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Harry pressed closer. “I’ll be sure to remember that.”

“Why don’t all of you go home?” Kevin said. “I can get the floor cleaned.”

“Yes,” Spook said. “Jeremy and I can stay as well and finish up what needs to be done. The rest of you should go home and get some rest for a few hours. It’s going to be a long night, and we’re all going to have to be on our toes. There are going to be people who’ll be very surprised that we’re open, and we need to be on the watch for them. So far the incident has been kept quiet, and we need to listen for who might know more than they should.”

“He’s right,” Bull agreed. “We need rest and quiet if we’re going to make it through the night.”

“So we’ll stay here, and you guys rest.” Spook turned to Chuck. “You should get some rest too, man. They’re going to need you behind the bar tonight.”

Chuck wobbled, and Tristan thought it might have been from surprise. Spook rarely talked to anyone else who worked at the club. “S… sure.”

“Don’t let him intimidate you, Chuck,” Jeremy said. “He thinks it’s what he has to do in order to hide his normally sweet nature.” He laughed and dodged when Spook lunged for him, and the two of them ended up in an embrace as close as Tristan and Harry’s.

“I’ll be back just before opening,” Chuck said. “I threw out everything that was left over and reprepped, so we’re all set, and it’s all fresh. Should I call anyone?”

“Does the bar staff know what happened?”

Chuck answered Bull’s question. “I don’t think so.”

“Good. Then tell them nothing. See who asks questions and who doesn’t. The place is going to smell and appear different. People will notice that. Keep note of who asks what and see if there’s anything to find out. I’m going to do the same thing with the security staff.”

“You think someone….”

“They knew exactly how long they could be here. That took inside knowledge. Shit, I should have thought of that before.” Bull began pacing across the floor. “We’ve been helping the police with their problem, but what if we have one here?” He turned around. “I’m not saying there is, but it’s a possibility we need to consider.”

“Bull, I know we’ve been through a lot of stuff, but isn’t that a little far-fetched? Every alarm has a delay. All they needed to do is play on that,” Harry explained.

“It’s possible, but we need to be sure.” Bull yawned.

Zach took his hand. “Come on, big guy. Let’s get home and rest for a few hours. I’ll make sure you’re back in time to do your usual big bad bouncer routine.”

“Dammit,” Bull swore at Zach. “You’re killing my image.”

“That happened a long time ago with this group,” Zach countered, not fazed in the least. “Now let’s go home, and if you’re good….” Zach whispered something in Bull’s ear, and it must have been good, because the man, whose nickname was the most appropriate Tristan had ever seen or heard, shivered and then smiled.

“We should go too,” Tristan prompted.

“Thanks for watching things,” Harry said to Spook and Jeremy and then turned to Chuck. “Come on. You need to rest too. You’ve been amazing through this. Way above and beyond.” Harry motioned for Chuck to go in front of them. “We’ll be right behind you.”

“Where are you going?” Tristan asked when Harry released him and walked toward the office.

“I’m going to clear things up in the office, and then I’ll be right out.” Harry hurried away, and Tristan crossed his arms over his chest, tapping his foot while he waited for Harry.

“You’re so funny when you do that,” Jeremy commented from behind him and then bumped his shoulder. “It’s cool that you found someone, and I’m glad it’s Harry. Zach told me that Bull told him that Harry has liked you for a long time.”

Tristan shook his head. “You sound like a high school girl.”

Jeremy bumped his shoulder again. “Puh-lease, I do not. And it’s obvious he makes you happy.”

“Yeah, he does,” Tristan said, chewing on his lower lip. “But….”

“What? He likes you, and you like him.”

“Yeah, but I thought the same thing with Eddie.”

“Except—” Jeremy bumped him harder, and Tristan stepped to maintain his balance. “You’re such a doofus sometimes. Eddie never met your friends, and he tried to keep you to himself. He was a freak, and Harry’s really nice. A little serious and businesslike rather than a partier, but he’s nice. So what has you freaked?”

“I’m. Not. Freaked.”

