by Carol Lynne
Rio parked beside the house and got out. He was both anxious and terrified at the prospect of coming face to face with the Ghost from his past. “Hello?” he called, walking towards the back of the house.
When he received no answer, Rio wondered if it was a trap. His pace slowed and he put his back against the side of the house before sneaking a look around the corner towards the back yard.
The apple tree was a lot bigger than it had been ten years earlier. Evidently whoever owned the property didn’t care about pruning that, either. A shadowed figure sat in a chair under the tree. “Hello?” he called again. The shadowed man was the right size, but should Rio trust him just because he was scrawny like Ghost?
“Here,” the figure said. The voice sounded raspy and weak, nothing like Ghost.
Stepping around the corner, he was finally able to see the face of the man in the chair.
The haunted eyes looking back at him brought back a rush of emotions. Rio’s feet couldn’t carry him fast enough as he crossed the distance to where Ghost sat. Dropping to his knees in front of his old love, Rio was struck mute. He fought to keep his hands off the man he’d mourned for so many years because he knew what one hug could lead to with a man like Ghost.
A familiar hand touched Rio’s cheek. “You’re even more gorgeous than I remember,” Ghost said.
Closing his eyes, Rio placed his hand over the top of Ghost’s and leant in to the touch. “How…?”
“It’s a long story. Just let me look at you.” Ghost’s hand moved to touch Rio’s lips. “I can’t tell you how many dreams I’ve had of these lips wrapped around my cock.”
Rio opened his eyes, surprised at the frankness of the statement. He opened his mouth to call Ghost on it when his ex-lover began to cough. Rio sat back on his heels while Ghost tried to get the coughing fit under control. It was obvious he was sick.
“You should be in a hospital,” Rio said.
Ghost shook his head. “A lifetime of too many cigarettes. They tried to put me in the hospital, but I couldn’t stand being confined. I checked myself out, and Chet brought me here.”
“But you’ll get better, right? I mean, your lung thing isn’t anything serious, is it?”
Ghost shook his head. “I’ll be fine. Just a nasty case of bronchitis.”
Rio looked at the run-down house. “You still own this?”
“Of course.” Ghost winced. “It could use some work, but I could never bring myself to take the chance of our tree being cut down.”
Something about the statement bothered Rio. “Ghost? How long ago were you rescued?”
Ghost broke eye contact. “Which time? It seems like I’ve spent more time in enemy camps over the last ten years then I’ve spent out of them. The most recent rescue was eight months ago.”
“So you weren’t held all this time in the jungle,” Rio surmised.
“No. But we can talk about that later. And it would be better for everyone if you called me Jack.”
“Why?” Rio asked.
“Because that’s my new name. Jackson Trent, to be precise.”
Rio fell back on his ass and stared at Ghost. “When did that happen?”
Ghost held out his hand. “Will you join me for lunch?”
“No.” Rio shook his head and crossed his arms. Three minutes earlier he’d been ready to fall into the man’s arms, but just like on that day so long ago, Rio knew something wasn’t right. Ghost was once again holding out on him, and Rio would be damned if he’d sit by and let it happen again. “I’m not moving until you tell me what the hell is going on.”
Ghost’s eyes scanned their surroundings. “I got out,” he finally said.
“Yeah, that’s what Chet said on the phone. But you just admitted it wasn’t from the Congo.”
“I meant I got out from under the Agency’s control. I’m once again a free man. That’s the reason for the name change. There are only a few people who know my true identity, and that’s the way it needs to stay.”
Jackson Trent. Rio rolled the name around on his tongue for a few moments. “You don’t look much like a Jackson.”
Jack smiled. It was the first time since he’d arrived that Ghost looked like his old self. “Sure beats the hell out of Lionel Zimmerman. Jack’s the kind of name people forget easily. Too common.”
Rio nodded. Enough beating around the bush. He needed answers before he exploded. “You still haven’t told me how you survived the explosion and why you’ve waited ten fucking years to tell me.”
