by Noah Harris
“How’d you know it was me?”
Michael sighed. “Because only you would be lurking around in my backyard at this time of night,well, and I was told to expect you.”
“That’s it, you deduced it was me? Doesn’t sound very safe.”
It was Michael’s turn to roll his eyes. “I could also smell you as soon as I opened the door.”
“You know my scent already?” Adrian asked in surprise.
“Answer my question, Adrian,” Michael growled.
A little disarmed by that piece of information, Adrian glanced down at his feet to remember why he was standing there. “Ah— Oh, right. So you should probably work on your security at home too.”
Michael raised a brow. “Apparently, since I have an omega crawling around the yard without any of the motion detectors going off until he waves like he’s at a concert.”
Adrian pointed at his feet. “No, this is what I meant.”
Michael descended from the deck, walking until he stood next to Adrian. “What am I looking at?”
“See how the grass has dew on it?” Adrian asked.
“Yes, that happens when it cools down,” Michael replied dryly.
Adrian pointed at a patch near the lattice work. “Except these parts here are completely free of dew. And I mean, I can’t claim it’s necessarily because of anything specific, but the lattice is damp at parts here, where there’s no dampness on any of the other sections.”
“And your point?” Michael asked slowly.
Adrian reached out, pushing the lattice he had been pointing at back with ease. “My point is that someone has been getting under your deck and probably hiding out under there. There’s also a lot of thin parts on the other side of your hedge, so I’m guessing they’ve been peering through it as well.”
Michael’s expression clouded. “And just how long do you think this has been going on?”
“Well, unless they were stupid enough to set up a little den under there, it would be impossible to say,” Adrian said with a shrug.
“You seem to know a great deal about lurking around someone’s personal property.”
Adrian grinned. “I also happen to know how to break into someone’s home after I’ve watched them long enough to learn their habits, passcodes, and all that juicy security information.”
Michael sighed. “Then it seems I’m in need of a change of, well, everything.”
“You don’t happen to use the same company for your home that you use for security in your other businesses, do you?”
Michael hesitated. “I might.”
“Change them. Doesn’t hurt to make your security info less centralized, it might not stop anyone, but hey, it makes their workload double.”
“Well, apparently I need to make a few changes. Would you like a drink?” Michael asked as he turned to climb the stairs.
Adrian followed the alpha, only then realizing that Michael had stripped himself of his suit jacket as well as his socks and shoes. Thinking of the businessman walking around outside in his bare feet, still wearing the dress pants and formal shirt, made him smile. As they entered the house and Michael turned to enter another room down a short hallway, Adrian noticed that his tie was loosened, askew on his neck.
“Not expecting any company?” Adrian asked as he gazed around what looked like a large dining room.
Michael’s voice floated out from the hallway. “No, I try to not have too many people in my home if I can manage it.”
“I guess you get enough of people in one day to last you a lifetime,” Adrian said as he leaned in to investigate the kitchen.
“I deal with people constantly, and while I am good at it, and at times thrive on it, I appreciate having a space that I can call my own,” Michael called back.
The kitchen was a lot like the dining room. The rooms, much like Michael’s office, were designed with natural colors and materials in mind. There were no real doors, only wide doorways that allowed the rooms to flow together. Each room was comfortably small, each piece of furniture or artwork seemingly chosen with great care to evoke a sense of home.
“Finding any clues?” Michael asked suddenly, from behind Adrian.
Adrian spun around, trying to cover his surprise at Michael’s reappearance. “Honestly? I was just being really nosy.”
Michael held out a glass holding amber liquid. “I can give you a tour any time, if you wish. I don’t bring many people here and my pack is already quite familiar with it, so I have no need to show off.”
“You know, despite how much money you probably make, you don’t really strike me as the type to show off,” Adrian said as he accepted the glass.
“And who should I be showing my home off to? If I need to entertain, I own a few expensive nightclubs, restaurants, and I could always rent a nice hall in a hotel if it came to it. My office and my home are the only places I have left that I can count as mine alone.”
Adrian hummed at the pleasant, mellow taste of the liquor. “You own how much? Wouldn’t all that count as being yours?”
Michael gave him an amused smile. “I wouldn’t call that mine. My name may be on the deed, and I may have the last say in how things are done, but a business is never just the property of the owner. It is as beholden to others as, well, I suppose as beholden as I am.”
“Feeling a little stretched out?”
Michael was watching the alcohol in his glass as he spoke. “I suppose, in a way I am. It comes with the territory. I am the captain of the ship that is my pack and territory. I am used to the standard repairs that such a large, complex machine needs, and I’m used to handling it alone.”
“Don’t you have a pack to help?” Adrian asked.
“In a manner. My pack is well-ordered and spread out. They are, of course, invaluable and provide the same sort of support that I’m sure you can count upon within your own pack. They are the managers and supervisors in my businesses and they all do their jobs admirably. But when it comes down to it, I am alone. I am the one pulled in dozens of different directions, who must choose for everyone else,” Michael said softly.
Adrian frowned, never having seen Michael seem so vulnerable. “Hey, you okay?”
