Dreamspinner Press Year Eight Greatest Hits

by Brandon Witt

  Ridley nodded and allowed Alex to lead him into the house. Ridley started the coffee, and Alex pulled three mugs from the cabinet. He set them on the island along with cream and sugar.

  “All right, when did all this shit go down?” Alex asked Mick as he took a seat at the island.

  “Three days ago Alvarez walked through the front door of the bureau carrying a big cardboard box and demanding protection.”

  “Just like that?” Alex muttered in disbelief. The reality of it was still hard to get his mind around.

  “Yup, just like that. Alvarez was whisked away to an interrogation room, and once the bomb squad determined the box was safe, they discovered it was full of names, phone numbers, financial reports, and contracts, everything needed to completely crumble Gutierrez’s empire.”

  “But why would he do that?” Ridley asked, bringing the pot of coffee to the island and pouring some in each mug.

  “Gutierrez has always been quite a paranoid figure—”

  “That’s a nice way of saying the fucker is insane,” Alex interrupted.

  “Which is understandable,” Mick agreed. “A man in his position constantly has to be looking over his shoulder for law enforcement as well as his criminal associates both within his cartel and out.”

  “I get that,” Ridley acknowledged. “But Alvarez must have been trusted if he made it to such a high rank.”

  “Trust no one. Gutierrez has had eighteen months to ponder that,” Mick said over the rim of his mug. He took a sip before continuing. “I’m guessing the longer Alvarez failed to eliminate their problem—Alex—the more Gutierrez began to suspect his lieutenant’s capabilities as well as his loyalties.

  “From what I’ve been told, after the unsuccessful attempt in Slater, Gutierrez put a price on Alvarez’s head. Fearing for his life, Alvarez turned to us for protection.”

  “What does that mean for us?” Ridley asked, sounding wary.

  “It means you get to go home,” Mick replied with a broad smile. “It’s over.”

  The disbelief and unease once again skittered along Alex’s nerve endings. It shouldn’t bother him how Gutierrez went down. It was, after all, the reason he’d been in hiding, the takedown of the cartel his only goal. Still, he couldn’t help but feel as if he’d been cheated out of the privilege of being the one to do it. A slap to his ego? Perhaps, or maybe he simply felt as if he’d spent the last eighteen months hiding for nothing.

  Alex glanced sidelong at Ridley, who was staring silently at Mick with a shocked expression as he drank his coffee.

  “Jesus Christ,” Mick grumbled after the silence had gone on for long moments. “I thought I’d get a little more reaction than this out of you two. What the hell, man?”

  Ridley met Alex’s gaze, and in that moment Alex realized what was bothering him so much. Yes, it was in large part due to being denied the chance to take Gutierrez down, but another part, a personal portion, said he wasn’t ready to leave Hackberry or Ridley. Alex was pretty sure Ridley was thinking the same thing by the look of sadness he caught in his man’s eyes. However, with Mick looking back and forth between Alex and Ridley expectantly, it wasn’t the time or the place to discuss it.

  Alex turned away from Ridley and met his partner’s gaze. “Okay, so where do we go from here?”

  “You and I leave for home in about—” Mick checked his watch. “—an hour.”

  Alex’s gut roiled. “That soon? What about Ridley? I don’t want to leave him here alone.”

  “That’s up to Ridley,” Mick responded with a shrug and looked to Ridley. “You can fly out the same time as us or extend your vacation. The house is yours to use for however long you’d like and we’ll provide you with protection until we are one hundred percent certain there is no longer any threat to you.”

  “What about me?” Alex demanded. “Why the hell can’t I extend my vacation and be his protection?”

  Mick gave him an exasperated look. “Because the higher-ups, you know, the ones who sign your paycheck, want your cranky little ass back home for debriefing.”

  “I….” Ridley cleared his throat, his voice low when he said, “I think I’d prefer to go home now. Can I call my family?”

  “Sure,” Mick said with a gentle smile. “Use the secure cell I left for you. I’m sure they will be relieved to hear from you.”

  “Thanks,” Ridley muttered and, without looking at Alex, left the room.

