Peter looked up at Justin, his expression full of contempt. “Like you said, why the hell would I care who hired me? As long as the money is good.”
Justin stared at the bound hitman for a moment before wearily shaking his head. Something in his expression tightened Gabriel’s chest. He pushed off the wall and was starting to reach for him when Justin took a step back, pressed the muzzle to Peter’s forehead, and pulled the trigger. The gunshot was loud in the small cabin, and Gabriel winced at the explosive sound. Peter slumped dead in the chair.
Frustration mounted within Gabriel, but it had nothing to do with Justin’s execution of the assassin. That, he agreed with. Peter either didn’t know or had no intention of telling them who ordered the contract that killed the two doctors or put them in his crosshairs. The continued interrogation would have been a waste of their time. Peter had no intention of halting his pursuit of them.
“How long before you think his client realizes he’s either left town or is dead?” Gabriel asked.
Justin shrugged. “Probably several days, if not longer. That should give us some time to work without needing to look over our shoulder every second of the day.” He holstered his gun under his arm again and turned toward the door.
“How do you want to dispose of the body?” Gabriel asked, following behind him into the fresh night air. The wind had picked up, carrying with it the smell of rain. It had cooled off significantly with the promise of a summer storm.
“I’ll call a friend. He’s got gators.” He locked the door behind Gabriel and flashed him a wicked grin.
“Gators? As in alligators? In Ohio?” Gabriel wasn’t sure if Justin was teasing him, or if gators was a euphemism for something else, or if he meant the enormous reptile that closely resembled its dinosaur ancestors.
“Yes, as in alligators, but he’s actually in Kentucky. Not Ohio.”
“Aren’t those things more in your southern states? Like Florida?”
“Yeah, but my friend Nate’s a good, Southern boy, and he likes gators. And I pay him well to do a little cleanup for me. He uses the leftovers to feed his gators sometimes.”
Gabriel stared at Justin over the hood of the car, his hand on the driver’s side door handle. He truly did not know if Justin was telling the truth or not, and there may have been a little part of him that prayed he was. He liked the idea of Justin having a friend with gators. He just hoped he never served as a meal for those gators.
“Let’s get out of here and make some plans. We got one problem off our back, but we’ve still got to figure out who ordered the hit in the first place.”
Justin grunted, his expression turning dark again. He fell silent in the passenger seat, staring out the front windshield. It was only when they’d been on the road for a few minutes that he finally spoke up again.
“Drive by the Jones place again. I just want to see that everything is quiet there.”
“Agreed,” Gabriel murmured. It wasn’t often he got to see his actions save a life. He’d taken out some horrible people in his lifetime, but never while they were in the middle of hunting down a target. It would be nice to see the Jones house quietly intact and peaceful. He wanted to believe that Devon and his daughter were asleep in their beds and unaware of how close they came to dying. That knowledge might help to wash away the stain of death clinging to them at the end of the night.
Chapter Fourteen
Gabriel stood in the kitchen, leaning his hip against the sink while he sipped a glass of ice water. When they arrived back at Justin’s place, his partner had disappeared downstairs, muttering something about needing to check the security system. Gabriel had taken a quick shower, trying to wash away the events of the night, before returning to the first floor. He needed a drink, a real drink, but he didn’t know where Justin had his alcohol stashed. Searching around his house while there were cameras hidden around every corner was a good way to unsettle the man, and he wasn’t looking too settled as it was.
The Jones house had been quiet when they’d driven past, which was a good sign that the small family was fine. They’d arrived in time to save them, and with any luck, they’d be able to finish this job before the culprit decided to take another shot at them.
For now, they were left with trying to figure out what was wrong with the drug Iaso was desperate to keep hidden and who had ordered the hit on Wiess and Jones. Gabriel was really starting to miss the old days of someone handing him a target and him pulling the trigger. Those jobs were little fuss and a lot less headache.
Of course, those jobs were unlikely to have allowed him to cross paths with Justin Mallory, and that was a horrible shame.