He thought of the months spent trying to kill himself with whisky after Ghost’s death. It wasn’t until Ryan had stepped in and handcuffed him to the bed that he’d sobered up enough to deal with losing the one person he’d been sure he couldn’t live without. Remembering the way Ryan had taken care of him made Rio ache to call home.
Ghost—Jack stood and started towards the house. “Come on in. I’ll tell you over a sandwich.”
“I’ll be in shortly.” Rio pulled out his phone and called his anchor.
“Hey. We were starting to worry about you,” Ryan answered.
Just hearing Ryan’s deep voice helped calm Rio’s nerves. “Sorry. Guess I just needed to see if he was really alive first.”
“And I take it he is,” Ryan surmised.
“Yeah.” Rio glanced towards the house. “Tell me you didn’t know.”
“What? Have I ever lied to you?”
“No, not that I know of, but then again, I thought I could say the same thing for Ghost.”
“What’re you talking about?”
“I don’t know yet, but I will. I think he’s a man of secrets.” Rio kicked a rock and watched it skip across the dirt. He took a deep breath. “I’m so confused, Ryan. I thought I’d worked through my feelings for him, but…”
“But you thought he was dead,” Ryan reminded him.
“Yeah.”
“So how do you feel now that you know he’s not?”
Rio searched inside himself but all he could think of were the secrets and lies. “I don’t know yet. First I need to understand why he’s been alive for ten years, and I didn’t know it.”
“Would you do me a favour?” Ryan asked.
“Sure.”
“Call Nate later. He’s beside himself with worry.”
Sadly, Rio knew both his men had cause to worry. Hell, Rio was worried. “I will after I get some answers.”
“Okay,” Ryan agreed.
Rio could tell by the sound of his partner’s voice that all was not settled between them, but what more could Rio say? “I love you. No matter what else happens, I really need you to remember that.”
“I love you, too. Just remember who was there to pick up the pieces.”
“I will. I owe you my life. Don’t you think I know that?” How could he explain to Ryan that none of what he was going through had anything to do with his family back in Wyoming? In the end, Rio decided it was better to just keep his mouth shut.
“I’ll call you later,” he finally mumbled.
“Call Nate,” Ryan reminded.
“Yeah, okay.” Rio hung up and walked towards the house. He found Ghost sitting at the table, a spread of lunchmeat in front of him. Jack, Rio reminded himself. He doubted he’d ever get used to the new name, but he believed Jack when he’d said it would be better for everyone. There was no doubt Lionel ‘Ghost’ Zimmerman had made his fair share of deadly enemies. He wondered how many Jack Trent had made, or would Rio be the first?
Rio pulled out a chair across from Jack and sat down. “I can’t believe you still have this old table and chairs.”
Jack shrugged and passed Rio four slices of bread on a plate. “There’s not a damn thing in this house that doesn’t hold memories for me.” He glanced up and met Rio’s gaze. “At this stage of my life, all I’ve got left are memories.”
“Whose fault is that?”
“Mine, I know that, but I need you to give me a chance to explain.”
Rio broke e
ye contact and began to build two thick sandwiches. “Okay. You talk, I’ll eat.”
Jack took a bite of his sandwich. Rio knew it as the stall tactic it was but didn’t call him on it. After a drink of beer, he began, “I knew before Chet ever got to the jungle that I was about to be given an ultimatum.”
“About?”
“You. The reason they hired my services in the first place was because I was truly a ghost. I had no family, no friends and no ties to any one spot on this fucking planet. The agency liked it that way.”
“But then you met me.” Rio couldn’t help but feel a spot of warmth in his chest.
“Yeah.” Jack’s foot touched Rio’s ankle. “I was a goner from the moment I laid eyes on that gorgeous face of yours.”
“Flatterer.”
Jack grinned. “I fell hard and fast and the agency wasn’t sure what to do about it. I think at first they thought we’d burn ourselves out and that would be that, but it didn’t happen.”
“No it didn’t,” Rio added, taking a bite of his sandwich.
