“They didn’t come out until sixty-four.”
Larson chuckled. “That’s your reply.”
Derek snorted. “I would have said it anyway, because they didn’t.”
“Right. Okay, then he’ll say, ‘Sorry, I meant seventy-four’ and you’ll know it’s the right man.”
“Got it. When can I expect him?”
“His plane touches down at ten, so anywhere between eleven and noon, depending on the traffic.”
“Okay.” Getting up, Derek said, “Call me the second you know something?”
“You bet.”
“Thanks.”
* * * *
“What do you mean I can’t come over?” Tim asked indignantly.
“Just what I said. I have someone coming to visit and…”
“You’re ashamed of me, so you don’t want me around. I get it.”
Derek sighed. “No, I’m not ashamed of you. It’s business.”
“Right. Since when do you conduct business from your place? Especially on a Sunday. Some hotel manager wants to test beds?”
“Tim, don’t! The woman’s passing through town, called, and asked if we could have a quick meeting. She’s the one who suggested making it easier for me by coming here since she’s driving.”
“Okay,” Tim replied, sounding pouty. “As long as you’re sure it’s a woman.”
Derek forced a laugh. “Well I’ve never actually undressed her to make certain but she seems to have all the attributes.”
“Sorry.” Tim actually chuckled. “Call me when the meeting’s over?”
“I will. I promise.” Maybe, unless I can come up with an excuse not to. Derek was not happy about this jealousy factor that was rearing its ugly head.
“I’m holding you to that,” Tim told him, before hanging up.
Rubbing his temples, Derek set the phone down on the nightstand and went to shower and get dressed. By the time he’d done that, and made coffee and breakfast, it was almost eleven. He hoped the guy wouldn’t be late. After his talk with Tim, he was not in the mood to sit around twiddling his thumbs.
At eleven-fifteen, the buzzer rang. Pushing the ‘talk’ button, he asked who was there. They went through the ‘Mustang’ routine then he buzzed the man in.
A couple of minutes later there was a knock on his door. He opened it and almost slammed it shut again. In fact he started to, but Brad put his hand on it to stop him.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Derek asked tightly.
“It’s nice to see you too. Do you mind if I come in?”
“Yeah, I do, but since I don’t have much choice…” Derek stepped back.
“Nice place,” Brad said, once he was inside. “Better than your last apartment.” He walked with apparent casualness to the sofa, set his bag down beside it, and sat, resting one arm across the back.
Derek wasn’t feeling nearly as relaxed. He stood in the center of the room, staring at Brad. “Did you know it would be me?”
“Actually, yes. I asked for you, although your man here doesn’t know why. I had Samson tell him I needed someone who really knew the city and I’d heard that was you.”
“I see. How did you even know I was back here?”
Brad smiled. “I’ve been following your…career since you left New Orleans.”
Derek wanted to ask why, but he was damned if he would. He paced to the window then turned back to look at Brad.
He looks good. Too damned good.
“I take it you didn’t bring your boyfriend with you,” Derek said sardonically.
Brad cocked an eyebrow. “If I had one, which I don’t, I wouldn’t have. Any more than you’d take your latest one with you on a job.” Leaning forward, he studied Derek. “You go through them like they were candy.”
“And you don’t? I remember the last time I saw you. What was it, three weeks after we’d spent the night fucking? You didn’t even bother to let me know you were back in town. If I hadn’t seen you coming out of a restaurant with your…your arm candy, I would never have known you were back, would I?”
Brad shrugged a shoulder. “You would have when the time came. But that didn’t happen since you left town so fast. Samson said you were worried you’d be made, since you’d been working there for so long.”
Now it was Derek’s turn to shrug. “It was a valid reason.”
“But it wasn’t the real reason,” Brad said quietly.
“What? You think it was because of you?”
“I saw you that afternoon. I knew what you were thinking. It was written clearly on your face, but you never gave me a chance to explain.”
“You didn’t need to explain. Hell, we were just fuck buddies—doing it to release a little tension now and then.”
“Then why were you so upset that you ran?”
“I didn’t run!”
“The hell you didn’t!”
Without thinking, Derek said, “I didn’t run. I drove.”
Brad looked at him, his lips quirking up in a grin. “You did, huh?”
“Yeah, and?” Then Derek realized what a non sequitur that was. He tried not to, but when Brad’s grin widened, he couldn’t help it. He laughed. “Yeah, in an old SUV.” He flopped down in the armchair across from the sofa, still laughing.
“You look good when you do that,” Brad said softly.
“I used to do it a lot, when you were around.”
“Yeah, you did. We had some good times when we weren’t busting our asses for an assignment. Hell, even when we were, we did.”
Derek chuckled. “Biting the dust. Remember that?”
“Yep.”
“Who was that guy?”
“Part of the assignment I was on. I had to get him back to New Orleans by any means possible.”
“So you fucked him until he couldn’t resist,” Derek said, feeling all his anger returning.
“No. That I didn’t do. Yeah, I made him think I cared. Told him I wanted him to move back there with me so we could see if there was really anything between us. But that was it.”
“Why should I believe you?”
