Ross

R oss worked all morning trying to track down Tony with no luck. The idea of him just showing up at his office was a long shot, but their only hope at this point. He had called in a few favors, asking around for Tony, but when he kept coming up empty, he knew that they were running out of options. To watch the hope drain from Leo's face, with every passing hour, nearly gutted him. He hoped for Leo's sake that Tony was alive and well somewhere, laying low from a threat that would eventually pass, but knew how these things worked. Hoping and wishing for things never really worked out for guys in their business. That was the main reason why he wanted out.

"He can't have just fallen off of the face of the planet, right?" Leo asked. knew that he wasn't really looking for an answer to his question, but he gave him one anyway.

"Not really," said. "Maybe he's just laying low. You know, like in a safehouse or something." Everyone in their family knew about where the safe houses were and went to them to lay low when things got out of control.

"I hate to think that he's in trouble," Leo whispered almost to himself.

"You worried about your dad or about having to take over as head of household?" asked, cutting straight to the point.

"How can you ask me something like that?" Leo asked. "Of course, I'm worried about my dad." He sighed and knew that Leo was holding back. "Okay, and I'm worried about becoming the head of my family. It's not something that I'm looking forward to," he admitted. "I'm not like you, ."

He barked out his laugh and Leo looked him over as though he had lost his mind. "You really think that I wanted this?" asked. He looked around his office and sunk into his father's old chair that sat behind his dad's desk. Everything in the office had belonged to his father, something that he planned on changing sooner than later.

"You seem to really excel at it," Leo added.

"Well, take another look," spat. "I'm drowning here. I hate that my father left me in charge of this—this shithole of a company. I've always hated everything about what my father does. I just wanted to live my life, my way, but he had to go and die and leave me in charge of everything. I had no choice, just like you will have no choice when your old man dies. We do what's expected of us, just as we always have, and we accept it. That's what you're seeing, Leo, my acceptance of what life has delt me."

"I'm sorry," Leo whispered, "I had no idea."

shrugged, "How could you? I never told anyone how I felt about all of this. Hell, it's still so fresh, I'm not sure that I've fully accepted what's happening."

"Have you ever thought about getting out?" Leo asked. It was all he had thought about night and day since his father died.

"Honestly, yeah," admitted. Leo was the first person he had ever told the honest truth too, and damn if it didn't feel good to get it out. "I've thought about it, but Tony and Bobby have both told me that there was no way out unless I wanted to end up like my father." Bobby was his father's other partner and his friend Zane's father. "One day, it's going to be you, Zane, and me running things, and while I'd like to think that we'll be able to change things, I'm not sure that's completely true. We have a lot of people depending on us, and since my father's death, I've felt their weight on my shoulders. I can't just walk away and leave them all to fend for themselves—especially my mother and sister. It would destroy them if I walked away."

"I guess we'll just look forward to the day when you, Zane, and I are running things then," Leo said. wasn't sure that he'd be able to hold out that long, but he'd have to try.

"We can worry about someday later. Right now, we have to find your father," insisted. "Because getting another wakeup call from your mother, like the one that we had this morning, isn't something that I want to experience again." Leo made a face and laughed. He knew that was the last thing that Leo wanted too.

"I'm going to head over to my father's office and look around. Maybe he went back there and just didn't tell anyone," Leo said. knew that was probably not the case. Tony kept his security detail around him at all times. He knew that another family could come after him at any moment and he wanted to be prepared. That was what was really tripping up right now. How would someone have been able to get to Tony without having to go through his guards?

"Sounds good," said. "Do you want me to go with you?"

"No, I'll be fine to go alone," Leo insisted. knew that he was probably trying to avoid telling his father that they were together now, but he also knew that sooner or later, Leo would have to do just that.

"All right," agreed, giving him a pass. "I'll stick around here and make some more calls. Do you know who was on security duty for your father last night?"

"Not off hand," Leo said. "Why do you ask?"

"I'm just trying to figure out how anyone got past your father's security detail to get to him. I mean, he usually travels with a small army," said.

"You're correct. I'll check in with security while I'm over there and will get back to you," Leo said. He paused by the door and could tell that Leo was overthinking things again.

"You're doing it again," said, "you're over thinking everything. Just say what you want to say, Leo," insisted.

"I was just wondering when we will see each other again," Leo admitted. had already thought about this. In fact, he was up most of the night thinking about how he was going to ask Leo to move in with him.

"I was thinking," said.

Leo smiled, "Well that's never a good thing," he teased.

"Shut the fuck up," said with no real heat. "We've been best friends our whole life, well, except over this past year. And I know that we've only been together for hours, but we know each other, Leo."

"I agree," Leo said. "You're still my best friend and if I wasn't such a jackass, I wouldn't have put distance between us over this past year. We've lost a little bit of time, but I'd like to think that we can make it up."

