by Bru Baker
The sense of comfort and need to be close sounded an awful lot like his parents’ stories about their mate bond, and that scared him. Sure, Max wanted to settle down. But he’d figured that was years away. He didn’t know what to think now. He’d told Danny they’d take things slow and see where they went, but his instincts were going crazy. He wanted to claim Danny and den with him. Hide him away from anyone who could hurt him and keep him for himself. He’d never felt anything like this, not even for guys he’d been in long-term relationships with. It was absolute insanity to be feeling that way about a guy he’d literally just met.
Max pushed those thoughts away and focused on enjoying the sights. He’d never been in a helicopter before, and even though it was dark, he didn’t have a problem, thanks to his excellent night vision. It seemed like they’d just taken off when the helicopter descended.
“Are we calling an Uber to get to the marina?” he asked as they made their way through the small helipad terminal.
Danny shook his head. “My parents’ driver will pick us up.”
“Where does he stay when your parents are down here?”
“If they’re not going to need him, he drives back to New York. Otherwise he stays on the yacht,” Danny said.
The Cresswells did not seem like the type that would mingle with the help, so that surprised him. “Will he be at dinner?”
“God no,” Sloane said. “He’s a nice guy. I wouldn’t wish that on him. The staff has a dining area.” She dug through her purse and came up with two tiny bottles of vodka. She handed one to Danny. “Drink up. It’ll make introductions go better.”
Danny pushed the vodka back at her, and she offered it to Max, who shook his head. She shrugged and stowed it back in her bag. Their refusal didn’t stop her from unscrewing the cap and chugging the other bottle. The fumes made Max’s nose burn. He couldn’t imagine actually drinking it.
“Stanley has been with our family since I was a kid. He and our housekeeper, Elva, spent more time with me than my parents ever did. Elva retired two years ago, but I still hear from her on my birthday.”
“He came to Danny’s graduation with me and Elva. Alpha Connoll came too.” Sloane shot Danny a small smile. “That pretty much sums up our family situation, honestly.”
She waved at a man standing in front of a town car holding up a sign that said Prodigal Son and Entourage, which told Max more about this guy than their descriptions. He liked him already.
Stanley hugged Danny so tight he actually lifted him into the air. “It’s been a long time since I’ve made this drive with you,” he said when he sat him back down. “Missed you, kid.”
He smelled human, which was curious. Max caught Sloane’s attention and pointed his fingers like claws, and she shook her head.
How was that even possible? Were the Cresswells so careful at home that even the people who lived and worked with them didn’t know they were Supes? Poor Danny. No wonder he rebelled so hard against his family—there was literally no part of his life in which he didn’t have to pretend to be someone else.
Stanley held a hand out, and Max took it. The guy had a firm grip. “Nice to meet you, Detective Torres. Sloane’s told me a lot about you. I hope you’ll enjoy dinner tonight and not let the Cresswells scare you off. It’s been a long time since he brought someone home. You be good to him.”
Max was glad Danny had someone in his life who would give the shovel talk.
“Call me Max, please, sir. It’s nice to meet you.”
Stanley slapped Max on the back. “Looks like you’ve finally found a good egg, Danny.”
Danny grinned and looped an arm around Max’s shoulders, tugging him toward the car. “Coaches his niece’s soccer team on the weekends, volunteers at the food pantry, and he’s nice to his mother. He’s okay, I guess.”
Max wanted to sink into the car’s cushions and disappear. He couldn’t believe Danny remembered all that. They’d talked a lot over lunch and dinner yesterday, but he hadn’t meant to make himself sound like a saint.
“A regular Boy Scout,” Stanley said with a chuckle as he pulled away from the curb. “I like him even more.”
“He was one,” Sloane chimed in. “Youngest Eagle Scout in the state.”
What the fuck.
Sloane’s smile was downright evil when he looked over.
“Danny has a huge heart and a Pollyanna complex. I, on the other hand, have a trust fund and access to a private detective.”
Jesus. Make that two people looking out for Danny. Which was good, even if her methods were a little ruthless. Two was still way too few, and if Max had any say in it, he’d be increasing that number by at least one. Probably more, if his family was as taken with Danny as he was.
“Sloane,” Stanley said, sounding every bit the stern father figure. “We’ve talked about boundaries.”
“It’s pretty standard fare for a cop,” Max said, even though he didn’t really care for having the tables turned on him. “We’ll run people our partners are dating if they sound shady.”
“He knows,” Danny said. “His son is an officer in New Jersey. Stanley had him run one of Sloane’s boyfriends, and he came up with an outstanding warrant.”
Sloane buried her head in her hands. “He wasn’t my boyfriend!”
“I picked you up at his apartment enough to make him something,” Stanley muttered. He guided the vehicle into a parking lot, the wheels of the town car crunching over gravel. “You kids going back tonight?”
“Yeah, we want to limit Max’s exposure to the crazy,” Sloane said cheerfully.
“I’ll be in the galley,” he told them as they climbed out. “Just come get me when you’re ready.”
