by Jools Louise
He heard footsteps approaching, then felt the lash of a boot against his ribs. “When Daniel tells you to complete a job, you complete the job,” the man snarled viciously.
Vince had the presence of mind to reach for his phone, praying he’d hit the right button to record.
“Daniel sent you?” he asked, struggling for breath, feeling fluid building up as blood replaced the air in his chest.
“Who else? He isn’t happy with your performance. You were supposed to deal with Drew and Sherman. Your failure is costing us money. So I’ll be taking over, fucktard. Enjoy your last moments on earth, douche.”
Vince heard his attacker stroll away, and he cursed Daniel to hell and back. The bastard was getting away with another murder. He needed taking down. Then his vision faded, and he passed out.
* * * *
Drew hurried with Callahan to the hospital, berating himself for caring about the large, slightly dimwitted alpha douche currently undergoing emergency surgery. Pace had called him an hour ago to deliver the news, while he and Maizie tucked into their breakfast.
“What the hell was he thinking?” Drew asked for the fiftieth time.
“It wasn’t the same guy who attacked me,” Callahan said. “This must be Crash’s brother.” Then he shot Drew a droll look. “Although, in this town, there are so many possibilities.”
“Whoever it is, they just shot our mate…even though he is a douche most of the time,” Drew replied.
Callahan sniggered. “He got to you, didn’t he?”
“He smells so good,” Drew retorted in a mock-whine. They both chuckled. “Besides, wouldn’t it be a feather in our cap to have a happily ever after with the guy my father sent after us.”
Callahan’s stare sharpened. “Is that the only reason you suddenly care?”
Drew stopped abruptly and turned to Callahan. “No,” he said seriously. “This whole situation is all fucked up, isn’t it? Vince is a guy who’s had the worst thing happen to him, and it’s obviously fucked him up, too. In my head, all I can think of is that he could have killed me at any time over the past few weeks. Clearly, he’s been watching me. And yet he didn’t.”
“He’s been biding his time,” Callahan replied, frowning. “But why?”
“He doesn’t care about the money. Perhaps he’s drawing out those who were responsible for his family’s death. All of them.”
“Like Crash’s brother,” Callahan said shrewdly. “So Vince has been waiting and wasting time, trying to piss Daniel off enough for him to send a hitman after him so he has proof of what Daniel’s been doing.”
“Exactly.” Drew scowled pensively. “I don’t know how I feel about Vince,” he confessed. “I’ve only just realized that I like guys,” he added wryly. “I’m a late bloomer, I guess.”
Callahan, dragged him into a full-on lip-lock, right there outside the hospital, melting Drew on the spot. “Darling, you rock my world,” he whispered. “I’m glad you bloomed for me. You’re more than making up for lost time.”
The kiss deepened until both were panting. Callahan tugged Drew around the side of the building, into a narrow alley, and some industrial-sized dumpsters. “He’ll be in surgery for hours yet,” Callahan said breathlessly. “Might as well use our time wisely.”
“Romantic,” Drew drawled, chuckling when Callahan led him into a corner, behind the dumpsters, and dragged Drew’s pants down to half-mast.
“Fuck me,” Callahan begged, facing the wall, his butt sticking out.
“Buy me dinner later, to make up for all this,” Drew gritted out, breathing hard as he pushed Callahan’s pants down, removed the butt plug he’d inserted earlier into his mate’s sweet ass, then rammed his cock home, groaning with relief.
“Dinner, dancing, whatever you want,” Callahan whined, grunting when Drew ramped up the tempo. “Just fuck me like you mean it.”
“Pinky promise?” Drew teased, nipping Callahan’s neck, then bit down as he fucked his lover into the wall.
* * * *
“Vince is out of surgery,” Lex said, wiping his brow tiredly.
“Is he okay?” Callahan asked, flushing slightly despite himself. He had an ass full of cum, and he swore that Lex knew what they’d been doing. Probably did since he and Drew stank of sex.
“The next few hours will be touch and go,” Lex replied, looking concerned. “He survived surgery all right, but it’s more than that. It’s as though he’s not even fighting to live.”
Callahan exchanged a worried look with Drew. “Where is he?” they said in unison.
