Ian looked around. “What? In Owen’s bedroom? He and I are involved.” An innocuous-enough statement that alluded to a relationship without confirming it. “Why don’t you tell me how tight you two are?”
Dalton entered Owen’s room as if he owned it and walked right up to Ian, standing over him.
Refusing to be intimidated, Ian deliberately placed his hands behind his head and waited.
“You fucking the boss to get ahead?”
“That would be, fucking to get some head. But no. If I want sex, I get it easily enough.”
Dalton snorted. “I’ll bet you do. Something tells me you fleece ’em by the dozen.”
“Yeah, I’m a regular Mata Hari.”
Dalton didn’t grin, and Ian didn’t like the sudden sober expression on his face.
“Look,” Dalton growled. “Owen seems to like you. Why, I can’t say. But here’s the thing. You’re good at gathering information and staying invisible when you need to. I think Owen might need that if the shit hits the fan like I think it’s going to. How much do you know about Carl Kerr?”
“I know never to be in a room with him without a gun in my hand aimed at his forehead.”
“The asshole has had a bug up his ass about the Stallbridges for years. Owen in particular. He’s going to stretch this out, take out whatever Owen cares about, then strike when Owen least expects it. The household is at risk, and if Owen likes you more than he should, you’re at risk.”
Ian’s heart raced. “What? So Kerr will come after me? He can bring it on. I’ve faced badasses tougher than him. You were tracking me at some point, I’m sure. I survived you.”
“Yeah, but I would have just turned you in to the cops. Kerr will carve you up and spit you out, strangled on your own intestines.” Dalton paused and lowered his voice. “If you’re smart, you’ll get out while you can. Ditch this place, and don’t come up for air until you know for a fact Kerr is dead.”
“Owen told you to warn me off?”
“Owen’s a prick with an overly large ego.” Dalton sneered. “He thinks he can keep the demons at bay by locking his fucking windows. A sniper will shoot them out in two seconds flat. And don’t get me started on a telekinetic or a pyro. He’s not protected, not like he should be.”
“And I’m a distraction?” Ian wasn’t sure how to feel. Good that Owen cared about him enough to worry, or bad that he might be putting Owen’s life in danger?
“Yes, you are. I’m worried that Kerr will take you out, with you sitting here like a target. And then Owen will wallow in guilt that you died because of him. Guy has enough problems. He doesn’t need to feel guilty because of you too.”
Too? What else did Owen feel guilty about? Ian stared at Dalton, wondering how to make the man spill more information. “Why would my death be a problem? I know what I’m getting into with him.”
“Do you?” Dalton stared at him. “Do you really?”
Pressure pushed at his brain, and Ian shielded himself the way he’d been taught years ago. “Try that with a weaker mind.”
Dalton nodded, looking thoughtful. “Not a complete pussy. That’s good.”
“For God’s sake. Being gay doesn’t make me weak.”
“No, but prancing your tight ass around Owen when he’s got better things to worry about is plain stupid. Fine. You want to stay? You do whatever you can to make him happy, and when we get back, maybe I’ll go easier on you.”
“Who the hell are you to tell me what to do?” Ian sat up straight, ready to confront the bully. “And where are we going?”
“Not we, Owen and me. He and I have some work to do outside CONUS.”
CONUS—military jargon for continental United States. Ian stared at Dalton, wondering. His mind pieced together parts of Owen’s past and Dalton’s reappearance in Owen’s life. “You two work together on military operations, don’t you?”
“Yeah, right.” Dalton chuckled.
The notion fit, but the guy’s expression didn’t. Ian blew out a breath of relief that Owen wasn’t in bed with the same government who’d bent him over and fucked him hard without a reach-around.
“Owen, military?” Dalton continued. “Can you see Owen taking orders from anyone?”
“No.”
“Right. Look, I’m just telling you this because Owen needs to be clearheaded about what he’s doing the next few days. Don’t fuck with his head until we get back, okay, princess?”
Ian didn’t take offense at Dalton, mostly because he kept trying to understand Owen. Pieces were supposed to fit a puzzle, but Owen kept adding more layers of complexity. “So what does he do for you?”
“Not what you’re thinking, I’m sure.”
Dalton made a face, and Ian put on his most charming smile. “What a relief that my honey cakes isn’t into gruff, macho bastards. He likes a more refined man, not a bear.”
Dalton frowned. “A bear?”
“And for the record, Dalton, I didn’t volunteer to be here. Owen ordered me to help him for the past month, gathering intel. Now he’s still ordering me to stick around.” Ian grinned. “I think he’s smitten.”
“Jesus. Is this a soap opera or a mission?”
Ian shrugged. “I do as I’m told.”
“I wish,” Dalton muttered.
“And if you want to know why I can’t leave…” Why I don’t want to, not until I have you figured out, Owen Stallbridge. “…you’d have to ask my lord and master.” He glanced over Caleb’s massive shoulder at movement in the doorway. “Ah, there he is. You’d better stop flirting with me. He’s really possessive.”
Caleb rolled his eyes. “I’m sure.”
“Quit bothering my employees, Caleb,” Owen said, appearing not at all troubled by the man hovering over Ian.
That grated.
“He’s scaring me, Daddy,” Ian mewled, struggling not to laugh at the disgust on Caleb’s face or the way Owen’s mouth tightened.
“Okay. I’m outta here. You two play your games, but Owen, man, we need to nail out specifics.”
“After dinner. I don’t need that much time to school this idiot.”
“Hey!”
Caleb grinned. “I’ll leave you to it…Daddy.” He laughed at the finger Owen shot him. “The Knoxes and Tim are set, by the way. Again, good going, hiring them.” The pointed way he looked at Ian told its own story. Then he walked away whistling and shut the door behind him.
Leaving Ian with a scowling Adonis.
“I can explain.” Ian started to defend himself, then decided to go on the attack instead. “You’re leaving to go outside the country? Why do I have the feeling this has nothing to do with Kerr?” The blank expression that eased over Owen’s face worried him. “I want to know what’s going on. Right now.”
Anger replaced the calm on Owen’s face. “I think that’s my line…princess. What were you and Caleb up to, all by yourselves in my bedroom?”
Ian blinked, then slowly smiled. “Oh my God. You’re jealous.” He clapped. What a perfectly wonderful day.
Chapter Six
Owen did his best to close his mouth and school his expression. Damn it, he was jealous. He knew Caleb liked women. But seeing his friend standing so close to his little thief bit at his nerves.
“I’m not jealous.”
Ian glowed with mirth. “You are,” he said in a breathy voice.
Owen ignored the laugh bubbling inside him at Ian’s teasing, not sure how he managed to vacillate between annoyance and humor so easily around the stubborn man. “I’m not. I wanted to see what you’ve been up to all day while I’ve been closeted with work.” Making plans rearranging meetings and business so he could take a trip south to kill a murderer.