Shane’s pupils dilated and he shifted closer until his arm was pressed tightly to mine. “We don’t have to stay here for long, do we?” he asked quietly.
I fought back the shiver that wanted to run through my body at his husky, desperate words.
“Not long,” I assured him. “Go find a drink to your tastes. I just need to do some rounds and then we can go.”
His smile was blinding, and he nodded before he walked in the direction of the bar. As I watched him go, concern bit at me—what was I thinking? He could get a phone call at any time to go get tested. But rather than call him back, I blew out a breath and grabbed my phone from my pocket to stare at the screen. I’d made a picture of me and Carter the screensaver for over a year now, and I never wanted to change it, but seeing us smiling together always made the pain resurface, a reminder that I’d never see him again.
Shaking my head, I unlocked my phone and sent River a text message. I hadn’t talked to him in a few weeks. Between my own work and his, we’d both been busy, but we were the sort of friends who could go months without texting each other and then pick up where we left off.
Hey, I think I’m ready for a lifestyle change. You know anyone looking for a lawyer?
Every time in the past that he had offered me a job, I’d turned him down when I started overthinking it. Change meant risks that I wasn’t ready for back then. I never seriously discussed the opportunity with Carter, either, because I knew he’d tell me to do what I wanted, but we’d had too many bills, and I was never going to leave Carter to pay all of them if something went wrong.
“Caleb.”
I winced at my given name and forced a smile so I could face one of the partners with as much respect as I could muster. I hated Brickton. The bastard was smug, and he took every opportunity to rub things in my face, including the fact that I had a preferred name he refused to use.
“Mr. Brickton.”
Brickton was a tall man with broad shoulders and a trim waist. He was probably in his early fifties, but he looked no older than forty. He had the money to look after himself with face lifts and the best personal trainer. A year or so ago, Brickton had been gloating about hiring the same trainer Henry Cavill had, but I wasn’t sure I believed it.
“How are you tonight?” He took a sip of red wine, dark eyes narrowed in thought. His gray-infused brown hair had been slicked back like it always was at work, and he had on the fanciest suit I’d ever seen. I had no doubt it was a name brand that would make my wallet scream in agony.
“Fine, thank you, sir.” My gaze roamed the room, trying to find a route of escape. Brickton was the last person I wanted to talk to.
“I see you have a young man on your arm tonight. Didn’t take you long.”
The words were a double whammy—knife to the heart and a punch to the gut. I breathed in deeply through my nose, but it didn’t matter how much I tried, I couldn’t make myself smile this time. “He’s my partner’s brother.”
“Your dead partner.” Brickton’s smirk begged to be beaten off that smug face.
“Yes, sir. Carter died about six months ago.”
“Such a pity. He seemed really talented.” He took another sip of his wine, his stare not leaving my face. Obviously he wanted to get a reaction out of me. Well, fuck him.
“He was.”
“A shrink, right?”
“A research psychologist.” I raised my chin, wishing I hadn’t given away that champagne. With nothing to do with my hands, I shoved them into the pockets of my pants.
“Hm.” He raised his glass. “Good to see you again, Caleb.”
The moment he strode off, I found my ability to breathe again. I couldn’t count how many times I wondered what it would feel like to murder the bastard. He had too many powerful friends for me to seriously consider starting trouble with him, though, and I couldn’t risk Shane’s safety or livelihood. He counted on me.
My phone buzzed in my pocket and I pulled it out again.
You know I’ll always have a job for you, West.
I smiled. I’ll take it.
Wait, are you serious?
Yes.
This time, there was nothing fake about my grin when I looked around the room. Fuck these bastards.
Shane returned with two short tumblers of whiskey and passed me one. “What’s got you smiling?”
I swallowed the whiskey in one gulp. “I’ll tell you later. How about we get out of here?”
His frown was fucking adorable. “But we just got here.”
Leaning in closer, I kept my voice quiet, just for him. “Daddy wants to fuck your nice, tight hole.”
Shane’s eyes widened and he downed his drink, throwing the empty on a passing caterer’s tray. The poor guy nearly dropped the whole load of drinks, and he glared at Shane as he continued to hurry by. “Let’s go, then, Daddy.”
I practically dragged Shane out of there, not even bothering to say goodbye to Anna. I wanted my boy and I wanted him now.
Chapter 11
Shane
My stomach was so twisted with excitement that I could barely think as West dealt with asking the valet to bring his car around. I wasn’t sure what had made him change his mind about fucking me sooner, but I wanted it bad, and I wasn’t going to say or do anything that might change his mind. The night air seemed colder than I thought it should be, but a bead of sweat ran down my temple and over my cheek. I moved to wipe it away and had to try twice because my fingers were so uncoordinated.
West slid up beside me as the valet left to get the car, and he put his arm around my waist, dragging me close. I stumbled into him and caught myself with a hand on his chest. When I glanced up, his expression was closed off and unreadable and had my gut jumping even worse.
“Daddy? I can’t wait for you to take me home.”
He smiled and leaned in, kissing me. I was lost in the heat of his mouth and the way his fingers dug into my back as he pulled me closer. The whiskey tasted better on his tongue than it had in the glass. His hard muscles felt so good pressed close to me, and his skin smelled clean and fresh. I wanted everything he had to give and then some. Excited and happy, I moaned and sucked the smoky flavor from his tongue.
“Okay, now I get it,” a man somewhere behind us said with a laugh. The smell of tobacco, like cherries buried in fall leaves, drifted to us, and West stopped kissing me to look toward the person talking. Brickton stood there, smoke wafting upwards from a cigar in his hand. Anger curled through me. I didn’t miss the way he stared at me like he was missing out on something.
“Get what?” West asked, but his voice was rough from what we’d been doing. He slid his hand down to my lower back and held me close.
“He always attack you that way? Jesus, I’ve had hookers put less effort into it. Kid, if you want, you could come home with me and I’d take a lot better care of you than this one can.” He chuckled, a low obnoxious sound, and I flinched with it. The Toyota pulled to a stop in front of us with the valet scowling behind the wheel.
West smiled, but I didn’t miss the way his jaw was hard, or how his nostrils flared. “Why don’t you go fuck yourself, Brickton?”
The man’s cigar fell out of his hand and he went still as a statue, but West didn’t seem to care. He turned his back on him and opened the door for me. I slipped inside, my stomach trembling. West moved around and gave the valet a few bucks before he got in behind the steering wheel. Outside Brickton bent down to pick up his cigar, but by that time, West was already driving us away from him.