“Why would anything be easy? This is nothing new for us. We’ve been here before, and we’ll come out on top. We need to keep our eyes open and our guns ready. Whoever this is won’t be an easy capture, not when they’ve been waiting who the fuck knows how long to exact revenge. You two haven’t been together long, and they’re already aware, which means you’re being watched. It’s best for you to stay here, Forest.” Jordan sounded so damn tired. I would be too if I were always fighting unknown forces and trying to protect my family. “We’ll find who this is and when we do?—”
“They’ll die,” Hartley stated with a firm nod. It was his turn to be stared at. “Please, you were all thinking the same thing. No one threatens one of ours and gets away with it.”
Jordan put his arm around Hartley’s waist and pulled him close until his back was against Jordan’s chest.
Hartley’s eyes held mine though. “They’ll find whoever this is. You’ll be safe.”
“So will you and everyone here,” I replied.
This wasn’t my first time dealing with threats, but it was the first when it was directed at me. It hit a bit differently, mainly because Sheldon was also being targeted. The thought of him being hurt again made me angry all over again. He’d been through so much in his life. He didn’t deserve to go through more.
Sheldon filled my line of sight, his hands cupping the sides of my neck. “We’ll get through this.”
I wanted to play it off with a joke, saying there were other ways to get me to move in with him, but it wasn’t the time. By the way Sheldon’s grip on my neck tightened a little, and his eyes were intent on mine, he was worried more than he let on. Showing emotion wasn’t Sheldon’s thing, but he could with me.
“Let’s go,” I whispered.
“You can. I’ll give you the code to my place. I need to talk to Jordan.”
“There’s nothing to say,” Jordan cut in. “We have very little proof. I’ll have Barrett dust the paper and box for prints, and if there are any, we can run them with Lawson’s help. There was nothing else in it. You’re going to have to think, Sheldon. Go through your mental list and see if there’s anyone who stands out as having left a spouse or child behind. The person you killed could have an adult child. This might not be a lover. We have to explore all possibilities.”
“Will do.”
“As for the rest of you, unless you live in my home or are currently on my duty, get out. I’ll see you in the morning.” I could have sworn as I got in the elevator I heard Jordan say he was getting too old for this.
He wasn’t, at least I didn’t think so. Jordan had my brother and Vail, but this was the life he lived. He ran this half of the city. He couldn’t give it up any more than Sheldon could stop doing what he did. I could understand Jordan being tired though. At some point, having people constantly attacking those you cared about would get taxing physically and mentally. Always looking and trying to find out who was doing it was a lot.
Sheldon and I didn’t speak as we rode down with his hand in mine. He held on to me as if he didn’t, I’d disappear.
It wasn’t until we were inside his home with the door closed that he leaned against it and brought me into his arms, his nose pressed to my neck as he inhaled.
“I can’t lose you,” he whispered. “It’s fast. We shouldn’t be living together yet. If you want, I can find you another place in the building to stay in.”
I embraced him. “I don’t want to be anywhere else. When I’m with you, I’m right where I’m supposed to be. No games. No need to pretend. I want to be with you, and if that means here, then great. I’m too old to fuck around.”
“I like older men.”
“Oh yeah? How many have you been with?” I was playing, kind of. If he told me, nothing good would come from it.
Sheldon lifted his head so he could hold my gaze. “If you really want to know, just ask. But like you, I don’t want to play games. I just want you.”
“You have me.”
“How can I convince you not to go to work tomorrow?”
“You can’t. If you lock me in your home, I’ll slowly lose my mind. We don’t know how long it’s going to take before you figure out who sent the note and where they are. I won’t be a prisoner.”
“I want to be the one watching over you, but I can’t do that and hunt down the piece of shit who thought they could threaten you.”
“I’m not one to condone violence, but do what you do best, baby.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “Baby?”
“I’m testing out terms of endearment.”
“I like this one. Would it be wrong if I said I needed to come all over you again to reclaim what’s mine?”
“I wouldn’t object, although I might need a meal beforehand. I’m feeling a bit hungry.”