Michael shook himself, smiling politely. “I seem to have wandered off into my own thoughts. It has been a long week and I suppose it will only get longer. This whole business has admittedly put a sour taste in my mouth.”
“Can’t say I blame you, but you’re doing better than I would be. If I was worried about a leak in the ship, I don’t think I’d be as calm as you,” Adrian said as he took another drink.
Michael chuckled ruefully. “Yes, a leak, that’s apt. You can be honest here in the privacy and security of my home. It feels a little easier to bear, even if it is here that it all hits me. One of my own may very well be a traitor and that is why I brought you in.”
Adrian hesitated before attempting a smile. “Well, it’s not all that secure, since you’ve got someone sneaking through your yard to spy on you.”
“Are you capable of taking anything seriously?” Michael asked, suddenly seeming annoyed.
Adrian deflated. “I’m sorry. I don’t know how to handle seeing you acting so not big bad, tough, and in control alpha. I’ve been trying to get a reaction out of you ever since we met. Well, one that wasn’t just a little frown or a roll of your eyes. Now that you’re actually having real emotion about something, and something I didn’t do, I don’t know how to handle it.”
“Are you trying to tell me that you lack empathy?” Michael asked in what sounded like vague amusement.
Adrian frowned. “Hey! I can be empathetic! Like, I get you, I understand, I wouldn’t want to be in the position you’re in. If I had to think that maybe someone like Liam or Marcus were trying to screw over my pack, I’d feel like absolute shit. I’d feel like I was the one betraying them for even thinking that they might be willing to turn on one of us or sell one of us out for their own good. I’d be pissed that they ever made me suspect them in th
e first place and it would sting like a bitch to think that they would go through with it. I just don’t know how to make it better for you, that’s the kind of thing Max would do. All I can do is pat you on the shoulder and tell you that I promise I’m going to do everything I can to find answers for you.”
Michael considered that for a moment, before a small smile formed at the corner of his mouth. “I think you might just.”
Adrian paused, a little surprised by the sheer confidence in Michael’s voice. “You do?”
Michael turned with a chuckle. “Yes, I think you will. Otherwise, why would I have requested you specifically?”
Adrian hesitated. “Well, I assumed that you just heard about how amazing I am.”
Michael chuckled at his cockiness. “Sure, you have a reputation as a capable man, but it’s not hard to get people to talk for you. And yes, Eli was more than willing to speak of your capabilities. You were even willing to show off, what, twice now? So, I suppose you could say that I’ve already been able to see you in action as well.”
“I’m getting the feeling that there’s more to this explanation than you’re letting on,” Adrian said as he followed Michael into the living room.
“There just might be,” Michael said with that small smile still on his face.
“And you’re not going to tell me what it is, are you?” Adrian asked in exasperation.
Michael sat himself in a plush leather chair. “I’m hoping that one day soon, you might figure that out for yourself.”
Adrian eyed his now empty glass. “If you’re going to pull the same mystery man bullshit that Eli was pulling on me earlier, then I’m going to need more than this to drink.”
Michael motioned to a nearby ottoman, where a closed laptop sat. “If you’re going to be sorting through facts and figures, I imagine you’d like a clear head.”
Adrian snorted, moving to sit on the chair in front of the ottoman. “Giving me full access to all your juicy secrets?”
“I thought it might be better for you to sort through all the relevant information of the recent business dealings that I attempted and failed at, rather than have me explain them. Eli assured me that you had the mind for that sort of thing,” Michael said slowly.
Adrian opened the computer and let it boot it up. “What, don’t believe him?”
Michael snorted softly. “If there’s anything that I’ve learned, it’s that the most unlikely people can have the greatest breadth of knowledge. The truth of the matter is, for all my and your pack leader’s faith in your abilities, I don’t actually know what your skillset contains. Beyond getting into places that you have no business being in, that is.”
Adrian grinned as he spotted a sole folder on the screen, clicking on it to open it. “Let’s see here… Shit, what exactly counts as relevant to you? Because this looks just shy of everything but the intimate details of the conversation I had with the janitor. This is pretty much everything.”
Michael shrugged. “You’ll already be digging through a great deal of my personal dealings as it is, I don’t see the point in hiding much from you. I am, of course, not being completely open, but everything about those particular deals that fell through are included in that folder. As I said, I assume you will want a clear head.”
Adrian looked over the dozens upon dozens of files and snorted. “You are thinking the complete opposite of what I’ll need. If I’m going to be going through everything here, I’m going to need a lot more alcohol.”
Michael stood up, pacing over to a large cabinet and opening it to reveal several bottles. “Then by all means, help yourself.”
“You would have a fully stocked bar at home, huh?” Adrian asked with a grin.
Michael eyed him. “What, you think you’re the only one who needs a bit of a pick-me-up when it comes to dealing with paperwork? There’s hardly a night that goes by that I don’t find myself with a nightcap in hand while dealing with the figures they love to throw at me.”
“You know, you could always get someone else to go through the bullshit for you and give you the simplified version.”
Michael nodded. “I could, but then I wouldn’t be the one making the decisions anymore, now would I? People can lie, they can bend the truth, and they can manipulate facts. Numbers, however, numbers don’t lie.”
