Page 50 of Boneyard HEA

“Fuck. You are both assholes.”

“The tree, tonight, definitely. Now, this video.” He runs it again. “There’s the dick with the scar. And there is nothing else. We need to find out who is close friends with Zasha.”

I’m exasperated. Whatever the tree punishment is, it won’t involve sharks, but they let me worry for days. Hitting them both with something is, unfortunately, fraught with danger.

I settle for mulling over what was said. “How do we find out what her last assignments were? And…” Lightning hits, or is it a lightbulb? “The travel stuff. There’s something about that bugging me. You cross-checked where Zasha was at the time. What if we⁠—”

“I have it!” Tomás springs off the bed, freeing my hair so I swish it around and glare at him. “What about we do that for all the members and see where they and Nathan and Zasha have been at the same time?”

“Because?” Loxland asks.

“Because,” I finish the logic train. “Because maybe they did this again. Isn’t this often a series of crimes?”

Tomás jabs his finger toward me. “Exactly.”

“That”—Loxland has frozen and is staring at the screen—“is really brilliant? It will take some doing. Even figuring where to begin is diabolical. Lots of countries. Lots of secretive people. Though if their names are correct when they travel, and they should be, it’s probably doable.”

“Big bada-boom.” I make the Fifth Element quote and the explosion hand sign, splaying my fingers.

“Bada-boom?” Loxland clears his throat. “No booms yet. We will try.”

“Be very careful. You know why. If the wrong people get to thinking we are chasing them, Aaron, it’s dangerous. Either way…” The bed sinks then Tomás drops back onto it and grabs my face and kisses me. “We are getting there.”

When he releases me, I nod. “So, I was brilliant? No tree bondage then. Phew.”

They both laugh, and a second later, Tomás hauls me to the edge of the bed, where he flips up my dress and feels my ass, for no reason except horniness, as far as I can tell.

“More of this butt of yours, later, at the tree.”

“So. Much. More. Go away, you two, while I use the other laptop.” He flicks emphatically at us with his fingers. “Shoo. Need to think. I’ll have to look at hiring someone I can trust to collate this travel info.” Tomás makes a disgruntled sound, and he waves his fingers at us again. “I know. Be careful. I will.”

“Good.”

“Before we go, can I see what this man looks like? This Zasha Morosoya? Uhh, whatever he is?”

“There. Morosova.” Mr. Loxland pushes the laptop closer. “Him.”

A big bald, square-faced man with a mean expression. His black eyebrows slash in above deep-set eyes. “He looks like he waterboards puppies for a living.”

“Made his money inside Russia, from what I can surmise. Crime, bribery, and sucking up to the government.”

“Zasha Morosova. Okay.” I memorize his appearance.

“Now that you see him, no going to him and doing stupid things.” Tomás steps in, bends over so I must notice him. “Hear me.”

“I do. Sure.”

“Let’s leave Aaron in peace.” I’m taken by the hand and pulled from the bed, before Tomás stops and turns. “Tomorrow is the swimming pool party. Are we going?”

“All that jizz in the pool?” he says absentmindedly as he slides off the bed and goes to the laptop on the floor. “I guess so? No costumes needed, so that’s good.”

Costumes…for some reason that word has set my mind to churning, but I cannot figure out why.

18

Juniper

With a crack, the bat Tomás wields sends the ball hurtling in an arc against the purple-and-blue sky, flitting to my left. I make a quick run, reach out, and catch the ball on the full, with one hand. I land on the sand, saving myself with my knee and elbow plowing deep. I almost miss it due to the sky being so dark. Though dusted all along my leg and side with sand, I leap up then jump up and down, whooping and punching the air.