Chapter Eight #2
Hopefully, he was safe, and that the mercenaries weren’t lying sacks of shit about the size of their scouting party.
As for Poe, honestly, he couldn’t have gotten too far.
Now, he had to hope that he’d handled all of the mercenaries.
If not…
They were fucked.
Meanwhile…
There was something that the new Duke of Gordon figured out. That walking alone in the trees while it was still semi-early out was not for him—especially when he might be in danger.
Poe was scared.
On top of that, he was worried about Gamble, and how he’d yet to see him.
Already, his heart was racing, and he was panicking.
Who could blame him?
His man liked doing this all the time?
He was a stronger person than him because this terrified him. This was exactly something Hemmingway would like.
Soldiers had to soldier, he guessed.
All around him, the trees were eerily silent, and he was trying his best not to make any noise. Truth be told, Poe didn’t want to be abducted again, and taken from the man he loved.
Call it a hunch, but he suspected that if he was taken again, this time, he wouldn’t get so lucky and get back alive.
After this wannabe ambush, Poe knew one thing. It was official. He was ready to run.
As in leave the UK.
If he and Gamble got through this, he was seriously going to do exactly what he’d suggested on their picnic. They were going to have to close down the estate, and head somewhere safer.
Wherever that was.
Despite being at home, Poe didn’t feel safe here, and that was a problem. There was no way he wanted to keep looking over his shoulder, and the fact that he didn’t think this was a possibility in the first place shocked him.
Why hadn’t he realized that Von Donore might keep coming for him?
Seriously.
He’d come here out of duty, but screw that. If it meant his and Gamble’s lives, duty could kick rocks.
Every.
Single.
Time.
As he moved around a tree to stay hidden, that’s when Poe just knew he wasn’t alone. To make it worse, someone grabbed him around the waist, and yanked him back roughly.
When he went to shout, a hand was put over his mouth, and then he heard the voice.
“Shhhh, Baby, it’s me. There’s another guy ahead of you. The two mercenaries weren’t alone. We have company. If you make a sound, they’ll hear us.”
Knowing it was Gamble, and he was safe, helped him calm down.
Immediately, he put his faith in the man. When his body was released, Poe turned and was against Gamble out of pure desperation.
Screw danger.
He kissed Gamble, needing that contact to stop the overwhelming panic.
Clearly, he wasn’t built for these kinds of games.
He was a doctor.
This was way too much for him. What he wanted was to be somewhere safe.
With Gamble.
When he broke the kiss, Gamble kept his voice down so only Poe could hear him. While he wanted to stay in the trees making out with his doctor, there was shit to handle so they could get back to the castle.
“I have to take care of him. He’s in between us and getting back to safety,” he whispered. “Once there, we stay where there are people until after the wake. We’re going to get picked up later. This is over.”
He simply nodded.
How was he going to argue that?
If Gamble said it was dangerous, he was trusting his man. He was just grateful they were going to be able to have the wake.
For his parents.
Gamble touched Poe’s cheek, and he stared into his scared eyes. He hated that he was going through this again.
“Now, stay here, and don’t move. Scream if you encounter another one. If I don’t hear you, I’ll assume you’re taking them out with champagne bottles.”
That humor calmed Poe down even more. Apparently, Gamble had gone back to the picnic spot to find him.
“Well, I had to buy my man time,” he whispered. “I wasn’t getting taken again. I can’t live without you,” he admitted.
Oh, he felt the same.
Losing Poe would be detrimental to his well-being, as he’d want to die again.
Only, this time, he’d succeed.
“You did good, Baby,” he whispered. “I’m proud of you,” Gamble added.
Luckily for him, Poe wasn’t a shrinking violet—that was for damn sure.
Poe was a fighter.
“Be back for you. Just stay put,” he said, slipping away.
The whole time, Poe was able to see him as he tracked him toward the man. He was pretty sure that Gamble was out in the open, so Poe didn’t panic.
Even if it was more dangerous for himself.
It was clear that his husband wanted him to know he was okay.
God.
He couldn’t believe it was husband or it would be as soon as he could file the paperwork. Truth be told, Poe had the vows, so he didn’t need the papers.
Gamble was definitely his husband.
