“Let’s start with finding them,” Shadow says. “I have a lead on where they meet on Saturday nights.”
“Pax has a game tonight. I don’t want to leave him unprotected since the client obviously knows about the connection between Pax and Boone. There’s always a chance Boone will show up there too.”
“Take someone with you.”
“I can go,” Specter says.
“Me too,” Nimble chimes in.
I nod in acknowledgment.
“The rest of us will work on finding the client and his crew. Whisper, I’ve got some details you can start researching.”
“You got it, boss.”
“Once we know where they are, we’ll make a plan on how we end this.”
Carnage huffs but nods.
Before the meeting breaks up, I clear my throat, drawing all their eyes to me.
“I, er…” I shake my head, unable to find words. “Thank you.”
Shadow nods, his expression softening slightly. “We’ll make it right.”
“Is Paxon still here?” Specter asks.
“Yes.” I lean back in my chair, and words I wasn’t planning to say out loud fall from my lips. “I love him.”
I’m met with looks of surprise mixed with some smiles.
“Fuck. I don’t know what to do now. I’ve never felt like this about someone, and it’s so fucked. I was hired to…” I don’t finish the thought. I don’t have to. “Just please help me keep his brother safe. I won’t be able to live with myself if anything happens to him.”
“Hey.” Whisper squeezes my arm. “We’re on it, man. We’ll find him.”
I wipe at my damp eyes, nodding. “If anyone knows how to keep someone you should let go of, let me know.”
“Why should you let him go?” Carnage asks.
“We can’t be together.” I glance at Whisper. “No matter how good and right it feels. I’m not the kind of man he deserves.”
“Fuck that,” Specter says. “Seriously, dude, fuck that. You’re amazing and I’d bet he already knows that or he wouldn’t be upstairs in your room.”
“I kill people for a living.”
“And?” Ghost asks. “Okay, you’re not out here saving rainforests or curing cancer, but how many people are?”
“Big difference between those examples and me.”
“You meanus,” Phantom says. “We do the same thing you do. Are you saying none of us deserve love or happiness?”
“Of course not.”
“Do you think Colson is slumming by being with Specter?”
“No,” I grumble. “But Colson is unique.”
“He is unique,” Specter says, “But not because he loves me.”
