Midnight Heist (Outlaws Book 1)

by Katherine McIntyre

  Grif thrust in deep, the tight clench of Dan’s ass around his cock pure perfection. This was the high of punches landing in a brawl, the thrill of bullets flying and a narrow escape. This was speeding through the city like it owed him money, windows rolled down and his hair whipping around with a force that stung his cheeks. Grif couldn’t have looked away from Dan’s gaze if he wanted to, their eyes locked as they both waited for each other’s surrender.

  His chest clenched with something deep, something true, and his strokes increased in fury and force until their skin slapped together. Until he basked in the delicious sting of their collision. Until Dan writhed beneath him, his erection stiffening between them.

  Dan’s heels dug into his back as he rammed inside him again and again with a mounting wildness. Fuck, the bare glide into him felt so damn good, the barriers between them completely gone. Dan’s steady gaze burrowed into him, one that held no expectations, no weight to toss onto his shoulders—those eyes that simply wanted.

  Grif thrust in deep, until the pounding pulse of his need throbbed so loud, he couldn’t hear anything else. Droplets of sweat trickled down his forehead, his back, and he could still taste the salt of Dan’s release on his lips.

  A snarl ripped from his lips as he picked up the pace, ramming into him like there was no tomorrow—in his line of work, there might not be. He thrust into him, chasing the edge with all his might until at last, he cracked wide open and tumbled on over.

  Grif’s release poured into Dan, his cock throbbing as that tight ass milked him dry. Dan’s legs slid from his shoulders, and as they hit the bed, Grif braced himself over the man. His hands pressed into the bed on either side of Dan, his sweaty palms sticking to the sheets. Dan stroked his own cock, once, twice, until bliss radiated across his features and a moment later, the sticky heat of his semen splattered against his chest, dripping between them.

  Dan reached up for his neck, and Grif let the man guide him down until their lips pressed together. He slumped against him, ignoring the mess they’d made of themselves and his bed. Grif luxuriated in the feel of Dan pressed against him, of the lazy, stoked heat, the soft glow of a candle that flickered in his chest, and the vulnerability he’d never been allowed to keep.

  Grif’s lips brushed against the hollow of Dan’s neck, against his earlobe, and against the curve of his chin. Even now, he couldn’t get enough of the man.

  “We should get cleaned up,” Dan said, biting his lip. “Don’t suppose you’ve got a private shower tucked away in this room.”

  Grif’s laugh rumbled through his chest. “I mean we could take the easy route, or we could do our walk of shame across the hall to one of the shared bathrooms.” He cast his gaze across Dan, scanning the man beneath him. “I call dibs on washing down this gorgeous body.”

  “You’re making some wild assumptions that I can even stand,” Dan murmured back, the grin clear by the gleam of his eyes. Grif paused to stare into his face, unable to help himself. He wanted to memorize everything about this moment, the strands of Dan’s thick black hair plastered to his forehead, the healthy flush across his cheeks. The way Dan stared at him unafraid, like he’d plunged right through years of defenses to some battered part of him he’d buried years ago.

  “I’ve got you,” Grif said, pulling out of Dan with some reluctance. A moment later, his feet settled on the hardwood, and he scooped the lithe man up with ease. His heart thundered in his chest, because he meant those words.

  Dan wasn’t just one of his. This thing between them meant something more, and Grif didn’t want to share that with anyone. He couldn’t put a name on it, or else this incandescent feeling might burn out like a bad bulb, but he wanted to follow this path as far as it could take him.

  Twenty-Two

  Dan had always felt like an interloper in the business that should’ve been his, but today, the feeling became a reality.

  He’d strode through the glass doors like normal, greeting Dolores and Ken on the way in. Dan offered his hellos while he went, flashed his empty smiles like the click-click of a camera, and settled behind his desk the same way he did every morning.

  Nerves rushed through him, a hefty dose of adrenaline that left him floating, like he coasted beyond the loathing, the worries, and the doubts that always crept in when he sat behind this desk. Dan’s fingers tapped a heavy beat on the surface. Despite the fact he now collaborated with thieves who planned on excising the tumor from his company, Dan had never felt more supported. After all, he’d been trying to douse Torres Industries’ corruption in turpentine until all the ugliness stripped away.

