Chapter Nine
Kace was beyond furious. He didn’t even know where to begin with trying to figure out why.
He had been trying and working so hard on this relationship—always meeting Jamison more than halfway.
Now, did he even know the guy? People had burst into his home, forced him to perform bare minimum surgery on someone he knew, and all while under the threat of watching them kill Jamison.
What would happen if Lucas didn’t survive?
Kace honestly didn’t think he would. They didn’t understand how little Kace had actually done for the guy, simply because of the circumstances.
He couldn’t see the full extent of the damage without proper equipment and staff.
Kace barely had enough supplies in his house to stitch what he could see.
Soon, Kace would have a dead man in his house and if he wasn’t arrested, he would definitely lose his medical license. For what?
He stormed from the shower and angrily dried his skin. Enraged didn’t begin to cover his mood. He wanted to hurt someone. These people had ruined his life.
“I’m sorry.”
Kace jumped at the sound of Jamison’s voice.
He hadn’t realized Jamison was there, sitting in the dark.
Kace was still too angry to let getting startled affect him.
“Do you plan to tell me exactly what you’re sorry for, or am I about to lose my medical license for reasons I’ll never know?
” Even he heard the fury in his voice. Kace wouldn’t reel it in. He was done.
“You don’t have to worry about that. Hektor and Ajax are part of Prince Noir Antonsen’s royal guard.”
He knew of the prince. Obviously, they had never met, because the guy was a prince, but Joesph and Shaw’s law firm represented the guy.
He had found that out only because the prince had been at Joesph’s wedding and Haven was a gossip.
“And?” They were over if Jamison stopped there. His temper and patience were gone.
“Lucas also works for Noir.”
“None of this explains why they’re here, threatening people, instead of getting proper help. That doesn’t explain your part.”
“I used to mess around with Lucas.”
Kace shrugged. “Who hasn’t, apparently.”
Jamison visibly swallowed. “Is that why you two were together that night at the hospital?”
Kace rolled his eyes so hard, he nearly hurt himself. A man was about to die under this roof and Jamison worried over Kace eating in a hospital cafeteria with Lucas. “No. I told you, he was there for his sister. We ran into each other while buying food.”
“Lucas doesn’t have a sister.”
Kace’s shoulders fell. He swiped a hand across his eyes. It seemed he didn’t know anyone.
“Back when I was with Lucas, he dragged me into his bullshit.”
“What bullshit? You’re being way too vague for my temper right now.”
“Running drugs.”
With nothing but a towel wrapped around his hips, Kace sat. Thankfully, the bed was there to catch him. “You ran drugs?”
Jamison shook his head. “He broke into my phone one night while I slept and stole all the contact information for my clients. Codes to their homes, gated communities, and alarms. He used that information to get to people who owed him money. Well, Prince Noir money.”
“So the Prince is like a…”
“Crime lord, basically,” Jamison supplied. “He runs all of Atlantic City.”
Horrified was an understatement. “Does Joseph know this?”
“Of course. He can’t protect him from what he doesn’t know.”
Fuck. He really didn’t know anyone in his life. If tonight hadn’t come, none of this would’ve ever been exposed. He would have lived his life connected to a crime lord without even knowing it.
“Anyhow, I might’ve never known he had done it if I didn’t end up basically summoned to see the prince.
He said he had dropped some hints to possible clients amongst the elite, telling them they should hire me.
If they did, then he expected to be given all the same information on each one that Lucas had already given him on everyone else.
In exchange, he would make sure no one ever suspected me, and he would stay quiet about how they were getting to these people in the middle of the night. ”
“Holy shit. How did you untangle yourself from that mess?”
Jamison shrugged. “I didn’t, really. A few things just kind of went my way.
First, I obviously told Lucas we were done.
Then they eventually found someone with easier access to clients’ information.
It’s also just risky to get that information from only one source.
It wouldn’t take long for people to realize I was the common denominator in their home invasions. ”
“This is completely insane. I’m surprised they didn’t kill you. Maybe that’s dramatic, but that’s how it happens in the movies. You know too much, so you have to go.”
