’t have an explanation for his denial of his mates that they would accept. They really knew nothing about him, and Chase preferred to keep it that way.

It was safer for Justin and Taylor.

So why did the rejection hurt like hell?

Chase dropped his hand and turned away from the door, heading back to his truck. If he didn’t get to work pretty soon, he’d be out of a job, and he really liked his new job as a deputy in Wolf Creek. It gave him purpose and direction when he felt like he hadn’t had either in a very long time. He didn’t want to lose it because he was late.

Joe Nash was giving him the evil eye when he walked into the sheriff’s station twenty minutes later. Chase shrugged and nodded his head toward Joe’s office. What he had to say couldn’t be said in public hearing. Joe nodded and finished his conversation with one of the other deputies before heading to his office.

Chase was right on his heels. He shut the door the moment he walked in and leaned his head back against it for a moment. He just needed to catch his breath for a second. Silence was golden sometimes.

“Problems?”

And silence was fleeting.

Chase sighed and went to sit down in the chair in front of Joe’s desk. Why did it seem lately that his past was coming back to bite him in the ass? All of a sudden it was creating walls all around him that he couldn’t seem to get around. “Yeah, you could say that.”

“Justin and Taylor?”

Chase’s head snapped up. “How did you know?”

A small smile tugged at Joe’s lips as he gave Chase a knowing look. “Because I haven’t seen you this flustered since the night you met them.”

Chase leaned back in his chair, rubbing his hand down his face. “I don’t know what to do about those two.”

“Claim them.”

If only it was that easy. “I can’t, Joe.”

“Then don’t.”

Chase rolled his eyes. “You’re no help.”

“What do you want me to say, Chase? Justin and Taylor are your mates. Either claim them or don’t, but don’t let whatever decision you make drag you down like this. This is the third time in a month that you’ve been late to work. It doesn’t look good.”

“I know, and I’m sorry.” Chase clasped his hands together and let them dangle them between his legs as he leaned forward. “I really wasn’t planning on being late this morning, but Justin was waiting for me when I went out to my truck to leave for work.”

“What happened?”

“I’m still trying to figure that out. Justin was acting all weird-like.” Chase grimaced as he thought about how weird Justin had been acting. “He seemed really upset, and then he just walked away. I tried to find him to find out what was wrong, but he just disappeared. I decided to run by his place and talk to Taylor, see if