Shadows Deceive

By S.C. Wynne

If I could have put off meeting Thompson’s family forever, I would have. But he made it crystal clear it was important to him, and I got the feeling if I blew it off again, I’d lose him.

So, like a good boyfriend, I accompanied him to the rustic city of Big Bear, hoping for the best. I expected awkward moments, and funny looks from his family. What I didn’t see coming was having to hang out with his perfect ex-lover, Alexander, and for dead bodies to start piling up.

Working and living together, Thompson and I formed a bond I didn’t think could be broken. But when he starts doubting my abilities, and pulling away, simply because he doesn’t like what I’m saying, I start to realize maybe we were never as tight as I’d thought.

Thompson needs to decide if he wants to protect the past, more than he wants to join me in the future. He thinks I’m just scared of commitment, and so I’m causing trouble. But the reality is, Thompson is the person with one foot out the door.

• Language: English
• Publisher: S.C. Wynne
• Release date: Oct 5, 2020
• ISBN: 9781005544447

S.C. Wynne

S.C. Wynne has been writing MM romance and mystery since 2013. She’s a Lambda winner, and lives in California with her wonderful husband, two quirky kids, and a loony rescue pup named Ditto. www.scwynne.com

Book preview

Shadows

Deceive

By S.C. Wynne

Chapter One

Fourteen more hours before the bottom fell out of my world.

Maybe I was being melodramatic, but the reality of meeting Thompson’s family tomorrow was giving me an ulcer. I loved Thompson, but I’d dreaded the concept of getting together with his family since the day he’d first suggested it. I hadn’t exactly dazzled his one brother, Jeff, when we’d met, and I had no real hope the rest of his family would adore me. Thompson insisted they would, if only because they were thrilled he was finally ready to settle down.

I suspected he was just trying to make me feel better.

I still needed to pack. I’d stalled as long as I could without making Thompson angry. He knew I was having a meltdown over this upcoming visit, but it was all arranged. The cogs of torture were in motion, and the best I could do was grit my teeth and bear it.

We were staying two weeks with his family in their cabin in Big Bear. Two god-awful weeks. I’d have been lucky to get through a holiday meal without embarrassing myself. What hope did I have of spending two weeks with the Thompson clan and not turning them off? I had no idea what constituted a healthy family dynamic. I didn’t know how to behave in that sort of situation because my home life growing up had been so dysfunctional.

The front door opened and Thompson came in looking tired. He smiled when he saw me on the couch, and my heart thumped faster as he approached. We’d been living together eight months, but cohabitating still felt very new. I loved living with him for all the typical reasons, like waking up with the man I loved each morning. But being with Thompson was more than simply companionship. He fed my soul. He made me want to be less of a curmudgeon. I couldn’t think of anyone else I’d endure two weeks of agony for. Even Will had never been able to talk me into spending over a few days with his family. Of course, they hadn’t wanted me to visit, and apparently Thompson’s family did.

That would probably change after this visit.

He leaned down and kissed me, his mouth warm against mine. He tasted of stale coffee with just a hint of mint. He looked exhausted, and I instinctively wanted to soothe him. I was tempted to grab his shirt and pull him down on the couch with me, but the plantation shutters were open, and I didn’t want to put on a show for the neighbors.

How was your day? he asked, pulling off his jacket. He tossed it over the arm of the couch and settled beside me.

Boring.

He raised his brows. I wish my day had been boring.

Did you catch a rough case? I tried not to sound too hopeful. I hadn’t had the opportunity of working with Thompson much the last month, and I missed it. I didn’t have to work to survive. I’d inherited some money when Will died. I wasn’t rich, but I was comfortable. The main reason I preferred to work was it helped keep the yammering spirits at bay. But recently Thompson hadn’t needed me on very many cases. Where were the psychos and sociopaths when you needed them?

Sighing, Thompson raked a hand through his dark hair. Somebody set a homeless man on fire last night.

I cringed. Shit. My stomach rolled at the idea of what he must’ve had to deal with today. That’s horrible.

