“I can’t imagine. Especially since that wall is pointless unless you have barbed wire or it’s electrified.”
Reese snorted. “I’m glad you never met my father, so you couldn’t tell him that. He would have electrified the barbed wire, I’m sure. As it was, Hodges and I managed to refrain from mentioning that all it would take was a ladder and anyone could get in.”
“Or a downed tree,” David said.
“Yes. Or that,” Reese agreed grimly.
“Take Hodges off mute,” David said. Reese took his hand away from the phone. “Hi, Hodges. This is David.”
“Hello, David,” Hodges said. “Do tell Reese that I can still hear him when he covers the mic instead of hitting the mute button like a normal person.”
Reese rolled his eyes.
“Message received,” David said with a laugh. “Now, tell me, what are you thinking?”
“I want to figure out where the footprints lead, which, thanks to the snow, won’t be hard but will take time. I ran out of light today before I could finish. Whoever came for a visit covered a lot of ground. I want to see if I can figure out where and why. And if he left anything behind.”
David didn’t like the sound of that but agreed Hodges was pursuing the right course.
“Any chance they’re still there?” Mati asked. David squeezed her hand.
“Only if they got dropped off and survived the night somewhere.”
“Unlikely,” Reese said. “I assume you’ve checked the barn and the sheds.”
“First thing, and they only approached one of them and didn’t get inside.”
“So, they’re gone,” Mati said.
“That’s my thought. There’s no sign of whatever vehicle brought him. My guess is it was one person, and he ditched his car across the street where the logging roads cut into those properties.”
“Any chance it could have been Chaz?” David asked.
“Last I heard from you, he was in Boston last night—which I still can’t wrap my head around. It’s hard to fathom what the hell he has to do with all of this.”
David dug his phone out of his pocket. His reception had been spotty for most of the drive, but Hodges’ call was clear, so maybe he was online now.
There was indeed a text from Chance.
Charles Bentley not registered at hotel. Searching others in area. Will text what I find.
He read it aloud to the others.
“Maybe he was at the hotel for a meeting,” Mati ventured.
“He didn’t mention one,” said David. “He seemed like he wanted to stay and talk to us for a while.”
“I can ask him why he was there,” Reese said.
“Do you think he’ll tell you the truth?” asked Hodges.
“I don’t honestly know what to think anymore,” Reese admitted.
“In the meantime,” Mati said, “we know Chaz was in Boston yesterday afternoon, making the chances he was the one sneaking around the house last night pretty slim, if not impossible.”
“So, we still don’t know what’s going on, and there are at least two people involved, who may or may not be in two different countries, looking for either us or something else, but we don’t know what,” Reese summarized.
“Three people,” Mati added.
“Who’s the third?” Reese asked.
“The guy at the garage in Boston.”
David rocked his head back and forth. “He may not have been looking for you.”
“Right,” Reese said grimly, “so two, maybe three, maybe more people involved.”
Hodges sighed. “I think you all should head back to Boston. Or anywhere that’s not here.”
“No,” Reese said firmly. “I said I was tired of running and I mean it. We’ll do what we need to in order to be safe, but I’m not turning back. It’s time for answers.”
He glanced at David, belatedly consulting him.
David nodded. “Okay.”
“Fine with me,” Mati agreed. “Since it’s late, there’s no point in pushing through to home tonight. I say we stop in Moncton and check in with you tomorrow, Hodges. If we need to, we can go to my place until you give the all clear.”
Hodges hummed thoughtfully. “Maybe you should stay in Moncton for a while. Mati, your place isn’t that big, and you’ve only got the one bed.”
Mati smirked. “Don’t worry. We’ll manage.”
Reese watched David’s face as the cargo doors into the garage rolled open to admit them. He and Mati had explained the building they’d be visiting in Moncton was a converted warehouse, but hadn’t mentioned that the lower half hadn’t been significantly altered since Alexei had purchased the property.
Mati parked the car next to the cherry-red minivan Callum not-so-secretly treasured, and for which Reese gave him endless shit. They’d barely opened the car doors before Oliver was calling his and Mati’s names, dragging Alexei from where they’d been waiting by the elevator.
When David rose from the car, Alexei’s steps stuttered, his eyebrows going way up.
Reese bit back his laughter, scooping up Oliver and hugging him while he made introductions. “Alexei, Oliver, this is David Zapetti.”
The men shook hands, sizing each other up. It took exactly three seconds of eye contact before Alexei’s legendary gaydar went off and his smile turned flirtatious.
David grinned back.
“Okay,” Mati said, rolling her eyes, “let’s get upstairs, shall we?”
She grabbed her suitcase handle in one hand and David’s hand with the other. David barely had time to shoulder his own bag before Mati was marching toward the elevator.
They loaded into the ancient freight lift, and David looked around at the rickety old behemoth, bemused, as it trundled them up to the fourth floor. The doors opened, and David’s mouth fell agape. Pretty much everyone had that reaction to leaving the industrial-looking parking area and entering a place that looked more like the Ritz.
“Have I gone down the rabbit hole?” David asked.
The door to the left swung open and Callum stepped out, a big grin on his face. “David!”
