Feel My Pain (Curse Bound 1)

“‘Cause you were into it!” Roach burst out with loud, honest laughter but never stopped moving to get away from the house in the dark.

Zane rolled his eyes. “I wasn’t. Where did you get that idea?”

“You were the first to say yes when he asked us to come over,” Roach said, putting his arm over Zane’s shoulders. He then pressed a kiss to his temple, the touch so sweet on Zane’s hot skin it struck him that he didn’t want Michael, or Phil. He wanted Roach to the point where it bordered on stupidity.

“Let’s go before Michael decides to sick Rex on us.”

“That’s one horny dog… I’d rather not fall asleep anywhere near his kennel.” Roach wouldn’t stop laughing and gave Zane one more kiss before jumping onto his bike.

Zane stared at his back in the faint moonlight but got on too, putting on the helmet when Roach handed it to him. This guy might be his undoing, but Zane still slid his arms around him and shut his eyes. He couldn’t wait to be home.

Chapter 15 – Zane

Zane couldn’t believe they’d pulled an all-nighter when he saw the pinkish hue on the horizon. But then again, he’d never been very good at estimating time and distance. The heavy, solid form of the motel blocked the light when Roach rode into the parking lot in the middle of the hoof-shaped building and stopped just a couple paces away from their room.

Despite tiredness weighing down his eyelids, Zane didn’t want to leave the motorcycle yet, but he still untangled his arms from around Roach and got off, stretching with a loud yawn. “Can’t wait to just drop into bed and forget this evening ever happened.”

Roach took off his helmet. “Fuck yes. I don’t really stay up that long anymore, unless it’s for work.

“We’re getting old and crumbly,” Zane added, leaning against the wall next to their door, because Roach had the one key.

“I’m in my prime, thank you very much.” Roach walked up and let Zane into his dump of a room.

“That’s what they all say,” Zane teased as he stood with his back to the bed and fell onto the mattress, his boots dangling over the edge. He only now realized there was a brownish outline on the ceiling, where something must have soaked through in the past.

“You told me to eat more vegetables, so it’s only getting better from now on.” Roach closed the door behind him, and before Zane knew it, he was covered by hot, fragrant, even if a bit sweaty, man flesh.

His pulse got faster.

His lips opened, longing for… something.

“What are you doing?”

“Going to sleep. I’ll change tomorrow. I mean—later.” As if to drive that point home, Roach wrapped his arms around Zane’s waist.

Zane swallowed. It did feel nice. He wanted Roach’s body, and sleeping in one bed would make falling into each other infinitely easier, but he really shouldn’t agree to this. Shouldn’t get attached to this bastard, no matter how adorable he was and how enthusiastic to learn everything about sex.

“I’m not gonna sleep with you until you get rid of all that useless shit lying around.” There. He’d set boundaries.

Roach let out a low growl. “I’m not sleeping on the floor in my own room.”

Zane rolled to his side and stared down at him. “Am I not clear enough? I don’t want that old, dingy biker trash in here.”

The room was stacked full of things that used to belong to the dead Rabid Hyenas, and just thinking about it made him break out in gooseflesh. As if they were once again surrounding him.

The air stank of sweaty leather, cheap cologne, and blood.

“Can we not do this tomorrow?” Roach groaned and rubbed his face. “I went to a séance for you tonight.”

Zane looked around, at the piled boxes. He hadn’t thought of it much the previous night, but back then he hadn’t known what those cardboard traps contained. Now his throat ached as if he were about to be sick.

“No. No, it can’t,” he said and rolled out of Roach’s arms, going straight to the largest and dustiest stack in the corner.

“Hey! That’s my private shit!” Roach yelled when Zane unceremoniously ripped off a thick piece of tape.

Zane ignored him and went for the door, itching to get rid of all the filth hiding in the damn boxes.

“I’m talking to you! Leave it! If you don’t like my stuff, get yourself your own room!” Roach chased him down and pulled on his arm. He did not try to hold back his strength this time.

Zane yelped when he lost balance and collided with the wall just outside, and the box fell out of his hands, scattering its contents over the asphalt. His hands balled into fists, and he lowered his head, ready to fight even if it ended in bloodshed. “Stay back!”