by Marie Harte
“Makes sense. So where should we start?”
Nathan sighed. “Might as well start in here.”
They spent the next two hours moving slowly through the house. Nathan ran his senses over everything, his fingers gliding past utensils, pots, pans, dishes, cabinets. Anything and everything not nailed to the floor became his to peruse.
He had no luck until they entered a rarely used room at the corner of the house on the second floor.
“What was in here?” Avery asked. He’d been silent for the better part of their time, his attention focused on Nathan.
Nathan had found his partner’s presence disconcerting at first, until he’d recognized the warm feeling of protection he’d been missing since his missions with the PWP. Though he’d worked on a few cases since their team had left DC, this was the first he worked as lead—with Avery.
“I don’t remember this room.” Nathan turned slowly, seeing the battered dresser and dusty ottoman. The only two pieces of furniture in the room didn’t make the space any more lived-in. Nathan moved to the closet. The minute he put his hand on the knob, he felt a resonance of energy. “Something’s here.”
“Go on. I’ve got your back.” Avery seemed somehow larger behind Nathan, as if his declaration of intent enhanced his power.
Nathan let go of his consciousness and embraced the vision that smothered him…
* * * *
“I can’t wait to fill this with babies.” Danielle twirled on her feet and smiled at her husband.
Malcolm grinned back, so lighthearted and carefree. He looked young, his face unlined by time, his green eyes bright. “Yours and mine, sweetheart. We’ll love her and keep her safe from the monsters in the world.”
Danielle’s face fell. “I wish you’d quit, Mal. I miss you when you’re gone.”
“I know, honey.” He moved forward and hugged her. “I worry about you. But this work is too important. I’m helping keep the nation safe. And all the money I earn is going toward our future.” He rubbed the small of her back. “A college fund for our baby, savings for our retirement. All that stuff.”
“But that energy you absorb. It isn’t good for you.”
“It’s not good for anyone. But I’m making the world a better place for us. Think of it like that.”
She ran her hands through his hair. “Who knew you were so responsible?” She kissed him, a mating of mouths and hearts clearly shining in the embrace they shared. “Now how about we start on making our baby? Although I’m not sure about a little girl. How about a boy with your eyes and your abilities? Our little magic man.”
Malcolm chuckled. “Long as he has your temperament, I’m game. Lord knows I’m no joy to be around without you.”
* * * *
The vision faded.
“You okay?” Avery’s gruff voice preceded his image slowly coming back into focus.
“Yeah, I think.” He relayed the vision to Avery in its entirety. “I can’t believe it. He really loved her. At least in the beginning.”
“Wonder what changed.”
“Everything, I’d say.” How the hell did you kill someone you loved that much? His uncle had more than a screw loose. Nathan staggered as exhaustion overcame him.
“Whoa.” Avery caught him by the arm and dragged him out the door.
“What the hell?”
“Go take a rest. You’re having a really hard time in this house, aren’t you?”
Nathan shrugged.
“I can tell. So go sleep it off. I’ll watch over the place.”
“I thought you were going to look into the future again.”
Avery nodded. “Soon as you’re up and about, I will. No hurry. What’s coming is coming, and nothing we can do will change that.”
“But we can be prepared.” How would his confrontation with his uncle work out this time? Nathan wasn’t a child any longer. He’d grown strong, powerful, and he knew how to handle danger. This time Malcolm Dixon wouldn’t walk away.
“Right. Prepared. One of my favorite words.” Avery gifted him with a small smile. “Now go lie down before you fall down. I’ll hold the fort, dimples.”
For once, the nickname didn’t annoy him. Avery sounded almost caring. “Yeah, whatever.”
“Exactly. Long as you recognize that I’m in charge, this will go smoothly for all of us. And Dixon won’t know what hit him when he gets here.”
Nathan nodded and entered his bedroom, weary beyond what should have been normal. The grief he’d been working to suppress for days caught up with him, and he turned from Avery and lay down in bed. He pulled the covers over his shoulder and faced the wall. “Shut the door behind you,” he said in a low voice.
