by Darien Cox
“What about Darwyn?” Nolan said. “Sheriff Murphy’s deputy. You know, tall dark and charming? He could go to the school and ask. Say he’s participating as a bachelor as well. Darwyn’s young and gorgeous, it’d be easy to believe he’d been asked as well. And he’s law enforcement. Kuna will probably feel compelled to say yes. Darwyn can play it up. For the children.”
Elliot looked at Nolan. “Are you forgetting Darwyn isn’t one of our insiders? He’d have to lie. How would we explain this to him?”
“We get Myles involved,” JT said. “Myles can come up with some scenario where he needs to set a trap or something. Make something up. Darwyn will have to do what Myles says. Myles is his boss.”
“Oh, man.” Christian rubbed his face. “Myles hates lying. He’s gonna be pissed.”
Elliot stood. “Myles just lied to Tim Patterson, his oldest friend, about rock slides on the mountain.”
“I know!” Christian said. “And I had to hear about it, believe me.”
“Myles is in the know now, Christian, which means he’s one of us. Which means he’ll be required to lie sometimes for the greater good.”
“I know.” Christian sighed. “I’ll just have to deal with the fallout of a grumpy Myles for a week or so after. Should I call him now?”
“No,” Elliot said. “Ogden listens to all calls to the sheriff’s office. Someone will have to go find him and explain in person. Quickly. So we can get ready for this. That is…unless anyone has a better idea?”
“I don’t have a better idea,” Nolan said. “But there’s still the chance Kuna will say no. So let’s do this, but everyone start thinking of a backup plan, just in case.”
JT stood. “I’ll go find Myles. I’ll let you know how it goes. If he’s in, I’ll take care of the phones and the pub stuff. Then we’ll all meet back here and get ready.”
Christian shook his head. “I am so not getting laid tonight.”
“You’ll survive,” Elliot said. “All in agreement?”
They all nodded.
“Okay. JT, go. Find Sheriff Hot-bottom. Get back to us.”
“Got it.” JT left the house.
Nolan stood. “I’m gonna go make some calls. Make sure the upstairs of the pub is closed tonight.” He gave Elliot’s cheek a quick stroke with his finger as he passed by. “Good job.”
“Thanks.”
Nolan trotted up the stairs, leaving Elliot and Christian alone in the living room. Christian stood with hands on his hips, staring at Elliot.
Elliot scowled. “What?”
“Nothing.”
“I get it, Christian. You know about me and Nolan. You can stop smirking.”
“Don’t get bitchy.” Christian took Elliot’s arm and led him to the couch. “Sit for a minute?”
Elliot sighed and sat down.
Christian’s brown eyes held his gaze. “You doing okay?”
Elliot shrugged. “Sure. Why?”
“You’ve got a lot going on. This. And you and Nolan. Just checking your stress levels. Your anxiety? No panic attacks?”
“Hasn’t been a problem since end of summer. I’m good, I promise.”
“So you…you like Nolan?”
“Of course I like Nolan. We all like Nolan. What kind of question is that?”
“Gimme a break. You know what I mean, Elliot.”
Elliot slumped back on the couch, crossing his arms over his chest. He glanced at Christian. “It’s new and it’s weird and it’s blowing my mind, but yeah. I guess I’m into it.”
Christian smiled. “Wow.”
“Yeah, no shit.”
“You gonna tell JT?”
“No! It’s not like we’re announcing our engagement, it’s all brand new. Had it been my choice you wouldn’t know either. But he told me he talked to you so…just don’t make it a big thing.”
“You and JT are so close, though.”
“And when I feel the need, I’ll talk to him. Why you so caught up in this?”
Christian smiled. “You and Nolan are my friends. I like the idea of you guys together. It’s exciting. When I got together with Myles over the summer, I kept thinking…I wish Elliot could have this. Experience this feeling.”
“I wouldn’t go comparing this to you and Myles. Nolan and I are just trying it on.”
“But you already love him. As a friend, at least.”
“And?”
“So…how’s that gonna work? Say you guys have sex. And you already love each other. That’ll be intense.”