  Alex watched him go, a heaviness settling in his chest causing it to ache. He wasn’t ready to say good-bye, wasn’t ready to leave their little hideaway. For the first time in his adult life, Alex was truly happy, content, and felt complete. He didn’t want it to end, not yet. Maybe never.

  “Dude, what the hell is wrong with you?” Mick asked, concern evident in his tone.

  Alex couldn’t respond with the lump that had formed in his throat, and he didn’t dare meet his partner’s gaze, at least not until his eyes stopped burning from unshed tears.

  RIDLEY BLEW out the breath he was holding as he entered the bedroom. He slumped down on the edge of the mattress when his shaking legs began to go weak. He’d known this moment would come, but had done his best to block it from his thoughts. Now his happy bubble had popped and he felt numb.

  He rested his forearms on his knees and hung his head. He knew he should be rushing to the phone and calling his parents, but he simply couldn’t bring himself to do it yet. He needed a moment, as selfish as it was, to sort through his feelings. From the moment he’d witnessed Alex rush out the door under a hail of gunfire, it had been like one big surreal adventure, a fantasy. He’d been able to lock away the guilt he felt for his parents’ plight along with the fear of danger, and he’d had the best time of his life with Alex.

  What would happen next? Would he ever see Alex again once he returned to California and Ridley went home to Michigan? How the hell was he supposed to go back to being the typical college kid with homework, exams, tiny little apartment with no room, no excitement—and no Alex?

  One hour was all he had left.

  Ridley scrubbed both hands over his face and gave himself a little internal shake. If he had so little time left, he’d be damned if he was going to spend it hiding in his room moping and whining. Time to man up.

  Ridley pushed up from the bed and went to the nightstand where he’d stored his cell phone and pulled it out. Returning to the bed, he sat back down on the edge of the mattress and dialed the familiar number.

  “Hello,” his mom’s voice came through the phone line.

  “Mom, it’s Ridley.”

  “Oh dear sweet Jesus, Ridley.” His mom sobbed. “Where have you been? We’ve been so worried. We thought—” She choked on a sob and could only cry into the phone.

  Ridley’s chest tightened. “Shh, Mom, it’s okay. I’m okay. I’m coming home and I’ll explain everything.”

  “When?” she squeaked out between sobs.

  “I’ll be home later today. I’ll call when I get to the airport. Mom… shh…,” he murmured soothingly as she continued to weep. “Is Dad there?”

  “No, he’s at work.”

  “Listen to me. I’m going to hang up so I can pack. You call Dad and give him the good news, okay? Can you do that?”

  “Yes. Oh, Ridley. I’ve been so scared. So worried.” She began crying harder, great sobs, but was finally able to say, “I thought you were dead.”

  “I know, and I’m sorry. But I’ll explain everything when I get there.”

  Ridley rubbed at the ache in his chest as his mom continued to cry and waited patiently until she was able to speak again. “Okay. I love you,” she sniffled.

  “I love you too. I’ll see you soon.”

  Ridley disconnected the call and wiped the tears from his eyes. Hearing the pain in his mom’s voice, knowing it was his fault, shredded his heart. Somehow he’d have to make it up to her and his dad.

  Ridley tossed the phone aside and headed for the shower. He washed and dressed as quickly a
s he could. He then packed up his meager belongings in a duffel bag and went to find Alex.

  Ridley found him and Mick sitting on the front porch. They both looked up as he stepped out the door. “I’ll give you two a minute alone,” Mick offered, getting to his feet.

  Ridley sat on the step next to Alex, watching Mick walk to his car. “It’s been a hell of an adventure,” Ridley said somberly, still watching Mick.

  “That it has,” Alex responded and wrapped an arm around Ridley’s waist, resting his hand on Ridley’s hip. The familiar gesture caused the vise around Ridley’s heart to tighten further.

  Ridley struggled to find something to say, but words eluded him. It hadn’t been that long ago that he’d told Alex he wasn’t looking for commitment. He’d believed it at the time. Before coming to Hackberry, he’d been happy in his carefree life as an unattached college student with the added bonus of a fuck buddy. Now it didn’t matter what he wanted. Alex would be returning to his old life and Ridley back to his.

