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Jairo got up from his desk and came to stand next to him. “Win, this is Linc. Linc, my husband, Win.”
Linc was brown-skinned and small in stature, his dark eyes alert, expression smooth as he nodded in greeting. His thick hair was in two braids that hung off his shoulders and he wore a black shirt and equally dark jacket and trousers. His presence in their home was… alarming. Jairo didn’t allow anyone into their private space. Plus, Linc wasn’t someone Win recognized.
“Linc will be shadowing you from now on.”
Win swallowed the panic that stopped his breath. “What? What’s going on?” As dangerous as Jairo’s life was, nothing had warranted Win having a bodyguard before. What changed?
Jairo slung a hand over Win’s shoulder. “There’s been some issues lately. Nothing to concern yourself with,” he said quickly when Win opened his mouth to speak. “Linc is just a precaution.”
“Clearly you’re concerned.” What the hell was going on? What wasn’t Jairo sharing?
“Like I said…” Jairo’s smile didn’t meet his eyes. “Just a precaution.”
My ass.
“Linc starts tomorrow. He’ll be here when you wake up and wherever you go, he goes.”
Fuck. For someone who was leading a double life, this was a literal nightmare. What the hell was he going to do about this?
“I’ll see you tomorrow, sir.” Linc’s voice held a familiar accent.
“It’s Win,” Win corrected him. “Just Win.”
“Let me walk you out.”
Jairo led the bodyguard out of the office, and Win sank onto the desk. As much as he didn’t want to, he would have to call Mathieu so they could figure this shit out. He couldn’t make his usual moves with Linc around. Trying to talk Jairo out of his decision wasn’t an option. He couldn’t have his husband questioning him. “Fuck.” He rubbed his temple. He didn’t need this shit right now.
When Jairo returned, Win straightened and crossed his arms. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on?”
Jairo retook his seat, glancing down at his phone. “Some threats were made.”
“Threats on me?” Win pointed at himself.
Jairo’s chest rose and fell under the navy blue t-shirt he wore. His hair was pulled back in a ponytail and he looked so very tired. “Threats on everyone. But don’t worry, I’ve got it handled.”
“How can you say don’t worry? Jairo, come on.”
Jairo held out a gloved hand and Win took it, allowing the other man to tug him around the desk until he was practically sitting in Jairo’s lap, hugged to his chest when he eased his chair backward. “You’ll be protected.” He kissed the top of Win’s head when Win buried his face in his chest. “Always.”
“Will you be protected?”
“Yes.”
“This Linc, he’s new.”
Jairo grunted. “Yeah.”
“And you trust him?”
“He’s been vetted.” A gloved finger under Win’s chin lifted his head until he was staring into Jairo’s eyes. “But most importantly, I trust him with you.”
Win exhaled deeply. “Okay.” He brushed a kiss over Jairo’s nose. “I’ll trust you then.” He got up from Jairo’s lap. “I’ll be upstairs.” Trying to figure out how he could ditch a bodyguard without everything he’d worked for crashing down around him.
He was halfway out the door when Jairo called his name. “Win.”
“Yeah?” He glanced over his shoulder.
“There’s a handprint on your throat.” Just those words, then Jairo bent his head, focusing on his phone while Win got the hell out of there.
