by Lynn Hagen
This kind of work should include hazard pay.
And definitely a respirator.
“Excuse me.”
Kester yelped and jumped to his feet. “Oh my god! You scared the living daylights out of me.”
On the other side was a tall and distinguished-looking man. He wore a nice suit and had a devilish smile. “I’m sorry I frightened you.”
“We just don’t get many guests around these parts.” Kester had no idea why he’d said that. He wasn’t from around these damn parts.
“I’d like a room for one night.” The stranger with dark blond hair, which was stylishly cut, and amazing green eyes pulled out his wallet. His cologne wafted toward Kester, and Kester inhaled the scent, trying to dislodge the odor of must that clung to his nostrils.
Even though he had no interest in flirting with the guy, Kester groaned at how dirty he was from cleaning. He looked as though he’d been in a fight with a dust bunny warrior and lost. “Driver’s license and a major credit card, please.”
Now if he could only remember what Mike had shown him. Kester clicked the mouse to wake up the screen. He typed in the password and stared at the program. It had seemed simple earlier, and he prayed it still was. Mike had checked in a phony guest just to show Kester how to work the system.
Kester took the driver’s license and input the information into the correct fields. He hit next, but nothing happened. He clicked it again and again.
Damn it.
“The computer is a little slow.” Kester gave Smitty Green a tight smile. “We just have to give it a second.”
Smitty leaned an arm on the counter and gave Kester a charming smile. “I’m in no hurry.”
Finally the next screen popped up. Kester registered Smitty for room five then took the guy’s credit card. He clicked the next button, and again the little wheel just kept turning in a never-ending circle. It would’ve been faster if Kester had just written all the information down. Sometimes technology did not make life easier.
In fact, Kester wanted to throw the computer out the front door. Something that should have taken a minute or two had taken ten long minutes. “I’m so sorry about the wait.” Kester handed over a key. “Room five.”
It had taken forever, but holy crap! Kester had checked in his very first guest. He wanted to do a jig but smiled and gave a small wave as Smitty left the office.
“Piece of cake,” he said with a smile before going back to his cleaning.
Chapter Four
Mike stood in the parking lot of Tilted, his head cocked to the side, disbelieving what Darren was saying to him. “But how does Kester even know this guy?”
“I have no idea. All I know is that he’s the only witness and the case hinges on his testimony,” Darren said. “The only people who know about it are me, Deputy Burrows, and the sheriff.”
“And you say someone knows you did a search on him?” Mike needed to get back to the motel. If that were true, Kester’s life was in danger…again. No wonder his mate hadn’t wanted to turn his cell phone on and freaked out at the diner. This Strabo guy sounded like a true monster, and Kester was probably under a lot of stress hiding from him. Mike was surprised Kester hadn’t traveled to the other end of the United States, and he might have if his Bronco hadn’t crapped out on him.
“I’m gonna head back to the hotel.” Mike shook Darren’s hand. “I’d appreciate it if you kept me posted on anything you find out.”
Mike headed for his truck, desperate to get back to Kester.
“Malik and I will keep an eye on things around town. You let me know if you spot anyone suspicious,” Darren called out.
Mike wouldn’t have to let the cops know if he found anyone lurking around. He’d tear their heart out before they had a chance to get anywhere near Kester.
He took off and headed for the motel situated on the outskirts of town when his phone rang. Mike pulled it from his pocket and groaned when he saw it was his cousin calling him. He didn’t have time for Theo’s bullshit, so Mike ignored the call.
He was all about family, but sometimes family had to take a step back from the drama, and this was one of those times. Mike didn’t want to know what kind of bind Theo had gotten himself into. It was about time his cousin stood on his own two feet. Even though Mike had been telling himself that for a while, he still felt guilty about not taking the call.
The roads were a bit slick, but Mike navigated them carefully as he pulled into the parking lot. He noticed a dark sedan parked at the end. It hadn’t been there before, but then again, it was a motel and people checked in who weren’t bad guys.
