Ghost from the Past

by Carol Lynne

  Nate wrapped his legs around Rio’s waist and held on. “We haven’t done this nearly enough lately.”

  “What? Fucked?” Rio asked, kneading Nate’s ass through his underwear.

  “No, spent time with just the two of us,” he whispered against Rio’s lips.

  “Accident on the mountain road. Brian’s up to his eyeballs with a domestic dispute in the new subdivision so I told him I’d take it,” Ryan announced. He stopped speaking when he noticed Nate’s state of undress. “Damn. You two aren’t wasting any time.”

  Rio shook his head. “We’ve already wasted too much.” He leant over and gave Ryan a deep kiss. “I’ll try to save some for you.”

  Ryan chuckled and slipped a hand down the back of Nate’s underwear. “Yeah, you do that.”

  * * * *

  Naked, Nate stretched his arms over his head. “I thought you said you were going to save some for Ryan?”

  Rio released Nate’s cock and looked up at him. “I’m just keeping you awake. If I don’t I know you’ll fall asleep after that last performance.”

  Nate grinned. There was nothing like getting fucked against the wall because Rio couldn’t wait to reach the bed. Nate loved that he could still turn Rio on that much. “I’m not the one who usually falls asleep right after.”

  Rio scraped his teeth across the head of Nate’s cock. “Okay, so maybe you’re keeping me awake. Either way, we might as well enjoy ourselves.”

  A quick glance at the clock and Nate winced. “It’s almost twelve-thirty.”

  Rio slid his finger down the crease of Nate’s ass to slip into his hole. “Stop watching the clock and focus on my finger.”

  “It’s not your finger I’m interested in right now,” Nate answered back. “You think you can get that old cock of yours hard again?”

  Rio removed his finger and rose to his knees. “It would help if you’d give it a little jump start.”

  Nate reached out and tickled the crown of Rio’s half-hard cock. “Just plug it in and see how we do.”

  “You’re so romantic,” Rio drawled.

  Nate handed Rio the bottle of lube. “I’m headed on a downward spiral towards SlumberLand, so unless you’d rather not do anything, I’d suggest you put romance aside for the moment.”

  With a perturbed growl, Rio opened the lube. He dripped a few drops onto his cock before closing the bottle and tossing it onto the bed. “I’m only trying to keep my promise to Ryan,” he grumbled.

  Nate grinned as Rio’s length pushed deep with one thrust. “Uh huh.” He opened his arms and drew Rio down against him. “I love you.”

  Rio began dotting Nate’s face and neck with soft, open-mouthed kisses. “Love you, too.”

  For the last several days, Nate had gone back and forth with himself on whether or not to tell Rio what Ryan had confided in him. Ryan hadn’t told Nate not to say anything, but Nate also knew it was a source of embarrassment for Ryan.

  Nate tilted his head to the side, allowing Rio to suck on his neck. The rhythm of Rio’s fucking was slow, giving Nate the perfect opportunity to talk to Rio. “I found out the reason behind some of Ryan’s tattoos,” he confided.

  Rio’s hips stopped thrusting. He released his hold on Nate’s neck before rising up on his elbows. “How?”

  “He told me.” Nate could see the flash of hurt in Rio’s big, dark eyes. “When he worried that you would leave us, he told me the story of his tattoos. I don’t think it’s a secret that he’s been in love with you for a lot longer than the two of you have been together.”

  “Yeah?” Rio’s hips started to move.

  “I guess seeing you with Ghost hurt him so much he needed to find an outlet, something else to focus on besides how much he wanted you. Did you know there were five tattoos on his body that spoke of his love for you?”

  “I know the one above his cock is for me, but he got that one after we were together,” Rio answered.

  “Yep, but you know the one on his forearm that looks like that fancy heart with the tail that comes down and looks like a cross?”

  “Yeah?”

  “That means love, life and loyalty. Even before you two got together, he’d promised himself to you.”

  As Nate watched, Rio’s eyes filled with tears. “Why didn’t he ever tell me that?”

  “He was ashamed of the way he’d coveted another man’s partner.” Nate wrapped his legs higher around Rio’s torso, allowing his lover to go even deeper inside him.

