Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
Dom
As I watch my boyfriend drive off, I silently berate myself for being a giant dick. Would it have killed me to explain who Rick was before I left the hospital? Or put Leo on speaker so Pen could hear our plans for getting Callum’s mother to a safe place before whoever’s after Brian comes back?
Then again, it appears I have a habit of assuming that Pen will wait until later for his inquisition. Yet when the time comes for answers, I deflect. When he asked about Rick, I deflected. Tonight? I didn’t even deflect about Leo, I was just plain rude and condescending.
Now I guess he is done with waiting. Pen has every right to ask those questions of a boyfriend. It’s my insecurities that are keeping me from explaining myself. Or talking about my past with the military and my career with the U.S. Marshals. Hell, I even avoided his enquiry about my scar.
Shit. I’m a real prize, aren’t I? I’ve also been assuming a lot lately, and as Pen pointed out, he’s getting the blunt end of a raw deal. If running away from me is his only option, then I need to fix things between us before I lose him for good. But how?
I turn around and realize that we had an audience. I stride over to Tobias and get into his face. “Why did you let him leave?”
“Back, the fuck, up,” Tobias seethes, straightening to his full height. He might be a few inches taller than me, but I’m far from intimidated.
“I asked you a fucking question.” I don’t move, but John gets between us, arms out and splitting the space.
“Come on. We need to have cool heads to think,” John says in his calm demeanor, which I usually appreciate but is irritating the hell out of me right now. “We have someone coming after Callum. And the focus is on Brian. Let’s put our energy toward that.”
Fig approaches and says, “If you want, I can trail Pen.”
“No. He’ll be back tomorrow,” Tobias relays quietly. “Get the guys to start packing things up. Most of us are heading out in an hour.”
“Most?” Fig and I ask in unison, but I can’t hide the irritation in my voice.
Tobias looks from me to Fig. “You two and Jordan will stay here with Callum. And once I get the okay with Dean, some of his men will also remain here. The rest of us will head to another secure location.” Then Tobias turns to me. “Dom, we need to talk, alone.”
“Fine,” I bark.
“Do I need to be there to referee?” John asks, looking between Tobias and me.
I shake my head, and so does Tobias.
“We’re good,” Tobias relays and walks farther down the driveway until everyone disperses. I follow until Tobias turns and glares at me. “You’re losing your shit, Rossetti. I need you to keep a cool head—just like John advised.”
“I’m trying but when I see my teammate—”
“Let’s be clear, Pen is more than your teammate. You know that, I know that... the whole goddamn team and the band know that. You’re emotional. We all see it.”
“What the fuck would you have me do?”
“Damn it, Dom, you’re usually the one with the unruffled demeanor. But right now, you look half-cocked.”
I rake my fingers through my short hair, scratching my scalp, frustrated and fucking annoyed. “Well, I can’t help the way I feel.”
“What I need to know is why did Pen feel he had to leave? It can’t be because of Callum.”
This isn’t what I expected Tobias to say.
I assumed he’d be pissed that Pen and I are together—and wanting Callum as our third.
Our entire situation—our relationship as a couple and a possible and a possible throuple, is open for everyone to gawk at, and I don’t like it.
I’d prefer privacy but it’s apparently a little too late.
I blow out a heavy breath. “I’m keeping shit too close to the vest,” I finally admit.
“I get it. Can’t say as I’m surprised. But there’s nothing you can do about that until Pen comes back.
Right now? This isn’t the time to fucking lose your cool.
Keep in mind what’s going on around here.
” Tobias’s eyes narrow on me as he makes a circular motion with his index finger, and suddenly my entire body is on alert.
“What is it?”
Tobias lowers his voice to an almost whisper.
“John found some listening devices. He destroyed the ones he found, but he doesn’t think he found them all.
So from now on, be very careful when you speak inside the house.
If it’s at all related to any information on Callum’s case, take it outside, and away from the house. ”
“You think whoever attacked Callum and is coming after Brian might have placed them?”
