Ah-ha. He wanted Matt. Aubrey should do something to indicate that he was not competition for Matt, just for appearance’s sake, but damn it, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He squelched the growl bubbling up inside him. No way would he encourage another man where his mate was concerned. Matt was his. Aubrey situated himself closer to his mate and swallowed down the bile trying to rise into his throat.
“No problem, man. We’ll grab lunch tomorrow.” Jordan gave Matt a friendly smack on the shoulder. Was it Aubrey’s imagination or was Jordan watching him out of the corner of his eye?
Aubrey did not like this Jordan character. Poaching bastard.
Matt didn’t seem to notice anything out of the ordinary. He bumped knuckles with the guy. “See you tomorrow.” Matt continued out to the parking lot.
Jordan headed in the opposite direction.
Jordan didn’t look back, like Aubrey half-expected him to.
“Aubrey? You coming?” Matt touched his arm.
“Yeah.” He turned toward where his car was parked. “Who is that?”
“Jordan? He’s in two of my classes. I met him the first day of school. Because we’re both wolves we hit it off. He’s a nice guy. He lives and breathes football, but since my own brother is the same way I can’t hold that against him.” Matt shrugged. “He’s fostering with the Atlanta pack while he’s here.”
“Ah.” Matt didn’t sound interested in the guy other than as a friend, so Aubrey let it go. He had more important things to discuss anyway. “About last night…”
Stopping, Matt gave his undivided attention. He swallowed hard, and the slight scent of unease surrounded him. “Yeah?”
“I wanted to apologize for the way I handled things. I should’ve asked you to keep quiet instead of jumping your case.”
Matt gave him a weak smile and nodded before he started walking again. “Where do you want to go for lunch?”
Well damn. That hadn’t gone exactly the way Aubrey would’ve hoped. He hurried to catch up with Matt, pointing to the car as he did so. “Mexican food?”
“Sure.”
He stopped Matt with a hand on his arm. “Matt? I can’t take it back. I’m sorry. I wish I could, but you know why I can’t. Things have to remain a secret.”
This time the smile Matt gave him was a little more certain. “I know. I’m not upset. I wish it could be otherwise, but I do understand. And it’s not like I normally go around telling people I’m gay or something.” His face softened, letting Aubrey know he really did understand, then his eyes took on a mischievous glint. “Race you.” He took off like a shot.
Aubrey laughed. No other man he knew would do something so carefree.
When Matt stopped next to a grayish-green Cadillac CTS, Aubrey laughed harder. In Matt’s defense the CTS was very similar to Aubrey’s Lincoln in appearance if you couldn’t rely on colors for identification. However, Aubrey was in his Caddie today and it was a totally different body style than the one Matt had gone to. It must be strange being color-blind. Talk about a pain not being able to easily distinguish your car from others or not knowing if your clothes matched.
Matt smiled. “What?”
Aubrey didn’t answer. Instead he hit the unlock button on his key fob and opened the car door. “I win.”
Groaning, Matt shook his head, but the amusement in his posture was hard to miss. Finally he chuckled and walked three cars back to the XLR. Tossing his backpack onto the passenger-side floorboard, he rolled his eyes. “Smart aleck.”
Aubrey was still smiling when he walked into work an hour and a half later. Lordy, he was full. Those enchiladas had hit the spot. He’d dropped Matt off at school so he could get the bike and go to Tara’s. If Aubrey could get his work done in time, he’d head over there himself. Tee was getting Matt to assist her in restoring her dad’s old Mustang. It was a neat car, and Aubrey wouldn’t mind helping.
As the elevator doors slid open, Carson came careening around the corner. His pale expression was the first thing Aubrey noticed. The scent of his fear was the second. He glanced past Aubrey, like he was looking for someone. Which was ridiculous, since they had the entire section of the floor to themselves. They had a private elevator, and the only other access was the stairwell a few yards down the hall. “I’ve been trying to get a hold of you. Didn’t you get my text?”
“Yeah, but I was already on my way back. What’s going on?” Aubrey stepped off the elevator, and Carson fell into step beside him. Aubrey sniffed just to make certain they were alone. They were. There was a lingering scent of someone, a human he didn’t recognize, but no Boskie.