Believe it.
Watching his man plan out his strategy, he saw Gamble go up in a tree, and then make some soft noise, alerting the man on the ground.
He looked around suspiciously, and moved right under the spot where Gamble was hiding above him.
Quickly, Gamble dropped down, wrapped his thighs around the man’s neck, and pulled himself up.
It had to take a lot of strength to do that, and it was spectacular to see.
Jesus.
His man was incredibly sexy when he did soldier shit like that. Poe could feel his libido waking up, and this was absolutely NOT the time.
With a rapid twist of his hips, as the man fought, his neck was snapped, and he let him drop.
To.
The.
Ground.
Falling from the branch he had been hanging from, Gamble was right beside the dead man, landing on his feet. Quietly, he stayed low, in case there were any more mercenaries lingering.
That made too much noise for his liking.
When he made sure the area was safe, he motioned toward Poe to head his way.
That was all he had to see. Poe hurried toward him, and together, they both stared down at the body.
“Now what?” Poe asked.
Oh, well, now, the fun began.
“We hide the evidence, Baby,” he admitted.
Poe just stared at him.
It made Gamble laugh.
“This is the less fun side of my job. Oh, and here’s just a suggestion. When we leave here, fire everyone, and close the estate down for as long as you can. We’ve left a trail of bodies here. Most of them were American—as far as I could ascertain.”
Poe listened.
“We don’t need the local law all over the place finding remains. This estate is about to be a graveyard for foul mercenaries.”
Well, ewwww.
That didn’t make Poe want to be here.
Gamble looked at his watch to check the location on the compass.
“Normally, I’d get the bodies away from here, but we have an issue. There’s media on the gate, and the last thing I need to do is try and remove the remains with eyes on me. That’s a bad idea. The next chance would be tonight, but I plan on being LONG GONE by then.”
Poe understood what he was saying. It wasn’t like they were killing innocent people for funsies. This was war, and he wanted to live.
“Okay, my love. You know best. We’ll shut everything down, and I’ll give the staff severance. I’ll just tell them that being here hurts too much, and I’ll contact them when I come back.”
That was for the best.
Really.
Taking Poe’s hand in his, they moved through the last mile of property, and the whole time, Gamble said nothing. Instead, he was focused on the area around them.
He needed to make sure he got Poe inside where it would be much more difficult to make a move on him. Granted, if someone on his staff had given away the door code, they had a snitch among them.
He’d take care of that too.
When they hit the stables, coming out of the trees, Diablo and Honey were already there.
And so were the grooms.
“Lost your horses?” Paddy asked.
Gamble didn’t like the man. Diablo was a good judge of character, and every time Paddy went near him, the horse tensed up.
Animals just knew.
The less this man was aware, the better, so Gamble lied his ass off.
“No, we sent them back to take a nature walk through the trees. That’s all,” he stated.
That seemed to appease the man, and honestly, as long as the horses were back and safe, Gamble was good with it.
Since Poe had given him carte blanche, he went there.
“Gentlemen, we’re actually going to be sending the horses back to the States. Diablo is going to be sired out, and Honey doesn’t do well without him. Same for King and Snow.”
Poe let him talk, since he knew what he was doing—securing their exit tonight.
“Oh, really?” Paddy asked.
Gamble nodded.
Collin Devonshire was surprised too.
“So our jobs?” he asked.
Poe took over.
“You’ll be compensated for the rest of the year, and I’ll contact you. I’m going to be buying new horses, and I’ll need you back as soon as they are sent here. We are going to go looking for suitable ones we like.”
That seemed to work with the men.
“Oh, Aye,” Paddy said. “That works for me. How about you, Collin?”
The younger man nodded.
“All you have to do is call us, Sir, and we’ll come back,” he admitted.
Gamble was glad Poe understood the assignment and followed along. There were now two less people going to be on the grounds.
“I’ll have my attorney forward a check to both of you after the wake tonight. As you can imagine, I’m scattered.”
They both looked remorseful.
“Aye,” Paddy said. “We trust you, Sir,” he stated.
That worked for them.
Gamble got Diablo into his stall, and started getting Honey free from her riding gear. They waited until both men got into their vehicle, and they headed down the drive and toward the gate.
