by Ana Night
“How many places like this do we have?” he asked no one in particular.
“A few,” Joker answered.
Gabe rolled his eyes at that and glanced at Auggie.
“A few of them are ours, but most are just abandoned places,” Auggie said without taking his eyes off of the tablet in his hands.
“You really think this will work? I mean, who’s to say the Henchmen are even after Sean?”
“They want to know what he’s been selling us. Obviously, the mole doesn’t know. Only the club officers are privy to that information and none of us would ever give it to them. So if they really want it, their only shot is Sean,” Joker said.
“That makes sense, I guess.”
He wasn’t sure what the Henchmen could use the information for. Sure, they could find the people the King’s had helped, but to what end? Then again, if the Henchmen didn’t know what they were actually after, maybe they thought it was something they could use against the Kings. They did all of this, tracking down Sean and trying to kill him to take over his business, and for what? Poor Sean. He’d been dragged into their mess just because he did some work for the club.
“How’s Sean doing?” Gabe asked Joker.
“How would I now?” Joker stepped down from the ladder and turned towards Gabe and Auggie.
“You seriously haven’t asked him? His life was just upended because of us. He’s out of business and he doesn’t have a home anymore,” Gabe said.
Joker shrugged and said, “That’s the risk you take when you get into this kind of business.”
Gabe sighed, shaking his head.
“So if we’re setting up all these traps where Sean is supposed to be staying but obviously won’t be, then where is he gonna be? I assume he can’t stay at the clubhouse?”
Joker let out a groan and turned toward Gabe with a sullen look on his face.
“Unfortunately, he’ll be staying with us for a bit,” Joker said.
“Oh. Well, I guess he can just take my bed, then.” He cringed when Joker’s eyes looked like they were about to fall out of his head. “Uh, I mean, I can just take the couch.”
They both turned their gazes on Auggie, but he seemed completely lost to their conversation. Gabe breathed a sigh of relief. He mouthed, “Sorry” to Joker. After that, they just waited in silence for Auggie to finish up. He couldn’t mess up if he didn’t say anything.
“Done,” Auggie said and looked up from his tablet.
“Great. Let’s get outta here,” Joker said.
Joker turned and walked out of the door. Gabe was about to follow when he caught the way Auggie was looking at him.
“He volunteered you to help with this,” Auggie said.
Gabe’s brows snapped together. “What?”
He’d thought his father was the one who’d let him come along. He’d even thought it’d been some kind of punishment. Spending a day putting up cameras sounded like something they’d make prospects do for them. He never would’ve guessed Joker had wanted him there with them.
Auggie nodded and said, “Joker told us he’d told you about the mole, which was very surprising in itself but then he also wanted you to come along. So, what haven’t you told me? Why was giving Sean your room something you didn’t want me to know?”
Gabe’s mouth fell open. “You heard that?”
“I hear everything,” Auggie said with waggling eyebrows. “So?”
Gabe wasn’t going to tell Auggie anything. The guy was the biggest gossip he knew. He went to grab the ladder and folded it. He carried it towards the door but was stopped when Auggie stepped in front of him.
“You’re seriously not going to tell me? Why? Did he throw you out or something?”
Gabe shook his head and stepped around Auggie.
“Let it go, Aug.”
“Not a chance.”
Auggie followed him outside, pestering him the whole way. Gabe rolled his eyes and opened the trunk of the car and put the ladder inside. He closed the trunk and glanced around, not seeing Joker anywhere. He sighed and turned to Auggie.
“Auggie, please. You’re the last person I would tell anything,” Gabe said.
Auggie thrust his lip out in a pout. “Why?”
“Because you can’t keep a damned secret.”
Auggie crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes narrowing. “So it is a secret?”
Gabe let out a groan and leaned back against the side of the car.
“Oh, come on. You really think I can’t keep a single secret?”
Gabe nodded and said, “Yes.”
Auggie glared at Gabe for a long moment before he asked, “How did I get involved with the club?”
