Reese looked at Jared. “I’ve got a contact inside. With the Agents.”
Jared’s mouth dropped open. “That…that’s excellent.” He was upset at Reese for keeping something like this from them, from him, but a dash of hope flickered inside Jared at the news. “That’s what we need. They can tell us-“
Reese cut him off with a harsh laugh. “He used to be an Agent.”
Jared faltered. “Oh.”
“What the holy hell are you playing at, Slater?” Declan was stayed only by Rae’s firm grip on his arm, a grip Jared knew he could easily get away from if he chose.
Reese paced the kitchen. “He didn’t choose to be. He got forced into it by his father, then got caught up in something he shouldn’t.” He lifted his gaze. “We met a few years ago, shortly after he realized what kind of hate the Agents stand for now. He’s been trying to get out, but defecting from Vivienne’s numbers is next to impossible without painting a goddamn target on your back.”
Jared stepped up next to Reese, their shoulders lightly brushing. “It sounds like he’s trying to do the right thing.”
Reese’s jaw tightened. He reached out for Jared’s hand, their fingers automatically curling together. Reese turned imploring eyes on the rest of the group. “I know it looks bad, but the secrecy of the phone calls is for his own protection. He’s been helping us out, feeding me intel.” Reese looked at Declan. “He’s the one that told me about Pine Bluff, and to keep you guys out of it because we need you more on the Jefferson compound raid. That’s where he will defect.”
“Convenient,” Declan said with a sardonic smile. In one smooth move he broke away from Rae and pulled his pistol from his waistband, pointing it at Reese. “And he will bring how many Agents with him to take us down?”
“Declan!” Rae’s eyes widened in horror.
“Put it down, son.” Gideon ordered. “Hear him out.”
“See, that’s the thing.” Declan’s hand tightened around the gun. “Last time I heard someone out, the three of us were left without a father.”
“Declan.” Jared dropped Reese’s hand, moving to stand in between him and the nose of Declan’s pistol. “He’s not William. And he sure as hell isn’t an Agent.”
Reese reached for Jared’s hand to pull him out of the way, but Declan’s voice stilled him. “Don’t touch him.”
Reese lifted his hands defensively. “You’re wasting your anger, Cooper. There are a hell of a lot of people out there who want you dead, but I’m not one of them.”
“Jared.” Declan said, his voice so calm it sent chills up Jared’s spine. “Move.”
“Son, you’ve got two seconds to put that away and show me you still have some sense left in your head.” Gideon edged closer to Declan.
Jared stood firm in between Reese and Declan, for once his hands steady and sure. He reached out towards Declan’s pistol. “You’ve protected me my whole life, Declan. Don’t make me need protection from you.”
Gideon stayed quiet. Rae whispered Declan’s name, her voice shaky but full of conviction. Reese stood holding his ground but for a slight movement sideways, in an attempt to keep Jared out of the line of fire.
At Jared’s plea, the haze of rage cleared from Declan’s steely gaze. He lowered his pistol. Rae took it expertly, passing it off to Gideon.
A look of shock crossed Declan’s face. “Jare. I would never hurt you.”
“You would, if you hurt him.” Jared stepped closer to his brother. “I know you’re pissed. I know you’re hurt. I know you still aren’t over Dad.” He offered Declan a sad smile. “None of us are. But I need you to put that rage away for a second, and look around you. You’re so worried about protecting me and Rae that you are blind to anyone else trying to help as well.”
Declan bristled at that. He glared at Reese. “Slater might not be out to wreck us, but damned if he’s protecting-“
“Why do you think I didn’t tell anyone about Nick?” Reese asked sharply, referring to his contact. “We’d all like to think the Renegades are airtight, but after talking with Tate and his brother, it only confirms our suspicions that someone isn’t playing straight. I couldn’t risk anyone knowing about Nick and accidentally leaking it to the wrong person.” Reese cast a meaningful look at Declan. “You’ve got to know that the Coopers are on Vivienne Knox’s short list. If Nick had been found out while you are all here hiding out at Gideon’s, the Agents could have made him lead them straight to you.” He pressed his point. “To Rae. To Jared.”
