17. Kingston
17
KINGSTON
The sun dips toward the horizon as we land at the heliport in the city. Gabe’s been quiet and thoughtful since we left his house, which suited me just fine because I couldn’t get that gleaming white yacht out of my head.
Is that the answer?
No skyscrapers with their never-ending elevators. Endless places to explore. Every luxury Katherine could want and many she wouldn’t care about.
While I love my little sailboat, it’s always been a solo experience. There’s room for two, but it’s tight and not comfortable for more than a week-long visit. The right yacht would have all the amenities we could need to get away... or hide out in plain sight.
And if it had a helipad, we could come and go as we please, docking in places we otherwise couldn’t fit.
Excited by the idea, I pull out my phone and navigate to the group text.
Kingston: Do you guys get seasick?
Gabe pulls out his phone. “I’m standing right next to you.”
I shrug. “Just wanted everyone on the same page.”
“It’s not like we’ve ever done the Bering Sea during crabbing season, but Alex and I can hold our own. Still thinking about that yacht?”
“Yeah.”
“Same. Hungry?” he asks as we head up the dock to the Rover waiting for us.
But it’s not alone. There’s another one identical to the one we took this morning from the apartment.
“Always. I know a place with great sandwiches and zero bull shit.”
“You’re speaking my language.” Gabe waves a hand, the universal hand signal to lead the way .
A man in all black steps out of the other SUV, eyeing us. He’s about my height and built like an MMA fighter, with a neutral expression on his face.
Gabe makes a soft, amused sound, and I glance over at him.
“What?”
“Looks like you got yourself a bodyguard.” His lips curve at the corner. It’s so distracting I take a few seconds to register his words.
“I what?”
We’re still walking. Getting closer to the vehicles and the no-nonsense man in black.
Gabe clasps my shoulder and gives it a squeeze. Tech boy’s got strong hands.
I did not need to know that.
“Don’t freak out.”
“Why would I freak out?”
“I don’t know. You look like you’re about to spiral.” He tugs me closer, patting my back.
“I do?” I’m confused as to what’s going on.
“You wouldn’t be the first person to resist protection.”
“Mr. Saint,” the man says, closing the dozen feet between us. “I’m Tomasz Kowalczyk. Mr. Hunt assigned me to your detail.”
I blink at him, then pivot toward Gabe. “Did you know about this?”
He gives a single shake of his head.
“Don’t worry. It means he likes you.” Those words are delivered with a reckless smile that does wild things to my pulse.
And my stomach.
I mean, of course, I want Alex to like me. But being assigned a bodyguard feels like I’m in the inner circle now. A flush of pleasure sweeps through my veins, warming me from the inside out, and it has nothing to do with attraction. No, this is belonging.
“Interesting.” I glance back at my new shadow. “Okay. What do you need from me?”
???
Tucked in the back of Anthony’s deli, I down half a soda and then reach for my bag of chips.
“How’d you find this place?” Gabe asks, sliding onto a stool next to me.
The black-and-white checkered tiles have seen better days, and the person at the cash register is cranky as a goose, but the staff is practically family, and the food is always excellent.
“I’ve been coming here since I was little. I’m not sure how my parents found it, now that you mention it. Anthony has just been one of those figures in the background of my life, you know?”
Gabe’s brows lift, but he remains silent.
“I make it a point to stop by whenever I’m in town.”
Gabe half turns, glancing at the collection of photographs on the walls. Celebrities, politicians, regulars. Anthony treats them all equally. “I like its character.”
“Me too.”
Out the front window, I see my new bodyguard talking with Gabe’s. “You always have a body man?”
“Most of the time. They keep their distance. Until they don’t.”
I cock my head. “Meaning?”
“There was a stretch when I was in a lot of magazines. On TV. That kind of thing. Let’s just say I had increased security those years.”
He says that so nonchalantly, like being a whiz kid and popular to boot is normal. But what sacrifices had he made to accomplish everything he has? What has he missed out on along his way to the top?
I can imagine him at a conference with a team of men in black surrounding him, cutting through the throng of people like a hot knife slices through butter.
“But not so much lately?”
He shrugs. “Being with Alex is like having an extra bodyguard.”
My lips twitch. He’s not wrong.
“Does it bother you?” he asks, reaching for his soda.
I glance at Tomasz again. Protection is necessary for a certain segment of the population. I’ve always been aware of that. At the same time, I’ve always tried to live my life in a way that doesn’t leave me looking over my shoulder. Which is absolutely a place of privilege, I get it.
And it feels a little weird that Alex made the decision without consulting me, but I’m sure he had his reasons. Tomasz seems like a good guy, so no complaints there. Being shadowed all the time, though... That will take some getting used to. And maybe it’ll only be until the current storm surrounding Katherine blows over.
So I glance back at Gabe and shake my head. “Hope he can run.”
There’s a flash of bright white teeth as he grins. “Oh, I’m sure he can keep up. Alex hires the best of the best.”
Anthony appears from the back, a plate in each hand and a yellowing apron tied around his belly. “Here you go.”
“Thank you,” Gabe murmurs.
“Thanks, Anthony.”
“Sure, sure. Good to see you, King. How’ve you been?”
We make small talk, and I introduce him to Gabe, who seems a little surprised at the average, everyday welcome. Anthony isn’t the type to read Forbes or keep up with the latest tech. He likes things old school and if it isn’t broken, he’s not going to fix it.
He’s also not the type to pay much attention to the media, which is probably what my parents appreciate about him.
“I’ll let you guys eat. Thanks for coming in.”
“Of course.”
As he heads off, Gabe takes a big bite of his Italian sub, and the groan that comes from his chest makes parts of me sit up and take notice. Parts that should stay dormant so I don’t embarrass myself in front of old family friends.
“This is amazing.”
I smirk. “They’ll be thrilled to hear that.”
“How have I lived here so long and never tried this place?”
“Did you know about it?”
He shakes his head.
“Then you can’t fault yourself.”
He pauses mid-chew as if I’ve just said something extremely profound. After a moment, he gathers himself and finishes his bite.
His gaze drops to my lips. “Do I have a glob of mustard or something?”
I wipe my mouth with a napkin, and he shakes his head. Awareness crackles between us, the kind of potent electricity that I’ve only felt with Katherine.
Oh hell. As if our situationship wasn’t complicated enough.
I look away, not ready for him to see the emotions churning through me. Not ready to dissect them myself.
The bell over the front door rings its familiar tune, and I reach for a handful of chips.
“Thanks for coming with me today,” he says.
“No problem. Glad I could help.”
“I want to move fast on the renovation.”
My gaze flicks to him. Just a brush. Then moves around the room. “Money greases wheels. You know that.”
He nods. “Yeah. But?—”
“I know.” It’s actually pretty sweet how attached he is to that house. And to the project. Bringing something back to prime condition isn’t easy. I can’t wait to see how it turns out. What the future will bring?
That’s a scary thought. There are so many unknowns. Alex. Gabe. This new attraction brewing between the two of us. And the world is not likely to embrace such a unique relationship.
“You okay? Something wrong with your sandwich?” he asks in a hushed tone.
The sandwich is fine. It’s all the what-ifs swirling around in my brain, making me uneasy.
My phone buzzes in my pocket just as he leans away to reach for his.
“Text from Alex?” I ask.
“Yeah.”
Alex: You guys mind if I steal Katherine for the weekend?