  “So why are you telling me?” Rio asked.

  “Because I don’t believe he ever would. And I think you need to know just how deep his love runs.”

  Instead of continuing to fuck Nate, Rio collapsed on top of him. “I really screwed things up by going to Spain, didn’t I?”

  “No.” Nate kissed the side of Rio’s head. “We both understand why you needed to go. It hasn’t been easy on us, but we both know it’s been worse for you.”

  Rio’s softening cock slipped from Nate’s hole. He rolled over and stared at the ceiling. “I’ve done a lot of thinking lately about my life with Gho—Jack. I loved him. I don’t doubt that, but I think there was something more to it. Jack came into my life at a time when I hated the world. My mother was dead, my father was an asshole and I had no one in my life who gave a shit whether I lived or died. Jack gave me a place to belong. He gave me a sense of stability that I needed at that point in my life.” Rio turned his head and gazed at Nate. “I was young. What can I say?”

  “News flash, babe, you still crave that sense of stability. It’s who you are. There’s nothing wrong with that. And despite what you think, I’m glad you had someone like Jack to give you what you needed.”

  Rio rolled to his side. He tucked one arm under his head and pulled Nate closer with the other. “How did I get so lucky? Anyone would kill to have either you or Ryan, but I have both.”

  Nate melted. He snuggled against Rio’s chest, sex forgotten. “We’re the lucky ones.”

  * * * *

  By the time Ryan dragged himself out of bed, Rio and Nate were already gone. The accident had taken longer than he’d expected and he hadn’t got home until well after three. He’d crawled under the covers without waking either man. It was enough to know he had them both for the long haul. There would be plenty of time for sex.

  After a quick shower, Ryan dressed in jeans and an old flannel shirt. There was a note on the kitchen table from Rio, telling Ryan he’d already fed and watered the horses before turning them out into the pasture.

  Ryan took one look at the dark black liquid in the coffee pot and decided to wait and grab a cup in Sheridan. If he got a move on, he might even have time to stop at Nellie’s Kitchen for a big stack of pancakes.

  Rio had been thoughtful enough to pull his truck into the garage so Ryan wouldn’t have to scrape the windshield, just one more reason why he was crazy about the man. He shoved his wallet into his back pocket before shrugging into his coat.

  Before he could get to the truck, his phone rang. Ryan unclipped it from his belt before opening the door. “Hey,” he answered, knowing it was Nate by the ring tone.

  “Morning,” Nate greeted. “Would you do me a favour and put that load of towels in the dryer?”

  Ryan reached overhead and pushed the remote garage door opener. It was nice to see Nate had taken Rio’s concerns about housework to heart. “I will when I get home. I’m just getting ready to pull out of the garage.”

  The truck in reverse, Ryan slowly pulled out into yet another snow shower. “I thought it was supposed to warm up.”

  Nate chuckled. “Yeah, that’s what they said a couple days ago, but now they’re calling for at least eight inches.”

  Ryan stopped to make sure the garage door closed all the way. The last thing they needed was varmints in the garage. “Figures.”

  The back window exploded in a hail of shattered glass, throwing Ryan forward against the steering wheel. “Fuck!” he managed to get out as he dropped the phone. Ano
ther shot clipped his shoulder.

  Ryan reached up and opened the garage door. “Call for help! I’ve been shot,” he screamed. His gut told him to just ram the door with the truck, but his brain prevailed, knowing it would only leave him exposed to the shooter.

  The second he thought the cab would clear the bottom of the door, he threw the truck in drive. A million scenarios raced through Ryan’s mind as he waited for the door to close. The blood running down the front of his shirt and the burning sensation of the wounds on his neck and shoulder told him he was seriously injured. If he moved, he was definitely in danger of bleeding to death, but if he sat where he was there was a chance the shooter would come after him again.

  He stared down at the phone on the floorboard of the passenger side. Nate’s voice. Although he could hear it, he couldn’t understand what his partner was screaming about. “Helicopter,” Ryan said as loud as he could.

