Ollie Morgan [Seven Brothers for McBride 3] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove) by Anitra Lynn McLeod Page A

get to a more comfortable place. And now he realized why the size and color of the clothing rang a distant bell in his memory. When he’d gone through his father’s closet and found the secret room where his father and Jonas had kept the playtime clothing for their thrall, some of the outfits had been similar to what Jonas liked to wear. The cut and color of the clothing was what rang reminiscent in his mind.
    “I love him.” Jonas spoke the words with the obvious conviction that they would explain everything McBride needed to know. And they did, but that didn’t change the fact that what Jonas was doing was wrong. Moreover, it brought home the point that what McBride was doing with Caleb was just as wrong.
    “He’s a slammer.” McBride almost slapped himself for pointing out the obvious.
    “I’m aware of that.”
    “Then you’re aware that your relationship with him is immoral.”
    “It’s wrong in the eyes of the law.” Jonas lifted his head a notch higher. He was short for a landed gentryman, which was probably why he had chosen Ollie, who was six and a half feet tall, as his lusty playmate. Ollie towered over Jonas by a good half a foot, and he had to be at least fifty pounds heavier.
    “The fact that it’s wrong in the eyes of the law is all I care about. Since I’m the sheriff of Woven Spire County, that makes it illegal in my eyes.” McBride let out a low, slow sigh. He could think of a million other things he’d rather do today than deal with this mess. “I have no choice but to arrest you.”
    Ollie looked stricken. “Please don’t do this. I love him, and he loves me.”
    “This isn’t about love, Ollie. I don’t have a choice.” McBride grabbed Jonas’s clothing from Ollie and thrust the garments toward Jonas. Most of it tumbled to the floor. He was going to bend over to pick them up, but he noticed a thrall collar. The item was highly decorative, reminding McBride of one he’d found in the secret closet. Rather than touch any of it, he uttered a curt, “Get dressed.”
    Jonas’s hand trembled as he reached down for his clothing. Scooping the items up, he held them to his chest without making any effort to cover himself. “Please listen.”
    “There’s nothing you can say that’s going to make this situation work.” McBride prided himself on being a good lawman. He listened to people and tried to arrive at a workable solution for everyone, but this was one case where there simply wasn’t an answer that would please all the involved parties. If ever he’d seen a lose-lose situation, this was it. None of them were going to feel good about the outcome.
    “Please.” Ollie was practically in tears.
    “Ollie, understand the position you’ve put me in.”
    “But we won’t tell anyone.” Ollie wrapped his arm protectively around Jonas. When Jonas leaned into him, McBride realized that Jonas was submissive to Ollie, just as Ollie had described. It confirmed Ollie’s claim that Jonas hadn’t taken advantage of him since Ollie penetrated Jonas and not the other way around, but that still didn’t make the relationship okay in the eyes of the law. McBride also knew the collar on the floor was worn by Jonas. How odd that he fancied himself a thrall. McBride couldn’t imagine being submissive to anyone. But then his mind thought of Caleb pushing him onto the bed and making a crazy kind of love to him. Somehow, when he pictured that, Jonas’s urge to surrender made far more sense. Too much sense, actually.
    “It’s not about what you would tell or if other people know. I would know. I’m also the sheriff. I can’t condone law breaking of any kind. Worse, you want me to allow it to happen on my land, right under my very nose.” McBride shook his head. He certainly didn’t want to make this all about him, but he had no other hook to hang it on. “When you’re caught—”
    “ If we’re caught,” Ollie corrected forcefully.
    “No, when you’re caught, because it’s only a