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Chapter Twenty

Marcus

“So, here's my ideas for this evening; eat some nice food, drink some wine and then make love."

“Those sound like fine ideas," Ralph grinned as he turned the car towards Little Hartbrook.

Marcus responded with a smirk of his own before he traced a paw up the Doberman's thigh.

The drive had gone well for the most part, although Marcus sensed that Ralph was a little anxious about the fact he had met with Tim again.

He decided it was best for now to adopt a don't ask, don't tell policy, and thankfully the Doberman didn't seem to be asking too many questions.

Perhaps I've dodged a bullet.

They pulled into the lane and parked outside Honeysuckle Lodge.

“Ugh, I can't wait to get back to London," Marcus sighed as they climbed out. “I feel like this place will drive me nuts if I end up living here again."

“We'll be back to London soon enough if I get that part," Ralph chuckled. “Providing my current movie doesn't overrun."

“Good, and then San Francisco?"

“Haha, oh yes I'm sure that'll happen too."

“Ooh, just imagine it, you making movies, me writing books," Marcus grinned.

“That sounds delightful."

Ralph retrieved their suitcase while Marcus walked down the path to unlock the front door.

He paused and sniffed at the air, wondering if he could detect a canine scent he didn't recognise. Marcus shrugged to himself.

It's probably Frank.

He unlocked the door as Ralph made his way up the path.

“Come on stud, let's go and see what's for dinner," Marcus said, fixing Ralph a grin over his shoulder.

“We have plenty of meat in the fridge for you."

“I'm resisting the urge to make a joke about eating your meat," Marcus chuckled.

“Jeez," Ralph sighed. “And it's not even mine, didn't you say someone brought it over?"

“Frank's mum," Marcus replied as he turned the kitchen light on. “I should give it to Frank really. He'll eat it, and no he's eating my meat jokes!"

“Ha, that's the sort of thing you'd say," Ralph retorted with a grin.

Marcus felt glad that the Doberman seemed relaxed, but Ralph pulled out his phone and suddenly looked alarmed.

“What is it?"

“I left my charger in London," he sighed. “And my other is over at the Threapleton place, I'm going to have to drive over and get it. This is why I should have followed my agent's advice and got myself a PA."

“Could you wait until morning?"

“I wish, but I need it as my phone is about to die and I might get a call in the morning asking me to come in."

“Very well stud," Marcus replied. “I'll prepare a nice dinner and then pose on the bed looking sexy for when you return."

“Sounds good fox," Ralph replied. Marcus closed his eyes as the Doberman bent down to kiss him and bite his neck fluff. “Be a good boy, and I'll be right back. I promise."

“Oh I will," Marcus said with an innocent grin as he sat down at the table.

Ralph responded with a friendly growl and Marcus shivered with delight as the Doberman bit down on his neck fluff.

He watched as Ralph made his way back to the front door before deciding on what food to put out.

Cooking was not Marcus' forte, but he searched in the fridge anyway. He cast his mind back to when he and Conor had cooked together, although he struggled to name an occasion in the last few months that didn't involve them getting a takeout.

The fridge contained cheese, the meat he needed to give away, caviar and more alcohol.

Marcus pulled out one of the tubs of caviar which felt surprisingly light. He shrugged to himself again. Ralph had probably eaten it himself.

He decided dinner would be caviar and wine. Dessert would be ice cream for him while Ralph had one of his protein things.

Even if ice cream was tastier, Marcus wanted Ralph to remain strong and studly.

I've never had a boyfriend who could carry me to bed before.

Marcus began setting the table for dinner, but as he neared the back door, he caught a weird scent; a mixture of cigars and aftershave.

He couldn't remember Ralph ever smoking a cigar by the house. Sure, Ralph had carried a box of cigars in, but Marcus couldn't recall the Doberman actually smoking any.

Weird.

Marcus set the mostly eaten caviar set out on the table and retrieved a fresh tub from the fridge.

The sound of Ralph's car reverberated through the house and Marcus wagged his tail as he heard the front door open.

“I managed to get in and grab it," Ralph called. “The security guy at the gates was virtually asleep."

“That's good to hear stud," Marcus replied.

He looked up as Ralph walked into the kitchen swinging his phone cord from his paw.

“I see you found the caviar," he chuckled, fixing Marcus his signature smile. “You eat it with flatbread. I have some gluten free, organic stuff I bought back in London which I think I put in the bread bin."

The thought of Ralph's food in his mother's old bread bin was amusing. It also made Marcus think of when Conor had laughed at the British-English phrase bread bin.

“Man, that's such a silly word," the Corgi had wheezed.

