Page 14
“No,” Ty snapped. “Sit down, shut up, stop trying to escape. ” He turned to Zane. “Where’s the kid?”
Zane nodded toward the open room.
“Go get him. ”
That got Julian’s attention. He straightened, still standing in the bathtub, and he pulled at the handcuffs that looped around the safety bar. “No need to bring him into this. ”
“You brought him into this,” Zane said. He took two steps out of the room and waved Cameron over.
“What’s going on?” Cameron asked as he climbed off the bed and moved to join Zane at the door.
Ty stepped to the side so Cameron could see Julian. They hadn’t let Cameron see him at all since locking him in the bathroom, and now Cameron’s brow creased as he took in the scene. Zane knew it was a disturbing image, Julian disheveled, standing in the bathtub cuffed to the shower rail, and Ty bare-chested and fuming.
“Julian? Are you okay?”
Julian smiled at him. “I’m fine, love. Agent Grady just needed a cuddle. And possibly a piece of my spleen. ”
Ty held up the piece of metal and tapped it against the sink counter. Cameron looked from it to Julian and back. He didn’t look like he was making the connection.
“When we left you said the only way you’d come along without a fuss was with your boyfriend,” Ty said, but it wasn’t clear which one he was talking to since he was looking at the floor near his feet. “But since you’re making a fuss anyway, I don’t see why we have to hold up our end of the bargain. ”
Julian raised his chin and his black eyes flashed, but he didn’t react otherwise. When Zane had first seen Julian’s reaction to Cameron in the apartment, he’d been sure Cameron would be the best way to control him. It was a combination of how the man softened when he looked at his lover but bristled, even the tiniest bit, when there was any threat toward him.
Cameron looked back and forth between them as if he was watching a tennis match. Zane had to admire how he seemed to be holding up under the stress. Many civilians would have fallen apart by now, especially in the face of Ty’s impressive rage. “Julian?” His voice was low and cautious.
Ty shook his head. “Don’t talk to him, talk to me,” he said to Cameron in a low, barely controlled voice that would have scared just about anyone. It almost scared Zane. It did the trick, because Cameron shrank away from him even as he looked at him. Ty pushed away from the sink and stepped toward Cameron, holding up the spring. “He tries one more time to escape, and I promise you, you’ll never see each other again. ”
Cameron stared at him, eyes wide and chest heaving as he breathed hard.
“Now, go whisper about that some,” Ty said, voice downright cruel.
Cameron had gone white, and Zane caught a tremble in his hands before he gripped them into fists. But he nodded jerkily. “I’ll talk to him. ”
“You do that,” Ty said, and he stepped out of the bathroom. He pulled Zane with him and closed the door behind them.
Zane turned and went along as Ty walked toward the window. If that wasn’t enough to calm Julian down, they’d have to tranquilize him.
They might have to tranquilize Ty too, if what Zane had just seen wasn’t an act of some sort.
Ty paced toward the window and then turned back to Zane, looking troubled and no longer even remotely angry. Zane was impressed by his lover’s ability to turn that on and off so quickly. He’d known Ty was a chameleon based on his performance as an Englishman on that cruise ship job they’d worked, but Zane had never seen Ty turn emotions on and off like that. “I feel like a monster, threatening that kid. ”
Zane raised one brow, surprised. “Why?”
Ty looked at him oddly. “Because he hasn’t done anything wrong. Because he’s got stars in his eyes, and he can’t help it that he’s in love with that jackhole. ”
“He chose to be here. He had to know what he was getting into. I can’t imagine living with Cross is good for anyone’s health. ”
Ty shook his head and looked down at the mangled spring. He spun it around between his fingers. “This guy, man. If he’d been able to retie his shoelaces, I’d have never noticed,” he said in disgust as he tossed the wire into the trash.
Zane shook his head and set his gun on the dresser in front of the TV, in easy reach. “He used his toes to get to it?”
Ty nodded.