Elliot shook his head. Surprisingly, it was easy talking to Christian about this. Or maybe he just needed to talk to someone about it who wasn’t Nolan. He glanced at the stairs, making sure Nolan was still on the phone, then leaned into Christian. “I don’t think it’s gonna get tangled up with the friendship thing. This new thing? The Nolan that’s…doing this?”
“Wooing you?” Christian grinned.
Elliot shot him a look. “The Nolan that’s expressing interest in me isn’t the same Nolan I’ve been friends with for ten years.”
“What do you mean? Of course he’s the same person.”
“No, it’s like in this scenario we’re both different. New people. So I’m gonna treat it as such. We might have known each other for ten years, but we don’t know each other romantically. It’s like we’ll have to get acquainted all over again.”
“That’s hot.”
Elliot snorted.
“No, I mean it,” Christian said, chuckling. “That’s fucking hot!” he whispered.
“I think you’ve gotten more immature since you fell in love with Myles. You’re even goofier than you were before.”
“It’s called happiness, Elliot. I just feel lighter since we got together.”
Elliot could relate to that. Though he wasn’t at love-struck Christian-goofball caliber, he’d been walking around in a haze of excitement since Nolan kissed him at the park.
Nolan stomped down the stairs, stopping short when he spotted them on the couch. “What are you two whispering about?”
“Boys,” Christian said.
Nolan shook his head but shot Elliot a grin before he took a seat in the chair. His phone buzzed and he pulled it out of his pocket. He looked up. “Text from JT.”
Christian stood. “What’s it say?”
“Project Darwyn is a go.” He looked directly at Christian. “But you were right. Myles is pissed.”
Chapter Nine
Sheriff Myles Murphy stood in Elliot’s living room, finger wagging back and forth between JT, Christian, Nolan, and Elliot, his handsome face flushed with anger. “You fuckers better be damn sure you’ve got the right guy!”
“Sheriff!” Elliot said. “Language.”
“You better be right about this, because if you’re not? You’ve made this my shit show! And you’ve dragged Darwyn into it. I like my job, you assholes, and you’re putting it in jeopardy.”
“Myles,” Christian said. “Calm down. Just tell us how it went.”
“You be quiet,” Myles said to Christian. “It’s what you do best, after all. Elliot’s house was broken into, there’s been vandalism, stalking, threats against you all, and you’re just now bringing me into this?”
“Myles—”
“I’m still the sheriff in this village!”
Elliot snorted, and all eyes shifted to him. “What?” He pointed to Myles. “He said the thing.”
JT stood. “Myles, I appreciate your position, we all sympathize. But we’re short on time. Tell us what happened with Darwyn. Please.”
“It’s a go,” Myles said. “The science teacher agreed to participate in your fake bachelor auction.”
“Oh thank God.” Elliot leaned forward, letting out a hard breath. “Thank God.”
“Have you contacted Ogden yet?” Myles asked.
“No,” they all said simultaneously. “We’re not calling Ogden until we’ve got this guy subdued,” Elliot said. “And made sure all his little photos and evide
nce are under our control.”
Myles scowled and walked toward Elliot. “And just how exactly do you plan to subdue him?”
“Relax, Myles,” Nolan said. “I’ll be armed.”
“Oh, great!” Myles threw his arms up. “That makes me so much more relaxed, Nolan.”
“I’m not gonna whip it out and point it at him first thing,” Nolan said. “It’s just backup if things get out of hand. Gotta be prepared for anything.”
“He’s a science teacher! I sincerely doubt he’s packing heat,” Myles said.
“Baby.” Christian got up and went to Myles. “I know we come off like a fabulous disaster most of the time, but you’ve worked with us before. When it matters, we get our shit together. We can handle this, okay?”
Myles eyes softened as he looked at Christian. He pointed in his face. “If you get hurt I’m gonna kill you.”
“Okay.” Elliot stood and clapped his hands. “We need to go prep. Myles, I don’t want to make your sweet Irish skin redder than it already is, but we need you to keep an eye on the teacher until he leaves the house. If he goes anywhere other than the pub, text right away.”
“Ogden monitors my phone, remember?”