“This came for you.” Carson handed him a brown ten-by-thirteen-sized envelope as they reached Aubrey’s office.
Hmmm… “Who’s it from?” He turned the envelope over but there was no name. Tossing it on his desk, he walked around to his chair, still trying to figure out what had Carson spooked.
“I don’t know. I thought it was the specs for the new bar, and I opened it.” He bit his bottom lip, and the scent of fear surrounded him again. “It came by messenger.” Fidgeting from foot to foot, Carson’s gaze swept past Aubrey out the window. “I called to check on him five minutes ago, but it went right to his voice mail.” His gaze darted back and forth erratically. They were twenty floors up so his actions didn’t make sense. It put a fine point on his panic though. Carson was rattled.
Damn you, Boskie. Taking off his jacket, Aubrey laid it over the back of his chair and rolled up his sleeves. Boskie had already come damn close to making this a pack problem, as well as a work one, when he attacked Matt. Aubrey had hoped the fierce warning would do the trick, but apparently it hadn’t. What a clusterfuck.
“Called who?” He sat in his chair and motioned for Carson to sit in the one on the other side of the desk.
“Matt.” Carson sat on the edge of the seat, his spine stiff.
“Matt is on his way to Tee’s. He’s on the bike so—” Goose bumps exploded onto Aubrey’s skin, and a shiver raced up his back. What did this have to do with Matt? He ripped the unsealed envelope in his haste to lift the reclosable flap.
Eight-by-ten black-and-white photos scattered across his desk. He tossed the torn envelope aside and spread out the pictures. A chill swept over him. There was one of Matt on the Ducati. Another one showed Matt in a lecture hall writing on a notebook. Spread before him were half a dozen pictures, most taken on the college campus. All of them featured Matt. Every last one of them appeared to have been captured with a telescopic lens and without Matt’s knowledge.
Aubrey’s head spun. If he hadn’t been sitting, he’d have fallen. It was all he could do not to let out a primal yell and start throwing stuff around. The pictures were threatening just because of the subject matter, but the last one disturbed Aubrey the most. He sat paralyzed with fear, clutching the photo in his shaking hands. The photo was of Matt lying on the floor of the apartment in his favorite spot by the dining-room table, looking out the window at the cars below. It would’ve made Aubrey smile if he’d taken it himself. This scene depicted one of his favorite sights when he came home from work. But seeing the homey scene like this scared him to death. The photographer had clearly studied Matt’s every move. The warning was clear, and Aubrey saw red.
Boskie had no idea who he was fucking with, but he was about to find out.
“So what’re you going to do with it when it’s done?” Matt dragged his hand along the front fender of the 1966 Mustang. The body was in good condition, but it needed a paint job.
Tara shrugged. “Don’t know. I’m going to try and drive it, but my dad may have other ideas about that.” She rolled her eyes, showing exactly what she thought of Jarred’s other ideas. “I had to kidnap it to work on it. My dad has been harping for years about how he’s going to restore it, but I got tired of waiting.”
“Whoa, wait a minute. Does Jarred know you have his car?” Matt didn’t want to get on Jarred Brandt’s bad side. Not only was he a heck of a nice guy, but w
hen Aubrey had taken over the pack last weekend, he retained Jarred as his Beta. Matt was going to have to see the man and get along with him.
“He does now.” Tara grinned, and it was downright mischievous. “He called me this morning after I had it towed to my house.” Leaning against the front of the car, she crossed her arms over her chest. Trying to look nonchalant Matt supposed, but he wasn’t buying it. “How was your lunch?”
Uh-huh, she was fishing. He’d known as soon as he’d gotten here that her curiosity would get the better of her. He was shocked that she’d made it through a tour of the house. “Good.” Actually, it had been more than good. It had felt like they were back to normal.
“Good? That’s it?” Tara motioned with her hand for him to continue. “Did he apologize?”
“Sort of. He said he was sorry for the way he said things but not for what he said.”
