Chapter Five
The Estate
Monday
Six P.M.
After the daunting job of picking out the coffins for his parents, Poe ended up with two matching ones, and a whole lot of tears were shed during the process. It wasn’t easy by any means.
Luckily for him, Gamble held him up because without him, he would have just left with nothing done.
In fact, he’d carried the weight of the whole thing. It was Gamble who listened and purchased the caskets, and it was Gamble who made sure Poe was protected during that horrible job.
It was also Gamble who bribed the mortuary owner to make sure that if the media showed up there, that they were directed elsewhere.
Truth be told, Poe was falling apart, and this day was getting worse with each passing moment, despite finding out that Gamble had followed him there.
Poe wasn’t sure how much more he could take. All he wanted was for this part of his life to be done. Basically, his parents buried so he could move on.
Now, as they were pulling into the estate, the media was at the gate, and they were in the way.
Oh, and Gamble was in no mood.
He.
Was.
Cranky.
It had been rough watching someone he loved fall apart over and over again, and it reminded him of his own past and pain.
The paparazzi in his way?
That was ANNOYING.
As they got in between him and the gate, he gunned the Bentley, daring them to step in front of him.
Luckily for them, they didn’t because he probably would have mowed them down, gotten Poe to the airport, and disappeared with his man to escape.
Yeah, that’s how testy he was.
As he parked the vehicle in the garage, and out of the photographer’s line of sight, Gamble noticed that Poe was silent.
“Want to take a walk to clear your head?” he asked the man, trying to distract him.
Poe simply nodded.
Oh, boy.
Gamble didn’t like how despondent he was, and he wasn’t sure how to pull him from it. Only, he knew he had no choice but to do just that.
As they walked across the courtyard, hand-in-hand, Poe said nothing.
Maybe a direct approach was the best way.
“How do I make it better?” Gamble asked. “I feel like I’m failing, and I’m at a disadvantage here. I’m not Doctor Poe Seville.”
Poe was surprised that the man didn’t realize he was already helping in ways he couldn’t even articulate.
“Just keep being here for me. Hold me when I’m scared, and don’t leave me. I’ll be okay. I don’t feel hopeless anymore. I’m just mourning.”
Gamble could do that. He put his arm over his shoulder and tucked him into his side.
“I won’t ever leave you, Poe. We’re starting a life together,” he said.
“Then, that’s all I need for now,” Poe admitted.
There was no doubt that Gamble was struggling because he was trying to help fix him, but the only thing that would do that was time.
This had to run its course.
As they reached the stables, the two grooms were cleaning up.
“Hey, Sir. The horse, the evil one, is testy right now. He’s tried to get out a few times,” he said.
Immediately, Gamble bristled. He didn’t like anyone calling Diablo evil.
Truth be told, he was misunderstood—like him.
Heading his way, he opened the gate, and he and Poe went inside to comfort the distressed animal. Diablo nuzzled Poe, sensing he was hurting.
That gave Gamble an idea.
“Want to take a ride for a bit?” Gamble asked. “You, me, and Diablo?” he asked, grabbing a blanket to put over Diablo’s back. “We can enjoy the end of the day together.”
Honestly, that sounded decent. Maybe he’d stop dwelling on death if he began living.
“Okay,” he said.
That he didn’t protest told Gamble all he needed to know. He had to find a way to cheer him up because he didn’t want Poe suffering like he had for months.
Leading Diablo out of the stall so they could take a walk, he used the rail to get up on his back as the two grooms just shook their heads at what they perceived as a risk.
What they didn’t know was he trusted Diablo with their lives. He’d saved them during gunfire, so he had his loyalty.
If an animal didn’t like you, there was probably a reason why.
When he was situated on the big horse’s back, he held out his hand, and Poe climbed up, sitting in front of him. He nestled into place, and would be lying if he said it didn’t feel nice to be against Gamble’s bigger body.
He could smell his aftershave and cologne, and it had mingled with Poe’s. They smelled like each other, and that was always erotic.
Gamble had one arm around his body, and his other was on Diablo’s mane, holding on.
With his heels, he nudged the horse, and they let him take them on a walk.
Wildly enough, Diablo was driving the bus.
As they moved along, Gamble had his arms around the man, and he was leaning into his body.
“This is nice,” Poe said. “Thank you for suggesting it to me.”
He left a kiss on his neck, and kept them connected through touch. From personal experience, he knew it soothed when the heart hurt.
“No, Baby, thank you,” he said. “I love riding with you on our menace,” he added, enjoying being with Poe so they could start their lives together.