“I don’t know,” Gabe said, frowning at Auggie.
“Exactly. I can keep a secret.”
“I’m pretty sure the only reason I don’t know is because I’m a prospect.”
Auggie shook his head, a sad smile on his lips. “Only the club officers know. And Hawk.”
“Are you serious?”
“As an ulcer,” Auggie said.
He hadn’t expected that. But even if Auggie could keep it secret, Joker had been pretty clear about no one knowing.
“Yeah. I’m still not telling you,” Gabe said.
“Damn.”
Gabe was chuckling when Joker showed up. He raised a brow at Gabe but didn’t ask.
“Let’s go. We’ve got a few more places to hit before it gets dark,” Joker said.
Joker
It was nearing eleven at night when he was waiting for Sean to get his ass into gear. He was waiting very impatiently by the front door of the club. Sean and Chain came walking down the stairs, Sean carrying a large duffle bag. When they made it to Joker, Chain held up a pair of car keys. Joker snatched them out of his hand.
“Get a move on,” he barked at Sean.
“Yes, sir, Mr. Grumpy,” Sean quipped.
Joker rolled his eyes and opened the door. He walked to the car and got behind the wheel. He started the engine and rolled down his window. He always felt trapped in cars but at least the air coming in would help. He waited until Sean was buckled in before driving out onto the street.
They were going to drive almost out of town, then Sean was going to switch vehicle just in case the Henchmen or the mole were watching them. Gabe would take Sean back to their apartment and Joker would drive back to the clubhouse to return the cage and drive his bike home.
Gabe’s words from earlier were whirling around his mind. He hadn’t thought to ask Sean how he was doing. Frankly, he preferred it when the guy wasn’t talking.
“Do you know what you’re going to do after this?” Joker asked.
He hoped Sean wasn’t planning on staying with him and Gabe for long. He might just end up killing him if he did.
“Are you asking because you want to know if I’ll keep working for the Kings or because your better half told you to ask?”
Joker nearly choked on air. His better half? What the fuck?
“Both,” Joker answered.
“So you consider Gabe your better half, then?”
Joker jerked his head towards Sean, glaring at him for a few seconds before he was forced to return his gaze to the road.
“What? No. I just knew who you meant.”
Sean’s chuckle had him fighting to keep his hands on the wheel and not reach over and wrap them around Sean’s throat.
“I love poking fun at you. It’s so damned easy now,” Sean said. “I actually don’t think I’ve been able to before. But now? There’s a whole lot to poke at.”
“Don’t you ever shut up?”
“Not really, no.”
Joker turned, driving into a parking garage. He drove to the floor they’d agreed on and pulled into a parking spot. He got out and told Sean to follow him. They walked down a few rows of cars until Joker spotted Gabe. Gabe was leaned against the front of a pickup truck, his eyes on Joker. He walked right up to Gabe and grabbed him by his vest to pull him c
lose and plant a kiss on his lips. He wasn’t sure why, just that he needed it right then.
Gabe smiled up at him for a moment before his eyes shifted to Sean. Joker let go and stepped back reluctantly.
“Hi, Sean.”
“Gabe. Nice to see you, again.”
Sean walked to the passenger door and while he got into the car, Gabe turned but Joker halted him with a hand on his arm. Gabe glanced up at Joker with his big brown eyes.
“Be careful. Look out for tails and take the long way home,” Joker said.
A smile widened Gabe’s lips and he stepped closer, leaning in to kiss Joker. It was just a quick peck, but he could still feel the smile on Gabe’s lips.
“I’ll be careful. I promise,” Gabe said. “I’ll see you at home.”
Joker nodded and let go of Gabe, watching him walk to the car and get behind the wheel. He waited for them to drive off before going back to his own car.
Gabe
He’d taken the long way home as Joker had told him to and the whole time, he’d been replaying that kiss from when Joker and Sean had arrived at the garage. He had no idea why Joker had kissed him. He knew the man wasn’t much for public displays of affection and he was a bit paranoid about anyone finding out about them. So why did he risk it for a quick peck? That wasn’t like him.
