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He chuckles. “I know this dude as Sierra. We used to serve together.”
“Two tours.” Spence holds up two fingers. “Back when we were young and nimble.”
“You’re plenty nimble.” Romeo rests his elbows on the table and lets his head droop. “We were nine months into what was supposed to be a twelve-month tour when he saved my life. A knife was coming for my throat when he stepped in. I’d be dead and buried by now if he wasn’t watching out that day.”
“You repaid your debt.” Spence brushes it off. “We’re good.”
Romeo gives a thoughtful nod, as though thinking back to a day among gunfire and noise. “We’re good. Didn’t know you were Soph’s, but I can’t say it makes me unhappy.” He sets his drink down and finally acknowledges Jay. “Anyone wanna tell me why we’re here? Why have I been watching a shitty hotel for two days?”
“I’d like to know that too.” I sit forward and draw everyone’s eyes. “Why do we need a sharpshooter on this trip? I thought you were just here to see whoever this guy is. That’s what you told us. You said there have been no real threats, just implied.” I flatten my lips. “You need to remember who you’re traveling with.”
“Who are we traveling with?” Romeo’s eyes flicker between me and Griffin.
“She’s a cop,” Soph answers. “Straight-laced and super competitive when they run collar comps at work. Most arrests gets a free donut or something.”
“Shit,” he laughs. “I’m like, ten percent scared, but the rest of me is turned on.” He looks to Gunner. “She in charge in the bedroom?”
“Stop.” Chuckling, Soph tosses a cardboard coaster at her muscled friend. “Jesus, please make it stop. We don’t challenge Bishop blood to these kinds of pissing contests.”
“Bishop?” Romeo’s brow pops high. “You’re a Bishop?”
“No.” Jay and Gunner answer at the same time. And though they were saying the same thing, Jay’s easy denial brings the shutters down in Gunner’s eyes. He doesn’t want to be a Bishop, but more than that, he doesn’t want to be rejected. The man, Theo Griffin, is strong and built himself to be who he is today, but the boy inside him found out he has brothers, and now they don’t want him.
I reach into his lap and wrap my hand around his. I squeeze, and when his eyes don’t come up, I squeeze harder while the others at the table chat in murmured tones. “Griffin?” I use the name he needs me to use, and lean a little closer to get his attention. “Hey, look at me, Blue Eyes.”
The music is loud enough that the others at our table can’t overhear us. But Gunner can hear. He knows I’m here.
“Hey, don’t make me mad in this bar, Theo Griffin. You know I’ll make a scene.”
Finally, his eyes slowly lift and meet mine. It kills me that rejection somehow makes the blue in his eyes less bright. “Hey there… Love you.”
He forces a small smile. “Love you too. You okay in here?”
“Yeah, I’m good. As long as you’re here, I’m good.”
“This place is kinda shitty compared to the cabin, huh?”
I smile and bring his hand up so I can press a kiss to cracked knuckles. He sparred the heavy bags in his home gym yesterday, and his knuckles are still showing the proof. “I was thinking that this morning. I can’t believe I ever complained about the cabin.Oh, poor us, having to get up to switch the tub jets on. Our lives are so damn horrible, because you only had a few channels on your massive TV.”
“Wanna go back?” he whispers.
“So damn much.” I lean up and pucker my lips until he takes them. “I will never complain about your money again.”
He scoffs. “Speaking of. I need to get her the hell out of my system.”
“I don’t know if you can!” I laugh. “You can’t find how she got in, so how are you supposed to get her out? She’s like the little sperm that survived the pill.”
“And the pullout.”
“And the morning after pill,” I add. “She’s super determined, but she’s not doing harm. In fact, if we take her at her word, she kinda did you a solid by diverting the dude.”
“I’m not ready to tell her thanks.” He pulls me in closer and breathes into my hair. “So I’m gonna pretend she’s sending little STDs into my files, and stay mad a little longer. I’m not ready to let it go.”
“Whatever makes you happy. Hey… What do you think of that Romeo?” I keep my words low, but somehow, when I look up, the man I speak of lifts his brow in question.
Can he read lips? Can he hear me, but Jay and Soph can’t? Or is he still turned on at the thought of a female cop?
“Dunno,” Gunner answers. His lips are buried in my hair, hidden and muffled, so Romeo’s eyes go back to Spence while they talk of… stuff. I don’t even know what. “He’s a random dude, and he’s theirs.”
