Training Harder [Hard Hits 18] (Siren Publishing Classic ManLove) Read online

  Hard Hits 18

  Training Harder

  Sergeant Tim Malachi is a Dom who isn’t looking for a submissive. Forced to train Officer Wade Harder for SWAT, he’s determined to make the guy want to quit. It’s not long before their fighting escalates into an intense sexual chemistry neither man is able to ignore.

  When Officer Wade Harder meets Malachi for the first time, he realizes that the guy absolutely hates him. It doesn’t help that Wade is instantly attracted to Malachi. As Malachi trains him for SWAT, he quickly discovers that he wants Malachi, but there is nothing he can do to make the guy like him.

  Unable to deny temptation, Malachi crosses the line, but it only complicates things more. With their careers and their hearts on the line, Malachi knows he needs to protect his submissive—but will Wade let him, or will he push him away?

  Genre: Alternative (M/M, Gay), BDSM, Contemporary

  Length: 27,758 words

  TRAINING HARDER

  Hard Hits 18

  Tatum Throne

  

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK

  TRAINING HARDER

  Copyright © 2017 by Tatum Throne

  ISBN: 978-1-64010-470-9

  First Publication: July 2017

  Cover design by Harris Channing

  All art and logo copyright © 2017 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

  WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

  If you find a Siren-BookStrand e-book or print book being sold or shared illegally, please let us know at

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  PUBLISHER

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  DEDICATION

  For the Throne boys. Always.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Tatum Throne has a master’s degree in social work. She left the field of medical social work to be a stay-at-home mom and to pursue her dreams of writing romance. She has three rambunctious boys with her husband, Mr. Throne, three rowdy rabbits named Coco, Snowball, and Fluffy, and one hamster named Carmel.

  When not indulging her fantasies, Tatum enjoys baking chocolate-chip cookies, hiking, spending time with her family, and spreading awareness of eosinophilic disorders.

  You can find Tatum on the Web at:

  www.tatumthrone.blogspot.com

  Find her on Facebook!

  For all titles by Tatum Throne, please visit

  www.bookstrand.com/tatum-throne

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  About the Author

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Landmarks

  Cover

  TRAINING HARDER

  Hard Hits 18

  TATUM THRONE

  Copyright © 2017

  Chapter One

  The bar was crowded. Officer Wade Harder had the next two days off. He was going to spend the next hour picking someone up and taking them back home to fuck all night long. If they made it that far, since there was a good chance they would only make it to the bathroom.

  Sex in a dirty bar bathroom wasn’t what he normally did, but he was up for anything tonight. He needed to take the edge off. Work had gotten to him lately, and he needed stress relief in the form of pure, raw fucking that came from not knowing the other guy’s name. He wanted someone to take control of him for a little while—just long enough to pop his rocks off and go home.

  Wade purposely chose a gay bar, Rowdy’s, way off the beaten path from where he could run into anyone he knew. The crowd was thick in the bar. The music was pumping. It was exactly what Wade needed to let off steam. The place was filled with lots of options just waiting for Wade to make a move.

  Across the bar, Wade caught sight of a tall, muscular man edging his way around. He was a beast. God, Wade hoped he was a top. His mouth watered at the possibility. That man was the one he wanted. Whatever the guy was doing, he stopped to talk to someone next to him, giving Wade the perfect opportunity to admire the really nice view.

  Dark jeans were hugging his hips so tightly that Wade was certain he could see the outline of his thick cock. Just the thought of this stranger pounding him with those muscular thighs as thick as a battering ram was enough to get him hard.

  Wade slowly moved his way up the man’s tight T-shirt, loving the way it hugged every smooth curve of muscle. If he had to count, he was certain there was a six pack hiding under there. Jet black hair fell across his forehead.

  Just as the light caught the hard angles of the stranger’s face, Wade froze. It was the last man on Earth he wanted to see. Wade’s heart started to pound at the possibility of coming face to face with Sergeant Tim Malachi. What was he doing here? He was obviously not gay—at least, Wade hadn’t thought he was. Was he?

  Not that it mattered. Wade and Malachi did not get along at all. The first time Wade had met Malachi, he had been instantly attracted. He was his type. Soon after, Wade started dreaming about his crush—almost every night. It was hard to be around a guy who didn’t care for him.

  The guy hated him with a fucking passion. Rumor had it that he was working with SWAT training officers. If that was the case, there was a good chance Wade wouldn’t get a spot on the elite team.

  Determined to avoid the guy, Wade trashed his beer and headed for the back door. His heart hammered at the pending confrontation. It was only a matter of time before that blow-up happened, and he did not want it to happen tonight.

