by Tate James
"Alexi," I said, addressing my grim-faced employee. "What do you have for me? Or have you already filled Zed in?"
Alexi shook his head, his eyes locked on my face. "No, sir. I waited for you to get here."
Zed huffed with irritation, and he rested a hand on my shoulder. "Alexi apparently doesn't think I could relay the information correctly, boss."
Alexi's brows shot up. "What? No, that's not—"
"Oh, shut up, both of you," I snapped before the conversation could turn any more childish.
Alexi's lips tightened, and he frowned at Zed's hand on my shoulder. Actually, why the fuck was Zed's hand on my shoulder?
His fingers tightened, and Alexi's face darkened.
Seriously?
I tilted my face, giving Zed a scathing glare. He knew damn well what he was doing and that I wasn't in the fucking mood. But it didn't stop him from shooting me a sly smirk as he withdrew his possessive hand from my shoulder.
Alexi was an idiot for being riled up by that. Everyone knew Zed and I were purely platonic and that I wasn't remotely interested in Alexi.
With an irritated sigh, I turned my attention back to my trusted Timberwolf. "Get on with it, Alexi. I've got a lot to do today."
"Yes, boss," he replied, chastised. "I've been conducting interviews like you requested."
I jerked a nod. "And?"
"And so far only found one questionable suspect that I'd like to review in more detail. But I have plans to head further abroad this afternoon and personally meet with the regional Timberwolf leaders." He paused, his jaw tight and his eyes nervous. "But something strange came up, and I think you need to know."
I raised one brow, and Zed shifted beside me, folding his arms over his chest.
"Boss... someone recently dug up Chase Lockhart's grave." Alexi looked genuinely disturbed by this news, and the tension inside me eased.
Leaning back in my chair, I kept my gaze glued to his face. "Why do you think someone would do that?"
His brows hitched. "Honestly? I have no idea. It's bizarre. The body was missing too. So..." He trailed off, shaking his head in disbelief. "I can't work it out, boss. But considering everything else going on, it seemed relevant."
"Thank you for letting us know, Alexi." I kept my expression neutral and gave him a small nod. "Is there anything else?"
He flicked a confused gaze between Zed and me, clearly taken aback by our lack of reaction to this news, then shook his head. "Uh, no sir. No, that's everything so far."
"Good. We appreciate you informing us of this; please continue to keep us updated no matter how irrelevant the information might seem. You can go now."
Alexi hesitated a moment longer, then gave us each a polite nod and started out of the office.
"Hold up," I called after him. "The suspicious interview you conducted, send Zed the info, and we will handle the follow-up."
"Absolutely, boss. I'll send it right over."
When he was gone, I spun around in my chair to pin Zed with a hard glare.
"What?" he asked, feigning innocence.
"What the fuck was that?" I jerked my head toward the door, indicating where Alexi had disappeared.
Zed knew full fucking well what I meant and just gave a shrug. "He was eye fucking the shit out of you, boss. I figured it didn't hurt to remind him that you're not interested."
I scoffed a laugh. "You're so full of shit. Alexi has been eye fucking me for years; that's nothing new. And last I checked, I wasn't interested in you like that either."
In a move that surprised me more than I cared to admit, Zed leaned down and placed his hands on the arms of my chair, getting all up in my personal space.
"Maybe you need to check again, Dare. You're usually more self-aware than this," he whispered so softly that if it weren't for the crazy-intense look in his eyes, I'd have thought I’d heard him wrong.
Then just as abruptly, he pushed away and stalked out of the office like the hounds of hell were snapping at his heels.
"Zed!" I shouted after him, surging out of the chair. "What the fuck?"
"Marketing team is waiting for us inside fun zone," he replied, tossing the words over his shoulder without slowing down. "We're late."
Vaguely I recalled seeing a meeting with our Fight Night promoters scheduled in my weekly planner but had dismissed it as unimportant right now. Apparently, Zed hadn't cancelled it, though. But since when did either of us give two fucks about keeping people waiting?
