“Seth, don’t listen to
him
. Listen to me. I’m Dylan, remember? We talked last night in the dark. We are going to get out of here. Just listen to my voice and hang on.”
The boy on the bed glanced toward the voice and nodded. He looked innocent, lost. The Protector would find him. “I know what you need.”
“Seth, listen to my voice. We’re going to live. Do you hear me? Just hang on. Someone will find us.”
The boy nodded again, tears streaming down his cheeks.
“We’re going to go home. You just have to be strong until then. Just hang on. I promise we’re going home.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Walter hung up the phone, closed his laptop’s lid, and set it on the couch beside him. He checked the clock on the fireplace mantel. He’d been at it for hours now, looking for any connections between Prescott and Eubank Industries. Since all that mattered to him at this point was saving the lives of the missing men, he’d drawn on his resources from his business as well as Tucker’s contacts to gain access to corporate files, e-mail accounts, and personal records. He’d also called several men and women who’d worked with Prescott in the fire department over the years.
Then he’d hacked into Prescott’s banking records. That’s when he’d finally learned something useful and when he’d made the call to Gibson—the only cop he trusted with the information.
Charlie trotted into the room and hopped onto the couch.
Walter pointed at the dog. “Thought I told you to stay with him until he woke up.”
In response, Charlie gave a lick to the ends of Walter’s fingers.
“I know. You’re hungry.” He patted his head. “You did good keeping an eye on him. Come on.” In the kitchen, he poured Charlie food and fresh water.
Kevin had been asleep since he’d finally dozed off after six a.m. Following his outburst in the hall, Walter had made them something to eat, and then together they’d dug into researching the Eubank family and their business. Before long Kevin’s eyes had started drifting shut. Walter had taken him to bed, stripped him of his clothes, and held him close until Kevin offered up a slight snore with each breath. He’d been asleep ever since, but he’d also tossed and turned as if he couldn’t keep Prescott from his dreams.
Walter wasn’t about to wake him until he surfaced on his own.
Walter would’ve slept more than a couple of hours himself if he hadn’t been determined to track down the missing men before Henderson completely fucked up the case. And before Prescott decided he needed to do away with any evidence, including Dylan, Seth, and the others.
The doorbell rang. Walter checked the security camera of his building’s entryway and smiled at the man on the screen. A surprise reaction. He hadn’t expected he’d be sporting anything close to a smile that day. He hit the intercom. “Come on up.” A moment later he opened the door and said, “Get in here.”
Luke stepped inside and returned the smile. “You’re looking good.”
“You’re quite the liar.” Running on barely any sleep, Walter had to look like shit. He hadn’t even shaved, and the dark stubble had a dusting of silver that matched his hair.
“Seriously, you look ten years younger.” Luke held up his hands. “Not that you ever looked old. Haven’t seen you in a while, so I thought I’d stop by.”
“You checking up on me?”
“You usually need checking up on.”
They both laughed at that. Walter had spent nearly a year keeping tabs on Luke before Luke had finally let go of his fears and settled into a new life, and a new relationship. Even if that relationship was by most people’s standards unconventional at best, Walter had known from the minute he heard about the threesome that it was exactly what his friend needed.
If anyone looked years younger, it was Luke. He wore his brown hair a little longer than usual, and his face no longer held the closed-off expression of a man constantly on alert. He looked at ease as he took a seat on the couch. Maybe he’d found the secret to the fountain of youth: sleeping with two men at once. Or maybe it was something else altogether, something Walter was fairly sure he’d found with the man asleep in his bedroom.
“What’s up with the goon squad in the hall?” Luke asked. “Richard said there was some shit going on with the Haven, but I didn’t know it was aimed at you.”
Walter sat in the chair across from him. “They’re not here for me. I’ve been looking into a few issues for Vargas.”
“I heard he had to shut down the club.”
Walter raised an eyebrow. “Did you try to stop by?”
“God, no. Not without Richard and Matthew.”
“Good to know you haven’t lost your senses.”
Luke flashed a grin, and then his expression grew serious. “Is it bad?”
“There are men missing. Maybe worse than missing.”
“Anything I can do?”
