by KD Ellis
Teddy glanced up and glared at Shiloh. “I’m not going to tell you if you start acting like a bitch about it.”
Shiloh glared back, crossing his arms. “A bank would repossess your car, or…house or whatever, and since I know you don’t have either, you clearly didn’t take a loan out from the bank. Who the hell do you owe money to?”
When Teddy opened his mouth, he planned on lying, spinning a tale about losing money at the horse races or some shit. Instead, maybe because he was tired of keeping the secret, maybe because he wanted someone to tell him what to do…maybe just because it was Shiloh, the truth spilled out in all its ugliness. When he finished, Shiloh looked stunned—and not in the good way, the ‘oh-my-God, what a nice surprise’ way.
In the ‘I don’t know whether to yell at you for being so stupid or wrap you up in bubble-wrap because you’re clearly incapable of making good decisions’ way.
“Oh, Teddy.” Shiloh stepped forward. Teddy flinched, certain Shiloh was about to cuff him over the head like an errant child, but instead, Shiloh tugged him into a tight embrace. Teddy returned it, letting his head drop onto Shiloh’s shoulder for a second, like it could fix everything. “I’ll get you the money you need. It’ll take me a few days, but I can make it work, and—” Shiloh rambled.
Teddy shook his head and pulled back. “It’s my debt, and I’ll pay it. I’m not taking your money.”
“Don’t be an idiot. Of course you are. I’m not going to just sit here on my pert little ass while you get yours beat over something as stupid as money.” Shiloh’s face darkened for a second. “It’s not like I’ll need it much longer.”
“What the hell do you mean, you won’t need it much longer?” Teddy reached out and grabbed Shiloh’s arm in a tight grip, fear stirring in his chest. He knew Shiloh took risks—did reckless things like go home with strangers and self-medicate, but that sounded too final.
“Relax. I don’t mean it like that. Just that I’m halfway through my plan to finally get out from under Dad’s thumb.” Shiloh shrugged free from his grip. “I’d rather put some of my trust fund to use before I lose it. I’ll tell Dad I crashed my car and need a new one or some shit.”
“Then donate it to the Drop-In Center, or…or the Red Cross or something. I’m not taking your money.” Teddy shook his head. His debt was over two hundred thousand dollars and counting. Not exactly pocket change.
“Teddy,” Shiloh started, his eyes sharpening.
“Don’t ‘Daddy’ me, you’re not good at it,” Teddy said, hoping that joking would make Shiloh drop it.
Shiloh rolled his eyes. “Better at it than you, brat. Take the money.”
“Suck a dick,” Teddy shoved at Shiloh’s shoulder and rolled his eyes. “Not taking your money.”
Shiloh’s lips pursed in his signature pout. “You’re my best friend. Let me help you.”
Teddy narrowed his eyes and considered for a second. “I’ll let you help me when you let me help you.”
“I don’t need help,” Shiloh immediately replied, arms crossing defensively.
“You show up with worse bruises than mine on a regular basis.” Teddy stepped toward Shiloh, but his friend jerked back, out of reach. “Is it your dad? I’ll go with you to the police station. You don’t have to do it al—”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about. My dad would never hurt me. Fuck,” Shiloh cursed, turning around and lacing his fingers on his head, drawing a breath in so ragged that Teddy could hear it. He spun around a second later, his expression angry, “Money’s about the only useful thing I have going for me. Why won’t you let me help you?”
“Because I’m not going to be just another asshole who uses you. I’m not going to let you throw money at me and end up hating me like everyone else.” Teddy narrowed his eyes and changed the subject back to the one he thought was the most important. “If it’s not your dad, then who is it? Do you have a boyfriend I don’t know about, or…or is it one of your professors?” He struggled to think of who would have had access to Shiloh over the years. It had to be someone close since Shiloh seemed adamant to protect them.
“Just drop it, okay? You can’t help me. No one can help me, okay?” Shiloh’s voice was devoid of hope, so filled with resignation that Teddy’s heart cracked. “I just… Let me fix this one thing, okay?”
“I can’t,” Teddy whispered. “I’m not taking advantage of you.”