Avery didn’t answer. The door shut softly, and Nathan felt himself alone. All alone.
He let the tears fall, aching for his aunt—his mother—for all she’d lost. More than just her life, but a caring, devoted husband. Whatever had happened to change his uncle had changed them all. He remembered her smiling face. The years spent after Malcolm, so much joy in just being with her. She made holidays, his birthday, even his sporting events so much more. Nathan tried but couldn’t stop crying.
God, Mom. I miss you.
Chapter Five
Avery felt terrible. He’d pushed the door open a crack to check on Nathan and had seen his partner shaking under the covers. The small sobs he tried to hide ripped Avery apart. But he left Nathan alone, knowing he wouldn’t want anyone to witness his breakdown.
The guy had been holding it together for days. After he’d flown back from Danielle’s funeral, he’d demanded they set out to recover the stolen blade. Their boss hadn’t complained, but he’d shot Avery a look, one that said to take care of his partner. Hauling Nathan’s ass out of bar after bar hadn’t been fun but necessary. Fucking him? Necessary and fun, but in retrospect, not in Nathan’s best interests.
Then again, maybe something they’d done had shaken Nathan’s reserve, because this was the first time Avery had seen his partner grieve.
Nathan had to get it out. Holding on to that much pain would only make it worse. He needed to be clearheaded and focused when they met up with Dixon. From the information Ian kept filtering through Avery’s e-mail, the news continued to grow worse.
Malcolm Dixon was not only a killer but an unofficial cleanup man for the CIA. Wonderful. As if that weren’t bad enough, according to Agency files, the shit the man could do with a weapon would make anyone nervous, Avery included. Malcolm’s skill seemed to be a lot like Nathan’s, except Malcolm could not only see impressions off weapons but also use the skills of those who had once wielded them. Guns, knives, swords—Malcolm mastered them all.
Avery still wondered exactly how Nathan had overpowered his uncle all those years ago. He’d had to have been all of thirteen, up against a mature man who’d been trained to kill. He had a feeling Nathan hadn’t told him the whole truth about the incident.
He sighed and moved back into the kitchen, needing something to do. After a few moments spent gathering tools, he began sanding the kitchen cabinets in need of a new stain. While he worked, he tried to think how he might have handled the situation in Nathan’s place.
So say his aunt died, and he found out she was really his mother. He had no other siblings, no family, just her. According to Jack, Nathan and his aunt were really tight. Just great. Avery would be missing the hell out of his aunt, angry she’d lied to him, and then thrust back into the nightmare of his past. He’d have to work with a partner he didn’t really know or even like, truth to tell, but one who made his cock hard nonetheless. At the mercy of his hormones, his grief, and a danger coming closer day by day.
Was it any wonder Nathan had wanted to drink his worries away? Hell, Avery couldn’t blame him. Nathan hurt, and he reached out, wanting to feel better. Sure, sex was an easy cure. But like the booze, it was also a crutch. Avery swore at himself as he sanded chipped paint off the cabinets. He shouldn’t have given in to desire and been with Nathan
yesterday.
So what that he couldn’t remember any of his past lovers after that brief interlude? And sure, Nathan was sexier than hell. The man didn’t know what he was doing. Despite the attraction between them, Nathan had never acted on it before. Shit, just days ago he’d been trying to fuck anything that moved. Strangers would do. Was Avery really any different from those available partners?
Why did it fucking piss him off to think he was just like all the rest of the men in Nathan’s life—disposable? Avery felt as if he’d lost something in their sexual exploration. Coming twice, kissing the man, feeling that taut flesh against his… He couldn’t stop thinking about it. Him.
With a disgusted curse, he threw down the sanding block and made his way back up the stairs toward Nathan’s room. A peek inside showed his partner sound asleep. Thank God. Avery walked next door and decided to make better use of his time than fixing up a tired house. Instead he tried to piece together the puzzle that was Malcolm Dixon. What made the man tick? Why had he turned from loving his wife to almost killing her and her nephew? Why abuse a small boy the way he had? Had the government been responsible for his change? Or had he always been bad to the bone? What would he be like now?