He parked the car and led Sean to the apartment. He pulled off his shoes and put them on the rack.
“Tell me something,” Sean said.
Gabe turned and raised a brow at Sean.
“If yours and Joker’s relationship is supposed to be a secret, how do you explain away that you live together?”
“I’m just renting a room. The apartment is Joker and his best friend’s, but he moved in with his man, so he asked if I wanted the room,” Gabe said.
“Uh-huh.”
Gabe ignored him and said, “Speaking of which, you can have my room while you’re staying here. It’s the last door to the right.”
“Thanks,” Sean said.
Gabe showed him the room and then they went into the living room. They watched some Tv and talked for a bit while they waited for Joker to get home. It took almost an hour before he heard the door open and stood from the couch. He walked into the hallway, a smile finding his lips when he saw Joker there.
“Hi,” Gabe said.
“Hey. You guys get here okay?”
Gabe nodded. Joker reached for Gabe and pulled him against himself. Gabe grabbed a hold of Joker’s shirt and tilted his head back. Joker’s mouth came down on his, sending a spark of heat through his body. He gasped, and Joker slipped his tongue inside. The kiss turned frenzied, their tongues tangling, teeth nipping. They were both panting when Joker pulled back. Gabe looked up into Joker’s eyes, his bottom lip between his teeth. He saw the heat in Joker’s gaze and reached up to wrap his arms around Joker’s neck. A shuffling sound from behind him reminded him that they weren’t alone. He turned to see Sean standing in the doorway, watching them.
“Just out of curiosity,” Sean said and leaned a shoulder against the doorframe. “You two wouldn’t consider a threesome, would you?”
Gabe couldn’t stop a chuckle from escaping him and glanced down. He felt heat spread in his cheeks and hit his face in Joker’s shoulder. Joker tightened his arm around him.
“Not a fucking chance, Sean,” Joker barked.
“Damn. Can’t blame a man for trying,” Sean said.
Gabe shook his head and when Joker let go of him, he said, “We should all get some sleep.”
“Yeah, I don’t think I’ll be sleeping after watching that,” Sean said with a wave towards Joker and Gabe.
“Sean,” Joker growled.
Sean raised his hands and said, “I’m going.”
Gabe watched Sean disappear into his bedroom with a smile on his lips. Joker said something under his breath and tugged Gabe towards his room. Gabe got undressed and laid down next to Joker on the bed. Just being this close to Joker was waking up his dick. He glanced at Joker, holding back a smile.
“I did not think this through,” Gabe said.
Joker turned his head, glaring at Gabe. “No. No, you did not.”
Gabe snorted out a chuckle and scooted closer to Joker. Having Joker’s warm body pressed against his own was an equally bad idea. He sighed and rolled onto his back.
“Distract me,” Gabe said.
“How?”
“I don’t know. Tell me something you’ve never told anyone else before.”
“Why would I do that?”
“Oh, come on. Don’t be such a spoilsport. All right. I’ll start.” Gabe drew in a deep breath. “I stole your riding gloves five years ago.”
“You what? Are you serious?”
“Yeah. I still have them.”
“What the hell did you do with them?”
Gabe closed his eyes and said, “I kept them in my backpack and whenever I felt down or got scared, I just put them on and I guess I felt like you were there, protecting me.”
Those gloves had been a big part of his life, especially through high school. He’d brought them to college too but mostly as a token because he knew he’d miss Joker.
“Your turn,” Gabe said.
Joker opened his mouth but before he could say anything, Gabe cut him off.
“Don’t even think about saying something like you’ve got a collection of handcuffs, ‘cause pretty much everyone knows that already.”
Joker let out a huff. “Not everyone knows that and it’s not a collection. I just happen to like a bit of bondage from time to time.”
Gabe pursed his lips and rolled onto his side so he could see Joker. “I’ve actually wondered why you haven’t brought them out yet.”
