Chapter 5
Chapter Five
RED
Tony scowled at Red. Red knew that look.
It promised a world of trouble. Tony had a temper.
Red had seen him almost kill a man for contradicting him.
Once upon a lifetime ago that look would have frightened Red and made him back down, but now it was just water off a tired bodyguard’s back.
This was his job. Years of dealing with awkward clients had taught him one thing.
They listened, or they died. Tony was no different.
Nor was Kit. They’d both do well to remember it.
“This is my club,” Tony pointed out, his tone level and dangerous. “My rules.”
Red shrugged. “Then I’m outta here, and you deal with the consequences.”
Tony’s eyes narrowed. “You can’t do that. I employed you to protect my brother.”
“I can do what I think is right. CDR doesn’t expect me to put myself in danger for stupid clients.”
That wasn’t the most diplomatic way to say shut the fuck up, but from Tony’s scowl, he received the message.
“I know all these women,” Tony said.
“You think you do.”
Red had seen first-hand the danger of a client ignoring Red’s rules and trusting a longtime friend, also a woman. His client was lucky to still be topside instead of six feet under.
Tony’s scowl deepened and the tension in the kitchen stretched to breaking point as Kit pushed back his chair and shimmied over to the dishwasher.
Dear God, did the kid know what effect he was having on Red’s libido with that wiggle of his hips?
Could he demand Kit change into normal clothes, ones that didn’t show every inch of his toned body?
Red was ready to throw him over his lap and spank his taut butt.
The thing was, he was damned sure they’d both enjoy it—too much.
Kit placed his plate with the others and added his knife and fork, a sideways glance to Red to make sure he noticed. Red gave him a quick nod of approval and Kit’s eyes grew heated. Then he leaned against the counter next to Red, too close to him.
Red counted in his head.
One…he’s a client.
Two…he’s too young.
Three…Tony would kill you.
Four… Red sighed. Four and Red wasn’t ready to be his Daddy. His heart couldn’t take the loss when it all went belly up as he knew it would. It always did in Red’s world.
“Red’s right, Tony.”
Red blinked, his thoughts interrupted by Kit’s words.
“Don’t you start,” Tony snapped. “This has got nothing to do with you.”
Kit stabbed a finger at Tony, his scowl mirroring his brother’s.
“Like hell it hasn’t. You were the one who screwed up, not me.
I’m still not clear what you did. Anyway, do you want to put the old ladies in danger by coming here?
Are you gonna explain to your men that you ignored an order to keep their women safe? ”
Tony visibly deflated.
Red wasn’t sure what he was more surprised about. Kit standing up for him or Tony backing down. Maybe it was time he intervened.
“This is how we play it,” Red said, voice steady but firm. “The club stays closed to anyone except you two until we catch the bastards threatening Kit. And Kit—” he gave the boy a look that was half warning, half plea for sanity—“you stay here. I mean it.”
Kit’s expression, which had been politely attentive, shifted fast. His brows lifted, his mouth curving into that too-sweet, too-knowing smile that always meant trouble.
“You’ve lost your job, you’ve got nowhere to be. We’re here until I say so.”
“Uh-ohhh,” Kit murmured under his breath, eyes glinting, dragging the sound out like honey. “You and me together? How cozy. We can play catch-up while Tony works.”
Red folded his arms, fixing him with a look that could’ve curdled concrete. “I’m working.”
“Protecting me,” Kit countered easily, stepping a little closer, tone edging on a dare. “If you don’t keep an eye on me, something might happen to me.”
Red’s jaw tightened. “That’s not how this works.”
“Sure it is. You protect. I stay close. It’s practically teamwork.” Kit’s grin widened. “Or would you rather I wandered off? Maybe get into trouble?”
Red exhaled slowly through his nose. The boy was testing him—pushing, probing, trying to find the exact point where his patience gave out. Every word, every smirk was a taunt, waiting for Red to combust. His whole body language screamed, “Try me.”
“You think this is a game,” Red said, stepping into Kit’s space. “It’s not.”
Kit didn’t back down. If anything, his smile softened, something quieter flickering behind the mischief. “Didn’t say it was. Just easier to breathe when you’re not glaring holes in me.”
That caught Red off guard for half a second, just long enough for Kit to see it. The air between them thickened, charged with everything neither of them should be thinking.
Red forced a step back, breaking the tension. “Stay inside, Kit. I’m not asking again.”
Kit watched him back away, that infuriating little smile still ghosting across his lips. “Didn’t sound like asking the first time,” he murmured. “I’m going to watch TV.”
Red ignored him. Mostly.
