And with only homeschooling under his belt, the chances of Isaac landing a good-paying job were slim. They had no computers at home, which T-Rex had learned from Isaac. So how would the guy even know how to apply to college? There was no chance that Isaac was getting married, not from the way the man had responded to T-Rex's kiss. Isaac was gay, and T-Rex had a feeling that was something the man's parents wouldn't put up with.

T-Rex had heard enough. He knew the Newton family had only one vehicle, that crappy truck. He wasn't sure why Isaac had stopped coming to town, but T-Rex was going to get answers. "Thanks."

Simon grabbed his arm when T-Rex turned away. "Please let me know what's going on with him. I like Isaac. He's a nice guy. He deserves to have a life."

He handed Simon his business card. "My cell phone number is on there. If you hear from Isaac, call me. And if I find him first, I'll let you know." T-Rex headed out of the pharmacy. He didn't know what was going on in the Newton household, but if Isaac was in trouble, T-Rex was going to help-even if he had to offer Isaac a job on the ranch.

Sliding into his truck, T-Rex headed out of town. The Newton family lived about seven miles out. It didn't take him long to reach the place. The two-story home sat far back from the road. There were acres of land all around the house, but the house itself sat in dense foliage. There were clothing lines weaved on the side of the house with clothes waving slightly in the soft breeze.

T-Rex heard and smelled farm animals. A barn loomed behind the house but was set back quite a ways. He pulled into the drive, next to the red pickup.

Seconds later, the front door squeaked opened. A large, lumbering man stood on the porch with a shotgun in his hand. T-Rex had an M4 rifle hidden under his seat and a 9 mm in his glove box but decided to leave the weapons in the truck. He didn't want the situation to get out of hand.

He was just here to talk.

He parked, but kept the truck running. T-Rex slid out and held his hands out at his sides to show the man that he was unarmed. "Mr. Newton?"

"Who wants to know?" the man asked in an unpleasant tone.

"I'm Tanner Rexford. I'm part owner of the Big Bear Ranch. I've come here to offer Isaac a job." T-Rex knew that he couldn't come here demanding to see Isaac. If the father was truly a ticking time bomb, T-Rex had to tread carefully. Offering Isaac a job seemed like the perfect solution.

"Isaac doesn't need a job." The man's eyes narrowed as the shotgun rose slightly. "Not from a man who thinks kissing my son is perfectly fine."

Fuck. T-Rex knew for certain that Isaac wouldn't have said a word. Isaac had seemed hesitant and uncertain, and there was no way he would have run home and confessed about the kiss. "I'm just here to talk to him, sir."

T-Rex caught movement to his right. He glanced up to see Isaac staring out of the second-floor window. His heart tightened, and his jaw clenched when he saw bruises on the left side of Isaac's face. His attention went back to Isaac's father. He ground his teeth as his muscles quivered. His tone deep grew deep. "Let me talk to Isaac."

"What I'm going to let you do is leave here before I defend my home and private property," Jacob Newton ground out. "You're not welcome here, Tanner Rexford. And you're not welcome to my son. I would suggest you turn around and leave before I do something you'll regret."

Against his better judgment, Tanner took a step forward. He narrowed his eyes as his hands clenched into fists. "Isaac is a grown man. He can leave anytime he wants to."

Jacob raised the shotgun and fired. It was a warning fire because it was too far to T-Rex's left, but T-Rex didn't flinch. He'd faced off with worse men than Jacob.

"The next shot won't miss," Jacob warned.

T-Rex ground his teeth. He would leave, but he would be back. He wasn't even Isaac in this monster's hands. He glanced up toward the window, but Isaac was gone.

Turning on his heel, T-Rex walked back to his truck. He drove away but pulled over a half-mile from the house. He pulled his cell phone out and called Sparrow.

He flexed his fingers to relieve some tension, but it didn't help. T-Rex was wound up and ready to go back to that farm and kick Jacob's ass.

"Sheriff Sparrow."

"It's T-Rex."

"What can I do for you?"

God, he was so fucking angry. T-Rex hadn't wanted to leave. He'd wanted to barge into the house and grab Isaac, pulling the man away. But T-Rex had to be smarter. "I've got a problem."

"I'm listening," Sparrow said.

T-Rex explained to Sparrow about Isaac and the whole situation. "I'm going back under the cover of darkness. I've got to get Isaac out of there."

"You talking about trespassing and breaking and entering," Sparrow said and then cursed. "I'm going to pretend we didn't have this conversation. If you've forgotten, I'm the damn sheriff."

"Fair enough," T-Rex said. "But if a call comes in-"

"I'll warn Harold," Sparrow said. Harold was the dispatcher and would do whatever Sparrow asked. The guy was loyal to a fault. "Just don't shoot the damn man."

"No promises," T-Rex replied. "The man seems hell-bent on shooting me."

Sparrow gave a low chuckle. "Maybe because you're trying to have sex with his son."

