Cowboy Gangster 03 - Outlaws of Love (31 page)

Clint closed his eyes as his head began to throb. He raked both hands through his hair and released a slow, strained breath. His fear for Axel’s safety never quite quelled. He was with Dane and Angel, and that brought a measure of comfort, but the shooter had walked right into Cory’s hospital room without a hitch. He’d had the balls to stand face to face with Clint. If he wanted to get to Axel –wouldn’t he find a way?

Who better to protect him, than you?

His heart beating a little faster, Clint squeezed his short strands in his fists. The threat to Axel remained, whether Clint was there or not –wasn’t that the reality of the situation? The shooter wasn’t stupid. If he was observing Clint, there were plenty of signs that Clint still cared for Axel. Fuck –going to Chad’s apartment last night was a screaming alert it itself. Anyone short of a blind man would have noted the physical resemblance between Chad and Axel.

Hightail your ass over there first thing in the morning and sweep him off his feet.

Clint swallowed hard, his heartbeat speeding up and igniting his body with a myriad of sensations, filling his heart with warmth. He squeezed his eyes tighter and let himself recall how it felt to hold Axel in his arms.
In just a few hours, you can feel it again
.

Waiting till morning would be the longest “few hours” of his life.

Why wait? Go to him now. Do you really think he’s going to care what time it is?

The possibility raced around inside his head, quickening his pulse more and more until he labored for breath. Fear began to stab at him –what if Axel hadn’t been lying to himself and Cory about not believing it was love he and Clint had shared? If he went to Axel, and Axel shut him out…

Clint trembled. Could he survive it?

His cell phone vibrated and he flinched hard, his breath sticking in his throat. He opened his eyes and looked at the night stand. The display on the device glowed bright in the dark of the bedroom. His pulse stuttered and hand shook as he picked it up. Everything inside him crumbled when he saw Axel’s name hovering above the words
one new message.

Clint sat up slowly, his feet touching the floor but not feeling the solidity of the wood. He felt nothing but the weight of the phone in his hands –and the pounding of his heart, surging blood through his veins.

He opened the phone…and then the message.

I miss you. If you miss me, too…please come home. I love you.

Tears dripped onto the display and Clint wiped them away absently with his thumb as he read the message again and again, the words blurring, swimming.

Cory’s voice erupted in his head –
What are you waiting for?!

As if prodded by a cattle iron, Clint snapped the phone closed and shoved it in his pocket then grabbed his boots and hurriedly tugged them on. He left the bedroom on a run, his boots thumping solidly against the thick carpet in the hallway.

He was out the front door and in his car, his mind and body functioning on autopilot, gauging his actions ahead of time.

He’s at the apartment alone. Hurting and vulnerable. No one there with him.
The thought struck Clint about midway to Axel’s place. He stomped harder on the gas, taking the back streets to avoid traffic. He hardly registered when he arrived at the apartment building, just became aware of approaching Axel’s door. It was unlocked and he rushed inside, distant thoughts berating Axel for not keeping the door locked.

Clint walked swiftly down the hall then halted abruptly outside the closed bedroom door, his hand gripping the knob. He was overcome with the sudden fear that he would find the room empty, that all of this was his imagination –the message…Axel wanting him back. What if he really was losing his mind?

Only one way to find out
.

Clint pushed opened the door and watched the bed slowly come into view. His knees went weak and he gripped the door frame when he saw the boy sitting on the edge of the bed, phone in his hands, gazing blankly at the device.

Raising his head, Axel looked at him. Tears rolled down his face. Clint shoved away from the door frame and crossed the room in three swift strides and dropped to his knees before the boy, engulfing him in his arms.

“I knew you’d come home,” Axel whispered. His fingers slid through Clint’s hair, his lips brushing Clint’s ear.

Clint shuddered and crushed him tighter, his face buried in Axel’s throat. Sobs shook his body and he didn’t try to hold them back. He kissed Axel’s warm skin, his lips moving up his neck, along the line of his jaw to Axel’s mouth. A broken sob caught in his throat as he kissed him deeply, drinking in his essence. Axel cupped his head, pulled him closer, strengthening the kiss.

