Chapter 4

Seth swirled the amber liquid in his glass, noting the fingerprints along the rim that weren’t his own. “Because I accepted Vani’s offer of employment. Starting with a specific job. I’m not sure why you shacked up with Leonov or what you were hoping to accomplish, but you’re going back in. With me. As my sub.”

Blinking at him, Quint took a long sip of whiskey. “Noah was—and still is—a questionable asset. I filed my report, he needs to be watched, but he’s stable enough. I was told I was needed stateside. I’m here. I’ll still do recon, cleanup, and recovery for Vani. As I’ve been doing for close to a decade. But I can’t imagine a job where she’d need two of her only medically trained employees in the same place, so those obviously aren’t the skills she needs. What is this all about, Bizzy?”

That nickname...Seth hadn’t heard it since Mexico. So long ago that he’d almost forgotten he’d ever gone by it at all. Given to him by Jared the day they’d met, adopted by the rest of their forward surgical unit, he’d earned it twelve times over by not sleeping for days at a time, and always moving. Bizenhofer had naturally morphed to Bizzy, when Jared had barked at him several times in a row for not being able to stand still during that interminable first inspection.

“Vani needs someone on the inside to flip an asset from the O’Rourke dynasty. Or what’s left of it. The operation is being run by the heir, Pike O’Rourke.” Taking his phone from the inner pocket of his leather jacket, Seth opened the document containing the dossier on Pike, tapping in Quint’s secure email to shoot him the file. “Rhodey snatched him after a hit Pike orchestrated almost took out Rhodey’s son and several people close to him.”

Quint’s jaw clenched. “Yes, there was something about that in the files we recovered on the mission when I was positioned to meet Noah. I hadn’t been briefed on all the details, but it would’ve been enough to help Rhodey identify the threat.”

Very true. The O’Rourke heir had made a strategic mistake in drawing the attention of both Vani and Rhodey. Seth would almost feel sorry for him, but he’d met the type before. Young men addicted to money and power.

All that mattered was Seth had an opportunity to get a win for Vani. With Quint, which would put the man back in her good graces. And keep him alive. “Rhodey intends to get some intel from Pike that will allow him to dismantle the rest of the operation. Then he’ll terminate the man. Vani wants a different approach.” He thumbed off the phone, making the screen go dark. “Pike can provide a way into the heart of the organization, which will gain us access to not only the one crime family, but everyone they do business with. Same endgame, but fundamental difference in the execution. Rhodey won’t let Pike leave The Asylum, which means we need to get in there to gain access to him.”

With a subtle nod, Quint seemed to absorb the information. Took a deep breath. “You already know I interacted with Jared. If you’re expecting a warm welcome because I’ve been in contact, I hate to disappoint you, but it’s not going to happen.”

“One of my jobs involved developing contacts to expose an adjacent organization headed up by the Gaumond family. Lawson Gaumond being partial owner of The Asylum made investing in it and keeping a close eye on him practical. We learned he wasn’t contributing to his father’s efforts, but rather an obstacle the bastard intends to eliminate.” Not the full truth, but Seth needed to avoid mentioning anything that might make things personal. He waited for the bartender to refill his glass and step away before he continued. “They won’t turn me away once they realize I’m one of their largest investors and guaranteed membership because of it.”

Quint’s blue eyes, several shades darker than Seth’s own, widened. “I’d heard you were damn good at infiltration, but that’s something else. Still, there’s no way to be covert about this. Our presence will be disruptive.”

Looks like I wasn’t the only one keeping tabs.

As much as the revelation pleased Seth, he couldn’t let it show. Not when he needed to keep Quint focused on the task at hand. “That’s the point. If we cause enough upheaval in their center, Rhodey will be busy holding the fort and we’ll have more time to work on the asset. We’ll look like the safe bet to Pike. The sane one.”

“All right, that makes sense…” Quint’s brow furrowed. “So, you’re hoping to present a stable, united front. Make him feel comfortable with us. Is he in the lifestyle? What kind of challenge are we dealing with here? From the little intel I have on the O’Rourkes, I find it hard to believe he could’ve hid something like that.”

Whatever Seth had expected from Quint, quiet calm hadn’t been it. That certainly hadn’t been the tenor of their last meeting, but perhaps time and distance had mellowed them both. “He’s managed to hide quite a bit from his associates, but it’s not clear if that’s because he’s good at maintaining his privacy, or someone established in the organization has done it for him. I do know he’s gay and answers to his roommate—though they’re not strictly sexually involved. He’s enough of a submissive personality, I wouldn’t be surprised if he responds to the right stimuli.”

The edge of Quint’s lips quirked. “Not something I can help with, which you already know. So, let me be blunt.” He set his glass on the bar as the bartender came around for refills. “How will I be useful other than messing with Jared to distract Rhodey? That’s not enough. I know I can do it, but I need…” There was an edge to his tone. “A method to the madness. You being there is more than enough.”

“In addition to being a second set of eyes and protection for Pike?” Seth liked this part less, it was dangerous territory for Quint, but that couldn’t be helped. “He’ll need someone to talk to, who can relate to him and what he’s going through. Another submissive. I can provide a shoulder, a guiding hand, but he’s more likely to confide in you.” His lips curved upward as memory offered another reason. “You were always good at getting the truth out of people. At disarming them without their knowing you were doing it.”

That ever present smile tightened, but Quint simply inclined his head. “It’s come in handy over the years. But I’m sure you know that.”

And just like that, Seth sensed the man emotionally putting up a wall between them. Exactly as he should, but it was hard to see him, close enough to touch, but more distant than he’d ever been.

Polishing off his whiskey, Seth schooled his features, then pushed away from the bar. “Take me up to your room.”

A deep breath, then a nod. Quint walked by his side to the lobby. “What’s the plan?”