“This way,” Lex said, a knowing glint in his eyes. “Sure you don’t want to freshen up, first?” He pointed to a window which had a clear view of the dumpsters behind the hospital.
“Geez!” Drew huffed, flushing a deep red. “This is worse than living in a goldfish bowl.”
Lex laughed loudly at that one. “Dude, you are living in a goldfish bowl when you’re mated. Your secret’s safe with me, though. Where do you think Leo and I go for our breaks?”
“Eew!” Callahan snorted, grinning. “You mean that smell wasn’t just trash?”
Lex lowered his voice. “The gazebo in the park’s good, too,” he hissed. Then he laughed again. “I can write up a list if you like. Working here all hours, or being called out to emergencies, Leo and I have an interesting sex life.”
“Too much, man,” Drew moaned, shaking his head. “It’s bad enough living with the fuck bunnies, Sherman and Chaz. Those two shake the bloody rafters, using one of John’s favorite curse words. I don’t think I’m old enough to hear about you and Leo, too.”
They all grinned. “You can always shift and run, and then have a quickie in the woods. Leo and I do it all the time,” Lex taunted as they entered the intensive care ward where Vince was recovering. “Of course then you’d have to explain why you were walking around town naked unless you planned ahead.”
“Not so much fun, though,” Callahan commented, snickering behind his hand. “I prefer spontaneity.”
“Behind a dumpster,” Drew added dryly. “Dinner, a movie, and free breakfast for a month.”
Callahan grabbed him in a headlock, ruffling his hair like crazy. “You fuck me like that again, I’ll give you free breakfast anytime you like.”
They grew serious as they approached Vince’s bed. He was pale and still, his breathing thready, tubes and sensors attached to him, feeding him meds and fluids.
“He lost a lot of blood,” Lex said somberly. “Two shots, straight to the chest. Almost point blank.”
“Why shoot him now?” Callahan asked, frowning. “The guy has been watching him since you were attacked, Drew.”
“Maybe they were waiting to see what he would do.” Drew shrugged. “If Vince has been followed, they’ll have seen him talking to Ryder and John. Probably figure he’s turned.”
“Which means you’re still in danger,” Lex told him. “So perhaps, for the time being, no shagging in places where you could be cornered.”
Drew scowled. “You know what? I’m getting a little sick and tired of Daniel calling the shots all the time,” he retorted. “Why does he have the right to dictate my life, still? He’s a big, fat nobody. Not even a proper father. Perhaps it’s time I turned some thumb screws of my own. On him. Give him a taste of what it feels like. I don’t think prison’s really the punishment it’s meant to be. Not for him.”
“That’s not a bad idea,” Callahan said. “He’s got way too much free time and privileges.”
Drew smiled slowly. Evilly. “So how about we restrict some of that?” he said. He tugged his tablet from the satchel he carried. “The prison has a system where it rewards inmates for good behavior. I had a look at dear Daniel’s file. Apparently, he’s being such a Goody Two-shoes in there, that they grant him all sorts of special treatment.”
“Really? Hard to believe that a guy like that would be able to have so much access to the outside,” Lex said.
“He’s probably been making
a lot of promises to people,” Callahan suggested. “All this money he thinks he’s getting could be used as leverage or a bribe.”
“I agree,” Drew responded, tapping at the tablet’s screen. “C’est voila! And, we’re in.” He looked up, flashing a guilty grin. “Of course, should anyone ask, I have no idea how anyone managed to get into their system so quickly. Poor housekeeping, I reckon.”
“What system?” Lex drawled, busying himself with the machines beside Vince’s bedside.
“I knew I liked you for a reason,” Drew retorted. “Not least because me and Cally now know which places to avoid for a quick shag.”
“Yeah, that garbage smell is still on my clothes,” Callahan teased, wrinkling his nose.
Drew laughed. “Dude, I won’t be able to get it up there again now I know that Uncle Lex and Leo have been there before me.”
“Don’t sweat it, squirt,” Lex replied, winking. “Judging by your last performance, when the mood takes you, I doubt you’ll care.”
