Dad squatted down next to me, ignoring the glares Tony’s widow gave. “You remember how Matteo almost got kidnapped while Tony was watching you two? That’s unforgiveable.”
“Oh.” I thought about it for a second. “So, he died because Matt was in danger?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll never let Matt get hurt, Dad.”
He patted my head as he stood back up. “I know you wouldn’t, son.”
Days after Sal’s funeral, while I stand there in my stupid shoulder immobilizer and contemplate life, Matt runs the gamut of cardio equipment at the gym. Tito owns the place, so it’s safe for Matt to work out shirtless. If anyone questions his more unique tattoos, like the signature crowned angel of the Royal Syndicate across his back, Tito’s people will take care of them.
It’s also a relatively safe place for me to relax a bit during work hours. The staff routinely sweeps the gym for bugs and incendiary devices, so I feel comfortable allowing my mind to wander.
“Hey, Aron. That guy’s new, isn’t he?”
I glance in the direction Matt’s pointing. There’s a young man doing the same circuit of machines just a few behind Matt. His brown eyes follow Matt’s every move, and the sweat from his workout causes his dark hair to fall in damp curls.
“Yep. Want me to check him out?”
Matt smacks my good shoulder. “No! You’ll ruin my game. He’s pretty hot, yeah?”
I shrug and continue my surveillance of the gym. “If you say so.”
He rolls his eyes and scoffs at me. “Are all straight guys afraid of admitting when another guy is hot? Y’know, women don’t seem to have that problem.”
“What would you know about women?”
“Touché.” His eyes wander back to the other gymgoer. “I’m going to say something.”
“What are you going to say? ‘Hey, my dad owns this place. Wanna go fuck in the showers?’ That kind of shit never works, Matt.” I glance over. “Besides, he seems interested enough. Just wait for him to make the first move.”
Posing dramatically with his hand over his heart, Matt gasps. “Me, let someone else make the first move? Really, Aron, how long have you known me?”
“Long enough to know how ridiculous that sounds, now that you mention it.” I shake my head with a sigh. “Fine. Go. But if he tries anything nonsexual, I’m stepping in.”
A wide grin spreads across Matt’s face, and he winks at me. “Watch and learn.”
I do my best to feign disinterest while he saunters over to the other man. The loudclankof the machines stops as Matt approaches him, giving me the opportunity to hear Matt use my stupid pickup line.
I’ll be damned if it doesn’t seem to work. Matt puts an arm around the stranger’s shoulders, and they make their way to the showers. I hustle to catch up in case this is some kind of trap.
If it’s a trap, the other man is playing his part well. When I enter the locker room, they’re already half naked and all over each other. The other man catches sight of me and freezes mid-kiss, looking back and forth from me to Matt.
“He stays,” Matt says, cupping the man’s chin with his hand and turning his head away from me. “You got a problem with that?”
Those dark eyes look back my way flit up and down as he gives me a once-over. “Nah. But I get first dibs on you.”
Rather than being insulted, Matt bursts into laughter. “You hear that, Aron? Josh here is okay with you watching.”
Josh frowns. “He’s not going to participate?”
“Aron’s just a spectator.”
“Kinky.”
Matt and Josh practically trip over each other on the way to the showers. I check the room for other occupants, but Matt’s timing is impeccable as always. Nobody’s here but us three. I lock the door as a precaution against anyone wandering in.
While the two of them do their thing—and each other—I pick through Josh’s discarded clothes until I find his wallet and phone. His ID seems to check out. Joshua Blake, twenty-seven years old, lives a few blocks away from the gym. I use his own phone to vet the man, doing a deep dive on the device for any information I can find on him and double checking it against what I can find on my phone. Good credit score, not much debt, works as a personal trainer. Just moved here, which normallywould be suspicious, but it doesn’t seem like he left his last job under unusual circumstances.
