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In just a matter of minutes, his life had gone from happy to…
He rubbed a hand on the top of his head and blew out a breath.
“Boss, you listening?”
He nodded, though he kept his back to Jason. “You captured Jairo’s sergeant-at-arms. I heard you.”
“Got him stashed somewhere safe.”
He wanted Jairo, but Mathieu would bide his time. He wasn’t rushing in to grab the big fish. Not yet. This thing required patience. He’d make Jairo sweat before smoking his cowardly ass out of his hole. In the meantime… “Where are we on Cesar?” He turned away from the window, meeting Jason’s gaze.
“There’s been a sighting in Fort Lauderdale. Our people are checking it out. They’ll let us know if there’s anything to it.” Jason paused. “What do you want us to do with the other members we’ve rounded up?”
Mathieu strode forward, buttoning his jacket. “Take me to them.”
Six of them. Six men decided his father’s fate over beer and steaks. The heat in the center of Mathieu’s chest flared and he fisted his hands at his sides as he made his way out of his office. Everything was fucked up. He couldn’t even look at—
“Mathieu.”
He stiffened, stopping in his tracks.
“Mathieu, will you look at me?”
Win at his back, begging.
Mathieu didn’t know what to say to him. He just…didn’t know. Win had sworn on his fucking life, he’d put it on everything, that Jairo hadn’t been involved. Wasn’t that what he’d said? Didn’t he ask Mathieu to trust him, to take his word? And Mathieu had been so fucking blinded by what he felt for Win, by trying to get back what they had, that he’d gone against his own instincts. He’d ignored his gut.
Look where he stood now.
“Mathieu, please.”
His chest tightened. He didn’t like the hurt in those words.Fuck.Since they’d watched the video together, he’d been unable to look Win in the eye. Couldn’t bring himself to sleep in the same bed with him, so he’d kept himself busy. Kept his distance. It fucking sucked. Swallowing, he turned around. Win’s appearance— Mathieu hid a wince. The other man looked the way Mathieu felt, as if he hadn’t slept in days. Bags under his eyes, color ashen. Wearing an oversized sweater and gray sweatpants, he stood before Mathieu in bare feet.
Without a thought, Mathieu cut the distance between them, touching a hand to Win’s jaw. “You should get some rest.”
Win caught his wrist, keeping Mathieu’s hand on his face. “You’ve been avoiding me.”
“Yes.” Why deny it?
Win glanced over Mathieu’s shoulder then back to him. “Can we talk? Please?”
They had to. Mathieu missed him. But first… He pulled Win into his arms, cupping the back of his head and pressing a kiss to his temple. Win sighed, and Mathieu’s arms automatically tightened around him. If only he could spend the next fifty years in this position. If only he hadn’t been handed the video.
If only.
“I miss you,” Win murmured against his chest.
I miss you too.“I have to go.” Mathieu kissed Win’s temple again because he couldn’t help himself. “But we’ll talk when I get back.” He allowed himself a moment, enjoying the heat of Win’s body, the familiar angles, inhaling his scent. Then he released the other man and lowered his arms, stepping back.
Win watched him with sad eyes. “Be careful?”
Mathieu jerked a nod then turned around, following Jason, who’d waited for him a short distance away. He didn’t look back at Win, but Mathieu wanted to. He struggled with where to put all the things he’d learned. It was easier to keep it moving, to act, than to feel. He couldn’t allow himself to go there, to grieve, not yet. He owed his father.
The men who took his father from him deserved to meet the same fate.
Now that he had their identities, he wouldn’t rest until the task was complete.
Jason was the only one of his men he took with him as they drove over to the club where he did his dirty work. In the storeroom, next to the shelves of liquor, tied up and gagged, four men waited for him. He’d had his men pick them up one by one over the past few days and they sat in their stink, starved of food and water, waiting for their execution.
