by K. L. Hiers
Jimmy didn’t take the chair, but he did stand up to snatch the handkerchief to dab at his nose. It was incredibly tender and all the blood was dry now, crusted around his nostrils. “Thank you.”
“Think nothing of it.” Cristian glanced down at Jimmy’s bare feet. “What happened to your shoes, Mr. Poe?”
“I was wearing flip-flops,” Jimmy mumbled. “I woke up here without them.”
“What size shoe do you wear, Mr. Poe?”
“Uh... like a twelve?”
“Gary?” Cristian turned his head. “Take off your shoes.”
“Cristian, come on,” Gary protested. “You can’t be serious.”
“Take off your shoes,” Cristian repeated icily.
Gary made a face, but he obeyed. He took off his shoes and walked over to Jimmy, offering them out with an angry scowl.
Jimmy flinched, backing away instinctively.
“That’s no way to treat our guest,” Cristian warned. “Kneel down. Help Mr. Poe.”
Gary’s cheeks flushed purple, but again he did as he was told. He kneeled in front of Jimmy, holding out the first shoe for him to put on.
Jimmy wanted to kick Gary square in the face, but his feet were cold and any shoe was better than nothing. Even if they were too warm and sweaty from their previous occupant, he held his head high and put them on. “Thanks.”
“My pleasure, Mr. Poe.” Cristian sat down in one of the other chairs, crossing his legs and folding his hands in his lap.
Barefoot and stewing, Gary retreated back against the wall.
A few tense minutes passed before there was a knock at the door.
“They’re here,” a gruff voice said.
“Let them in,” Cristian said, standing up and straightening out his jacket.
The door opened and two of the large suited men walked inside the room to flank Cristian’s sides. They looked nervous. Jimmy could hear thunderous footsteps and stalking next through the doorway was Boss Cold himself.
Cold was dirty, his tie missing, and there was blood all over the side of his face. He looked tired, beaten, and absolutely furious. Jimmy didn’t know whose blood was on him, but all that mattered was that his lover was alive and breathing.
“Rod,” Jimmy whimpered.
Cold’s anger flickered for a brief moment, something deep and yearning in his eyes when he saw Jimmy. He swept across the room in a flash, swinging Jimmy right off the floor and into his arms.
Jimmy sobbed, his face crushed against Cold’s shoulder as he clung tightly to him. His nose was throbbing but he didn’t want to move, breathing in Cold’s smell and savoring his warmth.
There had been a terrible moment where he didn’t know if he would ever see Cold again, and that terror seized his chest until he couldn’t breathe. He hiccupped miserably, crying, “I’m so, I’m so sorry... I...”
“Shhhh... I’ve got you,” Cold soothed, rubbing Jimmy’s back and chastely kissing his brow. He smiled at Jimmy, soft and sweet, but it was gone when Cristian spoke up.
“We have a deal?” Cristian asked quietly, watching Cold with the same regard one had for a rabid dog.
Jimmy took his attention away from Cold long enough to spot Jules and Lorre in the doorway, noting how tense they were right away. The air was weirdly electric, and he didn’t know what was about to happen, but it wasn’t going to be good.
“Yes,” Cold said flatly, cradling Jimmy’s face against his chest. He lowered his voice, whispering gently, “Close your eyes, Jimmy.”
“Rod,” Jimmy squeaked.
“Close them now.” Cold turned his body to shield Jimmy’s view as he drew one of his guns from beneath his jacket. Jimmy saw a quick flash of pearl from the handle and then a loud bang as Cold fired.
“What, what!” Jimmy didn’t know what was happening, jerking his head up to see who Cold had shot.
Gary Luchesi was on the floor dead, blood pooling around his head from a single bullet hole in the middle of his forehead.
Jimmy gasped, frantically staring at Cristian and the other Luchesi men in the hall. He didn’t understand what was going on, but no one seemed to be moving. Cold had just killed one of their own men and nothing was happening.
“I do hope you accept my apologies,” Cristian said politely, trying to keep a neutral expression despite the proximity to his relative’s fresh corpse, “and I hope that Gary’s life is adequate satisfaction.”
