Tristan slid his hand off Jay’s chest, but only so it could find Jay’s on the mattress. He brushed their fingers together but didn’t link them.
“You won’t be tied to them or to me, but we can work together again. It’s an offer to do the right thing and”—Tristan chuckled—“have fun while you’re doing it.”
It was a way for them to be together. Jay had looked at the odds and realized that their being separated was a foregone conclusion. Tristan had looked at the odds and reworked them in their favor. He’d seen potential and he’d found a way to give them a chance.
It was a hell of a leap of faith, and Jay could see how uncertain Tristan was about what his response would be. He was watching Jay carefully and trying to judge if he’d overstepped or angered him.
A part of Jay wanted to push away from the man and swear he’d never tie himself to another agency—but this was Tristan. It allowed him to stop and consider it.
He’d enjoyed the mission on Asam. He’d felt at home for the first time in years. He wanted to get to know Tristan and to give his life a better purpose, but was working for IA the solution? Could he willingly throw himself into the hands of another military organization? He trusted Tristan and he cared for him. Jay wanted a chance to spend time with him—but was that enough?
IA wasn’t the UCAFD, but who was to say there wouldn’t be fresh new traitors in their midst?
But you would be with Tristan. You would be helping people. And you’d be working with the IA, not really for them.
Helping people was what had caused him to join the UCAFD in the first place. He’d wanted to protect the innocent and defend the universe against hostile forces. Working as a consultant wouldn’t be that different from what he’d done on Asam. He’d seen it while he was a soldier. Orders and command structures didn’t constrain consultants. Their contracts were flexible, and they only went where they wanted and were needed.
It seemed impossible after a week spent wallowing on Scillakor, but Tristan had to have pulled a dozen strings to create this offer. It would allow them years to get to know one another and to decide if a relationship was worth pursuing.
It was everything he wanted, but it begged a very important question.
“Does IA know about us?”
Tristan shook his head. “No, but it would mean nothing if they did. You’re not in the military and I’m not breaking any fraternization rules.”
Jay nodded, letting his mind run over the pros and cons of the suggestion. The offer fit him like a glove and could give him everything he wanted. There weren’t any downsides. It was perfect—and it was all thanks to Tristan.
Now Jay eyed Tristan carefully, trying to understand his thoughts and motivations, but the agent looked open and honest, filled with nervous tension and traces of hope.
Could he trust that the IA wouldn’t screw him over? Not at all. Was Tristan worth the risk of finding out? Yeah, he really was.
Leaning forward, Jay brushed his mouth against Tristan’s in a chaste kiss. He slid his fingers between Tristan’s and linked their hands.
Pulling back, Jay said, “You’re right. That’s a much better offer than me being a bounty hunter.”
Tristan’s smile was small, but it held so much satisfaction and happiness. He kissed Jay again and shifted closer to him on the bed. They ended up rearranging until Tristan was comfortably on top of Jay. Their hands never parted and were twined together on Jay’s chest. Tristan’s head was on Jay’s shoulder and he could smell the wood fragrance of Tristan’s shampoo.
“We’ll inform them of your acceptance tomorrow.”
Jay’s eyebrows rose. “Tomorrow?”
Tristan was amused. “I asked for twenty-four hours’ shore leave. I plan to use every hour of it, Jay. In fact, didn’t you say something about a bit of a role reversal the next time?”
Laughing, Jay ran his hand over Tristan’s back. He delighted in the fact that he could do it without fear of who might see them or when Tristan might leave. They had all the time in the world now to explore each other and see how they fit together.
“Tell me more about those plans, Agent Fox,” Jay said, a smirk curling his lips. “We’ll see if I can’t improve on them.”
Want to see more from this author? Here’s a taster for you to enjoy!
Hard Evidence:
Ticket to Freedom
Elizabeth Hollows
Excerpt
Calvin Hughes opened the alleyway door with gritted teeth and a shudder. It closed behind him and he took in a grateful breath of clean air. Well, cleaner air. It was free from cigarette smoke and alcohol fumes, but there was a large, overflowing bin next to him. Calvin curled his lip and stood as far away from it as possible. He didn’t lean up against the damp wall, choosing instead to stare out at the street. Neon lights bathed the busy sidewalk in red, blue and green.
The neighborhood was more than sleazy. It was downright criminal.
Calvin worked in a dive bar that was a front for all manner of illegal dealings, but he didn’t get involved. He kept his head down and poured drinks. People who paid too much attention or spoke out of turn ended up with bruises and broken bones. Sometimes they disappeared entirely. It wasn’t the life or career he wanted, but he had been down on his luck and desperate for a job. The bar had hired him when no one else would. Three years ago, Calvin hadn’t known what dangers lurked in the shadows. Now he was stuck. He wanted to quit but was fearful of what would happen if he did.
He was lucky the patrons liked to fondle the waitresses rather than the quiet man behind the bar. He didn’t even advertise he was gay. Calvin didn’t want to catch the eye of a criminal who would take his sexuality as an open invitation. Luckily, there weren’t many handsome men to interest him. The few attractive ones were arrogant, cruel or unquestionably straight.
Calvin had given up hoping for a knight in shining armor years ago. He was stuck, and no one would rescue him.
Sighing, Calvin looked up at the sky. It was overcast and there was too much light pollution to see the stars. He missed the country. He’d grown up in a small town in the middle of nowhere. What he wouldn’t give for a one-way ticket back there—a one-way ticket to anywhere else, somewhere with a small house, a loving dog, maybe even a loving husband. He could dream.
And, that was what Calvin did on his five-minute break. He daydreamed about the perfect life—a man wrapping his warm, strong arms around Calvin and kissing him breathless, nights of passion in bed and mornings spent cooking together. The images were sweet, even if they made the bar seem darker and gloomier by comparison.