Max’s anxiety returned full force as they walked down the dock. The boats were all sleek and gorgeous, a totally different class than the pontoon boat he used to like to drive at Uncle Al’s house on Lake George.
He shivered when Danny grabbed his hand and pulled him in close. “It’ll be fine.”
“It will be a disaster,” Sloane corrected. “But you’ll live.”
Chapter Five
DANNY had worried the helicopter and the yacht would be too much for Max, but he’d been a trouper. They’d been ushered up to have cocktails on the deck, and things were going well. He’d even fielded Danny’s father’s questions about his investment portfolio with grace.
But he’d looked absolutely panicked when they sat down to dinner. Danny wasn’t sure what had freaked him out. Honestly, if he’d survived this long, there wasn’t much more Danny’s parents could throw at him.
He snuck a hand into his pocket and dialed Max. It was on silent, but if he squinted Danny could see it light up in Max’s pocket.
“Oh, you’re getting a call,” Danny said. “He gets important calls from the station, so I’m going to show him out to the deck where he can take it, just in case.”
Max shook his head. “No, it’s fine, I don’t want to interrupt—”
Danny’s father waved away Max’s concern. “I appreciate that, but please, do take the call.”
“Uncle Daniel does it all the time,” Sloane said in a sweet tone that earned her a sharp look from Danny’s mother. “Business always comes first.”
Danny nudged Max until he stood up and followed him out to the deck. Danny kept going, climbing up to the deck above and getting as much distance as he could between them and his family.
Pretend to answer your phone, he texted.
Max scowled at him but played along.
“Detective Torres here. What do you have for me?”
What freaked you out?
Max bit his lip and texted back.
I’m worried about embarrassing you.
“That’s something worth running down,” Max said. “Did the forensic report shed any light on that?”
Danny pressed a hand against his mouth to keep himself from laughing. Max was taking the cover story pretty seriously. It sounded 100 percent legit. If he listened h
ard enough, he could hear Sloane telling some gross story about her human anatomy class, covering for them.
You’re doing great. Trust me, they like you. And they never like anyone.
Instead of calming Max down, Danny’s text made him even more agitated. His heart was pounding, and Danny stepped forward and put a hand over Max’s chest.
“I thought you wanted them to like you,” he whispered.
Max grimaced and put a warm finger over Danny’s mouth. Danny nipped at it, just because he could, and a thrill ran through him when Max’s scent went thick with arousal.
“Did the techs make any headway on unlocking that iPhone from the scene so we could access the photos on it? Oh, excellent. How about the text messages? Anything interesting there? Can you read me the last dozen or so?”
Danny grinned and decided to be bold. He left his hand against Max’s chest and leaned in for a kiss, which Max eagerly returned. He didn’t let it get too heated, but it settled Max’s scent and chased away the bitter tones of anxiety that had bothered Danny.
I just started thinking about what rich people eat, and I realized I didn’t know what all the silverware on the table was for.
Ah. That made sense. Max had been fine until they’d taken their seats at the table. Danny was glad they were on the yacht and not at his parent’s home in Manhattan. If Max thought this table setting was intimidating, he might actually faint at one of Veronica Cresswell’s infamous six-course dinner parties.
Danny tried to picture the table, but he couldn’t remember anything out of the ordinary.
Just follow me or Sloane.
That will be obvious and they’ll know I don’t know what to do!
The yacht crew included a cook, but it had been years since Danny had been up here, so he had no idea who it was or what they might make. His mother always requested simpler fare while they were here, which was good. There shouldn’t be more than a few courses, and nothing that would be difficult to eat.
Just ask a question when the food comes out. Then you look like you’re being polite, listening to the answer. Sloane or I will start eating if it’s anything weird, and you’ll be fine.
He’d never brought anyone home who hadn’t been raised in this world. Sure, he’d dated guys who hadn’t grown up wealthy, but he wasn’t going to put them through the wringer with his parents. There were plenty of guys from the country club who would be happy to be his plus one at events back when he was still on the socialite circuit, so he’d never really put too much thought into how nerve-racking it would be to be thrust into it like this.
“I think your theory is a good one, Evans,” Max said as he looked at Danny. “We’ll go ahead with that and see where it takes us. Thanks for calling with the update.”
Max took Danny’s hand off his chest and squeezed it.
“Thanks for coming up here with me so I could take that call. We’d better get back. Your parents probably think I have no manners, keeping you away from the table this long.”
Danny snickered and pulled Max along behind him as he weaved through the tight walkways on the way back to the dining area. Max wasn’t wrong—it would have been rude to start without him, so his parents were probably sitting there eavesdropping, assuming they could concentrate over Sloane’s endless story about a gory dissection.
Everyone perked up when they entered the room, and Sloane let her story wind to an end. The staff had probably been instructed to wait until they returned before serving, because as soon as he and Max took their seats, the steward came out with a tray.
“Thank you for waiting,” Max said, shooting them an apologetic smile that made Danny want to squeeze his dimples. “Unfortunately, in my line of work there really isn’t an off-duty.”
“I don’t imagine so,” Danny’s father said. “Are you in homicide?”
“Grand-larceny squad, sir. If I do my job right and stop a theft ring before anyone escalates to murder, it gives homicide less to do.”