  Because of Grif Blackmore, he stood a chance.

  A knock sounded on his door, snagging his attention.

  Leo strolled in without waiting for a response, and Dan’s shoulders dropped with relief.

  “Close the door behind you,” Dan said, wanting the privacy. After the incident in the boardroom, Leo had scoured his entire office from top to bottom to make sure no similar bugs or cameras were installed.

  “We’ve got to stop meeting like this,” Leo said with a wink as he perched on the side of Dan’s desk. He flexed his fingers and stared at his nails. “Unfortunately, we’ve got a throbbing tumor of a problem tonight.”

  Dan’s brow furrowed, and he almost shot up from his seat. The entire plan would go down tonight: the infiltration, the extraction, and the upheaval of Phil Brennerman.

  “A company is coming in to do a massive upgrade of our systems on Wednesday to a newer model.” Leo’s sharp eyebrows tilted with his obvious distaste. “They’re arriving after-hours tonight to go over the hardware we work with.”

  “Aren’t you the head of the IT department?” Dan asked, his pulse speeding like he’d stepped onto a raceway. How the hell were unsupervised individuals allowed into his company? If he’d ever needed confirmation of the belief everyone in his company worked around him, this was proof positive. “Anyway, shouldn’t you have access to his network as part of Torres Industries? Maybe we just tap the files today and avoid this whole mess.”

  “No, the higher ups were granted their privacy back when your father ran the company. Your computer, for example, isn’t a part of the shared network, and instead is on a local one blocked from network access, which is the reason the Outlaws need to come on site. While I could and have hacked into board emails before, I can’t access the files on their computer without sitting behind the desk. And our favorite CFO went over my head to arrange this update with the board. I have the feeling that by Wednesday, any files we’re searching for are going to be wiped off the map.” Leo let out a huff of breath. The man rarely got ruffled, but this foul breeze slammed both of them.

  Dan swallowed, hard. Every time he tried to move his rook forward, Brennerman already had three moves planned to knock him out. “Do you think he knows about the Outlaws?” He kept his voice low, even though they’d cleaned the room. After Brennerman had gotten footage of him and Grif and dared to use that as leverage, even breathing the air felt like it required permission.

  Leo shook his head. “I don’t know of anyone who could’ve leaked. My only guess is all your probing and challenges lately have him nervous. You know he’s bugged the place in the past, and he’s covering his ass in case you decide the blackmail he’s got on you isn’t enough to keep your obedience.”

  “Guaranteed, if I try to delay this, he’ll just wave that blackmail in my face,” Dan muttered. “He’s got me completely cornered with it, because if he outs me publicly, that won’t just tank my family relations. Most of the business partners we work with are homophobic bigots. I won’t be able to do anything here.”

  Leo gripped the side of the desk harder. “I wish I had access to his local files. I’d scrub it if I could. But all the higher ups lock their offices when they leave them and guard their privacy like bulldogs. Brennerman’s working late tonight to supervise the initial foray with the company.”

  Dan swiped a hand through his hair, the gel keeping it s
licked in place. “So, the one chance we have of pulling this off is tomorrow night?”

  Leo nodded, stroking his chin as he stared out the window at the skyline stretched before them. “I might not have the clearance to stop this machine midmotion, but I can make sure tomorrow night is clear. If not, I guarantee Brennerman is going to wipe any proof of his indiscretions from existence, where no hacker, however good, can find them.”

  “And there’s no way I can put a stop order to this?” Dan asked, a little helpless, because he already knew the answer. The moment he tried to stonewall Brennerman, the man would release the video of him and Grif. Not only would he lose his position on the spot, but he’d be outed publicly—undeniably. The quiet avoidance he’d kept with his father would shatter, and the bond would break for good.

  Dan let out a shaky sigh. Of late, he’d begun questioning how vital the bond was in the wake of all the hardship he’d been shouldering. Yet the idea of no more family dinners with his mother’s adobo and lumpia, the lack of his father’s solid clap on the shoulder, and no more crinkle of warmth in his mother’s eyes—all of that caused the floor to open beneath him. However, no matter how much he’d miss all of that, some things were more important. Stopping Brennerman was more important.