Seth waited until they were in Quint’s hotel room to answer. Settling in one of the two occasional chairs flanking a small glass-topped table by the heavily draped windows, he drew out a cigarette and lit it, one hand cupped to block a draft from the overhead heating vent.

“First, I need to know what happened with Noah. How did a simple recon mission get so out of hand?” He blew out a stream of smoke, squinting through it at Quint. “Did you fall for Jared’s boyfriend?”

“No, Seth.” Quint went to the mini bar to pour himself a drink. “I didn’t fall for Noah, I’m not that reckless. I knew I’d see Jared. It was...more complicated than I expected. Working by his side for a small wound to his sub had more of an impact than being with Noah. Yes, he’s...he leaves an impression. But I was prepared for that. I couldn’t prepare myself for Jared.”

That much was obvious, but damn it, it could have been avoided. “I don’t know why you did that to yourself. You had better options. You’re not just a sub. You’re a fucking masochist. No wonder McCleod was as devoted to you as you were to him. You give him an inch, and he’s going to rough you up in ways you never imagined. Only thing I’m afraid of in this whole thing is that you’re going to let him, because you’ll like it.”

Quint let out a rough laugh as he sipped whatever he’d poured into the small glass. “You like pretending you know me. You always did. I stayed after you moved on because I knew I could make a difference. I could help people. I couldn’t where I was in Kiev. I can here. Yes, it fucked with me, but I did what I had to do, regardless. If you’re worried he’ll distract me, stop. I have a handle on it. I’m simply laying out the details so we can handle this mission properly.”

Picking a piece of tobacco off his tongue with his nail, Seth studied a man he’d once have said he knew better than he knew himself. When he and Jared had Topped Quint together, the erotic dance had been some kind of dark magic that had lit the desert hell they were all in with a different kind of fire. Maybe a manufactured kind of safety in their haywire world.

“What’s he like now?” Seth needed to know before he walked into The Asylum.

Hopefully, he’d be more prepared than his boy—

Not yours anymore.

—had been.

Quint winced, resting his hip against the shelf of the minibar. “His sub recognized me. Either from the photo he has in his living room, or one of the Death Head tats on his chest. He has a snake tattoo that creates...quite the impact. He watches over that boy like he’s someone precious. He’s protective of Noah and sees all the frayed parts of his mind, which could be both good and bad. Noah watches over him in his own way. He turned on me in an instant once he realized who I was. Jared’s well established there. It’s his home and he’ll defend it on the level we’d expect. That hasn’t changed so much as become much more grounded. Intense.”

He’s happy. Protected. Everything I did. It’s working.

And now, I have to smash it to pieces...

“Well…” Seth remembered that intensity. The focus that lasered the man in on any threat to those he loved or felt responsibility toward. Taking a long drag, he let the nicotine hit his blood. “We need to protect the asset. I’m going to take as much advantage of the rules as I can.” He pulled a copy of the club’s sub contract from inside his jacket, passing it over to Quint. “Which means I’m going to need you to be pretty damned untouchable so I don’t have Doms diving for you for retribution.”

Quint picked up the paperwork. “No problem there. I know what ideal behavior is. If you need anything else, let me know.” His smile lit up again. “It’s still following orders, which won’t be fake. I prefer it when I can tap into something natural.”

“Just don’t let that something natural be how your dick has always responded to that man’s control.” Gaze and voice hard, Seth flicked the ash from his cigarette into the disposable foil covered ashtray. “I see you so much as looking Jared’s way without an ulterior motive that forwards the mission, I’m coming down on you like a ton of bricks.”

“I’ve cleaned up more bodies than I can count. Tended to other mercs. I can do any mission you put in front of me.” Quint held his gaze, all business, though it was clear by the lack of his practiced smile he was holding onto the professional headspace by a thread. “And to that end, I won’t pretend I won’t react to him. But if I’m coming in on your orders, that will be easier to focus on.”

“Good.” Widening his knees, Seth snapped his fingers, pointing to the floor in front of himself.

Stiffening, Quint hesitated, then gave a slight nod, as though to himself. He approached Seth, lowering gracefully to his knees. Looked up to him, a slight curve to his lips. “Don’t get used to this. I have a feeling, from what you’ve told me, our boy would have some choice words for you if you pulled this with him.”

That was quite possible, but Seth didn’t give a fuck about the boy right now. Reaching under Quint’s collar, Seth drew a metal ball chain from under his shirt to pull it over Quint’s head. Four tags still dangled from the chain. Quint’s two dog tags, and two others. One with the name Jared McCleod that had been worn to a ghostlike impression from years of rubbing, and another, Seth’s own.

He met Quint’s gaze, handing him the tags. “Take his off. It’ll get you killed.”

“He didn’t see it.” Quint’s smile faded completely for the first time. He shook his head. “Please...I’ll make sure he doesn’t see it.”

The last thing they needed was for Wren to catch sight of that tag when Seth stripped Quint naked in the dungeon or the bar. They couldn’t afford to take the chance. Not with Quint’s safety or the mission that would keep him alive.

“Take it off, or I will and I swear, you’ll never see it again.” Tone brittle, Seth sat back.

Hate me if you have to, smiley, but harden up that heart so we can keep it beating.

Tag tucked into the palm of his hand, Quint rose to his feet without waiting for permission, going to the large suitcase in the open entry closet and slipping it into an inside pocket. When he returned, it was like something was missing in his eyes. And his smile didn’t return.

As though by making him remove the tag, Seth had hardened something inside him. The very thing he and Jared had been trying to prevent when they’d collared him together. All these years, Quint had held on, through the kind of brutal existence Seth had never wanted for him, but Quint wouldn’t have survived the alternative.

The question was…

Would any part of the first man he’d ever loved remain when Seth finished saving him?