Fagin's Folly Read online

  “He certainly impressed myself and my partner,” Fagin showed his teeth but there was no humor in his smile. “As we discussed before Mr. Samuels joined us, we are prepared to pay handsomely for the consultancy services however we would insist he works on our business exclusively. Buster and I are understandingly anxious this venture prove successful, given the amount of investment involved and we anticipate taking up a great deal of Mr. Samuel’s time.”

  “I understand completely, Mr. Mars. I don’t see any problems acquiescing to your request.” If Abrahams smile got any wider his face would crack. Cooper fumed. He didn’t have a clue what Fagin was playing at but intruding on his work was a step too far. If he wanted to humiliate him there were easier ways outside of the office.

  “I do have a number of other clients,” he reminded his boss quietly. “It would be unprofessional to leave them without explanation.”

  “Get your receptionist to handle it,” Abrahams said firmly. “Any of your ongoing clients can be distributed between George, Peter and Joel. I’ll send a covering letter to the clients concerned this afternoon. Mr. Samuels is very popular with our client base,” he added to Fagin. “He’s saved his clients a lot of money in the short time he has been with us.”

  How much are they freaking paying you? Yes, Cooper liked to think he’d done well since coming to Abrahams and Michaels, but Abrahams was building him up as some kind of financial genius. But all he could do was manage a tight smile while Fagin and Abrahams worked out the details. Ten minutes later he was walking down the long corridor back to his office; this time with two wolves at his back.

  “Cooper, what happened?” Beth’s eyes widened as she spotted Fagin and Buster, one hand smoothing her hair while the other hand hovered over the phone.

  “This is Mr. Fagin Mars and his associate Buster,” Cooper said in the most professional voice he could muster. “Gentlemen, this is Beth, my receptionist slash personal assistant. If you need me for some reason and I’m not immediately available you can leave a message with her. Beth. Beth,” he added a second time. His damn friend was drooling. “We will be working exclusively for these gentlemen for the foreseeable future. Perhaps you could bring us in some coffee while I go over the initial interview?”

  “Coffee. Yes sir.” Beth went to stand but Fagin stopped her.

  “Please don’t go to any trouble on our account, Miss Beth,” Fagin said smoothly. “Buster and I have an appointment with the bank in fifteen minutes and we’ll require Mr. Samuels to accompany us. If you can cancel any appointments he has for the rest of the day, I’m sure he’ll update you with the new arrangements shortly. Mr. Samuels?” Fagin held out his arm towards the exit.

  “Please do as Mr. Mars says, Beth,” Cooper sighed heavily. “I’ll just grab my briefcase and be with you directly. If you gentlemen wouldn’t mind waiting here?” Without waiting for an answer, Cooper ducked behind Beth’s desk and shut himself in his private office. Leaning against the door he fanned his face with his hand. His cock was leaving a wet spot on his Calvin Klein’s and his heart felt as if it was thumping its way out of his chest.

  Get a fucking grip. Just get a grip. Cooper was starting to think the only way he’d get Fagin Mars out of his system was to leave town after all.

  /~/~/~/~/

  “We’re not going to find Cooper’s body in a landfill anywhere are we?” Beth demanded, looking at Fagin accusingly.

  Surprised, Fagin arched his brow, his flirting grin appearing automatically. “I can assure you, your boss is in no danger from me. I may look a little ‘harsh’ but underneath I’m nothing but a puppy.”

  “Could have fooled me,” Beth shuffled some papers and then banged them on her desk. She was a feisty human with curves in all the right places, a shock of brilliant red curls and stunning legs. Fagin wasn’t dead. He noticed. But what captured his interest more was the next thing that came out of her mouth. “If you don’t plan on doing Cooper any harm, why are you watching him like he’s your last meal?”

  Fagin laughed and after a moment, Buster joined in. Beth had no way of knowing how every cell in Fagin’s body came alive as soon as Cooper had entered Abrahams office. His wolf howled, his heart sang and most of his blood headed south giving him the most uncomfortable erection he’d had since he was a teenager. Maintaining his professional persona was a strong test of his control – it was laughable that the shapely receptionist saw more in ten seconds than Abrahams had noticed during the whole of their meeting.