“The police are involved now, and I’m still looking into it. I told Richard that Matthew shouldn’t go to the Haven, but you should make sure he talked to him. This guy is fixating on younger men. Following them outside the club.”
“Richard already made him swear he’d stay away from the place.”
“Good. Last night someone else was taken.”
“Shit.” Luke considered Walter, studied him. “There’s something you’re not saying.”
“Stop that.”
“What?”
“Being all wise and knowing. That’s my job.” Walter sighed and leaned forward, elbows on his knees. He ran a hand through his hair. He really had to quit doing that. It reminded him of the gray yet again. Charlie came barreling into the room from the kitchen and went straight for Luke, tail wagging. He sniffed Luke’s shoes all over, then sprinted to the chair and jumped into Walter’s lap.
“Did you finally hear we had company?” Walter shifted him around so Charlie lounged half on the chair, half on his lap, front paws resting on his thigh. He rubbed him behind an ear.
“Uh.” Luke pointed at Charlie. “That’s a dog.”
“Yeah.”
“You’re talking to him.”
“Yeah.”
“When did you get a dog?”
“He belongs to one of the missing club members. There was no one to take him.”
Luke kept staring at him.
“What?”
A smirk hit Luke’s lips. “Matthew was right. You’re seeing someone, and it’s serious.”
“You’re an asshole.”
“Just returning the favor.”
“I’m not sure if serious is the right word.” Yeah, he was. He just wasn’t sure if serious was what it
should
be.
Luke sat back. The smug, satisfied grin grew. “About time. What’s his name?”
Another long-drawn-out sigh and Walter gave in. “Kevin. He’s a reporter with the
Daily Voice
.” He switched to rubbing Charlie’s other ear. “He’s smart and adorable and kind of a spaz, and I might be addicted to him.” He shook his head. “But it can’t go anywhere.”
“Why not?”
“He’s young.”
“How young?”
“Younger than you.”
“That’s not too bad.”
He met Luke’s stare. “I’m older than his father.”
“Oh.” The grin was gone, and Luke shrugged. “Does it really matter?”
“I think it does. He’s closeted.” He paused. “And klutzy. And smart. And did I mention fucking adorable?”
“Wow. I’ve never seen you like this. You’re falling for him.”
Falling? Try already landed. Hard. “He’s letting himself be with a man for the first time in his life. He doesn’t need some old guy clamping on. He needs to get out in the world and explore what he’s feeling.”
“It’s not about whether he’s out or new or any of that shit. You’re pissed because you’re feeling something for him and you didn’t think you’d feel this way for anyone again.”
Walter threw him a glare. “Sometimes I miss the old Luke.”
“Sure you do. The old Luke would’ve told you to pick up someone even younger and fuck his brains out.”
Walter laughed. He directed his attention back to Charlie, and the laugh died off as he fingered the pink collar. “I’m in serious trouble here.”
“Nah.” Luke stayed quiet a moment, and then he added, “No matter how much it scares you, this is a good thing. Trust me, I know.”
“This new Luke is quite annoying.”
* * * *
Kevin stood and walked the aisle of the bus, unsure when he’d decided to go to the Haven or what he’d look for when he got there. He only knew he had to go, had to save Dylan and the others, and every instinct told him the answer was at the club.
The air-conditioning was off on the downtown bus, and the heat had everyone drenched in sweat. Not the best way to ride a crowded bus. Steam rose up from the black floor of the aisle, cutting off the last of Kevin’s clean air supply, like he was in a surreal sci-fi movie. Good thing he’d be getting off at the next stop.
Someone grabbed his wrist, and he came to a halt.
The old woman who’d talked to him on his first trip to the club. She had the same creepy whisper she’d had then. “I told you he’d find you. You can’t keep him from wanting you, from coming for you, from keeping you forever. He’s obsessed with you.”
Guess he should’ve listened to her the first time.
It didn’t matter now. Kevin wasn’t turning back. He inched away from her, keeping his back toward the front of the bus. A second person clasped his arm from behind. Kevin swung around. Prescott stood before him, his huge frame blocking the narrow aisle.
Kevin tried to back up, but Prescott had a firm hold on him. The brightness of day faded around them until the sky out the windows turned black as night. The air cooled, the sweat turning to ice on Kevin’s skin in an instant.