Heavy footsteps pounding up from the basement announced Justin’s return from his secret lair. Gabriel was dying to get a look at his security setup, but he knew there was no way in hell Justin was going to trust him with that information. Not that he blamed the man.
When Justin finally appeared in the kitchen, he gave a little start. His blue eyes swept from Gabriel’s bare feet, up his loose black sleep pants, then across his bare chest to the wet hair. He came back to the glass of water in his hand and sneered.
“You need a better drink than that,” Justin announced. He moved over to the cabinet above the refrigerator and pulled out a full bottle of Jameson whiskey. He held up the bottle to Gabriel and stuck out his lower lip in a pseudo-pout. “Sorry, no vodka.”
“Well, no one ever accused you of being civilized,” Gabriel shot back.
Justin gasped, pressing a hand to his chest. “I’ll have you know that Jameson is very civilized.”
Some hidden tension eased in Gabriel’s chest to see the playful side of Justin coming back out. He’d been too quiet on the drive from the cabin in the woods, and Gabriel couldn’t decide if it was the execution of the assassin or the threat to the young father and child that had Justin so shaken. Maybe it was a little bit of both.
It was with sad resignation that Gabriel realized Peter’s death didn’t bother him in the least. He’d executed far worse men in the world because it was his job. But the innocent father and his child, that was cold-blooded bullshit that he wouldn’t stand for. It was bad enough those poor people had lost Kristen, but to have their own lives stolen simply out of fear that they suspected she’d been murdered was a step too far for him. Gabriel was looking forward to finding the person behind this tangled web and killing him or her slowly as they deserved.
“Get me a couple of tumblers out of the cabinet behind you,” Justin directed with a jerk of his head before he worked on opening the bottle of whiskey. Gabriel put down his glass of water and snagged two crystal tumblers as directed. When he’d made dinner the other night, he noticed a light coating of dust on many things within the kitchen, but there was no dust on the tumblers.
Putting them down in front of Justin, he watched as he carefully poured about a double shot for both of them and then sealed the bottle again. Justin grabbed one glass and walked over to the chairs at the breakfast bar, while Gabriel stayed on the other side. The whiskey was good, with a nice burn that warmed his insides.
“How long have you been doing this?” Justin asked suddenly.
“Like all good boys, I started drinking when I was fourteen, but I didn’t get really accomplished at it until I was in my early twenties.”
Justin stared at him across the breakfast bar, giving him an unamused look. “And how old were you when you pulled the trigger for the first time?”
Gabriel took another sip of his whiskey, meeting Justin’s eyes over the rim of the glass. This was an oddly dark mood for the man. They’d been cautious about avoiding any questions that would have pried into their respective backgrounds. They both knew the other would tell a lie, but the fact that Justin was asking point blank meant he expected Gabriel to tell the truth. And Gabriel was surprised that he really did want to tell the truth.
“Nineteen when I pulled a trigger and killed a man,” he said evenly. He set his glass down and held Justin’s
gaze. “But sixteen when I killed a man for the first time. I…lived in a bad neighborhood, and such things were common. But I joined the military when I was seventeen to avoid trouble with the law.”
Justin nodded and downed the last of his whiskey. He started to lean forward to grab the bottle, but Gabriel snatched it up before him. He poured another double into Justin’s glass and then topped himself off. “What about you?” Gabriel prodded.
“I get a sneaking suspicion we have similar tales. Joining the military, which led to other, darker opportunities before deciding to strike out on your own.”
“But?” Gabriel said when Justin fell silent.
“I’d only run into a few other mercenaries over the years.” He smiled at Gabriel and held up his glass. “I mean, it’s not like there’s an annual convention each year we gather at to swap stories and attend panels on the newest gadgets.” The forced smile fell away almost as quickly as it was formed. “But looking at that guy tonight…it reminded me that I’m not the only one out there.”
Gabriel stopped in the middle of lifting the glass to his lips and stared at Justin in confusion. “And I’m not a reminder?”