Everyone laughed. The steward brought around what looked like a prawn with curry sauce arranged artfully on a ceramic spoon. Danny picked it up and slurped it down in one bite, even though he could feel his mother shooting a laser glare at him for tucking in first.
Sloane seemed to catch on, because she followed suit, eating the amuse-bouche in one delicate bite. He and Max were sitting close enough that Danny could feel how tense he was, and he used the excuse of dropping his napkin into his lap to reach over and give Max’s thigh a reassuring squeeze.
“Good man,” Danny’s father said. “I’m sure your uncle is very proud of you.”
Max ducked his head. “I hope so, sir.”
“Are you working a case right now? How exciting. Was the phone call important?”
His mother’s question seemed innocent enough, but Danny knew from experience that things were rarely as they seemed when his parents were involved. He hadn’t thought this plan through. If Max wasn’t careful with his answer, everyone at the table would be able to hear the lie.
“I’m not at liberty to share details of an open case,” Max said. He looked at Danny and winked. “Of course, sometimes close friends and family members overhear things they probably shouldn’t. That’s just a hazard of working a case after hours. I can tell you I’m working the biggest case of my career right now, and if I manage to run down all the leads I’ve got, you’ll probably be reading about it on the front page of the Times.”
There hadn’t been a single blip in his heart. Anyone listening for one would conclude he was telling the truth. Danny had been up there on the deck with him, and he knew for certain that there hadn’t been a phone call, and even he couldn’t hear the lie.
That was masterful.
Max picked up the ceramic spoon and ate the prawn in one bite, and Danny let out a breath. His mother relaxed a fraction as well, and Danny sent up a prayer of thanks that Max had passed the test.
Max dominated the conversation during the next two courses, telling anecdotes about cases he’d worked and answering an endless stream of questions from Danny’s father both about his work and his family, most notably his uncle, the mayor.
“This is certainly more scintillating dinner conversation than we usually have,” his mother said as the main course dishes were cleared.
“It’s definitely a step up from med-student chatter,” his father added.
Sloane’s lips twitched. “Uncle Daniel, I thought you were invested in my success.”
“I certainly am,” he said, arching a brow at her. “But that doesn’t mean I need to know how to dissect a liver.”
Max laughed. “How far are you from your residency, Sloane?”
“I’ll be starting in a few weeks.”
“That’s why we’re setting her up with an apartment that’s closer to the hospital. Daniel will be moving in too, of course,” his father said.
Danny would not be moving in, dammit. This was why he kept distance between them—if he let them in on the slightest thing, his mother ran with it. If he didn’t need their help for the foundation so desperately, he’d walk out right now.
“I won’t be moving anywhere. I’m perfectly happy in my own apartment.”
Heads whipped up around the table, including Sloane’s. He never talked back to his father, but having Max’s solid presence next to him made him brave. He was thirty-two years old, and he’d spent his entire life either avoiding issues entirely or capitulating on things in the name of keeping the peace.
He hated that being with his father made him feel two feet tall. It was so easy to fall back into the old habits of keeping his head down and his mouth shut.
“I believe you were instructed not to come to a family dinner until you had finished your flight of fancy with that foundation and come to your senses,” his father thundered.
“If you have a problem with me being here, take it up with Mother. She’s the one who summoned me.”
“Daniel, watch your tone when you are speaking to your mother.
” His father’s voice was sharp, edged with an Alpha command that must be obeyed. He had a spark, albeit a faint one. He’d never challenge Alpha Connoll for the Pack because he hated everything to do with it, content to use his spark to keep Danny, Sloane, and Danny’s mother in line.
Unlike every other time his father issued an Alpha command, though, Danny had no compulsion to follow it. No sick sense of dread in his gut at being controlled. Commands usually fell over him like a sheet of ice-cold water, but he’d felt nothing at his father’s words.
“I don’t appreciate it when she appoints herself the arbiter of my life,” Danny snapped back. “We talked about this, Mother. I won’t be leaving my apartment. I appreciate your offer, but I’m perfectly fine on my own.”
His father’s eyes flashed, which startled a gasp out of Danny’s mother. It was so out of character that Danny almost gasped himself. He’d never met anyone with the control his parents had. Their social circle was almost entirely human—they mingled with the Pack only when it was required. It took a lot of concentration and an ironclad will to be able to hide so completely among humans. Danny had never seen his father slip before.
Then again, he’d never continued to talk back after his father issued a command for him to stop either. Normally he stayed out of his father’s presence so further commands couldn’t be issued. It was a night of firsts.
“We’ve entertained this childish fantasy of yours for long enough,” his father roared. “It’s time for you to grow up, Daniel.”
Max’s hand clamped down on Danny’s knee a second before Danny made the move to stand up. He took a breath and resettled himself in the chair. Max was right. Standing up would only escalate things.
“My work is not a childish fantasy,” Danny said, fighting to keep his voice even. “There are children in the foster system who need help, and I’m working my ass off to give them every chance they can get to succeed. I’m not going to give that up to go be a drone in your real-estate empire.”