  Despite trying to dodge Tim, Wade found himself shuffled back by the crowd as the tempo of the music changed. Before he knew what hit him, a wall of muscle was blocking his path.

  Their gazes locked. Malachi had four inches of height on him. They were not doing this here. Wade tried to sidestep him but the dance floor was thick. Malachi was like a boulder he couldn’t move.

  “Get out of my way, Malachi.”

  Those insistent green eyes continued to give him a hard, speculative stare that frightened him. “What are you doing here?”

  “Fuck off and move.”

  Those words pissed him off. “I’m still your superior.”

  Wade snorted. “That’s debatable.”

  He pushed past the guy and was shocked when he felt a strong hand come down on his arm, jerking him around toward the hallway. The move was so fluid, Wade had no time to react. When they were alone in the hallway, Wade yanked his arm away, shoving Malachi back.

  “Leave me alone! You get to bully me at work—not in my off time.”

  Malachi pushed the back door open, shoving Wade outside into the alley. Finally, he let go of him but Wade was cornered in by the Dumpster and empty boxes.

  “We’re going to end this thing betwe
en us now.”

  “I don’t think so.”

  Officer Wade Harder loved his job. He was good at it, despite being a rookie with only a few months under his belt. He was still considered probationary and under training, but that didn’t faze him.

  Most in his department had welcomed him with open arms. There was only one guy who seemed to fight him the entire way. He wasn’t sure what it was about Tim Malachi, but he wanted to find out. He was tired of the man pushing him around.

  The male standing in front of Wade could ruin his career. The truth of the matter struck him hard in the face. Malachi needed to get out of his way before he did something stupid—before they both did something they would regret later.

  “What are you even doing here? This is a gay bar. I’m sure you’re not gay,” Wade said.

  “I’m here with friends. And it’s my business what I’m doing here.”

  A chill raced down his spine as Malachi stepped closer to him blocking him in. “What’s your problem? You’ve been a pain in my ass ever since we met.”

  “If you have to ask…”

  Malachi’s eyes clouded over. Wade hated putting that look in his eyes. It appeared as if he had been struck hard.

  “Get out of my way. I’m leaving.”

  “Not before we settle this here and now. I don’t like all this tension between us at work.”

  Wade snorted. “I doubt that’s going to change now in a dark alley where you won’t get out of my way.”

  Wade’s resolve snapped and he pushed Malachi out of his way. He wasn’t prepared for the man to push back, shoving him hard against the cement wall. The blocks behind his shoulders gave beneath him, knocking the hell out of him. He was going backward with his ass falling to the ground.

  “Next time you hit me, you won’t be able to get back up again. I suggest you go home and sober up.”

  Wade got up to his feet, ready to fight. “I’m not drunk. I should say the same to you.”

  “Go home, Wade. You don’t belong here.”

  “What the fuck does that mean?”

  Concern moved through those darkening green eyes. “Trust me. You’re too good for this place. And I don’t want you hooking up with some random stranger under my watch.”

  Shock moved through Wade’s system. What did Malachi know about where he belonged? Yes, it was his first time at this bar but that didn’t mean he didn’t belong. That burned more than he wanted to admit.

  He moved around Malachi, heading back toward the bar. Wade had one goal in mind—find someone who would appreciate his company tonight.

  “Where do you think you’re going?”

  “Back inside.”

  Understanding moved through his gaze. How did he know? Malachi came in close, putting his hand on the door so Wade couldn’t open it. They were inches apart, causing the heady scent of raw masculinity to fill his senses. Wade swallowed hard.

  “No, you’re not.” Malachi held his ground as he leaned in closer. “You don’t seem like the type to have cheap sex with a stranger.”

  Lights from the alley shadowed Malachi’s face. “Fuck off.”

  A strong hand smoothed over the back of his neck. “You’re trying my patience. Go home before you do something you’ll regret tonight.”

  Wade’s heart was racing at the way Malachi’s strong hand took control of him. He had to resist the urge to sway forward into his strong body for support.

  Determined to put this night behind him, Wade decided to take Malachi’s advice and go home. He didn’t want any more trouble tonight—especially if it could spill over to work on Monday.

  As he passed by, Wade shoulder-checked Malachi, making him step back several paces as he moved away. To his relief, Malachi didn’t come after him. He was glad. He did not want this fight to escalate. Wade went to his car at the far end of the parking lot, where he sat behind the wheel.

  The sensation of someone watching him had Wade glancing into the rearview mirror. Malachi was standing near the entrance of the bar, talking to someone. Jealousy stole his breath away. Why should he be the one to leave?

  Wade was going to go home and relax and try to forget about this nightmare ever happened. He started the car, refusing to look back in the mirror again.