Brad looked at him, his expression serious. “Because I wouldn’t have hurt you for anything, if I could have helped it. If the damned assignment hadn’t been so important, I’d have broken my cover, and yours, to explain. But I couldn’t, because all the work I’d done, all the work you were doing, would have gone down the tubes. But I wanted to, Derek. You have no idea how much I wanted to. The look on your face at that moment—I would have done anything to have erased it.”
As Brad talked, Derek watched him, seeing the reality of what he was saying his expressions. “I should have trusted you,” he whispered.
“Maybe you should have, but you were young and everything was so new for you. We never said…anything. Either of us. We just lived in the moment and whatever feelings we had for each other were never spoken. That was as much me, and my trying to deny what was happening, as it was you not being sure it was.”
Brad held out his hands. For a moment Derek resisted what it implied then he stood, walking slowly to Brad. He took them, looking down at him. “I missed you. I tried hard not to. I pushed you to the back of my mind and…” He bit his lip.
“And found other men to help you forget.”
Derek nodded, looking away.
“I’m not an angel. I did the same. But I couldn’t let go. I told you, I’ve been following you. Well, not literally, but I have been keeping track of you. I had to know you were all right.”
Still holding Brad’s hands, Derek sat down beside him. “I didn’t keep track of you. I didn’t want to know you were…I didn’t want to find out you and the man I saw you with were still together—that he was so important to you.”
“Now you know, D-Boy,” Brad said softly. “No one. No one has ever touched me quite the way you did.” Suddenly he grinned. “That did not come out the way I meant it.”
It took Derek a second to figure out what he meant. “Oh h
ell!”
“Yeah.”
They looked at each other, started to laugh, and then they were kissing. Derek tore at Brad’s shirt, wanting it off now. Apparently Brad felt the same because he didn’t bother to unbutton Derek’s shirt, sending the buttons flying. They stood, still kissing, then Derek kicked off his shoes and pulled off his jeans. Brad followed suit. Moments later they were in the bedroom, on the bed, Derek barely holding it together as he re-explored Brad’s never forgotten body while Brad did the same, both using their tongues, lips, and soft touches of questing fingers.
“Fuck me,” Derek begged, when the need became so intense he thought he’d die if Brad didn’t comply that instant.
“I’ll make love to you,” Brad replied, his gaze locked on Derek’s face.
“Please,” Derek whispered.
Brad did. Quickly the first time, because the need was too strong for both of them to take it slowly. Then, not too much later, they made love, very tenderly.
Finally, totally sated, Derek lay with his head on Brad’s shoulder, tracing small circles on Brad’s chest with his fingertips. “I never could forget you, no matter how hard I tried,” he whispered.
Brad kissed his temple. “Never forgot you either, but then I wasn’t trying to.”
“So, umm…?”
Brad chuckled. “So, umm, what?”
“Will I be able to see more of you while you’re here and doing…whatever it is you’re here for?”
“I don’t think you can see much more of me than you are right now,” Brad replied with a straight face.
Derek swatted his chest. “That’s not what I meant and you know it.”
“I know, and I don’t see why not, if we’re careful.”
“Why are you here? What’s the assignment?”
“I’m part of an operation to stop a small group of people who run a murder for hire business.”
“I thought that was something the FBI dealt with. Why you?”
“Because one of the men used to work for the Company before he went rogue.”
Derek sat up, looking at Brad. “He’ll know who you are!”
“Come on. Do you think Samson’s that stupid? He picked me because I’ve never met the man. Our paths never crossed or even came close to doing so. When it comes down to it, that’s true for most of us. How many agents, other than me and the bosses, have you met?”
“Four,” Derek said after thinking about it. “I worked with three of them on assignments. The fourth was Larson’s partner when I first met him, before I even knew about the Company.”
“There you go. I’ve never done a job in this area of the country, or anywhere else where he’s been based, so there’s no reason for him to recognize me.”
“I wish I could say the same about here, because then I could help.”
“Maybe you can. We’ll shave your head, get you blue contacts, and send you to a tanning salon until you’re a toasty brown.”
Derek snorted in amusement then looked thoughtful. “No. I was going to get a haircut, it’s getting a bit long, but I won’t. Forget the tanning salon. I’ll quit shaving for a day or three. Brown contacts, not blue.”
Brad studied him. “It could work but how do I explain your being with me?”
“You’re new in town, we…met at the gym because you’re a workout fanatic. We hit it off. I offered to show you around.” Derek smiled slightly. “That is part of why Larson put me with you. We’ll just expand on it publically. Do you know where to find these people?”
“I’ve been in contact with one of them, since I’m looking for someone to off my ex-wife. She’s killing me with the alimony payments.”
“But will they agree to a face-to-face?”
“The man I’ve been dealing with already has. We just haven’t set up a time and place until I let him know I’m here.”
“Good. Then wait a day or two so I can become…humm, Matteo Lamberti.”
“How the hell did you come up with that name?”
“It’s my birth name.”
Brad sat up quickly to stare at Derek. “You found out! Why the hell didn’t you say something?”
