Page 9 of Kodi’s Keeper

Lennon paused on the way to the counter to glance up at his brother. “Is that how it’s come across? He’s pushing me out?”

Jonny was frowning, and as it didn’t happen often, it meant he was serious. “The man works you hard, expects you to be at his beck and call, never says thank you and acts out at the slightest thing not going his way, taking it out on you from what I can tell. I’d say at the very least, he’s taken advantage of your soft nature, if he’s not actively trying to push you out.”

Lennon was still thinking about that when he got home later that afternoon, dumping his shopping bags by the door to remove his coat. He picked everything back up and walked across the small, first-floor apartment he had bought the year before. He left everything on the two-seater couch he found in a thrift store, which he’d reupholstered himself after searching online how to do it when he couldn’t afford to get it done professionally.

It was a bright blue and so comfy that he often spent his time alone curled up on it, reading. The apartment, though small, with one bedroom and bath, had a large separate kitchen, and it was that which sold the place to Lennon, who loved to cook and bake.

He headed into the kitchen and, like always, he grinned as he used the dimmer to put on the spotlights that hung over the olive-green fitted kitchen cupboards, which he’d had fitted just two months before. He had saved for nearly a year to afford the upgrade. He had a double oven with an induction hob with six rings. The counter tops were brown and cream marble, and he’d painted the walls primrose yellow. It gave the place a sunny look he loved.

Going to grab a tub of cookies, he clicked on the kettle to boil water for the mint tea he liked. He busied himself finding his happy place. He’d lost it at the ranch. He knew it and knew that Kodi wasn’t the only thing that had caused it.

Hollis had Taylin, Frey had Booker and Emmy, Ziggy had Silas, and Bowie had Kari. Not that Bowie had said anything to anyone other than him and Isley. He suspected Monty and Rue would be the next to announce a relationship.

It was lowering to know that he felt envious of his friends. And they were all close friends. They were the eight musketeers to him, and nine when Lane was added into the mix. And though Lane had retired, he still took an active interest in their lives. He joined in on the events they planned and happily got tipsy with them when they went out. He was the most wonderful employer, and Lennon could happily acknowledge how lucky they were to get people like the Starlings to work for. He knew others weren’t as fortunate.

He poured boiling water over the leaves in the diffusor he got shipped over from the United Kingdom and let them seep. Placing everything on a small tray, he went back to the couch and placed the tray on the small side table. Another thrift buy he’d rubbed down and varnished to make it look pretty. He moved the bags out of the way and sat, then lifted the one containing the paddles into his lap.

His fingers trembled with excitement as he held the silicone paddle in his hand and imagined Kodi bent over his desk, his bare ass facing Lennon. His dick twitched and a slow grin morphed on his face at thoughts of work the following day.

“Let’s see how you react to Kodi’s keeper!” Aptly named by Jonny.

Chapter Four

Kodi

Kodi had slept for shit and was bleary-eyed heading down for breakfast, his thoughts on how to act around Lennon this morning. To get a conversation started about last Friday.

“There’s my sweet boy. What do you want for breakfast?” Bessie, their housekeeper, was a little angel in Kodi’s eyes because she had never lost her temper with him in all the years she’d been with them.

He brushed a kiss over her temple, catching the scent of her herbal shampoo, and flour. “Not hungry, but I’d murder for a strong coffee.”

He walked to his favored seat at the counter and slumped into it. It left him facing the cooker where Bessie went back to flipping the pancakes in the pan.

The kitchen was empty, and he stared at the stack she was building. “You expecting a pack of hungry wolves?” Something she had often said when they were younger, and all stampeded in for food.

“Booker and Frey, along with Jupiter and possibly Laken, will be here in a minute,” she replied, glancing over her shoulder with a sassy grin. “Frey needs to keep up his strength for Booker.”

“Argh, did you have to say that? Isn’t it bad enough we can smell Frey going into heat and…” Kodi gave a dramatic shudder, making Bessie laugh.

As if they’d heard their names mentioned, they came through the door one after the other, while Bessie plated the last pancake and placed the overflowing plate in the center of the island before going to make Kodi’s coffee the way he liked, extra cream and sugar.

Booker was already piling food onto his plate when Bessie pushed a large mug of creamy coffee towards him. The blessed silence was gone.

“I was enjoying the peace.” He glanced pointedly at Frey, who held Emmy cradled in his arms, rocking her as she screeched at the top of her lungs.

“It makes a change from you,” Booker grunted, jabbing him with his elbow as he took the seat next to him.

Kodi grunted and got up with his coffee to find a go cup, hoping to escape while he still had ear drums left.

“What’s up with you?” Jupiter asked, leaning on the counter and smiling at Emmy.

“Nothing,” Kodi replied, holding back the urge to snap when Jupiter was staring inquisitively at him. “See you later,” he muttered, fleeing out the door before anyone else started asking him questions.

After Friday, he was still figuring shit out and Jupiter, who loved a kink club more than anyone else in the family, was a likely person to talk to. Just, Jupiter could be a wind-up merchant and right now, Kodi didn’t want to say more about what happened. Kari suggested he go to the kink club that Jupiter liked to use. And that would be a no.

He had nothing against those who used clubs like that, he just didn’t see himself allowing an alpha Dom to touch him to help figure his shit out. His wolf was vocal about that, too. Lennon… yeah, it was totally on board with that for whatever reason. A big alpha getting frisky with a paddle, not so much.

You know why.