“No, it will take much more than that to satisfy me. I’ve already told you and the rest of the Luchesi family many times before to stay out of my city,” Cold said icily, his gun now pointed at Cristian. “Certainly you can understand why I’m a little... frustrated.”
“We had a deal,” Cristian growled, his hand hovering at his hip to reach for his own weapon. “You get your dear husband back and kill Gary for his insults against you, and we all walk away.”
“Ah, but you’ve insulted me as well, Cristian,” Cold snarled back with an eerily calm smile.
“Boss Cold, please—”
“You came to my home!” Cold roared furiously, his voice echoing throughout the small room.
Everyone was completely silent.
Cold took a quick breath, dropping back down to a calmer tone as he went on, “You and your brother’s continued disobedience has become quite intolerable. I’ve allowed it to go on for far too long and the fault is mine. When you have a cancer in your midst, you don’t allow it to fester... You cut it out.”
The glass in the windows above their heads shattered, and Jimmy saw the Luchesi men in the hallway all drop dead in rapid succession. He saw more splatters of blood, and his ears were ringing, his brain unable to register everything that was happening.
Jimmy saw Cold shoot Cristian right in his face, and time seemed to slow down. His final thoughts before he passed out were that he couldn’t help but think how very red the blood looked or how weird it was that he was wearing a dead man’s shoes while they were still warm.
Chapter Seventeen
When Jimmy woke up, he could feel cool gloved hands wiping down the side of his face. He opened his eyes to find himself staring up at Dr. Madeline Queen, Cold’s personal physician who made private house calls that came with a five-digit price tag.
He was home in bed, dressed in warm pajamas, and all the pain previously torturing his body felt very fuzzy. He impulsively kicked his feet, wanting to rid himself of Gary’s shoes, but found he was only wearing socks. Still flooded with a fresh rush of adrenaline, Jimmy tried to lie back down and catch his breath.
Cold was stretched out beside him, sound asleep. Jimmy reached for him, noting that the blood was gone, and he was wearing a fresh suit.
Huh, so that blood hadn’t been Cold’s after all.
Blood...
Oh, God.
Jimmy could see the shimmer of shattered glass falling around them as all the Luchesi men dropped to the floor like wet towels. Cristian’s gaping mouth was hanging right in front of his face, and he was afraid he was about to be swallowed up by it.
He closed his eyes to fend off the obscene images, mumbling, “What happened?”
“Someone broke your nose,” Queen said curtly. “I’ve reset it. It should heal fine in two to three weeks. I gave you something for the pain.”
“And Rod,” Jimmy said urgently, “is he okay?”
“He’s fine,” Queen replied, making one last dab across Jimmy’s chin before starting to clean up the mess of gauze and bandages on the bedside table. “I gave him a sedative to help him relax.”
Jimmy stroked Cold’s arm, and he frowned when he didn’t stir. “How much of a sedative did you give him?”
“Enough to ensure a very good night’s rest.” Queen smirked as she stripped off her gloves. “It’s late. You both need to sleep. Yours should be kicking in soon.”
“You drugged me?”
“That’s what Cold pays me for.”
Jimmy became aware that his eyelids were unnaturally heavy. He pouted as he
fought against it, and he tried to stay awake. “I need to know that everyone is okay. Lorre, Jules... all the Gentlemen...?”
“Everyone is fine,” Queen said, offering a kind smile Jimmy hadn’t thought she was capable of. “The city is a mess, but the Gentlemen are fine.”
“Thank you.” Jimmy sighed in relief. He relaxed against the bed, rolling over to cuddle against Cold’s side. “Thank you for everything.”
“Get some rest,” Queen said briskly. “I’ll be by later to check on you.”
Jimmy opened his mouth to say farewell, but he was already asleep before he could get out a single word. He didn’t dream, lost in a peaceful and deep sleep without any nightmares. When he woke up again, he was alone and incredibly sore.
Whatever Queen had given him for the pain had evidently worn off, and he groaned as he flipped onto his back to talk himself into getting out of bed. It was light outside, but soft and dreary. It was raining, and he had no idea how long he’d been asleep.
His ribs complained as he sat up, keeping an ear out for Cold.
