by Erin M. Leaf
Nick nodded, and then he strode forward. “You thought you’d get away with it, huh, asshole?”
Felix stood up in a rush, and crossed the room. A shot rang out, and he ducked instinctively. Glass shards cut his neck as the mirror mounted on the wall shattered. He kicked the bathroom door wide, and shot the man standing near the toilet. Blood spattered the window. The body slumped over the windowsill, knocking a candle to the floor. Felix pivoted, his Glock pointed at the shower, but no one was there. He let out the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.
“Sloppy work,” he muttered to himself. He should’ve insisted that Nick wait until he’d cleared the bath. He should’ve checked the shower faster.
“You’re a stupid fuck,” Nick said from the bedroom.
Felix looked out the window. No men loitered in the clearing. With the three in the woods, and the one on the floor of the bathroom, he figured they’d got them all. Five men fit comfortably in the SUV parked outside. The only man left alive right now was Quincy Edwards, and he wouldn’t be for long.
“You’re the stupid fucking asshole. If you kill me, my uncle will wipe your entire family from existence,” Quincy said.
Felix walked to the doorway. Nick stood over Edwards with the shotgun pressed to the man’s gut. The sneer on Edwards’s face confused Felix. No one can be this fucking dumb. He stared at the man, then shook his head. Not even a flicker of intelligence crossed the guy’s face.
“You’re assuming that I give a flying fuck about the rest of my family, Quincy,” Nick said, shaking his head. “You didn’t do your homework, did you?” He pressed the barrel of the gun into Quincy’s soft stomach, showing teeth when the man tried to crawl away. “You are the dumbest motherfucker on the planet.”
“Faggot,” Edwards spat.
Nick laughed. “You bet.” And then he pulled the trigger.
Edwards gasped, then tried to take a breath and coughed, his face going grey.
“You know that gut wounds are a terrible way to die,” Nick said conversationally. “Mostly you bleed out, but it hurts like crazy while it’s happening.”
Edwards tried to reach up, but couldn’t raise his arm more than an inch. “Fucker,” he whispered, coughing again. Blood fountained from the ragged wound in his torso.
Felix walked over. “I saw you fingering your blade earlier,” he said to Nick. “I’m surprised you didn’t skin him.” He liked the way Edwards flinched when he overheard his words. Good. He deserves to die in fear.
Nick shrugged. “This was easier. Didn’t feel like getting my hands dirty on this loser.”
Edwards gurgled, but couldn’t seem to get his voice to work.
Nick prodded him with his toe. “You’re not dead yet? Jesus. Taking a long time.” He tilted his head. “That must hurt like hell.”
Edwards glared at him. Nick crouched down. “You know your uncle is going to die, too. And he’s going to go down begging for his life. Zero doesn’t take kindly to having his business disrupted, dumbass.”
Edwards blinked.
“Your uncle hired me to kill you, by the way,” Felix said casually. “Your own fucking blood wanted you dead and gone. Interesting.”
Edwards’s eyes widened.
Felix nodded. “‘Too stupid. Too much of a liability,’ were Robert Edwards’ words on the contract, I believe. Most people don’t bother with explanations, so that was an interesting detail to put in writing.” Felix bared his teeth at the man bleeding out in his cabin. “Guess I’m going to have to give Nick the money for the job, though.” He shook his head. “First time for everything, I suppose.”
Nick chuckled. “You can keep the fee, Felix. I did this one for free.” Edwards opened his mouth as if to protest, but then he slumped down, eyes stuck open.
“Well.” Nick stood up, wiping his free hand on his pants. “That’s it, I guess.”
“Kind of a letdown, isn’t it?” Felix took the shotgun from him.
Nick scrubbed his face with both hands. “Yeah.” He glanced around. “Shit. What a fucking mess.”
Felix shrugged. “Time to torch the place.” He liked the area, and the privacy, but he’d gotten used to leaving places over the years. He’d find somewhere else to set up his life, and maybe this time he’d really retire instead of just thinking about it.
“Why bother? We could get a cleaner in.” Nick headed to the window. “It’s got a good view. And it’s quiet.” He grimaced. “Most of the time.”