“Clever. Like someone else I know. ”
Ty glared at him before the expression softened. “Please don’t compare me to the criminal. ”
Zane watched him affectionately. “Sorry. ”
“Hopefully, Cameron will keep him in line from now on. ”
Glancing back at the bathroom door, Zane set his hands on his hips as he considered. “Maybe if we leave them together in there another few hours, we could get some more sleep. ”
Ty nodded. “Sleep. We’ll leave them to it. ” He grabbed up his shirt from the floor and pulled it over his head, then stepped over to Zane and kissed him. Zane took advantage of the chance, though, and slid his hands under the shirt before Ty even got it pulled all the way down.
“Did you enjoy patting down Cross?” Zane asked before nipping at Ty’s earlobe.
Ty grunted distractedly, not picking up on Zane’s teasing tone. “He got me a good one in the ribs. It’s like he has extra hands. ”
Zane moved to slide his hands over Ty’s ribs. “You bested him, though,” he murmured, dragging his arm around Ty’s waist and pulling their bodies flush.
Ty pushed away and looked at him oddly again. He shook his head. “This isn’t a pissing contest, Zane. I just want to get rid of him as quick as we can. Guy makes me nervous. ”
“Yeah, I can tell,” Zane said.
“You saying he doesn’t bother you?”
“No. I’d put you up against him any day. ” He dropped his chin, rubbing his bearded cheek against Ty’s.
“Are you trying to start something out here?” Ty asked in a warm voice.
“I wish,” Zane muttered, splaying his hand flat along Ty’s shoulder blades and rubbing the warm skin.
Ty kissed his cheek and moved away. “Then cut it out. And shave that damn thing off in the morning, huh?”
Zane huffed, but he allowed Ty to push him away. He wanted to be close, but they couldn’t get distracted. Muttering under his breath, he walked over to the desk and his papers.
Ty went to the bathroom door and leaned against it, sliding to the floor with a soft groan. He was apparently intending to sit there the rest of the morning. After a roll of his eyes, Zane snatched up a pillow and flung it at him.
A moment later, he heard Ty’s soft “Thanks, Zane. ”
JULIAN was surprised when the two FBI agents left Cameron with him in the bathroom. But he knew what they were thinking, and on the surface it made sense. He tugged at the handcuffs and raised one hand toward Cameron.
His lover climbed into the bathtub next to him and slid their hands together, lacing their fingers. “Have you been stuck like this all night?”
“Well, I was sitting,” Julian answered, keeping his tone light. He slid the chain up the diagonal safety rail and spread his arms as wide as they would go, gesturing for Cameron to duck under. Cameron did, moving to stand in the circle of Julian’s arms and reaching up to slide his hands around Julian’s neck, tipping his head back to look up at him.
“Aside from threatening you, how have they been treating you?” Julian asked.
“Fine. Haven’t said a word to me, really. I was sleeping until I heard Ty yell at you. ”
“He’s just overly excitable. ” Julian kissed him. It was hard to pull him closer with the safety bar restraining his arms like it was. “Are you going to give me my lecture?”
“Do I need to?” Cameron asked, meeting his eyes.
Julian sighed and looked over at the door. “If we make it to DC, we’ll never see each other a
gain anyway. ” He looked into Cameron’s eyes. “They’re using threats to you to keep me under control. But if I’m reading them correctly, Grady won’t hurt either of us unless we force him, and he won’t let Garrett hurt you. Nothing is a bigger threat than what they’re delivering us to. ”
“Will you tell me what’s going on?”
Julian hesitated. He had spent most of their time together trying to shield Cameron from the worst of it. But now they were being dragged across the country, possibly to their deaths. Cameron deserved to know.
“It’s the CIA, Cam. ”
“CIA? I thought Ty and Zane were FBI. ”
“I don’t know what they are. But it’s sure as hell not the FBI who wants to kill me. ”
Cameron’s arms tightened around Julian’s neck. “I won’t let them take you away from me if I can do anything to stop it. ”
“Just look intimidated and docile whenever they threaten you. Let them think it’s working. ”
“I don’t have to act,” Cameron murmured as he laid his cheek against Julian’s chest. “They are intimidating. ”
Julian snorted before he could stop himself. He cleared his throat to cover it. He leaned back and looked down at Cameron. “You’re not wearing anything sharp or pointy, by any chance, are you?”
