Clay shrugged. “Not that I have anything to compare it to, but normal, I guess. Fabrice and I aren’t that much younger than Beau’s kids. We had the same private tutor. The same nanny. We played at Tabitha’s feet. Anytime she took Boone and Banks on vacation, she took us too. She was an absolute treasure before the drugs and alcohol turned her into a stranger. I watched the whole family mourn her while she was still alive. There were several years when that house turned into a battlefield. Then she passed, and things got even darker until Kylo.”
Scout chuckled. “I’m sure that was a breath of fresh air.”
“It really was. Beau was never like a father figure or anything like that. Fabrice and I were kept completely away from the inner workings of the Bosi family until I started training for my current position. Not to say we were treated as outsiders or anything. Pierre is the one who’s always acted like my dad.”
“So Fabrice is like a brother to you?”
“Exactly!”
Thank God. Scout had worried about that one.
Clay kept talking, unknowingly easing Scout’s fears of competing with someone who had been in Clay’s life for years. “We used to fight like siblings, and I got punished the same as he did. In fact, Pierre used to ground us, but we were each other’s best friends, and we lived under the same roof. What was he actually grounding us from?” Clay laughed as he spoke, and Scout couldn’t look away.
“I like you.”
They fell silent and held each other’s stare at Scout’s sudden admission.
He didn’t take it back. “Giving you those lessons has been one of my best decisions.” Scout purposely didn’t say if he meant as a friend or more. If all Clay wanted was friendship, Scout would take it.
Clay’s eyes always fascinated Scout. It was like his whole soul shone through them, and it was beautiful. “I like you too.” Clay slapped his knees and stood. “Well, I guess I need to get back to it. I don’t know about you, but I really don’t want to sleep in a house that hasn’t been thoroughly secured.”
“Agreed.” Scout stood too. He wouldn’t call Clay out for running again. Scout saw him now. Clay hadn’t been mistreated. In fact, he had been given a hell of a great life compared to wherehe would’ve ended up if Beau hadn’t taken him in. But Clay hadn’t walked away with no issues. It was in Scout’s DNA to read people. Clay feared the fuck out of rejection. Despite his understanding that he was a rescue, and not a child of Beau’s, he still felt unworthy of love. Scout totally got it. They were the same. Scout doubted anyone could ever love someone like him.
Chapter Three
TwodaysinHawaiifelt like a lifetime. Clay still had almost the full seven weeks to go. Working next to Scout every day, talking and laughing, was absolute hell. Clay noticed everything about him, from his smell to how sexy his smile looked when his eyes swam with genuine happiness. Clay wanted more every day. There was only one way to survive. He had to get out and find something else to do with his time. As shitty as it seemed, Clay waited until Scout was busy to grab one of Beau’s cars from the massive garage and head out. Even though he always wore his seatbelt when he drove, Clay still smiled as he strapped in, thinking about Scout’s outrage over him not wearing one. The farther he got from the estate, the more his chest hurt. Feeling any sort of way was ridiculous. He also really hated going out alone. Once upon a time, he had dragged poor Shadow out to the club after he had gotten shot. That was how much he hated doing things alone. Of course, the Shadow thing was a bit of a different story. Under any other circumstances, he would have asked Fabrice. One of Scout’s brothers, Shadow, was a memberof an underground kink club. He needed Shadow to get in as a guest. There was only one reason: Zeus.
Damn, Clay got goosebumps just thinking the guy’s name. While Scout had definitely sidetracked him, he hadn’t forgotten the pure lust of simply being in Zeus’ company. He owned Affinity—the kink club they had visited that night. Clay was fully aware Zeus had been literally bred to use his sexiness to get close to anyone. All the Agafonov brothers, along with Zeus, had been born, raised, and trained in a Russian spy program. They each had a specific skill. Getting into anyone’s bed for information or assassination was Zeus’ forte. It didn’t matter if a person knew that about him. Knowledge and brainpower had nothing to do with it. That beauty was built for sex, and it was impossible to ignore. Logically, Clay understood that Zeus kissing him wasn’t personal. But that was all it had taken to toss Clay into a full-blown obsession, even though Clay had refused to let Zeus see he was moved. Clay had his pride and knew his limits. His heart didn’t stand a single chance against that god. Not only did he not have that much game, but he had also always been a ragingly jealous person. All it would take was one night of Zeus working that club and Clay would become the next big serial killer. That was one thing he had learned as part of Beau’s army: he could and would kill a man.