Poe couldn’t think. The man behind him was leaving kisses on his neck, and that made him think about earlier in bed.
Jesus.
He only had a two-track mind.
The only thing bouncing around in his head were his parent’s deaths, and Gamble touching him. When he tipped his head, it gave Gamble better access to him, and he didn’t disappoint. His mouth was on his skin.
He could get accustomed to this.
Gamble ran his mouth up the side of Poe’s neck, his trust in Diablo evident. When his dick twitched, he stopped because this was about taking care of Poe, not his own libido.
As they wandered, Poe took in the scenery. It was a nice ride as they took in the late flowering bushes, and the orchard that was filled with fruit.
Of course, Diablo headed that way.
He was, after all, a whore for some apples. At least he was predictable, and they knew where to find him and his soon-to-be fat ass. It was a good thing he got plenty of exercise.
Poe actually laughed.
“Color me not surprised,” Poe stated. “He’s also going to be fat and not able to run if he doesn’t calm down on the apples. I’m sure he’s been having fun while I was away.”
Oh, he had been.
Apparently, Elizabeth was smitten with the horse and enjoyed feeding him apples and carrots as much as she could while she was watching them before they were flown here.
And wildly, Diablo loved her just as much.
Clearly, since he didn’t care that they were talking shit about him, Diablo ignored them and just kept doing his thing.
When they got to a group of trees, Gamble got off, and helped Poe down by grabbing him by his waist and hoisting him off of the horse to the ground.
“Hemmingway and I helped plant these trees,” he admitted. “The older ones were dying, and my mother wanted apples on the property. We had to be about seven at the time, so they are twenty-nine years old.”
Gamble grabbed the blanket on the horse, and put it down between two trees so they could enjoy the cooling evening air. Then, he grabbed a couple apples, and held out his hand.
“Join me?” he asked.
How could he say no to that?
He wasn’t crazy, so Poe joined him on the blanket.
As they kicked off their shoes, and sat there, Poe was leaning against Gamble’s body as they each had a little snack. Not far away, Diablo was three apples in as he was bellied up to the buffet.
“This is nice,” Gamble admitted, as Poe was comfortably against him.
To him, it honestly felt like they’d been a couple for a very long time. There was no new nerves, or worries. They just clicked together, perfectly.
“Mmmmhmmm,” Poe said.
Gamble was curious.
“What’s going on in your doctor head, my love?” he asked.
At the term of endearment, Poe’s mind was made up. Now, it was about getting Gamble onboard.
“We need to go,” he finally said.
Gamble stopped.
“Pardon? We just got here. Are you okay?” he asked, worried about him.
Poe was honest.
“After tomorrow’s wake, and the dinner after that I have to be at, we need to go back. I don’t want to be here anymore.”
While shocked, Gamble ate his apple, but he let the man talk.
“This isn’t home, Gamble. I feel lost here. I left here a long time ago. This isn’t the duty I want. Can we leave?” he asked.
The man had to know.
“Is this you really wanting to leave, or you wanting to leave because you think I’m unhappy here? Because, Poe, I’m eating an apple near my man, on a blanket in the orchard on an estate while no one shoots at me. I’m happily retired right now, and content.”
He focused on him.
“Would you hate going back?” Poe asked.
This was a fine line.
When he opened his mouth, Poe stopped him with one sentence.
“If we’re really a couple, and you meant what you said about marrying me, I need the truth, Gamble. I need the whole truth of what’s in your heart.”
Well, shit.
“Will you be happy back in the States too?”
Gamble had no choice.
“I’ll be happy there too, Poe, but don’t do this for me. I won’t be able to bear it if we leave because you think I am not happy. I’m very content here.”
Poe was honest.
“I hate it here.”
Oof.
Well, that was a whole other thing.
“Back to my earlier lie...”
Gamble lifted a brow.
Lies were never good in a relationship, and he knew it. Now, he had no clue where this was going.
“I said that I don’t believe in ghosts, but I’m haunted here. I feel them all around me, and I don’t want to live in that past. I want to live my happy life with you. I want to go back to the US where I’m a doctor and not a Duke. The UK isn’t my place anymore.”
Gamble was curious.
“And if we can’t go back to the farm?” he asked. “Because Von Donore is likely watching it, as far as we know. What if we had to be somewhere else?”
He was honest.
“I don’t care where I am there, as long as we’re together. I can’t be here. I thought it was duty, but the more I’m here, the more I realize that this place is going to break my spirit, and I’ll lose who I am.”
Well, shit.
Gamble had been broken, and he didn’t want that for Poe—ever.
He continued.