“From him? That’s akin to getting down on his knees and begging. He doesn’t apologize…ever. If he’s wrong, he might mumble out a perhaps I was mistaken, but that’s it.” She snorted. “I swear I wish he’d just stop with the denial and say I love you and be done with it.”
“What?” A frisson of excitement rushed through Matt at the prospect. Unfortunately, there was a little doubt too. He knew Aubrey liked him, cared for him even, but love? “You think he loves me?” Matt tried not to sound like her answer mattered to him, but he wanted to hear what she had to say. She was Aubrey’s best friend and knew him better than anyone.
A serene smile crossed her face, and she nodded. “Definitely.” In three steps she was across the garage. “I know he does. Trust me on this. I’ve never seen him the way he is with you.” She hugged him and pulled back without releasing him. “That scene before the party the other night? That was a big hint. He’s scared. When he gets scared or can’t control things he does one of two things. He either shuts down or lashes out. If he didn’t plan on keeping you, he wouldn’t care who you told what, but you threatened his safe little world. He got mad because if people know you’re gay, they’re going to eventually know he is too. He’s not in control, and he’s not used to that because Bree is always in control.”
What she said made sense. He’d already surmised Aubrey was different around him from things people said, but could it be because he was in love? What did Aubrey fighting it mean? Did he not want to love Matt? Matt’s excitement dissipated a little.
“Give him time, Matt. He’ll figure it out.” Tara kissed his cheek.
Matt smiled. Howard had said the same thing, so it must be true.
“You should see the way he looks at you.” Sighing, she shook her head and pulled away. As she went to the back of the garage, she said, “Wish someone would look at me like that.”
Before Matt could ask how Aubrey looked at him, she opened the door leading to the house. “I’m going to go get some water.” She jingled some keys and tossed them at him. “Pop the hood. I’ll be right back.”
Matt stared at the keys, still grinning. Aubrey loved him? Oh man, he hoped so because he definitely loved Aubrey. He turned toward the Mustang and stopped short. For the first time, he really looked at the garage. It was full of tools all neatly arranged on a pegboard along the right wall. On the opposite side of the garage sat two big Craftsman toolboxes, a heavy-duty floor jack, some ramps and a lawn mower. She’d said she had tools, but sheesh.
The door clicked shut, and footsteps echoed in the garage.
“I thought you were renting this place?”
“I am. Why?” She adjusted her stolen Falcons cap and took the keys out of his hand on her way out of the garage.
“Where’d you get all these tools?”
“So, I like tools, sue me.” She opened the car and popped the hood before shutting the car door. “Some of them belonged to my grandfather, and others I bought here and there. My sisters and Bree always give me tools or Home Depot gift certificates for birthdays and Christmas.”
Matt chuckled. Coming to stand at the front of the car, Tara bumped his hip. She handed him a bottle and took a long swig of her own.
Cars weren’t his favorite thing, admittedly, but he was feeling energized after that talk about his mate. Matt opened his water and swallowed a drink. The engine was pretty dirty. They were going to get messy. Good thing he was on the bike and not in one of the cars. “What’s first?” He took another swig.
“I don’t know. You’re the one fucking this chicken. I’m just holding its wings.”
He choked. Water shot out his nose and burned like hell. His eyes watered as he sputtered and gasped. Doubling over, he fought for breath. Choking and laughing did not go well together.
Tara started beating him on the back. “Oh my God. Are you okay?” She grabbed his hands, trying to heft them over his head. “Breathe.”
What did she think he was trying to do? Jerking his hands away, Matt glared at her, or tried to. It wasn’t an easy feat while hacking up a lung. Only Tara would say such a thing.
“Take a drink.”
Forcing himself to gulp in a deep breath, Matt stood up straight. His coughs slowed, allowing him to finally gasp in some air between fits. He could empathize with Jarred’s pain over having such a hellion for a daughter. Matt was torn between hugging her and strangling her. When he stopped coughing, he put his hands on his hips and stared at her, trying not to laugh. “What in the heck does that mean?”
A smirk teased at her lips. “I was just pointing out that you should take the lead because you know more than me. I’m still learning. I have to read the repair manuals.”
