28. Jordan

"But… But…" Hartley's eyes were comically big as he looked around the space I'd offered him for his studio.

Two floors with the top open to the bottom, expansive room for him to do as he pleased, and tall windows to let in enough light for him to never feel like he was closed in. This was the perfect place for him to have his studio. He could use it as a retail space as well if he chose to do so. I wasn't certain what his business plan was, but this should do for a while.

"It's too much," he said.

"Nonsense. There's no such thing where you and Vail are concerned."

Vail stepped up beside me and put his arm around my waist. "This is beautiful. The floors are gorgeous." They were tile made to look like hardwood with hues of gray and deep browns. They held up much better than wood. When I redid a space, I didn't half-ass it.

"There's central air and heat. A security system to rival the one in my building." The alarm system was new. I didn't bother bringing that up. Hartley would say it was too much again. He would have a guard on him whenever he was out of my building. The same with Vail. Vail wouldn't like it, but when someone had an acquaintance with me, they also became a target. These men would go nowhere unprotected.

"Jordan…" Hartley whispered. When he turned again, tears shimmered in his eyes. "After everything happened with my grandfather, I didn't think I'd see a space like this for a long time. Are you sure you want to give this to me? I can't pay the rent it could bring in."

"You won't pay me a dime. This is yours." I lifted the phone from my pocket and sent a quick text to Lana, my lead attorney. She had her own firm and a team of lawyers who worked for her. She would file the paperwork to have this put in Hartley's name. I still owned the rest of the building, but this… this was his, as was the apartment above it on the third floor.

I'd like to think I'd have Vail and Hartley with me for the rest of my days, but my track record was shit with relationships. They wouldn't come after me or my son, although they might not want to be with me forever. When that time came, I had to know they would be taken care of. Vail kept his home, and now Hartley had this.

He nodded. "I'm going to pay rent."

"You don't understand. You own this and the apartment above it. You're free to rent it out or leave it as your own personal getaway from everything. Whatever you'd like to do with it."

"But…"

Vail chuckled. "Say thank you, Hart. Apparently, Jordan knows no bounds when it comes to us." That was what it meant to be mine. They would always receive what they needed. He leaned close to whisper, "If you buy me a building, I'll sell it."

A smile quirked the corner of my lips. Vail had plenty of money. While I wouldn't buy him a building, I'd find other ways to spoil him.

Hartley wrapped his arms around my neck and pulled me down to kiss me. One of my arms went to his waist while my other wrapped around Vail's. There was no going back for me. I had two men. There wouldn't be anyone else like them, nor did I want there to be.

We stayed a bit longer while Hartley started mapping out what he'd like to buy and put where. I nodded along. Reghan had his phone out, jotting down notes of what Hartley was listing. I'd buy him what he desired.

As I turned, I noticed an unmarked cop car idling at the corner.

Reghan spun, following my line of sight. I had men outside, so I wasn't worried that Reghan was paying attention to us and not the street.

"Bear," Reghan growled.

I sighed. It was a good day. I could tell Vail and Hartley to stay here but having them recognize Barrett wouldn't be a bad thing. He was on my side, mostly. After what we'd been through together, my concern over him was minimal.

Reghan opened the door for us with more force than required. I was surprised he didn't wrench it off its hinges. I cocked an eyebrow at him as we walked by. His spine straightened.

Barrett exited his car when he saw us approach. No badge swung around his neck, though I noticed the outline under his black fitted shirt. An unbuttoned gray wool coat fell to the mid-thigh of his jean-encased legs. He wasn't a bad-looking man with his short, light brown hair that was swept to the side. Under the sun, there was a bit of blond in it.

My gaze bounced from him to Reghan as they stared at one another. If Barrett left the force, I wouldn't mind him with Reghan. Hell, I could welcome him into my organization. But the fact he had one foot in the East Dremest Police Department had me grinding my teeth.

"Barrett," I said, drawing his attention from Reghan. "Let me introduce you to Vail Ayers and Hartley Weathers, my partners. Vail, Hartley, this is Detective Barrett North." I still called him a cop. This was a formal introduction. It was better for Vail and Hartley to know his title.

Barrett nodded. "Gentlemen. Could we take this inside so I can say what I want while looking official?"

"Of course," Hartley said and led us into the building.

Reghan shut the door behind us and leaned heavily on it with his arms crossed while he glared at Barrett. I didn't bother asking him to search Barrett. All it would accomplish would be Barrett stripping off his shirt and Reghan getting angrier.

Barrett's eyes rolled when he turned to face us. "How frank can I speak? I know they're your partners, but how much can I say?"

I debated for a moment. They lived in my home and were bound to hear things. Vail didn't like violence though, while Hartley didn't seem as bothered by it. Still, I wasn't certain I wanted them to hear everything Barrett was about to tell me.

