“That’s one option.” Keith nodded. “Counteroffer. You down this shake that’s sure to fill you with energy, and we start our day.”
“Keith,” Brian whined.
“Aww, that’s adorable.” Keith set the drink on the nightstand and straddled his mate. “Are you actually tired?” He brushed his hand over Brian’s hair. “Do you need more sleep?” He kissed his forehead. “Or maybe you want cuddles.” He brushed his lips over Brian’s cheek and then his neck.
“Mmm,” Brian moaned softly. “Feels good.” He wrapped his arms around Keith and then frowned. “You’re dressed.” He tugged on his T-shirt. “Why are you wearing clothes?”
“Because you’re naked, and if I was naked too, we wouldn’t leave this bed.”
“That’s my point.” He shoved his hand under the back of Keith’s shirt. “Take it off.”
“We need to go to Green Field.” Unable to resist the pull of his mate, Keith kissed him gently. “If we don’t leave now, something super-duper urgent will come up that demands your immediate attention and we’ll lose the day. Again.”
“I’m not avoiding it on purpose.”
“I know you’re not. But also, you’re totally avoiding it on purpose like you have been for weeks. Care to tell me why?”
“Things happen. Leading a pack keeps me busy.”
“Uh-huh. It’s been two weeks since Rupert Jackson’s last plan failed and his cringey spy ran off. She knows we know what she was up to, which means he knows we know what she was up to. He’s weak, but he’s also paranoid and not as inanimate as those curtains, which means his somewhat functional brain will realize we’ll eventually suspect him.”
“Was that English?”
Deciding to get to the point, Keith said, “We can’t keep delaying this trip or he’ll make his next hairbrained move.” He grinned at Brian. “Hairbrained. Get it? Because they took your hair as part of their plan.Hairbrained.”
“We don’t know that they have a plan or that they’re doing anything with my hair,” Brian said, but he didn’t sound like even he believed himself.
“She didn’t take enough for a sex doll so what other reason could she have for absconding with a few pieces of your hair?”
“Sex doll?”
“If I was gathering parts of you, it’d definitely be for something sexual,” Keith explained.
Brian blinked at him. “My life used to make sense. It was orderly, predictable, calm.”
“Sounds dull.”
“It was.” He surged up, wrapped his arms around Keith, and held on tightly. “We have no idea what they have planned, and I don’t want you to walk into that, but you refuse to stay here.” He pressed his face to Keith’s neck and whispered, “I’m worried.”
Keith caressed his nape with one hand and his lower back with the other. “I’ll keep you safe while we’re at Green Field, mate. I promise. You don’t need to worry about this trip.”
“It’s not my safety I’m worried about.” Brian leaned back and cupped his cheeks. “I can’t lose you. You are challenging, chaotic, stimulating, exciting, energizing…” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Nothing I thought I wanted and everything I can’t live without. If we go to Green Field, we’ll be delivering ourselves to the doorstep of a man who keeps trying to kill you. I don’t know how many people Rupert Jackson has backing him up, which means I don’t know what we’ll be walking into. I’ll drink that shake and leave now if you agree to stay here where you’re safe.”
“Rupert’s a jerk so only a limited number of people can stand him, but even if he manages to gather such a big group of supporters that you can’t handle them, it’ll be a good thing I’m there to back you up.”
“I don’t want you backing me up. I want you safe.” He pulled Keith into his arms. “You refuse to stop walking headfirst into danger, and if I’m busy with Rupert and his people, I may not be able to protect you. Why don’t you understand that?”
“What does walking headfirst mean? The first thing to enter a space we walk into is a foot, not a head.”
“Keith!”
“I understand your concerns. I respect you and I don’t want to go against your wishes, but I have to do this.” He kissed Brian’s neck. “I’m going to Green Field today. I have no problemhandling Rupert Jackson alone or we can go together. Either way, this is happening. Today.”
“What if we—”
“Brian, you’ve successfully come up with five hours’ worth of delays but enough is enough.” Keith curled his hand around his mate’s and walked toward the door. “We’re leaving.”
“You weren’t complaining about the delays earlier.”
