James just laughed. He might be chuckling now, but he wouldn’t be when Angel’s foot was so far up his ass James would taste it. He took being a big brother seriously. And what was it with people laughing at him. Usually they trembled in fear—even when he was in nice mode.
“Tour later. We need to find out what’s going on,” Alphonse insisted.
“We can go to my office,” Voit piped up.
“Oh, sorry. Alphonse, James, this is Commander Voit Reno. He’s in charge here.”
“Oh good, I have tons of questions…ah…later.” James looked like a kid in a candy store.
Angel shook his head. There really wasn’t much difference on Earth to some of the other planets. He didn’t see the big deal.
“Voit, this is my brother Alphonse and his partner James,” Angel finished the introductions.
He fell in step with his brother on the walk back.
“What’s going on?”
“I’m not sure, Al. Someone is after me, but I don’t know why.”
“Where’s Frank?”
“He…” Shit this was hard. He wanted Frank back and he had no idea if he was dead or alive, damn it.
“Ang?” Alphonse grasped his shoulder.
“Sorry…yeah…he led the attackers off and they captured him.”
“What is he to you, Ang? Give me the straight answer, not one you’d give Dad.”
“He’s…fuck, Al…he’s everything. And yeah—Dad already knows too.”
“Damn.”
“I know. Now he’s out there…alone. There haven’t been any ransom demands or anything. I know they want me, but no way. And Frank could be dead because it was him in that ship and not me.” Angel wiped a hand down his face.
“We’ll find him,” Alphonse assured him.
“We have to.” Angel was at his wits’ end.
“So, why Earth?”
“It was supposed to be deserted.” Angel shrugged. “I wanted a place to hide out and who would come looking here?” He waved a hand around the town. “Well, besides you obviously, since you sent a ship out this way.”
“We sent ships everywhere and lucked out. I had no idea where you’d go to ground, you have a way of hiding that I admire, but yeah, you can see how excited Jimmy is to be here. He’s always wanted to see Earth.”
“Where is your ship, you know, the one that spotted the Avenger? We didn’t see it and I looked.”
“Once we found out where the ship was we sent them back. I planned on checking it out myself anyway and then Dad let me know you were actually on planet and not still out there somewhere—captured or dead.”
“The timing was…unreal.”
“I’m going with lucky.” Alphonse winked.
They reached the office and Tok was waiting for them. “I just got the strangest call.”
“What?” Voit asked.
“It was Frank. He wouldn’t let me say anything, kept cutting me off.”
“So, he’s fine?” Angel had to grab the wall so he didn’t fall over.
Frank was alive. Angel closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to get himself under control.
“He is. He’s bringing some guy named Chuck Steel with him.”
“Fuckin’ shit. Goddamn motherfucker.” Angel kicked the door.
“I take it you know him?” Tok’s tone was dry.
“Yes. We suspected he was working with Vincent but never got confirmation. One of the reasons I tapped Frank—” He had to stop because his brother was laughing so hard. Angel glared at him and continued. “He has information on this guy. He’s bad news. A very loose cannon and we’re going to have to play this carefully or someone will die.”
The reports on Chuck were so outlandish that Angel didn’t know what was true and what wasn’t, but he hadn’t had time to get the information from Frank. They’d been concentrating on Vincent at the time.
“This could be a trap, Angel. Did you ever think of that? There are now two top officials—” James paused when Alphonse interrupted him.
“Three on the way.” Alphonse held up his fingers.
“What?” Angel twirled to face him.
“Dad’s coming.”
“Fuck, no.” Angel sat down, hard.
This was unbelievable. His dad never came to them. They were always ordered to report to him.
“Fuck, yes,” Alphonse assured him, sounding just as stunned as Angel was about the situation.
“He told me to come to him.”
“He wasn’t taking any chances.” Alphonse shrugged.
“As I was saying, three officials of the Alliance. Wasn’t that Vincent’s ultimate plan? To take over? Now three of you are in one place and Frank is out there…” James trailed off.