Yeah. Weariness settled in the faint lines of his face, making him look older. Makes me really glad I’m not an ME.

God. I can’t even imagine. I shivered. Do you have any leads?

We’re pretty sure it was a buddy of his.

With friends like that… I grimaced.

They had a falling-out over a pair of shoes. He looked disgusted.

Shoes?

He nodded, his expression distracted. Red Nike Air VaporMax running shoes. They go for about two hundred bucks new.

I don’t care if they’re a million dollars, who kills their friend over shoes? God, people were vile. I could barely tolerate them when they weren’t murdering their friends. Sometimes humanity just felt like a big clump of worms, writhing around each other, trying to get to the best piece of rotting garbage.

Apparently, the guy who died stole the shoes from the guy who killed him.

And because of that he had to die?

The perp didn’t seem all there mentally. He pointed to his temple.

No, I wouldn’t think so. I frowned. How the heck did two homeless guys end up with an expensive pair of shoes like that?

No idea. He closed his eyes, his dark lashes thick against his cheeks. Maybe they stole them off of some other poor slob.

I studied his angular features, loving the sturdy planes of his face. I’d never expected to love again. Not after Will died. But something about Thompson drew me in. He made it okay to love him and still love Will too. I’d struggled with that a lot in the beginning—the idea that if I fell for Thompson, I’d have to give Will up. But Thompson didn’t want that. He’d loved Will too, as a friend. He made sure we still talked about Will and brought his memory out into the daylight.

With his eyes still closed, Thompson asked, You remember tomorrow is when we leave for Big Bear, right? He’d probably hoped my bags would be packed, and waiting by the front door when he’d returned from work.

Of course I remember. The trip weighed on me like a root canal. It was impossible to forget when you had a horrendous dental procedure scheduled, and I couldn’t forget the family fun that awaited me atop Big Bear Mountain either.

Good.

Although, we could always cancel and go to Belize instead. I knew the minute the words came out of my mouth it was a mistake. I was only kidding, but he was not amused. His face tensed, and he opened his eyes, looking annoyed.

Liam, I’ve been more than patient. His voice had an edge.

Wincing, I said, I know. It was a joke.

You sure about that?

Yes.

You say that kind of thing way too often. It gets old.

It’s just weird for me. I sighed. "I understand completely why you want to be close to your family. I’m just not sure why I have to be close to them. Isn’t it enough that you are?"

He scowled. That isn’t how family works.

I wouldn’t really know.

I realize this sort of thing doesn’t come naturally for you. But they want to meet you. I’ve stalled as long as I can, without it being obvious you just don’t want to meet them. If you keep avoiding them, you’ll actually create a problem where there wasn’t one. His jaw was set stubbornly. Family is important to me. Whoever I end up with, they need to at least try and blend in with my family.

Whoever I end up with?

That sounds cryptic, I said lightly, hoping he couldn’t see how much his comment had bothered me.

I didn’t mean that the way it sounded. He grimaced.

I forced a smile. I know you can’t live without me. I realized being with me wasn’t easy. He was a normal person with normal needs. There was nothing wrong with wanting to visit family. I was the screwed-up one. If I wanted to be with Thompson, that meant I needed to do the things ordinary people did. Otherwise he might tire of me.

Maybe he’s already tired of me.

My insides twisted at the thought of that. But, no. He wouldn’t put either of us through this family visit if he was planning on dumping me anytime soon. Thompson was far too practical a man to waste his precious vacation time with a soon-to-be ex.

You know I love you and want to be with you, he said quietly. I’m just frustrated.

I understand. I kept my smile firmly in place.

Why did love have to be so complicated? Not the actual act of loving, but all the peripheral stuff. It was one thing to fall in love, and quite another to blend your lives seamlessly. Frankly, there was nothing seamless about me. I was all seam. Mostly unraveling, at the moment. I had a nagging sense that this trip was going to be a disaster. I’d tried to shake that feeling, but it wouldn’t go away.

He sighed. I think you have it in your head you need to be perfect. You don’t. None of us are perfect.

