by AJ Sherwood
Ari had every intention of talking to his little girl the second he got back but was sidetracked by an argument in progress. Ivan and Kyou stood nearly nose to nose in the living room, which was comical in the extreme, as the Russian thief tried to loom over the hacker with his three inches of superior height. Kyou was not fazed by Ivan’s looming and repeatedly stabbed a finger into Ivan’s chest, yelling at full volume, “—stupid even for you! You’re not going to just waltz in there!”
“Who said anything about waltzing?” Ivan retorted and oh shit. He wore his mile-wide smile, the one that flashed a hint of his gold tooth, and that meant he planned something dangerous and stupid and would enjoy every second of it.
Carter cleared his throat and asked in concern, “What are you talking about?”
Kyou didn’t even turn his head while he explained, still glaring up at Ivan. “I can’t hack the security company remotely, not without a lot more time. Time we don’t have. Ivan wants to just walk in and get his head blown off.”
Putting a wounded hand over his heart, Ivan retorted with that shit-eating grin still firmly in place, “Your lack of faith hurts me, comrade. I can get in fine. I’ve had worse challenges.”
Kyou ignored him. “I caught him sneaking out with nothing more than a baseball cap, latex gloves, and the flash drive I need plugged in their system.”
“I have a bed sheet too,” Ivan added indignantly, as if this was a vital part of his plan.
Carter gave Ari a look of bemusement, eyebrows twisted up in an eloquent, He’s kidding, right?
Leaning into his side, Ari muttered, “That unfortunately sounds about par for the course. Ivan’s idea of thief tools do not match most of the known world. The crazy thing is, most of the time he’s right and it works fine. It’s an ongoing argument between Kyou and Ivan, though. Ivan deliberately picks borderline insane things just to get a rise out of Kyou.”
“Ah. Got it.” Carter stepped in closer and placed a gentle hand on each of their shoulders. The touch strangely seemed to settle both men, grounding them. “Let’s do this. Put a body cam on, Ivan, so we can see if you get in trouble. I’ll be backup nearby.”
Kyou studied Carter for a long moment before apparently deciding this was an acceptable compromise. “Fine. But you’re going in tonight, Ivan, not right now.”
Ivan shook his head in immediate disagreement. “That’s when most of their personnel are on high alert. They’re more concerned with night attacks. Better to go during lunch break, which is in the next hour and a half.”
It was a valid point, really. Security companies were aware most thieves liked to operate under the cover of darkness. And while not all thefts occurred at night, the majority did, and a security company would have more on staff at night than during the day. “He’s right, Kyou.”
Kyou groaned. “Dammit. I was hoping for another six hours. I haven’t gotten control of all the CCTV cameras on that street yet.”
Waving this concern off, Ivan assured him, “Show me which ones you do have. I can avoid the rest.”
“Fine, alright. You madman. You deliberately do stuff like this to give me an ulcer.”
“I never,” Ivan said, his face splitting in a broad grin.
“And that’s a lie,” Ari retorted, shaking his head in amusement. “You absolutely have.”
“True,” Ivan agreed, sounding proud of himself. “I have, I enjoyed it, and I’m likely to do it again.”
Kyou gave him a glare and stomped back for the safety of his computer. Ivan bounced along at his heels like a puppy looking forward to a treat.
It left Ari staring at the man he was now dating, the observation whirling in his head. Carter had stepped in so naturally and acted the part of a peacemaker, he hadn’t ruffled any feathers. Interesting. He didn’t quite know what to do with the information, but it was something to keep in mind.
Remi bounced up to Carter and lifted her hand up for a high-five. “Good job.”
Grinning from ear to ear, Carter smacked his palm lightly against hers. “Yeah, yeah, you were right. Thanks for the tip.”
Reminded, Ari went and scooped up his daughter, trying his best to maintain a frown when really, he felt like rewarding her. “Rems.”
She completely jumped half-way into the argument and protested, “But he likes you too!”