“No.” Angel would never believe that. Not of Frank. Not anymore. Maybe when they’d first met and he’d been feeling him out to see if he would turn. But not now after they’d spent time together. Frank wasn’t just a thug.
“Let me finish—” James tried to say more.
“No. Frank isn’t dirty.”
“Are you a hundred per cent sure of that, Angel?” James pushed.
“Yes.” He wasn’t going to question Frank’s loyalty to him.
They hadn’t seen his face when Frank had left on that ship to save lives. They wouldn’t know him like he did and they needed to get over the fact that he’d worked for Vincent. That wasn’t who Frank was anymore.
“Willing to risk your life? Your dad’s? How about your brother’s life or the fact that a known criminal is out there?”
“Alphonse, pull your boy off,” Angel growled.
“He’s got a point, Ang.”
“Not you too.” Angel couldn’t even look at them. He was disgusted with the lot. Of course, they didn’t know Frank like he did, but it didn’t give them call to question his trust. They should take the fact that he had faith in Frank and deal with it.
“If you want my input, Frank is on the up and up,” Tok broke in. “I saw the way he looked at you, Angel. You can’t fake that.” Tok turned to Voit, then glanced quickly away.
“Okay, enough of that. How long do we have?” Angel just wanted Frank back and this shit wasn’t helping.
“Frank didn’t get far from the point where the SOS call came in from. Maybe a few hours.” Tok assured him.
“We need to hide the Reward. We also need to get into positions for when they land. I want to be visible, but the rest of you need to spread out and hide. The less people Chuck sees at first contact the better.” Angel was thinking of all the things he needed to do to make it easier to get Frank away from Chuck.
“Do you think it’ll matter?” Alphonse crinkled his brow in concentration.
“You’ve heard the stories about Chuck. I know you have. He’s a crazy fuck, but he pays attention. We still don’t know why he’s after me. We take any precautions we can. Now let’s go get Frank back.”
Frank paced his cabin and hoped things went down like they should. Anything could go wrong. Chuck had let him make a call and he’d talked to Tok but hadn’t said much. Frank didn’t want Chuck to be anything but calm.
“We’re approaching Earth.” Chuck leaned against his door.
“Good.”
“Will Vincent be there?” Chuck actually licked his lips.
Frank didn’t even want to think about Chuck pervin’ on Vincent. It gave him the creeps.
“I don’t know. He didn’t give me a time to meet up with him. Just told me to head to Earth, he had people there.”
“And you’re sure about this Angel?”
“I’m fucking him, Chuck. I’ve got it under control.” God, he hoped Angel played along. Too many unknown factors for his liking. Someone was going to get hurt, he just knew it.
“You’d better or he’s dead.” Chuck sneered.
“Stop threatening me, Chuck.”
“You may be Vincent’s right-hand man, but I’m—” Chuck paused and had a confused look on his face.
“Yeah, just what are you to Vincent? You can’t be his lover. Not with all the boys he has parading in and out of his bedroom.” It wasn’t the best idea to antagonise the crazy man, but he’d had about enough of this ship and the company.
“You’ll shut the fuck up right now and stop talking about Vinny that way.” Chuck stood up taller and looked more confident now. The mood swings were making Frank a bit sick. He couldn’t keep up with his reactions.
“Vinny is it? Does he know you call him that?” Frank arched an eyebrow.
Chuck flinched. That’s what Frank thought. Vincent had always been a hard man and no one took liberties, not even with his name, unless he wanted something from you and you really, really didn’t want Vincent to want anything from you. Well, at least he didn’t, Frank wasn’t too sure about Chuck.
“You just keep Angel on a leash. If he looks at me wrong, he’s dead. And Vincent better be there or someone needs to have some news on his whereabouts.” Chuck turned and stomped away like a child who’d had a toy taken away and was going to tattle.
Frank really wished he could talk to Angel before they landed. At least they were expecting them and wouldn’t shoot them out of the sky as they landed. He’d grab what he could get at this point.
