EXCERPT: Bailey Bradford's Breaking the Devil
An Excerpt from Breaking the Devil
Bailey Bradford
Genre: LGBT Contemporary Western
Length: Novella
Price: $4.99
http://www.loose-id.com/prod-Breaking_the_Devil-1014.aspx
Mack and Justin grew up together and were best friends for years, until one day that friendship turned into something hotter and more powerful than either man had ever experienced before. A passionate coupling that branded each man forever-or so Mack thought, until the dreaded day after. That's when Justin told Mack the whole thing didn't mean anything to him, and walked away from Mack's promises of forever.
Mack has never been able to get past that one traumatic event in his life. A dozen years have passed without a word from Justin. But when that red-haired devil reappears, Mack finds out that he can't resist giving in to his body's needs-no matter what his head tells him.
Two stubborn, determined alpha males-one nursing a twelve-year fury and the other with a redhead's temper-who have been denied what they want most for so many years, come together in an explosion of heat and passion that overrides everything else in their lives. Now, if only Mack and Justin can keep their hands, and other body parts, off each other long enough to talk, they might be able to get to the truth behind what happened twelve years ago.and while they're doing it, they might just have some luck breaking the devil.
Publisher's Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable: Anal play/intercourse, male/male sexual practices.
~ * ~
Mack stood at the corral, his hip cocked, one booted foot propped on the lowest wooden rail, arms resting on the top rail. Inside the corral stood the meanest, foulest stallion he'd ever seen-and also the most magnificent. The stallion's gleaming red coat just about glowed with health and radiance. Damned if the deep, dark color didn't pull Mack back in time to a man with rich auburn hair and a temperament not dissimilar to that of the pissed-off beast now before him. Years ago, that temper the red-haired man wielded had flamed and burned into a passion so fierce.
Shaking his head, Mack pushed back the memories of Justin. No use dragging back up all that pain, that longing. He'd already wasted years on what-ifs and maybes; he should have learned his lesson many times over. Justin was long gone, and Mack figured that he must never have meant more to the man than a fast fuck. Hell, he didn't just figure it, he knew it. Justin had told him so himself. Somewhere along the way, Mack had heard Justin had joined the military-the Marines, specifically, and he was supposed to have all sorts of medals and such. Used to be every now and then when he was in town, he would overhear Justin's dad talking about his son's accomplishments, but Mack's pride kept him from ever making any inquiries. The old man had been dead for a while now, and Mack hadn't heard anything else about Justin for some time.
Anyway, he reckoned it was a good thing he had just been an experiment. That way Justin didn't have to worry about the whole "don't ask, don't tell" thing. Enough already; he was certain Justin hadn't wasted years dwelling on what might have been. Normally, Mack didn't think on it so heavily himself, but that angry red horse just stirred up memories.
The stallion snorted, pawing at the ground and tossing its head. "Fucking red devil." Mack reached slowly into his shirt pocket to pull out a few sugar cubes. Bribing the beautiful bastard hadn't worked yet, but maybe, eventually.
"Shit!" Mack jerked away from the corral as the stallion charged at him, rearing high in the air and bringing those deadly hooves down like hell's condemnation just inches from the wooden slats. He stumbled back a few steps and then almost toppled forward when he bounced off a hard surface. A strong arm reached out and caught him, and Mack felt his breath rush out, could have sworn his heart actually stopped beating. Just like that, he knew from the brief touch, just from the scent that had hit him the second his back hit that chest-he knew from the way his body flooded with lust and his cock snapped to attention-Justin was back.
"Hello, Mack." Justin's voice was like a dagger to the heart and the stroke of a tongue on Mack's cock. Somehow, somehow, Mack had to turn, knew he had to find the strength to face this man who had consumed so much of his life. Taking a deep breath, Mack calmly, coolly-he hoped-pulled himself out from the hold Justin had on his shoulder. Turning and affecting a casual look, Mack faced his own red devil. Goddamn.
"Hello, Justin," he said, trying to absorb the changes in the man without staring. He would have thought Justin had been conjured here, since he'd just been reminiscing about him. Except, if that were the case, Justin would have been here years ago-twelve years ago.
God, it was like being kicked in the stomach, seeing Justin again. Mack wanted nothing more than to let his gaze linger, to memorize every detail. There was no way, however, that he wanted Justin to see this.this desperation coursing through him.