“Fuck off Conor," Marcus said out loud, before clamping a paw over his muzzle.

“You okay?" Ralph asked, flashing Marcus an alarmed expression.

“Yeah, just remembering how my ex laughed at the term bread bin, which pissed me off, and before I could stop myself I told him to fuck off out loud, and of course everyone looks at you like you're weird," Marcus sighed. “I guess you can relate."

“I don't think I ever told Gunnar to fuck off, to his face or out loud, I wouldn't dream of it," Ralph replied, and Marcus saw the brief look of sadness in Ralph's eyes as he mentioned Gunnar's name. “But I get what you mean."

“Don't tell me you've never felt mad at an ex?" Marcus chuckled.

“Er, not as far as I can remember," Ralph said, scratching his muzzle as he thought to himself.

“Heh, you should be more expressive," Marcus grinned.

“By swearing at Gunnar?" Ralph laughed nervously. “That's not really my style, or being aggressive in general, unless the paps are coming."

Marcus responded with another grin and a shrug.

For a big Doberman he's quite timid, he doesn't quite match his looks or initial confidence.

The Doberman retrieved the flat bread and sat down at the table. Marcus watched as he picked up the caviar and frowned.

“I don't remember it being this empty," he said. “We didn't eat this much between us."

“How full was it before?"

“I can't remember, but it certainly wasn't this empty," Ralph frowned. “Wait, that wolf, Frank? He hasn't been at it has he?"

Marcus picked up the tub to examine it himself.

“I doubt it, Frank doesn't really do expensive food," he replied, thinking back to when they had tried cooking together several years ago. “His culinary skills when I knew him ended at cheese on toast or microwave rice."

Ralph took the tub back and sniffed at it.

“It's like they've scooped it out with their paw, not a spoon, and look at that!" the Doberman exclaimed. “That looks like a piece of Dorito. They've scooped it out with their paw and used a Dorito!"

“Gross," Marcus replied, feeling slightly unnerved.

“Hmm," Ralph grumbled as he slid the tub away and opened a fresh one. “This is very strange."

“Maybe you sleepwalked downstairs for a midnight snack?" Marcus suggested with a nervous smile.

“I doubt that," Ralph huffed as he retrieved and new tub and spooned fresh caviar onto the bread. “The only person who comes in and out of the house is Frank."

“I don't think it was him, but trust me I'll call him and demand an explanation," Marcus replied. “If he did do it we'll find someone else to do the house up."

“Do you think he took anything else?"

“I don't think he would have done, he never used to be a thief," Marcus said.

Although Ralph had claimed he wasn't aggressive, there was clearly an angry tone in his voice.

Just as I wish he could match his looks more!

The Doberman was eating his caviar in a stony silence. Marcus nervously spooned some onto his bread and ate it. In truth, caviar was not his favourite food, but he swallowed it down anyway. He wondered whether seductive charm would work on Ralph to ease the tense atmosphere.

“So, I was thinking of you in a superhero outfit for this new movie," Marcus grinned. “How tight is it?"

“Huh?" Ralph replied, looking distracted.

“I was asking about the superhero outfit," Marcus said, suppressing an eye-roll.

“Oh, you already asked if it has underwear on it."

“I want to know how tight it is."

“Pretty tight," Ralph replied. “I'll be right back, I want to look upstairs to check all my belongings are still there."

“They should be," Marcus sighed. “I mean, Frank told me not to throw anything away, so I don't think he'd steal or damage anything."

“I wonder why he told you not to throw anything away," Ralph mused.

Marcus decided to let the comment slide.

“What colour is the suit?"

“Black, and mostly CGI'd," Ralph replied.

“That's a shame, with your body nothing should be CGI."

“You know, I'm going to look upstairs real quick to check it's all okay," Ralph said, getting to his hind-paws.

Marcus nervously followed Ralph up the stairs and to the bedroom.

Ralph pushed open the door and glanced around while Marcus eased himself past the Doberman's muscular body and sniffed about. Everything seemed in place.

“I don't think anything is missing," he said.

Ralph continued looking before nodding to himself.

“Yeah, I think it seems okay, although I can't find a pair of underwear I left on the floor here."

“To be fair the floor is a mess," Marcus reasoned. “Which pair?"

“Blue Calvin Klein undies."

Marcus glanced around and saw the underwear in question by the door.

“This pair?" he asked, holding them up.

“Yes," Ralph said, breathing a sigh of relief and visibly relaxing.

The sign of Ralph loosening out made Marcus feel relieved. He pressed the back of the briefs to his snoot and sniffed at them.

