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Snow’s strong hands cupped his face and Jude shivered, longing to sink into his strength and warmth just long enough to pull himself back together, but he couldn’t bring himself to.
“Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere? Did he touch you?” Snow fired at him. His fingers tightened, strong hands sliding over his cheeks and down his neck. “Your camera slipped when you hit that asshole. Couldn’t tell if you had any other trouble.”
“No, I’m good,” Jude whispered. He forced himself to take a steadying breath, his hands coming up to rest on Snow’s waist under his coat. Even with the horror turning his worldview upside down, it seemed the general grounded him, stopped the spinning for just a moment. Jude opened his mouth to ask about Andrei, but the words never got out. Snow’s mouth instantly descended, covering his. A low groan rumbled up Jude’s throat and he leaned into the doctor, pulling their bodies tightly together so that he was swept up in Snow’s heat. His lips parted, welcoming the thrust of Snow’s tongue, as if the doctor was determined to examine him inside and out for his own peace of mind.
“Hey assholes!” snapped an angry voice far too close for Jude’s comfort. He jerked away to see the tall, scruffy-looking cop he’d met at the police station when he’d given his statement. The man was standing just a couple feet away from Snow, his hair stood up in all directions as if he’d been pulling at it. “Get the hell out of here! Back-up is on the way!”
Snow grinned tightly at the man before pulling Jude toward the black Mercedes. As they crossed the street, the driver’s door opened next to the sidewalk and Lucas stepped out, his face a harsh mask of tension and anger.
“Andrei,” Jude said in a rush. “Is he safe? Is he still in there?”
“His camera broke during a fight,” Lucas replied, his voice sharp and brittle with worry.
Snow stopped with his hand on the door handle for the backdoor, staring at his friend across the roof. “Did he get to Gratton?” Jude put his hand on Snow’s shoulder and squeezed through the heavy coat. He knew they’d all risked their lives to get their hands on Gratton, but now wasn’t the time. They needed to get Andrei out of there safely.
“Not before the camera was broken,” Lucas growled.
Jude hesitated in the open doorway, wishing there was some reassurance he could give Lucas, some plan he could offer up that would help to get Andrei back to them safely, but he had nothing. Just as he was about to climb into the backseat with Geoffrey, Lucas jerked away from them, his hand going to his ear. Jude held his breath, waiting.
Lucas cursed softly, but there was a feeling of relief to the word. “Never again, baby.” His voice shook and his shoulders hunched in. “You’re never doing this again.”
Beside Jude, Snow sighed, his own head dropping with relief. Andrei was alive at least.
Spinning back around with new energy, all doubt and worry was wiped clean from Lucas’s face. He jerked open the driver’s side door, but paused in the act of getting inside. “He got out safely. He’s nearly to the car and will meet us back at the penthouse. Let’s go before Hollis decides to arrest of us for the hell of it.”
Jude nodded and jumped in the backseat while Snow climbed into the front seat beside Lucas. Geoffrey slid forward, his hands gripping Lucas’s seat in front of him. The color was back in his face and he looked better than he had in Music Hall.
“Did Andrei get that man? Gratton?”
“No,” Lucas said sharply as he pulled the car from the curb. “But Andrei caught a glimpse of multiple cop cars racing toward Music Hall. They’re going to get the bastards in the auction and free those boys.”
Geoffrey dropped back in the seat, releasing a rush of air that he’d apparently been holding. He looked over at Jude, a hesitant smile curving his lips. It wasn’t what they’d wanted and there was a good chance the fucker that Snow was desperate to get his hands on got away, but they accomplished one good thing. The night wasn’t a total loss.Chapter 16Jude arrived for his shift at UC, exhausted and still traumatized from the night before. He’d gone home by himself and spent what was left of the night afraid to sleep in case he had nightmares about those boys. He’d finally drifted off in the early hours, but instead, he’d dreamed of sex with Snow. So he’d awakened tired and unbelievably horny. And worried. Snow had watched him with concern as he dropped him off the night before. Concern and drooping shoulders that told Jude he knew he was struggling.
The only good part of his morning had been a text from Lucas Vallois letting him know that the Cincinnati PD had shut down the auction, saved all the boys, and arrested every sick man in that place. He couldn’t help but feel like that whole mess had been for the best sort of reason after all—even if they hadn’t caught their original target. But he was still having trouble swallowing that this sort of thing went on in the world. And especially here, where he’d grown up. Where his family lived.