“Yes, you are. You’re tapping your foot and biting your lower lip. You only do that when you’re worried about something. So spill it,” he added in a whisper.

“I don’t know. I really like Harry, maybe more than like him, but I was wrong about Eddie and—” He leaned closer. “Harry has gone home with lots of guys.”

“So?”

“So what if that’s what he likes and he dumps me?”

Jeremy rolled his eyes. “Duh…. Now you’re being dumb. That’s like saying that he should be afraid you will dump him and go back to dating controlling drug dealers. So he saw a bunch of guys—you went home with a few before you met Eddie and one a few months ago.”

“Don’t remind me. That was….” Tristan shivered.

“I tried to warn you,” Jeremy said with a grin that showed he was way too fucking pleased with himself. “Just be happy and don’t worry about stuff like that. Harry has had eyes for you for a while, so see where it leads and don’t freak out about stuff.” Jeremy took a step away and stopped. “And stop second-guessing yourself.” He waved his hand. “It’s not attractive.”

Tristan huffed. “Neither is that, ya flamer.”

Jeremy wriggled his butt at him and laughed as he walked to where Spook was moving the tables to one side. Tristan expected a comeback, but then Harry came up behind him. He didn’t even have to look to know it was Harry. His scent and the way he touched him were plenty. The door closed, and Harry leaned close. “Let’s get out of here for a bit and lie down.” The way Harry kissed his neck told him they most likely weren’t going to get a lot of sleep.

H
ARRY
WASN
’
T
particularly keen on leaving the club. He wanted to stay and watch over things, but his friends were right. He needed rest if he was ever going to make it past two in the morning after the night and day they’d just had. Thank God their friends—well, Tristan’s friends mostly—had shown up and pitched in. The club would open on time. It would be a little rough around the edges in places, but they would open and send a message to whoever had attacked them that they were strong and wouldn’t be intimidated. That was good.

What wasn’t as positive was the way Tristan sat quietly in the passenger seat of his car, not really moving. He’d been quiet for the whole ride, and Harry was starting to worry.

“I talked to Officer Douglas while you were in the office,” Tristan finally said.

“About what?”

“Just stuff,” Tristan answered quickly. “He said… that the way I feel is normal and that I’m a victim.”

Harry nodded and pulled to a stop in front of his house. “We all were today. There’s no shame in being the victim of a crime or in what Eddie did to you. It’s not something you should be ashamed of or feel guilty about.”

“But I can’t help it. Officer Douglas said it was normal, and I guess if I want to get over it, I have to stop blaming myself for what keeps happening.” Tristan opened his door and got out of the car. Harry wasn’t quite sure what was going on, but he got out as well and followed Tristan as he shuffled up to the front door. “But so much has happened. Drug dealers have shown up in your club, they broke in…. So why—” Tristan cut himself off abruptly.

“What are you asking?” Harry reached out and gently took Tristan’s arm. “If you’re worth it?”

Tristan nodded. “I mean, how can I be? I’ve brought a mess into your life, and you’ve just let me. You’ve been there and even acted gentlemanly and stuff. I guess I don’t understand.”

“That’s what happens when you’re there for someone. And you have nothing to feel guilty about because you haven’t done anything wrong. I know I’ve said that before, but I’m going to keep saying it until it sinks in.”

“That’s what Officer Douglas said. That people who have been in… he used the phrase unhealthy relationships, often feel this way. He made me promise I’d let go of the guilt, and he promised he wouldn’t feel guilty about what that other officer is doing. I know it sounds kind of dumb, but I think we had a moment.”

A slight pang of jealousy stabbed at Harry’s gut for a second and then faded. “Did it help?”

“I think so.” Tristan turned to him. “You don’t blame me, do you?” Tristan held up a finger. “I mean, I know you’ll say you don’t blame me because that’s what you’re supposed to say. But deep down, you don’t blame me, right?”

Fuck, the longing in Tristan’s eyes nearly knocked his legs out from under him. “Of course I don’t blame you. I blame your asshole ex, and when I get the chance, I’m going to nail him to the wall.”