“I want to be where I can be happy, and I’m not happy. I’m freaking the fuck out. I don’t feel British. I feel like I’m visiting. I think America made me an American. I think that I’d rather live there.”
Well, he believed him.
It wasn’t like they couldn’t return any time they needed to, but Gamble was honest.
“I can’t leave right away, Poe. I have a mission here.”
The man stared at him.
“You do?”
He slowly nodded, hoping he didn’t think that was the only reason he was there.
It wasn’t.
“Elizabeth needs us to find that crypto key. If it wasn’t with you at your farm, Poe, it has to be here. We can’t go back without it. The Hunters need it to use it as bait to lure in Von Donore. We won’t be safe without him handled. We’ll always look over our shoulders, and that won’t be good for longevity. I can protect you, but what if I’m out working and he gets you?”
He understood, and for the record, he didn’t like that idea at all. He’d been ‘gotten’ once, and it sucked.
Gamble waited.
“Then, we find the key, and go back?” he asked. “Can we go home?”
He nodded.
“I’m happy wherever you are. That’s all that matters to me. We’re safer here, for now, but at some point, The BlackStone Group will come for us. Von Donore is going to be hella pissed that your brother screwed him, and you escaped him. There will be war against you.”
Poe suspected as much.
“Is it possible for you to keep us safe while we’re here?” he asked.
Oh, what Poe didn’t realize was that he was scanning the area and hyper-alert of his surroundings to ensure just that. The Marine was always on duty.
To reassure him, Gamble lifted his chin, and captured his mouth with his. The kiss was warm, sweet, and Gamble tasted like apple.
Poe fell into it, and it wasn’t long before the man moaned in pleasure as it swamped him. Now, this was how he wanted to spend his time.
This.
Right.
Here.
Before Poe knew it, he was on his back, and Gamble was over him, making love to his mouth. The kisses were heated, and he was devouring him.
Someone knew how to kiss because each one was deliciously wicked.
Holy shit.
This was one hell of a kiss.
As Gamble distracted the man with his mouth, he focused on Poe, and how good he felt beneath him. Their bodies fit together perfectly where they needed to. Poe was smaller than him, but he felt right below him.
As for where to live, honestly, he’d set up camp in a box by the train tracks to be with him.
He was home in Poe’s heart.
Now, he just had to help heal the man and keep him safe.
Never let it be said that he wasn’t up for a little making out, because Gamble was down with it. Plus, this kept Poe busy as he was plundering his mouth.
Oh, and Poe was actively participating.
His hands were in Gamble’s hair, and he was kissing him back. The kiss had them both riled up in all of the good ways.
There was no better place to be than on that blanket, in the setting sun, as their horse munched away.
And it was peaceful.
Slowly, Gamble broke the kiss, and for the first time in his life, he felt whole.
“I love kissing you,” he admitted. “It’s the best feeling in the world.”
Poe was staring up at him.
“I mean, I can think of something better, Mate,” he added, winking. “Here’s your hint. It involves squirty cream, and not the kind in the store.”
It caught him off guard, and Gamble laughed.
“Well, yeah,” he said. “You have an amazing ass that lures me in. You’d be naked now if Diablo wouldn’t stare. He’s a gossipy bitch.”
The man flat on his back couldn’t be more in love if he tried. Then, to prove he could, his heart fell more in love with Gamble when he peppered his face with kisses, and shared his heart with him.
“I’ll love you forever, Poe Seville. Don’t forget that,” he admitted. “You were made for me.”
Poe sighed.
This man undid him.
“Oh, Gamble,” he whispered. “I don’t know what I did to get you, but I’m grateful.”
He knew.
“You saved me, and now, I’ll save you.”
Those were beautiful words.
As they cuddled, the sun was going down not far away, and it was kissing the tops of the trees. Gamble handed Poe another apple, and he had a snack.
They sat there until it was dusk, and Diablo had eaten about ten apples.
Because he was a greedy horse.
It was when he laid down on the ground, and rolled around next to them that Poe laughed.
“You’re ridiculous, Mate,” he admitted. “So undignified. You’re apple drunk.”
The horse neighed, as they all laid there. Gamble was holding Poe, and he was running his hand up and down the horse’s head to show him love too.
This was perfect.
Gamble almost wanted to propose.
ALMOST.
Only, he knew he needed the ring he’d gotten for his man, and unfortunately, it was in his rucksack. If they were going to get engaged, Gamble had to give him something.
Then, he had a way to commemorate the moment.
“I have something for you,” he said.
Poe looked over, and sat up.
“What?” he asked.
Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a chain. On the chain were his dog tags.
Poe watched him.