I know that intellectually, I murmured. But I’m worried about the length of the visit. Maybe if we’d only stayed a few days, I could pull it off, but two weeks? I can’t pretend to be normal for two weeks.

He laughed, and it softened his features. "You’re not supposed to pretend. You’re just supposed to be yourself."

I’m not sure they can handle the real me. I grimaced. Have you forgotten our bizarre dinner with Jeff? I’m sure he left that dinner thinking I was crazy, or that you were for being with me.

I’ve told you a hundred times, he liked you.

God, Thompson. That’s just not true. I interfered with his little plan of you and Denny falling madly in love.

That was ages ago. He’s way over that. Jeff isn’t a child. He knows I’m going to love whoever I choose to love. He put his hand on my leg. Liam, come on. You’re way overthinking this visit.

I groaned. God, I know.

Just relax and try to enjoy yourself. We’ll have lots of free time too.

Will we? I asked hopefully.

He smiled. Of course. I’m looking forward to getting out of the city and breathing some fresh mountain air.

That does sound pleasant.

It’s going to be great. You’ll see. My family is very nice.

I smirked. Well, that makes sense because you’re very nice too.

Yeah? He cocked one brow. I’m not that nice.

True. My pulse sped up at the look in his eyes. You can be quite the dirty boy.

Speaking of being filthy, want to take a shower with me? He grinned.

My stomach warmed at the heat in his pretty brown eyes. How had I gotten so lucky? The odds of Thompson falling in love with me had been astronomical. He was way out of my league. I already took a shower today, but I guess I can take another.

Cleanliness is next to godliness.

I laughed gruffly. Yes. And you know how religious I am.

He stood and tugged me to my feet. Come on. I smell like smoke.

I winced at the grim reminder of how his day had been. I’ll scrub your back for you. You could probably use some pampering.

I followed him into the master bedroom, feeling better about tomorrow. Our little talk had helped some. With Thompson beside me, I could do this. He’d help me navigate all the social pitfalls that might await me. Thompson wanted me to do well. He wanted his family to like me. I could sense how much this mattered to him.

He started the shower while I stripped. When I got in, the water was a little too hot, but I didn’t have time to complain. The moment I joined him in the shower, he pressed me up against the cold tile wall. I gave a muffled yelp, but he covered my mouth with his. I liked it when Thompson took control during sex. He smoothed his rough hands down over my hips, rocking into me. His erection probed between my thighs, and I let my head fall back in silent surrender.

He didn’t speak, he just kissed and stroked every trembling inch of me. The muscles of my legs felt weedy, and I clutched his broad shoulders for support. Water splashed my face when he knelt in front of me.

I thought I was supposed to pamper you, I murmured.

Shhhh. Just go with it, Liam. He kissed my ball sack tenderly, licking the length of my dick and finally taking me deep into the hot cave of his mouth.

I groaned, need clawing at me. I dug my nails into his back, trying not to give in to my desire to come right away. Oh, fuck, I whimpered. His suction was perfect, not too hard, with just a light scrape of teeth. I tangled my fingers in his wet hair, moaning and thrusting gently into his tight throat.

He knew what I needed. He slipped one finger between the crack of my ass, sliding over my hole in a teasing caress. I grunted and bent my knees, giving him better access. He rubbed my entrance, still sucking on my cock with that same delicious pressure.

The pleasure was almost too sweet, and my entire body quivered. No matter how much I wanted this moment to last forever, my self-control had abandoned me. My climax nipped at me, tingling through my swollen balls, prickling along my cock.

Thompson, I moaned, squeezing my fingers tighter into his hair. Gonna come.

He pulled his mouth off me and stood, his eyes dark and hungry. He turned me to face the wall without a word. My cheek pressed the slick tile, and I panted with anticipation. There was the unmistakable click of a lube bottle lid, and then the tip of his cock pressed into me. The long, pulsing glide of his dick entering me forced a groan from my tight throat.

Liam, he whispered, pushing in deeper.

