“Language, Tilly,” Mati’s father snapped.
“Really, Dad?” Mikey cried before anyone else had a chance.
David definitely had a favorite Viveiros brother.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Frankie said at last to Mati.
“Jesus Christ,” David said with a laugh, “you’re a worse liar than Chaz.”
Frankie’s eyes bulged hearing that name, his attention fixing on David, as he’d intended. No one seemed to notice the indignant huff from the hallway.
David stared Frankie down. “That’s right, we’ve spoken with Chaz. He told us all about how you’ve been sneaking onto Reese’s property to spy on Mati, you fucking pervert.”
Frankie’s face flushed scarlet, his hand shaking. He looked at Mati’s parents. “This is who your daughter is sleeping with. Who she fucks right out in the open. That’s what Lamont pays her for.”
Reese opened his mouth, but Mati stopped him with an elbow in the gut.
“Fuck off, Frankie,” she snapped, drawing Frankie’s attention back to her. “I work my ass off for Reese, and the fact that I have sex with him is not only none of your business, but also has nothing to do with this.”
“So you admit you’re fucking him!” Frankie screeched.
“You just said you had pictures,” Mati said, exasperated. “I don’t know why you sound surprised.” She faced her parents. “I’m in love with Reese and David. I realize this will be hard for you to accept, but I hope you can find a way, because they make me happy and I have no intention of giving either of them up.”
David’s heart stopped, Mati’s words leaving him breathless.
Then Frankie pulled a gun and pointed it right at Mati’s chest.
Mati’s mother screamed. Mati’s father and brothers swore viciously.
Reese, Mati, and David didn’t move a muscle.
Sweat broke out over David’s entire body, his skin prickling with it. He was achingly aware of what was missing. His gun. Kevlar. A radio to call for help.
“Put the gun down, Frankie,” Mati said with admirable calm, only a slight shake in her voice.
David’s eyes darted around the room, assessing possible exits. There were two ways out. Neither was close enough for David to be able to shove Mati and Reese out of the room quickly.
“No!” Frankie cried. “You’ve ruined me. You did those things to me and now I can’t stop thinking about them.”
David understood the affliction and yet had zero compassion. His training whispered the wordsidentity crisisthrough his head, but he couldn’t make his brain formulate a negotiation strategy. Not when all he could think wasno no no no.
He stepped forward and curled a shaking hand around Reese’s hip. His heart ached at the idea something might happen to them, and he had to force it aside. The agony only grew, until his chest hurt and his breath was short and he wondered if he might drop dead before he could do anything.
His fear swelled, consuming him until he could barely breathe.
Reese clamped his hand over David’s on his hip. David took another step forward, his body willing to do what needed to be done, even while his head was filled with panicked static. He took another step and carefully pushed Reese to the side.
He had to put himself between Mati and the gun.
That wasn’t the training coming through. It wasn’t a strategy. It was his heart. If he couldn’t protect the people who held it, it didn’t matter if it kept beating.
Frankie swung the gun to point it at David, and it was arelief.He swept his arm out and tucked Mati and Reese behind him.
“No, David,” she cried.
“Fuck this shit,” Reese agreed, slipping past them to stand directly in front of Frankie, the gun inches from his chest.
David knew without a doubt this would haunt his nightmares for years. “Reese.”