“You’re mine.” A puff of frigid air blew out of Prescott’s mouth with the words.
“I’m not yours.” Kevin yanked free and took a step backward, then another, never taking his eyes off Prescott. “Where are they? What have you done with them?”
Prescott crept forward in slow, deliberate strides, the bulk of his body barely fitting between the seats. He hadn’t seemed this enormous at the Haven.
“He will never find them,” Prescott said as he kept coming at Kevin. “He will never find you.”
“Walter?” Three people sat to the right of Kevin, blocking the window. He checked the other side. Same thing. He’d have to crawl over everyone to get out that way. Prescott would grab him before he made it. He kept backing up. “If you take me with you, Walter will find me.” Kevin had no doubts about that. None.
His calves hit the door to the emergency exit at the rear of the bus.
Prescott stopped and smirked. He grabbed ahold of Kevin by the upper arms and tugged him forward into an embrace. The rank scent of his body odor engulfed Kevin. The frigid grip of Prescott’s arms tightened around him.
He didn’t want anyone else holding him like this. Just Walter. Kevin squirmed.
He thrashed from side to side, kicking the blankets off in the process. He bolted upright, breathing heavily.
A dream. A too-realistic, creepy-ass dream. Kevin could still smell Prescott, still feel his icy touch.
Kevin searched the bed beside him, needing to feel Walter there with him. His hand found nothing but an empty sheet.
He lay back.
Just a stupid dream.
Or not so stupid. Prescott had said he was coming for him. But when? How?
Kevin gave up on more sleep and slid out of the bed. He pulled on a pair of underwear and stepped into the hall. Walter’s voice drifted out from the living room. Probably making more calls.
Holding nothing back, Kevin moved down the hall toward that deep voice he’d become addicted to. He had to apologize for the night before. He couldn’t believe he’d attacked Walter like that.
Then another man spoke. Not one of the bodyguards who’d been following him. Someone else.
Laughter filled the apartment.
Someone Walter knew well. He didn’t laugh with just anyone.
Kevin reached the end of the hall and found Walter standing beside a man in front of the apartment door. They were still laughing. The man had a hand on Walter’s shoulder, and then the two embraced, the touch unlike anything Kevin had seen any two straight men do. More personal. Intimate.
An old lover?
The guy was attractive, with gorgeous, piercing eyes. Eyes that were watching him over Walter’s shoulder. “Is this your Kevin?” Gorgeous Eyes stepped away from the embrace, too slowly for Kevin’s tastes.
Walter turned toward the hallway.
All at once, Kevin’s confidence fled. Walter was touching a former lover—an amazing-looking, closer-to-Walter’s-age former lover—while Kevin stood there in his stupid black boxers covered in giant yellow smiley faces with
have a nice day
printed underneath each.
He spun around. He had every intention of heading into the bedroom, putting on his pants, then coming back out so he could find out who this guy—who probably wore some kind of sexy underwear without ridiculous smiley faces—was and what he was doing there.
Instead of the quick, efficient walk Kevin had planned, he came to an abrupt stop as he rammed his foot into the baseboard of the hall archway, stubbing all five toes in the process.
He hopped on one foot, cradling his injured toes in both hands. He pitched forward on the next hop. His face headed for the wall and his ass for the floor.
Luckily he got stopped before his forehead smacked the wall, but he couldn’t keep from landing on his ass.
Biggest. Dork. Ever.
“Fuck.” He scrambled to get his feet under him.
“Are you okay?” Walter stood beside him. He gripped his arm and helped him stand.
Kevin shrugged off the assistance. “I’m fine.”
At this rate he’d win the world’s record for making the biggest ass of himself in front of a boyfriend’s ex. He turned away and limped down the hall. No way was he coming back out until Gorgeous Eyes was gone.
Or until Kevin could deal with the fact he’d just referred to Walter as his boyfriend.
THE BEDROOM DOOR slammed shut with a loud bang. Walter and Luke were alone again.
“Well,” Luke said. “I get the spaz comment now.” He had a teasing smirk on his lips. “And the adorable one.”
A pang of jealousy hit Walter smack in the gut. He had to remind himself Luke had enough on his plate with two men in his life. He wasn’t looking for more.