Colin pulled him into their bedroom. “Let it go, babe.”
“I’m doing my best here,” Joshua told him as he yanked a suitcase from their closet. “But if I hear one more absurd platitude from someone involved with law enforcement, I’m going to end up getting arrested myself.”
Colin tried to smother a snicker but failed.
“Not funny, Colin!”
“It’s a little funny, bud. And would youpleasetake it easy on our bodyguards? They’re decent, honest police officers who are just doing their jobs.”
Joshua nodded and bent over their bed, leaning on both hands. His head was low, and Colin saw him shudder as if stifling a sob.
He moved to Joshua’s side and pulled him into his arms. “Breathe, baby,” he murmured, his hand moving up and down Joshua’s spine. “Just breathe through it. We’ll be OK.”
Joshua pulled away, then lifted his head to meet Colin’s eyes. They both drew in several quiet breaths, and then Joshua moved back to the closet and grabbed a second suitcase.
Officer Lopez came upstairs and handed Sarah Mitchell several large trash bags, which she passed along to Joshua. “Start shoving things in here. It’s faster and easier.”
As they packed, their agents carried the filled trash bags and suitcases to the car, storing everything in the large trunk. After half an hour of frantic packing, Sarah called a halt. “That’s it,” she told Colin. “Time to go. Grab what you’ve already packed and head downstairs. If something gets missed that you can’t live without, we’ll send someone back for it.”
Sergeant Lopez grabbed the last suitcase and moved down the stairs with Colin trailing behind him, carrying Joshua’s computer. In the bedroom doorway, Joshua paused, a garment bag draped over his arm. He gazed back into the bedroom where he had known such indescribable happiness.
He stared at their king-sized bed, a wedding gift from Colin, with its elaborate wooden frame, beautiful decorative carvings, and high headboard. Overcome by welling grief, he bowed his head and leaned against the wooden doorframe. “Goddammit!” he choked out in anguish, feeling certain that his heart was breaking. “God fuckingdammit!”
He felt two strong arms enfold him and heard Colin’s voice low in his ear. “C’mon, bud. It’s gonna be OK.”
“Colin, I don’t want to do this!” Joshua cried out, his hand clutching a fold of Colin’s jacket. “I don’t want to leave our home!”
“Josh, we’ll be back.”
Joshua nodded his face pressed to Colin’s shoulder.
“I know,” Colin told him, his voice husky. “I feel the same way.” He kissed Joshua’s cheek, then his lips. “I love you, mo ghrá milis. And Ipromiseyou… we’ll be back.”
“Colin,” Sarah snapped from behind him. “Time to go.”
Colin nodded and took Joshua’s arm, turning him toward the stairs. “C’mon, baby.” He kept a tight grip on Joshua’s arm as they moved through the living room and out the door.
“Go now,” Sarah instructed, not allowing them time to dawdle or look back. “I’ll lock up. You get in the SUV.”
As she locked the front door, Sergeant Lopez grabbed the garment bag from Joshua. After a moment, Sarah Mitchell’s hand on Colin’s shoulder urged him and Joshua forward until they reached the vehicle and climbed inside. Within fifteen seconds of Colin and Joshua exiting the house, the armored limousine was speeding down West River Road, en route to the Omni Hotel.
At the hotel, the limo drew to a halt in a back alley. Colin and Joshua were hustled from the vehicle and into a large freight elevator. Two members of Omni Hotel security brought their luggage. “They’re already checked in,” one of them told Sarah Mitchell as the elevator began to rise.
“Thank you.”
“And the suite has been swept.”
“I’d like my team to sweep it again before the subjects enter.”
“Up to you, officer.”
When the elevator shuddered to a halt, hotel security held Colin and Joshua inside, while Sarah, Officer Lopez, and Officer Hayes made a final sweep of the area.
Once satisfied, Sarah allowed Colin and Joshua to enter while the rest of their security team retrieved their possessions and deposited everything in the bedroom.
Exhausted both emotionally and physically, Joshua tore off the protective vest, hurled it to the floor, and collapsed onto the couch. “Lord god,” he moaned. He clutched Colin’s sleeve, pulling him down beside himself. “Is it always going to be likethis?”
Colin sighed and shrugged, tossing his own Kevlar to the floor. “Christ, I hope not.” He shot Joshua a glance. His husband’s head was tilted back, and he stared at the elaborately decorated ceiling in complete silence.