  Leo gave him an “it’s in your court” look, one he deserved.

  Dan gritted his teeth. “Tomorrow. We’ll go for tomorrow.” He stared at the wood grain of his desk as if he might etch into the surface. “However, if we fail tomorrow, or if we need another try, I’ll stop the company from the server upgrade on Wednesday. No matter the cost.”

  Another knock sounded at his door, this time causing them both to start. Leo hopped up from his desk.

  “See you at the condo tonight?” he asked, an undeniable glimmer of excitement in his gaze.

  “You just can’t wait to see Scarlet again,” Dan shot back, his lips quirking with a grin. “Or was it Tuck who’d caught your attention there?”

  “I’m shocked you noticed anything while your lover boy was in the room,” Leo responded, his tone dry as sun-bleached bone. “With those moon eyes you guys were giving each other, we were all about to evacuate to avoid the sight of the two of you dry humping.”

  “There was a lot more than that.” A private grin reached his lips as the first hint of warmth suffused through the panic gripping his chest.

  Leo crooked an eyebrow. “And to think, you called me a slut.”

  “Bro, you earned that one,” Dan responded. “I’ll see you tonight.”

  The door swung open, because no one respected his space today. Vanessa strode in, and her eyebrows tugged together. She cast them a suspicious glance, her heels thumping against the carpet.

  Leo tipped his fingers in her direction. “Bye, Ness.”

  The moment the door clicked shut and Leo exited, Vanessa whirled around to face Dan.

  “What’s he doing here?” she asked, not bothering to hide the accusatory tone in her voice. “I thought you said you were dropping this?”

  Dan pushed himself up from his desk. He needed to walk off the nerves buzzing through him. “Leo was catching me up about the IT department. He’s one of the few people I trust here.”

  Vanessa cast a sharp look his way, her lips forming a thin line as she crossed her arms over her chest. She didn’t have to believe him, but he’d continue to avoid the truth with her. After the sabotage Brennerman pulled on her brakes, Dan wouldn’t risk his sister.

  “I hate this,” she said, breaking the silence. Her features softened. “He’s got all the power here, and I’m terrified to try and stop him. Part of me wants to walk away, but this is the work I’ve always wanted to do. And besides, it’s supposed to be our family company.”

  Dan reached out and slipped his hand in hers. “I hate this too.”

  Little did she know, something would be done about Phil Brennerman before the end of the week.

  When Dan stepped to the front door of the Outlaws’ condo, his heart thumped in his chest so hard, the sound reverberated in his ears. Nerves or anticipation? It was a coin toss when approaching a criminal organization. Not like his heart knew the difference every time he caught a glimpse of Grif.

  He pressed the ringer for the doorbell and slipped his hands into his pockets while he waited. Once he’d gotten out of work, he’d texted Grif he was on his way over. He’d rather explain the complication in person.

  The door swung open, and Dan just about forgot everything he’d come to say. Grif loomed in the frame, tall enough to fill the space. His golden locks were slicked back, and the undershirt he wore glued to his skin with a film of sweat. A couple of drops beaded his temples, and his shoulders heaved like he’d been in the middle of a workout. The moment the scent swirled around him, all heady amber and sweat, Dan got rock-hard.

  He had a problem, and his name was Grif Blackmore.

  Grif licked his lips as he closed the space between them. “Funny meeting you here.”

  Before Dan could respond, Grif’s hot palm slipped behind his neck. Grif’s lips descended on his, and every thought in his head vanished. His tongue snaked into his mouth, the kisses fast turning incendiary as he leaned in against Grif’s hard muscle, the solace in this man’s arms fast becoming an obsession. Grif kissed like he wanted to possess, like he wanted to devour, with a hungry strength Dan had been drawn to from the start.

  Grif pulled away after what felt like an eternity and a second, and Dan stood there reeling.

  Dan ran a hand through his hair, trying to right himself after the way the kiss had knocked him off-kilter. “Well, that’s one hell of a greeting. Miss me?”

