Chapter Six
Rather than going to his room first, Rhodes borrowed Mickey’s shower and a set of clothes.
He couldn’t let Cairo see him covered in blood.
The house was silent. It had taken them hours to carry out a plan that created maximum damage with no risk to themselves.
If Hugh forced their hands again, they would simply send in the Agafonov family to gut the entire organization.
The Agafonov brothers were a group of trained assassins and spies Beau had brought to live with them.
They were the most sought-after group in the country if someone needed to be killed.
There was no one they couldn’t reach. That was why it was good to have them on their side.
With the blood washed away, Rhodes headed for the room he now shared with Cairo.
It was empty. Rhodes' brow furrowed as he searched every corner. He backtracked. Beau and Kylo had already retired for the night, so Cairo wouldn’t be in the playroom.
He ran into Fletch on the way down the stairs.
Since Fletch was in pajamas and carrying snacks, Rhodes doubted he knew anything, but Rhodes had to ask someone.
“Hey, man. Have you seen Cairo?” Rhodes was surprised how friendly he sounded, considering he was terrified.
Something dark passed over Fletch’s face. He took a few seconds before answering, as if he questioned if he should. “Last time I saw him, he was in the kitchen.” Without another word, Fletch stepped around him and continued his way up the stairs.
Rhodes had no clue what he could have done to piss off Fletch.
Unless he blamed Rhodes for James. Fuck.
Sometimes there were no right answers. Rhodes practically jogged to the kitchen.
He was a lot more worried than he cared to admit.
Rhodes spent a lot of time expecting Cairo to disappear at any given moment.
The thought scared the fuck out of him. When he burst into the kitchen and found Cairo sitting on a stool at the kitchen island, a tsunami of relief washed over him.
For half a second, anyhow. Then he took in the scene and his heart stopped.
Cairo wore footie one-piece pajamas that looked like a dog.
He tightly held his stuffie. The tip of his nose and his eyes were blood red.
Tears flowed freely down his cheeks. He kept swiping his face on the stuffed dog’s head as broken stuttered breaths left him.
It was obvious he had been crying hard for a long time.
A box of cereal and an unused bowl sat in front of him.
Rhodes was across the room in a flash. He wrapped his arms around Cairo. “Oh my god, sweetie. What’s wrong?”
Cairo’s entire body shook as he took a breath. “I waited for you for dinner.”
Realization had his eyes falling closed. Goddamn it. He had asked to take Cairo out to dinner tonight. “Shit. I’m so sorry.”
Cairo’s voice got shakier, as if he hadn’t hit the pinnacle of his breakdown yet. “Your hair is wet. You’re wearing different clothes. I’m sorry I played dress-up and forced you to find someone else.” He cried harder. “I swear I can be a good boy.”
Something died inside Rhodes. This wasn’t manipulation. Cairo genuinely believed he had chased Rhodes into someone else’s bed. He one hundred percent thought he was bad, and Rhodes had punished him. He didn’t know how to fix this.
Rhodes cupped Cairo’s face and forced him to hold his stare.
“There is no one else out there I want. You are everything to me and the only person who shares my bed. You’re it for me.
I showered and changed clothes so I wouldn’t come to you covered in blood.
When Beau or Henry tells me to jump, I don’t have any other choice.
But you never have to worry I’m out there cheating, because I’m not like that. ”
If Cairo believed him, Rhodes couldn’t tell.
When he looked at Cairo, all he saw was someone shattered.
Rhodes didn’t know how to fix anything. He never had.
There was no way Cairo understood how badly Rhodes wanted to be his hero.
Rhodes never got to be the good guy. With that depressing thought drowning him, Rhodes glanced toward the empty bowl. “Have you eaten anything yet?”
“There’s no milk.” Cairo started crying again, and Rhodes hated himself a little more. While Cairo didn’t have a phone, so Rhodes could keep him posted, he could’ve stopped and texted any of the guys to pass along his message. He had genuinely forgotten their plans in the face of James’ strife.
“Okay.” Even to his ears, Rhodes sounded sad.
“Let’s do this.” He took Cairo’s hand and helped him off the stool.
Rhodes dipped into Beau’s office first and found the drawer filled with phones for anyone’s use.
They already had service. All Rhodes had to do was program the number into his phone and hand Cairo the device.
“Now, let’s eat.” Rhodes went straight to the garage, grabbed the first key fob he saw and strapped Cairo into the passenger’s seat. In no time, they were off to a nearby fast-food place with car hops so they didn’t even have to leave the vehicle. Nothing but silence filled the air.
Rhodes didn’t ask what Cairo wanted. Cairo would probably pick a kid’s meal—that wasn’t enough food to feed a squirrel—just so he wouldn’t burden Rhodes. There would be no more of that bullshit.
With their food ordered, he gave Cairo his full attention. He still hugged his dog with one arm and held the phone with his other hand. It hadn’t occurred to Rhodes that Cairo likely didn’t have pockets.
Rhodes took the phone and set the device in the console tray. “There. We’ll get it when we get back home.”
Cairo no longer cried, but his eyes still looked like a kicked puppy’s. “You got me a big boy meal.”
Rhodes didn’t miss a beat. “That’s because you’re a big boy now. You need more food than a little kid.”
Cairo nodded. “Okay.”
The knowledge he hadn’t gotten his chance to kill Hugh was a hot coal in his gut. “What happened to the makeup?”