“And that was how you chose to say that? Couldn’t you’ve just said ‘It’s up to you, Matt?’ Anyone else would’ve said, ‘It’s your decision,’ but noooo…” Matt gave into his laughter, this time without the choking.
“What? You don’t like my saying?” Tara asked. “I thought it got the point across nicely.”
“Oh yeah, and it was so eloquent too.”
She cocked her head and scrunched her face. “Hmmm, now that you mention it, maybe that’s why Daddy always got so antsy before the interview portion of the pageants.” Placing one foot in front of the other with one hand by her side and the other on her hip, she straightened her posture and lifted her chin. Matt could just picture her in a ball gown with a sash and a crown. She smiled brilliantly. “World peace and legalized bestiality.”
“Gross.” Matt laughed harder. “All right, all right, stop, you’re killing me.”
Tara collapsed out of her pose into laughter. “Okay, no more fucking chickens, I promise.”
Still cackling, Matt shoved her shoulder. “Stop.”
“Spoilsport.” Tara braced her hands on the front of the car and looked down at the engine. “Okay, let’s do this.”
Matt set his phone on the flat space over the left headlight and took a better look under the hood. “Okay, since you’re holding the wings, get me a jack and some stands.”
“Now who’s cracking jokes?” She rolled the jack over and went to put chocks under the back tires.
Tara set the stands down, waiting for Matt to finish.
The chime indicating he had a text message went off just as he positioned the first stand.
“I got it.” Tara swiped his phone off the car.
Matt placed the second jack stand and stood. It was probably Aubrey. He’d said something about texting Matt to decide on dinner tonight. Brushing off his hands, Matt grasped the jack handle, but Tara’s expression made him pause.
She was gawking. There was just no other word for it. Her mouth hung open, and her eyes practically bugged out of her head.
What in the world was she looking at? A case of nerves hit Matt in the stomach. “What’s wrong? Is it from Aubrey? What did he say?” Matt reached for the phone, but she turned, keeping it away from him. “Tara?”
“Oh my.” Cocking her head, she tilted the phone. “Nice. Very nice. Not hard, I prefer hard, but nice.” A smile crept over her lips, and she giggled.
“Your brother has a nice dick.”
“What?” Matt yelled so loud he scared some birds off the tree by the driveway. Thank goodness he hadn’t been drinking his water. “Aubrey said my brother has what?” Matt scrambled for the phone, nearly tackling Tara in the process. It took a valiant effort, but he got a good grip on it finally.
“It’s not from Bree. It’s from Logan. Give it back.” She grabbed the phone before Matt could see what was on the screen. “I’m not done looking.”
Snatching it out of her hand again, Matt turned his back on her. “Ohmigod.” There was a picture of a dick with a piercing through the head. Ouch. He didn’t know whether to be fascinated or repulsed. Stunned, he read the text above the pic. look what i did. cool, huh? First, it was his nipples he’d gotten pierced, then the tattoo on his back and now this.
Matt groaned and dodged an attempt by Tara to confiscate the phone. He typed back, u just flashed Tara via text message, idiot. Shaking his head, he handed the phone back to Tara and went into the garage for a wrench.
“That’s kinda hot in a sadistic kinda way. Don’tcha think?”
Leaning over the side of the car, Matt unhooked the battery cables. As he started loosening bolts, a chuckle bubbled up and spilled over. His brother was crazy. “I guess if you’re into that sort of thing. I’m just fine with unadorned penises, thank you.”
“Good to know” came the reply, but it wasn’t from Tara.
Matt bolted upright and hit his head. “Ow.” Wincing, he rubbed the sore spot.
Aubrey stood by the passenger side door of the car just a few feet away. He wore the same dark gray suit he’d had on earlier, but his jacket and tie were gone and his sleeves were rolled up.
“Where’d you come from?” It was only around two o’clock. Aubrey always worked until five. Excitement raced through Matt. The conversation he and Tara had earlier played back through his mind, making him giddy. Speaking of Tara…
She hadn’t even noticed Aubrey. With her back turned to them, she was still engrossed in the picture.
With Abandon: With or Without, Book 4 Page 19