“Moving on,” Drew said quickly, crinkling his face comically. “So, Daniel has several things on his calendar for this week. A visit from his probation officer. Mr. Jensen Burton. Hmmm. Interesting. Might have to take a closer look at Mr. Burton. He’s visited a dozen times in the past few weeks. What’s he doing?”
“Burton is…Daniel’s go-to…guy,” Vince said hoarsely, his eyes still closed. They all looked at him. “He ‘does stuff’ for…Daniel. Burton’s the one…who hired me.”
Callahan moved closer, stroking Vince’s cheek gently, feeling sick that Vince had been shot, especially after that last confrontation at his apartment. Vince might be an ass, but he didn’t deserve this. Not after all he’d been through. Mates were precious. There was a reason fate had put them all together. Despite Drew’s comments earlier, Callahan knew that Drew felt that connection, deep down and unavoidable. The confusion and contempt were understandable, though. Vince’s conduct hadn’t exactly been exemplary.
“You need to rest,” Callahan said softly. “You nearly died.”
“And?” Vince asked flatly.
“You don’t care, do you?” Drew said, looking troubled. “Your family died, and you came here for one last shot at revenge, knowing it would probably end in your death. That’s why you came into the café that first time. Not to be a dick, but so that someone would put you down.”
“Nothing much left, is there?” Vince said, his breathing even raspier as he struggled to breathe. “I’ve hurt you. I’ve frightened you. I blew any chance I had. Besides, I don’t deserve either of you.”
“Put the blame where it should go,” Lex told him quietly. “With those who’ve tried to destroy your life. You were a cop for a reason. Because you believed in something. Having your family murdered must shake that belief, especially since two of the perpetrators are apparently still carrying out their murderous plans.”
Vince didn’t respond for a long time. Callahan thought he’d fallen asleep again. “I knew about…Daniel, even…back then,” he rasped finally, struggling for breath. “I knew he…was evil. He’d left a…string of fraud cases, coast to…coast, ranging back…twenty years or so. Long before…he met your mother,” he added, opening one eye to stare at Drew. “The fraud was…linked to organized crime. New York, mostly. I started…digging deeper. Then I found myself…with my very own stalker. Daniel. He wasn’t…just a fraudster. He’d worked…jobs for the mafia for…years. Wet work. Only he was trying…to keep his hands a little cleaner. Not honest, just cleaner, and…turned to money laundering…and fraud. When he…met your mom, she…was ripe for plucking. Trusting. Sweet. And he’s…a conman who can charm the pants off…just about anyone he pleases.”
“Only she saw through him,” Drew offered.
“Too late,” Vince wheezed tiredly. “I only…found out about his…killing history after my family…had been murdered. Then I dug even…more. And I found out…that he hires people…to do his dirty work now. More importantly, he’s in a…huge amount of debt since Kathleen…stopped being his cash cow. Now that she’s back…in business again, running the art shop…and teaching classes, he figures…she has plenty of cash to splash again. He doesn’t want her…dead, necessarily, but he…certainly wants her…to hurt again. Killing you…and Sherman would be devastating…to her.”
Callahan glanced at Drew worriedly, then back at Vince. “Just how much debt are we talking about?”
“About twenty…million,” Vince retorted dryly. “Sound familiar?”
“Well, well. Isn’t this cozy? So glad you survived surgery, Vinnie. Such a shame you won’t last the night.”
Crash’s brother strode into the room, pistol at the ready.
“You again?” Drew asked sarcastically. “What’s the matter, missed us, did you? Oh, wait. Your crime bosses must not be too happy that you still haven’t delivered the goods, yet.”
Callahan instinctively moved to shield Vince from the assassin’s view. “He’s probably not the flavor of the month, Drew. He shot Vince twice already and missed all vital organs. Dweeb isn’t all he’s making out to be, is he? That peashooter doesn’t pack much of a punch.”
“Yeah, he’s pointing it like he knows how to use it,” Drew sneered, baring fangs. “I don’t even think this pussy is a real killer, is he? I figure he’s more marshmallow than a top predator.”
“His brother was far more successful,” Callahan taunted, taking the baton. “But then, he did end up as hamburger meat, didn’t he?”
The gunman’s face contorted with rage. “He was a fool,” he snarled. “Crash was thinking with his dick. I’m not.”