“When have I had the chance? First we were fighting then we were in bed and then, well…”
“Okay, you’re right. So tell all.”
Derek did, about how he found out and as much as he’d learned about his father from his aunt. “Larson’s going to have our people dig deeper to get the real details, if they can,” he said in conclusion.
“They will.” Brad put his arm around Derek. “Just be prepared for the worst, I suspect.”
“I am, though of course I’m hoping it’s not as bad as she said.”
“And if it is?”
“I’ll live with it and figure what I’m doing helps balance the equation.”
“Believe me, it does.”
Derek smiled, kissed him briefly in thanks, and said, “Now back to what we’re planning.”
* * * *
Brad and Derek changed their plan somewhat since, as Derek pointed out, it would seem strange for Brad to bring along some man he’d met at a gym. “Especially since you’re supposed to be straight.” Instead, looking the way they’d planned, somewhat unshaven and all, Derek was now Brad’s younger half-brother who lived in Denver.
The meeting had been set up for four pm, and now they were walking into a busy bar in the Highlands area. As their eyes adjusted to the dim lighting, a man approached Brad.
“Mr. Lehane?” the man inquired.
“I am.”
“Tom Grant.” Grant held out his hand. “A pleasure to finally meet you.”
Brad shook Grant’s hand then introduced Derek. “Matt Lamberti, my stepbrother. And before you ask, he lives here, knows the area, and offered to drive me here for our business meeting.”
Grant frowned but said nothing other than, “I have a table already, in a private room behind the bar.”
Brad frowned. “Will it be safe to talk here?”
“Yes,” Grant replied, glancing at Derek briefly. “The bar belongs to one of our founding members. He’s made very certain no one can listen in on any conversations in that particular room. We don’t want any trade secrets getting out.” He turned to Derek then. “So you’re a Denverite. All your life?”
Derek chuckled. “Nope. I came out here intending to go to college but that didn’t work out, so I got a job.”
“Doing what?”
“I’m a cook.”
“Somewhat of a come down. Where?”
“City Diner.”
“Never heard of it. Did you meet Mr. Lehane’s wife, before they divorced?”
“Call me Walt,” Brad broke in.
“All right.” Grant looked at Derek again. “So, did you meet her?”
“That’s a bit off the wall, but yes, unfortunately. I never did see what Walt saw in her.”
“Now, Matt, she was…Okay, never mind,” Brad said, shaking his head.
“A bitch of the first order.”
Brad shrugged before saying, “Maybe you should go get a beer while Mr. Grant and I discuss business?”
Derek looked as if he wanted to protest, which he didn’t actually, then nodded. “I’ll be out at the bar when you’re finished.”
As soon as Brad and Grant went into the private room, Derek walked down the hall toward the back door, instead of to the bar. He had a phone call to make. When Grant had asked where he worked, he said the first thing that popped into his mind. Now he had to back that up in case the murder for hire people decided to check.
His call was answered by the man he wanted to talk to.
“City Diner, Mel speaking.”
“Mel, this is…” For a moment Derek hesitated. As a precaution, he didn’t want to use what he would always consider his true name. “This is Matt. I’m calling to say I can’t come in to work today. My leg is bothering the hell out of me.” There was such a long pause that Derek added, “It shouldn’t be by now, I know, s
ince Charlie did such a good job of nursing me back to health after the car accident that…that killed my folks.”
Finally, Mel replied. “Again, Matt? That’s the third time this month.”
Derek sighed in relief. He wasn’t certain Mel would put things together. “Yeah, sorry. I’ll be in tomorrow morning though, I promise.”
“You’d better be.” Mel chuckled. “Charlie is…Well, he’s Charlie. Can’t make a decent burger to save his soul. Besides which, his car broke down, so I have to drive him home tonight.”
“After nine?”
Mel snorted. “No, I thought I’d close up early since you didn’t come in. Yes, after nine.”
“Okay. Now I’d better go take care of my leg if I want to be there on time.”
“Better be,” Mel muttered before hanging up.
With that taken care of, Derek went back inside, found a stool at the bar, and ordered a beer while he waited for Brad to join him.
* * * *
“So?” Derek said an hour later, once he and Brad were back in his car.
“So far, so good. He didn’t say anything that could entrap him, but we came to a tentative agreement. He’ll talk to his people then set up another meeting to, in his words, to hash out the details.”
“Any idea when that will happen?”
“He didn’t say.”
“All right. How about we grab some dinner then I’m going to take you to meet a couple of old friends.”
“Derek,” Brad said cautiously, “is that a good idea?”
“Yes. I’d trust both of them with my life. In fact, way back when before I even knew about the Company, I did.”
Brad thought for a moment then smiled. “Mel, right? And umm…”
“Charlie.”
“Great. Where do you want to eat?”
“At your hotel, so you can get out of that suit?”
“And into?”
Derek smiled innocently. “Something more exciting?”
* * * *
Soon after nine that evening Derek parked his car in front of Charlie’s house. He and Brad had actually managed to get dinner, after they took care of other more pressing needs. Now, decently fed and well sated, Derek was practically bouncing at the idea of seeing his friends again.
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