  “I can assure you, sweet lady, if I do choose to devour young Cooper he will find the process very pleasurable and it will be consensual.” He winked to show his innuendo was genuine and Beth’s cheeks flushed to match her curls.

  “Just don’t hurt him,” Beth muttered as Cooper’s office door opened and the young man stepped out. Fagin immediately noticed the longer jacket and the way Cooper’s knuckles were white where he gripped his briefcase.

  “I’ll be in touch, Beth. Please handle all my calls. Mr. Mars, Buster, shall we go?”

  Head held high, Cooper led the way out of the building. Inclining his head at the pretty Beth, Fagin followed, Buster falling in behind him. While it went against his nature to let someone else lead him anywhere, Fagin privately admitted watching Cooper walk was an orgasmic experience. The man moved with the fluidity of a ballet dancer and yet he didn’t realize he was doing it or the effect it had on others. Fagin would follow that boy anywhere, even if it was just to ensure no one else got their grubby hands on him.

  Chapter Nine

  The smell of arousal in the small bank office was making Cooper’s nose itch and that’s without mentioning what it was doing to his dick that was caught in his pants in a most uncomfortable angle. Forcing himself to remain professional – after all, Fagin was paying for his financial expertise and not a rough fuck over the table, Cooper focused on the papers in his hand. “Your business is called Fagin’s Folly? What kind of business name is that?”

  “It’s an umbrella company and the name is based on a fond childhood memory Buster felt appropriate for our new venture,” Fagin said smoothly, leaning close enough for his breath to waft against Cooper’s ear. The temperature went up in the office by ten degrees and Cooper resisted tugging at his shirt collar which suddenly seemed way too tight. “Buster and I spent many hours during our youth planning our perfect ‘business’.”

  “Right.” Cooper couldn’t lean away, Buster was on the other side of him sitting like a brick wall. Hemmed in, Cooper read over the papers the timid bank clerk provided the moment they arrived. His eyes widened slightly at the long string of digits indicating the balance of the accounts. This is definitely more Michael’s territory than mine, and he was just about to say so when something else caught his eye.

  “My name is on these joint accounts?” Cooper hated the squeak in his voice, but damn…the accounts represented a lot of money.

  “Of course,” A shiver ran down Cooper’s spine as Fagin licked up his ear. “Fated Mates share everything. You just need to sign on the dotted line.”

  “But…but…” Cooper risked a look at Fagin’s expression. It was anyone’s guess how humans weren’t aware paranormals walked among them when someone like Fagin existed. The intensity of his eyes that never left Cooper’s face; his wolf evident in every breath he took. “It’s a lot of responsibility,” he whispered.

  “One we will all share,” Fagin assured him. “Now sign the papers so we can call the clerk back in. Buster’s getting hungry and we’ve got a lot to do.”

  “This is a big deal,” Cooper tried one last time. “You guys only met me yesterday. How is this going to work when you…you know…be with someone else?” Having kids, being an alpha, but then…he’s really going ahead with his own pack. Does that mean…?

  “You might have thought me following my father’s plans was a good idea, but I didn’t. There won’t be anyone else. Sign.”

  The alpha push Cooper was used to wasn’t evident in Fagin’s tone,
but the order was clear. Just what I need, Cooper thought as he scrawled and initialed his way through the documents. One alpha that doesn’t listen and one who’s likely to eat the bank clerk if he doesn’t get fed. Talk about pressure. He already knew he wouldn’t touch a cent of the money in the accounts. He’d fought for every single thing he had, including his freedom and taking money for nothing just wasn’t in his DNA.

  He’d barely finished his last signature when Fagin snatched the papers back and yelled for the bank clerk. Tim, a quiet man who looked like a stiff wind would blow him away, scurried in handing Cooper a folder containing a large check book, debit cards, terms and conditions documents and a black Amex card. “It’s been a pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Samuels. Welcome to First National. My card is included in your paperwork. If there is anything I can help you with, please don’t hesitate to call me, day or night.”