“Damn it, Teddy!” Shiloh cursed, brushing his hands through his hair until it was a wild pink halo around his face.
The door opened before they could speak again. “Guys, you—” Johnny started to scold them.
“Shut up!” Teddy and Shiloh both snapped together, shooting twin daggers.
Johnny glanced between them then slowly backed out of the room and shut the door. Teddy watched, astonished. “Really? That’s all it took?”
Shiloh held on to his glare for several more seconds before he snickered, subject dropped and tension dying.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Ian’s eyes drifted to the ceiling for what had to be the sixth time since his shift had started. Well, Teddy’s shift, that Ian was covering. He could have explained that to Johnny, but a small, jealous part of him enjoyed watching the man storm around behind the bar in what could only be described as a tantrum.
Ian’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He finished pouring the last few drinks before he pulled it out and glanced at the screen.
It was a text message from a blocked number. He thumbed it open.
Storm on the radar.
Four words.
Ian frowned, tightening his hand on the cellphone. It was a code he and Tennyson had agreed on before he’d flown back to Austin, one of several. It meant that trouble was brewing in the ranks of the cartel and a warning to be on guard.
Ian slid the phone back into his pocket and wiped at the bar. Tennyson had a few leads to follow up on, and Ian had made several not-so-subtle comments over the past few weeks, dropping money into less-than-clean hands. This was always the hard part—the waiting, the days and weeks before he made first contact. He had learned patience over the years, but had never learned to like it.
If things went to shit before he even managed to get an in with the cartel, that would be months of research down the drain. Hundreds of thousands of dollars wasted…and that wasn’t even taking into account the personal reasons he couldn’t afford to fail.
He would have to work harder.
“About damn time you got here,” Johnny snarled.
Ian looked up to see Teddy, still barefoot, bandages peeking out from his soles, circling the bar. He wore the baggy shirt Ian had left out for him. The collar gaped, sliding off his shoulder, and the hem was long enough that Ian caught only peeks of pink panties beneath it. There was something alluring about the faux innocence, something that made Ian want to slide his hands beneath the shirt and trace over the panty lines. The bruises on Teddy’s face were gone, hidden by makeup like they’d never existed, and a hesitant smile wavered on Teddy’s lips when his eyes caught Ian’s, like he wasn’t sure he was supposed to be here.
“I had to look pretty,” Teddy said, curving his lips up in a smile that was all for Ian, if the direction of his eyes was any indication.
“I’m sure the boss would rather you show up and do your job,” Johnny rebutted. “And where the fuck are your shoes?”
Teddy just rolled his eyes and pushed past him, walking right up to Ian. His chin was lowered, but he looked up through the fan of his eyelashes at Ian. “Sorry, boss.”
Ian chuckled and pulled off the plain black apron he always wore when he managed the bar, tossing it to Johnny. “You’re in charge.” Then, he lifted an eyebrow to Teddy and lowered his voice. “You can finish your shift here, if you’d like, or we can go back to your apartment and pick up whatever you need for a few days.” He hesitated. “If you still want to stay.”
“I want to stay,” Teddy replied, cheeks pinking. He cleared his throat
, “I mean, I want to go get my stuff so I can stay. Not I want to stay and finish my shift because I don’t want to stay.”
“I know what you mean,” Ian said, his grin widening.
“Oh good, because now I’m not even sure what I mean.”
Ian brushed his fingers over Teddy’s as he passed. “Coming?”
Teddy groaned. “I will be.”
Ian laughed. “Come on, brat.”
Teddy huffed, “You’re the second person to call me that today.” He jutted out his bottom lip in a pout and his eyes skirted to the dance floor. Ian followed his gaze to the podium that Shiloh was dancing on.
If what he was doing could be considered dancing… Sometimes, the pink-haired man moved with a grace too perfect to be real, his body sinuous and untouchable. At others, like tonight, he was a pistol. There was nothing graceful about the way he rutted against the floor, his ass round and on display. He was a flame, and the crowd were moths. Ian supposed he could see the draw. Maybe, if Ian had never met Teddy, he’d have bought the illusion. But, while Shiloh was a flame, Teddy was the sun.