“Stay away from him,” Tristan said vehemently. “He’s
dangerous, and I don’t want anything to happen to you.” The near panic in Tristan’s voice took Harry slightly by surprise. It probably shouldn’t have, given what Eddie had shown he was capable of. “I don’t. I can take a lot. I’m stronger than most people give me credit for, but I can’t even bear to think about something happening to you.”

“Come on.” Harry took Tristan’s hand and led the way up to the front door. He unlocked it and guided him inside. As soon as the door was closed and locked, he turned and pulled Tristan into his arms. “I can say the same about you.” Damn, he’d waited so long to have Tristan in his arms, and he felt so damned right. He meant to guide Tristan up the stairs, but they only made it as far as the sofa.

A soft hiss greeted them. Tristan stiffened, and Harry released him and lifted his cat into his arms. “We didn’t mean to scare you,” he said to Butterscotch. Then he turned to Tristan. “I’m going to feed her. Why don’t you go upstairs, and I’ll be right up.”

Tristan’s eyes were still wide, but he slowly reached out. Harry moved closer, and Tristan slid his hand along Butterscotch’s haunch. He petted her a few times and then withdrew his hand. It was progress of a sort, so Harry didn’t push it. He wasn’t particularly happy with the interruption, but he did need to get the cat fed, and both he and Tristan needed some rest.

Harry heard Tristan climb the stairs as he pulled the tab open on a can of cat food. He placed it in the cat dish and made sure there was fresh water before following Tristan up the stairs. He found him on the guest room bed, lying on his back with his eyes closed. A sigh worthy of Christ on the cross broke the silence. “Tris,” Harry whispered.

“I feel like such a wuss sometimes.” Tristan rolled onto his side. “What kind of guy is scared to pet a cat?”

“You don’t like cats. So what? The thing is, you did pet her, and she liked it. Butterscotch is an attention slut… well, at least she wants attention when she wants attention. It’s a cat thing. But it doesn’t matter. I’ve hated spiders ever since I had a really big one crawling on me when I was a kid.”

“I guess I keep wondering what’s going to stop making you like me.”

Damn. Harry hadn’t really thought about the differences in their ages, but that single comment brought it into high relief. Tristan was young. Not that that was bad, but it meant the two of them were going to look at things very differently. “Things don’t work that way.”

“They seemed to with my parents. Everything was fine until my mom went back to work when I was a kid, and after that they fought all the time, or they seemed to. It wasn’t even about her work. They fought over stupid things like who was going to do the laundry.”

Harry sat on the edge of the bed and listened.

“They fought and had fits over who would do the dishes and clean the house. Mom was working, and Dad still expected her to do that stuff, and all they did was fight.”

“Tris, you know that what they were fighting over was just the triggers. If they did things like that, then there were bigger problems, and everything wasn’t as fine as you thought.”

Tristan rolled to face him. “Maybe. But it seemed that way. Mom got this job, and she really loved it. She sold real estate, and she worked hard and got very good. After a while, her work took more and more of her time. I guess that’s when the fights started, because she didn’t have time around the house anymore.”

“Maybe,” Harry said. “Or it could have been that your dad was hurt because your mom wasn’t spending as much time with him. The thing is, one little thing isn’t going to change the way I feel about you. I don’t know your parents, and I certainly didn’t when you were a kid, but I can tell you not to worry about things so much.” Harry kicked off his shoes and scooched Tristan over on the bed, and then he lay down and turned onto his side to face Tristan. “We aren’t your parents, and you don’t need to worry that you’ll do something that will make me stop caring about you.” Harry slid his hand over Tristan’s chest, using his nimble fingers to unfasten the buttons on his shirt.

The triangle displaying Tristan’s golden skin grew larger and larger. Harry shifted closer and used two fingers to gently turn Tristan’s face toward him. He stared into his eyes and didn’t move. Tristan was gorgeous, and pure white-hot desire ran through him from head to toe.