“That was pretty easy,” Poe said.
Gamble was to the point.
“Diablo doesn’t like Paddy. I trust my horse. I don’t want them near them, and I don’t want them getting wind that the FBI is coming with trailers to take them away.”
Poe wasn’t sure when that would happen.
“Do we have a time frame?”
He nodded.
“Let’s just say that as soon as we leave tonight, Elizabeth has movers coming. They’ll get to the farm in NOLA, so we don’t have to stress it.”
He was still worried.
“Who will take care of them?” Poe asked.
They were like his children.
“Already arranged. There’s going to be agents playing undercover on your farm, keeping Elizabeth up to date.”
What he wasn’t telling him was that it was going to be a Spider. Wolf was a Cajun boy who knew horses, and was being paid to keep an eye out for Von. Truthfully, people always returned to the scene of the crime.
“They will be okay. I swear.”
That was all Poe had to hear.
Together, they fed the horses, and gave them snacks to show them love. When they were all happy and fed, Gamble wanted to get them inside.
ASAP.
As they headed toward the house, they could see the whole garden was already set up. The place was filled with tables, chairs, and staff moving around.
Holy shit!
It was full of even more people.
This was a production, and it made him both at ease, and uneasy with having these many strangers around. The majority were women, but that didn’t mean shit.
The Snakes and Maura were deadly—as women.
“The party is in six hours,” Gamble said, reading the time on his watch.
Poe knew what he needed to do, and he hoped that Gamble didn’t mind.
“I have to make sure everything is ready to go, and I need to talk to the staff, telling them that we’re going to be shutting down.”
“How will you explain it?” Gamble asked, so they were on the same page.
“I’m going to go with ‘extended honeymoon’ and pay for the rest of the year. They should buy it.”
Yeah, he believed that.
Poe pointed.
“The food service trucks are here, so that means the house is going to be nonstop people in and out until the dinner after the wake.”
Yeah, and Gamble didn’t like that.
This was about getting his man out of there and keeping them safe. With this many people around them, that made this more difficult. With family friends, and other nobility, it wasn’t as dangerous.
Von couldn’t buy a rich person as easily as someone who worked hard at a job. That meant that anyone here could be on his payroll.
“Did you get the code changed?” he asked.
He nodded.
“I did it in the app. It’s Diablo’s birthday,” he admitted, and told him the date.
Well, thank God that was done.
Glancing over, he focused on Poe.
“How long will it take you to check in with everyone?” he asked, making plans for their safety for the day. There were too many unknown variables for them to just walk around, or get trapped in their room.
Poe considered it.
“Maybe not that long. Why?” he asked.
He was blunt.
“I want to get you off of this estate until the party. I don’t trust the people wandering around. I’m likely being paranoid, but I can’t risk getting shanked and you getting taken away in one of those vans.”
Oh, Jesus.
“Is that a possibility?”
Gamble nodded.
“If I wanted to grab someone, I’d do just that, and there are way too many dudes here for me to watch each and every one of them. I’d feel more comfortable away from this chaos.”
Oh, well, Gamble wasn’t the only one uneasy about this. Poe was feeling anxious too.
“I’ll defer to you, Mate. You know that. This is your thing. Run it.”
For that, and that alone, Gamble was grateful. Trust was important in a relationship, and clearly, they had it between them.
Gamble made up his plan.
“Want to go into town with me? I have some things we can do,” he said, impulsively.
Poe lifted a brow.
“Really?”
“Yeah, want to have a date redo since our picnic was ruined by uninvited guests, and I don’t mean ants?” he asked. “Maybe we can grab a coffee, take a walk down the street, and be out in public where no one can make a move on you,” he added, knowing the key was going to be keeping their patterns erratic so The BlackStone Group couldn’t figure out the next step.
At that suggestion, Poe grinned.
“Sign me up,” he said. “Will Rufus be okay without us?” he asked, thinking about their wounded pet.
He reassured him.
“We can take him. I won’t leave him behind ever again,” he admitted. “We’ll be out and about, and I’m sure he’ll enjoy the smells and scenery.”
That his man thought about their dog too was super sweet.
