Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 93984 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 313(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93984 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 313(@300wpm)
But that night…some part of Gabriel still hated him for not lying one more time. Broken and blood-covered, Ivan had chosen to die in that room rather than…
Closing his eyes for a second, Gabriel focused on pulling on his seat belt. The old ball of pain settled into place just behind his heart. He needed to stay here in the moment, focus on the job at hand. Ivan was dead. That life was gone. And he was better off now.
On the drive out of the city, Justin tried a couple of times to start a conversation, but Gabriel kept his replies to terse one-word responses, killing any further discussion before it could take off. He didn’t want to get to know this man. He didn’t want to be comfortable or friendly. His life was better, easier, when others weren’t a part of it. Friends and lovers only became potential targets.
They’d work together on this job, then go their separate ways, never to see each other again. And that was assuming they didn’t kill each other first.
“Where are we?” Gabriel demanded as they snaked down another dark road. Trees thick with leaves stretched above them, blotting out the sky, creating the feeling of going through a tunnel that steadily closed in on them. Justin had turned off the interstate more than twenty minutes ago.
“Loveland. Why?”
“Just good to know in case you decide to try to leave me for dead on the side of the road.”
A low rumble rose from Justin before he jerked the car to the side of the road and threw it into park. As he turned in his seat toward the passenger side, Gabriel couldn’t stop himself from reaching for the knife on his hip.
Keeping one hand on the steering wheel, Justin braced the other on the side of the passenger seat. The low interior lights did little to illuminate his face, but Gabriel could make out heavy lines cutting across his brow.
“Can we just get a few things clear here?” Justin started. “I hate the idea of working with someone. I don’t trust people, and considering your special skills, I really don’t trust you.”
Gabriel nodded when he paused. “That’s fair.”
“And I know you don’t want to work with me, and you definitely don’t fucking trust me.”
“Also fair.”
“But it’s a lot of fucking money for not a lot of work.”
Some of the tension eased from Gabriel’s shoulders and he unclenched his jaw. “And we need each other.”
“A truce. We work together. We don’t try to kill each other or betray each other.”
“You want me to have your back,” Gabriel said softly, tearing his eyes from Justin’s intense stare to gaze out at the darkness that surrounded them. He didn’t want to examine too closely the twist in his stomach or the jump in his heart. To be part of a team, to be trusted, even in some small way and to trust another—Gabriel never thought he’d have that again, and he was shocked at how badly part of him longed for it.
It wasn’t safe, though. Not for him and not for Justin.
But this was only temporary. Less than two months and then he’d never see Justin again.
“Look, G. I’m not asking you to be my wingman next time I go trolling for a piece of ass,” Justin continued when the silence had stretched for too long. “I just want you to keep me from getting shot in the back.”
“Or the ass,” Gabriel muttered.
“Well, it is one of my best features.” Justin grinned wide, his white teeth catching some of the low, ambient light.
“I’m sure plenty of men have told you so.” Gabriel smirked, hiding his own surprise that he’d even said the words. Something about Justin seemed to drag the mocking, teasing comments out of him. Hell, he’d already spoken more on this job than any other in the past three years.
“Awww…G, are you jealous? If I’d known you would come into my life one day, I would have saved myself for you.”
Gabriel turned his head, feeling both flustered and amused. The man was ridiculous—serious one second and utterly irreverent the next.
“We’re good. I’ll watch your back and I won’t stick a knife in it,” Gabriel said, pulling them to the issue at hand.
“And I’ve got you, G. Ain’t nobody gonna get near your ass but me.”
As Justin laughed, he threw the car into drive and continued down the road. Gabriel closed his eyes, counting to ten. His body clenched at the image of being pinned and pounded into by Justin. Blood rushed to his groin, and he fought the urge to shift in his seat. He would not let Justin know how his words affected him. As far as he knew, Justin was straight and baiting him. Gabriel was not ashamed of being gay or his attraction to Justin. He’d just learned the hard way that letting anyone know the truth about his sexual orientation was a death sentence.