Without Fear

by Reese Knightley

  A car door closed in the distance and he whirled around, brushing escaped wisps of hair from his eyes.

  Bailey Café’s newest waiter, Tinley Marigold, hit the key fob, locking his car, and walked toward him.

  “All okay?” Tinley asked tentatively.

  “Just some bad news,” he admitted and tucked his phone away.

  “Oh, Macy, I’m so sorry.” Tinley hugged him, smelling of fresh soap and some type of fruity lotion. He returned the younger man’s hug and patted his back. Tinley didn’t ask what the news was and for that, he was grateful.

  “Can you do me a favor and tell Ashley I had to take a personal day? Tell her I’ll cover all day tomorrow,” he promised.

  “I will.” Tinley smiled. The man really was beautiful in a delicate way. He wore his hair a different shade of color every day and was more prone to wearing dark colors that gave him a gothic look. Beneath the timidness and shy exterior lurked a beautiful soul.

  “Thank you. Go on, I’ll wait until you’re inside,” he offered. Even though Tinley had never told him, Macy knew the boy had been all kinds of traumatized by someone in his past. He recognized the signs.

  Tinley gave him a grateful smile and darted through the back door.

  When he heard the lock click, Macy hurried to his car. It was a short drive to the two-bedroom apartment he shared with Tinley.

  He tossed his keys on the small table near the door and turned the deadbolt before making his way to a large picture frame on the wall. It moved easily beneath his hand to reveal a small wall safe. He entered the code and pressed his thumb to the lock.

  Retrieving a few items plus a burner phone, he tossed his Washington driver’s license and cell phone into the safe. Crouching down, he tugged his pant leg up and removed the small pistol tucked into his ankle holster and placed the gun and the holster in the safe. He only carried the gun at his ankle when he was working, but he’d much rather take his other one.

  Removing a wooden case from the safe, he lifted the lid and took out his Glock 17 resting inside. Loading the weapon, he grabbed an extra clip. One couldn’t be overprepared. Locking the safe, he carried the weapon along with the other items into his room.

  Wiggling into a pair of Levi jeans, he made a face at the bootcut bottoms. They weren’t his usual style, but they’d do the job. Next, he threw on a faded green t-shirt before he pulled on a pair of black combat boots. He made quick work of braiding his hair before tucking his weapon into the waistband of his pants and sliding on a dark leather jacket from his closet. A quick stop at the mirror had him grinning.

  “Who’s a bad boy?” he cackled and lifted a moist facial wipe to remove all the makeup he’d applied that morning.

  “Voila! Disguise a la cart!” He snorted at his reflection.

  Without his makeup, he was unrecognizable. That he was slender was also a plus. Most people didn’t take him seriously when they saw him. Judging a book by its cover and all that jazz. The bad guys who were mistaken by his unthreatening appearance usually turned out to regret it.

  Gathering up the chain from the bed, he pulled it over his head and fingered the shiny surface before tucking the badge away, hiding it beneath his shirt.

  “You owe me one,” he muttered to the absent US Marshal James Stanton.

  Logan

  “I didn’t even need stitches.”

  Felix rolled his eyes at his comment. “Well, that’s a first.”

  The nurse wrapping up his arm glanced over at Felix in surprise.

  “Just ignore him,” Logan said impatiently and reached for the fresh shirt Jaxon held out.

  The nurse intercepted the shirt and helped him ease it over his arm.

  “Keep it clean to avoid infection,” the nurse said.

  “I will.”

  “And try not to do anything strenuous with it,” she advised.

  Jaxon snorted.

  “Yeah, wrong person to tell that to,” Felix said, hooting with laughter.

  Logan ignored them both and thanked her. When she left the room, he eyed the pair.

  “So,” Felix cleared his throat, “one of the perps spilled everything to the detectives and they arrested the talk show host’s brother.”

  “Brother? Imagine that,” he muttered, easing from the bed. He rolled his shoulders even though one throbbed like a bitch and pressed a hand to the stiffness lingering in the back of his neck.