The problem was, Justin wasn't making it easy. He used his eyes like hands, burning trails over Mack, staring, studying, devouring. Mack started to take a step back but caught himself; he wasn't afraid of Justin, not physically. Ah, but God his heart couldn't survive another round with him. He wasn't sure his mind had survived the last round intact. After all, what sane person would still be hanging on to something that had happened so long ago?
Justin's lips hitched up on one side, letting Mack know that he was aware of his impulse to step back. That half smile should have been a warning for Mack, but his brain was still trying to figure out what the hell was going on. That's the only reason he could figure as to why he didn't jump back or resist, even when Justin's hands shot out and grabbed him by the shoulders. He was jerked forward so hard that he let out a grunt when his body slammed up against Justin's, and then, sweet God have mercy, Justin's mouth was on his, claiming Mack's mouth with lips, tongue, and teeth.
Mack responded before he thought about it, kissing Justin back with the same fierce need, sucking his tongue like he wanted to suck his cock-and wasn't that thought like being dunked in ice water? Mack jerked away, took a few steps back, and tried to get his breathing under control. He glanced at Justin and found some relief in knowing that the man was struggling to get his own breathing under control as well. Once he was pretty sure he could keep it together, Mack looked at Justin. He would be calm, cool, the epitome of control.
"What the fuck, man?" Mack snarled. Well, maybe he'd be all that other stuff later, because right now all he wanted to do was hit something. More specifically, someone.
Justin didn't snarl back. Mack didn't even see a flare of temper in his eyes. No, he just smiled, and jayzus, wasn't that about the sexiest smile Mack had ever seen? His cock pulsed and swelled, and he knew there wasn't a chance that Justin hadn't noticed. When he'd let his eyes slowly lower to Mack's prick, that smile seemed to stretch and get even hotter. Mack could feel Justin's eyes on his dick, feel the heat like a caress, but there was no way he'd let Justin know. He couldn't let him know. Justin finally raised his eyes back up to Mack's, and the heat in them almost had Mack's knees buckling.
"Not what, nuh-uh," Justin said, moving right back into him, bringing their bodies flush up against each other. He slid his hands around Mack's waist, pulled his hips up hard and tight to the other man's cock. Lowering his hands to clasp Mack's ass, he ground their hardened cocks together. Mack felt shards of desire shoot from his dick throughout his body. Holy shit, he was in trouble here.
"It's who, Mack. Who the fuck." Justin punctuated the words with another grind of his hips. "I'm the who, and when I'm fucking you, you'll know it, because it'll be my name on your lips. My name you scream out."
Mack's hands, which had seemingly latched on to Justin's ass of their own accord, jerked back as if burned. Anger shot through him, and those same hands grabbed Justin's shirt and jerked him close so that they were nose to nose.
"You fucked me years ago, and frankly it wasn't worth the hell you put me through. Get off my ranch." Mack shoved Justin back when he released his shirt, but that red-haired man had always been built like a frigging brick wall, and the shove only had him taking a slight half step backward.
Years ago, Justin would have gone from fucking to fighting in a split second, but now his smile bloomed full force, transforming his face from merely attractive to out-and-out gorgeous. There were little feathery lines at the edges of his large brown eyes that hadn't been there the last time Mack had seen him, and the overall effect was devastating to Mack's heart, not to mention his throbbing cock.
"Maybe it wasn't worth it to you then, but I promise." Justin said, his voice husky and his hands sliding down Mack's shoulders, across his nipples, sending another flare of heat straight to his balls. Justin sucked in a shaky breath when Mack's nipples hardened and pressed against his denim shirt. Slowly, so slowly, those hands continued down, across abs that jerked and tensed, and all Mack could do was stand there staring into those brown eyes that seemed to see straight into his soul.
"I promise," Justin continued once more, hands gliding lower still, until he held Mack's rock-hard cock through his jeans. "I will make it more than worth your while this time." Then Mack's mouth was being devoured again, his cock stroked through his jeans, leaking precum as the hands touching him became more demanding. Oh shit, oh shit-Mack felt his knees tremble and his balls draw almost painfully tighter-I can't stop, don't even want to stop.
Justin popped the button on Mack's jeans and shoved his hands inside, pushing aside the denim and the underwear to grasp Mack's cock, one hand circling around the head. He ran his thumb over the slit in the top and pressed firmly, then smeared the pearly liquid leaking out around the head. Justin's other hand slid down to Mack's balls, holding them, lightly pushing up on the tight sac. Mack held on to Justin's shoulders as the kiss deepened even more, becoming a wild frenzy of thrusting tongues and tugging teeth. What this man did to him! The hand on his dick began to stroke as his balls were gently rubbed and tugged.