  “Thank you, Tim. I appreciate that.” Cooper stood and shook the man’s hand, moving his foot to stand on Fagin’s foot as he heard the man growl under his breath. “These gentlemen need to eat, you’ll excuse us if we sign and run. I’ll be sure to contact you if I find any problems with the accounts.” Tim opened the door and Cooper appreciated the sudden dilution of Fagin’s scent with fresh air. Not that he could really smell anything else. The man was stuck to his side like a paint splatter.

  Standing outside on the sidewalk, Cooper looked longingly at his office which was just four blocks away. “If you don’t need me for anything else today, I can go back to the office and…”

  “You really don’t get it, do you?” Grabbing his arm, Fagin turned and started marching with him in the opposite direction. “I vow on my mother’s pot roast if you don’t stop running away from me, I’ll handcuff you.”

  “Your mother’s pot roast?” Cooper shook his head. His life was getting more bizarre by the minute.

  “You don’t mess with the alpha mate’s pot roast,” Buster agreed. “Lunch is waiting for us at the house. The bar is being renovated.”

  “Look, just stop a minute.” Cooper dug his heels in and his tenth surprise for the day was when Fagin actually stopped, even tilting his head as though listening to him. His thoughts tumbling around the washing machine of his mind, Cooper said the first thing he thought of. “You’re right. I don’t get it. I don’t get any of this. You guys seem to have some agenda and I don’t understand any of it. Please. Can one of you take the time to explain to me in concise sentences what the heck is going on? Why are you doing all this?” He waved the bank pouch still in his hand.

  Buster and Fagin shared a look Cooper couldn’t decipher and then glanced at the people milling around them. It was close to lunch time, so office workers were out grabbing five minutes of sunshine on their way to get something to eat. Huffing, Buster leaned forward and said in a low growl, “it’s simple. Fagin is your fated mate. He ain’t getting a hard on for anybody else but you now he’s scented you. Me and him were going to run away from the pack and set up life somewhere else. We’re both gay and our pack don’t allow that. But you’ve got a life here, so we’ve set up a new pack in this town, so you can keep that life. He doesn’t want women. He definitely doesn’t want kids. Ever. No kids. He wants you. Only you. Got it?”

  “What about being Alpha heir?” Cooper whispered as his wolf whimpered with excitement. Buster was telling the truth and all the pieces were finally falling into place in Cooper’s head.

  “Fagin doesn’t give a monkey’s ass about that,” Buster said firmly. “Alpha heir’s in our old pack have to have kids. Fagin don’t want kids. Didn’t want kids even before he met you. Me, I could go either way on the kid’s issue, but it’ll depend on my mate. Regardless. Fagin wants you. The new pack, the bank accounts, the new business, the bar renovation, and going against his dad is all for you. Only you.”

  “Really?” Cooper turned to look at Fagin who was watching their exchange with a slight smirk. “This is permanent, never to be broken by anyone or anything? You’ll never hurt me, and we’ll be together forever, just like my mother told me when I was little?”

  “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you, but my friend Buster is far more eloquent than I am.” The edge of Fagin’s teeth showed between his bright red lips.

  “I want that,” Cooper whispered. Dropping his briefcase and his banking papers he jumped so he could fling his arms around Fagin’s neck. Fagin caught him easily, his arms looped under Cooper’s ass, and Cooper was glad because now he had unfettered access to a strong jaw peppered in soft scruff, tight cheekbones and lips made for kissing. Kissing. Oh yes. Who cared if people were staring as they stumbled past. Cooper nibbled on Fagin’s bottom lip, desperate for more.

  “I’ve got your stuff. I’ll get the car,” Buster said, or at least Cooper thought that’s what he was saying. He was too engrossed in sucking on Fagin’s tongue that had found it’s way into his mouth. Fagin’s unique flavor blossomed along his taste buds and he couldn’t stop wriggling, hating the clothes that stood between him and Fagin’s bare skin.

  “Hush little wolf,” Cooper whimpered out loud when Fagin pulled back and started striding down the street with Cooper still in his arms. “My control only goes so far. Keep going and I’ll have to kill half the population of Amberley for seeing you naked.”

  “I didn’t know.” Cooper couldn’t believe how pushy his wolf was being. His timid animal spirit stayed hidden so much of the time, Cooper could almost convince himself he was human. But being with Fagin changed all that; he could feel his wolf peering at the stronger animal through his own eyes, filling his body with excitement.