They must not have gone far after Frank had been knocked out. Before he knew it they were walking towards the hatch. Frank took a deep breath—he could do this. The only person he saw was Angel. Frank closed his eyes and released the air he’d been holding in his lungs. He glanced at Chuck and the man was caressing the damn laser again and giving Angel the evil eye. Shit, he hoped Chuck could keep it in check for just a bit longer. Frank had a bad feeling deep in his gut that something was going to go wrong and he wanted to throw up, but he got control of himself. He searched around and thought he saw a couple of other people. It could be a trick of the light too, or wishful thinking on his part.
He didn’t give Chuck a chance to stop him, because if anything went wrong he had to touch Angel one last time. He rushed to Angel and pulled him into his arms before he began to really panic. He hadn’t thought he’d ever be in this position again and it felt good, really, really good. He didn’t want it to be the last time. It couldn’t be. This had to work.
“Play along,” he whispered in Angel’s ear before kissing him on the cheek. He felt the slight nod.
“Where’s Vincent?” Chuck demanded.
“Dead.”
Frank turned around and shoved Angel behind him. Who the fuck was that and why were they opening their big fucking mouth? This was going to be very, very bad.
“What’s he talkin’ about, Frank?” Chuck said through clenched teeth.
Frank glanced between the moron and Chuck, trying to think of a way to fix this.
“He’s wrong, Chuck. Who ya gonna believe? Me”—Frank lifted his chin—“or a stranger?” He nodded to the left where Big Mouth was standing.
Fuck, fuck, fuck. Of all the—
Chuck had his laser out and he was shaking. Frank knew he was going to get shot again. Shit.
“I’m just going to shoot you all. How’s that sound to you, Frank? Did you lie to me? Is Angel really Alliance scum?” Chuck’s voice was getting louder and his eyes had that glazed, deranged light in them.
Things were spiralling out of control. Fast.
“If you put the laser down I’ll take you to the coms. I’ll break silence and contact Vincent.”
“But—”
Frank glared at the idiot who wouldn’t shut up.
“You do that, Frank, but if you’re lying, pretty boy here is dead.” Chuck waved the laser towards Angel.
Damn it. No, just no, I can’t let Angel be hurt.
“No worries, Frank.” Angel stroked a hand down his back.
He knew it was to comfort him, but all it made Frank want was more and to be alone with Angel—away from all the nuttiness.
“I know, babe. I told Chuck things were under control, right, Chuck?” Frank didn’t look away from Angel—not yet. Frank patted Angel on the check. “You coming, Chuck?” He hated turning his back on the man, but he had to show Chuck he wasn’t concerned.
He was shaking inside. It was going to fall apart. He braced himself for the blast of the laser, knowing Chuck really could break down at any second. He was walking a fine line and he usually didn’t speak crazy. Frank took a quick peek behind him.
“I’m coming.” Chuck sniffed but didn’t lower his weapon—his aim solely on Angel.
Frank couldn’t even say anything without Chuck hearing. He had to get all of them out of this with no injuries. Well, except Big Mouth—he could do with a flesh wound. Not that he was bitter or anything. Stupid fuck.
“Someone needs to take care of Big Mouth,” Frank muttered loud enough for all to hear. It would serve the idiot right, it really would.
“Alphonse will take care of things,” Angel assured him.
Alphonse? Wasn’t that Angel’s brother? Maybe things weren’t as bad as he’d thought. He hadn’t seen any ships in orbit when they’d landed, but it looked like the cavalry had arrived. If things didn’t work out he was shooting Big Mouth himself. Fucker.
Someone slammed into his back. He heard the laser go off and everything began to happen in slow motion. Angel fell beside him and there was shouting, but Frank only had eyes for Angel. His lover wasn’t even twitching. Frank shook Angel’s shoulder and there it was—movement. Frank breathed a sigh of relief. Thank fucking God. He closed his eyes.
“Frank. You okay, man?” Angel stroked his shoulder.
“Maybe.” Frank didn’t want him to stop touching him.
“Were you hit?”
“Nope. You?”