“They can if the person writing them down makes them lie,” Adrian pointed out.
“Know a little something about bending the truth?” Michael asked neutrally.
Adrian smiled humorlessly. “In my line of work, you learn to leave your morals at the door on occasion.”
“Does it work?”
Adrian thought about giving him a snarky response but shrugged instead. “Only when I’m doing it to protect my pack, otherwise I just feel like a shithead who’s trying to make some spare money.”
Michael nodded, turning his attention back to the cabinet full of liquor. “Brandy or bourbon?”
“Bourbon,” Adrian replied, thinking he was going to need something with a rougher kick to pull an all-nighter looking at reports.
“A fine choice,” Michael said in a friendly tone.
Adrian watched Michael come closer, tensing when he was close enough that the alpha’s smell filled Adrian’s senses. “Thanks.”
Michael seemed to notice the shift in Adrian’s stance, but didn’t comment on it as he set the bottle down on a nearby table “You are most welcome. I’ll remain out here if you don’t mind. I have terrible sleep habits and I might as well get some reading done tonight instead of brooding over my problems.”
Adrian smiled at his attitude. “Let me guess, books on how to make people like you and want to sell you their business?”
Michael sat on the end of the couch, picking a thick novel up from the table next to him. “As if the rest of my life isn’t filled to the brim with that sort of thing.”
Adrian eyed the cover of a recently popular horror novel and grinned. “Well, I guess I missed the mark on that one.”
Michael turned his attention to the now open novel. “Yes, and I imagine my reading will be more enjoyable than your own.”
Adrian looked down at the first file he opened, watching the words and numbers appear on the screen, thinking, not for first time that night, Michael was right.
Chapter 5
Adrian waited in the alley next to a small coffee shop as a police cruiser pulled up to park beside the sidewalk. A dark-haired man, about Adrian’s height, stepped out of the car. The officer’s dark eyes never hesitated as they swept over the street, skimming right past where Adrian hid in the early morning shadows.
Adrian grinned as he watched his packmate walk toward the coffee shop. He was already thinking of the various ways he could tease Marcus for not spotting him. If there was one thing Adrian enjoyed, it was giving the normally stoic and serious alpha a difficult time.
He waited a few moments before walking out of the alleyway and taking what he hoped was a more careful inventory than Marcus had. Marcus wasn’t just a member of Adrian’s pack, he was also a cop. Adrian never knew who might be watching him, and not all of his contacts would be okay with him being seen talking to a cop. It hadn’t stopped Adrian from crashing on Marcus’ couch in the past, but that was entirely different from showing up and having coffee him in public.
Adrian entered the shop, taking a deep, appreciative whiff of the smell of fresh coffee as he looked around. Marcus was sitting in a booth by himself, coffee in one hand and phone in the other. Adrian was there to talk to Marcus, but it didn’t mean he couldn’t enjoy a cup of coffee. It almost made him laugh when Marcus still didn’t notice Adrian’s voice as he placed his order.
Grinning, Adrian waited for his coffee before moving over to where Marcus sat. Just as it had been a few weeks since he last saw Eli and Hunter, it had been almost as long since the last time he’d seen Marcus. His packmate at least looked like he was getting more sleep, and Adrian would even say that the man looked almost handsome since he wasn�
��t scowling.
As Adrian approached the table, Marcus spoke without looking up from his phone. “And what can I do for you now, Adrian?”
Adrian’s steps faltered. “How’d you know it was me?”
Marcus’ finger moved the image on his screen slowly. “You really think I didn’t see you outside? You’re slick, but you’re not so slick that you can hide in broad daylight.”
“Never had that problem before,” Adrian huffed.
Marcus looked up from his phone, smirking. “And maybe it’s just because I know you and I hear your smartass thoughts from a mile away.”
“You know, Eli and Hunter acted the same way when they saw me. I might start to suspect that you guys don’t miss me very much when I’m gone,” Adrian said with a pout.
“We always know you’ll pop back up, ready to start some trouble. Or call us when you’re the one in trouble.”
Adrian rolled his eyes. “I had you guys bail me out of jail that one time and I’ve never heard the end of it.”
“It was more than once. But if the one time you’re referring to is that riot you helped start, then yeah, you’re not going to hear the end of it anytime soon,” Marcus said dryly.
“It was a bar fight that just…got out of control…a little,” Adrian protested weakly.
Marcus gave him a disbelieving look. “It spilled out into the street until over twenty people were involved. Storefront windows were broken, cars were set on fire.”
“Well, I didn’t set them on fire!” Adrian said indignantly.
Marcus shook his head. “And everyone in the bar said that you were the one who started the original fight, so yeah, you got arrested.”
Adrian huffed. “And you cop boys got to arrest that dealer you were just aching to take down for even an expired parking ticket so you could ‘rightfully’ root through his stuff. So, I consider it doing you a favor.”
“You’re gonna try to tell me that you did it for that reason?” Marcus asked doubtfully.
It had, in fact, been the reason, but Adrian hadn’t and wouldn’t own up to it so easily. “And here I thought that you could trust me when I tried to help you out. I see how it is, from now on, I just won’t help you.”