T-Rex wasn't going to deny that. He wanted Isaac in the worst sort of way. But it wasn't just sex. For the first time in his life, T-Rex considered settling down. He was married to his career, both of them. He loved working missions and his ranch. He never thought they would come when he'd contemplated slowing down. But the love bug had bitten him. And T-Rex was prepared to do whatever it took to ensure that Isaac was safe and happy.

"Can I ask you something?" Sparrow asked. He continued before T-Rex even answered. "Did Isaac mention how you smelled?"

That was an odd question. "Like leather and cedar."

Sparrow remained quiet for a long moment before he said, "And do you feel like you'd go crazy if you couldn't get that man out of the house, near you?"

T-Rex had been agitated and on edge for the past two weeks. He'd chalked it up to overworking and lack of sex. But Isaac had never been too far from his thoughts. He rubbed a hand over his stomach, and his chest actually hurt at the idea of never seeing Isaac again. "Yeah," he admitted.

"Then," Sparrow said, "I think I know what's wrong."

"What?" But as soon as the words left his lips, T-Rex knew the answer. Over the past five years, he'd watched the bear shifters in the house go insane over men. Legend had broken protocol when he'd met Gabe. Sam had gone all weird when he met Taylor. Colton had pursued Steven relentlessly. Rowdy had become a protective bastard when it came to Cameron. And Stripper had treated the man he was interrogating with preferential treatment.

And now T-Rex was acting out of character. He was willing to recruit his men to take down the Newton household in order to get his hands on Isaac.

T-Rex rubbed a hand over his forehead as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on the steering wheel. He clutched the phone to his ear as he said, "He's my mate, isn't he?"

"Sounds like it," Sparrow said. "Which means I'll do whatever I have to in order to help you. But don't shoot his goddamn father."

T-Rex hung up. He tossed the phone aside and then ran his hands over his face. The truth should've dawned on him earlier. It should have dawned on him from the way he'd reacted to Isaac. But T-Rex was human and had thought the strong attraction was just that, attraction.

Now, more than ever, he was determined to save Isaac because the man held T-Rex's future in his hands.

Chapter Five.

Later that evening, before T-Rex left for the Newtons', the beat-up red truck pulled into the ranch. T-Rex's heart began to beat harder as he walked outside, expecting to see Isaac behind the wheel. But it wasn't. There was a short man who resembled Isaac, but looked younger. His hair was mahogany, and his eyes were slightly darker than Isaac's amber-gold, but there was no mistaking him for a Newton.

The guy got out and glanced around quickly. When his eyes landed on T-Rex, he hurried toward the house. "Are you Tanner Rexford?"

"And you are?" T-Rex asked.

"Robby," the man answered. "Isaac's younger brother. I came here for help."

T-Rex went on instant alert. He noticed that Robby stood with his shoulders squared and his chin high. His golden eyes held determination.

"What's going on?" T-Rex asked.

"It's Isaac," Robby said. "Swear to me you'll help him."

"I promise," T-Rex said.

"After you left today"-Robby seemed a bit hyper and talked extremely fast, but T-Rex was able to keep up with the conversation-"my dad was furious. He told my oldest brother, Henry, to take Isaac out of his sight."

"Where'd he take him?" T-Rex was ready and willing to go after Isaac. "Where did Henry take Isaac?" he demanded.

"I don't know," Robby said. He appeared startled by T-Rex's demand, but then Robby's eyes turned hostile. That hostility wasn't aimed toward T-Rex though. "He told Henry to drop Isaac off in Junction City. That he never wanted to lay eyes on Isaac again."

It was late summer, and the nights were growing cooler. He remembered when he'd splashed Isaac on the side of the road. It had been colder than normal that morning, and Isaac hadn't been wearing a jacket. Was he wandering the streets of Junction City now, cold, hungry, and no idea where to go?

It was getting darker out, and T-Rex was terrified of Isaac being out on the streets. Junction City wasn't the best of places to be roaming at night.

"I have to get back. I told my father that I was coming into town to pick a few things up. If he finds out I came here-"

"He won't," T-Rex said. "Get back and I'll find some way to let you know if I find Isaac."

"Just tell the feed store guy," Robby said. "Jake is cool. He won't tell my dad what's going on."

T-Rex nodded. "Thank you for coming here and telling me about Isaac." He knew that Robby didn't have to. The guy had taken a huge risk, and T-Rex would be indebted to the man.

"Peace out," Robby said as he hurried to the truck. He turned at the last second and added, "When you find Isaac, tell him I always knew and we're cut from the same cloth. Just don't tell my dad because I'll have to break his kneecaps."

T-Rex frowned.

Robby chuckled. "I told you, Jake is cool. He's been introducing me to the Internet and mob movies. I'm hooked. Temple Run, how awesome is that?"

T-Rex gave the man a warm smile. "I'll let Isaac know."