The sound of his cellphone ringing poured through the car speakers, startling Clay from his thoughts. Scout’s name showed on the car’s infotainment screen. Sometimes it was like Scout knew Clay thought about Zeus. He always saved Clay from heading down an idiotic road.
Clay hit the button on his steering wheel to answer. “Hello?”
“Where did you go?”
Just the sound of Scout’s voice made him smile. “I had to get out of the house. There’s a club on the beach called Hula Moon Club. I thought I’d check it out.”
For a moment, only silence met his words. Clay almost apologized for leaving without saying anything. Scout spoke before Clay broke. “Sounds like fun. I’ll meet you over there.”
Clay shook his head at his own weaknesses. His smile was out of control, though. “Great. I’ll see you there.”
“Yep.” With only that chirped word between them, Scout disconnected the call.
Metal music went back to blasting throughout the car. Clay dissociated for the rest of the drive. When he pulled into the overflowing parking lot, the only thing that stopped him from leaving was Scout being on his way. There was nowhere to park, and he was instantly nervous at the size of the crowd. As if God sent him a challenge, he had to slam on his brakes to keep from getting hit when a car unexpectedly backed from its parking spot. Clay couldn’t be irritated. He slid in right behind the guy. Clay practically felt every car behind him raging at Clay for getting a decent space. He gathered his stuff and his courage and then stepped out.
An ocean breeze rushed over him, bringing with it the scent of tropical flowers and salt. Clay breathed in the smell. He loved it here. Every time they came, Clay dreamed about staying. No oneleft Beau, and he couldn’t leave Fabrice behind, so Clay pushed the fantasy from his head. He probably wouldn’t be happy here full time anyhow. In his heart, he knew what he loved was the feeling of being on vacation. If he lived here, eventually, he would want to get away from here too.
His thoughts carried him to paying the cover charge and diving into the crowd. The place was a tad different from what he expected. There were a lot more leather daddies than he had pictured. Clay went straight to the bar and ordered a beer. He swallowed half his drink before deciding to turn around and people-watch. His breath caught. Clay’s vision zoomed in on the cut body headed his way. Even in the darkness mixed with neon lights, Clay felt the power of Scout’s stare. Having Scout’s attention was a little frightening. He saw everything: every flaw and shame. Still, Scout didn’t look at anyone else, even when people tried talking to him. He weaved through gyrating bodies until he stood toe to toe with Clay. As if that wasn’t close enough, he boxed Clay in against the bar and leaned in to speak against Clay’s ear.
“Just one question. Were you trying to escape me?”
God help him. Clay found himself clutching Scout’s shirt. Even while holding the neck of his bottle, he managed to get some shirt with that hand too. He couldn’t let Scout get away. “I knew you’d find me. You’re probably tracking my phone.”
A soft, sexy as fuck laugh brushed the shell of his ear. Scout reached between them and stole Clay’s beer. As he watched Scout down his drink while still holding eye contact, Clay knewhe was in trouble. He had Scout’s undivided attention, and Clay was totally in.
Scout polished off Clay’s beer and set the bottle aside. Free of that holding them back, Scout took Clay’s hand and led him onto the dance floor. Clay looked nervous as hell. He kept chewing his bottom lip and breaking eye contact. Then his gaze would shoot back to holding Scout’s stare, as if he refused to look like a coward. He knew. Scout saw that too. Clay knew Scout would be in his bed tonight. Like most friends, Clay wouldn’t want to fuck up what they had. He obviously hadn’t realized that what they had was hardcore sexual attraction. It had always been inevitable that they would fuck. Scout had only been biding his time, waiting for the signs to move. Clay running away from him tonight turned out to be the trigger he needed pulled. He had waited too long, and that had sent Clay running. Scout couldn’t allow that.
With Clay in his arms, Scout moved against him. He allowed no space between them. This was a club where people came to find a hookup for the night. Scout wanted no misunderstandings. Clay was his for the night.