Hours later after pouring through every nugget Ian had sent him, Avery came back to the same clue that puzzled the hell out of him. Why had Danielle sent her son to live with her sister? Who had she slept with while Malcolm worked abroad? He couldn’t put his finger on it, but he had a feeling the answers to everything lay with Danielle Dixon. And only one person could help him solve the questions that plagued him.
The poor bastard getting some much-needed rest next door.
* * * *
Nathan woke feeling deeply rested. A glance out the window showed night had fallen. Hell, he must have slept the day away. He rose, took care of his needs, and dressed. After a hurried race through the cold hallway and down the stairs, he entered into a cozy living room. The gas fire burned. The lights had been turned low, and the smell of Chinese food made his mouth water. Then he noticed Avery sitting in an oversize chair reading a book and had to check himself for drool. Good God, the man did wonders for jeans and sweaters.
Avery glanced up and put the book aside. “Finally awake, I see. Feeling better?”
“Yeah, I am, actually.” Nathan rubbed his stomach, famished. “What’s to eat?”
“Take your pick. Noodles, rice, chicken, and shrimp. It’s in the kitchen.”
Nathan left Avery, loaded up a plate, and returned to the living room. Avery watched him with an intent look that discomfited him. “What?”
“Just wondering if you being here is the right thing.”
Nathan groaned. “Not this again. You already saw me here. What the hell, man?”
“In a vision. But you said it yourself. I don’t know when I saw you. Might be a year from now that you confront Dixon.” In a low voice, Avery added, “You need time to get through all this.”
“You sound like you care.”
“Don’t be an ass. Sure I care.” At Nathan’s raised brow, Avery added, “I don’t want to get my head shot off while you’re moping over your loss and thinking up ways to kill your uncle.”
“That’s really sweet of you, Avery.”
Avery grinned, and Nathan’s heart raced. “That’s me. Mr. Caring. No, seriously. I was thinking about it a lot today. You lost your mother. It’s a big deal, man. Take the time you need to get through this. We should go back to Bend. We’ll figure out another way to get Dixon to show himself.”
“What about the job? We’re supposed to get that blade back for our client.”
Avery shrugged. “It’s been missing for a year at least. What’s another few months? Hell. If he wants it so bad, Jack can put someone else on the case. Let Aidan take it. He’s been a real pain in the ass lately, wanting to get out and do some field work.”
Nathan chuckled. “You have to admit, working in the gym isn’t nearly as exciting as undercover ops.”
“Oh yeah. House-sitting in Bloomville is a huge thrill.”
Nathan’s held his fork over his plate as he studied his partner.
Avery frowned. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“You really mean it? You’d drop this mission and go back? For me?”
“So what?” Avery quickly amended, “Not just for you. It’s a safety issue is all. Better for both of us if we deal with Dixon when we’re more focused.”
Nathan slowly put his fork down. “I know I’m fucked up. But what’s your problem?” He had a feeling he knew. His cock filled out, and his nipples grew hard when he thought about Avery’s issues.
Avery glared at him. “You’re my problem.”
“I knew it.” He grinned, and Avery’s expression grew even darker.
“You don’t follow orders on a good day. But now you’re sad and hurting, and it’s not good that you’re here.”
“Oh?”
“Fuck it. We need to pack up and head home.”
Nathan rose from his seat and stood over Avery, still slouched in his chair. “I think you’re worried about me.”
“You’re my partner. Of course I’m worried about you.”
“It’s more than that, isn’t it?” Nathan ran a hand over Avery’s cheek, attuned to the bigger man’s expanding pupils, the breath he sucked in, and the body that looked tense, poised to spring.
“Cut it out.” That husky voice turned him on like clockwork.
“I want to fuck you.”
Avery shook his head and grabbed Nathan’s hand when Nathan wouldn’t move it away. “You want to fuck to forget. Just a few days ago, you were going to do that dickhead in the bar. You think you want me, but you really want comfort.” Avery swallowed hard. “I can’t give you that.”