Justin huffed. “You’re different.”
Gabriel could feel his expression grow more incredulous as he lowered his glass without taking a drink. “In what way?”
“Ugh. I’m not saying this right.” Justin let go of his tumbler to fist his hands on the counter in front of him. “I’ve heard of that Peter asshole. He doesn’t work with Marilyn. She’s too damn picky. Likes certain reputable killers,” he said with a mocking sneer.
“Of course,” Gabriel said primly.
“But I still hear about others through the grapevine. Hear about contracts. Hell, I’ve turned down so many jobs because they just felt bad or were fucking evil. And for every contract that I turned down, there was this sour knot in my stomach because I knew there was some evil fuck out there who was going to take that job and I couldn’t stop him. Did that make me just like the ones who took the job?”
“You’ve got lines you won’t cross, Justin.”
“Yeah,” he said forcefully. “I won’t hurt innocent people. I’m not going after some grieving father and his kid for a fucking paycheck. Do you—”
“Yes, I’ve got lines too,” Gabriel interrupted. He didn’t like the idea of Justin doubting him like that. Sure, he might have played up the image of being a cold, ruthless killer when they first met, but that was to protect his own ass from Justin. This was different.
“But is that enough?”
Gabriel walked around the breakfast bar to stand beside Justin’s chair. Grabbing the back, he swiveled it until he was standing between Justin’s legs. Gently, Gabriel cupped both sides of his face and forced him to meet his narrowed eyes.
“You might be fucking insane and annoying as hell, but deep down you’re a good man, Justin Mallory.”
“Is this a pep talk?” Justin asked.
“Maybe.”
“You suck at this.” A small hint of a smile peeked out, and Gabriel’s heart sped up.
“I’ve never done this before.”
“It shows. You should probably start with the ‘good man’ part next time.”
“Fuck off,” Gabriel muttered. He dropped his hands and started to step away, but Justin slipped his fingers into the loose waistband of his pants and pulled him back in. Their mouths slammed together in a hungry kiss that obliterated all thought. Gabriel’s tongue slid into Justin’s mouth, tasting the whiskey and a bit of Justin that only stoked the fire racing through his veins. God, he wanted this man. He couldn’t imagine a time when he didn’t want to consume Justin. It felt like this need had burned within him from his earliest memory. He knew it wasn’t true, but it didn’t matter. They kissed roughly, teeth clacking together and tongues dueling. Their lips would probably be bruised in the morning, but it didn’t slow them down.
“Upstairs. Supplies,” Justin managed to say as Gabriel moved his mouth across Justin’s jaw to his bite down on the thick cords of muscles in his neck. Justin groaned. His strong hands moved down to Gabriel’s ass, digging into the round cheeks until he was groaning again. “Fuck, we gotta get upstairs.”
Running his tongue up the side of Justin’s neck,, Gabriel grinned at the hiss of pleasure that slipped from Justin’s lips. He dropped his hands down to the button and zipper of Justin’s jeans. “I’m sure I can make you come right here.”
“No doubt,” he scoffed. Those big hands gripped Gabriel’s ass, kneading the muscles there until Gabriel could no longer swallow back the low, throaty moan that rumbled up from his chest. His touch felt so damn good. He wanted to feel those hands on every inch of his body.
“Justin,” he panted, fighting to rein in his body’s own raging desires.
As if reading Gabriel’s mind, Justin slid his hands inside his pants to continue rubbing his ass. A finger slid down between his cheeks, and Gabriel hissed while he found himself pushing back against that finger.
“Fuck, I need in you, G,” Justin whispered in his ear, and this time Gabriel shivered. He could no longer remember why he’d been fighting this idea. Justin’s touch was lighting him on fire and he didn’t want this to stop.
Grabbing Justin’s mouth in another blistering kiss that left them both moaning, Gabriel broke it off and pressed his forehead to Justin’s. “Upstairs.”