  An ambulance might reach him faster, but a helicopter could get him to Sheridan quicker. Ryan managed to release his seatbelt. He slumped sideways on the bench seat and prayed Nate would be able to hear him.

  “The shots came from behind. High-powered rifle.” Ryan tried to press the collar of his coat against the neck wound to help stop the bleeding. “Neck wound superficial but bleeding profusely. I’m afraid to move my head to check the shoulder.”

  Ryan blinked as spots began to dance in front of his eyes. He knew he was going into shock when his teeth began to chatter despite the warmth of the heated garage. “I love you,” he said as loudly as he could. “Tell Rio he didn’t need to worry about me getting hurt on the job after all.”

  “Ryan!” Nate’s screams drifted from the phone.

  Although he fought to remain alert, Ryan’s eyes grew heavier with each breath. “Need to sleep,” he mumbled before his eyes closed.

  Chapter Seven

  When Rio walked into work, he was greeted by an unwelcome sight. Jack and Mario appeared to be in heavy conversation in the exercise room. “What’s going on?” he asked Kit.

  Kit stopped scrubbing the bar and glanced up. “His name’s Jack Trenton. He just joined a few minutes ago.”

  “The hell he has. Rip up his paperwork,” Rio said, before heading towards the exercise room. Without waiting for a break in the conversation, Rio stepped between Mario and Jack. “What do you think you’re doing?”

  Jack’s eyebrows rose. “I’ve been looking at houses in town, so I thought I’d check out your gym.”

  “You’re not staying in CattleValley,” Rio warned.

  Mario cleared his throat. “Excuse me. I think Kit needs my help.”

  “I’m not planning to cause trouble.”

  “The hell you aren’t. You own houses all over the world. Why here? Why now?”

  Jack ran a hand over the back of his neck. “You’re still the closest thing I have to family. You might not want me as a lover, but I guess I’d hoped you’d still be my friend.”

  Rio stared down at Jack. Being a good liar had been part of Jack’s job for over twenty years. For once, he wished he could read the truth in the depths of those dark green eyes. “I can’t have you here. It would be hard enough for me to see you around town, but I’m not sure how Ryan would handle it. We’ve made a home for ourselves in this town. I’m asking you to please move on.”

  “And why should making Ryan uncomfortable be a concern of mine?” Jack asked.

  It wasn’t the question that shocked Rio. It was the cold way Jack delivered it. Where did the man I used to love go? Could he have changed so much in the last ten years? Rio took a step back. “Go home, Jack. I don’t want you here.”

  “You can’t make me leave town. I’ve done nothing wrong,” Jack tried to argue.

  “I think you’ve forgotten where you are. I sleep with the town mayor and the sheriff. Between the three of us, we could make your life miserable.”

  “Are you threatening me?” Jack asked.

  “Absolutely not. Think of it as a friendly warning.” Rio didn’t give Jack a chance to say anything else. He spun on his heels and walked towards his office. Kit and Mario stood at the juice bar with wide eyes. “Make sure he gets his money back before showing him out.”

  * * * *

  Mario set the sack of food on Rio’s desk. “The deep fryer is on the fritz, so Deb put an extra burger in the bag for you.”

  “Damn, I love that woman.” Rio reached into the sack and pulled out a sandwich. He’d just taken his first bite when his cell phone rang. He glanced at the display. “Hey, Carol,” he answered around a mouthful of food.

  “Ryan’s been shot!” Carol panted. “He’s at home and we’ve got a helicopter on the way.”

  Rio spat his food onto the desk. “Where’s Nate?”

  “They were on the phone with each other when it happened. Nate won’t hang up even though he hasn’t heard anything from Ryan in several minutes. He just keeps staring into space.”

  “Don’t let him drive. I’ll be out front in two minutes. Have Ethan help you get Nate down the steps.” Rio hung up the phone as he rushed out of his office.

  “What’s wrong?” Mario yelled after him.

  “Ryan’s been shot,” he answered, just before running out of the building. He made it to the parking lot before he realised he hadn’t driven that morning. “Fuck!” Rio span around and raced back inside. “Give me your keys.”

  Mario tossed them across the reception area. “Are you okay to drive?”

  “I’m gonna have to be,” Rio answered.

