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“I don’t want it. You need to leave because you’re scaring away business.”
“I want to help you,” Ian pressed, refusing to cave to the anger directed at him. He knew if he could just reach Max, get him to listen to him, he could fix this.
“Help me do what?” Max sneered, shoving his hands into his jeans pockets.
“Get out of here. Off the street. I can help you find a better job.”
“I like my job just fine.”
“Look, I had help to get out and I’ve managed to make a better life—”
The guy snarled, breaking him off. “You have no right to stand here and judge me or my life. Get the hell away from me.”
Ian nodded and stepped back. He bumped into the warm wall that was Hollis, soaking in the reassurance and safety of his presence.
Max snickered at Hollis. “I see you got a man taking care of you. Still can’t make it without a sugar daddy?”
“This is my husband. I told you I’ve made a better life. Jagger—”
“I don’t want to hear anything about that pig. Glad he’s dead. Killing him was the only good thing you ever did, but it still ain’t enough.” He took a step closer to Ian, and Hollis’s hand tightened. “Just leave.”
“Okay, I will. But take my card and call me. I can help you. Just think about it at least.”
Max snatched the card from Ian’s fingers and made a production of tearing it into pieces and dropping them. His track marks were highlighted in the streetlamp as he lifted his arms.
Hollis tugged Ian away, and they quietly walked to their car. Nobody bothered them. Max didn’t follow them. Ian had no idea if he was the one terrorizing him, but his heart ached for the angry man. He’d been so hostile, so full of hate, that Ian still thought they were on the right track. Maybe confronting him had only made things worse.
They got into the car, Hollis sliding behind the wheel despite the fact that it was Ian’s car. Ian didn’t argue. Didn’t even think about it. He was just grateful that he didn’t have to navigate the downtown streets back to their house.
The locks thunked loudly in the silence and the lights flared to life with a little purr of the electric engine. As they drove home, Ian couldn’t help but feel sad. That could have been him. Living on the streets and selling his body for drug money. He’d been truly lucky. He reached across and put his hand on Hollis’s thigh. “That wasn’t fun.”
“I got a bad feeling about that guy, Ian. He could be the one. A good liar. But he loathes you, and there was resentment there. Jealousy.”
“Yeah, he was Jagger’s favorite until I came along, so I kind of displaced him. He ended up being one of the boys passed around at the parties. He was hostile to me back then, too, but there was nothing he could do with so many eyes watching us at all times. He couldn’t risk it.”
“My gut is telling me we’re on the right track.”
“Yeah,” Ian said quietly. “Mine is telling me that, too.”
He stared out the window at the city lights as they blurred past his window and felt true exhaustion in his muscles. A loud voice in his head was telling him that Hollis was right; Max was the one targeting him and Rialto, but Ian didn’t know what to do about it. He could only offer to help. He couldn’t even go to the police. Not only did he not have enough evidence, but it would only make things worse for Max, and Ian didn’t want that.
A fresh wave of guilt threatened to swamp him. Why had he gotten out and benefited from the protection of three powerful men? Why not Max? Or so many of the others trapped in that hellhole?
He felt guilty that he now had this fabulous life and a loving husband, while Max was standing on a street corner with track marks on his arms and not even a jacket to keep him warm.
Hollis put his hand over Ian’s. “You know it’s not your fault that he’s living like he is, right?”
Ian forced a harsh, bitter laugh. “How’d you know what I was thinking?”
“I know you, baby, and your heart is big. Big enough to take in the entire world. He had a rough time, yeah, but he could do something to change his life now. He’s an adult.”
“One who went through hell as a teenager.”
“So did you.”
Ian nodded and bit his lip. He looked back outside, feeling the warmth of Hollis’s hand and remembering the night before at Lucas’s penthouse. He had so very much in his life. He was truly blessed.
And he had to find a way to extend a little of that blessing in Max’s direction. He just had to figure out the best way to reach him.