Declan blinked, and held up a hand. “Wait, what did you say his last name was?”
“I didn’t. It’s Farrington.”
Declan studied him. “As in Ken Farrington’s kid?”
Jared could see Reese tense at the name. “One and the same,” he confirmed.
Gideon cursed. “That man is bad news.”
“Yeah.” Declan crossed his arms. “So what’s to say his son isn’t the same?”
Reese pinned him with a stare. “I say.”
Jared pinched Declan’s side.
“Fine,” Declan said, though he was far from happy about it. “You say he will be in Jefferson. He gonna be working against us tomorrow?”
Reese shook his head. “He’s walking a fine line, and he’s pushed his cover as far as he can. He will be the perfect liaison to help Rae and Jared get the rescues out.” Reese looked at Gideon. “Nick gave me the coordinates to the compound. I can guide us to within meters of the rear entrance. Going into an Agent compound is a huge risk. Nick knows we need all the help we can get. He will defect and fight alongside us.”
Gideon caught onto his hesitation. “But once he does, we lose our inside source.”
Reese nodded. “And it really doesn’t make tomorrow any less dangerous.”
“Better to lose our source than to lose his life to Agents,” Rae pointed out. She laid a hand over Reese’s. “Thanks for telling us.”
Jared gave Declan a pleading look, and his brother rolled his eyes at him before responding to Reese. “I’m still not sure about this, but not having to hunt for the compound saves us time. That ain’t nothing.”
“It’s a hell of a something,” Gideon agreed. He looked at Reese. “Your guy gonna be safe tomorrow, coming over to our side? You’re the only one who knows what he looks like. What’s to say one of us doesn’t accidentally take him out?”
“He’s the spitting image of Ken. You’ll know.”
“You should have told us earlier,” Declan muttered. “Hell, he could have told me while I was still inside.”
“Yeah?” Reese raised his eyebrows. “And did he know about you, when you were holding those secret meetings with Vivienne?”
Declan blew out a breath. “No. Dammit.” He slammed his hands down onto the hard surface of the kitchen island. “I am so fucking tired of not knowing what the hell is going on in there,” he cursed.
“Join the club,” Rae said, a mild bite in her voice.
Jared stepped in between Reese and Declan once more, reaching for Reese’s hand. “We aren’t going to get anywhere if we don’t trust each other,” Jared said. “I know there are lots more Renegades, and we can weigh them out as we come across them. But for now, it’s got to start here.”
“Damn right.” Gideon lifted his glass of whiskey in toast, and pinned his eyes on Declan. “Listen to your brother, boy. Smart.”
Rae pressed gently into Declan’s side. “If Reese had wanted us gone, he could have done it ten times by now.”
Declan still glared at Reese, but after several more beats he finally backed off. “Dammit, I know.” He scowled at Reese’s hand on Jared’s hip. “But don’t think I’m gonna start being happy about that.”
Reese snickered. “Of course not. That would be too easy.”
Jared shot his brother a smile, finally able to relax when Declan did his best to return it.
Declan pointed at Reese. “You’re riding with me tomorrow. We’ve got the whole car ride to Jefferson to figure
this out, see if we need to change our plan.”
“Can’t wait,” Reese deadpanned.
Later that night, Declan almost ran into Reese in the upstairs hallway on his way out of the bathroom. He gave Reese an are you kidding me look, glancing in the direction Reese had come from, where Declan and Gideon’s rooms were. Jared was still bunking with him, now that Reese was back in Jared’s old room.
Reese held up his hands. “Relax. I was just giving Hatch the coordinates for the camp. Crazy old man never sleeps, wanted to map it out tonight.” He shoved past Declan into the bathroom to brush his teeth, ignoring Declan’s looming presence in the hallway.