  Mario said something to Kit before grabbing the keys out of Rio’s hand. “I’ll drive.”

  Rio didn’t have time to argue. He led the way towards Mario’s beaten-up truck. “We have to stop by City Hall.”

  “Yeah, I heard.” Mario peeled out of the parking lot and floored it. With the new-fallen snow, the truck span around in a complete circle before Mario got it under control. “Sorry.”

  “Just get there.” Rio tapped his hand on the dashboard. “What the hell are the road crews waiting for?” he bitched.

  “They’ve ploughed. I think it’s coming down too hard for them to keep up.” Mario came to a stop in front of City Hall.

  Rio jumped out of the truck and helped Nate down the last few steps. “Thanks,” he told Ethan and Carol.

  Nate was paler than Rio had ever seen him. He held up the phone. “He won’t talk to me anymore.”

  “Come on, babe, let’s go.” Rio urged Nate into the truck.

  “Call us,” Carol said.

  Rio nodded as he swung the door shut. He reached over Nate and buckled his seatbelt. “Have you heard any sirens?”

  “I hear a loud noise in the background. I think someone’s banging on the garage door.”

  Rio pulled out his phone and called the station.

  “Cattle Valley Sheriff’s Department,” Pam answered.

  “It’s Rio. I need you to tell whoever’s at my house to break the fucking door down. I don’t care if they have to ram it with their cruiser.”

  “Got it. The helicopter’s still three minutes out,” Pam informed him.

  “Good. We’re headed that way now.” Rio hung up the phone and shoved it back in his pocket. He wrapped an arm around Nate and pulled him as close as the seatbelt would allow. “Put it on speaker, babe.”

  It took Nate several seconds to do as Rio asked. He looked up with tears in his eyes. “He shot him.”

  “Who?” Rio asked. He wondered if Ryan had relayed the information before he passed out.

  “High powered rifle, shot from behind in the neck and shoulder. Who does that sound like?”

  Rio struck his fist against the dashboard hard enough to send the ashtray off its track and onto the floor. “I’ll fucking kill him.”

  A loud crash came through the speaker, quickly followed by voices. Rio was able to pick out George’s deep voice. “Ryan? Someone get that door the rest of the way off! The whole garage is filled with exhaust fumes.”

  Rio
held his breath. What if Ryan had succumbed to the poisoned air before help could arrive? He glanced down at Nate. It was obvious Nate was worried about the same thing. “Help’s there now,” he said, squeezing Nate’s arm.

  The truck slid while rounding a corner, throwing Nate against Rio.

  “Shit. Sorry about that,” Mario said.

  This far out in the country, the roads hadn’t been touched by a plough. Rio was grateful Mario’s cooler head was in charge of navigating the narrow stretch of road to the house. When he heard George yelling for Jakob in a frantic voice, Rio took the phone from Nate’s hand and turned it off.

  “What the fuck?” Nate snapped.

  “We’ll be there in another minute. Let’s wait and see for ourselves how he’s doing.” The last thing Rio wanted was for Nate to slip further away than he already had.

  Mario pulled onto the long, winding drive and parked as close as he could get without blocking in the emergency vehicles. Rio opened his door before holding a hand out to Nate. The helicopter’s blades were still turning, making a deafening thwapping noise.

  After helping Nate from the truck, Rio glanced back at Mario. “You coming?”

  Mario shook his head. “I’ll stay out of the way. I’ll be here when you need a ride to the hospital.”

  Rio grabbed Nate’s hand and ran through the calf-deep snow. Pete, one of the deputies, stepped in their way and held up a hand. “They’re working on him.”

  “Is he…?” Nate started.

  “He’s alive.” Pete reached out and squeezed Nate’s shoulder. “They’re trying to stabilise his blood pressure so they can transport him.”

  “And the shooter?” Rio asked.

  Pete shook his head. “No sign of him. Brian and the new guy, Jessup, are up on the hill looking for clues.”

  “I want to see him,” Nate said, pushing his way past Pete.

  Pete started to go after Nate, but Rio stopped him. “He won’t get in the way. He just needs to make sure Ryan’s alive.”