“Are you sure he was talking to you and not the mirror?” Ian teased after a second, lifting an eyebrow and glancing back at Teddy.
Teddy laughed and lifted a shoulder. “With Shiloh, you can never tell.”
Ian started walking, the logo on the arm of his shirt meaning most eyes, when they landed on him, almost glazed over and ignored him. They might scan his body in appreciation, but it hadn’t taken long for the customers to learn that the employees were off limits.
The eyes lingered longer on Teddy, though he wore the same logo, but Ian could hardly blame them. Teddy walked in front of him and Ian couldn’t help but groan at the peek of pale skin flirting in and out of sight. The shirt fluttered with each step, revealing the pert, cheeky globes of his ass straining against the pink satin.
They made it nearly to the back entrance before he noticed Teddy stiffen, his hands clenching into fists at his sides.
“Something wrong?” Ian asked, immediately on alert. He scanned the empty hallway for signs of a threat but came up empty.
“Just…Um, can you go first?” Teddy’s voice was small, tinged with embarrassment.
“Yeah. Of course.” Ian slipped around him and pushed open the door, scanning the alley and lot. It was empty.
He held the door open for Teddy, then led him over to his truck.
“I can’t believe you kept her,” Teddy murmured, running his hand over the faded maroon paint of the passenger door, a slightly darker color than the rest of the vehicle.
“You thought I’d trade in Sally?” Ian asked, peering over the hood with an arched eyebrow. “This old girl’s been with me since Papa dinged the bumper and Mama banned him from driving.”
Teddy shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess I thought when you left that you cut ties with everything.” He traced a ding along the passenger door, vaguely remembering a conversation he’d had with Lucas. His friend had been terrified Ian would notice. Lucas had ridden his bike too close on the driveway, after Ian warned him a half-dozen times to be careful. “I’m just glad you didn’t leave everything behind.”
“Not everything,” Ian agreed, and there was something in his voice, some double meaning that Teddy couldn’t quite grasp. He glanced up, and the longing he saw on Ian’s face sent a shiver down his spine. “I never quite managed to leave you in Austin. I ran for months, and every time I stopped, the memories caught right back up.” One side of Ian’s lips quirked up. “I have to say, though, that the memories don’t do you justice.”
Teddy flushed and climbed into the passenger seat rather than answer. He wasn’t sure what to say. Should he be happy that Ian had thought about him? Angry that Ian had left? Something in between?
Ian climbed in as well and started the car. He didn’t back out of the lot, though. Instead, he rested an arm on the back of the seat and twisted, staring at Teddy intently. “How come you never went to college, Teddy? I thought you wanted to be an architect?”
Ian had asked before and Teddy hadn’t answered. Teddy bit his lip and averted his eyes, staring out of the passenger window with seeing, without speaking, until finally, he sighed. “I could never make tuition. I keep telling myself I’ll start next semester. But then something comes up, and…it just hasn’t happened yet.” Teddy shrugged like it didn’t matter, even though each time he pushed his dream back, it died a little.
He was a twenty-two-year-old bartender, and sometimes dishwasher, and part-time cleaner. He didn’t know how to fit full-time student into his job description.
“It will. It has to. You’re so smart, Teddy. It’ll happen,” Ian said, but Teddy couldn’t help but feel like he was being placated—like Ian thought there was something wrong with Teddy’s decision but didn’t want to say it.
“I’m not ashamed of my choices,” Teddy said abruptly, glancing at Ian out of the corner of his eye.
Ian blinked. “Of course not. There’s nothing to be ashamed of. You’re a hard worker.”
“I’m doing the best I can,” Teddy added, determined that Ian understood that.
“I know.” Ian finally turned away, putting the car in gear and starting the crawl down the alley and out onto the street. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to come across like I was judging you or anything. I just know how much being an architect meant to you. I thought maybe something had changed.”
“No,” Teddy answered. “Nothing’s changed.”
