Chapter Nine
T arek trailed from room to room, walking on clouds. Portland had a meeting, but he had kept it to only one again today. It would likely take half the day, but they would still get extra time together. Portland’s leather duffle still sat on the kitchen floor where Tarek had stepped over it the other night. He grabbed it and hauled it to the bedroom before someone tripped and killed themselves. That someone being him. As he dropped the bag on the bench at the end of the bed, the doorbell rang. As far as Tarek knew, there wasn’t anyone scheduled to come by today. It wasn’t a normal cleaning day and the landscape people had just been there two days ago. He made his way to the front door. As always, Tarek checked the peephole. A police officer stood on the other side. Fear shot through Tarek. Had Portland been in an accident? He practically tore open the door. The middle-aged brown-haired cop looked a little surprised at the sight of Tarek, which he found odd.
“Can I help you?”
“Is Portland Wales here?”
Tarek shook his head. “He’s working today.”
The guy held up a piece of paper. “We have a warrant to search the premises.”
Everything inside Tarek went on full alert and in guard dog mode. This was his home to protect when Portland wasn’t there. Plus, he had a bit of anger issues with police being used against him. That had been one of his parents’ favorite tactics: claiming Salem held him against his will.
“Let me see it, then.”
Tarek continued blocking the path while he read the warrant. “This warrant is only for the kitchen.” He lifted his chin and locked eyes with the cop. “You can bet damn well I’ll be watching every step to ensure that’s where you’ll stay.” He pointed toward the side of the house. “Round that corner and meet me at that door. It leads to the kitchen. You won’t be stepping inside any other room.”
The guy looked a little proud of Tarek for some reason. “Yes, sir.” It was a sarcastic agreement, but Tarek didn’t care. They weren’t friends.
Tarek closed the door and internally panicked. He needed to call Portland. Why in the hell was there a warrant to search any part of their house? He dialed Portland’s number as he moved to the kitchen door.
Portland answered on the second ring. “Hello?”
“The police are here with a search warrant. It’s real. I checked it, but it’s only for the kitchen. I’m letting them in through the side door, so they won’t have an excuse to check anywhere else.” He spoke quickly. The words poured from him in his panic.
Thankfully, Portland stayed calm. “I’m over an hour away, but I’m turning around. Do not answer a single question.” Portland emphasized every word. “I’ll call my attorney. Shaw can get there faster than I can. Anything they ask, tell them your lawyer is on the way and will handle anything they need to know. Don’t worry, baby. I’ll take care of this.”
Tarek squared his shoulders. He was a lot stronger than he looked. “I got this until the lawyer gets here.”
“Good boy. I love you. Just hang tight.”
Tarek disconnected the call and let the police in. A lot more cops than he expected poured in. Tarek immediately moved to the kitchen doorway, blocking the way to the sitting room, where he could ensure no one moved outside the warrant zone.
The man who issued the warrant stayed glued to Tarek. “So you are…”
Tarek held his stare, ensuring the guy knew he was serious. “Waiting for my lawyer.”
“Your lawyer? So I assume you’re the son or…”
Tarek rolled his eyes.
“Yeah. I get it, but I’m just asking for a name. I’m Bryan.”
Tarek still refused to respond.
“What do you think I can do with your name?”
With a sigh, Tarek partially lost the battle. “I have no idea, but you’re in my house for no reason, so you tell me. What can you do with a name?”
A tall guy in a very expensive suit stepped through the door the police had left open. He scanned the room and then headed straight for Tarek.
“You’ve got to be fucking shitting me,” Bryan muttered under his breath.
Tarek smirked. He knew Portland would have a lawyer that left people quaking in their boots.
The sound of silverware hitting the floor assaulted Tarek’s ears. Tarek cringed.
Shaw’s gaze shot toward the ruckus. “You’d better take care because you will be picking up whatever mess you make. I can guarantee that.”
Tarek’s smile grew at Shaw’s firmly spoken promise.
He focused on Bryan. “Kindly move away so I can speak with my client.”
With a muscle jumping in his jaw, Bryan moved out of earshot.
Shaw focused surprisingly sweet-looking dark green eyes on him. “Did you say anything?”
Tarek shook his head. “I just checked the warrant and saw it was for only the kitchen. So I made them come in through the side door so they couldn’t claim they spotted something in another room. Then I moved to right here to ensure they didn’t step foot past the warrant’s zone.”
One corner of Shaw’s mouth lifted. Tarek had to tilt his chin up to hold the guy’s stare. He looked smart and capable. Tarek was grateful as hell he was there. Shaw squeezed his shoulder. “Just stay here a minute and let me find out what’s going on.”
Tarek nodded.