Cameron frowned and let his arms slide down. “Sharp or pointy? I don’t think so. ” He looked down at himself. He didn’t wear jewelry—the only jewelry Julian had ever seen him wear was the Warrior’s Cross pendant Julian had given him when they’d first met. But that necklace was long gone.
“Zippers? Shoelaces?” Julian asked as he looked down Cameron’s body. He wasn’t wearing shoes. And in reality, Julian couldn’t imagine that he could manage to pick the lock with a zipper pull. “Damn, that spring was so perfect,” he muttered in irritation.
“You about got yourself shot. Zane was up out of that bed with that gun so fast, it scared me. ”
“I’m surprised he’s not accustomed to Grady shouting at random for no reason. They sleep with their weapons? That’s good to know. If one of them is going to try to kill me, it will be Garrett. But no worries,” he said as he pulled Cameron as close as he could. “We’ll get out of this. ”
Cameron leaned against him again, tucking his head under Julian’s chin. “It’s a good thing you’re such a good liar. ”
“I’m not certain whether that’s a compliment or an insult. ”
“Me either,” Cameron said before tipping his head back again and kissing Julian’s chin.
Julian grinned. “I love you, you know. ”
Cameron gave him a tremulous smile. “I know. I love you too. ” He went up on tiptoe to kiss Julian fervently.
Julian had to bend to indulge in the kiss since he couldn’t pull Cameron closer. He smiled against Cameron’s lips. “We’ve never tried this with handcuffs,” he said in a suggestive, teasing voice.
Cameron laughed. “Interesting idea. You can’t pick me up, flip me over, or hold me down. ” He opened his eyes, and they sparkled mischievously.
“That’s what you think. ”
The arched eyebrow Cameron gave him in reply was a clear dare, and Cameron’s hands sliding down his chest to his belt buckle even more so.
Julian’s smile was predatory as he stepped closer and pushed Cameron against the shower wall. He gasped and looked down between them. “My belt!” he hissed.
“What?” Cameron asked, plucking at it.
“They left it on me,” Julian told him with a grin.
“So, that means I can put it in your mouth for you to bite on in a couple minutes?”
That got Julian’s attention, and he looked back up with a grin. “Do you care if we make noise and they know what we’re doing?”
A blush crept up Cameron’s cheeks. “It’s not going to make a difference in what they do with us, right?” His fingers manipulated Julian’s belt buckle as he looked up into Julian’s eyes.
“Probably not. ”
“Is this really stupid?” Cameron licked his lips as he unbuttoned Julian’s pants.
“The only thing stupid in this room is sitting outside our door,” Julian said, raising his voice just enough.
“Blow me, Cross,” came Ty’s disembodied voice from outside the door.
TY PRESSED his shoulders against the door to stretch his sore muscles, and he let his bare feet slide on the carpet until his legs were splayed in front of him. He sat there without any compunction about looking dejected in the dark.
Once he heard the unmistakable sounds coming from within the bathroom, he grunted in annoyance and rolled to his hands and knees to get off the floor.
“What the hell do they think this is, some stupidass romantic comedy?” he growled to Zane. He called through the door, “I have a gun and I like to use it!”
“That’s only going to egg Cross on. ”
“I don’t care,” Ty mumbled as he walked toward the two beds. “He reminds me of you. Parts of him, anyway. ”
Zane looked up from the papers. The soft glow of the table lamp cast odd shadows, making his face appear gaunt. “Of me? How? Besides Cameron’s ‘tall, dark, and handsome’ line. ”
“I mean he’s outwardly stoic and fun to poke. Reminds me of when we first met. ”
Zane smiled and leaned back in his chair. “Much better than what you said about me back then. ”
Ty moved closer and sat on the edge of the bed near Zane, looking at him with nothing but affection. He was close enough to smell Zane’s deodorant and the underlying scents of his shampoo and sweat, and combined with the trademark smells of a hotel room, it stirred all sorts of memories and emotions.