“They have more than one,” Miles says. He winds down his window and rests his elbow on it, hand resting on the curve of the roof. “I wouldn’t be surprised if they were involved with management. Drug runners usually are.”
Hunter snorts. “You say that like you’ve never been one of them.”
“I haven’t.”
I lick my lips and look out the window. “We closed down that part of the business when my father died.”Died.Such an innocent word for something that took my soul with it. One line too many crossed. I’d do it again, for Hunter, for what was almost taken from me, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t damage pieces of me. Even then, it took me years to clean up the mess left behind and throw out the trash associated with my father. A lot of years and a lot of blood on my hands. I did it for the hope of a future that only existed in my dreams. I never thought I’d get a second chance with Hunter even as I begged for it every minute.
Miles never had anything to do with that side of things. I shielded him from it, in a way that I wasn’t able to do for Hunter or my mother. Easier to do when my father dismissed him, thinking of him only as my pet project. Not worth using as leverage. Not yet. I know he would have one day added Miles to the people he used to keep me in line.
“But you were involved with it before?” Matthew asks. There’s no judgement in his tone, only a need to understand who we are. He’ll come to regret that, I’m sure of it.
“I’ve done a lot of things I’m not proud of.” And some I am. My past is a history of complications.
Matthew tilts his head and then, unexpectedly, smiles at me. “It’s okay.”
I don’t know what to say to that. No one has ever responded like that. Hunter sends me a knowing smile. He lifts my hand and kisses the back of it before letting go. The simple touch has my body in overdrive, warmth spreading and heart thumping so loudly I’m sure they can all hear it.
A loving gesture. One he hasn’t shown me for so long. I could almost imagine we’re right back at the start, where he looked at me with nothing but love in his beautiful eyes.
I’ll do anything to keep it there.
Xavier
Matthewnervouslystepsoutof the car. “Should I have something?” he asks quietly. “A g-gun or—or something?”
“No,” Miles says shortly. “You’d be more of a liability armed.”
Matthew frowns. “That’s kind of rude.”
“Have you ever shot a gun?” Miles double-checks his own as if reminded.
“No?”
“People who are armed and untrained are far more dangerous than ones that are trained.”
“That doesn’t make any sense.” He nervously clutches at his pants. “What happens if—”
“We’ll protect you,” Hunter says, opening his boot to pull out the insert that hides the weapons we’d stashed in there. Carrying them on the way there is just asking for trouble.
“You didn’t even know what I was going to say.”
Hunter clips his holster to his waist and slides the gun in. He turns to Matthew, crowding him against the side of the car. “It doesn’t matter. We’ll protect you. No matter what happens, youstay behind us. Don’t make a sound, don’t try to play hero, don’t doanything. Do you understand?”
“I came to help.”
Hunter cradles Matthew’s cheeks. He pulls Matthew forward, resting their foreheads together. “You help me by staying safe. By listening. Help doesn’t have to be loud, or flashy, or be about taking direct action. It can be subtle and still be important.” His mouth hovers over Matthew’s, glancing without touching properly. He exhales loudly and then steps back. “Later,” he promises.
Later.I’ll hold him to that.
Matthew nods unsteadily, remaining silent while we finish arming ourselves.
Miles only retrieves one gun, much preferring other methods. Enough to use if required, not something he relies on. “Let’s go.”
“What about Jericho? Didn’t you say he was coming?”
“He’s further away than us. We’ll scope the place out while we wait for him.”
Matthew looks around, eyes wide. Buildings beside us, a large strip of road beside the docks itself, and shipping containers as far as the eyes can see. “Uh, how far is the meeting?”