Highly aware Carter listened avidly to every word, Ari kept his attention focused on Remi. “Gattina, I realize you’re happy because this worked out like you wanted. But prodding people because you want something is non va bene, yeah?”
An indignant pout formed on her face. She quite clearly did not agree. “Fine. I won’t do it again.”
Ari gave that a flying fat chance. But saying anything more would just be beating a dead horse and wouldn’t get anywhere. He’d have to find a way to subtly reinforce this later. He let her down again and she immediately went to Kyou, clambering up into his lap. The hacker made room for her even as he continued to walk Ivan through which cameras to avoid.
Shaking his head, he went to help prep. Job now, complicated little girls later.
Forty-five minutes later, Ivan slithered out of the SUV and headed in. Ari was driving so Carter could peel out and head directly in if Ivan needed the backup. Normally Ari would be the one to go in. They’d let Carter be backup for two reasons: one, he’d been the one to offer. Two, it was a good way to test how Carter would work with them under pressure, although everyone had carefully not said so. Carter kept his eyes on the laptop in his lap, watching the body cam feedback as Ivan casually strolled toward the back of the building.
Ari looped around the block, trying to find a good place to park that would give them a quick and easy out. He might as well be hunting for a unicorn while he was at it, because such parking spaces absolutely did not exist in DC. Especially at this noon hour of traffic. Everyone was out on their lunch break and traffic became a touch more insane because of it. Yeah, he’d just play Mario Kart and keep looping.
“Eidolon, I’m curious, what’s your game plan?” Carter asked.
“I walk in, plug in the flash drive, walk out.”
“Wow. That’s a stunning plan, man, I’m not sure if I followed. Walk me through it again?”
Ivan snickered. “I hear that sarcasm.”
“I’d hope so.”
“The thing is, if you’re sneaking, people notice. You’re acting strange, you draw their attention, da? But if you just walk in, people don’t really pay attention to you. Especially if you act like you belong there. Why should they question someone who is obviously on his own business? I do not sneak into buildings. I walk in.”
Carter caught Ari’s eye and mouthed, Seriously?
Shrugging, Ari nodded. As insane as it sounded, it actually did work. He’d seen it in action too many times. Ivan didn’t even look like a businessman, really, but put him in a suit and he could walk through any corporate building without being stopped. It was crazy how little attention people really paid their surroundings.
“And you think that’ll work even in a security building?” Carter’s question dripped dubiousness.
“Most of the building should be empty right now. Most people go out for lunch. And me, I’m not going anywhere really secure, like their server room. No need. Right, K?”
“Literally any computer not on the main floor will work. All of that is admin stuff, mostly receptionists and they won’t have the access I need. Accounting, HR, something like that will get us the access we need.”
“Da, da, see? No problem.”
Carter clearly saw many problems but didn’t say so. Ari let a smile play over his mouth. Wait until he saw Ivan in action. Then he’d understand.
Ivan found a back door with a thumbprint lock on it. Ari of course couldn’t really watch the live feed and drive, although he kept sneaking glances. He heard the snap of a latex glove as Ivan put one on, and then Carter’s bemused huff.
“Eidolon. Did you just lick the glove—”
&nbs
p; There was an audible beep as the lock disengaged.
“What. The. Hell.” Carter stared at the screen, spluttering. “Seriously?! All of those fancy gadgets meant to hack a fingerprint lock and you can just lick a latex glove and it’ll let you in?!”
Ivan snickered like the demented soul he was and sailed through the door.
“It’s stupid, right?” Ari commiserated. “First time I saw him do that, I about flipped my lid. I couldn’t believe it’d worked. I still don’t know how he even figured it out to begin with. I mean, who tries that?”
“Crazy Russian thieves, that’s who tries it.” Kyou paused a beat before adding, “Although in all fairness, if you think about it, it makes sense. The sensor doesn’t just read a thumbprint, but body heat too. By licking his thumb like that, he’s applying both heat and moisture to the previous print scanned and reactivating it.”
“I’m so remembering that trick,” Carter swore.