Shaw found Bryan. They spoke in low tones for a minute before he returned to Tarek’s side. Tarek took great pleasure in seeing the cops picking up their mess as they went. Shaw hovered over him again. “Do you have any thoughts on who could or would claim they found more than a kilo of cocaine packaged for distribution in a duffle bag in the kitchen?”
Tarek blinked. “What the fuck?” He shook his head. “No one has been here.” His mind reeled and then sped. Holy shit. The duffle bag. There was no fucking way. Who else had even seen it, much less in their kitchen? It hit him. “Wait. I take that back. Our chef. Portland fired him yesterday. Maybe this was his way of getting back at us.”
Shaw nodded. “That sounds good to me. It’s something I can use.” He glanced around. “Why don’t you hang out in another room out of sight? I’ve got this. You have nothing to worry about. I’ll make sure these guys leave and ensure they pick up any mess they make. Nothing will come of this.”
Tarek nodded. There was a huge lump in his throat. “Thank you, and it’s nice to meet you.”
A sexy smile exploded across Shaw’s face. “It’s nice to meet you too and congratulations on your upcoming nuptials.”
Tarek nodded again and awkwardly walked away. He was more than a little surprised people already knew about the engagement, and he hoped those nuptials were still a thing. The sick feeling in the pit of his stomach said otherwise. He stepped inside the bedroom he shared with someone he feared he didn’t know. His gaze landed on the duffle bag. He closed the door. For much longer than necessary, he stared at the bag before gathering the courage to move closer. He took a shaky breath and grabbed the zipper. He already knew in his heart his entire world would shatter with a single glance. There was no going back from here.
A million thoughts ran through Portland’s mind. He had gotten too comfortable in his own home. That duffle bag was still in the kitchen. He needed to get ahead of that. Why had he been searched in the first place? He was supposed to be protected. That was the first fucking call he made the moment he got off the phone with Shaw. Prince Noir would damn well fix this, or Portland would bring the whole kingdom down. He knew he had made his bed, but Tarek slept in that bed too now. No one would tarnish his angel.
By the time he made it home, the police were gone and only Shaw remained. “Where’s Tarek?”
Shaw motioned toward the hallway. “I believe he’s holed up in the bedroom.”
At least he was here. “What did they find?”
“Nothing.”
Portland swiped his hand over his eyes. “I’m sorry about all this. Obviously, I’ve gotten complacent.”
Shaw made a dismissive gesture. “You never had anything to worry about. The local police are nothing and this Bryan guy who managed a warrant has zero authority. There isn’t a single person of importance we don’t own. This was only a minor inconvenience.”
It was easy for Shaw to say that. The blown apart pieces of his relationship weren’t waiting in the bedroom. He shifted from foot to foot. His gaze slid toward the hall.
“He was brave as hell. You should’ve seen him. They didn’t know how to handle him. He guarded this house like a champ.”
Portland swallowed. “He doesn’t know.”
Shaw winced. He slapped Portland’s shoulder and squeezed. “Well, I’ll let you deal with that one. That’s above my skill set.”
Portland nodded and managed a smile. “Thank you for showing up and keeping him safe until I got here.”
Shaw smiled like they were old friends. “It’s no problem. Despite whatever you’re facing now, I envy you. He was the one in charge when I arrived. You’ve got a strong one. He can handle this.”
That was the problem. Portland never wanted him to. He flashed a pained smile. “We’ll see soon enough, I’m sure. I might need you again in few minutes. If he kills me, I’d still like you to defend him.”
Shaw shook his head and headed for the door. With a final goodbye, Portland locked up and made his way down the hall. The bedroom door was closed. He wondered if it would be locked against him. The handle easily turned beneath his hand. As he stepped through the door, Tarek looked up from his spot in the center of the bed. The covers were piled around him, as if he was cold. The TV played his favorite cartoon with no sound. His eyes and nose were red. It was beyond obvious he had been crying. Portland’s heart shattered. He never wanted to be the reason Tarek cried.
Tarek turned back the covers, revealing the leather duffle bag. “I had just brought it to the bedroom to get it out of the middle of the floor when the doorbell rang.”
Fuck. His voice sounded so small. Portland moved closer and sat on the edge of the bed. “Did you open it?”
Tarek squeezed the leather, as if needing something to give him strength. “I almost did, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. There’s a terrible feeling in my gut, telling me this bag could destroy us, and I’m not strong enough.” He passed the bag to Portland. “I don’t want to know.”
Portland took the bag from him and set it on his lap. He stared down at the leather. It was specially designed to block the smell of drugs. Nearly a hundred thousand dollars' worth of cocaine was inside and Portland was so desensitized, he had forgotten it for two days in the kitchen. He didn’t want to ruin them, but he also didn’t want secrets to destroy them. “It’s okay if you want to look inside.”