“I can’t be too sure who placed them or when, but I’m leaning toward it. And John agrees.”
“Jesus Christ. Alright. What else?”
“Dean called earlier. He conveyed that Levi found some dirt about Brian Fitz’s past.”
“What was Brian involved in?” I can only imagine the shit that bastard got into.
“Back in Australia, Brian was hanging with this group connected to drugs, gun running, and human trafficking. From what Levi dug up, Fitz got caught for selling illegal firearms to an Aussie undercover agent. Once the NSW police task force discovered who Brian was associated with, they leveraged him for information about the group.”
“What’s NSW?”
“New South Wales. Their task force is the equivalent to our DEA.”
“So NSW gave that asshole options.” I don’t need a confirmation from Tobias to know what he’s saying is true.
“Yes, they did. The task force wanted to bring this organization down with prejudice, and this was their in. Brian bargained for his freedom in exchange for ratting out the group. That’s why he was able to flee Australia with his life, but he’s never been allowed back on Aussie soil—Levi’s words.”
“Damn.” I rub the back of my neck. I don’t think Callum or his mother know of Brian’s history or why he left Australia—well, not the extent of it anyway. “You think this group is after Brian and his family for payback? Even after all this time?”
“Dean thinks it’s a good lead to follow,” Tobias says, looking around us.
“Brian has to be the common denominator in all of this,” I say. I turn to leave when I catch sight of Fig standing there, listening.
“Sorry,” Fig says unapologetically. “Everything is almost packed, but Danny’s arguing with John about leaving Callum here alone. I’m telling you, if your guy keeps it up, you’re not going anywhere—not without Callum.” He shakes his head.
“He’s not going to be alone,” I growl in Fig’s direction.
He raises his hands up in surrender. “Don’t bite the messenger.”
“I’ll talk to Danny,” Tobias says and turns back to me. “We good?”
“Yeah.” My shoulders drop as I breathe out, the tension easing. I just have to wait for Pen to get back and my groveling will begin.
“Where there’s smoke, there’s fire,” Fig utters, staring off at Tobias, who’s face to face with his irate boyfriend. Dante is also standing there, their face pinched in agitation.
Not sure what he meant by that, but sometimes what Fig says doesn’t make sense.
“The label wants the band out of here, in case…” Dante finally says, but I get what they are saying.
“In case his attacker comes back to finish the job.” The label has money riding on the band, and they don’t want any of them to get hurt, or worse. And again, I get it.
For the next few minutes, the discourse between Tobias and Danny is loud and clear. Then Tobias shuts his boyfriend up with a smoldering kiss that makes even my dick go hard. And… It works. Danny’s malleable. But I have a feeling his compliance won’t last long.
Tobias walks back over to me and pulls a set of keys out of his pocket and dangles them from his index finger.
“What’s this?” I stare at two silver keys threaded onto a thick ring.
“The keys are to my lake house. I don’t think this place is safe enough. Furthermore, you’ll be closer to San Francisco—to us. So as soon as Pen gets back, go there until we can regroup and figure out who is behind all this.”
“Are you sure?” I ask, gripping the keys tight in my hand like they are a lifeline.
“Yes. While Dean’s men track down Brian’s location, Callum needs to be in a safe place. This isn’t it.”
“I agree, but is your place secure enough?”
“Yeah, it is. Don’t worry about anyone getting onto the property, there are sensors along the perimeter.
If anybody decides to come onto the land, you will be notified of it.
Each building also has sensors on the doors and windows.
Trust me, after all that shit with Danny, it’s the safest place on earth. ”
“Sounds like it’s where we need to go,” I say with relief. “Thank you.” And for the first time, my gut isn’t twisting up on how to protect my two men.
“There’s a small cabin near the front end of the property, for Fig, Jordan and Joel and three of Dean’s men—Patch, Pete and George.
It sleeps six so they’ll be fine. Lyric will stay with you, Pen and Callum in the lake house.
There’s plenty of room and space,” Tobias says with a smirk. “And there’s a he-shed—”
“Umm—what? A he-shed? You mean a she-shed?”
