Chapter Three

Seven

He stood with his back to the counter, never letting Hunter out of his sight.

Seven had seen the flash of anger directed toward him at the club, but Hunter had quickly hidden it. As much as he wanted to meet Hunter three days ago, it hadn’t worked out. After getting Joshua home around ten that night, he’d spent several hours having a talk with their father and Joshua’s mother. It hadn’t been pretty, but he’d been assured for the hundredth time that they would straighten up.

He wasn’t banking on it. They only toed the line because he gave them money every month to keep themselves and Joshua clothed and fed, and utilities paid. When Joshua turned eighteen—they didn’t know it—all funds would be ending.

The conversation with his brother outside the home Seven rented for his family brought a knot in his throat.

“Why can’t I just stay with you?”

“You can’t. Not yet. Once you turn eighteen and I…take care of things, you can come live with me.”

Joshua’s eyes filled with tears. “You mean catch Lisa’s killer.”

Seven wasn’t able to answer because Carla came and stood in the doorway, so Seven yanked Joshua into a quick, tight hug and sent his stepmother a stern look before he headed out.

He was in a no-win situation with Joshua, who hadn’t yet graduated from high school. He didn’t have custody of his brother, and his father had already flat-out refused when Seven said he’d take Joshua off his hands. The calculating look in the man’s eyes told the truth.

They were at a stalemate, so Seven had done the only thing he could do—threatened to cut off all money unless they took care of Joshua. Sure, Seven could have sued for custody, but that would mean a long court battle if he went that route. And it didn’t make sense to put Joshua through that when he’d be eighteen in nine months.

“That’ll be twelve-fifteen,” the barista said, gaining his attention.

He paid for the coffee and lifted the cups before turning toward the table. Meeting unfamiliar people took an astronomical amount of trust, and Seven had none where Hunter’s friend was concerned.

Reaching the table, he took the vacant chair. He used to sit with his back to the wall, but not since meeting Hunter. Snagging a chair with his back to the wall was one of Hunter’s tells and Seven couldn’t wait to find out more. They were like little hints into Hunter’s past—a past Seven wasn’t privy to. Although, to be fair, he wasn’t around all that much so he hung onto what odd habits of Hunter’s he could find.

Theo’s hands waved about, and his speech was overly loud as he recanted about his dance partners at the club. The man’s sway in his chair told its own story. The guy was plastered.

Hunter shot him a look from those bright blue eyes. He’d be goddamned if he’d let anything happen to Hunter. Call him paranoid after his own sister’s murder, but Seven wasn’t taking any chances. He had to step very carefully, though…he and Hunter weren’t together. Seven never was much for relationships past the bedroom. Frankly, he sucked at it.

So, what do you call stalking the guy?Keeping him safe! Mhmm, and that includes fucking him? He scowled at the annoying voice in his head. It was more than fucking—and whatever the hell it was, it kept him coming back for more.

The weird thing was, Seven didn’t need to protect Hunter. While the guy came off as happy-go-lucky, Seven saw beneath the surface. Something dark lingered in Hunter’s eyes. It spoke of that past that Seven hadn’t been able to dig out.

It screamed from the way Hunter cautiously moved like an animal. Not one of the prey kind, but rather the predator. He moved with a hyper awareness, which had caught Seven’s attention that very first night in the alley when Pegasus was onto the wrong culprit in a case. It had taken all of his skills to come up on Hunter without the guy knowing he was there and that was only because Hunter had been distracted keeping an eye on his brother. Seven doubted if Parker knew how many times Hunter had saved his ass.

Hunter intrigued him.

Hunter was a mystery. He couldn’t put his finger on what Hunter was hiding, but he was damned sure going to find out. Preferably from Hunter himself and not from digging further into the man’s hidden life.

That unknown element kept Seven vigilant.

It kept him diligent where Hunter was concerned. That combined with the sexual attraction between them had Seven coming back for more.

Theo loudly sipped his coffee and complained that it was too hot. The guy may have introduced himself on the walk over here, but Seven had already known Theo’s name.

It wasn’t possible for Hunter to meet someone and Seven not know about it. He shifted in his chair and took a sip of his black coffee. So yeah, when Theodore Kada had called Hunter’s phone earlier this evening, Seven’s gut had sent up a shit-ton of alerts. Basically, because Hunter didn’t get calls outside of his two moms, coworkers, and brother.

There was only one conclusion to come to. Obviously, Kada was from Hunter’s past, but who was this guy and who was he to Hunter? Seven didn’t trust the guy’s sudden appearance, but more than that, he sensed that Kada was hiding something—kind of like Hunter was. And just like with Hunter’s past, Seven hadn’t been able to find out shit about Kada and that was a red fucking flag if you asked him. He’d be damned if the guy was going to drag Hunter into whatever the fuck was going on.

He carefully observed the pair and swiveled his own chair a bit. That way, he could fluctuate his attention between the entrance, the hallway in the back, Theo, and Hunter. They were the only three in there, but when the club down the street closed in a few hours, it would be packed. He hoped to be the hell out of there by then and preferably somewhere with a soft bed and Hunter in it.