  “Yup, just as we suspected,” Jaxon smirked and crossed his arms against his muscled chest.

  “Jealousy knows no bounds,” Logan agreed.

  “The brother said, and I quote, ‘we are all dead men,’” Felix added. “The detectives have added that to the list of charges.”

  Logan snorted. “If I had a nickel…”

  “Yeah, yeah,” Felix agreed. “I’ll add it to the pile of other threats to maim and dismember us.”

  Turning toward the small chair next to the bed, he lifted the clear plastic bag that held his wallet and keys. Jaxon handed over his gun and Logan tucked everything away.

  “I got us on a ten o’clock flight out this morning,” Felix said, glancing at his watch. “That gives us five hours to stop by the police department before the airport.”

  “Then we better head out.”

  The flight would put them in Denver around one o’clock, which would give him plenty of time to pack.

  The stop at the police department took a few hours, and each one of his team, including himself, gave an official statement. And just to be on the safe side, he pressed official charges for the death threat his client’s brother had been stupid enough to issue.

  “I’ll make sure he goes away for a long time. I’m grateful for you and your team’s help,” the detective in charge said, and when the man stood, he held out his hand.

  “Take care.” Logan smiled and gripped the detective’s hand.

  Logan slept most of the flight back to Denver and when they landed, most of the team scattered to take care of personal shit.

  Jaxon drove him and Felix to the Cobalt Security office building. They followed him up the elevator as if they were afraid to let him out of their sight. They tended to be a bit overprotective.

  “Assemble the team.” He nodded at Felix, who was texting on his iPhone.

  “On it.” Felix’s fingers flew over the tiny keyboard.

  Reaching the upper floor, Logan walked through his office and straight to the door at the end. It led to a large, custom built bedroom. It paid to have enough money to indulge himself.

  When he opened the door, a big, dark Bull Mastiff laying on the bed lifted his head. Seeing it was him and Jaxon, Echo leaped down and came trotting over. He patted the dog while Echo sniffed at the injury on his arm.

  “I’m okay, boy. Is Sara treating you good?” he asked as if Echo were a person. And if anyone asked him, Logan would swear to it that Echo was more human than most people. He spent several moments scratching behind Echo’s ear and petting down his back before he stood. Sara was not only the manager of his dog training facility, but a family friend who took care of Echo when he couldn’t take the dog.

  Opening the balcony door, he let Echo out and left it slightly open before he sent Sara a quick “thank you” text and an electronic payment for going above and beyond.

  The bed looked inviting and he sat on the edge and then lay back into its softness.

  I just need one minute, he thought.

  “Boss?”

  A voice tugged him from sleep and he sighed into the softness of the pillow.

  “Huh?” He rolled and hissed when his arm throbbed. It took him a moment, and when he managed to sit on the edge of the bed, he ran a hand over his face before glancing toward the doorway.

  Jaxon had taken up a lean against the doorjamb.

  “You good?”

  “Yeah. How long was I asleep?” Easing from the bed, he shuffled to the closet and tugged his suitcase down from the shelf.

  “About an hour.”

  �
��Crap, I gotta get to the airport.” With his good arm, he hauled the suitcase onto the bed and began packing.

  Jaxon gave him a smug look.

  Logan quirked one eyebrow. “What?”

  “You heading to Crumpet?” Jaxon gestured to the suitcase.

  “Yeah, it’s a family thing.” His sister and brother both lived there. But he knew deep down, it was the long-haired beauty that brought him back every damned time.

  “Mhmm,” Jaxon smirked knowingly. “Don’t tell me it’s not about that cute waiter you’ve been seeing for the past few months.”

  “Okay, I won’t.”

  Jaxon laughed and Logan finally smirked, knowing he wasn’t fooling anyone.

  “Getting serious?”

  “What? Um… no.” He frowned. He wanted to get very serious, but every time he got closer to Macy, the younger man pulled away and insisted they keep things casual and fun. Like serious wouldn’t be fun or something.