But Mike wasn’t willing to take that chance. Not when it came to his mate’s safety. He went straight to the office and was relieved to find Kester behind the desk, looking as if he’d rolled in a pile of dirt.
There was a battered radio on the back counter, a commercial blaring away as Kester wiped the shelves down. The lobby smelled like lemons.
“What’re you doing?” Mike leaned his arms on the counter and checked out Kester’s ass. It wiggled back and forth as he wiped, and what a nice sight that was. His cock hardened just thinking about how far he wanted to bury himself in his mate’s body.
Kester looked over his shoulder and smiled, taking Mike’s breath away. There was a dark smudge on one of his cheeks, but his gray eyes lit up when he looked at Mike. It was a nice feeling having someone so excited to see him. The only time that ever happened was on payday at the tavern.
“I’m keeping busy.” Kester tossed his rag aside. His mate had on his gym clothes, which Mike hadn’t expected to see him wearing since it was asshole-cold outside. It also gave him a chance to check out Kester’s toned legs. There wasn’t much hair on them, but what he did see was barely noticeable since his hairs were so blond.
“I can see that.” Mike looked around and winced. He really did need to update this place. The framed pictures on the wall were ugly as hell, and there was a piece of cardboard under one end table to clearly stop it from rocking.
His plan to renovate was solidified. Mike would need to stay near Kester, and if he had to be at the motel all the time, he would need to stay busy, too.
Just like Kester was doing.
“I have an idea.” Mike rapped his knuckles on the counter. “I’ve been meaning to make some changes around here. How would you like to help me with ideas on how to transform the lobby?”
A glint of excitement burst into Kester’s eyes. “Are you serious, because I would love to change this drab look. First, you need an exterminator. You have bugs.”
“I do?” The thought gave him the willies. Mike hated bugs, especially spiders. They were on his list right below rats.
Kester nodded. “Roaches.”
Mike was going to officially wig the hell out. He wished Ms. Doyle had told him about the bugs. Then again, look how she had lived. He had a suspicion her filth had attracted them there. “I’ll call them right away.”
Kester rounded the counter, and Mike was once again in awe of just how tiny his mate was. “We definitely need to get rid of this carpet. The trapped smells aren’t pleasant.”
“Why don’t you get a pen and paper and we’ll come up with some ideas?”
Kester’s grin was infectious. Mike liked the idea of having a project to undertake, but he also loved the idea of working on the project with his mate.
“Paint job, blinds instead of curtains, new furniture, plants.” Kester nodded. “Plants always liven up a room.” He frowned. “What kind of budget are we working with?”
Mike couldn’t stop staring at his mate in those shiny shorts. His fingers ached to pull them down and bend Kester over the counter.
“Mike?”
He had to force his gaze away from Kester’s body. “Don’t worry about a budget.”
Had he really said that? Mike was normally very careful with his finances. Some even called him a tightwad, which would be pretty accurate, but the look in Kester’s eyes made him want to
give his mate whatever the hell he wanted.
“Really?” Kester pursed his lips, and Mike’s wallet whimpered. “Lucky for you I’m frugal. I can do the painting, and I’m the queen of finding deals.” He blushed. “I mean…not a queen…I meant…”
Mike chuckled. “You can be a queen of whatever you want.” He tapped Kester on the tip of his nose, although Mike was dying to kiss him. “I’ll grab my laptop from my truck, and you can start searching for what we need.”
He liked that Kester had made this feel like a partnership. Then he thought about the dark sedan. “Did you check someone in?”
Kester beamed up at him. “Yep, and I got it right the first time. Go me!”
Mike wanted to kiss that pride right off Kester’s face. Mike had to force himself to go behind the counter and check the computer. If he didn’t, he’d pull his mate into his arms and ravish him.
Smitty Green? Why did that sound like an alias? He texted Smitty’s information to Darren and asked him to check the guy out. Darren texted back, telling Mike he would get right on it.