Looking back, Gabriel was sure that he’d never be able to remember how they managed to get to the second floor safely while still attached to each other. They kissed and pulled at Justin’s clothes, all while stumbling and falling up the stairs. He was vaguely aware of something crashing to the floor. Something glass might have even broken, but before his mind could drift away to figure out what that noise might have been, he was pulled back in by the heat of Justin’s mouth and the amazing touch of his fingers.
And then he was on his back across the middle of Justin’s bed. His heart was pounding fiercely in his chest while he watched Justin dig in the nightstand for the bottle of lube and a condom. Justin tossed both on the bed and then paused long enough to finish removing his shirt and kick off his pants. Gabriel lay back and let his eyes slowly drift down Justin’s wide, muscular frame. The man was stunning with a light smattering of hair across his pecs and the lovely trail leading down to his hard cock. There was an assortment of scars, but it was the white bandage covering his side from the bullet fragment he’d extracted just a few days earlier that drew his gaze.
A few days…
Had it really only been that long? And he was already back in his bed.
A sharp whistle jerked Gabriel’s eyes back up to Justin’s face to find him frowning. He lifted his fingers and made a motion next to his temple like he was turning a key. “Whatever is going on up there, turn it off.”
Justin knew him, and it was a little unsettling. But this time, he did as Justin commanded and turned off his brain. Those thoughts and worries had no place in that moment. Sliding his legs apart, he placed his feet flat on the bed and grinned up at the other man. He loved how Justin’s hands opened and closed at his sides as if he wanted to grab Gabriel, dig his fingers in and explore every inch of flesh spread before him. Eyes moved carefully over him from his feet to the top of his head and then back down to his face.
“What’s it going to take for you to get in this bed?” Gabriel asked. He reached down and wrapped his right hand around his cock. After a couple of long, hard pulls, Justin was licking his lips. Gabriel could feel his balls draw up, and he moaned softly. He’d already gotten on his knees for Justin, and just the thought of sliding his dick past those full lips had him tightening his grip on the base of his cock to keep from coming.
“I gotta say that I’m enjoying the view while I decide where to start.”
Gabriel crooked his finger and beckoned him. “Closer would be a great place to start.”
Justin placed his hands on Gabriel’s calves and slid them up, over his knees, and down the inside of
his thighs. “You are so fucking sexy,” Justin said, his voice little more than a low growl. “You walk around in your proper suits and little pocket squares matching your ties and socks—”
“You noticed they match my socks?” Gabriel chuckled.
“And then underneath is this perfect fucking body and those tattoos. Makes me just want to lick and suck and fuck you until we can’t move.” He leaned down and licked the crease where his leg met his torso, the scruff of his cheek rubbing against Gabriel’s balls and cock causing a shiver to run through his body. Gabriel stiffened, back arching off the bed, as Justin continued to lick and nibble down to his balls. He sucked one into his mouth, the flat of this tongue gliding around it until Gabriel was panting and gripping the sheets with his free hand.
“Fuck, Justin!” he snarled.
The ball popped from Justin’s mouth, and he smiled as he rose . “That’s just the beginning.” One hand cupped his balls, massaging them before one finger tapped against his hole. “I want to be deep inside your ass.”
Gabriel shut his eyes and felt his jaw clench. Hell, he was pretty sure his entire body locked up at Justin’s touch. His body warred with his brain. He wanted to feel Justin moving inside him, stretching him. Nothing felt better in the world. He loved to bottom…or at least, he used to love it.
But just the thought of it tightened his chest, making it hard to breathe. No one had touched his ass since Ivan. Gabriel swore that no one else ever would. And what? He was throwing that promise aside a short five years later because he found himself in bed with the hottest fucking man he’d ever lain eyes on?
The bed shifted around him, and Gabriel’s eyes popped open to find Justin climbing onto the bed between his legs. Before he could shift, Justin brushed his lips against Gabriel’s. The touch was surprisingly gentle and helped to get the air flowing into his lungs again. Every time Gabriel chased his lips, trying to deepen the kiss, Justin would pull back.
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