quickly.
I ran a finger down the length of his back. He sighed and arched up like he would take even more if I wanted him to.
“That was fucking amazing.” The words were so quiet I barely heard them.
He turned to look at me, but I didn’t meet his eyes. I knew if I did, I’d be tempted to stay.
He groaned when I pulled out. Without saying anything, I walked into the adjacent bathroom and cleaned myself up. When I stepped back into the bedroom with a washcloth for Lane, he’d rolled over onto his back. His eyes were closed, and his chest rose and fell slowly. I’d planned to hand him the washcloth and get the fuck out of there. Instead, I cleaned him up myself. He stirred and murmured something, but he didn’t fully wake.
I pulled his jeans and underwear the rest of the way off so he’d be more comfortable, but I didn’t let myself trace the muscles of his legs with my tongue the way I wanted to.
I also didn’t kiss the side of his head or strip my own clothes off and wrap my body around his. I’d enjoyed him. That was all I needed. That was all I ever needed from a man. I’d only ever wanted more once. After losing him because I wasn’t fast enough with my rescue efforts, I swore I’d never fall for a man again.
“Good night.” Lane smiled like he’d heard me. His mouth moved, but no words came out.
I backed out of the room, letting myself enjoy the sight of him for those last seconds, then I walked away.
3
Giorgio
Two Weeks Later
I was desperate for a new assignment. I’d been sitting on my ass for way too long, and that was never good for me. I got restless easily, and when I was restless, I tended to make bad decisions and accept offers from people I ought to turn down. Sex calmed the jittery feeling in my limbs, but the respite never lasted long, and ever since I’d spent the night with a flashy little twink named Lane, I’d wanted every other man I’d picked up to be him.
I’d lost count of how many times I’d jerked off thinking about him. I needed some violence to erase my obsession. Pinning down a target and putting a bullet through his head might snap me out of the weird mood I’d been in ever since I’d walked out of Lane’s apartment. I needed to use my fucking skills. So when X, my boss, called, I answered on the first ring.
“Yo, what’s up?”
“I’ve got an assignment for you.”
Usually X sounded pleased when he called with something for me. Today he sounded reserved, maybe even grim. “Why do I get the feeling I’m not going to like this one?”
“A young man is being stalked. He needs someone to protect him.”
“We’re not bodyguards.”
“No, we’re not, but this is a special situation.”
“Then refer them to a special security service.”
“The young man is my son.”
I couldn’t possibly have heard that right. X had never mentioned having children. “Did you say—”
“Yes.”
“Okaaaay. You’ve never mentioned him before.”
“I’ve also never talked to him for more than a few minutes at a time, and he has no idea I’m his father.”
I had so many questions, but despite the fact that X was one of the few men I trusted to have my back no matter the situation, we rarely talked about his personal life. He had a hell of a lot of secrets. I knew the biggest one—his identity. I’d originally known him as a burned-out commander who’d trusted my instincts and done everything he could to save a mission we never should have gone on. After he was wrongfully accused of being responsible for the errors of men higher up in the chain of command, his family had put pressure on the army to give him an honorable discharge. That was how I’d found out who he was back home—a man with a hell of a lot of money and resources. He now used his wealth and connections to fund Vigilance.
“But… obviously you know he’s yours.”
“Yes. And that’s all I’m going to say for now except that his ex is stalking him, and I want him protected by the best.”
“You know plenty of excellent bodyguards.” I knew he often had requests for help that was out of our sphere. He passed those requests on to men he knew from his military days who worked for security agencies.
“I do, but I