“Hey, what’s up?”Nick’svoice broke through the red haze of rage that had descended.“Youlook like you want to rip someone’s throat out, and not in a goodway.”
“How the hell can you ripsomeone’s throat out in a good way?”Aiden asked as a way to divertthe conversation.“I would have thought there was only one way todo it and it would all be pretty damn bad.”
Nick sat down on the log beside him.“Well now, as you know, there is more than one way to removesomeone’s esophagus, and some result in a quick death and some notso much.I would have thought that if you were the one getting itripped out then you would want it quick and therefore that would beconsidered the good way.And don’t think I’m not onto yourdiversion tactics.Something had you angry a moment ago, and I wantto know what it is.”
Aiden sighed in resignation.Nick wasnothing if not stubborn, and if he wanted an answer, then he wouldbe like a dog with a bone until he got it.“I got a text from theagent that dealt with my family’s case.”Nick froze, his entirebody going on alert, and he turned his head to look at him.Aidendidn’t have to go into detail because Nick knew everything aboutwhat had happened.
“And what did he have tosay?”Nick said in a quiet deadly tone.
“Duncan wasreleased.”
Nick cursed, his jaw tightening tosuch a degree Aiden could have sworn he heard his lover’s jawcrack.
“When?”
And this was the part he knew Nick wasnot going to take very well.“Two weeks ago.”
“Fucking motherfuckingbastards!”Nick raged, leaping up to pace in front of the lake.“Who the hell was in charge of that fuck up?Did they not fuckingthink the sole surviving member of a family killed by that prick,the one who actually identified the Platform bomber had a right tofucking know that the asshole he put away was loose?”
Oddly, watching Nick rage at thesystem, cursing fluidly, had a calming effect on Aiden.He grinnedas Nick started to talk about what he was going to do with whoeverwas responsible for not reaching out sooner.The thought of Nickpulling someone’s balls off and stringing them through the man’sears had him laughing.Not so much because of the violence of theact itself, but because of the vivid way Nick described themove.
“What the hell are youlaughing about?”Nick growled in his direction when he’d finallycalmed down enough to catch onto Aiden’s amusement.
“I think the next time Ihave a fight or murder scene in one of my books, I am going to getyou to dictate the action for me,” Aiden said with a grin.“Yourwords are so damn colorful, you will absolutely take my readers onthe journey of ripping a man’s testes off and fashioning them intojewelry.That shit’s gold, right there.”
Nick huffed a laugh and dropped hishands to his hips.“Goddamn you, Aiden.How is it that you can talkme out of my mad better than anyone else I know?”
Aiden stood up and walked over toNick, wrapping his arms around his waist.“That’s just one of mymany skills I guess.”He sighed and placed his forehead on Nick’sshoulder, reveling in the warmth of Nick’s embrace when he wrappedhis arms around him.“Duncan is out, and according to AgentDougherty, Duncan was released two weeks ago, but hasn’t missed asingle check in with his parole officer.He’s still back inCalifornia, and I don’t see him heading this way.He did his time,and he’s free.I don’t think he’s going to risk going back to thatplace.”
At least, Aiden hoped not.The lastmemory he had of Duncan was from the courtroom where Aiden hadgiven the evidence that put him away for twenty-four years.Duncan’s lawyer had successfully argued that Duncan was not ofsound mind, and his imprisonment was served within a psychiatricfacility instead of maximum security.
“Maybe not,” Nickmurmured, tugging Aiden closer to him.“But either way, we aregoing to up our security here at the house.As much as I woulddearly love a few minutes with the man for what he took from you, Idon’t want the crazy prick anywhere near you.”
Aiden loved the fact that Nick wantedto protect him, even though he was well trained and knew how toprotect himself.He had the same deep protective streakhimself.
“Oh shit!”Nick suddenlysaid, and Aiden pulled back to look at him.“I was so caught up inthat I forgot the reason I came out here.”The lake access acrossfrom the house they were renting was one of the reasons they hadchosen that property.Aiden walked Deefer here every day, but Nickhadn’t wanted to go with them that afternoon.“Sam called.Hewanted to know if we’d meet him tonight in town for adrink.”
Aiden grinned, “I am assuming you saidhell yes.”
Nick returned the grin.“Sure did.Ihad almost given up hope that he’d call.It wasn’t the easiestconversation to have asking Dev to talk to Sam, but if anyone couldget that man to talk to us, it would be Dev.I was planning ongoing over to CTF on some pretense tomorrow to try to talk withSam.Christ, he’s stubborn.”
Aiden arched a brow.“Takes one torecognize one, I guess.”
“Yeah, well, he’s morestubborn than me.”
That remained to be seen as far asAiden was concerned.
Aiden let out a shrill whistle, andDeefer came charging out of the forest as they started back towardthe house.“I was starting to wonder myself.Dev said he gave Sammy note three days ago.”
He and Nick had agreed that they wouldtry the soft, subtle approach first.Well, to be fair, Aiden had toconvince Nick that that was the best approach.Nick’s way involveda rope, a panel van with darkened windows, and potentiallytwenty-to-life as a potential consequence.Not to mention theconsequences they would have had to face from Dev and the rest ofBravo team.
“Do we tell him that wemoved here because we knew he was living here?”Nick asked, andAiden had to think about that for a moment.
“Eventually we will, but Idon’t think now is the right time.He’s run from us once, and Idon’t want to risk him doing it a second time.”Sam was meant to betheir third, Aiden just knew it.Sure, he hadn’t ever thought ofhimself in a ménage relationship growing up, and it had neverfeatured in his future in the years he and Nick had been together,but that had changed when they met Sam.
Aiden had imagined many times over themonths since they had first met what it would be like as a triad,not just intimately but also on a day to day basis.Samcomplemented the two of them perfectly, and together their liveswould be so much more than what they could be.
They just had to convince Sam ofthat.
