“And he’ll be able to tell us what we need to know,” Hashtag announced. “I’ve already given him a heads-up as to why we need him. I figured that way he’d have the information at his fingertips.” Hashtag met Horvan’s gaze. “What’s your estimate on the mission time?”
“We’d better signal Crank when we have Dellan ready to go. If it takes us more than ten minutes, we could be screwed. Because someone will spot the chopper.”
Hashtag nodded in agreement. “That sounds about right.” He looked Rael up and down. “First thing tomorrow morning, you’ll need to go shopping.”
Rael frowned. “For what, exactly?”
Hashtag’s eyes twinkled. “Well, unless you came here prepared with clothing suitable for a military operation….”
Rael blinked, then glanced at Horvan. “Looks like I’m going shopping.”
“I’ll come with you,” Horvan told him. Rael gave him a grateful smile, and Horvan knew all was well between them.
“Yeah, good idea. We don’t want you coming back with something that makes you stand out in a crowd,” Crank said with a grin. “You know, like a little black sequined number?”
“Gee, I didn’t even think about that.” Rael rolled his eyes. “What do you take me for?”
Roadkill guffawed. “Watch out, Crank. The kitty has claws too.”
Crank widened his eyes. “Hey, remember that op we did where Horvan drew the short straw and had to put on that miniskirt?” He cackled.
Hashtag broke out laughing. “Remember his legs?”
“Legs nothing,” Horvan growled. “The head and at least two inches of dick fell out when the tape job went tits-up.”
“Oh my God.” Rael’s jaw dropped. “Tell me there are pictures.”
Hashtag opened his mouth to say something, but Horvan cut him off. “Remember, I’m a meat eater.”
That earned him a tilt of Hashtag’s head. “Yeah, so?”
Horvan speared him with a look. “You’re meat.”
There was a moment of silence before everyone burst into laughter. Hashtag gave a shiver. “Teddy bear my ass.” He reached over and squeezed Rael’s shoulder. “You know we’re all praying that you can get through to Dellan, right? Because if we can get him to come with us, climb the stairs to the roof, and get onto the chopper, it’ll make things simpler. But that all balances on one thing—your rapport with him.”
Rael nodded slowly.
Horvan was aware of the waves of stress coming from him. He needed some alone time with his mate. “Is that it?” he asked Hashtag.
“For now. Once we’ve talked to the doc, we’ll know what to get for the tranquilizer gun and hopefully where to get it. Later we’ll make a start on the placards. Roadkill can do the printing,” Hashtag said firmly.
“Hey, I can do that too,” Crank protested.
“Roadkill can do the printing,” Hashtag repeated, his tone even firmer.
Crank stuck out his chin and grumbled, muttering.
“I have a question,” Rael said suddenly. “How do you intend to get us into the office? There are no locks that I could see. That secretary opened a panel with a remote.”
“If cleaners can get in, so can we. I’ll bet the security guards have a remote.” Hashtag smiled confidently. “With the mayhem we’re going to create, it should be easy to get hold of one.”
Horvan glanced around. “Any more questions?” Everyone shook their heads. “In that case, I’m going to bed.” He got up off the arm of the couch and held out his hand to Rael. “Correction—we’re going to bed.” Rael nodded, took his hand, and Horvan hauled him to his feet. “See you in the morning, guys.”
They left the room to a chorus of good-nights. As he closed the bedroom door behind him, Horvan chuckled.
“They’re improving. We didn’t get a series of catcalls about keeping the noise down or not doing anything they wouldn’t do.”
Rael bit his lip. “Ah. Yes. That’s my fault.” When Horvan gave him an inquiring glance, Rael sighed. “I… sort of told them we’re not having sex.”
Horvan stilled. “O-kay. I’m assuming you had your reasons.”
“They asked,” Rael said with a shrug.
When nothing else was forthcoming, Horvan sighed. “I’m never gonna hear the end of this.” He pulled Rael into his arms. “It’s okay. All I want to do right now is climb into bed with you and snuggle until we fall asleep.”
Rael’s face lit up. “That sounds perfect.”
They got undressed in silence, slipped beneath the sheets, and Horvan curled around Rael’s body, inhaling his scent.
“Horvan?”
“Hmm?”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Sure. Just don’t blame me if I fall asleep midanswer.” Now that he was in bed, fatigue had really set in.
“It’s about what you said in there… about Hashtag having skills… with his tongue?”
Shit. Horvan should have known Rael wasn’t going to brush it aside that easily. “Okay,” he said after a moment. “We’ve exchanged a couple blow jobs in the past—and I’m gonna repeat that part—in the past. He’s not into guys, I’m not into him. It was….”
“Just sex?”
“Yeah.” Before he could say another word, Rael placed his hand over Horvan’s heart.
“It’s okay, honest. Hell, I’m no saint. I have a past too. Just… making sure it’s not going to happen again.”
Rael might have made those last words sound like a statement, but Horvan didn’t miss the catch in his voice. He rolled on top of Rael, pinning him to the mattress. Rael’s breathing quickened.
“No one but you, sweetheart. You and Dellan, from now on.” Fuck, Rael felt good. Horvan undulated his body, his own heartbeat speeding up when Rael responded, his hands on Horvan’s back, his dick hardening against Horvan’s belly.
“Fuck… we said we….” Rael moaned softly, and Horvan nuzzled into his neck, losing himself in Rael’s scent, the feel of warm skin, a lean body, and the hard heat that Horvan longed to take into his mouth.
Fuck, Horvan, I want that too, but we can’t….
Then Horvan stilled when an image flitted through his mind. Dellan in his cage, pacing.
Waiting.
With a supreme effort, he rolled off Rael, curled around his back, and wrapped his arms around Rael’s waist. “I’m sorry,” he whispered.
“Nothing to apologize for,” Rael replied instantly. He covered Horvan’s hands with his own. “In fact… it gives me something to look forward to.”
Horvan kissed his shoulder. You and me both. His thoughts returned to Dellan.
It is going to work, isn’t it? We can pull this off?
If Horvan believed in anything, it was his friends. Yeah. We can do this.
They had to. Three lives were depending on it.
THEY WALKED slowly along Nineteenth Street, heading for home, carrying their purchases. Rael had been quiet for the last fifteen minutes, and Horvan had caught quick flashes of thought, nothing more.