  Grif grinned, those stormy blues lightening for a heartbeat. “Maybe a little. Come on. The gang’s all waiting inside, so we can talk about tonight. Apparently, it pays to have a man on the inside.”

  Dan didn’t miss the suggestive tone in his voice, and he lifted an eyebrow. “Does your mind ever leave the gutter?”

  Grif let out a bark of a laugh. “Permanent resident there, babe.” He ushered Dan inside and closed the door behind them. Dan stepped into the foyer, where yesterday he hadn’t been sure if he’d get offed. Yet in the span of twenty-four hours, he worked alongside these thieves better than he did his own employees.

  “So, what’s the news?” Grif asked as they wandered past the empty foyer and living space where a large console overlooked the wide windows featuring Chicago’s skyline. The peaks of the Sears Tower and Aon Center competed for attention, both trying to brush the indigo sky. “Is Brennerman planning on staying late tonight?”

  Dan blew out a breath. “I wish it was that simple.”

  They headed into the kitchen, where Scarlet sat perched in front of his laptop and Alanna stirred her coffee so ferociously she was a step away from breaking the cup. John sauntered into the room a moment later and plucked the spoon from Alanna’s hand. Alanna snapped her jaw at him in response.

  Scarlet looked up from his laptop. “You’ve got some new intel, Torres?”

  Dan hunched over the kitchen island, spreading his palms flat on the counter. “We’ve got a problem. Brennerman and the board hired outside technical help to rework our systems, and they’re laying the groundwork tonight. Apparently this had been on the pipeline for a while and the rest of the company failed to mention it to me. I don’t know if he’s been tipped off, or if the way I was sniffing around has him unnerved, but they’re going to be completing the job on Wednesday night. Tuesday is our one window.”

  Grif stiffened beside him, and Alanna and Scarlet cast their boss furtive glances. John avoided his gaze.

  Dan’s brow creased as he tried to gauge the reaction, like he’d dropped a frag grenade into the room. “Look, I know one night to pull this off isn’t ideal, but I can at least make sure the office is cleared tomorrow.”

  “We’ve come this far, G,” John said, crossing his arms as he stared him down. “I’ll sub in if you’re not willing to.”

  Grif’s hands balled i
nto fists, and his eyes turned to thunderheads, a scowl spreading on his face. He couldn’t tell what he’d said to set him off, but something in his news had tripped Grif’s wire.

  “Aren’t you the CEO of the company?” Scarlet asked, arching an eyebrow. “Can’t you just wave a hand and put a stop to this?”

  Dan sucked in a sharp breath as his cheeks flushed. “Brennerman has blackmail on me, so if I don’t play by his rules, he’ll use it. If we’re backed into a corner though, I guess I could.”

  “No,” Grif said, his voice ringing through the room with the force of his command. His eyes flashed as they met Dan’s.

  “Yeah, but last time we did a gig on a Tuesday, we landed in this shit,” Alanna said, zeroing in on Grif with her hands on her hips. “There’s a reason we avoid them like the plague. They’re damn bad luck, and we’re already filled up on old Romani curses.”

  Oh. The only day they could swing this was Tuesday, and for some reason, that meant something to Grif. Pressure built in Dan’s head like he might burst. Maybe he’d have to challenge Brennerman after all. The idea of the video hitting the public and having his privacy stripped from him like that made the room spin.

  “Well, you’ve got to make the call, Grif,” John said, leaning against the kitchen counter.

  “Fucking hell,” Grif spat, heading over to stride across the tiled floor. Dan watched how he buzzed, how he didn’t just pace, he prowled.

  “We could try swinging the job tonight, even later,” Scarlet volunteered. “Maybe we can station someone there to watch for when the business clears out.”

  Before Dan could point out the hired company was coming in late tonight, and Brennerman would be there to supervise, Alanna jumped in again.

  “Or we do it tomorrow and we’re fucked anyway. Especially if John subs in.” Alanna grabbed her cup of coffee and began to chug it down.

  “Thanks for the vote of confidence, doll,” he responded, strolling past them to crack open the fridge. “None of this matters if the boss doesn’t make the damn call.”