Weird. So damn weird.
17
After meeting with our marketing team, I got the call I'd been waiting on from my new legal counsel. Her name was Genevieve Le Clair, and I was willing to bet Demi had made her a jaw-dropping offer to make the move. After speaking with her for half an hour, I was thoroughly impressed and confident Demi had chosen well in her replacement.
Gen assured me that she would handle everything with law enforcement on my behalf, and in return I assured her that she'd be well compensated for her effort. Those were the easy transactions with smart people that made me love my job.
When I finished my call, I decided to leave dealing with the rest of our meetings to Zed. Lucas had been asleep when I’d left for the day, and the more time that’d passed, the more anxious I was getting about checking on him.
I shot Zed a text to tell him I was going back to his place, then called Dallas to arrange another phone for Lucas. I hated not being able to text him and also didn't want to investigate that feeling too closely.
Dallas, however, was fast becoming one of my most useful recruits. He assured me that he'd bring over a clean phone for Lucas after he picked up baby Maddox from daycare.
I passed a familiar black SUV on my way up Zed's street, and when I paused at the gate to key in the access code, I found an enormous pile of shopping bags stacked neatly beside the gate. I popped the trunk to load them all in.
"Lucas?" I called out upon letting myself into Zed's house. "Are you here?"
He didn't answer immediately, and I checked my phone out of habit. There was nothing to explain his absence—of course—but there was a message from Hannah letting me know she'd sent over a carload of purchases.
I smiled as I replied that I had them, and she quickly added that she would send more at the end of the day.
Hannah was fast making me wish I had my own assistant instead of relying on Zed for everything. Not only was she efficient and took initiative, she was also polite and upbeat.
Tucking my phone away, I wandered upstairs. Maybe Lucas had gone back to sleep. I wouldn't have blamed him if he had; sleep was the best thing for healing.
The guest bed where I'd left him was vacant, though, and I’d almost walked out before I caught the floral scent of bath products.
"Lucas?" I called out again, and this time the bathroom door opened.
"You're back." He smiled wide, standing in the doorway in nothing but a towel. Steam wafted out from behind him, and I needed to bite the inside of my lip to keep the drool in my mouth.
A thick gauze patch covered half of his chest, and I focused on that rather than his wet, rippling abs as I crossed the room toward him.
"Sorry I left so early," I said with a weak smile. "How are you feeling?"
Dark bruises covered almost the whole side of his body where he must have taken some kicks, and his black eye was fading to a greenish purple.
"I feel great," he replied, not even seeming to be joking. "I mean, it wasn't the easiest to bathe without wetting this dressing, but I figured it out." He looked down at the gauze and frowned. "Or I thought I had."
I reached out and ran my fingertip over the sticky edges of the bandage where it was lifting from his skin. He'd definitely gotten it wet.
"I can replace this for you," I told him with a smile. "Wait here; I'm almost certain Zed has these same dressings in the medical kit downstairs."
Leaving Lucas to get dressed, I ran back down to the kitchen and retrieved the supplies I needed. When I returne
"Sit," I told him, pointing to the end of the bed.
He did as he was told and sat perfectly still as I used the edge of my fingernail to peel his soggy dressings off the wounds on his chest. There were two that needed covering. One was from the stab wound and subsequent surgery to save his life, and that was covered with surgical tape still. It seemed to be an impeccably precise incision line—from what I could see through the translucent tape—and I had no doubt it'd heal easily and leave minimal scarring.
The other... was a different story. I drew a deep breath as I stared down at the burn on Lucas's otherwise smooth chest, and fury built up deep within me.
"They should have removed this and skin grafted it while you were under general," I muttered in outrage. The design was almost perfectly untouched. One side had a small shadow where it looked like the brand had moved against his flesh, but otherwise it was perfectly recognizable as my Darling logo.
Lucas breathed a soft laugh, placing his hand on my waist and giving me a small squeeze. "I think they were more concerned with making sure my lungs were working properly, babe."
