Chapter 20 Forest
FOREST
A deadly calm settled over Sheldon, almost like he’d checked out. When Sheldon wanted to put up a wall, he could. This wasn’t a wall. This was him regaining control and doing what he did best.
I still didn’t know what the note said, so I took it from him and read it. Fear should have been flowing through me, but all I felt was anger. How dare this person threaten him?
“Who the fuck do they think they are?” I yelled. The room went silent. Lifting my head, I saw everyone looking at me. “What? No one else is pissed?”
“We are, but we expected you to be afraid,” my brother said.
“I could be if that would help. It won’t. I’ve watched all of you go through your own trials and come out on the other side. I trust the people in this room and building to watch out for each other, especially Sheldon right now.”
“You’re worried about me?” he asked.
“Why wouldn’t I be? This person obviously wants to hurt you.”
“And you,” he pointed out, that calm slowly slipping away. “They want you dead too. Shit, Forest.” He turned to Jordan. “He’s staying with me until this is resolved. I want Micah on him whenever he leaves the building.”
“Watch yourself,” Jordan growled.
“Hey,” Hartley said softly, reaching for Jordan’s arm. “Sheldon’s right. We need Forest protected.”
“Jesus, who the fuck gives the orders around here? I might as well pack it in and let all of you lead because you sure as hell don’t need me. Just make all the orders and let everything fall into place.”
“You can’t be serious. You’re pissy because Sheldon’s looking out for my brother?”
“No, I’m pissy because this is my goddamn building and family.
My fucking guards. I should be the one giving the orders.
” Jordan’s gaze speared mine. “Forest, I’m going to send Barry and Micah to your apartment to pack your shit.
Welcome to Hotel Altair, where apparently I’m a big pushover and everyone does as they please.
With a threat to your life, you get a full-time guard.
Bitch about it all you want. I don’t give a shit. Is everyone happy now?” he yelled.
Sheldon crossed his arms. “Forest can’t go to work. Can you call JJ and ask him not to fire him?”
“What?” I yelled. “I’m going to work. I’ll have Micah with me. That’s good enough. I just started that job. I’m not about to call off already.”
“The fuck you aren’t.”
I reared back, staring at Sheldon. “I might let you lead in bed, but I won’t let you dictate my life.”
“More than I needed to know,” Vail muttered as Hartley said, “Ew.”
“Oh, be quiet,” I told them. “There has to be some middle ground here. Not only are you making me move in, which is fine, whatever. I can deal with sleeping in Sheldon’s bed.
If that means he’s with me more, where I’ll know he’s safe, great.
Pack my stuff. But I have to work. If not for the money, for my own damn sanity. ”
“As much as I want my brother safe, I get what he’s saying,” Hartley stated. “It’s not easy being restricted from everything. Forest isn’t even in a customer-facing role. He’s tucked away in an office. If someone wanted to get to him, they’d have to go through others first.”
I nodded. “Thank you, Hart.”
“I’m not done. You’re getting a second guard. I might be on your side about working, but you’re going to be safe about it and only travel in one of the Navigators. While we’re at it, Sheldon should be behind the wheel of an SUV and not on his bike.”
“Excuse me?” Sheldon asked. “I’m not staying off my bike. It’s faster and more maneuverable than any car going through Dremest. I’ll be fine. This isn’t my first time getting a death threat.”
“Is that supposed to be comforting?” I asked.
He shrugged.
Jordan started rubbing his temples as the elevator opened. Lane and Raiden stepped out with clothes askew.
“What happened?” Lane asked.
“I’m sorry,” Jordan said calmly. “Were you busy fucking while we were up here trying to figure out more ways to put me in assisted living since I’m no longer needed?”
“I’m not sure if you want me to lie or if I’m supposed to answer at all.”
Raiden stepped up behind Lane and slowly put his hand over Lane’s mouth. “Shhh.”
“Reghan,” Jordan growled.
“Barry is briefing Micah and also assigning Winnie to Forest’s detail, sir.”
“Good.”
“Winnie?” I asked. That was a name I hadn’t heard before. Jordan had been in the process of bringing more women on.
“She’s quickly working her way up,” Raiden said. “Think Kayli minus the innocent look.”
Jordan sighed and leaned heavily on the back of the couch. “Sheldon, do you have any idea who this could be? I know it’s a long shot, but any inkling?”
“I don’t keep a spreadsheet of the people I kill if that’s what you’re asking. I wish I knew.”
“Why would anything be easy? This is nothing new for us. We’ve been here before, and we’ll come out on top.
We need to keep our eyes open and our guns ready.
Whoever this is won’t be an easy capture, not when they’ve been waiting who the fuck knows how long to exact revenge.
