by Erin M. Leaf
“What the fuck does that matter? I’m forty-five. Didn’t stop you and me from screwing around, did it?” Felix said.
Nick pursed his lips. “That’s different.”
“How?”
I’m not a naive young girl, and I wasn’t planning on sticking around, Nick thought, but he didn’t say it out loud. “It just is.”
“Whatever,” Felix grunted. “You done with that?”
Nick gathered the papers and tucked them back into the folder. “Robert Edwards isn’t going to take it at all well when his nephew turns up dead.” He handed the folder back to Felix. “And you know they’re gonna be looking at me.”
“Not my problem. It won’t be your problem, either, as long as we do it nice and neat.” Felix shoved the packet back under the seat. “You ready to go in?”
Nice and neat, he says, as if it will be that easy. Ha, Nick thought, mind running through what he’d need to do to keep every last trace of himself away from the scene of the crime. “What are we looking for?” Nick said, checking his borrowed pistol. The clip was full, but he had no more ammunition. His knife, as always, sat tucked against his forearm. He pulled out a pair of vinyl gloves. He had no intention of leaving any prints inside.
Felix shrugged. “Information. Phone numbers. Maybe we’ll get lucky, and Quincy will be sitting on his toilet, like a stupid motherfucker.”
Nick laughed. “Yeah. In your dreams.”
Felix gave him a tight smile and got out of the truck. Nick followed him.
****
“Nothing. There’s not a goddamned thing here.” Disgusted, Nick kicked a half-packed box of random junk across the room. Packages of instant noodles, two paperbacks, and a handful of cutlery scattered across the dirty carpet. “He’s long gone, Felix.”
Felix scanned the living space one last time. “Fuck.” He tugged off his leather gloves irritably.
Nick agreed with the sentiment as he tucked his disposable gloves in his pocket. They had no leads. Quincy had taken off for good, and he’d left nothing useful behind. “I bet his uncle helped him clear this place out. He doesn’t have enough brains to be this thorough. The place is clean as a whistle.”
“Hmm.” Felix looked around one last time, then exhaled. “We’ll pick up the trail in the morning.” He headed for the door.
“What makes you think we’ll be able to do that? We got nothing. No leads. Not even a fucking breadcrumb.” Nick followed him out of the house. Late afternoon shadows fell across the sidewalks as they headed for Felix’s truck. The residential neighborhood looked quiet and ordinary, when Quincy’s business was anything but. That’s how it goes, though. Drugs and guns are everywhere, these days.
“I know where Robert Edwards has a bolthole. We’ll check in with Zero tonight, and head there in the morning.” Felix unlocked the truck and climbed in.
“Why not go there now?” Nick had a serious hard-on about fucking Quincy up. He wasn’t normally the kind of guy who wanted to break a man’s bones, but this time he’d make an exception. The memory of his sister crying into his neck would haunt him forever, as would her bruises.
“I’m tired. You’re tired. We need a plan.” Felix pulled out and slowly drove away from the neighborhood. “It’s never a good idea to storm in with guns blazing.” He shook his head. “We don’t even know if Edwards is where I’m thinking he’s at, let alone if he’s got his nephew with him. He doesn’t stay in one place for long. He moves around. We’ll get Zero to check his network for information on his whereabouts.”
“Why the hell would Zero help us so much, anyway?” Nick asked. When he worked with Zero, it was a strictly business relationship. He fenced the shit Nick stole, and took a modest fee off the top. Obviously, Felix’s relationship with the guy was different. Felix had walked into Zero’s place as though he’d been there before.
“We went to high school together. One day, a few assholes thought it would be fun to permanently remove Zero from the planet by using him as a punching bag. I disagreed.” Felix eased onto the highway. “Zero was never shy about his choice of dating partners. And I don’t like bullies, especially homophobic ones with tire irons.” He glanced at Nick. “Don’t read too much into it. We’ve been doing business together for decades.”
Not surprising Felix would react like that, given the way his dad treated him. And at least now I know Zero won’t be hitting on Jenna. Nick leaned his head back against the seat. “So, Zero owes you, huh? Is that like how I owe you?”
