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A soft sigh slipped from Royce and he picked up his gun. He carefully shoved it into the holster at his side. “Even if your problems turn out to be worse than mine, I’m not going anywhere. You were there when shit went sideways for me. And you were there for Sven when he lost Geoffrey. Your friends aren’t going anywhere.”
“Thanks, Royce.”
Clapping his hand on Dom’s shoulder, Royce smirked. “Don’t miss a chance at happiness because you’re worrying about what could be. Not what is. If shit hits the fan, we can handle it.”
Dom nodded and watched his friend leave.
Was Royce right?
There was little doubt in Dom’s mind that his brother was in town. He might have taught others their secret code, but just the arrogance of the message screamed James.
But even if James wrote the message, it wasn’t necessarily directed at him. No, if James was sending him a message, it would have been far more direct. And threatening.
If the message wasn’t directed at him, then there was a very good chance that James had no idea that he was in Cincinnati or even alive. He was worrying over nothing. And potentially wasting his shot at happiness with Abe. That he couldn’t accept.
Taking a deep breath, Dom felt some of the weight fall off his shoulders. The pressure on his chest eased, and the jitteriness in his legs finally lessened. He’d be careful. Keep his head down. James would never know he existed, and he’d focus on winning Abe over.Chapter Four“Do me a favor, and don’t leave me alone with a blatherskite.”
Abe lifted an eyebrow as they walked down Race Street to where they were meeting Trent Elrige for dinner between takes. The street had been roped off and large chunks of Washington Park had been cordoned off by the film crew that had been shooting in front of the massive, red brick façade of Cincinnati Music Hall that afternoon. Crowds still milled around the edges, people hoping for glimpses of the actors and actresses. Besides Trent, there were three other big names in this production and apparently, they were all in Cincinnati now for a particular scene, so the place bustled with activity.
“You’re expecting that on a movie set?”
“You know what it means?” Dom skirted a couple of people wearing walkie-talkie headsets.
“Are you assuming I don’t?” Abe snorted and pointed to his head. “Think there’s nothing going on up here? That I’m just a man who works with his hands?”
“I would give anything to know how you work with your hands.” Dom gave an exaggerated shudder and nearly ran into a frantic woman carrying a couple of tall coffees. She shot him a glare and took off. Dom laughed softly, but it didn’t hold the usual merriment. They walked a few more feet before Dom knocked him gently with his shoulder. “What was it you were saying about your hands?”
Abe shook his head and smiled. He was so screwed. “I suppose I can show you how I carve wood, but really, how exciting is that?”
“And now you’re assuming I wouldn’t watch you,” Dom growled at him. “Be nice or I’ll absquatulate.”
He groaned. “Someone needs to take away your Word a Day calendar.”
Dom snickered.
The banter felt good. Abe had noticed something was up with Dom the second he’d climbed inside his car, and he much preferred this over that unnatural quiet he’d been earlier. On the drive, the urge to put his hand on Dom’s thigh and squeeze for comfort had been so hard to resist, he’d had to curl his hand into a fist on his lap.
This wasn’t good. Not good at all. He was getting attached, and it didn’t feel like he was keeping Dom in the friend zone, where he wanted him. Any more and he was looking to get his heart broken.
Not for the first time, Abe wished he was the type to find casual sex easy and fun, because he was fast reaching a point where he wanted…no, needed…to know what Dom’s skin felt like. How he smelled and tasted. He glanced at him, loving the way his auburn hair shone in the plethora of lights filling the area.
He should have said no to this outing, but turning down a chance to be on a real movie set, a chance to meet Trent Elrige, would have been crazy.
Oh, who the fuck was he kidding? He just wanted to be with Dom.
“There’s Trent now,” Dom said, grabbing his attention as he picked up speed and waved.
The Clooney lookalike came toward them and his easy smile at Dom made Abe feel a little something he was not familiar with. He wouldn’t call it jealousy exactly—more like discomfort at the way his eyes sparkled when he looked at the bodyguard.
When that gaze turned to him, then locked on, Abe slowed his walk. Why the hell was the very famous Trent Elrige staring at him so hard? Did he have a smudge on his face or what? When they reached him, Trent nodded at Dom like they were having some sort of telepathic conversation. He waggled his brows.