  On his monthly runs to Crumpet, Washington, he’d been the one to track down Macy. He’d usually find the slender, dark-haired beauty at the park eating lunch. He could literally watch Macy eat all day long with those slim, delicate fingers and pink, darting tongue.

  “Why not?” Jaxon broke into his fantasy before crossing the room and plopping down on the free side of the bed. His hair was long enough to fan out on the bed when he sprawled back.

  “I have no idea, but I’m going to find out.” In the nine months he’d been making the trips, he knew almost next to nothing about the younger man.

  “Take the dog. I hear Macy’s got a soft spot for Echo.”

  Logan snapped his suitcase closed. “I had planned on it.” He turned and whistled.

  Echo trotted in from the balcony and the small yard he’d installed.

  “Did you ever find out why he went missing for those two weeks?”

  “No. I asked, but got nothing.”

  Two months ago, Macy had gone missing. Justin had told him that Macy’s ex was an abusive asshole. Logan, frantic with worry, had put his whole team on seeking the younger man out. When Macy had showed back up at the café as if nothing had happened, Justin had called him. Macy had given no reason for his absence and Justin wasn’t going to question his friend.

  Logan had, though. He had no qualms asking where the hell Macy had gone. He’d tracked Macy down at the gym and had demanded an answer. Macy had given him a dark glare. One that silently said, don’t fuck with me. The beautiful man had grabbed up his stuff and left him standing in the workout room. It had taken him a month to smooth things over.

  Heading into the restroom off of the bedroom, he brushed his teeth and splashed water on his face before running a brush through his short hair. He studied the strands. Was there more gray than yesterday? He rubbed a hand down his face. He was a gay man over forty and he rarely dated. Sure, he had the occasional hookup, but at forty-five, he figured he was past the expiration date for a relationship. That was why he’d even surprised himself by pursuing Macy. The guy had to be what, twenty-three at the most? But the more time he spent in Macy’s company, the more he’d come to realize something very clearly. He wanted Macy more than he’d ever wanted anything in his entire life.

  “What are you doing?” he whispered to his reflection.

  “Hey, boss.” Hayden poked his head through the open bathroom door with a grin. “Everyone is here.”

  “I’ll be right there.”

  Returning to his room, he snapped a security harness around Echo and then lifted his bag from the bed.

  Jaxon pushed up from the bed and followed him into his office.

  All but Gunner and Brick were assembled in various places. Hayden, as was typical, perched on the corner of his desk. Ryder leaned against a wall, and Felix was sitting behind his desk, turning circles in his office chair. Jaxon sprawled in one of the chairs he reserved for clients.

  “Gunner had to feed his dogs and Brick said he had family shit to see to,” Felix told him.

  “That’s fine. I’ll be gone for the weekend. We have the Smather job starting on Sunday. Gunner and Brick will handle that. The Carson job starts on Monday, but I’ll be back by then. I’ll call if there are any changes. You can reach me on my cell. Until I return, Jaxon is in charge.”

  “Aww, man! He’s always in charge.” Hayden gave both him and Jaxon an exaggerated eye roll.

  “That’s because I’m smarter than you,” Jaxon goaded and cracked his knuckles with a smirk.

  A snort drew Logan’s gaze to Ryder. The man gave a pained grimace and pulled his cell phone out, ignoring them all.

  “Please,” Hayden huffed with what sounded like indignation and dodged Jaxon’s swipe at his head.

  Hayden was smoking hot and really, almost too good-looking to be a bodyguard, but the man was absolutely lethal when it came to protecting their clients.

  Logan squinted and tossed a look toward Ryder. The man’s fingers flew over the phone’s keyboard. Logan imagined the man was texting his adorable husband. Ryder had met Harrison Trudel on a bodyguard job and had fallen in love. Logan liked to think he was responsible for that since he’d been the one to talk Ryder into taking the job in the first place.

  “Ryder?”

  “Yes?” The man glanced up from his phone.

  “Keep them in line,” he said, and then turned with Echo toward the door.

  “Hey! I thought I was in charge,” Jaxon griped.

  Felix’s laughter rang out. “You snooze, you lose.”

