"I do." Tony started sliding his fingers through Lex's hair again. "It's a good place to live."
"Maybe you can show it to me."
"I'd love to."
"I don't know what I'm going to do about this guy, Tony. He's got money, and he's using it to make my life hell."
"I think the first thing we need to do is call in the sheriff."
Lex glanced up when Hector spoke. He had forgotten there were other people in the room until Hector said something.
"Sheriff Riley is not a man to mess with," Tony said. "If anyone can help us, he can."
"I also think we should call in Dan," Hector said.
"I had been thinking of talking to him about helping me find Lex and do a little investigating into Robert Carson."
"I think I might be able to help you with that."
Lex sucked in a painful breath as he turned to look at the brown-haired man standing on the stairs. Cold, dark fear took a hold of him and made him start to shake. "Carson."
"You've been a very bad boy, Lexter." The man casually stepped into the room. The two armed men behind him kept everyone in their seats. "I am not happy I had to come all the way out here to retrieve you. There will be consequences."
Lex whimpered, vividly remembering the consequences the last time he'd pissed Carson off.
"I'd ask you how you found us," Tony said. "But I recognize the goon behind you. He was my seatmate on the airplane."
"That was a delightful coincidence. He was actually flying here to see if my boy had run to his old boss, the former senator. Luckily, he got a text off to me before your plane took off, and I flew out here on my jet. I arrived about thirty minutes before you, so we simply followed you to this quaint little town of yours. I knew you'd be able to lead me to Lexter, and I was right."
Carson gestured with his gun. "Over here, boy. It's time to leave."
"No," Lex shouted with all the vehemence he could muster. "I'm not going anywhere with you. I don't know you. I don't want to know you. Go away."
Lex screamed when Carson aimed his gun at Hector and pulled the trigger without saying a word. Hector grunted as the bullet slammed into his upper chest, throwing him back into the wall, and bright red began to spread across his shirt.
"Hector!" Will screamed.
"Fuck!" Hector snapped. "I hate getting shot."
Carson pointed the gun at Tony. "I won't miss from here, Lexter."
Lex turned to look at Tony. He knew he couldn't allow anything to happen to the man. Not if he could prevent it.
Tony must have seen the resolve on Lex's face because he began to shake his head. "No, Lex."
"I have to," Lex whispered. "If anything happened to you because of me, I wouldn't be able to live with myself." Lex smiled weakly through his tears. He didn't know how it had happened, or even when it had happened, but this man meant more to him than his life. "I love you."
"I love you, too, but don't—"
Lex's heart took flight at Tony's words, but he still had to keep the man safe. He pressed his hand to Tony's cheek. "I have to."
"Lex."
"I expect you to come save me."
Tony blinked rapidly, his growing glassy. "I'll be right behind you, babe."
Lex stood and turned to face Carson. "If I go with you, you have to promise not to hurt anyone here."