“When a guy is deploying, he gives one of his tags to his person. So they can hold on until he gets back. I’m not leaving, so I want to give you both so you can see them and know that I love you.”
Poe’s heart skipped.
“They are a promise from me,” he admitted. “That as soon as we can, we’ll get married and be a family. You, me, our damaged dog, and our insane horses—specifically this one.”
His heart skipped in his chest.
“This is a promise that I’ll be yours forever. I’ve never given them away. A part of me knew deep down that Storm wasn’t the one for me, and I never gave them to her. You’re the first and only person I’ve trusted them with,” he admitted.
God.
Poe was so in love.
“Will you accept my promise that there is more?” he asked.
He didn’t hesitate.
“I’d love to wear them,” he admitted. “I want the world to know that I’m yours.”
That gave Gamble so much peace.
How could he not?
He’d found his happily ever after.
HIS.
PERSON.
With gentle fingers, he unbuttoned the top of his shirt, and Gamble put the chain over his neck so he could guard it now.
That was the last piece of himself he had left before he had to die and be buried at Arlington next to Maura and Jagger.
Poe picked up one, and as he read it, something caught him off guard.
“They say Captain Gamble Holloway,” he stated.
Oh, he was aware.
“That’s all of him that remains,” he said. “He was interred with full Marine honors. I just wanted you to have that piece of Gamble Holloway before he was gone forever.”
With tenderness and adoration, Poe touched his face.
“He’s not gone. He lives in my heart. He’s the man who I made love to in a grotto, and went swimming with in a pond—to my surprise. I’ll carry those memories forever with me, even as you’re a new person. You’ll always be in my heart.”
And that was the opening he needed.
“Forever? Even if he’s dead?”
Poe reassured him.
“My sweet man, he’s never gone. He’s always…,” he began, and realized he’d walked into his own trap. Someone just shrinked him good.
Gamble laughed.
“Oh, Gamble. You’re a tricky fellow, aren’t you?” he asked. “You just turned that around to help me get through this. Bravo, Mate. Bravo.”
The Marine shrugged.
“I mean, you said something similar about my daughter,” he admitted.
Yes, yes, he had.
“I walked right into that, and you just mind fucked the mind fucker. Mate…you play dirty.”
All was fair in love and war.
Apparently.
“Do I? I’m not sure what you’re talking about, Doctor Seville,” he said. “Hey, when we get married, how does that work? Will you be Doyle? Will I be a Seville? Is there a protocol since you’re a Duke.”
Poe was honest.
“I’ll always be the Duke of Gordon, without a mention of my name, but I thought we could take each other’s name. You could be Arthur Seville-Doyle, and I can be Poe Seville-Doyle. I want us to be one, and if we have kids for them to be the same. OURS.”
Truthfully, Gamble had never been loved like that. Storm kept her maiden name, and he’d not fought it, despite it hurting him that she’d rather not carry his name. Yes, she said it was because she didn’t trust men, but shouldn’t she have trusted her husband?
Apparently, not.
That should have been his first sign of trouble.
“I think I’d like that,” Gamble admitted.
Poe was to the point.
“Well, if my man ever proposes,” Poe said. “Anytime in the next week would be nice. I mean, I’m free right now, and there’s a beautiful sunset and a horse. This screams proposal material in the movies.”
He couldn’t help it.
Gamble laughed.
“Someone is bossy. I find that irrationally sexy in a man,” he said, going to kiss him.
Only, that’s when Diablo perked his ears, and then got up on his feet.
FAST.
That put a stop to the kiss. Instead, Gamble listened, and he heard something not far away. It was faint, but he wasn’t taking any chances.
“We’re out of here,” he said, pulling Poe to his feet, placing the blanket on the horse, and then getting Poe into place on his back. “Stay with Diablo, and don’t leave his side,” he said, as he took his hands off of Poe’s waist.
“Gamble,” he said, fear in his eyes.
“I love you, Poe. Diablo, go home,” he said, slapping him on the ass, as Poe had no choice but to hold on for dear life as the horse took off.
Now, Gamble was on his own, and that was the best way for a ghost to work.
Making sure Diablo got the precious cargo the hell out of there, Gamble went into work mode.
It was time to be a Marine.
Stepping backward into the shadows of the apple tree, he scanned the area looking for anything out of place.
He didn’t see anything.
Only, Gamble knew that horse.
Diablo was stubborn, and he didn’t get spooked easily. He picked something up that he hadn’t heard in the distance.
That meant someone was lurking.
For Gamble, that wasn’t a good thing. There would only be one person who would dare send anyone to that estate.
