Marie Harte - Fortune's Favor

“He’s not my dad, not in any sense that matters. But Danielle, her I think of as Mom.”

Avery nodded and kissed him again. He broke off, panting. “She’d like that. Noah spoke really highly of her, you know. Said the woman loved you like crazy.”

“Crazy. Good word to use with my family.” Nathan kissed Avery again, desperate for some light in his life. “I need you.”

“Always, baby.”

They made their way to bed and didn’t leave for several hours.

When Nathan could once again feel his toes, he sighed and slumped over Avery’s heaving chest. “I can’t move. My ass is full of cum, and did I say I can’t move?”

Avery chuckled. “Good loving will do that to you. Who knew you were a screamer?”

“Shut up.” Nathan smiled. Even the truth couldn’t totally dim his satisfaction. “What am I going to do?”

“About me? Just bend over at least twice a day, shut up, and take it like a man, and we’re good.”

“God, you are such an asshole.”

Avery snickered.

“I meant, what do I do about Malcolm?” He sighed. “We know he’s out there, coming for me. I need to go back to Bloomville, don’t I?”

“Not without me, you don’t. Every day we learn a little more about what Dixon is really like, and none of it’s good.” Avery paused and caressed Nathan’s hair. “I worry about you, baby.”

Nathan kissed Avery’s chest. “I worry about you too. That vision didn’t show you anywhere near. And you’re a possessive bastard. If you’re not close, it means Dixon did something to you. We need more men on this case.”

“We have nearly half a dozen on it now. Two are constantly watching your place. Noah did his research, I’m watching your back, and Ian’s been gathering intel from sources—and I quote—‘we’re not supposed to ask about.’”

Nathan snorted. “Little shit. He just says that to appear mysterious.”

“And to annoy Jack.” Avery chuckled. “Ian’s good at his job.”

“Yeah. So why can’t he find Malcolm for us?” Nathan pushed up from Avery and frowned. “I want this over with. Then I can concentrate on you.”

“You mean you’re not focused now? I don’t know if I’ll survive when you are.” Avery slapped an arm over his eyes, clearly exhausted.

Nathan felt revived. He whistled as he took care of his needs and cleaned up in the shower. When he finished, he found Avery asleep on the bed. He pushed Avery’s hair back off his face, enamored with the hard features softened in sleep. Yet Avery still looked tough, a warrior through and through.

“What am I going to do with you?”

The guy called him baby, insulted his coffee, and made love unselfishly. He didn’t care about Nathan’s past, only that Nathan would have a future, one he apparently wanted to share.

God, Nathan loved the big guy. So why was it so hard to say it out loud? Because if I do, something bad will happen . A stupid thing to think, but he had cause.

He left Avery sleeping and searched for his cell phone. He found it and made a call. Ian picked up on the second ring.

“Yes?”

“Hey, Ian, it’s Nathan.”

“I figured. Caller ID is a wonderful invention.” Smart-ass. “What can I do you for?”

“I need to grab some groceries but didn’t want to leave Avery here by himself, just in case Malcolm makes his move.” There was no telling what the psycho might do, and Nathan didn’t want to take any chances. He wasn’t too proud to use all the help he could get.

“Good call. Foreman and Price are standing by. I’ll send one of them in.”

Nathan frowned. “ You’ll send them in?”

“I’m standing in for Jack while he deals with some case Gavin screwed up.”

“Isn’t Gavin our accountant?”

“Yep. And there’s a big part of the problem. He’s a wonder boy with numbers, but he got greedy and tried to track down that book you guys looked into.”

“He found it?”

“Yep. Then he lost it. And now Jack is beyond pissed, because our client needs it back, like yesterday.”

Nathan shook his head. “From what the bookseller said, it was just an old book of weird names with some sex thrown in for shits and grins.”

“Well, apparently it had something more in there, some strange codes sewn into the binding that mean something. Not that you heard that from me.”

Talk about the wrong man to tell secrets to. “Your point?”

“My point is that as we speak, Price is on your doorstep and Foreman is standing guard on the house. Your lover is in good hands.” Ian paused. “So is Avery big all over?”

“Shut up.” Nathan chuckled. “But thanks.” He disconnected just as a knock came at the door.

He peered out the dormer window and saw Keegan Price standing with his hands in his pockets. If Nathan hadn’t had the hots for Avery, and Keegan weren’t in a three-way relationship, Nathan would have done him in a heartbeat. But the pesky emotions clogging his heart made the idea unfathomable. Still, he could appreciate a walking work of art. The body on Keegan Price could tempt a saint.

He opened the door and smiled.

Keegan saw him and groaned. “Oh hell. I thought I had Avery. Come on, trouble. Let’s go shopping.”

Nathan set the code on the door and closed it, but he couldn’t quite step away. Leaving Avery unaware, vulnerable, didn’t sit right.

“Don’t worry, Nathan. We’re watching your boy.”

Nathan let out the breath he’d been holding. “I know. I just have an itchy feeling. And it’s hard to leave him without saying good-bye.”

“Huh?”

“He’s sleeping.”

“It’s the middle of the day.” Keegan frowned at him. “He’s in bed?”

“He’s resting.” Nathan gave a cocky grin. “I wore him out.”

“Oh. Oh .” Keegan tipped back the cowboy hat shielding his gaze and grinned down at Nathan. “Can’t wait to rib him about that. Avery’s a bit too tense, you know? Needs to lighten up some.”

“I couldn’t agree with you more.” Just so long as he lightened up on Nathan and no one else.

Nathan walked away, but the bad feeling growing in his gut didn’t ease. It worsened, and he warned Keegan to be ready for anything.

Maybe he’d lengthen his shopping trip, expose himself to as many people and security cameras as he could to tempt Malcolm. Anything to keep the danger from Avery and centered on himself. I’m ready for you , Dad. It’s time we settled this. Once and for all.

Having left Avery a message on his cell phone and knowing James Foreman stood watch outside, Nathan felt free to shop. He picked up groceries Avery refused to buy. Doughnuts, some sodas, and candy bars. Nathan had a sweet tooth, and he admitted it. When he worried, it grew worse. But the health nut he currently lived with refused to cater to his needs. Health, schmealth. Nathan needed comfort food.

Then he decided to pick up a few pairs of jeans. His had holes. And on the way, he spotted a shirt and a sweater that would look perfect on Avery. More time to give Malcolm a shot at him gave Nathan a sense of purpose, and he threw himself into shopping. When Keegan bitched about it, Nathan told him the why of it, leaving out how much he actually enjoyed clothes shopping. So the gruff man could do nothing but wait around while he looked for bargains.

Three hours later, he figured he’d given Malcolm enough time to spot him while letting Avery get some much-needed rest. He needed to talk things over with Jack too. Sitting on his hands waiting wasn’t working. Nathan needed action. He intended to draw Malcolm to him. Dear Daddy would come if lured with the right bait—Nathan on a silver platter.