“What can you give me?” Nathan knew Avery was wrong, but he couldn’t resist the hint of unease in his partner’s eyes. Avery always appeared so sure of himself, that to see him the slightest bit unsure was mesmerizing.
“A good, hard fuck. I’d ram it deep in that ass, Nate.”
“So what’s—”
“But the problem is, I don’t know you.”
Nathan frowned. “Sure you do.”
“No, I don’t. I don’t know who you’ve been with. I want to fuck you bare, but I won’t chance it. Hell, even going down on you is a risk.”
Nathan’s desire pulsed with anger. “I might like to play the field, but I don’t fuck with my safety.”
“Oh?”
Nathan recalled the other night when he was drunk off his ass and flushed. “Cut me some slack, dickhead. My mother just died. So I was out of it a few nights ago.”
Avery’s expression softened, and Nathan wondered if he was aware of it. “I know, man. You’ve been through a lot of shit in the last few weeks. But Nathan, that’s just one more reason we should wait.”
“I’m done waiting.” Nathan would be damned if he’d let anyone or anything get in his way. Time was just too short. “I could be dead tomorrow. I want you now. Tonight. You don’t know me? I don’t know you. What’s so hard about wearing condoms?”
Avery’s jaw clenched tight. Oh yeah, he had a hard-on going strong in those jeans.
“Come on. You know you want me. If it makes you feel better, I always wear a condom. Always. And I don’t blow just anyone.” He wanted to suck Avery again. “I’d be worried about you, except you’re the poster boy for safe sex. Hell, for safe everything.” He snorted. “Have you ever taken a chance in your well-ordered life?”
Avery exploded out of the chair and knocked Nathan back a step. Before Nathan could complain, Avery powered him over his shoulder and took the steps two at a time to his room.
“Holy shit. You’re strong as a bull,” he rasped as he bounced over Avery’s shoulder.
“You just won’t quit. Fine. We’re gonna fuck. All night long. And you’ll do what you’re told.”
“A closet dom. Figures.” Nathan couldn’t for the life of him think a
bout anything but obeying Avery to the letter. He felt faint, feverish with desire. His deepest fantasies were about to come true. Submission to a stronger man. But not to just any man. To Avery Holton, the one person he’d never been able to get out of his mind.
And now, if he was lucky, out of his body.
Avery could barely see straight. He hadn’t meant to commit to this, but damn if Nathan would stop picking at his control. He had tried to do the right thing, tried to give the man time and space. But Nathan, being Nathan, had to have things his own way.
“You’re a brat,” Avery snapped and tossed him down on his bed. Avery’s room. Avery’s rules. “Always what you want when you want it.”
Nathan propped himself up on his elbows. His hair slid over his forehead, hiding one eye, and he’d never looked sexier. Avery could see the hard cock pressed against the back of Nathan’s fly. He knew how Nathan’s chest would flex, how his nipples would stand on end, taut and rosy with arousal.
“Take off your clothes.” He stood with his arms crossed, glaring down at the playboy. “Tonight you do what I tell you to, or you’ll get punished. No safe words, no stopping this. We do it my way. If you can’t take that, get the hell off my bed and out of this room. Now.”
Nathan’s answer was to shrug off his sweatshirt and start on the button of his jeans.
Avery shifted his stance, ready to blow with each revealed bit of skin.
“You look hard, buddy. Pretty needy.” Nathan chuckled as he slid out of his jeans and underwear. Then he removed his socks and lay back, completely naked. “What now, Master?”
“Smart-ass.” If only the bastard would mean it, Avery would insist he use the term. “Now you lay there and let me look at you.”
He took his time, lingering on the washboard abs, the crunch of muscle in those rock-hard biceps. “You have long legs. Muscular. I like those thick thighs. I wonder what they’ll feel like wrapped around me while I fuck that hole of yours.”
Nathan’s cock pearled at the tip, the creamy bead of dew a testament to his desire.