When they came apart, both trembled, hands shaking as they caressed one another’s face. “What’re you doing here?” Clint whispered. “You shouldn’t be here alone.”

Axel traced his fingertips across Clint’s parted lips. “I’m not alone anymore,” he said quietly, thickly. “You’re here.”

“Axel…” Clint’s throat closed as more tears formed. “Forgive me…”

“Shhh…” Axel brushed his lips on Clint’s mouth. “I don’t want to talk…I just want you to hold me.” He laid soft kisses on Clint’s face. “Make love to me.” Axel’s fingers moved to unfasten Clint’s shirt buttons, his lips trailing down Clint’s neck.

Clint trembled beneath his touch, the light brush of his knuckles as he opened his shirt…his warm, sensual kisses venturing lower. “I missed you so much, baby,” Clint murmured and slipped his hands under Axel’s t-shirt. He rubbed his palms up his back, dragging his fingers down again. Axel peeled Clint’s shirt off and Clint stripped Axel from his own. He pushed his hands under Axel’s butt and lifted him as he rose up off his knees and laid Axel back on the bed.

“Do you still want me?” Axel caressed his hands up Clint’s bare chest.

“I never stopped wanting you,” Clint shuddered and sank down on top of him, taking him in another hungry, desperate kiss.

“Show me,” Axel whispered against his lips, through their kiss. “Show me how much you want me.”

Clint groaned and pushed into the kiss as his hips pressed firm between Axel’s thighs. Their denim-caged arousals hardened and swelled. Axel moaned and grasped Clint’s ass, squeezing, clutching the seat of his pants. The boy’s desperation and need rivaled Clint’s own.

Drawing back, Clint kissed down Axel’s body, the boy’s abdomen quivering beneath his lips as he unfastened his pants and dragged his jeans and briefs down his legs and off completely. The sight of Axel lying naked before him, his need and want of Clint evident in the strength of his arousal, set Clint on fire. Just that morning he’d told Cory that it was over between him and Axel, to let it go, let Axel date the girl. Had he really believed it to be true? He had walked away –but he hadn’t let go of Axel. He
couldn’t
.

Axel held out his hand. “Please, Clint,” he moaned. “Don’t make me wait any longer.” His beautiful body shifted on the bed, his hips slowly swaying against the blankets, beckoning for Clint to take him.

“Never again.” Clint kicked off his boots and shed his Wranglers. His hands touched Axel’s warm legs, caressed his thighs as the young man spread open, welcoming him. “I’ll never make you wait again.” He kissed his inner thigh and ventured upward as Axel raised his hips and slipped his fingers in his hair. “Axel…” he groaned and wrapped his lips around the base of the kid’s stiff shaft, sucking firmly up the length.

“
Uuuhh
…” Axel lifted higher, squeezing his short strands. “Clint…yes…”

One week without Axel felt like a year. A decade. Clint didn’t have the control just now to take his time and savor the boy. He engulfed his cock, taking his full length in one shot, starving for him.

“Fuck!” Axel choked. His body arched fiercely and hips pumped as Clint stroked and sucked him urgently.

Oh my God, baby, you taste so damn good!
They were both teetering on the edge already and it wouldn’t take much to bring Axel all the way. As much as he wanted to take him there this way, Clint forced himself to pull off. He moved up over the top of him, wet his own cock with saliva and entered his lover without any more preliminaries.

Axel gasped and tears sprang to his eyes. “Uuh!”

“Oh God,” Clint choked as Axel’s tight, hot cavern enveloped his rigid member. “Fuck, baby…” He shuddered and crushed Axel in his arms, kissing him hard, and pushed in deeper. Axel wrapped around him, thighs squeezing his flanks as he thrust eagerly onto his cock.