“It’s a good trick,” Ivan agreed cheerfully. “As good as the bedsheet trick. Not sure if I need that one today, though. Haven’t seen a motion sensor yet.”
“A bedsheet. Thwarts a motion sensor? Now that I’ve got to see in action.”
Teasing a little, Ari asked, “You feel like you’re in a practical for Thieving 101?”
Carter flashed him a grin. “Yeah, actually.”
“Where is he now?”
“He’s past the main floor—he was right, only the receptionist is still at her desk—and he’s up the stairs now. No locks on the stairs, and he’s through to the second story. Eidolon, I’m just curious, what is your story if you get caught by someone?”
Ivan just laughed.
“I take it that was a stupid question.”
“You do get caught occasionally, Eidolon,” Ari couldn’t help but point out. “Remember Tulsa, 2016?”
Ivan said something in Russian he probably shouldn’t have with a young child’s ears still listening in.
“Oooh, I see an Accounting sign near an office door. That do for you, K?”
“Won’t know until you plug the drive in. But yeah, probably.”
“He’s in the office,” Carter picked up the narration for Ari’s benefit, “and drive is in. It working, K?”
“Working. I can do what I need to now. Eidolon, give it another minute and then you can unplug and leave.”
“Sure, I’ll sit here and look decorative.”
Ari kept his eyes firmly on the road, constantly evaluating the best way to get back to the building if things went abruptly south. Which, even with the best team and planning, sometimes happened. The minute passed in taut silence, only interrupted by the frantic typing on Kyou’s end.
“Alright, we’re good. Go.”
Ari assumed Ivan immediately pulled the drive and made tracks back out. He took a right at the next light, looping around to the back of the building. “Eidolon, I’m coming up on 20th in thirty seconds.”
“I’ll meet you at the corner.”
There was no huffing for breath, no rapid footsteps. Ivan maintained the same casual walk on the way out as he’d used for the way in. That was another mistake amateurs made. Nerves got the better of them and they started hurrying. Hurrying led to mistakes every time.
Ari saw no place to pull over, and the streets were crowded enough that trying to stop would be a problem. Still, the traffic was at a crawl and it was easy for Ivan to pop open the back door and slide in. He tossed his messenger bag to the side while he got comfortable and beamed at them. “See? Easy.”
Carter twisted in the chair to face him. “I still can’t believe you just did that. Any other team I’d been on would have planned for a week straight before even trying to get in, and they would have used a lot of gadgets and guns to do the job. Where did you learn to lick a glove, seriously.”
“It’s the Golden Rule, da? If all else fails, lick it.”
Ari rolled his eyes. “Pretty sure that isn’t the Golden Rule, you nut job. Alright, K, how are we now?”
“I’ve got profiles for you and Carter in the system. You’re now techs. Now all we need is to print up IDs, get shirts embroidered with your fake names, and get a van, and you can drive right onto Knowles property without a hitch.”
Remi piped up, “Does that mean Stage 1 is cleared?”
“Almost, gattina,” Ari responded, taking a left and heading back toward the house. “We still need to verify the painting is in the vault, like we think it is. Which means Ivan gets to sneak into one more place.”
Ivan cackled in the back seat. “This will be so much fun.”
18
Carter
Carter was very aware he was being observed.
Some would say trying to date an assassin while his two criminal partners looked on was the height of insanity. Carter would agree with them. Then again, he wasn’t really known for making sane decisions. This situation wasn’t even the craziest thing he’d done in recent memory.
The only thing he could say in his defense was that Ari did something to him, something he hadn’t felt in years. Decades, maybe. Dangerous men with sexy vibes wasn’t something new for him. He’d been working with men like that for decades. It was the mix of hard and gentle that had snuck under Carter’s guard and ambushed him. He was frankly amazed (excited, thrilled, smug, and a few other dozen emotions) he’d gotten Ari to agree to date. From Ari’s initial reactions to him, he’d not been sure of his success. But now that he’d gotten a better read on the man, he had to wonder if nerves held Ari back.