“When Chet arrived, he took me aside and told me he’d overheard something that he thought I needed to know. According to Chet, plans were being made to eliminate the problem they had with us.”
“Eliminate. You mean they were going to kill me.” The news didn’t surprise Rio in the least. The CIA was made up of a bunch of cold-hearted bastards.
“Yes. It was Chet that gave me the opportunity to keep that from happening. He said it would be easier on you if you believed I was dead.”
“He’s evidently never lost someone he loves because there’s nothing easy about it.”
“I knew it would be hard on you, which was why I asked Ryan to look after you.”
Did Jack know about his relationship with Ryan?
“Yes,” Jack said, apparently reading Rio’s mind. “I know the two of you are together now.”
Rio set his sandwich down. “We have a third, Nate. He’s been with us for about three and a half years.”
“A ménage?” Jack looked shocked.
Rio shrugged. He hated that word. “I associate a ménage with a sex party or something. What we have is love between three men. It’s not like we were looking for it, it just kind of happened.”
Jack held his hands up. “Relax. I was just trying to picture you and Ryan playing with another man.”
Rio shot out of his chair and pointed his finger at Jack. “Don’t even go there. I won’t have you belittle my men or my life.”
“I wasn’t trying to. Trust me. I would never belittle what you have. I envy it.”
Rio resumed his seat but pushed his plate towards the centre of the table. “Why now? After all these years, why show up to fuck with my head and my life?”
Jack’s hands fisted. “Because I’m finally free of those assholes. Excuse me for believing you’d care.”
“Yeah, I care. I would’ve cared a hell of a lot more if you’d told them to fuck off ten years ago.” Rio had had enough for one day. He needed time to process, something he couldn’t do until he got away from Jack. “Listen. I’ve heard what you’ve had to say, and now I’m going to drive back to the airport and go home to Wyoming.”
“You’re leaving? Just like that?” Jack asked, standing to stare at Rio.
“I’m giving you notice. That’s more than you did for me ten years ago.” Rio turned and walked towards the door. “You obviously know my number. Call me in another ten years. Maybe you can tell me then that you never gave a shit about me in the first place.”
Rio left the house without a backwards glance. He wouldn’t be surprised if he threw up all the way to the airport. As he opened the car door, his breathing started coming in short pants. Fuck.
“Stop!” Jack ordered.
Rio froze. It was the first real glimpse of the man who used to be his lover. The smile earlier was nice, but Jack’s voice had the ability to stop Rio in his tracks.
“I loved you enough to walk away in order to save your fucking life!” Jack screamed. “Do you think that shit was easy for me? Do you have any idea how many suicide missions I volunteered for after that?” Jack walked across the yard to stand on the opposite side of the car. With tears in his eyes, Jack leant against the hood of the car. “You are the only man I’ll ever be capable of loving because I’ll love you until the day I put a fucking bullet through my own goddamn head.”
Rio pressed his hands against his eyes. There were too many thoughts and emotions trying to break free. He knew if he stayed, he’d end up doing or saying something he’d regret. “I need to go home. I need the grounding only Nate and Ryan can give me in order to process this. Please let me go.”
Jack pushed away from the car with his hands held up in front of him. “Go home. I can see that if I’m going to fight to win you back it’ll have to be on your own soil.”
Chapter Three
By the time Rio drove home from the airport, Nate and Ryan were already at work. He told them he’d head into town and meet them for dinner, but that he needed a few hours alone.
He dropped his suitcase in the bedroom and put on a couple of layers of extra clothing before heading out to the barn to saddle Charlie. With over two feet of snow on the ground the ride was a cold one, but Rio needed the peace only a ride on his horse could provide.
The plane ride home had gone a long way in helping him sort out his feelings. Jack’s declaration of love still bothered him. Not because he didn’t think it was possible, hell, Rio knew it was very possible. But because it made him feel…what? That was the big question he’d yet to answer. He knew a foursome was out of the question so where did that leave the leftover feelings he still had for Jack?