You two haven’t been together long, and they’re already aware, which means you’re being watched.
It’s best for you to stay here, Forest.” Jordan sounded so damn tired.
I would be too if I were always fighting unknown forces and trying to protect my family.
“We’ll find who this is and when we do—”
“They’ll die,” Hartley stated with a firm nod. It was his turn to be stared at. “Please, you were all thinking the same thing. No one threatens one of ours and gets away with it.”
Jordan put his arm around Hartley’s waist and pulled him close until his back was against Jordan’s chest.
Hartley’s eyes held mine though. “They’ll find whoever this is. You’ll be safe.”
“So will you and everyone here,” I replied.
This wasn’t my first time dealing with threats, but it was the first when it was directed at me.
It hit a bit differently, mainly because Sheldon was also being targeted.
The thought of him being hurt again made me angry all over again.
He’d been through so much in his life. He didn’t deserve to go through more.
Sheldon filled my line of sight, his hands cupping the sides of my neck. “We’ll get through this.”
I wanted to play it off with a joke, saying there were other ways to get me to move in with him, but it wasn’t the time.
By the way Sheldon’s grip on my neck tightened a little, and his eyes were intent on mine, he was worried more than he let on.
Showing emotion wasn’t Sheldon’s thing, but he could with me.
“Let’s go,” I whispered.
“You can. I’ll give you the code to my place. I need to talk to Jordan.”
“There’s nothing to say,” Jordan cut in.
“We have very little proof. I’ll have Barrett dust the paper and box for prints, and if there are any, we can run them with Lawson’s help.
There was nothing else in it. You’re going to have to think, Sheldon.
Go through your mental list and see if there’s anyone who stands out as having left a spouse or child behind.
The person you killed could have an adult child.
This might not be a lover. We have to explore all possibilities. ”
“Will do.”
“As for the rest of you, unless you live in my home or are currently on my duty, get out. I’ll see you in the morning.” I could have sworn as I got in the elevator I heard Jordan say he was getting too old for this.
He wasn’t, at least I didn’t think so. Jordan had my brother and Vail, but this was the life he lived.
He ran this half of the city. He couldn’t give it up any more than Sheldon could stop doing what he did.
I could understand Jordan being tired though.
At some point, having people constantly attacking those you cared about would get taxing physically and mentally.
Always looking and trying to find out who was doing it was a lot.
Sheldon and I didn’t speak as we rode down with his hand in mine. He held on to me as if he didn’t, I’d disappear.
It wasn’t until we were inside his home with the door closed that he leaned against it and brought me into his arms, his nose pressed to my neck as he inhaled.
“I can’t lose you,” he whispered. “It’s fast. We shouldn’t be living together yet. If you want, I can find you another place in the building to stay in.”
I embraced him. “I don’t want to be anywhere else. When I’m with you, I’m right where I’m supposed to be. No games. No need to pretend. I want to be with you, and if that means here, then great. I’m too old to fuck around.”
“I like older men.”
“Oh yeah? How many have you been with?” I was playing, kind of. If he told me, nothing good would come from it.
Sheldon lifted his head so he could hold my gaze. “If you really want to know, just ask. But like you, I don’t want to play games. I just want you.”
“You have me.”
“How can I convince you not to go to work tomorrow?”
“You can’t. If you lock me in your home, I’ll slowly lose my mind. We don’t know how long it’s going to take before you figure out who sent the note and where they are. I won’t be a prisoner.”
“I want to be the one watching over you, but I can’t do that and hunt down the piece of shit who thought they could threaten you.”
“I’m not one to condone violence, but do what you do best, baby.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “Baby?”
“I’m testing out terms of endearment.”
“I like this one. Would it be wrong if I said I needed to come all over you again to reclaim what’s mine?”
“I wouldn’t object, although I might need a meal beforehand. I’m feeling a bit hungry.”
“Feeding you my cock is out of the question?”
I talked a big game for someone who started spluttering the moment Sheldon mentioned me sucking his dick. I’d never done that before and worried I’d be terrible at it.
He smiled. It was small but more than I thought I’d get, given the threat hanging over us. “Don’t worry. I won’t do that to you unless you beg for it.”
A blush rose up my cheeks. I still managed to ask, “What makes you so sure I’m going to do that?”
“You’ve seen my cock. Once you experience all the amazing things it can do, you’ll be on your knees, tongue out, waiting for me to give you my cum.”
I tried to fight the shiver that worked its way through me and lost. “That’s a hell of a visual.”
“It’s going to be a dream come true when it happens.”
“You’ve never had your dick sucked?” He had, of course. I just wasn’t sure what else to say.
“Everyone who came before you vanished once you agreed to be mine. There are no men in my past, Forest. There’s only you in my future.”