“Too many people know it’s here,” Felix said, thinking of Zero and Robert Edwards. “Zero is going to be making a big fucking mess, too, as soon as he recovers.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Time to put some miles between me and here.”
“Don’t you mean, ‘us and here’?” Nick asked.
Felix raised his eyebrows.
“I plan on stalking you.” Nick walked over, crowding into Felix’s personal space. “And I’m good at my job. I’ll find you, no matter where you go, so why not just save us both the fucking bother and let me come with you?”
Felix inhaled. Nick smelled good, like crushed leaves and gunpowder. He thought of never smelling him again, and the sudden awful dismay that welled up in his gut shocked him. He licked his lips. He wanted to kiss Nick. He wanted to grab him and never let go. “I thought you might have a funeral to deal with.” He hated to bring it up, but it had to be said. “And some other loose ends.”
Nick’s expression went dark. “I’ll say goodbye to Jenna in my own time. There’s no goddamn way I’m going to stand in line with my parents, and pretend that everything is fucking fine with our family.”
Felix got what Nick was saying. Even grief didn’t heal wounds like that. “I hear you.”
“Anyway, they’d probably throw me out if I even tried to go to Jenna’s funeral.” Nick exhaled violently. “Fuck them.” He stepped back.
No. Felix grabbed Nick and pulled him into a rough hug. He’s not walking away from me. Nick’s muscles felt like rocks, and Felix wished he hadn’t had to bring up Jenna’s death. “You don’t have to stalk me.”
Nick leaned back, but didn’t try to get away. “No?”
“You can come with me.” Felix fought to control his breathing. He hadn’t felt this overwhelmed in decades. For the first time in his life, he was offering another person a hand into his life, and it fucking terrified him. He shook his head. Emotions he’d thought long dead and buried rushed through him, and Nick stood there, not saying a fucking word. “You hear me?”
Nick looked at him so long, Felix thought maybe he wasn’t going to reply, but then he smiled. “Okay.”
Felix swallowed down the rush of relief. “Good.”
“That’s all you have to say?” Nick rolled his eyes and kissed him softly.
Felix groaned into Nick’s mouth as his cock went from soft to hard in three seconds. Nick’s body was hot as hell against his. “Jesus, Nick.”
“I’m no savior,” Nick muttered, sliding fingers into Felix’s hair. “In fact, I’m pretty fucking screwed up.” He kissed Felix again, this time brutally. “I shouldn’t even be doing this right now, right over the body of my sister’s killer.”
“Who gives a shit about that? It’s just dead meat.” Felix asked, wrestling him around. He pushed Nick up against the wall and thrust into him. “Christ. You have no idea, do you?”
“What?” Nick shoved his hands under Felix’s shirt, growling when the tactical vest resisted his efforts to get it off.
“Your sister might be dead, but you’re not, Nick,” Felix said, wanting him to understand. “You’re not dead.” He put his hands on Nick’s biceps and shook him. “You’re fucking alive right now. And it doesn’t matter where we are. Doesn’t matter what you did.” He took a deep breath. “All that counts is what you do next.”
Nick stared at him. “You getting all sentimental on me?”
Felix shook him again. “No. I’m being practical. If you want to live in this world, you’ve got to choose to
live in it. No frigging limping along, half-assed, reacting to the shit that happens. And if you come with me, you have to understand that it won’t always be pretty.” He stepped back, waiting. He wanted Nick to choose him again, this time with a full understanding of what that meant. “I’m a killer, Nick. And nothing is going to change that, even if I retire. Even if I never pull another trigger.”
Chapter Twelve
Nick stared at Felix, not sure if he was pissed or pleased that the man had forced him to consider precisely who and what he was. Felix is a killer, but what am I? Nick glanced at the body on the floor. Edwards’s eyes stared through him. He didn’t feel even a shred of remorse, and that more than anything else told him how to answer. He looked back at Felix. “I’m a killer, too.”
Felix’s fierce expression eased. “You sure about that?”
Nick nodded. “Maybe something’s broken inside my head. Maybe I’m just a vindictive motherfucker. Either way, the only thing I feel about killing my sister’s killer is satisfaction.”