  When he pulled up in front of his house, he sat there for several long moments. Tears dampened his eyes as he tried to keep himself from crying. He didn’t understand why Malachi hated him so much or why he wanted him to leave the bar. The man had officially ruined his night.

  Sergeant Tim Malachi was a fucking God in the department. He was rising fast in the ranks and had a reputation for being a boss in the field. Everyone loved the guy, and Malachi seemed to love everyone—except for Wade. Some of his coworkers were starting to notice that Malachi did not like him.

  “Fuck.”

  He wondered if it had to do with the fact that he was gay. As he got out of the car, Wade glanced over his shoulder. Again, he felt like he was being watched, but he didn’t see anyone in the trees around the house.

  Wade went to the front door, unlocking it. He shut the door and locked it behind him. He trudged to the shower, stripping off his clothes. Shame swallowed him whole as he thought about the confrontation he had with Malachi. He didn’t understand why he’d wanted him to leave. Yeah, the bar had a bit of a reputation for trouble, but that was one of the reasons why Wade had been there in the first place.

  He flipped on the shower, standing under the hot spray. To his astonishment, he looked down at his raging hard cock. A good fight always turned him on—even when he was getting his ass kicked. He liked it when he was hurt by somebody he was interested in.

  That thought brought him up short. He was interested in a man who would never love him and that burned. Grabbing the soap, Wade slipped it over his hand, rubbing it up and down over his cock as he thought about the fight that had knocked his ass to the ground.

  The sting of the hit still lingered over his ass cheeks, making his rim tingle. He stroked his cock up and down, loving the punishing pain moving through him. As he thought about Tim Malachi ramming his cock into his ass, Wade’s orgasm unexpectedly spun through his body. He couldn’t even hold out to enjoy the moment. He came in under thirty seconds.

  “Oh, yes! Oh, fuck. I want you to fuck me! Tim!”

  He shouted the name of the man who would never love him. As the hot water rained down upon him, Wade burst out into tears. He crumped to the shower floor, feeling his entire night implode in on him when he thought about the fight he had with Malachi in the alley.

  He was so fucked.

  * * * *

  As Malachi said good-bye to his friends, he stood by the bar entrance watching Wade as he got into his car. Malachi wasn’t out. He didn’t want anyone he worked with to know that he was gay. He didn’t want his personal life mixing with his professional life at all. That was one of the reasons why he chose this out-of-the-way bar. He never expected to run into Wade there.

  Frustration had Malachi running his hand through his hair. He felt bad about how rough he’d been with Wade. The guy didn’t deserve that, but he sure as hell didn’t want him hooking up while he had to play witness to it.

  In fact, he never expected to find out Wade was gay. The truth of the matter upset him more than he wanted to admit. Seconds after Wade left the bar, Malachi headed for his motorcycle. He was done for the night.

  He put on his helmet, revved the engine, and took off. The city lights zoomed past him, reflecting off his dark helmet.

  As he slowed for a red light, he thought about the first time he met Wade.

  It had been Wade’s first day on the job and he was eager and ready to get started. He was at least five or six years younger than Malachi and had more brawn than brains—at least that’s what he mistakenly thought about him the first time they met. He’d been wrong. Wade was smart, dedicated.

  The attraction was intense and quick and completely caught Malachi off guard. He overcompensated by putting up a
huge wall to distance himself from the man. That clearly had started to backfire.

  Now that Malachi was helping TJ train new recruits with SWAT, he knew Wade wanted a chance on the team. That had Malachi pulling his file just a few short hours ago. What he discovered shocked him even more. Officer Wade Harder was from small town eastern Kentucky, graduating top of his class with a full scholarship.

  He’d lost his parents young to a house fire and was taken in by an aunt. Life had been difficult for him.

  Despite talking to TJ and Chief Rask about Wade not being ready to join, they both overrode him. It was the first time in Malachi’s career that he’d let his personal feelings get in the way of a decision.

  Malachi decided not to head home. Instead, he drove past Wade’s place. He tried to justify it by saying that it was on his way home, but personally he wanted to make sure Wade made it home safely.

  In two days, they would be working together again and they needed to leave this night behind. Of course, that wasn’t going to happen. It was Malachi’s fault for keeping the fight going by keeping his distance and being an asshole every chance he got.

  Now, he didn’t know how to make things right and that pissed him off even more. He usually had a good judge of the people he worked with and how to get along, but there was something about Wade that got under his skin more than he wanted to admit.

  The guy was fucking beautiful. He was perfect in every way. The thought of him being his submissive was too much for him to even consider. The vibration of the fight between his legs caused his dick to kick out hard and fast.