“No. You owe me something entirely different.” Felix smiled at Nick, then turned his attention back to the road. “Zero owes me for saving his skin that time, and a few other things over the years.” He sighed. “I owe him, too. Neither of us can keep track anymore.”
“Still. We have a few hours of light left. We could check this bolthole you mentioned and still have time for dinner before it gets dark. No need to bother Zero yet.” Nick really wanted to exhaust their options before turning in for the night. Every moment Quincy was out walking around, healthy and stupid, worried Nick. Zero wasn’t infallible, no matter how sturdy he thought his bunker was. And I should know. I make a living by breaking into impregnable places.
“Not without more info.” Felix pursed his lips, head turning to look at him. “Let it go, Nick. I promise you, Edwards will be dead within twenty-four hours.”
Nick frowned. Felix wasn’t budging on this, and since he was in the man’s truck, and at the man’s mercy… Fuck it. Felix knows a lot more about killing people than you do, and you know it, he told himself. He’d always been impulsive, and he wanted to get this over with, but not at the expense of his life. Or Felix’s life. Or my sister’s. He reached up and massaged the wound on his arm. It itched more than it hurt.
“Stop messing with it. You’ll tear open the stitches,” Felix said, knocking his hand down.
Nick scowled at him. “What do you care?”
Felix didn’t respond.
Nick sighed, and closed his eyes. They had a long drive back to Felix’s cabin. He might as well get some shut-eye.
****
A few hours later, Nick shoved the empty bags of fast food into the trash in Felix’s kitchen. “Did you hear from Zero?” He was tired, but not so tired he’d forget to check up on Jenna.
Felix held up his phone. “He says your sister is fine. She fell asleep in the middle of the movie.”
“Did you ask him about Quincy? And his mobster uncle?” Nick leaned back against the kitchen counter. The edge dug into his lower back, but he didn’t care. A little pain here and there kept him focused. He poked at his arm again, ignoring Felix’s scowl of disapproval. “What did he say?”
“He’s got nothing on either of them,” Felix said.
Nick frowned. “Let me see.”
After an exasperated sigh, Felix walked over and held out his phone. Nick grabbed it, scanning the messages.
Felix: Info on Edwards?
Zero: Neither one in usual holes.
Zero: Tasked a minion with search and stalk, nothing yet.
Felix: Status on Jenna?
Zero: Sleeping, poor thing.
Felix: Send update in AM.
Zero: Roger that.
“A minion?” Nick asked, confused. He handed Felix’s phone back to him. “Is that wise?”
“Zero has a lot of contacts in odd places,” Felix said. He put the phone on the counter. “Whoever he asked to help out will either be paid, or owes Zero a favor. Don’t worry about it.”
Nick ran a hand over the back of his neck. His muscles hurt, but there wasn’t a lot he could do about it. He’d never take pain medicine in the middle of a job. The pain would keep him alert, at the very least. “At least Zero seems cool with Jenna.”
“He’s a good man,” Felix said, looking out the window.
Night had fallen, and Nick couldn’t figure out what Felix could possibly see through the glass. Even the trees across the small clearing had vanished into the dark. If Felix hadn�
�t had a phenomenal security system, complete with infrared cameras, Nick would never be able to sleep here. He hated not being able to see his surroundings. “You realize, having a cabin in the middle of nowhere puts you into the creepy killer category. You could star in your own reality television show. ‘Killer in the Dark’ airs at nine,” he joked.
Felix turned to him, eyebrows raised. He wasn’t smiling. “If the shoe fits.”
Nick laughed. “You’re not the least bit upset about being called a killer, are you?”
Felix stalked over to him and boxed him in, arms on the counter to either side. Nick blinked. Huh. I didn’t expect him to do that.
“I am a killer. And I’m very, very good at it,” Felix said, leaning in. Warm breath puffed across his cheek. “Question is, do you even know what that means?”
Nick’s cock hardened so fast he felt lightheaded. “Jesus, Felix.” Felix brushed his lips across Nick’s jaw, and Nick abruptly realized that he wasn’t the only one with an erection. The knowledge did nothing for his self-control. He wanted more of Felix, and the sooner, the better.