The drive to the apartment was quiet but not uncomfortable. Teddy swung his feet in time to the music and Ian tapped his thumb on the steering wheel. It didn’t take long to make the trip across town.
Teddy didn’t have a designated parking space at his apartment complex. There was a small lot across the street, but it was first come, first served. Normally, that wasn’t a big deal, since Teddy didn’t drive and Shiloh parked his car wherever he felt like, legal or not. Tonight, it was a monster of a deal, since it was late enough that anyone coming or going had pretty much already done so, and Ian had to circle the lot twice before he found a spot barely big enough to wedge the truck in, between a SUV and a coup that straddled the line. Teddy barely resisted the urge to open his door harder than necessary and hit the double parker in the paint job.
He didn’t do it, but only because Ian was watching, waiting for him to inch the door open and slide through the narrow gap down onto the pavement. Teddy’s shirt caught the seat and rode up, and he didn’t miss the flash of heat that crossed Ian’s face.
“My apartment’s a piece of shit, but I have a nice mattress. If you want to test it out…” Teddy said, making sure to sway his hips flirtatiously as he moved up to Ian’s side.
“Maybe I will. I’ve been thinking of going mattress hunting,” Ian answered, sounding almost serious.
“Noooo,” Teddy whined and grabbed Ian’s hand, playfully tugging it, “I love your mattress. It’s the size of Taiwan!”
“I think the people of Taiwan would beg to differ,” Ian replied dryly but didn’t pull his hand away.
Teddy bumped Ian’s arm with his shoulder. “I think they would also be sad if you hunted your mattress.”
“Dork.” Ian rolled his eyes, then reached across to ruffle Teddy’s hair. They bantered back and forth as they entered the complex. Ian started for the elevator but Teddy stopped walking abruptly.
The elevator, he knew, was narrow, hardly large enough for him and his shopping if there was another resident already waiting. With Ian’s broad shoulders, it would be a tight squeeze. Teddy might enjoy being pressed tight to Ian’s body, but he feared it would feel too much like the box.
“Can we take the stairs?” Teddy asked in a rush, embarrassed, like the simple request was going to make Ian think less of him.
Ian tightened his grip on Teddy’s hand instead. “Oh, great, I hate elevators. Rickety little things just as likely to get stuck as make it anywhere.” Teddy’s shoulders sagged in relief, and they turned to
the stairs instead.
The stairway was wide and cold with cement steps and a metal railing that Teddy knew better than to trust with his weight, even if he’d only previously taken the stairs when the elevator was under maintenance or he was running too late to wait for it. They walked up side by side.
Each contact sent a tingle along Teddy’s skin, and more than once he lifted his eyes to see a matching fire in Ian’s. He had the sudden urge to draw Ian into the shadowy nook behind the door of the second landing or kneel on the steps between it and the third. Unfortunately, Teddy wasn’t looking to spend a night in the county jail if he was caught, so he just sighed and sent a rueful look at the shadowed landing instead.
Ian groaned, and Teddy looked up to find him watching him, eyes dark. Teddy smirked and tugged open the door that led out to the third floor. Ian trailed along behind him. Out of habit, Teddy ran his fingers over the lush green leaves of the potted fern beside his apartment. It had been withered and dying when he’d moved in, but he’d taken it under his wing and nurtured it back to life.
The plant distracted him from the bright orange paper adhered to his front door.
Evicted.
Well, shit.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Ian read the notice over Teddy’s shoulder. Evicted, due to non-payment. Teddy could see the super on Monday if he wanted to retrieve his things. What did they expect Teddy to do until then? Ian was grateful that he’d brought Teddy himself. He knew Teddy well enough to know that if he wasn’t there, the boy would have buried his head and slept in a cardboard box somewhere before admitting he was in trouble. His suspicion was confirmed when Teddy spun around and nudged Ian farther down the hall, like he thought there was a possibility Ian had somehow missed it.
“Um, I’ll just…go in and…You don’t have to stay,” Teddy stumbled for an excuse. Ian crossed his arms, not afraid to use his intimidation skills for good for once. Teddy wilted under the expression. “Okay, so…I guess you read the notice.”