“Fuck me, Clint,” Axel whimpered unsteadily. “I need you so bad. I missed you so much.” He crushed Clint’s mouth in another hungry kiss, then broke with a shaky gasp. “I’m so close already…”

Clint closed the kiss again and thrust into him, deeper…harder…faster. Axel gasped and cried, panting erratically as he clung to Clint and begged for more. Clint gave it to him, his pent up frustrations, fears, pain –surging into his hips as he buried himself in Axel again and again until they were both crying out and clutching one another. Axel unloaded with a wrenching gasp, shooting warm creamy come up their bodies between them to be massaged into their skin as Clint fucked him urgently, desperately and released, a strangled grunt squeezing up his throat as he shoved in deeper, emptying himself.

His body trembled and shook, strained with the lingering effects of his orgasm. He shoved his fingers through Axel’s soft curls, twisting the strands around his digits as he kissed the boy, a sob lodging in his throat. He broke the kiss, panting, and shoved his face into Axel’s hair, breathing him in. His lips were on Axel’s mouth again before the boy could speak, tongues wrapped in a sensual embrace.

Axle moaned and tightened his arms and legs around Clint’s body then pulled out of the kiss, shuddering. “I don’t want to stop,” he whimpered and kissed Clint’s throat. “Don’t stop loving me.”

Clint shivered and groaned deeply as Axel sucked his neck and shoved his hips up against him –his cock still firm and already growing stiff again. “Baby…I plan on loving you all night long.” He dipped his head and kissed Axel’s ear. “And believe me –I’m up for it.”

“I believe you,” Axel whispered and kissed the curve of his jaw. “But I still want you to
prove
it.”

Chuckling softly, Clint lifted up enough to gaze down into his flushed, beautiful face. “Oh, I intend to.”

Axel smiled, his eyes aglow with emotions that took Clint’s breath away. “Will you stay with me, after tonight?” His fingertips stroked tenderly along Clint’s spine, causing pleasant shivers to prickle his skin. “Always?”

Clint kissed him. “Don’t ask me to make that promise all over again.” His eyes shifting away, Axel’s smile started to fade when Clint touched his face. “Just let me honor the first one.” He lifted off Axel and sat back on his heels. “Come here, baby.” He drew Axel into his lap. The boy straddled him and curled his arms around Clint’s neck. Clint softly kissed his throat, his lips. “I want to tell you something, baby.” He hugged Axel against his body as Axel touched his head to Clint’s brow.

“What is it?” he whispered.

Clint caressed his warm, damp back and slowly entered his body again. Axel shuddered, gasping softly. His lips grazed Axel’s mouth. “I love you, Axel.” The declaration came without hesitation, flowing soft and smooth up out of his heart. “I love you and I want to be with you.” He kissed him deeply. “Always.” His arms tightened. “Forever.”

Axel trembled in his arms, his eyes filling. His hands shook as he slowly ran his fingers through Clint’s hair. His throat worked as he tried to speak, a soft smile claiming his lips. “I-” The boy went rigid in his arms and the smile drained from his face as his eyes widened, filling with fear.

“Axel?” Clint frowned. “What’s wrong-”

“Now tell him you love him back.”

Clint’s head jerked up at the man’s voice –the
doctor’s
voice from the hospital parking lot –his heart pounding. Axel remained frozen in place, tears brimming and spilling over. Clint started to move, put himself between Axel and the other man –when the man stopped him with a stiff –“Ah.” – and the click of a hammer cocking.

Oh fuck!
The barrel of the gun was pressed against Axel’s head.

His arms instinctively tightening around Axel, Clint stared at the man. He was dressed as Cory had described him –hat shadowing his face, long riding coat.

“Let him go,” Clint whispered tightly. “Do whatever you want with me, but turn him loose.”

“First,” the man murmured. “I want to hear him say it.” He pressed the gun harder against Axel’s head and the boy flinched, tears streaking his cheeks. “Tell your cowboy you love him.”

Axel shook, his fingers squeezing Clint’s hair. “I…I love-”

“No.” Clint stopped him abruptly. “Don’t say it.” Something wasn’t right. Why did the man care if Axel said he loved him?

“
Say
it,” the gunman hissed tightly, grinding the barrel into Axel’s scalp.

Axel choked on a sob and squeezed his eyes shut. “Clint, I-” His eyes opened, radiating terror.

“No!” Clint cried. “Don’t say it, Axel! Don’t say you love me!”

“
Say it!”
the man raged.