“Is there something wrong?” With furrowed brows, Kester joined him behind the counter. If his mate only knew that the closeness was driving Mike insane and making it hard to resist touching him.
“Nope, you did everything perfectly.” Mike tucked his phone into his pocket and changed the subject to take Kester’s mind off what he’d just done. “I’m gonna go get my laptop.”
“You should consider updating your computer, too,” Kester said. “This thing is ancient.”
All Mike saw were dollar signs with wings floating away from him. But he needed to invest in order to make money. He just hoped Kester was as frugal as he said he was.
As Mike dug into his truck for his laptop bag, he noticed the curtains in room five part then fall back into place, but not before he’d gotten a good look at Smitty’s face. He’d checked in for one night, and Mike would make sure it was only a single night. He would use the excuse that the motel was closing for renovations to get the guy out of there.
Smitty might be just some stranger passing through, but again, Mike wasn’t taking any chances. Before he went back into the lobby, he called his friend Deon Wilkerson. It wouldn’t hurt to have someone else here to help him keep an eye on things.
He also needed to call Russell. That would save Mike money instead of hiring some company to do the renovation, and Mike liked the idea of helping out a local instead of someone he didn’t know.
“Hey, Mike,” Deon said when he answered the phone.
“You busy?” Mike asked.
“Nope,” Deon said. “All my work is done for the season, so I’m free to help out with whatever you need.”
Deon was not only a black panther shifter but a local farmer who provided a lot of the produce sold at the town’s grocery store. Mike knew Deon wasn’t busy this time of year, but it had been polite to ask.
“Can you come by the motel? I’m about to start a lot of renovations, and I also need to talk to you about something.”
They’d known each other for over a decade, and if there was anyone he trusted with his life, and his mate’s secret, it was his close friend.
“You got it. Give me a minute to wrap up some things here and I’ll be on my way, unless you need me there right now.”
“Finish up what you have to,” Mike said. “I’ll see you when you get here.”
Once they hung up, Mike called Russell and asked him to come by, too. The handyman agreed, and Mike was satisfied he had things set into motion.
With one last look at room five, he slung the strap of his bag over his shoulder and headed back into the office.
* * * *
Working next to Mike all afternoon was playing havoc with Kester’s body. A brush of an arm. A gorgeous smile. That deep, sultry voice. Small innocent touches. They formed a combination that had Kester’s cock hard, forcing him to run to his room and change into some jeans so Mike couldn’t see the evidence of how affected he was.
There were also two strangers in the lobby that Kester wasn’t sure he felt comfortable around. Deon and Russell seemed nice enough, but Deon looked more like a bodyguard than a helper. He was lean with muscles, had a serious look in his eyes, and had an air of danger about him, which made Kester wary of the guy.
Russell gave a low whistle as he looked around the lobby. “Sorry, Mike, but this place is—”
“Crappy. I know,” Mike said. “And you haven’t even seen the room back here.”
Kester hadn’t looked in there but had been dying to. He still wasn’t sure what had happened to the desk lady. When Mike opened the door, once again, Kester saw an empty room. Had she moved out? And that fast? Kester would ask Mike later. He peeked into the room and cringed at the state it was in. It needed to be condemned.
Russell had the same reaction. He grimaced. “Brother, that room needs to be demolished and a new room built in its place. I’m damn good, but you got black mold, and some of the walls are covered in mildew. That room isn’t safe, health wise.”
He looked at Kester.
“I can also see damage to the flooring, where the wood has sunk so deep that all the flooring needs to be replaced,” Russell said. “You’d honestly come out better just rebuilding.”
“That’s what I thought,” Mike said.
Kester stayed out of the way as Mike and Russell talked. He felt as though he was in the way, until Mike asked for Kester’s opinion. Was the guy he’d known for two days really asking for his input when he had a professional at his side? It was one thing to help Mike look up new furnishings online, another to give his two cents when it came to the work that needed to be done.
