“How’s your hand?” I take a step forward to look at it, but Hayden pulls it away, clutching it to his chest. “I’m not going to touch you without your permission.”
“I… I know that. I know that,” Hayden repeats, a little surer than the first time. He scoffs and looks back out the windows. “Jake’s going to be so mad when he finds out I broke my hand by punching a fucking wall. Livid.”
“Well, we can tell him it happened when we were running away.”
Hayden screws his mouth up in a scowl. “He’ll know the truth. He knows everything.”
“Oh?”
Hayden tics again, three blinks and a shoulder lift. “Nothing gets by Jacob.”
“Do you usually call him Jake?”
“Yeah… What did you want to talk about?” Hayden asks, eyes narrowed as if he’s caught on to my game.
“You just seemed really anxious. Do you have anxiety?”
“What is this? Therapy?” Hayden scoffs and starts to leave, but I hold my hand up to stop him, and he freezes right before coming into contact with my hand. He looks down at my hand in shock, then his eagle-eyed gaze swings back to me. “Oh. Mason has a pair on him.”
“And you hide all your anxiety behind bravado and quips.”
Hayden’s smirk turns cruel at my words. He crosses his arms over his broad chest, fixing me with the kind of stare that only a few weeks ago would’ve had me crumbling to the ground. But after a while with these guys, I’ve learned they’re all just young men with enough problems to stack up and make killers. But the question is… what made Hayden a killer? And why is he so upset at the idea of Jacob never coming home?
“What are you asking, Mason?”
“I’m asking if you and Jacob are in a relationship.”
Hayden whistles and rolls his eyes. “Wow, you really don’t know shit. You think I’m so upset because Jacob is behind bars? I’m upset because the mission is fucked and Robin isn’t answering… and I’ve got nothing to fucking do. Besides a paper that’s due in two days that I’m going to have to pull out of my ass.”
“Nobody calls him Jake.”
Hayden tics again, then awkwardly clears his throat. “Parker does.”
That I know, but I’ve only heard him do it once. “Does he?”
“You know… You don’t get much insight from Parker, do you? Makes sense, he’s our silent killer. Mr. Quiet. Never really know what he’s thinking.”
Hayden’s struck my last nerve, but I don’t let him see it because I know that’s what he wants. He’s deflecting all the worry he’s feeling onto me, trying to make it my problem. But if there’s one thing I’m not going to start worrying about, it’s Parker’s and my relationship. If I’m secure in anything, it’s Parker. The way he looks at me says it all.
“Well, you seem better than you did at the table earlier, so I’ll stop prying. But we have to try to get Jacob out, if not for you, then for Parker.”
Hayden tics again but leaves the study without another word. He leaves the door open, and I take a few steadying breaths once he’s gone. Jacob. I pinch the bridge of my nose and squeeze my eyes shut tight in exhaustion. I don’t know what we’re going to do, and if Hayden has his way, we’ll probably all go down in a blaze of glory. I’m not averse to more violence, but I’m definitely not in favor of any more of us going to prison.
When I exit the office, Parker is leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest and a patient look on his tired face.
“Hi,” I say quietly, softly smiling his way.
“Hi,” Parker echoes. He looks both ways, then nods toward my bedroom at the end of the hall. “Got a few minutes for your man?”
I smirk. “Depends on what it’s for. Also, I really like you saying that.”
Parker quirks his head. “Saying what?”
“That you’re my man.”
Parker’s smile turns deep and wanting, and my insides go topsy-turvy at the sight. Pleasing Parker is so easy. He never leaves me guessing and always happily takes what I’m willing to give with a thankful hand. I think Parker has been starved for love his entire life, and every ounce of love I give him nourishes him down to the bone. It’s a heady feeling to give someone as rawly powerful as Parker everything he needs. Me? Just plain Mason. It’ll never get old.
“I’m your man and you’re mine, right?” Parker asks, clearly pleased.