"Come on," Hartley said and took Vail's hand in his. "Let's go look at the apartment I now apparently own." He already had the keys, so he could easily get inside.

"There's a separate entrance outside in the back," I told them.

When the door shut, Barrett spoke. "Some of the guys at the station aren't buying that Leeland offed himself. The scene setup was brilliant, and they believed he was a kinky fucker, but they still think you're involved. Plus, his ex-wife showed up."

"What do you mean, showed up?" I knew Leeland was married at one point, but they divorced over five years ago.

"She came into the station wailing about how her ex-husband wouldn't ever sleep with a man. Never mind that Kayli found him with one. I couldn't bring that up. The ex is demanding we investigate you for the crime since you have the most to gain from his death. Some of the guys started digging. The man Leeland was fucking was once on your payroll."

"Excuse me?" I asked as anger licked its way through my veins. We didn't do a thorough analysis of the man Leeland slept with. He was a liability and needed to die, end of story.

"Low level accountant at one of your businesses."

"Jesus Christ. That doesn't mean shit!"

"No, but they're reaching. Any way to get you, they'll try, especially with the wailing of the ex. I saw one of them comfort her and she quickly snapped out of her misery. He might be sleeping with her. I don't have the resources to investigate her. I'm tied up trying to keep the heat off your ass."

"Reghan." He'd get one of our men on it.

Barrett gave him the officer's name. "Now you know. They're still digging. If they come up with anything…"

"You don't need to say it." I'd have cops at my building waiting to put me in handcuffs.

"There's another issue."

"What?" I growled.

"Your partner, Vail, his ex has been digging. The moment you were seen with your men publicly, we all knew. I'm here under the pretense of checking things."

"How have they not connected you with Mr. Altair before?" Reghan asked. He didn't know the story.

Barrett faced him. "Three years ago, when I was a new detective, I stumbled upon a scene I shouldn't have. Jordan was mid-kill of a drug dealer whose case I was working. The dealer had sold bad drugs, leading to the deaths of two teens. Needless to say, I wasn't a bit broken up about watching him die. Jordan and I got to talking?—"

"I threatened to kill Barrett and his entire family if he talked," I cut in.

"Which, while I love some of them, I have an uncle I wouldn't mind seeing in the ground. Anyway, we struck a deal. I said I found a guy—not Jordan—attacking the dealer and fired at him as he fled. Jordan didn't kill me, or anyone linked to me. My hands are as bloody as his, even if I wasn't the one committing the crime. I've done some things I won't get into."

"I trust you to a point," I said.

"The feeling's mutual. I won't rat out your boss, Reghan. I have too much to lose. With him alive and working, my job is easier. I prefer going to sleep at night instead of pouring through stacks of investigations."

"You didn't answer my question," Reghan said with barely controlled anger. God, he hated Barrett, and the cop knew it.

"Oh, right. The dealer who was selling bad drugs in the city was caught on camera during an altercation with Jordan prior to that night. They wanted Jordan brought in, but I told them it wasn't Jordan who committed the crime. That had them suspicious of me, so I knew I needed to prove I wasn't working with Jordan."

"He came to me with a plan," I stated. "We staged a nonexistent crime. Barrett walked around a corner and found me choking someone in an alley."

"He wasn't actually hurting her. I knew that, but I needed a reason to bring him in and show I wasn't on his side. I put in my report I thought he was trying to kill a woman."

"The woman was Kayli."

"They staged it and she arrived at the station soon after I brought Jordan in to say she was into that kind of thing and wanted him to do it."

Reghan chuckled. "Kayli wouldn't care if she told the world she liked it rough."

Smiling, Barrett said, "She declared to everyone in earshot that she enjoyed breath play and got off on it. The looks on their faces." Barrett shook his head while smiling.

"And I was free to go," I stated. "They had nothing to hold me on or charge me with."

"And while I was teased by the others at the station, a week later, I busted a small prostitution ring thanks to Jordan, so I redeemed myself and looked like a hero."

"What will you say when they ask why you were here today?" Reghan asked, genuinely curious and not trying to piss Barrett off.

"We heard about Vail and Hartley. I came here to check them out and make sure they weren't being held against their will. Hartley is squeaky clean in our system. Vail has his asshole ex, but Vail's never done anything. There's no reason to check into them further. And before you ask, Jordan, they're not being investigated. We expect you to have guards on them."

"I will."

"About Leeland's ex…"

"I'll send a message when I have information." I didn't call or text Barrett or any of the cops I paid. Everything was done in person with one of my guards or by me directly. There weren't a lot of times I needed the cops to do something for me, but when I did, they followed through because of the money I paid them and the secrets I kept. Barrett was in deeper than most. I still didn't trust him fully though.