Wilder ended the call and turned to Emmett, his voice laced with disappointment. “I have to go. Donotunder any circumstances leave the gym.”
“I won’t.”
“Keep the doors locked. Alvis and Dash are watching the perimeter. They’ll let me know if anything’s amiss, or if you leave.”
The last part was said with a raised brow, and Emmett felt heat spread through his cheeks even as he shook his head.
“One time,” he muttered, an extremely undignified sound escaping him when hands cupped his face, and green-flecked eyes met his gaze.
“I’ll be gone a few hours, but when I come back, we’ll continue this,” Wilder said, his voice low and husky, those words a promise he couldn’t wait for him to keep.
He didn’t get to respond before Wilder’s mouth was on his, an insistent tongue slipping past his lips to take control of the kiss. Wilder kissed him like he was precious, as if that wasn’t enough to leave his heart shattered on the floor between them.
Wilder pulled back with a shaky exhale, pupils blown wide as he met Emmett’s gaze.
“You gonna do as you’re told?”
He opened his mouth, then snapped it shut, feeling that heat in his cheeks again. The rest of his body was thrumming with anticipation. He wanted Wilder to kiss him like that again more than he wanted his next breath.
“Are we still talking about staying inside?”
Wilder’s eyes filled with heat, a smile tugging at his lips.
“You’re gonna pay for that.”
He blinked at Wilder. “But I didn’t do anything?”
Wilder’s brows rose, and he tilted his head slightly to the side, his lips lifting into a wicked smile. “You know exactly what you did.”
Fingers slid into his hair, jerking his head back. His lips parted on a soundless gasp, his heart beating fast and hard in his chest as Wilder lowered his head. His eyes fell shut, and he swayed on his feet, Wilder’s hand grabbing him by the hip, theonly thing keeping him steady. He felt Wilder’s breath on his lips as he spoke, unable to stop the shiver running through him.
“Hold that thought,” Wilder whispered.
By the time he opened his eyes, Wilder was already walking away.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Wilder
EZRA’S CAMERA had caught movement from the gang, and unfortunately, he was closest. He hated leaving Emmett behind, even if Dash and Alvis were keeping a lookout. Even the knowledge that someone was on the way to the gym to replace him didn’t bring his anxiety down one fucking bit.
He pulled into the parking lot just behind the gang’s buildings, taking his helmet off before dismounting. He made his way closer, finding a dumpster to crouch behind. He could see a truck parked between the building they’d kept Kian in and the one Kaz and Serrano had cleared. Men were walking back and forth between the truck and the building, shouting to each other as they transported big crates on pallets inside. Most of them kept a hand on the gun holstered at their hips, heads swiveling around as if they were worried something might happen.
He glanced over his shoulder when he heard the soft patter of footsteps. Killian came walking around the nearest parked car, his gaze landing on Wilder. He made his way over and crouched down next to Wilder, his lips pursed in thought as he watched the scene in front of them.
“I got a look from a different angle. Whatever they’re moving is in those crates. There’s nothing else there.”
Which meant no human trafficking.
He breathed a small sigh of relief, though it was short-lived when Killian tensed next to him.
“They’re acting like they’re expecting trouble,” Killian muttered, and while he couldn’t put a finger on why, his gut was telling him the same.
“We should?”
His phone buzzing cut him off. He fished it out of his pocket, answering without looking, expecting to hear Kaz giving him an update.
“Yes?”