  “Did you get hold of your mom?” Alex asked, his thumb caressing Ridley’s hip.

  “Yeah. It sucked hearing her cry, ya know, but….” Ridley shrugged. “She’ll be okay now. Did you call yours?”

  “Nah, I figured after all this time, they wouldn’t believe it until they actually saw me. I’m going to walk through the door, bend over, and take the ass whipping like a man,” Alex chuckled.

  A heavy silence fell over them. It was thick and suffocating and nothing like the silence when they were stretched out on the lounge chair watching the sun set. This was different, full of sadness and uncertainty.

  Alex must have felt it too because after about ten minutes, he patted Ridley’s hip. “I won’t ever regret bringing you into this,” he whispered. Alex pressed a soft kiss to Ridley’s temple. “I’m going to miss you.”

  Ridley couldn’t respond nor could he find the strength to stop Alex as he stood and headed up the steps. Ridley sat there long after Alex had entered the house, the numbness that had seeped into him when he first found out he was going home keeping his emotions from spilling out his eyes.

  He was still silently numb when they went their separate ways at the airport.

  Did you make it home?

  The text went unanswered.

  “HI ALEX, it’s Ridley. I’m getting worried. You haven’t been replying to my text messages. Things are going pretty good here. Mom and Dad are glad to have me back, but…. Well…. I can’t stop thinking about you. I really miss—”

  *Beep*

  Alex didn’t respond to the message.

  AFTER LEAVING yet another message, Ridley lay on his bed staring at the ceiling, cell phone resting on his chest.

  Alex didn’t call.

  A SOFT rap on his bedroom door was followed by his mom’s quiet voice. “Ridley?”

  In the month since he’d been back home, his mom had treated him much as she had when he was a small child, constantly checking on him, cooking his favorite meals, and each night she’d come in to his room to give him a hug, kiss his head, and whisper I love you before she headed to bed.

  He wasn’t used to being smothered, but he wasn’t complaining either. She’d been devastated when she’d learned he was missing. The not knowing whether he was alive or dead for nearly three months had aged her ten years, as it had his dad. She deserved the chance to coddle her only child for a while.

  “The door’s open,” he called out and grinned when she opened the door a crack and peeked in before pushing it open and entering. He wasn’t sure what she thought he’d be doing since he’d told her to come in, but he found it endearing.

  His mom looked a bit pale and she was wringing her hands nervously. His mom, once a bubbly, happy-go-lucky soul, was now a shell of what she used to be. Ridley would forever regret causing the damage he’d done to his parents’ psyche, and he could only pray that once they dealt with the pain their previous personalities would once again shine brighter than their anguish.

  Ridley jumped to his feet, instantly worried. “What’s the matter?”

  “There’s someone at the door asking for you.”

  “It’s okay, Mom,” he said soothingly as he wrapped an arm around her and hugged her. “If they were here to do me harm, do you really think they would knock on the door first?”

  He felt his mom began to shake, and when he looked down at her, he realized she was laughing silently. “I’m such a dork.”

  Ridley kissed her forehead. “Nah, it’s called being a mom and I love you for it. So let’s go see who’s at the door, shall we?”

  “He’s a very nice-looking young man, with the cutest blond curls,” his mom commented with a slight grin. “Maybe he’s one of your admirers.”

  “I don’t have admirers,” Ridley snorted. “Ah,” he hushed her when she opened her mouth to speak. “And no, I don’t want one, so stop trying to play matchmaker.”

  One of the new aspects to his mom’s personality was nagging him about finding a nice guy to settle down with, get married, kids, white picket fence, dog tied in the backyard. It was the same thing most parents wanted for their kids, and the fact that he was gay didn’t change her all-American dream for him. Sure, he could have all those things one day if he was so inclined, but at this point in his life, none of it was all that appealing to him. He’d much rather have crazy adventures with…. Wait a minute. Ridley’s heart sped.

  “Did you say blond curls?”