“Because you don’t have one?” Drew asked, flicking something on the tablet.
“Think you’re something special, don’t you? Prancing around like you own the fucking world. You and Sherman, and Cracker. Fucking pricks, the lot of you.”
“Ooh! I sense small dick syndrome is something of a problem,” Drew taunted, moving slightly. The killer followed and inadvertently ended up with his back to the door. Callahan realized that Drew was distracting the guy on purpose. Shit was about to get real. He looked with pride at his mate. Drew was young but nobody’s fool. “What’s the matter? Couldn’t quite match up to Crash, could you? I mean, sociopath he may have been, but he was definitely packing.” This was uttered with an insulting look at the assailant’s crotch.
Crash’s brother was smallish, slim and wiry, with thin features resembling a weasel. One eye was green, the other brown, giving him a striking appearance. Added to the bitter twist to his face, he was fairly ugly to look at. And Drew was pushing all his buttons. Callahan had the feeling that small dick syndrome was definitely an issue for their malicious visitor.
“He had no brains. Not like me.”
“And yet both you and your dear uncle, and my father, coincidentally, all ended up incarcerated. Do you like being someone’s bitch? Or are you just completely incompetent.” Drew was definitely on a roll. Callahan was worried his mate was going to hit the right, or wrong, nerve though, and get shot himself. He decided to play good cop.
“Oh, I don’t think that’s quite right,” Callahan said placatingly, then ruined it by smirking. “I can’t imagine anyone being that desperate, even in jail.”
Drew burst out laughing. “Good one.”
“Cute, aren’t you? Why don’t you start thinking about how you’re going to get the money, then maybe I’ll spare your life, fuckwit.”
Drew stared at him, his expression changing to one that was cold and totally badass. Callahan got chills just looking at him. This was a top predator. Someone who’d been through hell, kicked the devil’s ass, and now knew exactly what he was made of. Drew was also in protective mode, a warrior defending his mates. And despite his fear, obvious in his eyes if Callahan looked carefully, Drew wasn’t backing down.
“You won’t kill me since you need the money. You could threaten my mates, but that would only end up in you being ripped to pieces. So here’s your final
option. Drop the fucking gun, or I’ll have my extremely angry brother, Sherman, rip you a new airhole.”
“Not before I shoot you one!”
A trumpeting roar sounded down the corridor, and Drew groaned comically, despite the tense stand-off. “Fuck! That’s all we need. A maniacal elephant.”
“Elephant? Fuck! That bitch has been chasing me all over fucking town,” the killer cursed, looking nervous for the first time.
“Yeah? Since you and Vince showed up, she’s my personal bloody bodyguard,” Drew replied wryly. “I’m reduced to shagging behind dumpsters to get any time with my mate.”
Maizie arrived seconds later, only to get stuck in the narrow doorway. The assassin grinned. “Hah! Fat ass can’t quite get to me.”
“No, but I can,” Drew drawled, and kicked the gun from the man’s hand as he had with Vince a couple of days earlier, smashing the guy’s wrist. He followed through with a vicious uppercut, lifting the assailant off the ground, then whirled and delivered the final blow, a kick which connected with bone-crunching ferocity.
The man fell to the floor, unconscious.
“Fuck. Now I have to do more surgery,” Lex commented unhappily. “A shame you couldn’t finish the job. I could just cart him off to the mortuary, then. Job done.”
“Autopsy?” Callahan reminded the doctor, who snorted.
“Nah. For him, I’d make an exception and just incinerate his filthy hide.”
Maizie shifted. “We need him for collateral,” she said, smiling when Drew averted his face from her nakedness. “Drew and I have a plan.”
“Not until you get dressed,” Drew shot back.
“Pussy,” she retorted, then left.
“What’s the plan?” Callahan asked, hearing footsteps running down the corridor. Pace and Sully arrived, followed swiftly by John and Mick.
“When I went to Siberia on my last mission, I suggested that we leave a false trail,” Drew said. “Dorothy, my mom, and Irina, all had large amounts of money that they needed to hide. For the same reasons. I told you how much.”
“Flashpoint, Fortress, and Stronghold,” Callahan replied, nodding.