"I agree," said, "we can make it up. How about you move into my place with me?" he asked. "I mean, if you don't mind giving up your apartment." had a big, empty house and the thought of Leo sharing it with him made him almost giddy. He thought about what their lives might look like, living together in his home, and it was as though could see their entire future.

"I don't mind giving up my place, but are you sure that we're ready for this next step?" Leo asked.

shrugged, "I think so," he said. "It's really not rushing things. We've known each other our whole lives, basically." knew that he might be overselling them moving in together, but he couldn't seem to help himself. He held his breath waiting for Leo to decide their future. And when he nodded his agreement, stood, crossed the room, and pulled Leo in for a hug.

"Thank you," whispered into his ear.

"Why are you thanking me?" Leo asked. "I should be the one to thank you. I appreciate you giving this so much thought. I was worried that I was the only one thinking about a future for us. It's good to know that we're on the same page."

"We are," agreed. "Now, go look for your father. I'll see you at home tonight, right?" he asked.

"You will," Leo said, flashing him his shy, sexy smile that always turned inside out with need. "I'll pack a bag or two and maybe after we find my dad, I can move all my stuff over."

"That would be great," said. He couldn't believe that in just twenty-four hours, he had gone from pining for Leo to having him move into his place. All in all, he considered himself one lucky son of a bitch.

knew that calling Zane to fill him in might be a mistake, but he really had no choice. Zane's dad, Bobby, was one of Tony's best friends and if he was going to reach out to anyone, it would be him. He pulled his cell phone from his pocket and called Zane, hoping like hell that he'd answer.

"," Zane asked. His friend was usually a pretty cut-and-dry guy, but when he hung out with and Leo, he let loose a bit. liked seeing that side of his friend.

"Hey, Zane. Leo and I are still looking for his dad. Have you or Bobby heard from him?" asked.

"No, man," Zane said, "no one has reached out to you about ransom or anything like that?"

"No, and I'm beginning to think that it's not about money. I mean, what if another family grabbed him for other reasons?" asked. He didn't want to worry Leo about that, but he couldn't stop thinking that might be the case.

"You mean, for revenge or something like that?" Zane asked. worried that Tony was already dead, and they'd never find him. If another family wanted to get rid of him, they would and there was nothing that or Leo could do about it.

"What can I do to help?" Zane asked.

"There really isn't anything. Just keep looking for Tony and if you or Bobby hear anything, let one of us know," said. "I'll fill Leo in tonight when he gets home that you haven't heard from Tony."

"Wait," Zane shouted into the phone, "what did you mean by you'll fill him in when he gets home?" Shit, really didn't mean to spill the beans about him and Leo being together. It wasn't public knowledge yet. He promised to give Leo two months to come out and here he was, outing him to their best friend.

"I don't suspect you'd be willing to forget that I said anything," asked, hoping like hell that Zane would agree.

"Nope," Zane said, "I've been waiting for you two to admit that you had feelings for each other for years now. Hell, you two have been dancing around each other since we were teenagers. When you both were in the same room together, I could feel the tension, and it was damn uncomfortable."

"It was not," shouted. "Listen, I've been out for some time now, but Leo hasn't come out yet, and I've promised to give him two months to figure out how he wants to do it."

"You think he'll do it?" Zane asked.

"God, I hope so, because I've wanted him for years now. Can we just keep this conversation between the two of us? I don't want to spook Leo when we're just starting to figure things out," said.

"Sure, but for the record, I'm good with both of you being gay," Zane admitted. "It won't change the way that I feel about either of you." had a suspicion that was because Zane liked guys too, even though he was always out with women, but he'd wait for Zane to admit that truth to him.

"Thanks, man," breathed.

"No problem, but I was wondering if you could do me one favor?" Zane asked.

"Name it," agreed.

"Can you give me your sister's number? I'd like to ask her out," Zane said. didn't hold back his growl of displeasure at the thought of Zane dating his little sister.

"Dakota is off limits," shouted. "We made that rule when we were just kids, remember?"

"So, does that mean you won't give me her number?" Zane asked. knew that he was probably joking, but he wouldn't put it past his friend to ask Dakota out and not give a fuck about 's rules.

"Go fuck yourself, Zane," grumbled. His friend laughed into the other end of the phone, and he wanted to punch the guy. If Zane was trying to upset , it was working.

"I won't take that personally," Zane insisted. "I'll be in touch soon." He ended the call before could remind Zane to keep his hands off Dakota and a part of him worried that he already had his sister's number. He made a mental note to talk to Dakota and warn her to stay away from Zane, not that she listened to him, but he had to try. For now, he was going to concentrate on finding Tony and his future with Leo, because that was all that mattered.