  “Yes. It’s—”

  Ridley didn’t wait to hear what else she was about to say. He tore out of his room, heart hammering. It couldn’t be him. He hadn’t received so much as a text from Alex since they’d said their quick, awkward good-bye, but the slight chance, as improbable as it was, had him taking the stairs two at a time. In his haste he missed the last step and went crashing into the front door with a painful crack as his shoulder hit wood.

  “Ow! Son of a hitchhiker. Ow!” He grabbed his shoulder, wincing in pain.

  “Better watch that last step, it’s a doozy.”

  Ridley spun around. Leaning against the entry into the study was the most amazingly beautiful head of blond curls he’d ever seen.

  He didn’t even give it a second thought. Ridley took the two long strides that separated them and, ignoring the pain in his shoulder, pulled back his arm and let it fly, landing a punch to Alex’s right shoulder.

  “Jesus Christ, Ridley. What the hell was that for?” Alex grumbled as he rubbed the spot.

  The punch hadn’t been hard enough to send the man backward, but he damn sure got the message across. “An entire month, Alex. No call, no e-mail, not even a goddamn text to let me know you were okay. Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been?”

  “I think someone missed me,” Alex responded smugly with a teasing grin curling his lip.

  “Ridley? Is everything okay?” his mom called out as she came rushing down the stairs.

  “I’m fine, Mom,” he assured her without looking away from Alex’s laughing gaze.

  “Sarah Corbin, Alex Castren. He’s the guy—”

  “I know who Alex Castren is,” his mom squealed and rushed to hug Alex. “Thank you for keeping my son safe.”

  Alex’s expression changed from smug to uncomfortable, and he awkwardly patted her back. “Umm. You’re welcome?”

  “You’ll stay for dinner, won’t you? Richie would be heartbroken if he didn’t get a chance to meet you and thank you himself.”

  “Of course he’ll stay,” Ridley answered for him, shooting Alex a challenging look.

  “Wonderful,” his mom exclaimed excitedly and clapped her hands together as she took a step back. “Any preferences? I’ve got a roast in the oven but if you’d prefer something else….”

  “Roast sounds absolutely perfect,” Alex said with a gentle smile. “Thank you for the offer.”

  “Ridley, don’t be rude. Take our guest’s coat and offer him something to drink.” She swatted Ridley on the butt as she headed out of the room, undou
btedly to the kitchen. “I raised him better than that,” she tossed over her shoulder, winking at Alex.

  “She’s cute,” Alex chuckled.

  “Yeah, just don’t piss her off. So what the hell, man? You couldn’t take a few seconds to contact me in the last month?” Ridley grumbled, steering them back to the conversation he’d started.

  Alex rubbed his arm again, the smug grin once again showing itself. “So, are you going to admit you missed me?”

  “Of course I missed you, you shithead. I love you.” Ridley’s eyes went wide and his heart stopped dead in his chest. He’d known since they’d been in Hackberry that he was in love with Alex. Hell, probably even before then, but he hadn’t said it out loud. He damn sure hadn’t meant to blurt it out now.

  “Really?” Alex asked without a shred of shock in his tone. “You love me?”

  “I, um…. Stop trying to change the subject,” he muttered in a feeble attempt to avoid the question.

  Alex stepped up close and grabbed Ridley’s hip, curling his fingers in the cotton material of Ridley’s sweat pants. Alex held Ridley’s gaze, an intense shine in his gunmetal-blue eyes. Damn, how he’d missed looking into those amazing eyes. He’d missed Alex’s intense gaze, that smug smile, his touch, his voice, his heat.

  Alex ran his other hand along Ridley’s cheek, and he pushed into the touch, eyes threatening to flutter closed. “I’m sorry,” Alex said regretfully. “They’ve kept me locked down in debriefing. I wasn’t able to contact anyone until they were one hundred percent sure there was no further threat. The second I was released, I headed to the airport and came here.” Alex pressed his mouth against Ridley’s, speaking against his lips. “Forgive me?”

  “A whole month,” Ridley moaned and kissed him back, wrapping an arm around Alex’s waist and pulling him closer.

  “What if I told you I loved you too?” he asked in between kisses. “Would you forgive me then?”