“It just hasn’t come up yet.” Joker reached out to run his fingers down Gabe’s arm. “Would you like that?”
“I’ve never done it before,” Gabe said, avoiding Joker’s gaze. He wasn’t sure how Joker would take that. He did want to try it. But only with Joker. He was the only one he trusted enough for that.
“Guess I’ll have to teach you, then.”
Gabe’s eyes jerked up to meet Joker’s. “Really? You don’t mind that I haven’t…”
Joker shook his head. “With anything else, I probably would mind, but this? Being there for one of your firsts, that I’m surprisingly looking forward to it.”
“If that’s the case, then you should know that there are plenty of things I haven’t tried yet.” Just in case he wasn’t entirely clear, he added, “Sex things, I mean.”
Joker let out a groan.
“Why’d you have to turn this conversation onto sex? Fuck.”
Gabe couldn’t stop a chuckle from escaping him. As much as he hated that they couldn’t do anything, he found himself pretty entertained and just being allowed to share a bed with Joker felt amazing. It kinda forced them to talk to each other. He liked that part a lot.
“This fucking sucks,” Joker mumbled.
Gabe smacked Joker’s arm and said, “Don’t think you’re getting out of answering.”
Joker grumbled under his breath. He rolled onto his side and got up onto his knees. He put his hands on either side of Gabe’s head, making him look up at Joker with narrowed eyes.
“If this is your way to try—”
“It’s not,” Joker said with a shake of his head. “I just figured I should be looking at you when I tell you this.”
“What?” Gabe asked skeptically.
Joker closed his eyes for a second, then opened them and said, “I went to see you when you were in college.”
Gabe felt a frown form on his forehead, and he pulled a face at the thought of Joker having been sent to check on him. Fuck. How humiliating.
“Not because your dad asked me to,” Joker interjected.
“Then, why?”
“Because I overheard a phone call between you and King. He was worried, so I got worried, too.” Joker sat back. “I went to talk to you. Or maybe I just wanted to s
ee with my own eyes that you were all right. But you weren’t.”
Gabe swallowed hard, the enraged look on Joker’s face giving him a big clue of what time of his life this had been. It certainly hadn’t been pretty.
“I heard you arguing with your… boyfriend,” Joker said, the word laced with disgust.
Gabe squeezed his eyes closed. He’d been an idiot and he’d been dating an asshole. He hated that Joker had seen that. God. What he must’ve thought about him.
“Hey. Look at me,” Joker said, running his fingertips across Gabe’s forehead.
Gabe sucked in a trembling breath and opened his eyes. Joker sat back and tugged on Gabe’s arm to get him to sit up.
“Honestly, I don’t know what the hell you were doing with that bastard, but if you think I’ll judge you for it, you’re wrong. I’ve got no right to judge anyone. Least of all you.”
Gabe didn’t know what the hell to say to that. He had no idea Joker saw him like that. It was somewhat frightening yet satisfying.
Joker cleared his throat and said, “He yelled and said a lot of shit to you and I could tell he really hurt you. That’s why I didn’t go to see you that day. I followed him instead.”
“What did you do?”
Joker shrugged, a wicked smile playing on his lips. “I just showed him what I thought of him and then I told him to stay the fuck away from you.”
“You…” Gabe trailed off, shaking his head. It all made sense now. How Jeff had shown up with a black eye and a broken arm the next day in class and how he refused to even talk to Gabe.
“I know I crossed a line that day, but I’ll never apologize for it,” Joker said.
Gabe didn’t know what to say so he let his lips do the talking. He slammed his mouth over Joker’s and crawled into his lap. Joker wrapped his arms around Gabe. When Gabe pulled back, he found Joker watching him with soft eyes.
“You’ve never told anyone?” Gabe asked.
“How the hell would I have explained it? I went out of my way to see you and yes, we protect our own, but he never threatened you. I just lost my temper.” Joker frowned at Gabe. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Like what?” Gabe asked, biting his lip to keep from smiling.