Reese spat in the sink and looked at Declan in the mirror. “Good grief, Cooper, he’s in Rae’s room. I’m not going to try anything.” He grinned. “Not right under your nose, anyway.”
“You just keep baiting the hook, you know that?”
“And you keep taking it.”
Declan bit his tongue on the retort that lingered there. He watched Reese’s quick, efficient movements and tried hard to see what the hell his baby brother saw in this man.
Declan’s heart skipped a beat when he thought of Jared standing in front of the barrel of his pistol, his eyes wide and pleading for Declan not to hurt him. He may as well have held up a mirror, the way he had horrified Declan with what he saw staring back at him in Jared’s eyes.
Rubbing a hand on the back of his neck, Declan started, “Earlier, when I...” He coughed. “The gun, I mean. It was...I shouldn’t have done that.” Declan mumbled, shoving out the weak apology so quickly that he half expected Slater to make him repeat it.
Instead the guy just spat into the sink again, then turned around slowly, crossing his arms over his massive chest, waiting for more.
Declan looked over his shoulder to make sure the hallway was still empty, then swore softly. “You are just so damned convenient to be mad at. Every time I see you look at my brother with your stupid, besotted, bad boy expression, I want to punch you in the face.”
The corner of Reese’s mouth curled up. “It’s taking everything I have right now to figure out whether I should feel insulted or complimented.”
“Whatever.” Declan rolled his eyes. “We leave in six hours. I don’t know about you but I am going to at least attempt sleep.”
He stopped in his tracks when Reese spoke again. “Agents killed my sister.”
The words were uttered so matter of fact that Declan had to try hard to hear the pain laced underneath. Declan swung back around. “Your sister was a rescue?”
Reese bit out a harsh laugh. “No.” He briefly relayed to Declan the story of his innocent baby sister getting killed in the crossfire of a surprise raid. “At her school, for shit’s sake.”
Declan listened, silent.
“Agents broke my family, and I want a piece of them just as bad as you do.” Reese looked at him, his gaze set in stormy determination. “Maybe that will help you make you feel better about tomorrow.” He shuffled past Declan, striding across the hall towards his room.
Declan softly called out to Reese before he could shut the bedroom door. “I’m sorry.” Declan dragged his eyes along the hallway to look at Reese. “About your sister.”
Reese clicked his tongue against his cheek. Eventually meeting Declan’s gaze, he nodded. “I’m sorry about your Dad.” He stepped into his room, flicking out the hallway light as he went.
Declan stood alone in silence in the dark hall for several more moments before turning in for the night.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Reese hadn’t been in bed ten minutes when he heard his door creak open, waiting silently as the intruder slowly shut it behind him. He held his breath, not wanting to scare Jared away from his bold move of entering Reese’s bedroom.
When Jared was mere steps from his bed, though, Reese couldn’t help himself. “You don’t hate me.” Reese didn’t give a shit what Declan or anyone else thought of him, but after confessing that he had been keeping a secret from all of them, it was from Jared that he needed to hear it, needed to make sure.
Jared lowered himself onto the bed, keeping Reese in suspense as he folded the thick grey comforter between his fingers. Even in the scant moonlight filtering through the window, Reese could tell when Jared’s eyes met his own. “Never,” he whispered.
It was all he needed. “Jared,” Reese breathed. He sat up, his mouth instantly devouring Jared’s as his hands framed his face. His kiss was possessive, demanding, and Jared returned it with fervor, giving Reese everything he never knew he wanted.