“Okay, walk with me and we’ll handle it. Then, I’ll get changed. I’m soggy from the champagne I dumped out. I got most of it on me.”
As they stood there, Gamble turned toward his man, and tugged him into his body. Finding his mouth, he shared a kiss.
Oh, and he knew they were being watched.
Only, he was staking his claim, and warning ANYONE who touched Poe that they were, essentially, DEAD.
Leaning into his man, Poe enjoyed the kiss. When Gamble broke it, he was smiling.
“For the record, Duke of Gordon, I like you soggy or any way I can get you,” he admitted.
Well, what a coincidence.
“Ditto, Marine.”
Holding Poe’s hand, they walked toward the catering company employees, and where his parent’s pictures were set up on the memorial table. His mother was private, but she wanted her friends to be able to say goodbye, and this was her son’s gift to her.
“She would have liked this,” Poe said, as he touched the flowers that sat between their pictures. “Not a funeral, but a party to send her and my father off? Definitely Penelope’s style.”
Gamble heard the sadness.
“I’m sorry you lost them. If I could get them back for you, I would.”
He squeezed his hand.
“I know, my love. We can’t control what happens in life. We just have to roll with it, and make the best of it.”
Wasn’t that the truth?
Gamble had learned that himself.
Together, they walked around, talking to the people setting up, and then finally inside to the man running it—the head of the staff.
“Brian, is everything on schedule?” Poe asked.
The man nodded.
“It is, Sir. Everything is good. Tea will be served this afternoon outside for the memorial, and then the rest of the evening will be drinks and finger food so people can mingle and celebrate your new title. It’s all per the will’s instructions laid out by your mother in case of her death.”
That was good.
“Thank you, Brian. I also wanted to give you a heads-up. We’re going to be leaving at some point in the next few days,” he said, trying not to be specific.
“Oh, really, Sir?”
Gamble went there.
“We’re going on an extended trip, a honeymoon, if you will,” he said.
The man simply nodded.
“Very good, Sirs.”
Poe continued.
“We’re going to shut down the estate, but keep everyone employed. You’ll be getting checks from my attorney, so that you have income.”
He didn’t look disappointed.
“That is kind of you, Sir. I’m sure the staff will be glad to hear that. Is there a return date in mind?”
Poe lied.
“The new year,” he said. “We’ll be in contact. Please tell everyone what to expect, and there will be Christmas bonuses in December.”
That only made the man look happier.
Who didn’t want to get paid for sitting at home in their pajamas?
Gamble wished they were.
Instead, they were playing games.
“Anyway, we’re going to be busy the next few hours, so call me if there’s a situation with any of the catering or security handling the gate and media.”
The man nodded.
“Very well, Sir.”
Poe went back to walking around, making sure the bar was ready for later, and that the kitchen was already in prep for the tea.
When that was handled, Poe was free to get ready for their date.
Together, they headed up the stairs and to the room. When they got there, they both were happy to see Rufus, whose tail began thumping.
He hobbled toward them, and Gamble scooped him up to get doggy kisses.
Someone missed them, and he hadn’t destroyed the room. It was a win-win for them.
“Put on something date-like,” Gamble offered, knowing what he was going to do with the man. He was going to catch him off guard.
“Oh, well, say less, Mr. Doyle. I’ll be more than happy to be dressed up for my man.”
Gamble grinned.
This man and his accent made his heart feel so light and happy. He couldn’t get enough of him, and he was curious to know if he’d slip back to a less accented English when they got back to the US.
Honestly, he wasn’t sure he even realized he sounded more British here, or not.
“I’ll go get ready in Hemmingway’s room, and I’ll escort you down to the car, Mr. Doyle,” he said, trying it out.
The second he did, Poe beamed.
“God. I love my life,” he admitted, when Gamble walked out, and left him to get ready. “I’m a lucky guy,” he said to himself. “A damn lucky guy. I scored me a hot Marine. Today can’t get any better.”
Oh, and that was the truth.
It was about to get worse.
* * * Poe & Gamble * * *
Twenty Minutes Later
Ten A.M.
The Hallway
When Poe peeked his head out, Gamble wasn’t there, so he called for him.