"Come for me, cowboy," Justin grated out, thrusting his own hips against Mack's dick, adding the friction of his still-clothed cock to the stroking of his hands. It was too much. Jayzus! Mack could have sworn the top of his head blew off as he came. Hot, thick ropes of cum shot out over Justin's hands, forearms, and onto their clothes.
"Look what you do to me," Justin said, pulling Mack's hand to his own denim-encased dick, rubbing it in the precum that had dampened the material, and thrusting hard against it. "Fuck! I want your hand on me, your mouth, your ass riding my cock."
Those hips pistoned harder against Mack's hand, shoving Justin's outlined cock into Mack's cradling warmth. Justin yelled and his body stiffened. He pulled Mack up against him, as close as he could get him as he came. Mack felt his knees turn to Jell-O again, wondering if he could manage to stay upright when Justin was groaning and grinding. He could feel the searing heat as Justin came, could feel his seed soaking through his pants, burning into his hand. A final shudder went through Justin, tightening his arms around Mack until he thought he might suffocate.
"Damn," Justin murmured. "You burn me alive, love."
Mack jerked back, because one thing he knew for certain, Justin didn't love him. You didn't leave someone, break their heart, and shred their soul, not if you loved them. "I don't think so, Justin, no. I surely don't."
He reined in and pushed aside that bit of hope that tried to bloom upon hearing Justin's words. Twelve years of nothing, not a word, not a letter, not even a postcard. He used that thought to beat away anything but the anger and hurt.
"You got your rocks off. Isn't it time for you to leave again?" Mack said, keeping his voice low and cold as he righted his clothing. For a second he thought he saw pain flash in Justin's eyes, but he dismissed it.
"Now, get off my ranch." Not the least intimidated, Justin tipped his head to the side a little, mouth tightening in what Mack figured was anger. Then he gave that heart-melting half smile again.
"Oh you got your rocks off too, and it looks like," he said, glancing down at Mack's cock, "you're ready to go again." Mack felt the burn of color on his cheekbones. Watching Justin, feeling his body, his cock pressed against him-how could he not have gotten hard again? Jayzus, he was only a man. Still, he had hoped it would go unnoticed and spare him any further embarrassment. He should have known he wouldn't be that lucky.
"Doesn't mean you're the one to take care of it, now does it?" Mack pointed out. He'd take the matter into his own hands, much as he usually did, before he let Justin know how badly he wanted to feel his mouth sucking him dry. Ah shit, now there was a visual I don't need at this particular moment. Later, alone in his room, sure, but not now, with temptation himself smiling at Mack.
Justin took a step forward, and there, in his eyes, Mack saw that red devil's temper that the man had kept banked so far. Damned if seeing it didn't make his prick twitch with lust. Justin brought a hand up to Mack's jaw, rubbing his thumb over his full bottom lip.
"Let me clear something up for you," he said, his voice a growl that sent goose bumps of desire racing over Mack's body. "You already agreed to break the horses for the JMR Ranch, starting with that stallion there in the corral."
Mack's eyes widened, and his stomach lurched. Ohshitohshitohshit, he thought, surely not.
"Yeah, I see you are beginning to get the picture. The JMR is my ranch now, and unless you decide not to honor your word." Justin paused, arching his eyebrow at Mack.
"I always keep my word," Mack said, trying to keep his voice from shaking. He knew the ranch neighboring his had been sold, but to Justin? "But you should know that I would never have agreed to take on the JMR's horses if I'd known.if I had even suspected that you owned that ranch." The anger he felt at the manipulation slapped the nerves right out of his voice. "If you hadn't tricked me, sent over your foreman with an offer.if you'd have been an honest man." Mack didn't even bother trying to tone down the disgust he was feeling. "You weren't, but I am, and I will do what I said I would do."
The insulting words rolled off Justin. "That's what I'm counting on. You always keep your word, don't you? No matter how long ago you gave it?" Justin tensed, watching Mack like a hawk, waiting for his answer. Mack felt a sinking in the pit of his belly, and that hope he thought he'd beat to death pushed up into his heart. As he stared back into Justin's brown eyes, he felt as though his soul was laid bare, and hoped it didn't show in his own eyes. He had to have some way to save himself.
"Yes or no?" Justin asked, the lines around his eyes becoming more pronounced. Mack felt something, most likely his pride, dry up deep inside himself.
© Bailey Bradford, September 2009
All Rights Reserved