The weight of the last twenty-four hours fell upon him like a sledgehammer and made his heart jerk. The fire, the shootings—all of it was rushing over him like a tornado, and his ears were left ringing, an echo of the hail of bullets he’d seen take so many lives.
But not his.
Not Cold’s.
There was no doubt in his mind that Gary or Cristian or any of those other men would have killed him without a moment’s hesitation. Cold had saved Jimmy’s life at the expense of so many, and while he was haunted by the violence, he was also grateful.
Roderick Legrand would do truly anything for him.
Anything.
Jimmy heard new movement in the bathroom and immediately ran right at the door. He didn’t care how much pain he was in or how stiff his legs were. His heart was pounding anxiously, and he needed to see Cold.
He had to kiss him, touch him, and know that he was really all right. After everything that had happened, he had to hold his lover in his arms and give him a proper answer, the one he’d been waiting on for what seemed like an eternity now.
Jimmy gasped as the door opened before his hand ever touched the knob, Cold staring down at him from the other side.
“How did you—”
“I heard you get up,” Cold said, looking at Jimmy through a thin pair of black reading glasses. He picked Jimmy up immediately, holding him close and pressing kisses into his hair. “Oh, Jimmy.”
“Rod,” Jimmy murmured, wrapping his legs around Cold’s waist and hugging his neck. Feeling Cold’s broad shoulders shaking, he murmured assurances, “I’m here, I’m safe... I’m yours.”
Cold placed a firm kiss against his lips, trying to be mindful of his broken nose, but he was clearly struggling to hold back. “I tore this entire city apart for you,” he whispered fiercely. “I would have burned it to the fucking ground to find you.”
“I love you,” Jimmy said, his eyes filling with tears. He groaned when Cold’s mouth latched onto his throat, stroking his hair frantically. “I love you so much, fuck... Rod! I thought I’d lost you... I don’t... I don’t wanna wait.”
“Mmmph?” Cold looked up, his breathing rough and heavy. “What are you talking about?”
“Propose,” Jimmy cried anxiously, petting Cold’s face as tears streamed down his cheeks. “Please. I don’t care how you ask me, but I’ll say yes. I swear I’ll say yes, I just need—”
“Marry me, Jimmy,” Cold whispered urgently. “Marry me because I need you to. Because I need you every day of my life. I need to wake up next to you every morning, I need to hear your laughter and see your smile. I need you to marry me because I cannot live without you. I am yours, Jimmy Poe. Every part of me, broken and scarred, every part that you’re willing to take, is yours. I cannot promise that I’m going to be a good man, but I swear I will never wrong you, and I will always love you. Please... James David Poe, will you marry me?”
“Yes,” Jimmy whimpered, blinking away hot tears. “Yes, Rod! Yes! I’ll marry you.” He was sobbing as Cold pulled him into a crushing embrace. His ribs burned when he inhaled, but he didn’t care.
Cold held him close, wiping away his tears and kissing his cheeks sweetly. Jimmy’s chest was starting to feel tight, overwhelmed by a violent tidal wave of emotions. He couldn’t be sure, but he swore he saw Cold adjust his glasses to brush a few tears of his own aside.
“Breathe, Jimmy,” Cold commanded firmly. “Breathe for me.”
Jimmy inhaled sharply, taking a big breath. He hadn’t realized how close he was to hyperventilating. The fear he had felt for his own life and for Cold’s was washing back over him, and it was overwhelming.
The next sensation was revulsion when he remembered how Gary had pawed at him, and he nearly gagged on his own tears.
“What do you need, Jimmy?” Cold asked firmly. “Tell me what you need.”
“A bath,” Jimmy replied, weak and broken. “Please... I feel so dirty... I just...” He didn’t know how to explain it, hoping Cold would understand. “I don’t feel clean.”
“It’s okay. I’ll take care of you.” Cold gently set Jimmy down on the edge of the tub, running a hot bath for them both. He helped Jimmy get undressed and slide into the water, taking off his clothes and glasses before slipping in behind him.
Jimmy melted in Cold’s arms, enjoying the soft scrub of soap all over his body. He took a few more breaths, deeper and deeper, until he was able to calm down. He was imagining all the filth falling right off his skin with every stroke, sniffing quietly when Cold stopped.