  “What did you say?” Jaxon lunged at Felix, who darted into his bedroom.

  “Ryder’s in charge of you,” Felix hooted with laughter.

  “Children, children!” Hayden raced to the bedroom doorway to referee.

  “Play nice,” Logan yelled on his way out the door.

  He knew they’d razz each other for a while, but his team, when it came right down to it, worked like a well-oiled machine.

  All of these men were more than employees to him. They fought, laughed, and lived life together.

  They were family.

  Macy

  “Code name: Buttercup.”

  “Today’s access code?” a woman responded briskly over the phone.

  “Four, three, seven, two, two, seven.”

  “What do you need?”

  “Give me everything on the Tony Siegel case.”

  After several moments with only the sound of tapping on the computer keyboard, the woman replied, “The file states there have been no changes.”

  “Please have the ASAC call me.” He recited the burner’s number for dispatch to relay to the Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge.

  “Message received.”

  He ended the call and turned to find his best friend, Justin Cobalt, standing frozen in the doorway to the living room.

  “Shit,” he said out loud and froze just as still as Justin had become.

  “Code name: Buttercup?”

  Justin gazed at him in shock, but his eyes were intense. Before he could respond and make some shit up, Justin continued.

  “Why do you need to speak to the FBI?”

  “What?”

  “I know what ASAC stands for.”

  “Um… How did you get in here?” he stalled, but in his gut, he knew he wasn’t going to get away from Justin’s piercing gaze and probing questions. After all, the guy was a senator’s son and familiar with law enforcement.

  Justin held up a set of keys. “Tinley wanted me to grab his jacket on my way back from making the Café’s bank deposit. He forgot it when he left this morning.”

  “Oh.” He swallowed. Damn it. He’d deliberately stayed away last night and instead, returned this morning. After Tinley had gone to work.

  “Talk to me, Macy. What the hell is going on?”

  “You’re not going to let this go, are you?”

  “No, I’m not.” The small blond frowned.

  “It’s a long story,” he warned.

  Justin dialed a number and l
ifted his phone to his ear. “Ashley? Macy and I won’t be in today. Can you handle things? Thank you.” Justin hung up the phone. “There, we’re free. Now talk.”

  He could have saved Justin the trouble of a phone call since he had already sent an “I’ll be late” text to Ashley earlier, but he kept quiet. Maybe he should take the day off.

  He sighed. “I’ll make some coffee.” Whirling around, he headed into the kitchen to get his thoughts together, wondering how much he could really say about his situation.

  Tugging back out the burner phone, he sent a quick text to Stanton.

  “We’re having steak for dinner.” It was code that the mission had been a success.

  “Thanks!” came the quick reply.

  Taking down two mugs from the cupboard, he selected two French roast coffee pods. Popping one pod in the maker, he turned and leaned against the counter. Justin took a seat at the small table. Fresh brewed coffee lingered in the air, and when the two mugs were done, he poured creamer in both and carried them over to the table before taking a seat.

  “I have to go back a ways.” He lightly touched the side of the mug, the slight sting to his fingertips had him blowing on the liquid before taking a sip.

  “How far back?”

  “After high school.”

  “You graduated a couple of years ahead of me.”

  “Yeah.” They’d only shared one school year together. He’d been a senior to Justin’s freshman, but that hadn’t stopped them from becoming friends. Being new to the school, Macy had inadvertently picked a lunch table with the freshmen kids. They’d thought it cool as shit, so he’d made it a habit.

  “Things didn’t go as planned for me after I graduated.” He cleared his throat and took another sip of the hot brew.

  “We’ve got all the time we need,” Justin said, lifting his own mug.

  “So, it started just after high school. My mom went back to Las Vegas.”

  “Did she get back with your stepfather?”

  “What?” He blinked, stalling for time.

  “That guy, Tony Siegel?”

  “How do you know that?” His heart started pounding.

  “I remember your mom said Tony wasn’t a very nice man,” Justin said quietly. “That’s why she used your last name, Finch, when you moved to Washington.”