Von Donore.
As he silently moved toward the outer edge of the orchard, there were footprints in the soft dirt by the river.
Oh, shit.
Someone had been there.
Spying on them.
As he stood there, it was a clear shot toward where they’d been making out on that blanket. Now, someone knew that Poe wasn’t just his doctor.
They knew that he was vital and vice versa.
That gave Von the edge unless he could find the creeper and end his life.
Now that night was falling, the person lurking had seemed to disappear, and he knew who he’d be tracking.
Another soldier.
Gamble would bet on it.
That person had managed to get damn close to him, and that took skill.
Now, Gamble knew the cold, hard truth.
They were running out of time, and that was trouble for them. For the next day, he just needed to keep Poe close, and his eye on him.
In the darkness of the trees, he followed the tracks, and saw that they moved down the riverbed for a while. It was when he saw they moved back across that he had no choice.
Gamble did what he did best.
He tracked a mercenary.
Because he didn’t like people sneaking around the estate where Poe was.
There was no doubt that they were going to have to get out of there. He was willing to bet that Von Donore was back up and operational Stateside.
It appeared that they were hunted once again.
* * * Poe & Gamble * * *
The Stable
An Hour Later
It was the longest hour of Poe’s life. The ride back only took five minutes, but the wait for Gamble to show up there…
It felt like forever.
Luckily, Poe managed to get back to the stable without getting his neck broken on Diablo, and that in itself was no small miracle.
The horse ran, but oddly, this time, he was far more cautious with him riding on his back—like he knew. Maybe he finally liked him, or being back home reminded him of Hemmingway.
They did look alike.
For the time being, he was in the stable, tucked into the stall with Diablo.
Why was he hanging out with the horse? Well, maybe because he didn’t know where to go.
If someone was on the estate, they could be anywhere. Five hundred acres was a lot of space to hide, and without Gamble with him, he was freaked out.
As he stayed with the horse, it wasn’t long before he heard footsteps.
Poe held his breath and tucked himself back behind Diablo where it was anywhere but safe. Only, he’d rather get kicked by the horse than taken away from Gamble again.
The footsteps got closer.
When Diablo nodded his head in greeting, Poe knew who it wouldn’t be.
A killer.
Instead, it was his man.
“Poe,” Gamble whispered. “Did you listen and stay with Diablo?” he asked.
He moved to the side of the horse.
“I’m in here,” he said, as the stall opened, and Gamble appeared inside with him.
Poe could finally breathe again.
“Are you okay?” Gamble asked, going to him, and holding the man.
Poe nodded and breathed in the scent of Gamble to get calmed down.
It was cathartic.
And home.
“Who was it?” he asked.
Gamble wished he knew, and he had bad news for his mate.
“I tracked them, but they were gone. Someone was spying on us, Poe. They likely saw us making out in the orchard. They now know we’re more than just friends and doctor-patient.”
Oh, fuck.
“Oh, no,” Poe whispered. “That’s not good, is it?” he asked.
No, it wasn’t.
“If they get one of us, mainly me, they’ll lure you out,” he said. “I need you to promise me that if they get me, Poe, you don’t go to them.”
Poe had tears in his eyes.
“Promise me. I can escape. If they leave the country, I’ll never see you again.”
“Then don’t get caught,” he stated. “Because if it means being with you for the last hour of my life, Gamble, I’m not dying alone. I’ll be with you.”
Shit.
“Poe.”
He stopped him.
“Don’t ask that of me,” Poe said. “You can’t ask me to leave you behind, like I couldn’t ask you to do that to me. We’re equal in this, and I can’t lose you. We fight this together.”
Tears dripped, and Gamble wiped them away. What he felt for this man was immeasurable.
“Okay, my love,” he said, kissing him softly on the lips. “It’s okay. Calm down. We’ll do this as a team.”
Poe would never calm down again. Not until Von Donore was gone.
As he stayed against Gamble, he knew they had a problem. Von had moved fast so they had to be one step ahead.
“What’s across the river, Poe?” Gamble asked. Oh, he’d gone there, but it all looked the same to him.
“Basically, it’s hunting lands. My father let people go there to hunt for game.”
Gamble was weighing his options, and Poe could tell.
“How important is it that you have that party tomorrow?” he finally asked.
Poe knew where this was heading. Someone was getting that twitchy feeling to get the hell out of there.
“The party is inconsequential. I can cancel it, but I have to have the wake. That’s nonnegotiable. It was my mother’s final wish, and I have to at least give her that since someone stole her life. She was only fifty-seven.”
He considered it.