And Russell looked Kester’s way, too, as though he were waiting to hear what he had to say.
Kester shrugged. “I don’t know anything about what you guys are talking about.”
He frowned when Mike slid an arm around him. “That doesn’t mean we don’t value your opinion.”
Kester wasn’t sure what to think. He liked Mike’s arm around him. For some strange reason, that made him feel safe. But they didn’t even know each other, and although he felt a strong attraction between them, they weren’t familiar enough with each other for Mike to act so cozy with him.
But Kester didn’t pull away, and neither Russell or Deon had said anything about the intimacy of it. Neither guy batted an eye that two men were in such an embrace.
Deon didn’t say much. He just kept looking out the window of the lobby door as if he were expecting trouble.
That was odd, but Kester’s attention was pulled away when something behind him slammed. Kester spun then dropped to his knees, throwing his hands over his ears as memories started to haunt him.
“Shit, sorry,” someone muttered, but Kester wasn’t listening. He was too busy reminding himself that he was free to walk out into the open air anytime he wanted. He wasn’t trapped in that basement. He had his freedom. No weapons were pointed at him, and no threats were being made.
Just breathe in and out. Slowly. Center yourself and breathe.
A hand brushed his shoulder. Kester pressed his hands harder against his ears. He closed his eyes and tried to regulate his breathing.
“Kester?”
“We’re gonna step outside,” someone said.
You’re free. Open your eyes and look around you. You’re free.
“Breathe with me.” Hands cupped his cheeks. “Look at me, sweetheart. Come on. Look at me.”
Kester slowly opened his eyes. Big, gorgeous brown eyes stared back at him. Kind eyes. Concerned eyes. There was no malice in them, no cruelty, and no promise of pain.
Sweet, gentle, soil-rich brown eyes.
“Focus on my voice, hon.” Mike rubbed the pads of his thumbs over Kester’s cheeks. He was hunched down in front of Kester, no sign of judgment on his face. “How’re we doing here? Are you coming back to me?”
Kester nodded, but his heart was still racing too fast, and he still felt
as though he was in the windowless room while the walls were closing in on him. He clearly wasn’t there because he saw Mike’s face, but the feeling wouldn’t go away.
“Russell just slammed the door too hard. That’s what that noise was.” Mike breathed in slowly then pushed the air out. Kester mimicked him and soon the rate of his heart began to slow.
“You back with me?”
“I…” Kester blinked back the tears threatening to spill. He bit his bottom lip and nodded, concentrating on Mike’s voice as the feeling of being trapped started to fade. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why…”
Kester looked away, feeling foolish for his reaction to something as inconsequential as a door being closed too hard. He thought he would be okay when he’d fled Arkansas. He thought he’d left all that behind. And so far, he’d been doing okay. But the stark terror he’d felt for those two days had come flooding back, as if time and distance hadn’t done a damn thing for him. Strabo had slammed the door whenever he’d entered or exited that windowless room. And the sound Russell had made only served to remind Kester that he would never be safe as long as his uncle and cousin were still out there somewhere.
“Can you stand on your own?” Mike’s fingers were still drawing lazy circles over Kester’s cheeks.
He wasn’t in Strabo’s clutches. He was in a motel. For now, safe.
Kester hadn’t voluntarily gone to the cops. He’d escaped that room, and the police had found him, bloody with bruises over half his body as Kester had staggered down the street. Once they realized his ties to Strabo, the FBI had gotten involved. Kester had been whisked away and his hospital record sealed, as well as his identity. But clearly Strabo had thought Kester had voluntarily gone to the feds, because he’d nearly nabbed Kester on his way out of town.
He’d not only run from Strabo but the FBI agent who had interviewed him at the hospital. Agent Gugino was determined to send Strabo away for life, but Kester was just as determined to stay alive. Gugino had no idea what Strabo was. There was no way the agent could protect Kester from his uncle. So Kester had to protect himself, and that meant being on the lam.