I shook my head. “Not yet. Wait until we know more about Vail. Why is he gathering this information?” Waving my hand at the board, I shrugged. “Sloan doesn’t like us to go off half-cocked, does he? He wants real answers the first time around. We can’t give him information we don’t know.”
He laughed, but it wasn’t kind. “There ye go again, Rowen. Thinking like a good Catholic boy.” He knocked a pile of books with his hand and they clattered to the floor. I winced. Why hadn’t Vail and Fallon woken up by now? “We shouldn’t care if he’s not a criminal. He’s too close to this. To us.”
The words he left unsaid were clear. We shouldn’t keep Vail in the land of the living, but Cillian did care that Vail wasn’t a bad guy like us. He didn’t want to hurt him. His face crumpled and he leaned forward, fingers curling around the edge of the desk.
“We’ll do this yer way,” he whispered, irritation lacing his words. “We find out what he knows and why he’s got these names. If it’s bad for us, he needs to go.”
I know.I didn’t say my thoughts aloud, but I didn’t need to, either. Cillian shook his head and straightened, stepping out of the office. I followed, flicking the light off as I passed the switch. Cillian shoved the last door open and the light we’d left on in the sitting room shined into the tiny bedroom, big enough to fit a double bed, wardrobe, and not much else.
Vail was on his side, face peaceful and dark blond hair spread out on the pillow like a halo. The deep rosy hue of his beautiful lips was more eye catching than jewels would’ve been and transformed his narrow face into a work of art. With his slim muscles and small body, the bruise on his square jaw made him resemble a waif who’d been fighting. Fallon was right behind him, chest against Vail’s back and an arm flung around Vail’s waist. Fallon had his eyes open and was staring at us. I couldn’t see his expression in this light. He untangled himself from Vail so slowly I thought he was going to attack us. But when he reached us, his chest bare, with his insulin pump visible and his sweatpants sitting low on his hips, he only looked tired and unsure.
“He wanted company,” he said carefully, eyeing Cillian, almost daring him to make a move.
“Get.” Cillian bared his teeth at Fallon. “Turn the lights off on the way out and lock the door. I don’t want to see yer face.”
“You want me to drive back to Westhampton?” Fallon’s eyes widened and he ran a hand through his long blond hair. “That’s crazy. It’s what? Four in the morning?”
“Closer to five. Ye should’ve thought of that before ye took him home. He is ours,” Cillian snapped quietly, pounding his fist against his chest. “Get out.”
Fallon gave me a pleading look, but I shook my head. I wasn’t getting involved in this. As much as I hated it, Cillian was in charge of our wee band of killers.
Sighing, Fallon sent Cillian a glare as he strode back into the bedroom to get his shirt, which he slid over his head on his way past as he gave us a nod. I almost felt sorry for him, but he was a newbie, and Sloan wanted us to be tough on him, even if this had nothing to do with work. Or maybe it did now. We had to find out what Vail knew.
Cillian kicked off his boots near Vail’s bed and stripped his shirt and jeans before he slipped onto the mattress in front of the sleeping angel. Vail moaned but shuffled closer to Cillian and buried his face against his chest.
I sighed and followed Cillian, taking off my shoes and shirt, adding my jeans to the pile so I was only in briefs before I got in behind Vail. His body was warm, and while in summer I usually hated cuddling up to a hot back, this time I made an exception. Vail was too beautiful to resist.
“This place needs air-con,” I muttered, and Cillian grunted out in agreement. I made a mental note to investigate that. We had enough money, and fuck if I was staying here at night if it didn’t have a cooling system. I had a feeling that sleeping here was going to be a more than once occurrence.
Leaning up on my elbow, I slid my thumb over Vail’s left jaw, on its way to a dark bruise and scraped all to hell. I hated that his pretty face had been hurt like this. I’d have to ask him how his head felt in the morning, see if he needed to go to the hospital.
Cillian narrowed his eyes on me. “Stop worrying and go to sleep.”
I rolled my eyes but burrowed myself against Vail’s back, laying a gentle kiss on his bare shoulder. He moaned and turned his head, and I popped a kiss on his lips, too.
“Good night, angel.”
He hummed and puckered his mouth in Cillian’s direction, who gave him a lot harder kiss than I had. Once we were all settled again, I closed my eyes and let the land of sleep take me. We could worry about whatever Vail knew tomorrow.
Or next week.
10
VAIL
Confusion poked me awake—orwas that the solid dick rubbing against my left asscheek? Man musk hung heavy in the air and made me hum in appreciation. I’d gone to sleep snuggled up with Fallon, who had been good at giving me a spot on his arm to rest my head and holding me. After all that sex, I’d needed to be close to someone. I wouldn’t lie and say I hadn’t enjoyed being in Fallon’s arms, but last night I’d been feeling off, for sure. I couldn’t wrap my head around the excitement caused by being near three different guys in less than twenty-four hours.
So, I’d been good, had kept my dick in my pants, and Fallon was just a friend... who had snuggled with me.
Platonic snuggle buddies, that was us.
But now? I wriggled backward and a firm bulge pressed harder against my ass. Yes, that was one man. There was a thigh between my legs and a hard, muscled chest pushed against my front. I rocked my hard-on along the tight muscles wedged against it and whimpered low in my throat as the sweet thrill of sexual tension tightened in my stomach. The wriggling felt so good I rolled my hips and bumped back against the dick making its acquaintance with my ass. Two sets of arms tightened around me.
Did I imagine coming home last night? It sure did feel like I was sandwiched between Cillian and Rowen. While I was forgetful—a lot—I didn’t typically make up middle-of-the-night trips across town in sports cars that were so expensive I couldn’t even begin to think about affording one. Or maybe thathadbeen a dream? I cracked an eye and stared up at the ceiling in my apartment. No, this was my room.
A hand from behind slid around my side and down to my belly, where it tickled the hair underneath my navel. Whimpering, I rubbed my ass backward, and the bulge trying to wedge its way between my asscheeks, despite my underwear, throbbed and swelled. A low moan met my ears as soft lips dropped kisses along my shoulder, and then a beard tickled my neck, and I chuckled. I dropped my gaze downward and met Cillian’s serious brown eyes.
“Firebug,” he whispered, “ye’re awake.”