  “I see you and I promise I’ll protect you for all time.” Cooper knew Fagin was talking to his wolf, but he felt the words resonate in his heart. A huge sense of relief flooded him. His mother was right. There was someone there for him after all. Someone big and strong and who wouldn’t hurt him or use his size against him. Uncaring of how it looked to the gawking passersby, Copper hung on to his mate; trusting Fagin wouldn’t let him fall.

  Chapter Ten

  Lunch was a hastily eaten affair. Fagin and Buster chatted about the bar renovation. It was still going to cater to the same clientele, but Fagin wanted somewhere safe for Cooper to visit. That meant installing a couple of private booths and revamping the existing furniture. As the place hadn’t had a spring clean since he took it over, that was well overdue. However, as soon as Cooper set down his knife and fork and said he was done, Fagin picked him up and without saying a word to Buster, who was still eating, headed for his bedroom. Marveling at the complex mass of contradictions his mate presented, Fagin laid Cooper out on his custom-sized mattress and climbed up beside him, a sense of peace filling his soul even as his cock threatened the seam of his pants.

  Be gentle, his wolf reminded him. Bite and claim but don’t scare him. He’s precious. Having his wolf present during sex was a strange feeling for Fagin; his wolf usually preferring to stay hidden unless he was complaining about the smell of perfume, but Fagin appreciated the strong animal’s restraint. He hadn’t forgotten Cooper’s story of being raped in wolf form although from memory, Cooper said they’d never touched him like that in human form.

  “You’re being very quiet.” Cooper reached for him. “Have you changed your mind about claiming me?”

  “All I want is my teeth in your neck and my cock in your ass.” Fagin wasn’t known for hearts and flowers. “I’m just not sure how much experience you’ve had in human skin. I know as soon as I touch you, I’m not going to be able to stop.”

  “Then don’t.” Cooper rolled, bringing their bodies together. “I’ll admit I’ve never had anal sex in my human form, but we’re both shifters. I found it hard to believe the tales my mother told me were true, but they are, right down to the slick sticking my underpants to my butt. That’s never happened to me before.”

  “Oh, mother of mercy, grant me patience,” Fagin groaned at the mental images Cooper’s words evoked. “You’re already ready fo
r me?”

  “That’s what this sticky stuff means, doesn’t it?” Fagin’s eyes widened as Cooper shoved his hand down the back of his pants, wiggled and then pulled his fingers out and waved them under Fagin’s nose. “Smell. I promise there’s nothing nasty.”

  Fagin couldn’t help but lean forward, his nose filled with Cooper’s unique scent and the underlying punch of sex. Grabbing Cooper’s fingers, he shoved them in his mouth, licking and sucking at the delectable juices. He’d never been with an omega, and it wouldn’t have mattered if he had. Male omega’s self-prep mechanism only worked when they were with their fated mates. Fagin snorted as he thought how the Fates designed things that way. Randy alphas probably didn’t have a lot of control in the old days.

  And Fagin didn’t have a lot of it now. He’d seen, he’d tasted, hell, he’d spent the night before dreaming of Cooper’s body under his. A man could only show a certain level of patience and a wolf shifter had ten times less than the average human. Growling, Fagin rolled Cooper onto his stomach, his claws shredding Cooper’s pants and briefs. Pushing his way between Cooper’s thighs, Fagin grabbed hold of Cooper’s hips, lifting as he bent his face forward. To his shock and ever-loving surprise, his tongue shifted and he lapped and sucked at the juicy hole, taking care not to nick Cooper’s soft skin with his fangs.

  Writhing on the bed, Cooper moaned and thrashed his head about. The boy was still wearing his jacket and shirt, but Fagin didn’t have the time, patience or control to strip him off. Hell, he was lucky he managed to get his own pants open; propping Cooper up on his knees for the miniscule time it took him to rip his zipper apart.

  “Next time. Be a lot slower next time. But, fuck, you feel so good.” Lining his cock up, Fagin pulled Cooper up so he was pretty much sitting on his dick. Both men groaned as Cooper’s body accepted him easily. A perfect fit. Mine. Mine for all time.