Chapter 25 Nathan #2
Bailey nodded. "I will. And third, teach me how to defend myself.
If I'm going to be with you, I want to know how to fight," he said.
As delicate as Zindel was, he knew that little power bottom knew how to fight and kill if necessary.
It was probably one of the reasons why Vito felt comfortable letting his 'Minx' out of his sight.
Ze had taught Zindel how to fight and shoot, and Zindel kept a gun on him at all times when he was out.
Nathan nodded. "I will. Is that all?" he asked.
Bailey nodded.
"Interesting."
Bailey frowned. "What is?"
"How come you didn't ask me to pay off your debt?"
Bailey smiled. "Because I know that you will. Now that I've agreed to date you, I can tell that a man like you could never tolerate me having to seduce or entertain—if you will—other men."
"You're fucking right about that," Nathan said.
Even if he hadn't agreed to date him, if only to give him incentive to reconsider, he would have paid it off.
"No other man is worthy of you but me. This is your last day here, so when we walk out of this room, go back and pack up your things. I've already paid off your debt, baby."
"Oh my God, thank you!" Bailey smiled because this was the day he never thought he'd see come. He climbed onto Nathan's lap and leaned over, slamming his lips against Nathan's.
Nathan kissed him back, their mouths devouring each other as he reached around to grab a handful of Bailey's sweet ass. Bailey ground his hips against Nathan's crotch, and the assassin moaned, then hissed as the pain from his numerous injuries reminded him to calm down.
Bailey leaned away. "What's wrong?" he asked, then he looked down, seeing that he'd pressed himself against Nathan's injured arm. "Oh, shit. I'm sorry."
Nathan shook his head. "Don't worry about it.
" He grabbed Bailey by the back of his head and pulled him down to kiss him again.
His cock throbbed to finally be able to claim the man he knew was born to be his, and when Bailey's fingers went for his buttons, he moaned in satisfaction.
He kissed Bailey's chin, then neck, licking and sucking to leave his mark.
Bailey purred and leaned his head back. "We should stop."
"I can't," Nathan said.
Just then, the door to the VIP room swung open, banging against the wall, which startled Bailey, and he yelped.
Nathan's instinct was to go for the gun in his side holster, and he already had it aimed and cocked before he noticed who it was. "What the fuck?" he asked through gritted teeth.
"Vito needs you. Zindel's been kidnapped," one of Vito's men said.
Nathan's eyes widened at the news. "Fuck."
"Zindel's been kidnapped?" Bailey asked as he climbed off Nathan's lap and got to his feet. His heart leaped into his chest, and he nearly fell from rising too fast. Nathan reached out, catching him and helping him steady his gait. "When?"
"We just found out that it happened," the man said. "Come on, Vito needs you."
Nathan rose from the sofa, and Bailey buttoned his pants back up for him as he slipped his gun back into the holster. He began to follow the man out of the VIP room, with Bailey at his side.
The soldier stopped Bailey. "You're still working, and this doesn't concern you."
"He's my best friend," Bailey said.
"So? This still doesn't concern you," the man said.
Bailey was about to argue the point when Nathan slapped the man's arm out of Bailey's way. "First off, get it straight. He doesn't work for you anymore. Secondly, he's mine. You touch him again, and I'm sure Vito will understand my actions."
The man swallowed. "My apologies, Mr. Bridger. But still... Mr. Castiello will not allow him in the room. He's not his Minx or one of his soldiers."
"Fine. Pass the word that Bailey is free and leaving." Nathan turned to Bailey. "Go pack your bags and wait for me, and we'll talk later." He nodded at Bailey to let him know that he'd keep him updated.
"Do you have my number?" Bailey asked.
Nathan nodded. "When I paid off your debt, I also bought your file. Your history here will be erased."
Bailey's eyes widened. "Oh, thank you," he said, hugging Nathan before kissing him again.
Before Nathan could get lost in the bliss that was Bailey, he had to pull back. "I have to go."
Bailey frowned because of his state of mind. He was worried sick, but he nodded. "Okay. Please be safe."