“Hey, hang on, I thought you and Christian got burner phones?” Nolan said. “So you could sext each other with privacy.”
Myles glared at Nolan, then sighed. “Christian’s dog ate mine and I haven’t gotten a new one yet.” He glanced at Christian. “Do you have to tell them everything?”
“Okay,” Elliot said. “Just text in code or something.”
“Fine,” Myles said. “What should the code be?”
“I know,” Christian said. “If Brett goes someplace other than the pub or seems to be leaving town, text and say ‘the dog got loose’. If anyone sees it they’ll just think you’re talking about Cuervo.”
“Got it.” Myles headed for the door. “I want a phone call as soon as this is done.”
“I’ll call you,” Christian said. “I promise. It’ll be fine.”
Myles grunted and went out the door, slamming it behind him.
“Ooh,” Nolan said. “He mad.”
“He’ll get over it,” JT said. “Christian gives good head.”
Christian’s jaw dropped and Nolan barked a laugh.
JT slapped his hand over his mouth. “Oh my God,” he mumbled. “Did I say that out loud?”
“You did,” Christian said. “You certainly did. Nice to be memorable for something I guess.”
“Sorry.”
“Can we discuss Christian’s cock-sucking skills later?” Elliot said. “We gotta get down to the pub. It’s go-time, guys.”
They looked at each other. “We can do this,” Nolan said. “We stick to the plan. It’ll all work out.”
Christian nodded. “Okay.”
JT slapped a hand on Elliot’s shoulder. “I’m ready.”
“Good then,” Elliot said. “Let’s go plug a leak.”
****
Nolan stayed downstairs and kept watch at the front doors of the pub. Friday night patrons were starting to drift in, but none of them questioned the upstairs being closed, it often was unless there was a big event. Christian, JT, and Elliot were already up in the loft, waiting. It was getting close to the hour Brett should be arriving. Nolan’s nerves were at high alert. He worried the guy wouldn’t show.
Myles hadn’t texted to say Brett had taken off or gone anywhere else, so he hoped they were still good to go. But the truth was they didn’t know anything about this guy. Except that he was smart, had changed his name, was hiding from his past for some reason—and had made himself a threat to them. They had to be prepared for this plan to fail, and that was depressing. They were all tired of walking on eggshells.
His phone buzzed with a text from Myles. “Shit,” Nolan said. He expected to see Myles’ code that the teacher was fleeing, but the sheriff merely wanted to warn them that Kuna was on his way. Myles had gotten creative.
‘You all be careful tonight. There’s a storm headed your way right now.’
This was it. He kept his eyes on the parking lot, and a half minute later, saw a car pull in, a head with long brown dreadlocks behind the wheel. He texted Elliot. ‘He’s here. Get ready.’
Nolan taped the sign to the inside door, ‘BACHELOR AUCTION UPSTAIRS’, then he stepped back into the shadows and waited. Elijah was bartending, and glanced over at Nolan, but didn’t interfere or ask questions. JT had told his staff he was planning a surprise party for a friend tonight, and if they saw any strange behavior, to ignore it.
Brett Kuna stepped through the doors of the pub and glanced around, his eyes finally falling on the sign. He immediately headed for the stairs to the second floor. Nolan let out a breath of relief.
He was taken aback by the teacher’s appearance—Brett Kuna was a model of stylish masculinity tonight, elegant and sexy. He wore a black tailored suit, his dreadlocks down and smoothed with some product so they shimmered, rippling like silk as he walked. In the glimpse Nolan got, he could now reconcile the clean-cut astronaut from the NASA photo, but time had added a rugged handsomeness to his prior baby-face.
Nolan ripped the sign off the door, tossed it in the trash, then headed up the stairs after Kuna. He switched off his emotions, a cool breeze of calm blowing through him. When he reached the second floor of the pub, he caught a glimpse of Kuna passing the ‘BACHELOR AUCTION THIS WAY’ sign and disappearing up the stairwell that led to the loft. Nolan followed.