“I never dress up a peach and call it an apple, Nick. I am what I am.” Felix’s hazel eyes had darkened. “I am a contract killer.”
Nick licked his lips, more turned on than he could remember being ever before. Felix really pushed all of his buttons in exactly the right way. “Fuck.” Felix didn’t seem the least bit bothered by his sudden attraction to another man. Nick knew he’d enjoyed the blowjob, and the rubbing one out against each other this morning, but he’d expected some straight guy blowback at some point. “You jumping into the gay side of the pool again?”
“You’re the one who pointed out my not-so-straight tendencies, Nick.” Felix pressed against him harder. “Why so surprised now?”
Nick shuddered. “Just making sure that a punch to the face isn’t in my immediate future. It tends to ruin the mood.” He reached up and grabbed Felix’s arms as he thrust his hips forward. The pressure of his cock against his jeans fucking hurt. “What do you want?” He wouldn’t mind blowing the guy again. Felix’s cock was the perfect size for his mouth. It’d be the perfect size for my ass, too, he thought, swallowing hard.
Felix reached up and pulled Nick’s arms down, trapping him against the counter. “It’s not obvious?”
Nick shivered. He’d gotten so used to topping that no guy ever seemed to take the initiative with him anymore. He didn’t know if he gave off too many tough-guy vibes or what, but the truth was, he liked it when a man showed his strength. He liked it that Felix wasn’t afraid to shove him around. He flexed his wrists, but didn’t try to break free.
“You like that, hmm?” Felix pressed harder.
Nick’s arm wound throbbed as the counter cut into his wrists. “Yeah.”
“You want me to fuck you, don’t you?”
Nick swallowed, hard. Felix’s voice wound itself around his spine in the best possible way. “Yeah, I do.”
Chapter Nine
Felix bared his teeth, once again grinding his cock into Nick’s groin. Ever since Nick mentioned fucking, he’d been thinking about it in the back of his head. Nick’s perfect ass, splayed open to him, was an image he couldn’t seem to shake, and he wanted to see if the reality matched his imagination. “Let’s take this to the bedroom,” he said, releasing Nick’s wrists.
Nick grabbed him. “No.”
Felix raised his eyebrows. “No?” Had he completely misinterpreted Nick’s interest? No, he’s just as fucking turned on as me, he thought, staring at the other man’s blown pupils.
“Here. Now.” Nick reached back and pulled his shirt off, back to front. He tossed it on the tile floor. “You got any olive oil? Shortening?”
Felix made a sound in the back of his throat. “You want me to fuck you bareback?” He inhaled, trying to keep from coming in his fucking pants. “Risky,” he said tightly.
“I like risk, in case you haven’t noticed,” Nick said, shoving down his jeans. His cock sprang out, hard and red and wet at the tip. His blond pubic hair framed it perfectly.
Felix stared at Nick’s erection, inexplicably curious about how it would taste. He imagined the weight of Nick’s cock on his tongue, and almost went to his knees, but Nick’s yanking on his shirt interrupted his focus.
“Earth to Felix.” Nick roughly undressed him. When his hands tried to yank down Felix’s pants, Felix snapped out of it, and took over, kicking off his boots.
“Calm the fuck down,” he growled, opening a cabinet. He grabbed the shortening and slammed it down on the counter. “You want me to fuck you? Then you will do as I say.” Felix had never fucked a man before, but he’d done anal with women. And he knew from the way Nick’s breathing hitched that the man liked it when Felix took the lead. I can take the lead twenty-four seven, as long as it ends up with me balls deep in Nick’s ass.
“Jesus, fuck, Felix.” Nick grabbed himself and squeezed, eyes on Felix’s erection.
Felix narrowed his eyes. “Hands off the goods. Don’t touch yourself unless I say so.”
Nick glared at him. “Then stop staring at me and get to it.”
Felix shed the rest of his clothes, then grabbed Nick by the wrists again. “You like it when I hold you down.”
Nick closed his eyes and exhaled sharply. “Yeah. I do.”
“You’ll like it even more with my cock inside you.” Felix leaned in and bit Nick’s lip, hard. “When I have you pushed up against the counter, you won’t be able to move. I’ll do whatever the fuck I want with you.”