Oh, God. One of my hands clutched at the wall, while the other stroked my dick feverishly. I urged him on, begging him to come inside me. He grunted and thrust, and my hips bumped the shower walls hard. I didn’t care that I’d probably be bruised, I just wanted that perfect wave of pleasure that hovered just out of reach.

He nipped my shoulder, thrust upward twice, and froze, his dick swelling inside of me. A hot flush of release filled me, and I came too. Clenching my teeth, I shuddered as waves of ecstasy washed over me. Nothing was as perfect as when we fucked. We were one, inside and out, connected intimately body and soul.

Breathing hard, he pulled out, one hand trailing down my back. Shit. I needed that.

I turned, laughing breathlessly. I didn’t say anything, just studied his flushed cheeks and contented expression. My heart squeezed with affection when he grinned at me, water dribbling down the side of his face. I touched his cheek, tracing my finger along his square jaw.

His smile slowly faded, and he said softly, No matter what happens on the trip, don’t forget that I love you.

His uneasy thoughts washed over me, and I had a rare, unfettered glimpse into his mind. He was afraid I’d purposely sabotage things with his family. He actually thought I’d prefer to give up, alienate his family, rather than have to fight for him. For us. He worried I’d retreat back into my lonely little world. The one I’d inhabited after Will died, and before he was mine.

It bothered me he had such little faith in me. My heart ached as his doubt ebbed and flowed around me. I kept my face blank, hiding my wounded feelings. Maybe I’d relied on Thompson to do the heavy lifting in the relationship for too long. I’d prove to him that I was worth loving. I’d go into this little family get-together with everything I had. I’d be charming. I’d be open. I’d be everything they needed me to be.

I had to prove to Thompson that I could fit in with his family because that mattered to him. And he mattered to me.

Chapter Two

We woke early Saturday morning, and after a quick breakfast of strong coffee and toast, we headed out. Sparkles was being watched over by a friendly neighbor who’d agreed to take her in temporarily. Thompson had asked them because I hadn’t had the nerve to impose. He was good at things like chatting with strangers. I’d lived here many years and still didn’t know everyone on the street, but within months of moving in with me, Thompson had met most of our neighbors.

My stomach churned as we left the more congested freeways of Los Angeles and merged onto CA-210 and eventually CA-330. The drive was more scenic than I’d expected. The sky was robin’s-egg blue, with stark white clouds floating in the opposite direction we were headed. The russet San Bernardino Mountains surrounded us as we traveled along the winding roads.

Thompson chatted about work, and I pretended I wasn’t silently having a nervous breakdown. I couldn’t conceive of losing Thompson. I didn’t want to even consider the possibility. I reassured myself with the knowledge that, while Will’s family hadn’t liked me, he hadn’t dumped me. Hopefully, should Thompson’s family not like me on sight, he’d be just as brave, or stubborn, as Will had been.

CA-330 turned into CA-18, and when we arrived at the bridge at Big Bear Dam, the highway became Big Bear Blvd. We continued on into the City of Big Bear Lake, passing Boulder Bay Park on our left before arriving at the Village. The trip had taken a couple of hours, and I was happy when Thompson pulled over to get gas.

I got out and stretched my legs, groaning at how stiff I was. I’d taken a Dramamine for the trip to help in case the curves made me ill, and also to dull the voices of any spirits we’d encounter along the way. Big Bear was an old town, and there would no doubt be a lot of spirts hanging around. Because of the drug, I was still a bit groggy.

Ten more minutes and we’ll be at my parents’ house. His jaw was tense and his expression difficult to read.

Great, I said brightly.

See what a team player I am?

His gaze softened. It’ll be fine.

I didn’t speak, I simply nodded. Once we got back in the car, my pulse picked up because I knew soon I’d have to face Thompson’s family. I told myself that I was freaking out for no reason. It was customary to meet your boyfriend’s family. This was what normal people did when they were in a serious relationship. Thompson was worth all this stress. I repeated that to myself over and over again as we drove through the narrow streets.

Thompson is worth it. Thompson is worth it. I’m going to fail miserably. Thompson is worth it.

I’d pictured Big Bear less