The loft was a large open space with a wall of windows and skylights giving full view of the lake and mountains beyond. Gleaming wood floors, a bar at one end, minimalist with two circular couches at the center. Nolan stepped through the entrance, watching Brett Kuna stroll through the empty space, hands in his pockets. He spun around when he heard Nolan’s footfalls. “Oh, hello.” He smiled. “Am I early?”
“No,” Nolan said. “You’re right on time.”
Elliot, Christian, and JT trailed out of the bathroom near the bar in the corner and headed toward Kuna. Brett turned and faced them. “Hi there. Are you the other bachelors? How’s this thing gonna work?”
Damn, this guy’s good. Not even a tremble in his voice.
“Take your hands out of your pockets,” Elliot ordered.
Kuna’s shoulders tensed. Nolan stepped up behind him. “Do it now.”
Slowly, the man slipped his hands out of his pockets and raised them. “I don’t understand.”
Nolan stayed behind Kuna and reached into his pockets.
“Hey!” The teacher jerked away but Nolan got his phone and tossed it to JT. “Hey!” He started toward JT. “Give me my phone. What the hell is this?”
Christian stepped in front of the teacher, blocking his path. “Got some questions for you, Brett.”
The teacher chuckled, looking Christian over. “Okay. This is certainly an unexpected greeting. Could you explain what’s going on please? I’m not big on surprises.”
“Oh, cut the bullshit,” Elliot said. “We know who you are, and what you’ve been doing. I want details of everything you have, including those photographs, and the location you’re storing them. Start talking.”
Brett backed away and bumped into Nolan. He spun around and met Nolan’s eyes as the others closed in, forming a circle around him. “Hey.” He chuckled and raised his hands. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’m just a teacher, guys.”
Nolan stared into Brett’s wide blue eyes, searching for some emotion. But there was no fear. No alarm evident in his body language. He smiled at Nolan, the corners of his eyes crinkling. “Something funny?” Nolan asked.
“Well, I don’t know,” he said. “Is this a joke?” He stood eye-to-eye with Nolan, his expression innocent, posture relaxed.
Nolan had a moment to ponder Have we gotten this wrong somehow? Then Brett Kuna punched him in the stomach so hard Nolan doubled over, losing his breath.
As Nolan gasped for air, stunned by the force of
the blow, he was aware of a scuffle, and shouting. He forced himself to straighten and saw Kuna running for the exit, then JT tackling him around the legs, taking him down.
A twist and a kick to the chest and JT flew back, bumping into Elliot. Nolan ran for the guy, snatching his collar as he was about to reach the doorway. Tugging him with all his strength, he threw Kuna back into the loft, where he stumbled and slid across the wood floor on his side.
He was on his feet in seconds, then Christian was there, charging at Kuna as a litany of curses left his mouth. “You motherfucking son of a whore prick I’ll—”
Christian and the teacher came together in a clash of blows and blocked punches. Nolan was momentarily stunned as he watched Kuna matching Christian’s speed, blocking his kicks, ducking his punches. Nolan had sparred with Christian before. He’d never gone ten seconds without taking some sort of hit, Christian was just that fast. But the dreadlocked stranger in the suit was meeting him blow for blow, block for block.
Who is this fucking guy?
Christian finally got a leg sweep in that knocked Brett to the floor, then he pounced, a knee to the teacher’s back, arm around his neck. “Stay down!” Christian growled.
A cackle left Brett. “Strong little bastard,” he huffed.
Christian released Brett’s neck, which was a mistake. Brett bucked and got Christian in the ribs with an elbow.
“Ugh!” Christian blocked his side with his arm, and Brett twisted and punched him in the face so hard Nolan saw blood spray from Christian’s mouth. JT darted in to help but Brett jumped to his feet, leg flailing out and catching JT in the chin, sending him lurching back.
Elliot tried a running tackle but Brett elegantly danced out of the way. Elliot crashed into the opposite wall, cursing.
Enough.
Grabbing a fistful of dreadlocks, Nolan pressed the gun to Brett’s temple.
Brett went still, his heavy breaths the only movement.
“You probably think you can pull some fancy move and get this gun away from me,” Nolan said, getting a hiss when he twisted the dreadlocks tighter. “Try and I promise we’ll be mopping your brains off the windows.”