Nick gasped, leaning in. “Fucking tease. Lotta words there, Felix. Show me some action.”
Felix grinned. He rubbed their erections together, strangely not the least bit freaked out by it. He’d enjoyed sex with women, but the sensation of Nick’s hard body against his was on an entirely different level. Nick was leaner than Felix, and he liked the way the younger man’s smooth skin felt against his rougher, hairier chest. He liked everything about Nick. He liked the small tattoo of an open lock on the other man’s lower right hip. He liked the way Nick’s hair felt under his fingertips. He liked Nick’s mouth. Felix flashed back to the memory of Nick sucking his cock, and shuddered. He cupped Nick’s face, and then rubbed on thumb across his lips. “Open up for me.”
Nick smiled, then sucked Felix’s thumb inside. Felix swayed, but then Nick bit down, hard. The stinging pain made him smile. “Feisty, aren’t you?”
Nick laughed. Felix moved in, grabbing him by the ass. “I’m going to fuck you right here.” He turned Nick around, then opened the shortening and scooped out a generous portion.
“I like pain,” Nick said, obligingly spreading his legs.
Felix eyed Nick’s hole, liking the way his balls looked from this direction. “I know you do.” He smeared the white slick stuff on Nick’s ass, then rubbed a generous portion on himself. “I’m going to open you up with my cock. You got a problem with that?”
Nick’s shoulders tensed. “Nope.”
Felix grunted, then slid his slick erection between Nick’s legs, bumping his balls with his cockhead, avoiding his hole. “Good.” He grabbed Nick by the hips, and began pumping. He meant to drive him insane before he ever got close to the fucking part. “You’re not going to come until I say.”
Nick groaned, hands going down to touch himself again.
“Oh no, you don’t,” Felix muttered, grabbing Nick’s arms. He wrenched them back up, holding them against the counter.
“Fuck, Felix,” Nick panted.
Felix kept slowly pumping his hips. Nick’s ass crack felt hot as hell, and every time he bumped Nick’s balls with the head of his shaft, pleasure shot up Felix’s spine. “You’re hot as fuck.”
Nick hung his head down. “And you’re a fucking tease.”
Felix bit Nick’s shoulder. “Yeah. I am.” He leaned back and gripped himself. He started pushing at Nick’s hole, but didn’t press in. He wanted Nick to open up for him. He wanted Nick to beg. “You got a problem
with that?”
“Depends on the situation,” Nick ground out, trying to lunge back.
Felix used his free hand to press Nick’s head and shoulders down on the counter. “You don’t get to rush this, Nick.”
Nick groaned, but he let Felix hold him down. “God, you’re a prick.”
“That also depends on the situation.” Felix pressed harder with his cock. Nick’s hole looked puffy and red, and he could feel the muscle starting to relax. “You’re a perfect fucking bottom, aren’t you?”
“Not always,” Nick countered, breathing heavier.
Felix let his free hand slide down, and he gripped Nick’s cock. Nick groaned, hips jerking. Felix pushed his own cock at Nick’s hole again, and then again. “I got you,” he murmured, slowly stroking Nick’s dick. He wanted Nick on the edge, but not over. Not yet.
Nick shuddered, hands clenching into fists. “I’m close.”
“No, you’re not,” Felix said, tightening his grip around Nick’s erection. He pushed in, hard, and the head of his cock slipped inside Nick’s body. He exhaled harshly, fighting for control as Nick clenched his muscles. “Fuck.”
“Yeah, that’s what we’re doing,” Nick managed to say.
“If you’re coherent enough to speak, I’m not doing my job properly,” Felix told him, pushing in slowly. He’d had to wait a moment so he wouldn’t just pop off. He wanted to fuck Nick long and hard.
“Truth,” Nick managed, voice cracking.
Felix bared his teeth, then pulled out and shoved back in, faster this time. Nick grunted. Felix let go of Nick’s dick and cupped the man’s balls. “Interesting. You didn’t go soft at all.”
“I like pain, remember?” Nick shook his head. “And you went too fucking slow.”