“I need to make a call,” he said, keeping his voice down. “Let’s get up to the room, and stay in there while I do it. I want to be somewhere protected, and I don’t like being out in the open.”
Oh, well, say less. Poe was ready, so Gamble took his hand. Together, they went into the building, and he noticed it was quiet.
“Where is everyone?” Gamble asked.
Poe wasn’t sure if this was going to be good or bad news.
“Unlike my parents, I didn’t want people living here. I hired staff that had homes nearby. It seemed safer, considering what happened to the people who worked here previously.”
Okay, he had a point.
That might not be good for innocent people to linger considering.
“So we’re alone?”
He nodded.
“The only people still here are the grooms. I saw their cars in the driveway. They’ll be gone soon. They were likely waiting for Diablo to be in for the night.”
That worked for Gamble.
It was easier to keep them safe if they were the only ones there. Any sounds would get his attention, and he’d know it wasn’t staff moving around.
Now, he needed to make sure all of them were safe. The horses were in the stable, and there was one character not there.
Rufus.
To find his dog, he whistled.
As soon as he did, he heard barking, and the clippity clop of a cast on the floor as Rufus came toward them.
Now, his family was all together.
Taking Poe’s hand, he pulled him into the library, and pulled out his phone.
When he did, he sat on the couch with Poe beside him as he hit speed dial.
As the video call went through, it didn’t take long for Elizabeth’s face to come onto the screen.
“Oh, boy,” she said. “What happened?”
Well, never say she didn’t expect the worst like a Marine.
Gamble was honest.
“Nothing, but someone was spying on us. We were riding, and took a break in the orchard. The horse and I both felt it. There were prints, and the person disappeared.”
Elizabeth didn’t like this.
Not.
At.
All.
“Maybe you should think about coming back,” she admitted. “The Hunters can’t keep you safe across the pond, and neither can I. My hands are bound by political red tape and all that other foreign interference policy.”
“We can go back after my parent’s wake tomorrow,” Poe said. “I can be packed and in the car right after.”
Gamble knew they had to do one thing.
“We still haven’t located the key. It has to be here,” he admitted. “It’s not at Poe’s house, and that means there’s only one logical place. Do you have any more information?” he asked.
She shook her head.
“We can’t find anyone, and Von Donore is quiet. The government cut off his contracts so he’s laying low. We tagged his helicopter, but that is all over the map, so we think his partners are using it.”
That wasn’t good.
“What we know is politically, he’s on the outs, and that means The BlackStone Group will get bitchy at any possible moment. If he was irritated before that Hemmingway took it, imagine how cunty he’s going to be when their biggest source of income is cut off. Now, he’s going to have to sell his military men to the enemy. This is a huge mess.”
Unfortunately, Gamble was aware that it was about to be bad.
Poe got away from him, so he was going to be in his crosshairs.
“We’re going to keep looking tonight. Tomorrow is the wake, and it was his mother’s last wish. Then, we’ll reevaluate.”
She was to the point.
“I will have transport available as soon as you call,” she stated. “We can live without the key,” she said. “It’ll make it easier to lure him out, but it’s not worth yours and Poe’s lives. I don’t want to see you guys killed. I can’t get to you to help you, and I can’t sneak Zayn into the country.”
He laughed.
Oh, well, he pictured it. Zayn would stand out.
Now, Gamble knew it was up to him to keep them alive, and find that key.
This was his thing, and it was his duty to keep Poe safe.
While Maura ran ops, he could also do the same thing when need be. He extracted people too with a distraction. It was also his skill.
“We’re going to keep looking. We have the whole place to ourselves tonight. I have a gun, and we’ll be okay. Tomorrow, there will be people here.”
She was curious.
“How many people will be at your parent’s wake?” she asked.
Gamble looked over at Poe, and the man answered.
“Maybe forty-five max,” he offered. “Most of their friends who aren’t available have already contacted me to give their condolences, and sent flowers. So, it won’t be too big.”
The wheels in Gamble’s head were turning. That was a lot of people to try something in front of, so they might just have a chance to make it through the party. It would be the before and after that were tricky.
Von wouldn’t be ballsy enough to make a strike at them in public.
“I’ll update you,” he said. “We’re going to find that key. If it wasn’t with Poe, and it wasn’t in Afghanistan with any other soldier, it had to be sent back here when he died.”
Elizabeth was curious.
“Poe, how did you keep Von from killing you when he had you? I never asked.”
He shrugged.
“I made up a ton of shit like my brother calling me before his death and mentioning a footlocker. I was stalling for Gamble to save me.”