My gaze shifted up to his face, and I quirked a brow. "Babe? Seriously?"
His grin spread wide over his face. "What? Just ’cause I'm younger doesn't mean I can't call you babe. You are a babe. Have you seen you? You're—"
I shut him up with a hard kiss, then pushed him back onto the bed with a firm hand to his good shoulder. "Stay still; I need to stick this dressing in place."
He smirked, his hands still clasping my hips as I leaned over him. "Yes, ma'am."
Rolling my eyes, I didn't try to fight my smile. I loved his playfulness. I loved that Chase hadn't managed to extinguish even the tiniest piece of the light inside Lucas. And I hated that Zed was now making me question whether it was all an act.
My smile slipped at that thought, and I kept my eyes on Lucas's chest as I finished replacing his dressings, then took a step away.
"What just happened?" Lucas asked in a quiet voice, sitting up once more.
I gave a small sigh and shook my head. "Doesn't matter."
He reached out and grabbed my waist again when I tried to retreat further. "It does matter. Hayden, whatever is on your mind, you can talk to me about it. I know I'm not as useful as Zed, but I'm a pretty good problem solver. And I can listen like a pro if you just need to talk something out."
Sometimes I could swear Lucas wasn't even real. He knew exactly what to say to slide past my defenses to the point where I was wondering why I even bothered trying to keep those walls up around him.
Wavering, I let him tug me gently closer until he could wrap both arms around my waist and look up at me with total adoration. Goddamn. That look should have scared me straight, but it just made me more invested.
"Would it make you feel better if I told you a secret in return?" he offered, and something suspiciously close to panic flashed over his face.
It didn't make me instantly guarded and cautious like my better sense told me I should be. Instead, I just felt like an asshole for making him think he needed to trade in order to pry inside my head.
"Zed thinks you're playing me," I told him honestly. "So now I'm wondering if everything you do, everything you say... is an act."
Lucas's brows raised, but he didn't look offended. Instead, he just gave a slow nod of understanding. "I can see how he might think that," he murmured, holding my gaze with open sincerity. "I get the feeling you don't really do relationships?" He tipped his head to the side, and I wrinkled my nose in confirmation. "And Zed's been your right-hand man for... forever, right? You guys are close."
"Yeah," I said on a sigh. "We've been friends for thirteen years. He's been my second since the day we took over the Timberwolves. He knows me better than I know myself."
Lucas hummed a small sound. "I doubt that. But I get why he's suspicious. For one thing, the timing is awful. Me meeting you the same weekend as someone starts attacking your power structure? Uh, yeah. I'd be confused if you guys didn't think I was involved." He said it with a laugh, showing he was perfectly comfortable with the accusation. There was no defensiveness to his body language, just an eagerness to disprove Zed's suspicions.
"For another thing," he continued, his fingers tightening on my waist to pull me closer. His head was tipped back, and I couldn't stop myself from running my fingers through his damp hair. "Zed's probably feeling threatened."
A small sound of surprise escaped my throat. "Threatened?" I gave a laugh. "Nah, I don't think that's it. He's just..."
Lucas arched a brow. "Protective?"
I gave a small shrug, uncomfortable discussing my friendship with Zed. "Yeah. We've been through a lot together. I'd probably be the same way if he was seeing a girl seriously." Not that he ever had. The girls he picked up were for one thing and commitment wasn't it.
"Serious, huh? Is that what we are?" Lucas didn't look at all panicked, only amused. Meanwhile, I'd just heard what I said and was quietly dying inside of embarrassment.
"That's not what I meant," I muttered, feeling my cheeks heat. But... it kind of was. Not that I was sneaking off to plan our fucking wedding, but things between Lucas and I were a whole hell of a lot more serious than I'd ever been with anyone since Chase. "Besides, he's also getting paranoid about Cass. So I'm pretty sure he's just on his period or something."
Lucas scoffed a laugh. "Yeah, and you want to tell me he's not threatened?"