David’s wide eyes took in the world-famous former NHL goalie grinning at him. “I’ve definitely gone down the rabbit hole.”
Reese laughed, nervous about the maniacal gleam in Callum’s eyes. He shifted Oliver onto his hip.
“Come in! Come in! We’re just getting ready to eat!” Callum said, waving them forward.
Mati went first and Callum’s hug lifted her right off her feet. His gaze—as always—was on Reese, waiting for him to demand that Callum put her down.
Reese just smiled.
Callum looked more delighted, if possible.
Oliver jumped from Reese’s arms and ran to the door. “Papa Cal! Uncle Reese brought a friend who has even more muscles than you and Alexei!”
Callum laughed. “I see that. Go see if Rupert needs help. It’s your turn to set the table.”
Oliver disappeared into the house, and Alexei followed.
“You two going to hang out in the hallway all night?” Callum asked.
Reese put his hand low on David’s back and urged him forward. “Callum, this is David Zapetti.”
“I know,” Callum said. “We’ve met.”
“You remember?” David said, taking his hand.
“Of course. You stood up for Chance at the wedding.”
David laughed. “While Kieran had all five of his brothers standing up with him.”
“Eh,” Callum said with an easy shrug, “if it helps, you looked hot in the kilt.”
David threw his head back and laughed. “Thanks.”
Reese cleared his throat pointedly.
Callum grinned, unrepentant, and threw his arm around Reese’s neck for a long, hard hug. “Nice loves bites,” he murmured.
Reese chuckled and hugged Callum back.
“I’m so fucking proud of you,” Callum added.
Reese tried to say “thank you,” but he couldn’t
get the words past the lump in his throat.
“Honestly, Callum, would you please unhand Reese so he and David can come inside?” Rupert asked.
Callum did, shrugging innocently as he ushered them into the apartment and closed the door.
Rupert thrust out a hand. “I’m Rupert. Welcome to our home, David.”
David shook his hand. “It’s beautiful. Not what I was expecting from the outside.”
“Thank you. You’ll find that’s true of a lot of things around here.” Rupert turned to the room. “I see you’ve met Oliver and Alexei. Let me introduce you to the rest of the family. This is Mike Erdo.”
Mike came over to shake David’s hand. If David thought it was strange a grown man with no visible resemblance to anyone else in the room was family, he didn’t show it.
“And this is Christian, who is holding Eleanor.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” David said, smiling at the young man and the baby. He looked back at Rupert and Callum. “You have a beautiful family.”
Rupert grinned, his cheeks pink with pleasure.
Alexei laughed from the kitchen, bumping hips with Mike. “You hear that? He thinks we’re beautiful.”
Mike rolled his eyes, but Reese also caught his furtive glance in David’s direction. Reese was well aware Mike and Alexei were not opposed to adding a third to their party for a night.
Not this time, boys.
Reese slid the bag from David’s shoulder, hefted it over his own, and collected the handles to his and Mati’s suitcases. “I assume we’ll be in the guest suite?” he asked Rupert.
Rupert’s smile got wider. “If that’s what you want.”
It was what he wanted. The king bed would hold them perfectly.
He also wanted to make sure his claim was staked. He leaned in and gave David a lingering kiss.
The normally noisy household went silent.
Reese accepted David’s smirk as his due. “You stay here and get comfortable. I’ll put away our bags.”
He turned and found Mati watching him curiously. He realized too late he’d put her in a difficult position, since these were also her friends, and she had a right to decide who knew what and when.
He smiled apologetically. “Whatever you want.”
She huffed a laugh, shook her head, and pulled him down for a long, firm kiss.
Something clattered to the floor in the kitchen.
Mati kissed Reese in front of his entire family and felt nothing but pride.
Reese’s family meant the world to him. It mattered what these people thought of her, and even more so what they thought of Reese. She would never do anything to damage that.
But as she pecked one last kiss to Reese’s smiling lips, she knew there wasn’t any risk. Despite the shock on some faces, she knew eventually they would all look like Callum—radiating pure, unadulterated glee.
Happiness and humor shined from Reese’s eyes. What she wouldn’t give to be so secure in her family’s love. It was a luxury she would never know. Nor was being able to tell them about Reese and David. Not unless she was willing to walk away from her family forever.
Though, if it came to that, at least there’d still be this crazy family waiting for her.
Of course, none of that would be an issue if David didn’t want to stay with them. If she were only with Reese, her parents and brothers would simply take it as affirmation of their suspicions that she’d been angling for as much all along.
Mati shoved away that ugly thought.
“Now that the big reveal is taken care of,” she said, “why don’t you go stash our stuff, and I’ll convince Alexei to give David a tour of the kitchen.”
“Oooh…yes, please,” David said with a wistful glance in that direction.
He did a double-take when he found Alexei grinning and Mike scowling as he dug his wallet out of his pocket.
Reese turned toward the guest suite as if he hadn’t just shocked the shit out of everyone, making a brief detour into the kitchen to snatch the fifty-dollar bill from Mike’s fingers before Alexei could grab it.