"I will," Nathan said, kissing Bailey before following the man back to Vito's office.
As soon as the office door opened, Nathan could hear the man raging inside.
The sound of glass shattering rang throughout as Nathan stepped inside, the office door closing behind him.
He noticed several men and some women in the office, and he was sure they were Vito's capos and made men.
Demir wasn't present as he had taken a major hit with this fight against Aoshi.
"Those sons of fucking bitches dare to take what's mine!" Vito roared, then released a string of curses in Italian. He turned when he saw Nathan. "I need your sons."
Nathan nodded because he knew that he was out of commission. Trying to go on a raid with only one good arm and multiple injuries and stitches would only work against him. "Both of them?"
"Yes. What? Are they not prepared for this war?" Vito asked with a healthy dose of attitude.
Nathan decided to ignore the insult of assuming his sons weren't already professionals. The man was stressed as his lover was in danger, so he let it go and just answered the question. "They can handle it. I'll have them come here."
"No," Vito said, then he showed Nathan the location on his cell phone. "I've already sent a team to your home to pick them up; they should be there."
"What does the car look like?" Nathan asked him.
"Black Escalade," Vito confirmed. "Why?"
Nathan snorted. "Because my sons will kill anyone who looks suspicious pulling up to our home."
"Fair enough. The license plate should say: 'Tanktot'," Vito said.
"'Tanktot'?" Nathan asked with a bit of humor in his tone.
"Zindel named it because it's bulletproof," Vito said as he began texting on his phone while gathering more members of his crew.
"You know where he's at?" Nathan asked. He couldn't help but be impressed.
Vito nodded. "I have a tracker on my lover. One that can't be easily detected." He walked over to his liquor cabinet and turned a bottle, which opened, revealing a secret compartment. He pulled out an automatic assault rifle and then closed the cabinet. "Let's go."
"What happened to his security detail?" Nathan asked as he walked alongside Vito toward the elevator.
"They're all dead except for two. His head of security, Anthony, is in critical condition at the hospital, and another member is still in surgery too," Vito said.
Nathan knew this was a shitstorm. Demir was still laid up in a safehouse and not able to be there for Vito.
Knowing what he knew about Demir and Vito's relationship, he understood that Demir was probably hating the fact that he was too wounded to help.
While in the elevator, mid-text to his sons, he got a call from his son, David.
He answered. "Speak," he said.
"Dad, a black SUV just pulled up in front of the house. The license plate says 'Tanktot'. Do you want us to take them out?" David asked.
Nathan smirked because he couldn't help but be proud of his sons. "No, those are Vito's people. They're there to take you to the location where Zindel is. He's been kidnapped, and Vito is planning to rescue him."
"Ahh, okay. We're on our way," David said, then ended the call.
"My sons are on their way," Nathan informed Vito as the elevator doors opened.
"I'm actually looking forward to seeing your sons in action," one of Vito's people said.
"And you are?"
"Daniel Demarco, Capo," said the pretty platinum blonde with his dynamic blue eyes.
"Well, I'm sure you'll be more than satisfied with their performance," Nathan stated, and the man nodded.
"When we get to the location, kill everyone," Vito said, then his cell phone rang. He answered when he saw who it was, putting it on speaker. "What is it, Wolf?"
"Snoopy was kidnapped," Wolf said.
"Was he with Zindel when it happened?" Vito asked.
"No, he was meeting someone to get a part of his computer when that triad bastard, Yufei Mujin, took him," Wolf said.
"Fuck," Vito hissed as he ran his hand over his face. "They've kidnapped Zindel too, and I'm on my way there now."
"What happened with Zindel's security team?" Wolf asked.
"Most are dead, with only two in the hospital in critical condition."
"Sons of bitches! Wait, you're on your way there. Where? The hospital?"
"No, to where Zindel is. I have a tracker on him. And your guy might be with him," Vito said.
"Me and some brothers will meet you. Just tell us where," Wolf said.
"We don't know if they're even located in the same place," Vito said.