Felix exhaled slowly. “That happens. And sometimes you realize you’re good at it.”
Nick frowned. “I’m a better thief than I am an assassin.”
“Hmm, true,” Felix said, looking over the mess on the floor. “And it’s never good to combine specialties in a relationship. Avoids arguments about technique.” Felix smiled, slow and cocky. His hazel eyes had gone dark with lust.
Nick groaned, then grabbed him and dragged him downstairs. “We are not fucking on top of a body,” he gritted out. He might be seriously lacking in fucking morals, but there were limits.
Felix let Nick shove him onto the sofa. Nick made short work of Felix’s vest, then started on his own. “This is going to be quick.” He tried to take off his knife, but the sheath’s buckle defeated him and he left it strapped to his arm.
“Stop talking,” Felix said, taking off his shirt. He unbuttoned his jeans. The tip of his cock pushed against the zipper.
“Fuck,” Nick muttered, going to his knees. He nosed in, needing to taste him. Felix smelled hot and dangerous, but more importantly, he smelled alive, and Nick needed that reassurance right now. Grief welled up again, but he shoved it away. Not now. Grieve later, he told himself. He licked the tip of Felix’s shaft, and then he shoved down his jeans, trapping Felix at the thighs. “I have no control around you. We should be getting the hell away from here.” He wrapped a hand around Felix’s cock. Heat seeped into Nick’s palm, and he leaned down again, licking and sucking.
Felix groaned, hips jerking. Nick let him shove his erection all the way in, relaxing his throat. When he swallowed, Felix made a sound, hips straining. Nick backed off, rolling Felix’s balls in his fingers. “I’m going to fuck you.”
“Never done that,” Felix said.
“There’s a first time for everything.” Nick stood up and undressed, watching as Felix worked his jeans off. The moment he was free, Nick went back to his knees, pushing Felix’s legs back. “God, you taste good.” He sucked Felix’s cock down again, then slid down, licking as he went. When he reached Felix’s hole, he swirled his tongue around the pucker.
“The fuck, that again?” Felix shoved him away.
“Shut up.” Nick grabbed his wrists and held him down. “I’m blowing your fucking mind.” He bent back to his task, loving the sounds Felix made. When he slid a spit-slick finger inside, Felix shuddered.
“Fuck.” Felix shoved himself down on Nick’s finger.
“Yeah.” Nick slid another one in, licking around them. Felix’s muscles had relaxed, and he could probably fit his cock inside now, but the last thing he wanted to do hurt him. “Wait here,” he said, easing his fingers out.
“Christ.” Felix lay boneless on the sofa. He touched his cock, then jacked himself slowly. “Lube is in the cabinet.” He pointed to the door just off the mud room.
Nick nodded. When he returned, Felix had his eyes closed and head thrown back. “God, look at you. You’re killing me,” he said.
Felix smiled. “Slip of the tongue?”
Nick choked back a laugh. “Shut up.” He dribbled too much lube over his hand and cupped Felix’s balls. Slick wetness dripped down on the floor. Nick didn’t give a shit.
Felix’s eyes snapped open. “Fuck!”
“Yeah. That’s exactly right.” Nick pushed and shoved at Felix until his ass hung off the sofa, then lined his cock up. “Feel that?” He pushed the tip of his erection at Felix’s hole. “Relax.” He slung Felix’s legs over his shoulders and pressed in, not letting up until the head of his dick was inside. Felix made a sound somewhere between a growl and a groan, but Nick had no intention of stopping. “God, you’re tight.” Felix felt like a burning ring of fire around his cock.
“Nick.” Felix scrabbled at the sofa, trying to hang on.
Nick sucked in a breath and pressed in some more. Felix’s leg rubbed against his still-healing gunshot wound, and the pain of friction made him grit his teeth. “Take it. Come on.”
Felix finally exhaled, and Nick sank balls-deep into his body. “Hang on, Felix. I’m getting there.”
His lover glared at him. “Fuck you.”
Nick didn’t reply. He couldn’t speak. He could barely fucking move. He swallowed, hard, and then began thrusting his hips. He’d never be able fuck anyone else ever again. Felix was everything he’d ever wanted: tough, dangerous, and fucking sexy as hell. Even the blood from the broken glass that had cut him along his neck and face turned him on. “Never again,” he chanted as he began to move in earnest.