She hoped that at that very moment he was heading to Afghanistan to one of the bombed out and abandoned bases to start collecting footlockers.
“And you have this?” she asked Gamble.
What choice did he have?
“Yes.”
Well, she hoped he knew what he was doing.
Only, she’d learned to trust The Hunters, and to always trust one when he, or she, were guarding their loved ones. They could get downright feral.
And that was dangerous.
“Are you okay, Doctor? Do you need anything?” she asked.
He shrugged.
“Medication, or possibly sedation at this point.”
She laughed.
“Sir, we all need that. I meant more like a hug,” she added.
Poe reassured her.
“Gamble has been hugging me, granted, not enough, but he’s been busy. I’ll forgive him.”
The man shook his head.
“So greedy, and I’d like to remind you that we were just making out in an orchard,” he said, lifting his chin to kiss him on the mouth while Elizabeth was waiting.
When he broke it, Poe was breathless.
“We’re good,” Poe said. “Really. Really. Really. Good.”
She snorted.
“I see that, love birds. Just be careful,” she offered. “You know how things go to shit with little to no warning in our world, Gamble.”
She didn’t have to say it twice. Staying safe was the plan.
“I’ll call if we need you,” he admitted. “And thank you, Elizabeth,” he said.
She didn’t think it was for backup, but instead talking Gamble into following Poe. Honestly, she was glad it worked out.
For now.
They both had yet to survive this insanity.
With a nod, she was done.
“Blackhawk out.”
The call went dead.
As they sat there, Gamble was contemplating what they needed to do.
“Talk it out,” Poe said. “Then, we’ll handle it as a team.”
It was clear that he was feeling better. His mood was no longer dark, and he was trying to help.
That was good because they needed all of the help they could get at this point.
“We’re going to have to tear your brother’s room apart. We must have missed something.”
Poe didn’t think he did.
He really had been thorough when he took his things after his death. If the military shipped it back, Poe took it home.
To honor his twin.
“I brought everything home, but maybe my parents took something out of Hemmingway’s personal effects and put them in their room. That’s the only thing I can think of, Gamble.”
Well, then, they had two places to look.
The man’s room, and his parent’s room.
Getting up, Gamble pulled Poe to his feet, and the man grabbed Rufus to carry him up the stairs. Together, they headed toward Hemmingway’s shrine.
As Poe called it.
Once inside, they began going through everything that was there.
“How big will it be?” Poe asked. “Better yet, what the hell am I looking for anyway? What is a crypto key?”
Gamble explained it to him.
“That’s a good question. It depends on what the code is stored on. It could be a thumb drive. It could be a dot if it’s higher tech. It could be a sheet of paper with the code on it. It’s two hundred and fifty-six numbers long, so if it’s written down, it’ll just be a very long string of numbers.”
Well, that didn’t narrow it down because Poe hadn’t seen any of those things in his brother’s possessions.
This felt like a wild goose chase.
As they began going through his things, he sent a text to Elizabeth, asking for pictures of all of the items Poe had placed in the box for Von Donore. Since they got them back, maybe seeing them again would help him out.
Or Poe for that matter.
Then, he got back to searching for the elusive crypto key.
There were trophies.
There were books.
There were photographs.
All they knew was that Hemmingway hadn’t made it back here before his death, so it wouldn’t be somewhere he’d hide it.
It would be out in the open, or one of his parents put it away. There was still the chance that Liam Seville had spoken to his son, and put it somewhere.
Hemmingway could have mailed it for all they knew.
It could be lost in the mail.
They searched through pockets of clothing, and they even went through his shoes.
His desk.
His bed.
And still, nada.
The place was clear.
There was nothing there that looked like it held a fifty-million-dollar crypto key.
“Did your brother have a footlocker sent home?” he asked, thinking about what Poe had told Elizabeth.
“Nope. I made it up.”
Well, shit.
It was going to be a long night.
That was for sure.
After an hour, they sat on the edge of the bed, and had nothing to show of it.
Even Rufus was over it. He was asleep on the bed, ignoring the whole thing.
“We know they didn’t find it here, and we know your brother wasn’t here. That narrows it down,” Gamble said.
Poe was honest.
“At this point, I’m inclined to buy fifty million in cryptocurrency, write the key down, and give it to Von Douchebag so he leaves us alone.”
Gamble laughed.
“Oh, got a spare fifty million lying around?” he teased his mate.
Poe didn’t bat an eye. Instead, he did the same thing Gamble did earlier when he showed him his bank accounts. He logged into his, and handed him the phone.
When Gamble saw the number, he stared at Poe and said not a word.