I glared at him, deep in denial. "Don't you owe me a secret in return?" Not that I really needed an information exchange, but shit if I wasn't curious to know what secrets this unicorn guy was carrying.
The teasing smile slipped from his lips. "Yeah, I guess I do. But I have one more question first. Or, actually, two."
Curious, I tipped my head. "Go on then."
He wet his lips, and it drew my attention like a magnet.
"Okay, first question, will you take me to see my mom in the care facility? I didn't want to leave here earlier without telling you where I was, but she must be so worried and—"
"Yes, of course," I cut him off, cupping my hand around the back of his neck. "You don't need to explain; I should have offered to take you last night."
Relief washed over his face, and it made me feel like a big asshole for not realizing he'd want to see her for himself. It was a testament to how far I'd distanced myself from my own loved ones that it hadn't even occurred to me.
"Okay," he replied with a small exhale. "Maybe that will help you see that I'm not some undercover spy with a fabricated past." He smirked like that was a crazy suggestion in the first place. Little did he know…
"What's your second question?" I redirected.
In answer, Lucas reached up and guided my face down to his. He kissed me until I was dizzy and breathless, my knees weak and my heart pounding, then pulled back just far enough to ask his question in a low, husky voice.
"Does that feel like an act to you, Hayden? Because to me, it feels like the most real thing I've ever experienced."
Holy fuck.
Clearing my throat, I released his neck, then swept a shaking hand through my hair. "So, what's your secret?"
He cringed slightly, dragging his lush lower lip through his teeth as his thumb stroked circles over my hip. "Uh, okay. I mean I have told you before, but I think you maybe misunderstood... You were my first."
I blinked a couple of times, waiting for him to finish his sentence. Then it hit me like a lead weight. That sentence was complete.
"Get fucked," I breathed in utter disbelief.
An embarrassed smile crossed his face. "Uh, yeah, I sure did. With you. In... a supply room at Scruffy Murphy's."
18
My knuckles were white on the steering wheel as I turned us sharply into the visitor parking at Sunshine Estate. We hadn't spoken for the entire drive over, and I was still at a loss for words.
Okay, that wasn't strictly true. Lucas had tried to talk to me several times, and I'd shut him up with a pointed glare.
"You're freaking out," he said with a sigh as I shifted the car into park and killed the engine.
Gritting my teeth, I shook my head. "I'm not."
Lucas gave a sharp laugh. "Yes, you are."
Blowing out a breath, I turned to face him properly for the first time since he'd admitted that I took his fucking virginity. After realizing what he'd meant, I'd sort of just... panicked. I'd panicked. And mumbled something about needing to leave before Sunshine Estate visiting hours were over. Then hadn't said a word since.
Yeah, and people thought Hades was always so cool, calm, and collected. If they could see me now...
"Okay, I am." I gave him a hard look. "Why didn't you tell me sooner? Why did you let me—"
"I did," he cut me off with a gentle laugh. "I told you it was my first time."
My jaw opened, but no coherent words came out for a second. Then I just made a strangled sound of exasperation. "I thought you meant it was your first one-night stand! Or... your first time for public sex! Lucas, how?"
His brows hitched. "How... what? How was I an almost nineteen-year-old virgin applying for a job in a brothel?"
Jesus fuck, I'd totally forgotten that he’d initially wanted a back-of-house position at 7th Circle. I cringed. Hard.
"You wanted to lose it before becoming a prostitute, then?" That made a little more sense as to why he'd been so willing to fuck a strange woman in a supply closet.
But Lucas just shook his head with a short laugh. "Uh, no. Actually, I hadn't thought it through all that well. I knew I'd be a good dancer; I knew I could make good money as a stripper. But I also knew Swinging Dick's was only hiring for both positions, and I was... am... desperate." A pained look crossed his face, and I drew a sharp breath as understanding dawned. He'd taken the job at 7th Circle because he needed the money. Now the club had gone up in flames and Lucas's injuries would prevent him from dancing again until he’d healed.
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