Jared broke from his kiss just long enough to utter against Reese’s mouth. “When I asked you about the phone call, I about had another panic attack. I expected dismissal, to be ignored. Maybe that you’d deem me not worthy enough to know the answer. Since I’m just a rescue and not an actual Renegade.” At Reese’s objection, Jared placed a finger against his lips. “Or for Declan to explode again at the very idea that you had made phone calls in secrecy.” A nervous laugh escaped his lips. “Shit, Reese, I am so sorry that he-“
This time it was Reese who silenced Jared. “He was protecting you. Your brother can be an arrogant ass, but I will never, ever fault him for that.”
Jared launched himself at Reese, fusing their lips together again as he worked his tongue inside. Reese grinned against his mouth. “Never heard my sweetheart swear before.”
“Shut up.” Jared lifted his arms as Reese's hands glided up his body, taking Jared’s shirt with them. Silver starlight spilled over Jared’s lean form, and Reese wasted no time crawling along the length of him, repositioning Jared onto the head of the bed, reveling in the idea that Jared was giving himself to Reese as his to touch, to love, to take. Their tongues tangled together as Reese pushed his knee in between Jared’s thighs, gently nudging open his legs so he could slide his hips in between.
Reese ran his mouth along Jared’s jaw to his neck, his lips blazing a red hot trail against sweat dampened skin. His mouth was warm and wet as it nipped and licked its way down Jared’s collarbone, the salty sweet taste of Jared consuming him, lighting a fire within that Reese was in no hurry to put out.
Jared’s hands glided through Reese’s hair, fisting tight. Reese relished the feeling, each and every one of his nerve endings standing on end as Jared thrust his erection against Reese’s muscled thigh. Reese couldn’t get enough of the hot, heavy weight of it, and he abruptly stood, needing to be naked, to feel every inch of their bodies skin on skin.
Someday he would savor the notion of stripping them both down, inch by inch, but in their fevered time together now, Reese shed his clothes in an instant. He took a moment to look at Jared, lying on the bed propped up on his elbows, running his hungry gaze along Reese’s body. Reese brazenly ran his hand slowly down his chest, his abs, over his cock. Jared’s eyes followed his movements, and when he pulled on his lower lip with his teeth, Reese was lost. Jared smirked, and let his knees splay wide so his legs fell open.
“So beautiful, sweetheart,” Reese murmured. “All laid out for me.” He stepped back in between Jared’s legs at the same time that Jared’s upper body shot up off the bed to meet Reese’s mouth with his own. Reese gasped as Jared took his cock in hand, pumping up and down with a torturously slow motion as those golden chocolate eyes stared up into his.
Reese fumbled with the zipper on Jared’s pants, gripping Jared through his sleek cut briefs before yanking his pants down and off his legs. Reese’s brain was short circuiting, between Jared’s tongue back in his mouth and his hand on Reese’s dick. He fell over Jared again, barely catching himself with one arm near Jared’s shoulder. Desperate to regain control, Reese reached down and pulled Jared’s hand off his cock, pushing Jared’s arms above his head, trapping him against the mattress as Reese marked his own trail up Jared’s lean, muscled arms.
When he reached the leather cuff encircling Jared’s left wrist, Reese pulled his head back and looked at Jared, an unspoken question hovering between
them.
Jared drew in a stuttered breath, his brows coming together in nervous concentration. Reese bent his head to kiss him again, silently reassuring Jared that he didn’t need to be completely naked for Reese to want to fuck him, take him, love him.
Reese felt a tug on the back of his hair, and his eyes widened, watching in awe as Jared grasped his right hand and fitted it over the leather bracelet. Using the tangle of their fingers together, Jared unhooked his cuff, anxiously watching Reese’s face as the braided adornment fell away.
Even in the dark room Reese could see the puffy skin of Jared’s wrist, shining in the moonlight, still inflamed even years after its torment. The scar that marked where Jared’s stain used to be was a bright sheen of pink standing in contrast to Jared’s tanned forearm, the striking disparity a taboo marking in and of itself. Jared turned his face away, unable to watch as Reese took in his scar.
Traction: A m/m romance novel (Renegades & Rescues Book 1) Page 18
