than you are here, and I’m working at the club 24/7.”
Craig pressed his lips together. “I don’t have all the answers yet.”
“You could be my head of security, like Quinn and Cade.”
Craig snorted. “He’s not going to be Cade’s head of security.”
Louis blinked at him, “He’s not?”
“Just wait and see. He’s being groomed by Josh Cooper and CDR. I don’t know what for yet, but he’s in their clutches. Of course, he doesn’t know it yet.”
Craig had thrown it out as a joke, but the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. Quinn could work another job and be with Cade.
Louis furrowed his brow. “But what about Cade?”
“They’ll create a tight security team for Cade. It just won’t be run by Quinn. They’ve got bigger plans for him.”
“And you? Have they got plans for you?”
Craig shrugged. “I’m just a bodyguard. I like what I do. I’ve got no desire to run a firm or a team of people. I like being freelance.”
“Being your own boss,” Louis suggested.
“Yeah.”
“So where does that leave us?”
Craig took Louis’s hand in his and gazed into his warm eyes. “Without all the answers yet. But we could play it by ear.”
Louis took a long time to answer, and Craig started to worry that he’d made a huge mistake.
“I can’t go through this again,” Louis said.
“You and me?”
“You and me splitting up because we both want different things. I love you, Craig. You are my Daddy and my soulmate. But I asked you to stay and be mine forever, and you said no. And since you’ve been back, you’ve given me no commitment. You want to be my Daddy, but only on your terms. I need more than that. I always have, and you know that.” Louis eased his hand free from Craig’s. “It’s not enough.”
“It sounds like you want me to live in your world,” Craig said with a touch of bitterness. “What do I get?”
“Me,” Louis said simply. “Goodnight, Craig. Sleep in the guest room tonight. I don’t want you on the floor.”
Craig watched him leave, emotions churning through his head. One part of him wanted to run after Louis and demand his submission, his willingness to be folded into Craig’s world. The other part, the part where he used his head, knew their relationship had never been like that. That had been the challenge Craig had loved. Taking on a successful, older man and watching him willingly submit as a boy had been thrilling. Now Louis was saying what Craig had to offer wasn’t enough.
His phone buzzed and he answered it automatically. “Booker.”
“Just checking in,” Quick said. “How’s my client?” He sounded exhausted.
“He’s fine,” Craig said briskly.
“Now let’s try that again. How’s my client?”
Dammit, Quick obviously had that sixth sense for bullshittery that Dominic had.
“Angry at me,” Craig admitted.
“Do you need to be replaced?”
“No,” Craig snapped, angry at the suggestion.
“Good. Do you want to talk about it?”
“I didn’t know you were a relationship counselor,” Craig said snidely.
“I’m a bodyguard. Of course, I’m a relationship counselor.”
Craig huffed. He knew he was being an ass. He’d listened to his own clients’ problems for hours. “It’s fine. He and I just need to talk about…issues. We’re no further finding out who did this to Louis.”
“Just keep your client safe and happy,” Quick said.
“It’s on my things-to-do list.”
“You can step away from this, Booker. No one would blame you if this was too much for you.”
“You dragged me into it,” Craig pointed out.
“My mistake,” Quick admitted. “I’m spending too much time listening to Josh Cooper.”
“What would you do?” Craig asked impulsively.
“Are you happy?”
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“Right this minute?”
“Since you stepped back into Louis Romero’s world.”
“I—” Craig had to think. “Not happy. Whole. I’m whole again.”
There was a long, telling, silence.
“I love my job. The traveling. The different assignments. But Louis’s world is here.”
“So you won’t stay, and he won’t come with you?”
“That about sums it up.”
Craig heard someone talking to Quick. He grinned as he heard Zach bark, “Get your arse into bed.”
“Five minutes,” Quick said in a muffled voice.
Craig looked at the clock. It was nearly eight. Which meant it was four a.m. in London. “Do you ever sleep?”
“No.” Then Quick yawned, followed by a laugh. “Goodnight.”
“Night.”
“And Booker?”
Craig waited to see what pearl of wisdom he’d get this time. “Yes?”
“Compromise is a great thing.” Quick disconnected.
Craig flipped his middle finger at the phone and did his evening rounds to make sure everything was locked, and checked in with the team.
Then he went in search of his boy.