It was crazy that it took his man longer to get dressed than him, but he didn’t care.
He was worth the wait.
Hell!
He’d wait forever for him.
“Gamble? Mate? Are you ready?” he asked, as Rufus followed him into the hall.
Poe heard the click of the door lock, and then Hemmingway’s door opened.
When he stood there, Poe nearly fell over from what he saw.
What?
The?
Hell?
His man was in a suit, and he looked fucking gorgeous.
Well, shit.
Truth be told, Poe had never seen him in anything but laid-back clothing, like flannel and jeans, but in a suit, a pristine tie, and shiny shoes…
It was insane.
In fact, it was a beautiful sight, and one that he’d never forget.
“You look so incredibly handsome,” Poe said, his eyes filled with love. “When you said date, you meant date.”
Gamble was curious.
“Didn’t think I could clean up so well, huh?” he asked.
Poe was amused.
“I mean, I like you better naked, but I’m not sharing that with the world.”
Gamble held out his hand.
“You look as handsome as ever, Poe. Dapper is the word I’d use. You’re sexy in a suit. The fantasies I’ve had…,” he added.
Poe grinned as he was pulled against his man.
“Oh, well, later, if you feel like sharing them, maybe we can make that happen. I’ve had a few of my own. I’ve got a Marine fetish, apparently. I think it’s the tattoos and your incredible dick.”
Oh, well, speaking of his dick, he was ready to show up at the party any damn minute. This man brought it out in him.
As for today’s date, Gamble had a little surprise for him later. This was going to be a day he didn’t forget.
There was no doubt that this was going to make Poe happy all over again.
Or would it make him wild and out of control when they got alone later?
Either way, it worked for him.
“Well, shall we, Mr. Doyle?” he asked.
“We should, Mr. Doyle,” Poe answered, grateful that this man took their private vows as seriously as he did. To him, they mattered more than anything on paper.
As they walked down the stairs, holding hands, Rufus was between them waddling along with his cast clicking on the stairs.
It grew on a person. Now, they always knew where he was.
Downstairs, they made it out the door without anyone stopping them, so word had to have spread among the staff. Everyone looked happy that they were going to be kept on retainer and got to stay at home.
Once to the garage, they loaded Rufus into the back of the Bentley, and Poe warned him.
“I swear to God, if you eat my car, I’m not giving you any bones for a week.”
Gamble laughed.
“Oh, well, he’s definitely eating the seats. He’s a menace,” he said, grinning.
But he was their menace.
That was all that mattered.
Behind the wheel again, Gamble drove them, and they headed toward the gate. Once there, security was standing by, doing what Poe had paid them to do.
He rolled down his window.
“We’ll be back later. No one on the grounds but on the guest list,” Poe said. “Please.”
The head of security nodded.
“Don’t stress it, Sir. We’re making sure that everyone is on the list, including vendors, and no one is allowed in with cameras.”
That worked for both of them.
“Thank you. We’ll be back.”
With the window up, the gate slowly slid open, and Gamble headed out. Across the street, there were media vehicles camped out.
No.
Shock.
There.
Word must have traveled that the memorial was today. That had to be why.
As he got on the road, Gamble took his time, wanting the media to follow.
And Poe noticed.
“Uh, did you just wave at the one photographer?” he asked, surprised.
“Yep.”
He was curious.
“Are we making friends?” he asked.
Gamble was to the point.
“We want them all over us because then Von Donore won’t be all over us. They’ll annoy you with photos, and I may have to change my face, but we won’t be ambushed before we get back to the estate.”
Poe gasped.
Only, not for the reason he assumed.
“You have to change your face?” he asked. “I happen to love this face.”
That was sweet.
Gamble kissed their joined knuckles, right over the ring he’d given Poe.
“I mean, I do kill people for a living. I might have to find a work around if I don’t. The world is about to find out that I’m your man.”
He kissed him on the cheek.
“If you have to change your face, I’m still going to love you. Keep your dick the same, Soldier. That’s not negotiable.”
Gamble was caught off guard, and laughed.
“I feel so cheap. Do it more. Oddly, I like it.”
This was amazing.
Poe was in his glory. He was seeing the real Gamble, the man he’d been before he was damaged, and he genuinely liked him.