“Is that going to freak you out?” he asked, knowing one of them was hyper-masculine, and more likely to be bothered by his mate having money.
And it wasn’t him.
Gamble was not sure what to say. He had so many zeroes in his account, that it was staggering.
“Gamble? Will that be a problem?” he asked again.
He blinked and recovered quickly.
“Hey, Sugar Daddy,” he said.
Poe began laughing.
“I mean, if that’s your kink, what can daddy buy his sugar baby?”
He snorted.
“No, it doesn’t bother me. I’m not nobility. For a kid who came from nothing, I think I did pretty good. Your wealth doesn’t hurt my masculinity. Oh, and I’d like two one-way tickets back to the US—since you’re asking, Sugar Daddy.”
Poe was just about on the verge of doing it.
“As for the plan to buy it and give it to Von, is that an option? As you can see, I don’t need it. That’s the family’s money. I have my own too.”
Gamble considered it.
“I mean, I can access the funds if that’s a good plan,” he stated. “It won’t take long to do it if you show me how to buy cryptocurrency. I’m not tech savvy.”
Gamble said nothing.
Poe wasn’t sure if he was considering it, or he was getting ready to freak out.
“If that’s not an option, how about buying a private island where I can watch you sunbathe nude? Asking for an already nervous man.”
Gamble started laughing.
“I mean, I tan well. I’m half-Native, so I won’t get sunburn like you will.”
Yes, yes, he was, and Poe was infinitely grateful for that every second of the day. The man was gorgeous, and he loved looking at his very sexy cheekbones.
God.
He could do that all day on that fictitious island they should buy.
“Again, I’m not worried about your wealth, and no, we’re not giving it to that assclown so more soldiers can die. He’d kill us anyway.”
Well, damn.
Instead of saying anything more, and since he was nervous, Poe kissed his man. It helped him steady his nerves.
When he broke it, Gamble grinned.
“I mean, more of that would be nice.”
Poe had to remind him.
“We should keep looking since time is running out,” he said. “Plus, I’ve managed to avoid discussing our money.”
Gamble stopped him.
“Our?”
Poe knew this might go bad. He knew about Gamble’s past and his childhood of poverty. His life was anything but that.
He came from privilege.
Nobility.
Poe Seville Gordon never had to work a day in his life if he didn’t want to, and while he knew how much Gamble was worth, he’d worked damn hard for it.
If his everyday life as a Hunter was like this chaos, he deserved millions more.
“Well, once you put a ring on it, Mr. Holloway. You just bought the cow, the milk, and the farm. It’s your problem then too. Welcome to nobility. Talk about sticking it to the colonizers.”
It caught him off guard, and he began laughing.
“I have news for you, Poe. Being married to you wouldn’t be the worst thing in my life. It would be the best thing. Again, not freaked out by the money—but I’m holding you to that island. I’ve never gotten head on a beach before.”
Poe overheated.
Why?
He pictured it.
This man got his heart pumping, and his libido going with just that bi-colored look.
He was sexy as sin.
Gamble wanted to get this little wild goose hunt handled. For the life of him, he didn’t know what he was missing, but he felt like he was.
That crypto key had to be somewhere.
As they reached the master suite at the top of the stairs, Poe pushed the door in, and he stood there not accessing the room.
Honestly, Gamble understood why.
“If you can’t do this,” he began, “I can handle it alone. You can wait here.”
Poe stared into his eyes.
“I can do it.”
Could he?
Likely not, but he was going to give it a try.
How bad could it be?
With Gamble holding his hand in his, he walked through the doorway, and all of the old ghosts assaulted him. His memories came back, and he thought about all of the times he and his brother came in here on a Sunday morning.
How they bounced on that bed.
How they ran around, and his father gave them horseback rides.
And now they were gone.
Gamble kissed their joined fingers, and made him stare into his eyes.
“You’ve got this,” he said. “No matter what, you have this under control, and you can do it.”
He hoped he was right.
Because Poe felt out of control again, and that was the exact reason he hadn’t come in here since being back, he fought damn hard.
Honestly, he didn’t believe that his heart could handle it.
As they walked around the room, it was exactly as it had been left, and his mother’s things were tossed about, and his father’s too.
It was clear that the men who killed them had been in here rooting around.
On top of that, the police had been here too.
As Gamble moved around carefully, touching things, Poe just stood there, saying nothing. He really couldn’t manage it.
When Gamble bent over and picked up his father’s broken reading glasses that were on the floor that someone smashed with their shoe, Poe had enough.
He ran.
He took off.
He’d been wrong.
He absolutely couldn’t handle it.
Ever.
Again.