11. Saul

Chapter eleven

Saul

I had to admit the boys looked good in the photos. Grinning, Angie the photographer had set everything up, and one pic was of them both hugging, standing in the middle of a huge bunch of glittery balloons. Then Angie took some of Chris and Ricky and asked me if I wanted some of me and Calvin. Calvin hitched his breath when she asked, as if he wasn't sure what my reaction would be. Two days ago, I would have stood for one to keep up the pretense, but this time I knew exactly what I wanted and sat on one of the sofas, pulling Calvin on to my lap.

"Daddy?" Calvin whispered, looking nervous.

"Baby?" I cupped his cheek and turned him so he was looking at me. "I was feeling all lonely over there," I whispered, "and as my boy, it's your job to help with that."

"It is?" I had all Calvin's attention, and I forgot the pictures, the people, as everything fell away but the boy in my arms. "You scare me," Calvin whispered.

It took me a second to absorb that. Indignation and refusal warred, but I managed to keep it together. "I scare you?" How? Why?

He pressed his lips together. "I'm scared because you make this seem so real."

Which took me another few seconds to work through. Surely he'd be scared if it wasn't real? Wait, was he scared for me, not because of me? "Do you mean because you don't feel the same way about me?" Was he play-acting? Just putting on a good show for the weekend? Everything in me chilled at that thought.

He shook his head. "I'm scared you're real and I'll believe that. Then I'll remember you're doing a job."

I think my heart had stopped without me realizing because it seemed to lurch and then frantically try to keep up. "You mean you're scared of trusting me?"

Slowly, nervously, Calvin nodded his head. "It's just you're doing and saying what I always wanted, but it's happened so fast…"

I dropped a kiss on the end of his cute nose. "I understand how you feel, and while I might vehemently disagree, the simple fact is you don't know me. You only know I have suitable credentials to be a bodyguard. Plus, this started fake, which is another huge red flag, and more so we were strangers forty-eight hours ago." He'd just suffered what that prick Steven had put him through. Put all that together, and it was easy to see why he'd be distrustful.

"I think the only way you will be convinced is by spending time with me. I want to see you after this weekend, and I'll take whatever you feel safe enough to give me."

Calvin's eyes widened in hope. "I'm sorry."

"Nope," and I hugged him before helping him to his feet as Angie gave me a thumbs up. "You don't owe me any sort of apology, and I said you were to have a break from too many feelings tonight. Adding another worry isn't doing that, and I know you want to be a good boy." Okay, so that was a little too close to emotional manipulation, but it was for his benefit, not mine. I needed him to know he hadn't done anything wrong. "Do you trust me to take physical care of you?"

"Yes," he replied immediately.

I breathed out a sigh of relief. "Then you know I have your back. Nothing you can do tonight is wrong. And you can ask me anything." I took it as a win when he leaned into me. "Do you think you can relax and have a good time tonight?"

He smiled. "Yes, Daddy." I held out my hand. "Then let's get you a drink and some food and make sure you start enjoying yourself."

Calvin wasn't hungry yet, so I got him his drink and watched as he and Ricky chatted to May-belle and Joshua. I'd insisted on juice when I saw what his mood might be like, and I was going to stick to soda.

I saw Daniel having a word with one of the staff I didn't recognize and frowned when the man shrugged. Daniel kept an eye on him as he disappeared for more food, I assumed. He saw me noticing and strolled over.

"Problem?"

Daniel sighed. "Not really. We hired three people from the agency and Matt was going to do an extra trip and take them back since we no longer need them, but they all asked if they could stay on. And as it's quiet, it's always a good time to see how possible new staff interact. Plus, it means they can keep an eye on the food if it needs to be replenished, so I can give Joshua and our regulars a night off." He grinned. "We have exacting standards, as I'm sure you can appreciate, but all our trainees left last week, and our new ones don't start until a week from Monday."

"Trainees?" What trainees?

Daniel smiled. "Part of Rainbow Key operates as a charity. We take in teens that are generally aging out of foster care, many of them extremely vulnerable, as I'm sure you can imagine. We have a rotating eight-week program that introduces them to anything from cooking to gardening. They get paid and leave with a reference. Plus, I own enough businesses and know a lot of friends that can set them up with further training and a job with or without college, depending on their preference. We have combined that with some support and therapy programs. Charlie is our registered art therapist, and sometimes it can be about simple life skills like cash management. Noah manages our online schooling program. We've taken two weeks to give some of our other staff a break before our next group starts."