“Joesph is apparently really good friends with Noir and not many people can say that. It would upset him if Noir killed me. Plus, he already has half the police force and all the judges in his pocket. What could I do? Who would listen to me? I’m just some crazy, PTSD-ridden veteran they could easily discredit.
” Jamison held his stare. “You being Joesph’s oldest friend is really valuable right now. Don’t forget that, okay?”
He read between the lines. He shouldn’t deny their friendship. Joseph was the only thing keeping him alive.
“I’m sorry, Kace. So fucking sorry.”
The fight went out of Kace. “It’s not your fault. You heard what Ajax said. They were here for me. If I had never met Lucas, they wouldn’t know me to terrorize me.”
“It feels like my fault. Since you met me, it’s been one thing after the other. I can’t imagine how close you are to calling it quits. You’ve given everything. It feels like I’ve done nothing but bring you grief.”
Kace’s shoulders fell. He stared at the floor for a second.
Kace needed a moment with his thoughts. Now that he was calm, he recognized a few things.
In part, he was jealous. It was ridiculous, but this was the first time he had been confronted with Jamison having another relationship before him.
He felt like an idiot for that. Then there was the idea of anyone threatening Jamison’s life.
His home had been invaded. He would likely lose a patient.
There was just too much. He was overwhelmed.
At the end of the day, he loved Jamison.
This truly wasn’t his fault. They had both simply found themselves in the wrong circle.
He couldn’t let Jamison think for a single second he would choose any existence that didn’t include him.
Kace took a breath and met Jamison’s stare.
“The night you showed up at the hospital and I was with Lucas, I had just told him I had no interest in dating him. You literally showed up as soon as I said I wanted something real. I wanted a grown man who wanted to settle down and build a life. Then there you were, offering me exactly that. There couldn’t have been a bigger sign that you’re who I’ve been waiting for my whole life.
If this is really forever, then it won’t always be easy, but it will be real.
” Kace’s voice shook with power at the vow. “You gave me that.”
“I wanted to give you—”
The door opened, cutting off whatever Jamison had been about to say. “Blood is here.”
Kace nodded. He fucking hated this. The blood was useless. Lucas would be dead soon. “Just let me throw on some clothes.”
With a nod, Ajax left them alone.
Jamison stood. “Tell me what you need me to do. I’ll help.”
Kace grabbed the first clothes he found.
“I guess just be on standby. Honestly, I don’t know what’ll happen from here.
” Once he was dressed, they headed for the guest bedroom.
Lucas was still out. They had somehow found an IV pole to go along with the blood.
Kace quickly worked to ready the bag while Ajax hovered.
The moment Kace stuck Lucas, his eyes opened. He blinked. “Where am I?” His voice was a raspy whisper.
Ajax chuckled. “You’re at a reunion of your fuck buddies.”
Lucas chuckled. It sounded like it hurt. “Jealous?”
Ajax smiled like the pair were truly friends. “Nah. All I have to do is walk into any room and ask how it is and someone could tell me. I don’t need to experience the ride.”
“Bastard.” He blinked some more, as if he couldn’t see very well. “Why do I feel so weird?”
“We drugged you. It’s not like the good doctor has a hospital pharmacy in his house. We had to work with the hard drugs we have.”
“You know I don’t do that shit.”
Ajax looked unbothered. “You are tonight. The shock has worn off. Without something, the pain would likely kill you.”
Lucas licked his lips. “I’m already dead. That bastard is really going to let me die. After everything, he’s fucked me.”
Kace and Jamison exchanged a glance. He really sounded bad. The fear was setting in. He knew he was dead.
“Mom and I were supposed to celebrate Christmas tonight. She’s probably scared out of her mind, wondering why I didn’t come home.”
Jamison looked furious. “Don’t worry, I’ll call her.”
“Thanks. Don’t tell her I’m dead yet. You know her heart is bad.”
Jamison visibly swallowed and walked away like he couldn’t do this for another second.
Kace started the line and watched the blood flow for a second. “Give that a minute and I’ll be back.” He quickly followed on Jamison’s heels. Kace found him halfway down the hall with his phone to his ear.