But as Kit walked off toward the back room where the TV was, every nerve in Red’s body was still humming with the sound of Kit’s voice and that dangerous, teasing ohhh that promised this was only the beginning.
“Is there something I’m missing?” Tony asked, his tone low with a hint of danger.
Red forced himself to focus on Tony and not the butt wiggle Kit was giving him.
“Wait.” Red tapped his earpiece. “Demon out of sight. Keep an eye on the windows.” On a scale of one to trust, Kit ranked somewhere around minus fifty.
He received a muffled, “Understood.”
Then he focused on Tony. “What do you mean?”
“You and Kit.”
Red knew what he was asking but chose to ignore it. “He’s my client, I’m his bodyguard. I’m trying to set boundaries. He’s pushing them to see if I’ll break.”
Tony relaxed a fraction. “You see that?”
Red rolled his eyes. “I’ve known Kit since he was in elementary school.” He winced at the thought, the age gap stretching out between them. “You’re both as bad as each other.”
“I guess so.” Tony barked out a laugh. “I knew I could trust you with him. He’s Demon. What am I?”
Not wanting to go down this path again, Red said, “You don’t want to know, I need to talk to my team, then I’ll spend the day trying to educate both of you on not making my job more complicated than it needs to be.”
Tony waved his hand. “I’ve got work to do.”
“Then do what I say, and I’ll stay out of your way,” Red snapped.
He just wanted to do his job and go home, where he wasn’t tempted by a gorgeous chaotic glitter demon and his overprotective brother. Tony grunted which he guessed meant was the end of their conversation.
Tony vanished toward his office and Red contemplated his next move. He took his time making a fresh pot of coffee, then tapped his earpiece. “How many cups?”
“Cheers, Red. Five please,” Jace said.
“Any sign of Demon?”
“He poked his head out of the restroom window at the rear, saw Doug who waved at him, scowled, and shut the window.”
Red smirked. Pushing those boundaries again. “Watch for Lucifer. He’s not happy I’ve banned the club from attending until they’re checked.”
“Understood.”
Red hunted through the pantry until he found what he was looking for. Tony always had a stack of cookies. He grabbed a handful of packets and added them to the tray of coffee cups.
They were gratefully received by the team.
“Not bad,” Padraig said as he took a slurp of coffee. “Not as good as Joseph’s, but I’ve had worse.”
“I’ll let Tony know,” Red said sarcastically. “I’m sure the club president will be gutted his coffee can’t match up to a billionaire businessman.”
Padraig snorted. “You’ll fit right in.”
Red did not want to know what that meant.
He opened his mouth to speak but became aware of everyone looking over his shoulder.
He turned to see a certain chaos demon sauntering toward him.
He frowned. Was that an even tighter top?
His nipple piercings were clearly visible.
Red’s mouth went dry. The things he could do to a boy with a chain and rings in his nipples.
In the damn open.
Where anyone could shoot him.
It took one shot from a sniper, and his boy would be on the ground, never to smile at him again.
Red put down his cup and strode toward Kit.
“Someone’s in trouble,” one of the guys muttered.
He didn’t know who said it, he didn’t look around to check.
His only focus was on Kit who stopped, standing exposed, hand on one hip like he was a catwalk model as he waited for Red to reach him.
His smirk made Red ready to explode. He swayed into Red’s space and Red swore he felt the metal in Kit’s nipples brush across his chest.
Red didn’t pause. He hauled a meaty hand around Kit’s bicep and hauled him toward the house.
“This is where you are, hey, what are you doing?”
Kit’s smirk vanished, as Red stalked them both through the door, not giving Kit a chance to struggle or protest. Then he slammed the door and left the world outside.
“Saving your life,” Red snapped. “I told you to stay inside.”
“I was bored. I wanted to see what you were doing.”
“You were supposed to be watching TV.”
Kit shrugged one sharp-boned shoulder. Then he swayed again into Red’s space, his eyes narrowing when Red didn’t react. “There was nothing on.”
“Don’t lie to me, Monroe.” He heard Kit gasp. Red had never addressed him like that before.
‘I’m not lying to you,” he protested, but he wouldn’t meet Red’s eyes.
“This isn’t a game,” Red said. “This is your life you’re playing with.”
“What do you care about my life?” Kit snarled. “You’re not my Daddy. Oh wait, that’s what you’re paid to do. You’re just the hired muscle.”
“That’s right,” Red agreed, ignoring how much that hurt. He wasn’t Kit’s Daddy; he was his bodyguard. Although technically, he’d not even discussed his damned salary yet. It was another thing to add to the list.
Red wasn’t like this. He made lists, he stuck to them. Well, he intended to stick to them. But he went into a job knowing what he had to do. This time he was floundering.