I listened in awe. "That's really impressive." I waved my hand. "But you clearly take in regular guests as well."

"We do and the Andersons are good friends."

"Anderson?"

I turned and saw that shit, Steven, approaching. " Grayson Anderson. That Anderson?"

Daniel stiffened but nodded and Steven gaped, then noticed we weren't elaborating, so he moved away. "Who the hell is Grayson Anderson?" I asked.

Daniel huffed. "I'm only telling you because Chris trusts you." I nodded, taking it seriously. "Ever heard of Too Busy to Surf?"

I chuckled. Everyone had heard of the lifestyle app. It covered everything from cutting down your online presence to managing day to day living. It was especially popular with parents. It had everyday advice on kids and the internet and was really popular. "Of course." He arched a brow. "That's the ones that left?" I said in admiration. But why had they been here on a tiny island with dodgy internet speeds and trainees rather than a hotel for billionaires which they could clearly afford?

He shrugged as if I'd asked the question out loud. "I was so busy for such a long time making money I forgot how to live. Joshua showed me very forcibly the error of my ways. They needed the same lesson. Here, they're just three people together." He chuckled, but I was sure there was a lot more to the story than that, which was both admirable and courageous. "But they were expecting two couples with young kids to join them, so it made sense they relocated."

"What did the trainee do?" I asked, changing the subject, and I nodded to the man who came back in with a tray, indicating who I meant.

"I caught him somewhere he shouldn't have been."

I stayed silent, waiting, and Daniel sighed and waved a hand. "He said he was lost. And they only arrived a few hours ago so it makes sense." But I could tell Daniel wasn't sure. He turned as one of the barmen asked him a question, and I eyed the man we'd been talking about. He was unremarkable. Probably in his forties. White, with a few tattoos you could see on his neck. Then a woman joined him, also in the same uniform, and I studied her out of habit. Latino at a guess, late twenties, and deliberately not looking at anyone. Shy or nervous, probably, and I watched as they spoke, then the man went back to the kitchen and she fussed with straightening the napkins and flatware.

"Just two of them?"

"Three. The third is helping Angie and Susie with the rooms, as Lizzie is away for a long weekend."

Chris grinned and joined me as Daniel moved away, and grabbed a light beer. I was still nursing my Coke. "He looks better," Chris commented. I couldn't help the smile as Ricky leaned over and whispered something to Calvin that made him blush. "So do you," he said.

"Yeah," I said. "What got you into this life?" I'd wanted to ask him that for two days.

"You mean the clubs, and Ricky and me?" I nodded. "My dad was my mom's sub."

My eyebrows might have hit the roof even though I tried not to react, and he grinned. "But wasn't your dad—" Then I shut up, remembering the article I'd read about the heart surgeon.

Chris shrugged, but he smiled. "They hid it for a long time, as it was only something they did at their club, but I came home on leave suddenly when my first deployment got moved up and Mom had left her suitcase open on the bed. They were going away for the weekend. Mom heard me calling for her and came out of her bathroom just as I saw the things she had in it. Asked me if I had any questions, and I did." He grinned. "As you can imagine I asked her if she wanted me to ask my dad, and she just said that if I was interested, then I needed to hear it from both of them."

And this time, instead of being shocked, I was jealous. I never had the chance to be close with Mom, and Dad certainly never cared to give me any advice.

"Let me know if you have any questions or want to visit a club," Chris said, then took his drink and returned to the table. I decided to follow, just as the server came in with another covered cart and Joshua looked up.

"What's he doing?" Joshua mumbled. "All the food's out. He'd better not have the pies I made for breakfast," and he stood.

Then all hell broke loose.

The man yanked the other server back into him and drew a gun from the covered tray, fired once into the air, then held it to her head. "Everyone freeze or I shoot her."

I reacted immediately and had Calvin under my body before I catalogued what was happening. He was panting in panic, and I eased off him a little, then kissed his head, silently begging him not to move. "Everyone freeze!" the gunman repeated and we all stilled.

The man who I assumed was the third hire, as he was in uniform, ran in through the patio doors holding a gun.

"Everyone is going to lie face down," the third one said. "We lucked out with so many being in one place. Plenty of targets," he added silkily. "Now, which one of you is Grayson Anderson? If you don't volunteer the information, I'll start shooting until you do."

My breath caught in my throat. Grayson had left with his party, but what was going to happen when they found out?