“Honestly, your underwear smells pretty damn good after you've worn them," Marcus said, nosing at them.

“Do they now?" Ralph replied, folding his arms and fixing Marcus a smirk.

“They do," Marcus grinned as he casually tossed the underwear to one side. “I'm glad to see you smiling."

“I'm still a little weirded out by the caviar, I admit," Ralph said as Marcus craned his muzzle upwards to kiss the Doberman.

“We'll solve that mystery in the morning, I promise," Marcus murmured in-between kisses.

He closed his eyes as they made out for a moment and allowed their tongues to caress.

“Good," Ralph grinned as they broke away. “And I can tell what methods you're using to distract me."

“Oh?"

“And yes, they are working," Ralph growled and Marcus grinned with delight as the Doberman picked him up and threw him down on the bed.

He couldn't help but squirm as Ralph pinned his wrists down, before straddling him and grinding the obvious bulge in his jeans against the outline of Marcus' sheath.

“I want to get in the shower after a long day, but part of me thinks fuck it, just breed me on the bed right now," Marcus huffed.

“Okay then fox," Ralph grinned, but then he frowned.

“Is something up?" Marcus asked.

Ralph climbed off Marcus and sniffed at the sheets.

“Someone has been in here," he said in an alarmed tone. “And there's fur in the bed." Marcus rolled over to look at where Ralph was pointing. There was indeed shed brown fur on the bed. Marcus sniffed at the fur and thought it resembled the same scent he had caught outside. “Who has been in here?" Ralph asked, his voice was a mixture of confusion and alarm.

“How should I know?" Marcus replied.

“Have you had someone in here?" Ralph continued, his voice now bordering in a growl.

“How could I?" Marcus said, throwing his paws up. “When could I have done? I promise I haven't!"

“When I went to get my phone charger?"

“Honestly, that would have been the quickest shag ever if I had, and I don't know anyone with brown fur like that."

“I saw you eyeing up that Otter waiter, and then you and your friend Tim were kissing, and fuck knows what you two got up to when he dyed your fur," Ralph continued. The Doberman had slid off the bed and was pacing the room. “Did you do anything with him?"

“Uh, we, um," Marcus said haplessly as the words got caught in his throat.

“You did?" Ralph asked with wide eyes.

“He gave me a blowjob," Marcus said sheepishly.

“Fucking hell, how can I trust you're telling the truth here then?"

“I am," Marcus insisted.

“And you've been asking me about doing stuff with other men. Have you been sleeping with people behind my back since we started seeing each other?"

“How could I?" Marcus said desperately. “Ralph, I promise I didn't do anything with anyone in this bed. I think someone has been in the house. I'm going to call Frank, and then maybe we should get the police to do a DNA test in here or something, I don't know!"

Marcus frantically pulled his phone out as Ralph continued to pace the room in an agitated state. He scooted off the bed and walked out into the hallway as he tapped at Frank's number.

The tone rang a few times before the wolf answered.

“Hello?"

“F… Frank, it's me," Marcus said. He realised he was panting as if he had come off a scary theme park ride. “I think someone has been in the house."

“I'm sorry?"

“Someone has been in the house," Marcus repeated as Ralph growled, swore to himself and paced in the background. “There's fur here, and Ralph thinks I slept with someone, and he's going majorly feral!"

“Oh, I am, am I?" Ralph muttered.

“Shit," Marcus sighed, cursing at his own careless mouth.

“Is everything okay?" Frank asked.

Marcus opened his mouth to reply, but he turned to see Ralph had picked up his overnight bag and was already storming down the stairs.

“Where are you going?" Marcus demanded.

“Hello?" Frank said.

“I'm going to my trailer over at Threapleton," Ralph snapped, and Marcus could see the Doberman's face was creased with anger and distress. “I need space to think."

“Ralph, wait!" Marcus called in desperation, but Ralph had already bolted out of the front door. “Fuck me," Marcus sighed as he heard the Lotus start up.

“Marcus, what's going on?" Frank asked. “Are you safe?"

“I am. Uh, I'll come over to yours and explain," Marcus panted. “Oh for fuck sake," he added as he realised he'd left his Audi outside the pub the whole time.

“Okay," Frank replied, sounding confused. “Come over if you can."

Marcus shoved his phone into his pocket, hurried out of the front door and down the path.

The front door!

Marcus clacked his fangs together as he turned around the close the front door and lock it.

Whatever was going on, it was weird and it was making him feel afraid.

And have I just lost Ralph?

Marcus decided he would get to the bottom of what was going on and tell the Doberman the truth.