Jack’s proclamation that he intended to show up in CattleValley and fight to win him back also worried Rio. How would Ryan react? Rio shook his head. Unfortunately, he knew exactly how Ryan would react and it wouldn’t help the situation one bit. So how did he explain to Ryan that Jack was coming and why? Or should he?
Lying to Ryan was something Rio wasn’t comfortable with but maybe omitting the part where Jack was coming to win him back was the way to go?
After thirty minutes, Rio’s head still wasn’t clear but his face felt like it was about to freeze off. He steered Charlie towards the barn and noticed smoke coming out of the chimney. Rio grinned and tried to hurry Charlie along. It had been ages since he’d had someone to share his barn hideaway with. If Rio had it his way, he’d never make love anywhere else. There was something about the little room that fired his libido every time.
Hopping off Charlie, Rio led the horse into the barn. “Nate? Ryan?” he called.
“Come on back,” Nate said.
“It’ll be a minute. I have to take care of Charlie first.” Rio wasted no time unsaddling and brushing the horse down, taking extra care to make sure Charlie’s feet were clean of snow and mud. He settled Charlie in his stall and walked towards the side of the barn reserved for animals of the two-legged variety.
The warmth of the room hit him in the face as soon as he opened the door. “Damn.” Rio started removing layers of wet clothing and dropping them on the drying rack. “I thought you had to work?”
Nate was already naked and lying on the mattress in front of the fire, his hand busy working his cock under the thick down comforter. “I thought I’d take a long lunch and come home to see you. Do you mind?”
Rio continued to strip until he stood over Nate in nothing but his skin. Three days ago he would’ve been thrilled that Nate cared enough to make time for him, but somehow his partner’s gesture didn’t hold the same meaning now. He lifted the blanket and crawled inside. “Mind? No, I don’t mind, but I can’t help wondering why now, why today?”
Nate’s warm body curled around him. “You’re freezing.”
“Yeah, well, it’s cold outside.” He tipped Nate’s chin up. “You didn’t answer my question.”
Nate huffed. “Because I missed you, okay?”
Rio shook his
head. “I was gone less than thirty hours. Are you sure it doesn’t have more to do with where I was and why I was there?”
Nate rolled on top of Rio and began kissing his neck, moving down to take one of Rio’s silver nipple rings into his mouth.
Although Rio wanted an answer, his body began to respond to Nate’s mouth. He nudged Nate further down. “Suck me.”
The second Nate engulfed his cock, Rio was finished thinking of anything beyond the tongue and throat giving him pleasure. “Fuck,” he ground out, thrusting his hips.
Rio grabbed onto Nate’s hair and held him in place as he fucked his partner’s throat. Nate gagged and backed off. He stared up at Rio with a puzzled look on his face. “What?” Rio finally asked. He reached down and tried to stick his cock back into Nate’s mouth.
Nate sat back between Rio’s spread thighs. “What’s going on with you?”
With his cock still in his hand, Rio shook it. “What’s wrong with me? You’re the one who’d rather fuck than answer my questions.”
Nate sighed and crawled off the mattress. “I guess you were telling the truth when you said you needed to be alone to get your head on straight.” He reached for his clothes which had been laid out perfectly on the chair beside the fireplace.
Rio watched his partner dress without saying a word. He’d be damned if he’d apologise. For months Nate and Ryan had been too busy to give a shit about Rio’s needs. Now when there was a chance they could lose him, suddenly Nate shows up out of the blue for a long lunch? Bullshit. Rio didn’t doubt that Ryan had put him up to it.
He rolled over and stared at the fire with his back to the door before Nate even finished dressing. Yeah, he knew he was screwed up, but there was a tug-of-war going on inside him, and he still didn’t know which side would win.
* * * *
Ryan entered Deb’s and spotted Nate immediately. He walked over, nodding to friends, and bent down to give Nate a quick kiss before sitting across from him in the booth. “Where’s Rio?”
Nate slammed his coffee cup on the table. “Don’t know that I care right now.”