"We need to start somewhere," Wolf said.
"Fine."
Nathan listened as Vito gave Wolf the information.
"I'll see you there," Vito said, then ended the call.
"Looks like the Triad had the same idea you all did when you took Li and Xiù," Nathan said.
"I don't give a fuck. I know where my Minx is, and I will destroy them to get him back," Vito said.
"Does Rico know this happened?" Nathan asked.
"Of course, I told him."
"Does he know about Snoopy?" Nathan asked.
Vito didn't answer. Instead, he reached out to his brother, texting him to inform him about the Lords' missing member. "Now he does."
"Well, hopefully, both Zindel and Snoopy will be there," Nathan said. "So, do we all meet there and just go in blasting?"
"I'm sure they won't expect us to know where they are. We already have the element of surprise," Vito said.
Nathan nodded. "That is true." A part of him hated that he wasn't going to be able to participate in this bloodbath.
At least his sons would get much-needed experience.
It was always good to look at the silver lining.
He texted Bailey to let him know that he needed to stay put for now.
It was safer there until further notice.
"Okay, please be safe," Bailey texted back.
"I will." He slipped his cell back into his pocket before climbing into one of Vito's armored SUVs.
Nearing the location, Vito received a call. He answered when he saw who was calling. "Yeah?"
"Hold off on going for Zindel," Nico said.
"The fuck I will!" Vito snapped.
Nathan watched and listened as he was close enough to Vito in the car to hear both sides of the conversation.
"You fucking will," Nico snapped. "I'm still your fucking uncle, and you will respect me. But furthermore, this command comes from Rico, nephew."
"Why? Why does he want me to hold off?" Vito asked, his jaw tight with rage and frustration.
"Because you know we have Li and Xiù in our grip. Zindel will be safe because whatever he does to ours, we'll do worse to his," Nico said.
"And I'm supposed to allow shit to happen to Zindel?" Vito asked, then released more curses in Italian.
There was a pause, and then another voice came over the phone. "If your rashness ruins my husband's plan to end this war, are you ready to face the consequences?" Alessia asked.
Vito closed his eyes and took a deep breath to center himself before he could respond. "What do you want me to do?" he asked.
"Wait, but stay out of their sight. Don't let them know you're there. If we need to give you the go-ahead, be ready. Otherwise, wait for Rico's word," Alessia said.
"And what if they hurt Zindel to add pressure to us? Do you expect me to sit here and wait?"
"Yes, because I expect you to trust your brother, Vito," Alessia said.
"Fuck," Vito hissed. "You have ten minutes before I go in, and whatever happens after that, I'll take the punishment, but I'm not leaving Zindel in the hands of my enemy a minute longer."
"They also have Snoopy. If your actions hurt the Lords' chance to get their member back alive and cost Rico this very beneficial alliance, are you ready for those consequences?"
Vito lowered the phone and threw his head back in exasperation.
Again, he closed his eyes and dropped his head to calm his rage.
Nathan watched the man's reaction and knew the war he was fighting within: loyalty to his family vs.
the love he had for his man. It was one of the reasons he had never bothered to get into a relationship before.
Love was a man's weakness. He loved his children, but they could also handle their own, so he didn't worry about them the way he would worry about a lover not used to his world.
That was what made Bailey different, and the fact that Bailey wanted to learn how to protect himself made Nathan happy.
Vito sat up straight and put the phone back to his ear. "I'll wait for Rico's word."
"Good. You'll hear from us soon," Alessia said, then the call ended.
"Fuck," Vito cursed again, then he made some calls to let his team know about the change of plans.
"The good thing is that I'm sure they don't know we know where Zindel is. That's your advantage," Nathan said.
"I know. I just don't like what happened. I told Zindel to stay inside, and I will ask him why he didn't listen when I get him back," Vito said.
"From what I know of Zindel, he can be testy," Nathan said.
"A pain in the ass sometimes, but he's mine." Vito settled against the leather seat of the vehicle, and even though he remained silent, Nathan knew the man was on edge.
Only time will tell what their next move would be.