A sweet smile touched Tarek’s lips. “I know, and that’s exactly why I don’t want to.” He drew his knees up and wrapped his arms around them. “It probably makes me look weak or stupid, but you’re all I have. I mean, I know I can always count on Salem, but it’s not the same. For as long as I lived with Salem, and as much as I adore him, I never felt at home. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve felt at home my entire life. Then I met you. You’re my home. If seeing what’s inside that bag costs me you, then I can’t do it. The price is too high.”
Portland couldn’t believe he argued, but this was genuine love. “What if the not knowing ends up killing your love for me? What happens if you spend the rest of your life questioning my every move and wondering what I’m hiding? Losing you would kill me no matter how it happens, but I can’t watch your love for me slowly die.”
Tarek slipped from the bed and took the bag from Portland. He held it in one hand and took Portland’s hand with the other. Portland stood and let Tarek lead him down the hall. He made his way inside Portland’s office. Portland watched as Tarek set the bag aside and pushed aside the false wall, revealing the room-sized safe behind it. He realized Tarek had never been as oblivious as he thought.
Tarek motioned toward the locked safe. “Show me how to unlock it.”
Portland had no idea where this was headed, but he didn’t hesitate to do as told. He set the safe to add a user. “Come here.” Portland led him through the retina scan and fingerprint. They set a code for Tarek together. Then the door swung open.
Tarek didn’t go inside. He turned his back on the room and held out the bag. “You should put this away. I have access now. This isn’t a secret. You’re not hiding anything from me. I’m just not getting involved.”
Damn. He was amazing. Portland moved to take the bag.
Tarek pulled it back and hesitated. “Tell me one thing, though. Are you in any danger? When you walk out that door every day, do I need to be scared?”
Portland closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around Tarek. “I swear to you that I’m perfectly safe. Under no circumstances would I endanger you or us. I want us too badly. Nothing matters to me as much as this relationship. You’re not the only one who felt empty and alone when we met.” He kissed Tarek’s temple. “You’re all I have too.”
Tarek squeezed him. He felt Tarek nod. “Okay. I want to make sure everything got put back where it goes in the kitchen. If not, I want Shaw to destroy someone. Right after he presses charges against the stupid chef.”
The chef part was new information, but it made sense. They had left him alone with the bag the night before Portland fired him. The words of a disgruntled employee didn’t carry a lot of weight, thankfully. “I’ll make sure it’s taken care of. Check on the kitchen. I’ll be there in a minute.”
Tarek kissed his throat and stepped around him, leaving Portland alone. Portland stuffed the bag on the shelf with several identical ones. He turned in a circle and eyed the room. A cache of weapons covered one wall. He was glad Tarek wanted access. Now Portland knew he would have the means to defend himself if need be. He reset the safe and slid the wall back into place. The weight on his chest still hadn’t eased. He had never been more scared of losing someone. There was a real possibility he still could.
Portland rounded the corner into the kitchen and found Tarek bustling from cabinet to cabinet. He paused and leaned against the door frame to watch. Tarek was so incredibly beautiful inside and out. He didn’t belong with someone like Portland. But Portland was one of the bad guys, so he had no intention of letting him go.
“What about Zakynthos? There are these caves there over the most beautiful water you’ve ever seen. They also have a gorgeous wedding venue.”
Tarek turned, looking thoughtful. “I was thinking about a beach wedding. I don’t know where that is, though.”
“Greece.”
Tarek brightened. “I love that. As you know, my mom is from there. Even though she’s crazy, and I have very mixed feelings about my family, I’ve always wanted to visit.”
There was a lump the size of a softball in Portland’s throat. He was afraid to hope Tarek’s forgiveness was real. “It’s gorgeous this time of year.”
The hope that lit Tarek’s features nearly broke Portland. “You want to go now?”
Portland nodded. He was beyond speech, but he tried. His voice broke when he spoke. “I can’t let you get away.”
Tarek crossed the room and wrapped his arms around Portland. He buried his face against his throat. Every breath he took brushed his skin. “Okay.” His cold nose pressed even closer. Portland felt him inhale. “I love that smell. Every time I catch a hint of your scent, I feel so safe and loved. Happy. Let’s do it.”
A tear slid down Portland’s cheek before he could stop it. He swiped it away and sniffed. His hold tightened on Tarek. “You’ll always be first and cherished and adored.”
“I know.”
Portland closed his eyes and took in Tarek’s scent. He got what Tarek meant about smelling his skin. Portland lived for the heat of Tarek’s neck and the way his skin felt against his lips. He always breathed in Tarek’s cologne and felt everything. Every emotion he had searched for years to find overcame him. No matter what it took, Tarek would be the happiest man alive. Forever. No compromise.