“Could you... keep going?”
“Of course,” Cold said, kissing his shoulder and beginning again.
They didn’t speak much, Jimmy content to let Cold bathe him over and over until the water ran cold. He was relaxed, and he finally felt clean, his skin tingling as Cold got him out of the bath and wrapped up in a fluffy robe.
Jimmy caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror and immediately grimaced. His nose was swollen and bruised, and his lip had an impressive puffy scab. “Wow, I look like shit.”
“Nonsense,” Cold murmured, gently urging him out into the bedroom. Swaddled in his own robe, he got them both into bed and pulled Jimmy up onto his chest. “You’re beautiful.”
“You’re delusional,” Jimmy chuckled, rubbing his tongue over the scabbed-over place on his lip with a sigh. “Ow.”
“I’m sorry, Jimmy,” Cold said quietly. “Last night... it shouldn’t have happened. You should have never been put in danger.”
“What happened?” Jimmy asked, peering up at Cold with a frown. “What went wrong?”
“Onions,” Cold spat disgustedly.
“Huh?”
“Onions,” Cold repeated. “My entire plan fell apart because of onions. It was a human error that I could not have possibly accounted for. It would seem that Mr. Potolsky is quite allergic and was feeling a tad peckish that afternoon. He ordered room service and began to have a severe reaction since the kitchen staff neglected to remove the offending onions. Suspecting an attempt on his life, the U.S. marshals locked down the hotel. No one in, no one out. This included Thirdsies, who was trapped down in the kitchens before he was able to complete his task.”
“He was going to plant the bomb in the kitchen?” Jimmy asked, wrinkling his nose.
Cold stared.
“Jules told me,” Jimmy explained hastily. “But it was only gonna be a dud, right?”
“Yes,” Cold said. “But now with the hotel on lockdown, we had no way to get Thirdsies out or to get Mr. Potolsky to leave. It was only a matter of time before Thirdsies was caught, and we lost our chance to take care of Mr. Potolsky. We had to force everyone out of the hotel...”
“The fire,” Jimmy realized. “He started the fire.”
“Yes. Thirdsies is quite proficient with even the most basic household chemicals, and I fear in his panic, he was a little overzealous with his mixture.”
; “Overzealous!” Jimmy scoffed, his tears quickly returning. “All those people died, Rod!”
“I know,” Cold soothed, petting Jimmy’s face tenderly. “I did not intend for so many people to die, and while I regret the innocent loss of life, there is nothing I can do about it now.”
“Was it worth it?” Jimmy asked bitterly. “Did you kill Mr. Potolsky?”
“Not personally, but yes, he is now dead.”
“You killed Gary,” Jimmy said numbly, the violent images flashing again before his eyes. He started to feel dirty again, shuddering down in his bones. “And you killed Cristian.”
“Yes. And I would kill them again if I could,” Cold said with a faint hiss. “I’m sorry you had to see it, but I am not sorry I did it.” His expression softened briefly. “I don’t want you to know what kind of monster I really am... but I did it because I love you. They hurt you. And I wasn’t able to stop it.”
“It’s not your fault,” Jimmy insisted, equally touched and horrified by the depth of Cold’s love. “I know Jules took me to that diner because it was out in public and there were people all over the place! I should have screamed; I, I should have fought back!”
“Gary may have killed you just to spite me if you had resisted,” Cold said calmly, “without any concern to a diner full of potential witnesses. He was a very rash man, a fool, and truly my only regret is that he died so quickly.”
“What happened to our guys here at the house?” Jimmy asked with a sudden urgency. He didn’t even know any of their names. “The guards? Are they okay?”
“They’re fine,” Cold soothed. “The Luchesis hit most of them with tear gas, trying to take the house by surprise. Once Jules fled with you, the Luchesis had no more reason to stay, and the guards were able to drive them off.”
“And the dogs?”
“The dogs are all fine, too.”
“Fuck.” Jimmy sniffled, snuggling his face into Cold’s shoulder. “I didn’t know if they were alive or dead, I didn’t... I can’t stop seeing them all now... the bodies, the blood. The glass falling everywhere.” He closed his eyes as if he could will the images away. “Was, was that Tamerlane?”