The tension coiled in his body. He needed to see Jameson to know that everything was okay, that the threat had actually just passed.
“Four eight nine three two!” Jameson hollered, suddenly charging through the bushes and back into the yard. “One nine four!”
“What?” Dee yelped. “What are you saying?”
“Get a pen!” Jameson hollered. “A pen and paper!”
Dee grabbed her purse, then pulled out a pen. At the same time, Horatio ripped the side of the case of beer, handing it over to Jameson.
“I can’t believe we let those guys walk away without saying anything,” Raiden said, cursing under his breath. “They’re going to tell everyone we’re weak.”
“Better than being dead. You saw that they were packing,” Gray answered. He watched as Jameson frantically wrote on the piece of ripped cardboard, his eyes wide.
“Okay,” he said, finally handing the pen back over to Dee. “Got it.”
“What?”
“Keith Harrington,” he said. “His address is right there in Albany.”
Gray shook his head quickly. “I’m confused.” He crossed over and took Jameson in his arms from behind. Immediately, his heartbeat lowered, and he felt able to breathe again. “What are you talking about?”
“I snuck around the side of the house,” Jameson said. “Those guys left their car unlocked, so I took a peek at what they had.” He stuck the piece of cardboard out, smiling shyly. “I could hold his address and credit card number and everything in my head. I just couldn’t think about anything else until I wrote it down.”
Raiden and Horatio both erupted in laughter, breaking through the rest of the tension.
“You’re fucking amazing, Jameson,” Raiden laughed. “I can’t believe you did that!”
“He does all his own stunts,” Gray joked, squeezing Jameson a little tighter. “Although he’s not supposed to do anything like that.” He pressed his mouth close to Jameson’s ear. “You could have gotten caught. You could have gotten hurt.”
Jameson nodded. “I know. But I paid attention and made sure I was safe. Plus, I didn’t know what those guys were going to do. The idea popped into my head, and I thought, if it meant I could help you all, it seemed worthwhile.”
Horatio grabbed the piece of cardboard, grinning as he stared down at us. “Fuck, kid,” he said. “For all we know, you could have just saved our lives.”
Gray nodded. “They might have left tonight, but it’s true. If anything escalates, at least this gives us some tools. We can identify them, keep an eye on their movements, and run some opposition research.” Still, Gray felt anxious. He hated Jameson putting himself in danger, especially for something that had nothing to do with him. Swallowing, he clasped his hand on Jameson’s shoulder, then rubbed it softly. “I won’t forgive myself if something bad happens to you,” he said quietly.
Jameson nodded. “And I won’t forgive myself if something bad happens to you, handsome.”
Gray was glad it was dark out because hearing Jameson call him handsome in front of the guys was enough to actually make him blush.
“Holy shit,” Dee said, then popped the top off another beer. “You guys aren’t joking around out here, are you? Those guys were freaky.”
“Don’t be fooled by the fashion,” Raiden joked. “You New York City kids have nothing on us.”
Dee breathed out a puff of air. “I believe it. I’m glad you’re in the clear.”
Horatio coughed, then nodded to Gray. “We’re in the clear,” he agreed. “But you sure you want to keep a tabloid sensation here?”
Raiden nodded. “I don’t think they’re coming back, but if anything does go down, you know we won’t be able to keep Jameson safe.”
Gray tensed. The same thought had been itching at the back of his mind, although he didn’t want to admit it. He wanted to kick himself again, frustrated that he hadn’t been there to keep his guys in line. His didn’t want his life to crash into Jameson’s. He was just trying to keep him safe and give him one more night of freedom.
“Looks like it’s back to cheap motels,” Gray said.
Jameson took his hand. “It’s okay,” he said. “We’ll figure something out.” He laughed, then laced their fingers together. “We always do.”
“Wait a second,” Dee said, then grabbed her purse and rummaged around. “At least take my credit card.”
“Your credit card?” Gray asked.