Cairo’s eyes slid away. “I took a shower and got ready for bed.”
That was likely half true. But he had already inadvertently told Rhodes he thought Rhodes had found someone else because of that look.
Rhodes was trying to reopen that line of communication.
He couldn’t let Cairo carry that mistaken belief in silence, letting that fear eat away at their relationship.
“I really am sorry I didn’t find someone to deliver you a message. We were pretty focused on a problem that needed taken care of.” He wouldn’t tell Cairo anyone had gotten hurt because of him. Not being able to tell Cairo exactly what he had been doing—no doubt—added to Cairo’s anxiety.
“You live at someone else’s mercy. That’s something I understand.” Cairo absently toyed with a scar across his wrist Rhodes hadn’t noticed before now. It broke his heart to think about how much Cairo had suffered. He deserved a soft life. Rhodes was determined that was exactly what Cairo would get.
Everything inside Cairo ached. He had been so happy this morning. Now he couldn’t stop the black clouds that kept closing in on him. As they ate in silence, he felt the weight on his chest lift. A laugh escaped him after he ate his last fry.
A sweet smile popped to Rhodes’ lips. “I love that sound. Do I get to hear the joke?”
Cairo warmed inside. He was so lucky to have Rhodes. Cairo hated the way the past undermined him. “I just realized I was more hangry than anything.”
A huge grin split Rhodes’ face. “That’s okay. It happens to everyone.”
Cairo made a helpless gesture. “I suffer a lot of food insecurity. At least I’m self-aware.”
Rhodes wasn’t smiling any longer.
Cairo really needed to learn when to stop talking. “Sorry.” He mumbled the apology. No one wanted to hear about his trauma.
“Don’t be sorry. I should fill the fridge and cabinets in the room. Since I usually grab food from whatever the family is eating, I don’t keep much in the room.”
“You have beer.” Cairo knew that much. Searching Rhodes’ room was the first thing he tried.
Rhodes grabbed the phone he had given Cairo.
He clicked around for a few before setting the device aside again.
“I just downloaded a food delivery app and signed you into my account. Since I already have a payment method saved, all you have to do is order whatever you want. They have restaurants and grocery stores to choose from. Just get whatever you want anytime you need. Hopefully, there won’t be too many nights like tonight.
Beau is about eighty percent retired, but he’ll always have enemies.
Thankfully, most people are too scared of his wrath to cross him.
Every now and then, someone feels froggy again and tries him. ”
Cairo smiled. “Feels froggy? I haven’t heard anyone say that in a long time.”
They shared a glance and laughed. Cairo felt lighter.
“I hate that it seems like I make your life harder every time you turn around. But I hope you know I like you a lot, and I really want to be with you.” Cairo felt his cheeks heat.
“Maybe I’m unlearning a lot of things, but I know you’re amazing.
Sometimes I just—” Cairo’s hands rose and fell.
He didn’t know what he was trying to say.
Rhodes took Cairo’s hand and brought it to his lips. The heat between them immediately cloyed the air. Cairo knew he was lacking in a million ways, but he fully intended to work his ass off to keep this.
“My life isn’t harder. You’ve given me a reason to get up every day. There’s no way you can know how much I need you in my life. You’re all I think about. I can never get back to you quickly enough. You’re under my skin.”
God, he made Cairo feel things. He hadn’t expected to live this long, much less find this amazing thing growing between them. He made Cairo strong and brave in ways he had never been before.
“I really want you to hold me.”
At his confession, Rhodes kissed his hand again and then put the car in reverse. Cairo couldn’t tear his gaze away. He didn’t look to see where they went. It wasn’t until Rhodes turned down a wooded road that Cairo noticed they weren’t home.
Rhodes pulled over and grabbed a blanket from the back. “Come on.”
Cairo climbed from the car, unsure of their destination. It didn’t help that he wore footed pajamas and no shoes. He had to step gingerly.
Rhodes obviously noticed. He swept Cairo off his feet. “Don’t worry. I’ve got you.”
Cairo wrapped his arms around Rhodes’ neck.
He would go anywhere with Rhodes. A hammock came into view.
It had the perfect view of the full moon.
Rhodes climbed into the hammock with Cairo in his arms. He made it look easy, while Cairo had never mastered a hammock in his life.
Not that he had been presented with many opportunities.
Rhodes covered them with the blanket.
Cairo stared at the moon. “It’s beautiful here. Wherever here is.”
Rhodes snuggled up like he planned to hold Cairo all night. “We’re on Beau’s land. It’s just a secret little spot he carved out to spend time completely alone with Kylo. I doubt he plans to use it tonight.” Rhodes kissed his ear, making chill bumps rise on his skin.
Cairo smiled at the sensation. Peace and happiness were all he knew.
He couldn’t stop himself from turning his head and capturing Rhodes’ lips.
Their kisses were slow and sweet. Cairo felt warm and fuzzy inside.
Rhodes didn’t try to seduce him or try for more at all.
They just savored the way their lips felt when they touched.
He wanted to spend his life right where they were.
For the first time, the truth sank in. Rhodes, honest to God, didn’t care what Cairo wore or what personality shone through day by day.
He just wanted to be with Cairo. His eyes stung at the realization.
For once, something really real was happening to him.
It grew bigger with every passing moment.
He wanted this. Whatever it took, Rhodes would always be his.