“No. I mean it’s a he-shed—Danny—”
“Don’t have to explain, I get it.” I smirk. “Thanks—but Pen…”
“Give him this time. He’ll be back tomorrow. Then tell him what the plan is. And Dom?”
“Yeah?”
“I know that peace of mind comes with control. But sometimes, not having all the answers and being open is what is needed for a relationship. I learned that the hard way,” Tobias glances at me and gives one quick nod before walking away, leaving me contemplating my next step.
Although I see the truth in what Tobias just said, the knot of apprehension continues to grow in my chest. Right about now it feels about the size of a grapefruit. What if Pen comes back and tells me he’s done with me? Or he’d rather be only with Callum?
I shake those dark thoughts out of my head.
Focus, Rossetti.
Callum’s safety needs to come first. When Pen gets back tomorrow, I need to remind him of our goal, because if what Tobias said is true, then Callum is in bigger danger than I anticipated.
Until then, we need to be extra-vigilant, because with Pen gone, Callum’s protection detail is one man down and we’re more vulnerable.
With Pen being pissed off at me, he won’t answer my calls or text messages.
Although I don’t know how effective Pen would have been if he’d stayed, given his irrational frame of mind.
Then it hits me—Pen is in danger too, for going out on his own.
He has done this before—retreat to clear his head.
Just like Callum, he… Damn. Why haven’t I realized this before?
Maybe that’s why I’m drawn to the bassist, too.
Though they seem different as night and day, some aspects of their personalities are eerily similar.
Each time Pen has left, he was upset and needed to think, and when Callum was upset after our night together, he fled to his retreat here.
And I know from past experience that when Pen is pissed off at me, he won’t answer my calls or text messages…which is exactly what happened when Callum ran. Jesus, I can’t believe I didn’t see this before.
This is all my fault. Why can’t I be open and share things about my past? Explain who Leo is. Tell Pen that I was in the Marines. Or tell him shit about my career as a U.S. Marshal before I was thrown out—hell, tell him about my sobriety. Who Rick is to me.
I got so caught up in what was growing between us that I ended up having tunnel vision. A year and a half into our relationship, and I’m just realizing I haven’t made time for just us. Time to tell Pen that I love him. Yes, I love Pen. Fair to say, I’ve never said those words out loud.
Pen’s correct that I’m a selfish bastard. I’ll rectify that starting tomorrow, I assure myself as I head to the house.
The next hour is a flurry of activity as we secure bags in the vehicles Tobias has rented. He even switched out the Bronco I rented earlier for a Suburban.
Once the band and their security finally say their goodbyes and leave, Fig goes back inside the house, while Jordan and Dean’s men guard the perimeter of the property. I remain planted on the walkway, glancing down at the keys Tobias gave me.
“Dom.” Fig calls from the doorway, which pulls me out of my thoughts. “Are you going to stand out there all day?”
Maybe.
I reluctantly meet Fig’s golden eyes, expecting to see condemnation. Maybe even pity. Instead, I see none of the disappointment I’m expecting. Only detachment. Which strikes me as odd, but I’ll take it over the other options any day.
“Callum’s asking for you,” Fig says. Did I hear annoyance?
“While you two talk, I’ll make sure Callum has his stuff in order so we can move out by nine tomorrow,” Fig says, then turns to go back in.
“What—who are you talking about?” I ask but Fig has already closed the door.
“I think he means me.”
I spin around and find Pen standing on the driveway.
“I had to come back,” he says evenly. “For Callum.”
“I’m glad you’re back,” I say with some warmth.
Pen’s chin tilts in defiance, and his arms remain folded across his broad chest. His rebelliousness has me smiling, even though that damn grapefruit is still in my chest.
Out of my periphery, I see a postal vehicle slowly coming up the driveway, but don’t think much about it, assuming that Jordan or anyone of Dean’s men would have cleared it. Until all hell breaks loose.
Just as Callum screams from the doorway for us to get down, a shower of bullets ricochets all around at us.