No one should be so anxious about having someone come in close. Ari’s flinches bothered Carter on a primary level, and it honestly made him want to murder someone most of the time. Worse, he sometimes saw Remi react in a way that signaled she’d been abused at one point, too. The way she clung to the men indicated she was constantly searching for a safe harbor, someone to protect her. Carter swore to make it his personal mission to ensure those two understood he would protect them.
Anyone who knew Carter could have warned Ari that the fastest way to get the man’s attention was to tap into his protective instincts. After that, it was all downhill. He wasn’t blind to how Ari acted the slightest bit nervous with him, either. The man was clearly not accustomed to dating, and while he liked it when Carter touched him, it always took him a second to settle.
Patience was required here. Fortunately, Carter had an abundance.
He practiced little touches with Ari through the rest of the day. Brushes against his shoulder, light squeezes of the hand, warm smiles. He knew he was getting somewhere when Ari paused in what he was doing to accept a fresh cup of coffee and give Carter a bone melting smile in return. God, this man was going to ruin him.
In between all the flirting, they bought uniform shirts, made sure the size fit, then dropped them off at an embroidery shop. Ivan came back with a van and a stencil kit. Remi had fun helping him rub the letters onto the side of the van. For some reason, the project required a lot of giggling.
After all the excitement of the day, it took a while for the house to settle. Kyou stayed up at his computer, typing away at something or other. Ivan went to bed at the same time Remi did. It gave them a bubble of quiet and semi-privacy, and Carter took immediate advantage of it.
As Ari came out of Remi’s room, he caught the man’s hand. Those pianist’s fingers were warm, the calluses brushing in a rough rasp against his own as Carter silently drew him toward his room, at the end of the hallway. Ari swallowed hard but followed, his eyes never leaving Carter’s as they walked slowly into the room. Carter made careful, broadcasted movements as he backed into the wall near the door. Pinning Ari against the wall was absolutely out. Ari would come out of his own skin if Carter tried to cage him like that. He’d let the other man choose if he wanted the door closed or not. Right now, this moment was less about catching a little cuddle time and more about laying down a foundation. You can trust me. That’s what he needed to get through Ari’s head.
Smooth
sheetrock hit his back and Carter stayed there, his hand in Ari’s, drawing him gently forward. He wouldn’t press this, just ask. Ari’s lips slightly parted, his espresso eyes almost black with desire. Still, he hesitated. Neither man said a word but the tension between them grew steadily tauter.
Ari deliberately relaxed his shoulders and stepped in between Carter’s spread legs, pressing their hips together. A rush of heat flashed through Carter’s body, and he swallowed around a dry mouth. Ari didn’t hesitate the rest of the distance, angling slightly for a kiss, and Carter met him halfway. Their lips brushed against each other’s gently, searching and learning each other. Warm lips, hot breath, hands trailing gently as they searched for a better hold. He angled his head a little further, felt the rasp of a five o’clock shadow against his skin, and nearly purred. Yes. Damn, yes, this was perfect. While Carter was perfectly willing to tug the man toward the bed, all he really needed was now, this moment. This sweet moment.
Drawing back an inch, Ari breathed, “You’re smiling.”
Was he? Probably. “I like kissing you.”
“You deliberately put your back to the wall instead of caging me against it.”
“It didn’t seem a good idea to crowd you.”
Ari dropped his head against Carter’s shoulder, and Carter let his arms enfold Ari in a loose embrace. “You really have the patience of a saint, don’t you?”
“I haven’t needed to be all that patient with you?” It came out as a question because Carter really couldn’t understand why Ari had said that. Or rather, he suspected other men had demanded things Ari wasn’t comfortable with and given him grief. He might need to find those men later and double check they were no longer breathing.
Snorting, Ari muttered against his shoulder, “You’re really a different breed. Fortunately for me. But we can have sex tonight, if you want.”
No, they clearly couldn’t. He was tensing up in Carter’s arms even as he made the offer. Carter brushed a hand up and down his spine, trying to get him to relax again, and pressed a kiss against the side of his head. “I think we need a few more days with each other before we’re comfortable enough for some naked tango.”