“What?” Felix hung onto the edge of the sofa, muscles straining.
“I’m never going to fuck anyone else again. This is it,” Nick managed to force out. His dick was on fire, and his balls were so tight, he knew he was holding onto his orgasm by sheer luck. “Fuck. Come on, Felix.” He reached down and began to jack his lover fast and hard.
Felix snapped his hips up, then down again, hair wild as his body took over.
Nick squeezed him harder, hips working his cock deeper and deeper. The burn in his thighs didn’t matter. The pain in his arm didn’t matter. The only thing he wanted was to see Felix lose his fucking mind. The cock in his hand swelled thicker, and then Felix froze, hips and legs and torso trembling as his cock jerked. Thick ropes of spunk jetted out, coating them both. The pressure on Nick’s erection sent him over the edge, and he groaned, falling down into Felix as he climaxed.
A long time later, he peeled himself off of Felix and slumped down on the floor. The hard wood pushed into his bones, and abruptly he felt about a thousand years too old for screwing on a sofa. He glanced up at Felix. His lover looked good. Better than good, even with the lines on his face and the bit of silver in his stubble.
“God, we’re a mess.” Nick felt like he had to say something. Nothing ever happened the way he expected. He thought he’d feel better with Quincy dead. He thought he’d never fall in love, and now he knew that neither of those things was true. Fuck. I’m losing it, which is absurd, after everything that’s happened to me. How is this the breaking point?
Felix groaned, stretching out on the sofa. “And I’m not as young as I used to be.” He ran a hand over his face. “We need to clean up and get out of here.” He dropped a hand on Nick’s head, combing through his hair as if all of the killing earlier was just a job. As if the blood was ordinary.
And maybe for him it is. Nick nodded, willing himself to get up as the sensation of being completely outside of his body started to finally fade. He felt boneless. Satisfied, but not happy. He thought of his sister, and sighed.
“It will take a while to get used to what’s happened,” Felix said, as if reading his mind. “Don’t fuck with it. It’s like picking at a cut. You just leave it alone and it’ll get better.”
“Yeah.” Nick got up, then offered Felix a hand. “Yeah. I guess.” Felix took his hand, and Nick hauled him up. “You sure you want to torch this place?” He glanced around. “It’s a nice cabin.”
F
elix shrugged. “Seems prudent.”
“We could deal with Quincy’s uncle. Put an end to this entire fucking situation.” Nick thought about it, trying to weigh the pros and cons. Part of him wanted to do it, if only to give himself closure, but the rest of him knew that it likely wouldn’t end there. If they killed Robert Edwards, then someone else would come after them. And someone else after that.
“No. Zero will want to handle that situation.” Felix headed for the stairs. He didn’t bother to get dressed. “And he’s got the leverage to limit any collateral damage.”
Nick watched him walk up to the loft. The juxtaposition of his nudity against the wooden walls left his dick feebly twitching in hopes of a second go at sex. Nick shook his head, then rolled his shoulders and grabbed his pants. He shoved his feet into the legs, and then habit took over and before he knew it, he was dressed. He hadn’t bothered to wipe up. The musky smell of sex reassured him. He went over the last twenty-four hours in his head, trying to normalize the situation. I fucked an assassin. I killed the asshole who murdered my sister. I’m with Felix now, and where he goes, I go. He rubbed his eyes. “Jesus. When will I learn not to jump head first into a giant clusterfuck?”
Felix reappeared fully clothed, with a large duffel slung over his shoulder. “You ready?” Clearly, he hadn’t heard Nick mumbling to himself. He dropped the duffel near the door.
Nick nodded, not bothering to look around. He didn’t have anything here to gather up. “Yeah. Let’s blow this pop stand.”
Felix half smiled, then walked to the kitchen area. He reached behind the stove and fiddled with something. “It’ll burn fast. I have it set up to blow.” He went to the fireplace and yanked open a panel set into the floor right in front of the hearth. “Gas makes this almost too easy.” He twisted something, then popped the panel back into place.