Sighing again, Calvin glanced at his watch. It didn’t pay to be late in a place like this. He was lucky he had a break at all. His bosses didn’t care much about worker’s rights.
Calvin let go of his fantasy man with regret and turned back to the door. He reached for the handle but flinched away at the muffled sounds of shouting and a gunshot. His blood ran cold, but before he could react, the door burst open and someone collided with him. Calvin grabbed onto the man to keep his footing, only narrowly avoiding falling to the ground. He looked down at the man in his arms. He was brunet and few inches shorter than Calvin. Felix. He was one of the few handsome faces Calvin saw. He didn’t treat the waitstaff like dirt and had an infectious smile.
Felix had been coming into the club for the last month and a half. He ordered a beer but never drank it. He flirted with the barmaids and schmoozed with the owners. Calvin had seen him exchanging money. He’d also been part of private meetings in the back room. Felix wasn’t deep into the illegal dealings, but he’d been worming his way into the inner circle. Felix was a young, up-and-rising criminal star. Calvin stayed away from people like that, no matter how handsome they were in a well-tailored suit.
Felix’s suit was in disarray now and his blue eyes were almost wild. The door had slammed shut behind him, but they both ducked when a new shot was fired. It penetrated the door but missed them.
Felix
yanked Calvin farther down the alley and away from the door. He let Calvin go when they turned a corner but didn’t stop running. Calvin raced after him. They sprinted behind the buildings and past two exits to the street. Felix kept going until they reached a narrow road with a parked car. Calvin could still hear shouting, screaming and running footsteps. They seemed to be echoing all around them. Felix unlocked the car and jumped inside. Calvin didn’t think about what he was doing. He yanked open the passenger door then climbed in.
“What the hell?” Felix shouted. “Get out of here!”
He threw something on the backseat, but before Calvin could react, another gunshot from behind shattered the back windshield. Calvin cried out and ducked forward. The car roared to life and they tore out onto the street. Calvin snapped up his head, yelping with terror when they narrowly avoided a collision with another car. Felix didn’t blink, skidding the tires and twisting the wheel to make it through without a scratch. Felix put his foot down on the accelerator, flying at three times the speed limit and weaving in and out of cars like a maniac.
Calvin’s heart was pounding and he was ready to be sick by the time they screeched onto the main highway. The dive bars and nightclubs were disappearing, but Felix didn’t slow down. He kept checking the rearview and side mirrors making sure they weren’t being followed. Calvin panted heavily and tried to calm his racing heart. It wasn’t working.
He didn’t know what was going on, but Calvin had the sinking suspicion he shouldn’t have climbed into this car. He tentatively turned and looked behind him. Glass from the shattered window littered the backseat. Another item rested on the cushioning and Calvin’s eyes widened.
“You stole the hard drive,” he whispered.
Calvin had only seen the hard drive four times, but he would know it anywhere.
Whenever the bar was short-staffed or the waitresses had gone home, Calvin took drinks to the back room of the club. Calvin tried to be inconspicuous while he was there. He presented drinks to the table of men playing cards. It was a simple activity that masked horrible intentions. Only the top men and women were invited to that game. Murders and drug deals were planned in that room and every few months, a black laptop rested on the table. Calvin didn’t want to know what information was on it. There was always a hard drive plugged into the computer. It was a small silver one with a scratch in the corner.
It was the same hard drive that rested under broken glass on Felix’s back seat. He turned back to find Felix clenching the steering wheel and gritting his teeth.
“You stole the hard drive,” Calvin said again, his voice growing louder and threaded with panic.
“Why the hell did you get in my car?” Felix snapped. “What the hell were you doing?”
Calvin hadn’t been thinking and that was the problem. Felix had pulled him away from the door and the gunshots. He’d assumed Felix would be safe or at least unconnected with what was going on in the club. He’d been wrong.
Now, Calvin was in a car with the man everyone wanted to see dead. He was guilty by association.
I’m screwed.
“Well?” Felix demanded, glancing away from the road to glare at him. “Got any more stupid ideas?”
Calvin bristled at the insult.
“You pulled me away from the door! How was I supposed to know you were the one they were shooting at?”
“What kind of idiot jumps into a car with a stranger?”
“What kind of idiot steals a hard drive from a criminal empire?”
Felix clenched his jaw but didn’t respond. Calvin was breathing heavily, adrenaline pumping through his veins and making his hands tremble. He turned away from Felix to stare out of the window. They were still in the city with cars, buildings and people all around them. It didn’t comfort him.
Where is Felix taking us? Where is he taking the hard drive?
There were hundreds of rival gangs and organizations that would love to have that hard drive.
How much danger am I in right now? Is Felix going to silence me before I can talk to anyone?
Calvin knew it was useless, but as the terror took hold again, he found words tumbling out of him.
“I won’t tell anyone if you let me go. They won’t know anything, I swear.”
Felix startled, seeming surprised by his statement. “Let you go? You’ll be dead within hours if I let you go.”
A cold shiver of fear ran down Calvin’s spine. It was one thing to think it, another to hear it.
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About the Author
Elizabeth Hollows is an Australian writer of LGBT love stories specializing in homosexual or lesbian romance.
Her preferred genres are fantasy, science fiction and contemporary/modern.
She has been writing since she was twelve, but has spent the last few years writing romance stories and discovering a passion for LGBT romance.
When Elizabeth is not writing she embroiders, reads and plots her next novel. She is a fan of the winter months and always has a book in her handbag and a cup of tea nearby.
Elizabeth loves to hear from readers. You can find her contact information, website details and author profile page at https://www.pride-publishing.com
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