“You were there,” he says simply. He takes another sip and looks across the city lights. It never sleeps. Nowhere does, really.
I can’t decipher the words. “Have you done that before?”
Xavier’s smile is predatory and unfriendly. “Allowed someone else to touch Hunter? I’d kill them.”
I don’t doubt he has. Some of my targets have been men that thought they could own something that belongs to Xavier. I don’t question the orders; what Xavier wants, he gets. I owe him nothing less.
“You’re different, Miles.” He finishes his glass, sliding it on the glass table and coming to stand directly in front of me. “Your strings are attached to me.”
A puppet, for his sole use. I’m not offended by the description; he’s not wrong, and I wear it proudly. I don’t consider it a negative to be under his boot. He’s earned my loyalty, my respect, and my love.
“You should eat.”
Xavier nods. He kisses my shoulder, warmth through the fabric, and then moves back inside. “I’ll shower first.”
By the time he gets out, hair dripping water down his chest, a towel wrapped loosely around his hips, I’ve put the fries and burgers on a plate, still warm, and another glass of wine is waiting for him.
He doesn’t ask the question again, though we’re both acutely aware that I never really answered.
EARLYTHENEXTMORNING,after delivering Xavier to the office and ensuring he goes nowhere without Aaron and Ryan—both, not one or the other—I head for the small three-bedroom house that the courier uses. Time to determine if he left of his own free will, or something more nefarious happened. How far will Hunter’s admirer go in order to not be tracked?
Halfway there, an intriguing number appears on the console screen. Hunter.
“I know what you’re doing today,” he says as soon as I identify myself. “And I’m going with you.”
There’s no way that I’m taking a tagalong for this. “I’m afraid not.” I work better on my own, and Xavier’s made it clear that Hunter isn’t part of this equation.
“If you don’t cooperate with me,I’mgoing to get uncooperative, and you won’t like that. Tell me where to go, now.”
If he thinks adding the authority to his voice will mean I show throat and do what he wants, he’s sorely mistaken. I don’t answer to him, and I don’t roll over for anyone. Not even Xavier. The difference is that he’d never ask me to.
“I’ll call you back.” I hang up before he can respond, uncaring about his reaction to the abrupt cutoff. Punching in a long-since memorised number, I wait for Xavier to pick up.
“Miss me already?” Xavier drawls when he answers. “I assure you, I’m on my best behaviour.”
I highly doubt that, and it’s why I have Aaron sending me updates every half hour. Which Xavier is well aware of. He’s not a good judge of his own safety. He never has been. It’s why he fell in love with a hunter.
“Hunter wants to be more hands-on with the investigation.”
Xavier’s deep chuckle comes through loud and clear. “It’s not in him to be idle, and I’m not surprised that he contacted you.”
I’d like to know just how he got this number. Keeping secrets, is he? “What do you want me to do?”
“Tell him no.”
This sounds like more than a simple rejection. “You want to see what he does.”
“He said we couldn’t watch him, he didn’t say we couldn’t play with him.”
An important distinction. “Fine. Don’t leave the building until I return.”
“On my honour.”
Instead of calling Hunter back, I send a text message with one word.
No.
He doesn’t respond. I admit I’m curious to know just what he’s going to do with that as well. He’s not one to be underestimated, and I’m well aware that we’re poking the bear. Xavier likes it when we do it; it means he has Hunter’s undivided attention.