He’d saved him, and now, Poe was going to make him his.
FOREVER.
As they drove along, Poe was happily staring at Gamble, who had put on sunglasses, and was focusing on the road.
“I want to make it official.”
Gamble looked over.
“Pardon?”
Poe wanted to be impetuous and do something he normally wouldn’t. It was time to jump in, and not look back.
“When can we tie the knot legally? I don’t want just the vows. I want the paper, and I want the future with you.”
Gamble laughed.
“Uh, well, you have to have paperwork submitted in advance,” he said, setting him up. “How long does that usually take?” he asked.
Poe considered it.
“I think it’s a few months.”
Gamble let that hang there.
“Can you wait?” he asked.
“No. I can’t. I need to be your husband. I need to be Mr. Doyle on paper. I want the whole world to know that I love you,” he said. “How do I make this happen?”
Gamble knew.
Why?
He’d submitted the paperwork earlier, and he’d forged his signature.
Sue him.
He also called Elizabeth when they were getting ready, and had her make a few calls.
The marriage license was waiting for them.
At.
The.
Magistrate’s.
“We can do it when we get back to the States. It only takes a day to get a license there. Can you wait until then?” Gamble asked, trying not to laugh and give it away.
Poe sighed.
“I guess I have no choice. I’ll wait a day or two, but as soon as we get back to New Orleans, I want to get married to you, Gamble. I don’t want to be your boyfriend, lover, or fiancé. I want to be your forever.”
Oh, he felt that too.
Honestly, he was glad they were on the same page.
As he drove into the quaint but not-so-small town, he headed toward the address of the magistrate’s office.
When he parked, he pointed at the coffee shop across the street from the place they were really going.
And he made a leash appear for the dog.
“Is that suitable for a beverage?” he asked. “You know, to start our date?”
Poe nodded.
“I like their tea selection.”
Gamble teased him.
“What does an American have to do to get his man to drink coffee with him?” he asked.
Poe grinned.
“Go back in time, and make me an American when that half of the family went to America. If not, I’m a tea drinker for life. It’s in my DNA. Sorry, Mate.”
Gamble grinned.
“Oh, how about this?” he asked, as the media began parking all over the square.
“What?”
“What if I said that I could get us hitched today if you started loving coffee for me?”
Poe snorted.
“That would be the ONLY reason I’d switch. That’s how badly I want to be married to you,” he answered.
Gamble grinned.
“Well, then, I guess you won’t be angry with me for what I’ve done.”
Poe stared at him.
“Why would I be angry and what have you done?” he asked, in confusion.
He told him.
“I filled out marriage paperwork and forged your name. The Magistrate got it, and we’re getting married thanks to Elizabeth having a few British friends over here. Today’s our wedding day.”
Poe stared at him.
His mouth was hanging open, and Gamble lifted his chin in amusement.
That snapped Poe out of that shock.
“Are you kidding me?” he asked. “Because this won’t be funny if you say it’s a joke. I’ll cry.”
Gamble shook his head.
Oh, he’d never joke about something like this.
“Poe, will you do me the honor of making this legal?” he asked, taking his finger, and slipping the ring off of it.
Then, he took his off, too, in preparation so they could walk into the magistrate’s office single, and out married.
“Holy shit. Yes,” he said, smiling. “Gamble!”
He leaned in and kissed him.
There was so much love in that mating of mouths, that both men knew they were doing the right thing.
When he broke it, Poe had tears in his eyes.
“There is a condition,” Gamble said.
Poe waited, willing to do anything.
“What?”
He hoped he was okay with this.
“I know you said that you don’t want a big wedding, but I would really love to have a ceremony later with my family. I want them to be part of my marriage, and to have them witness our joy.”
That touched his heart.
A tear dripped down Poe’s cheek and he couldn’t love this man anymore.
His heart was amazing.
“Absolutely. I’ll let you plan it, and I’ll be by your side, my love, until the very end. I promise.”
He kissed away that tear.
“Then, Poe, let’s go get hitched. I’m marrying a duke,” he said.
And Poe knew who got the bigger prize.
He was marrying a Marine.
His absolutely perfect and amazing Marine.