The Shepherd (The Game 6)

I shook my head. I wasn’t getting into that now. He fucking knew.

Half an hour later, I stood parked outside of Archie’s new home. He wasn’t the only one who could stalk people.

After being called a juvenile prick for not telling Sloan what was wrong, resulting in him slamming the door shut outside his apartment building, I’d googled Archie and his sister, and I’d found this address. Lydia and Archer McMasters lived in Truxton Circle. Nice street, nice homes. Colorful townhouses with small front yards.

One day, maybe Archie would get a laugh when I told him I’d assumed his name was Archibald. Because that would’ve made me shoot for the nickname Archie too.

I sent him a text when I saw a shadow moving behind the closed drapes on the second floor.

I did some research and accidentally ended up outside your house. Do you have five minutes to spare?

I only wanted to see him. I needed an anchor to steady me.

About a minute after that, a light flicked on in the downstairs window, nearest the front door, and I jumped out of my truck and hoped it was him.

I probably shouldn’t have come. It was almost eleven at night, and I had an hour and a half to get home. I was already drained. But maybe that was why I was here.

Then Archie opened the door, and I knew Sloan was wrong. He wasn’t the only exception. Every fiber of my being screamed for me to make Archie mine.

“I thought you were kidding, Sir.” He headed down the stoop, a sleepy vision in sweatpants and a hoodie, and walked toward me to open their little gate.

“I wanted to see you,” I admitted.

The dimples came out in full effect, and as soon as he’d opened the gate, he hurried in for a hug.

I squeezed him tightly and breathed him in, feeling the tension from today just fade away. Fuck, it felt good. He felt good. He smelled like he’d recently come out of the shower, though his hair was dry, and his soft clothes must’ve been hauled out of the dryer recently.

“You smell good.” I sniffed him good and proper and buried my face against his neck. He chuckled softly and tightened his hold on my midsection. Which caused me to feel something in the front pocket of his hoodie. “Is that a brick, or are you just shaped weirdly and happy to see me?”

He let out a laugh and inched away enough to look up at me. “It’s a baby monitor.”

Ah. That made more sense. I knew his other sister—I wanted to call her Linda…?—had a child. I’d have to ask how many Lydia had later. But if Archie was on babysitting duty, I probably couldn’t convince him to spend the night with me.

“Christ, you’re beautiful.” I kissed his nose, then his lips. “Sorry for bargin’ in, so to speak.”

“Don’t ever apologize for that.” He smiled softly and brushed his fingers over my jaw. “Was your kink session fun?”

“It was canceled. Corey didn’t show up.” I closed my eyes as his fingers disappeared into my hair. “I’ll have to introduce him to Sloan another time.”

“Oh.”

I hummed and felt a shiver run through me. It was insane how quickly he relaxed me.

“You look tired, Sir,” he murmured. “Not that I don’t appreciate the spontaneous visit—I do—but now that you’re here, I want to take care of you.”

I smiled to myself and nuzzled his neck. Having him back in my life was still surreal. I had half a mind to ask if he could pinch me instead.

“Funny you should say that.” My voice came out drowsy. Not a great idea to fall asleep on the sidewalk… “I was just thinking that if you’re babysitting your sister’s kids, it won’t be easy for me to kidnap you all the way out to Winchester.”

“Oh,” he repeated in a whisper. Out of nowhere, I heard a cooing sound, and I realized it came from the baby monitor. “Is that something you want?”

It was time to give him something. So far, he’d done most of the talking while I’d been stuck on, “I can’t believe you’re here.” Then the picture he’d sent me—yeah, he deserved a piece of my mind.

I released a breath and kissed my way up to his cheek. “You’re not the only one who believes in your pipe dream, little one. Maybe I did a good job of burying everything that happened five years ago, but you brought it all back.” I cupped the back of his neck and kissed his smile. His eyes were so goddamn beautiful when all that happiness was there. “It’s been ages since I got to be the Master you’re looking for, and I’m dying to begin.”

It was ironic. Archie’s return was making me see how far away I’d slipped from everything I proclaimed to be such an active part in. But now I felt it, how much I missed kink. How much I missed the lifestyle, the day-to-day elements you couldn’t find in casual playtime and structured sessions.