Robby slipped into the truck and then rolled the window down. "Hey, I don't have time to stop at the supermarket. You don't have any canned tuna on you, do you? It's my favorite. I need to go home with something to say I went to the store."

T-Rex moved inside and went to the kitchen. He grabbed a couple cans from the pantry, stored them in a paper bag that Sam kept folded under the sink, and then went back outside and gave the bag to Robby. "Here. And if you ever need anything, you're always welcome here."

He owed the guy that much.

"Thanks. This is such a cool place. I just might take you up on your offer." Robby waved as he backed up, nearly hitting Shott's motorcycle, and then drove forward, nearly colliding with T-Rex's truck.

The guy couldn't drive worth shit. All T-Rex could do was wince until Robby finally pulled away. T-Rex went back inside the house and asked Gabe for a jacket. Although Gabe was larger than Isaac, he was the smallest guy in the house. Next T-Rex grabbed some blankets in case Isaac was cold and then told Shott he'd be back.

"You want me to come with?"

T-Rex shook his head. "But I want you to watch out for Robby. The guy seems like he has a set of brass balls, but his father is a tyrant."

"How do you want me to watch out for him?" Shott asked. "You want me to sit in his driveway?"

Good point. But T-Rex couldn't stand the idea of Robby in that abusive household. The guy had spunk, but he was just as slim and fragile-looking as Isaac. He'd have to talk with Jake. If Robby was the one coming into town, Jake would be the go-between.

"Never mind," he said. "I'll call you when I find Isaac. Don't say anything to the others. I don't want this to turn into a damn circus. If Stripper finds out what Isaac's father did, all hell will break loose."

Which was the last thing T-Rex wanted. He didn't need Stripper going over to the Newtons and trying to blow their damn house up or interrogating the father. T-Rex could handle this on his own.

Shott nodded. "I wasn't really making fun of you when I said-"

"Save it," T-Rex said as he tucked the blankets under one arm. "You did mean it, and I don't hold it against you."

He walked out, stored the blankets and jacket behind his seat, and set out to find his mate.

Isaac shook violently as he stumbled across an intersection, holding his hand over his stomach. It took all his concentration to remain upright. He was hungry, scared, in pain, and moving in a haze of detached disbelief. His father had actually kicked him out. And that was after the man had knocked Isaac around and then stomped him into the floor.

Isaac was angry, hurt, and confused but, most of all, scared. Junction City wasn't the best looking place. Most of the houses he'd passed were boarded up. His brother Henry had driven here, spouting angrily at Isaac the entire way, and then pulled over-no place in particular-and had told Isaac to get out.

Isaac had begged his brother not to make him get out of the truck, had pleaded with him, but Henry had told Isaac if he didn't get out, he would forcefully remove Isaac.

Having no other choice, Isaac had gotten out. He'd been wandering the streets for a good two hours now, unsure of where to go. It was getting late, and he had no jacket. The coolness was starting to settle in on his skin, and Isaac shook as he skimmed his hands up and down his arms.

He turned down the next street, feeling the tears well up in his eyes as desolation settled in. He'd never spent the night away from home before. He would give anything to be in his bed right now, but he still couldn't find it in himself to regret that kiss. He wouldn't ever wish to take it back.

If only there was a way for him to contact T-Rex, but he wasn't even sure if the guy would want to be bothered. They had shared a nice day together, that was all. T-Rex had promised him nothing, and Isaac wasn't going to beg the man to take him in.

He spotted a sign over a building that said Rainbow Resources. Isaac had no clue what that meant, but he noticed a few guys heading inside. Having no other place to go, he walked in behind the last guy. The man who had entered walked toward the back of the large center, but Isaac was stopped at the front desk.

"Can I help you?" The man looked at Isaac, and sympathy filled his eyes. "Did your boyfriend do that?"

Isaac didn't understand what the man was talking about until he remembered that the left side of his face was bruised. It wasn't from the initial smack his father had given him. Jacob Newton had knocked him around for two weeks after that, calling him degenerate names as he continually told Isaac he was going to burn in hell for lusting after a man. Life had gotten so bad at home that a small part of him was relieved to finally be out of there.

Robby had tried to help the best he could, but Isaac had kept pushing his brother away. He didn't want Robby to suffer the same wrath. Isaac had been trying his best to protect the guy.

And now Isaac was all alone in the world. He had no one but himself. His fingers touched over the bruises and shook his head. "My father tried to beat the gay out of me."

The man's face mottled with anger, and Isaac took a step back, unsure if he should stay or flee. He didn't know this man and wasn't sure if the guy was dangerous or not.

"Oh, hon," the man said, "I'm not angry with you. I'm pissed that people think they can beat up on a gay man and get away with it." He came around the desk and offered Isaac a warm smile. "My name is Rodney. I work here."

Isaac glanced around at the many cots being pulled into place. He turned back to Rodney. "Where is here?"

The man seemed baffled by Isaac's question. "You're at a shelter for gay people who have either been abused or have nowhere else to go. Sometimes both."