“Does he know where you’re going?” Jackson asked.
“No. He doesn’t need to know that.”
Linc smirked. “I thought you didn’t lie to each other?”
They climbed into the plane. Connolly and Webster were already on board with Calder. “It’s not a lie. Two words: Plausible deniability. I’ll tell him everything. Just not until it’s done. Did you tell Wyatt where you were going?”
Linc barked out a laugh. “Wyatt? No. That boy would text Charlie and Elijah before I even finished my sentence, and this is need-to-know. Wyatt and Charlie don’t need to know. What you tell Elijah is between the two of you. You know your boy better than I do.”
Shep did know Elijah. He would keep Shep’s secret if he asked him to. They were kindred spirits. Both damaged. Both a little too hard to handle for muchdifferent reasons. But Shep had made a promise to himself months ago, and it was all finally coming to fruition. In just a few days, this ordeal would be over, and he and Elijah would be on their way to Prague to get married.
Elijah paced in front of the television, glancing at his watch for the fifth time in as many minutes. Shep was supposed to come home over an hour ago. Linc was already home according to Wyatt, so it made little sense to Elijah why Shep was still not there. What if something had happened to him on the way home from the airport? What if he’d changed his mind and was running away because he decided he wasn’t the marrying type? Elijah marched to the front door, whipping it open to glare at the driveway, earning a curious stare from second string security guy. Jeff or James or something boring like that. He slammed the door, stomping his way back to the living room to flounce down on the sofa.
He’d had the whole night planned out. He’d had dinner catered for just the two of them and had planned on making himself the dessert. But those plans faded, replaced by elaborate scenarios of all the catastrophes that could have befallen Shep, each more far-fetched than the last. What if he’d run into Cane on the way there? What if he really had decided he didn’t want to marry Elijah in Prague or anywhere… ever? He jumped from the sofa to pace, ignoring the way his heart pounded out of his chest. He was just overreacting. Shep was likely just stuck in stupid LA traffic. Linc lived in the city, Elijah lived in the hills. It made sense that Linc made it home first.
Except why hadn’t he called? Why was his phone off? The cops speculated Cane had left the country, but what if it wasn’t true? He’d vowed revenge against Elijah after his story went viral. Cane blamed Elijah for ruining his life and now Medford was dead too. What if he’d killed Shep in retaliation? Part of him knew it was crazy. Shep was a monster compared to Cane, but nobody was bigger than a bullet… or a knife… or car. Fuck. What if he’d just run Shep over with a car?
Elijah tried Shep’s phone once more, making a distressed sound when it went straight to voicemail once more. He flung the phone onto the couch, convinced more than ever Shep was dead in a ditch somewhere gasping his last breath. So many victims had come forward, but Elijah was still the catalyst. If Cane wanted revenge, he’d come for those Elijah loved, and he loved Shep, loved him in a way he had never thought possible. Tears sprang to his eyes, and he stomped to the door and flung it open once more, shocked to see Jeff/James no longer there but Calder instead.
“What are you doing here?” he snapped.
“Shep’s running late so he asked me to come monitor you and relieve William.”
William. Yeah, that was his name. “A little late? He was due back an hour ago. Where did you guys go? Why are you and Linc back already but Shep’s not? Is he okay? Was he hurt? Did you guys ditch him at a hospital or something?”
He gave Elijah a lopsided grin. “You actor types sure do have wild imaginations. Shep didn’t take the same flight back we did. It’s a long story, but he had to pick up something along the way.”
Elijah folded his arms across his chest, the chill in the air making him hyper-aware of the fact that he wore only a pair of tiny red silk shorts under his black silk robe. “What’s more important than my birthday?”
“Your present. Now, why don’t you get back inside before you catch a cold and Shep cuts my balls off?” Calder asked.
Elijah resisted the urge to stick out his tongue. His phone began to ring from inside the house. He slammed the door in Calder’s face, running to answer it before the caller gave up. “Hello?”
“Happy birthday, sweetheart.”
His heart sank, which only made him feel like a terrible person. “Thanks, Molly. Sorry. I mean, mom.”
It was still strange calling Dr. Molly Shepherd mom, but she insisted and,it made Elijah feel like part of the family. “You don’t sound thrilled to hear from me.”
Elijah smiled. “You know, sometimes it sucks having a future mother-in-law who’s a shrink.”
She laughed, delighted. “Well, get used to it. What has my son done to irritate you now?”
Elijah gave a huge sigh and sank onto the sofa. “Nothing. That’s the problem. He’s still not back yet. He’s been gone for days. I thought the cloak and dagger stuff would end when he put in his resignation.”
She gave a sigh of her own. “I don’t know if he’ll ever give that up. I’m sure he’ll tell you everything as soon as he’s back. Try not to worry.”
The door opened and closed. Elijah’s heart skipped, and he flushed. “I think that’s him. I got to go. I love you.”
“Love you too. Happy birthday again.”
Shep came around the corner wearing jeans, a black t-shirt and a ragged olive colored coat that had seen better days. In his hand, he held a small red cooler and a smaller jeweler’s bag.
Elijah planted his hands on his hips, his expression pissy. “I hope you have a great explanation for being an hour late and keeping your phone off.”
Shep laughed, slipping his arms through Elijah’s bent arms and bending to kiss Elijah’s pouting mouth. “I was picking up your birthday present, and it was a bitch to get through customs, so cut me some slack.” He pointed to the couch. “Sit.”
Elijah harrumphed, but he did as Shep asked, brows knitting together as he perched on the driftwood coffee table instead of sitting beside Elijah.