He was whistling cheerfully when he disappeared through the bedroom door.
One second later, Mati and David were smashed together, caught up in Rupert and Callum’s arms.
“Ooof,” she squeaked. “What’s this for?”
“He looks happy,” Rupert said, voice thick.
“And not at all worried,” Callum added.
David stiffened. “Should he be?”
Mati groaned when Callum hugged tighter and shook them with transparent joy. “And you’re protective!”
She snorted. “You should see Reese. He’s ten times worse.”
“We know,” said four voices at once.
Mati poked at bellies until Rupert and Callum released them. “What do you mean, you know? You didn’t see him try to kill the valet at our hotel with the power of his death glare when the poor kid flirted with David.”
Rupert cocked his head. “Have you honestly not noticed him looming behind you, trying to kill every man in the room with a glare, for the past five years?”
“What? No, I—”
She trailed off when Mike, Alexei, and Callum all nodded.
“Not to mention, he practically made out with David when he caught me and Mike looking at him.” Alexei cast a glance at the children, all of whom had gotten bored with the adult drama and were vegging on the couches in front of the TV. “He thought we were going to invite David to be our guest tonight,” he said with a wink for David.
David’s cheeks turned pink, his expression dazed. Mati couldn’t blame him. She was having a hell of a time not picturing it, too.
Mike grinned at Alexei. “Well, we were considering it.”
David’s cheeks went pinker. “Holy smokes,” he whispered.
“Anyway,” Rupert said, steering the conversation back into PG territory, “we’re very glad you’re here, and that you’ve taken such good care of him, and that you all seem so happy.”
Mati smiled at Rupert, who she’d missed every day since he’d moved to Moncton, but never loved more than today.
Maybe he saw that, because he hugged her again.
“Thank you,” she said.
Rupert pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “You’re family.”
David felt the oddest mix of relief, envy, and sorrow as he stood in the middle of Callum and Rupert’s warm, welcoming home.
It was clear Mati and Reese had protection here in Moncton. Maybe it wasn’t the same kind he could offer them, but it was a place they could come to relax and be themselves and know they were sheltered from the world outside.
This was what he’d tried to build at home. A safe space. But he’d foolishly thought it was the four walls that would keep the world at bay. Now, he knew what he’d been missing.
And what he would be missing again when he went back to Boston alone.
Callum nudged David with his elbow. “Penny for your thoughts?”
David had last seen Callum’s picture in People Magazine, for Christ’s sake, so this was a little surreal. He was comforted by the hints of Kieran he could see in the arched eyebrows and square chin.
Maybe that was why he was honest. “You ever do something you know is going to hurt like hell in the long run, but you can’t seem to stop?”
A slow smile grew on Callum’s face. “Yeah. I have.”
“What did you do?”
Callum looked around the room, his eyes tracing over each person in it. “I figured out what really mattered and made that happen.”
“What if it’s not up to me?”
Callum studied him, as if weighing his words.
“He didn’t bring his bodyguard home to meet his family.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Mati drove the last few miles home, content and happy, listening to Reese and David talk about nothing in particular. They’d all stayed up late, talking, taking turns holding Eleanor, and eating way too much delicio
us food. David had ended up in the kitchen with Alexei and the two of them were now besties. They had made another feast in the morning, with David somehow pulling together a quiche while Alexei taught him how to make blini.
Fortunately, they hadn’t been in any hurry to get going, and the last leg of the trip was easy. Mati knew these roads like the back of her hand.
That also meant she knew when they were close enough to Sydney for her phone to work reliably, and with location tracking off, there was no reason she couldn’t make a call. Telling herself to suck it up, she dialed her parent’s house. She didn’t put the call on speaker—she’d learned her lesson there.
“Viveiros residence.”
“Hey, Mom. I wanted to let you know I’m back.”
“Oh, Tilly! I’m so happy you’re home.”
You are? Mati didn’t doubt her mom loved her, but she wasn’t usually this effusive. “I’m just driving into town now. Everything okay there?”
“What? Oh, ah, yes. Yes.”
Her mother was a terrible liar. “Are you feeling okay? And Dad? You’re not sick, are you?”
Mati listened to her mother swear nothing was wrong—she was still lying—and ignored David and Reese watching her.
“Mom, tell me what’s going on. I can tell something’s wrong.”
“No, Tilly. I can’t. You’re not—there’s nothing.”
Mati’s father’s voice boomed in the background. “Who is that? Did you say Tilly?”
Mati sighed. Here we go.
“Yes, dear. Do you want to speak with her?”
Mati reined in her impatience as she listened to her father protest that he didn’t need to speak with her—he never did—and her mother explain that Mati was back in town. Her father’s only reaction was, “Good, good. We’ll see her at dinner on Sunday.”
Her mom sighed. Mati waited until she was reasonably certain her father had returned to his chair in the living room, leaving her mother alone in the kitchen. It was an old routine.
“Mom, what’s going on?”
“Nothing,” her mother said quickly. “I can’t—just come by when you can, okay? Maybe before Sunday.”
Mati’s unease grew. That wasn’t like her mother. “I’ll come right now if you need me.”
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