“No. Don’t know how neither of us were. My dumb ass brother jumped the gun.” Angel had raised his voice at the end.
“Not my fault, pretty boy.” Alphonse snickered.
“Anyone else hit?” Angel shouted.
A chorus of ‘nope’—all good—circled around him. He opened his eyes to see Angel staring at him.
“Hi,” Angel whispered.
“Hi,” Frank whispered back.
“Do that to me again and I’ll shoot you myself.” Angel swooped down and kissed him.
Chapter Ten
Angel was livid. Stupid James had opened his big fat mouth and had almost ruined everything. He couldn’t get enough of Frank’s lips. He was there and not dead. At least Frank had followed directions.
Someone kicked him in the back.
“Umph.”
Angel turned to see his brother grinning at him. He scowled back.
“Get a room, pretty boy.”
“Stop calling me that. And you”—Angel stood and pointed a finger at James—“what the fuck were you thinking telling that maniac Vincent was dead?”
James had the decency to look sheepish. “Hey, no one said anything about keeping it a secret and it is true.”
While he was berating James, Frank had stood up and was advancing on James.
“You fucker. If you don’t know, don’t say. Simple as that. Keep your trap shut!”
“Ang, pull your guy off before I get violent.”
“Alphonse, I think Frank has a right to be pissed. James almost got us shot.”
“That’s right. Almost. If you weren’t so busy playing sucky face you would have realised it was James who took loony bins out.” Alphonse pointed to the ground where a very angry-looking Chuck struggled in his bonds.
Angel got down on his haunches. “So, you and Vincent? I think we need to talk.”
“I ain’t sayin’ shit.” Chuck spat in Angel’s direction, but he managed to dodge it.
“He doesn’t have to, Angel. We both know that,” Frank piped up.
“You shut up, Frank.” Chuck fought harder against the restraints and it appeared as if he was trying to wiggle closer to Frank.
“Yeah, and why is that, Frank?” Angel didn’t look away from Chuck. He wanted to see his reaction.
; “I knew Chuck was Vincent’s silent partner. What I didn’t know was Chuck here had a thing for my ex-boss.”
“You can’t prove anything, Frank.” Chuck smirked, but he’d stopped fighting.
Tok and Voit managed to get him standing.
“See, that’s where you’re wrong, Chuck. I have access to all of Vincent’s dealings and he liked to keep extensive notes.” Frank glanced over at Angel. “Blackmail,” he said in a loud whisper.
“Not on me he didn’t.” Chuck had almost sounded smug.
“Oh, he didn’t have blackmail on you, no, he knew you’d come running at any hint he’d give it up for you. But, I have bank transactions as well as vid-cam conversations. Why do you think I made a deal? I wanted out.”
Chuck shrunk in on himself before Angel’s eyes. He wasn’t…anything. His eyes had gone dead like no one was home. What Frank had said must have got through to him.
Angel glanced over at his brother. He was frowning at something.
“What is it?” God, he hoped it wasn’t more bad news.
“Dad’s here.”
And his hopes were dashed. “Fuck.”
“Yeah,” Alphonse agreed.
“I’m taking Frank out of here.”
“You’re going to have to talk to him eventually.” Alphonse didn’t have to look so happy about that.
“Not yet. Later.” Angel tugged Frank away.
“Did he just say your—” Frank pointed behind him.
“He did. Dear old Dad is about to land.”
Angel kept them walking. He touched any part of Frank he could reach, just to prove to himself that Frank was really there and alive.
He wanted viral proof—the naked kind where they rejoiced in being alive. And hot…and sweaty, maybe even a bit sticky.
“Fuck.” Frank’s eyes widened.
“My thoughts exactly.” Angel nodded and smiled.
Yep, a good hot fuck then some slow lovemaking and maybe another round for good measure.
“You…Dad…I can’t…we just…”
It was so cute hearing Frank stutter. Angel ran a hand down Frank’s backside and pinched it. Naked would be a good thing—but they should get inside first. No need to show off the goods.
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