Cradling his black coffee, his eyes lingered on Hunter. At over six feet, Hunter could look him in the eye with only a slight height difference. The only thing Seven had on the guy was shoulder width. Seven had never been attracted to a man who matched him physically in every way, but with Hunter, it was different. Muscles bunched beneath Hunter’s tight shirt. Not only did they match physically, but the danger simmering beneath Hunter’s surface called to his own. The man had the blue-eyed, steely look down to a fucking art, and with his unshaven face and thick brown hair, Hunter was in the smoking hot category. His mouth, fucking hell, Hunter’s lips alone drew him in like a moth to a flame.

The lips he was focused on started to curve upward. Ah, he’d been caught. He quirked an eyebrow at the amusement in that gleaming blue gaze.

“What brought you out to that particular club tonight?” Hunter said.

Pinned beneath those blue eyes, Seven took another slow sip of coffee. Like hell he’d admit that he’d put a tracker on and tapped Hunter’s phone since Halloween and he had known where the guy was twenty-four seven. And let’s not even mention the call he’d recorded from Theo. Instead of answering Hunter, Seven shrugged—better to say nothing than incriminate himself.

“Yeah, what brought—wait…what’s your name?” Theo asked, his sway a bit less pronounced with half the mocha consumed.

“Seven,” he bit out, more than annoyed.

“Like the number?” Theo mumbled with a confused look.

Hunter snickered into his coffee and shot him a look that said, you’re on your own. Seven didn’t mind; he lived for Hunter’s looks and would take them anyway he could get them. Theo, however, received his flat, bored stare before Seven’s gaze was moving again.

“Why Seven?” Theo persisted and when Seven didn’t respond, Theo turned on Hunter.

Hunter shrugged and smiled.

Seven liked that about Hunter. He kept information close to his chest. Hunter never gave things away that shouldn’t be given, and he never gave anything to someone who wasn’t a member of Pegasus—except for him.

Hunter always shared Pegasus stuff with him.

He let one side of his mouth quirk because he knew that would bring back that bright light in Hunter’s eyes. He loved it when Hunter smiled.

Pegasus was where Hunter worked. If Seven was being honest, Pegasus—the unit designed to help out when law enforcement’s hands were tied—was more like a family to Hunter. They were an elite team of operatives who helped out innocent people by saving the day—like a dream come true.

Only that dream wasn’t for Seven.

Last year when Giovanni Rossi, chief of Pegasus, had approached him with a job offer, Seven had turned it down. When the former Secretary of Defense, the man in charge of the unit, had followed up with the same offer a few weeks later, Seven said he’d think about it. But he’d only said he’d think about it because he’d been recovering from injuries of his own.

His wounds hadn’t been a big deal, but even now, Seven’s left leg ached. It had been his own fault for trusting the wrong people. It was a long story, but it had damaged his faith in people even more than before. Of course, he was grateful to Pegasus. They had rescued him, with Hunter leading the way.

“So, what brings you my way, Theo? What’s going on?”

Ah, now we’ll get some answers.Seven ran his gaze over the room one more time before bouncing it off of Theo. The man’s eyes were wide and settled on Hunter.

“Nothing’s going on, just wanted to see an old friend.” Theo clutched his cup a bit tighter.

The man’s tone was too defensive for Seven’s liking, and he narrowed his gaze. At that moment, Theo glanced at him before hastily lifting his cup to sip. Seven would have stayed with the intimidation stare if Hunter’s touch hadn’t snagged his attention. Electricity zipped up his arm. It was like that when Hunter touched him, and Seven’s cock twitched in his jeans. With that light squeeze, Seven held his words, but sometimes, Hunter was way too fucking trusting—like now—for Seven’s peace of mind.

“What hotel are you at?” Hunter asked Theo.

“I didn’t get one yet.” The man ducked his head.

“I rent a room from some friends, but they do have a spare room, and I’m sure you can crash there tonight.”

Seven’s lids closed to slits, and he clenched his teeth so hard his jaw ached. Hunter’s thumb caressed the skin on his forearm and Hunter sent a one-handed text to his landlords. Seven knew the people Hunter lived with because he’d investigated them after Hunter moved from the place he’d rented with his brother into the home of Olsen, Hobbs, and Alder. Not only were they a throuple, but they were also the founders of a law firm, and a damned good one at that. Seven hadn’t found anything suspicious about them. And since they were filthy rich and the room Hunter rented had a soft bed, Seven had been content with the man’s choice.

“Scott said it’s cool,” Hunter said, glancing up from this phone.

“Thank you.” Theo’s smile seemed a bit wobbly to Seven.

“Of course.” Hunter’s hand left his skin and was reaching to squeeze Theo’s arm and Seven had to stop himself from ending that contact.

But fuck, he wanted to squash Theo Kada.

“Hang on a second,” Hunter said, and was out of his chair and out the door of the cafe before Seven could shove out of his own chair.

“Where are you going?” Theo sounded scared.

“I’ll be right back,” Seven growled. “Stay here. Don’t move.”

He shoved open the door with a crash and grimaced. Damn it, he was losing his cool. Hunter had gone right, so Seven went left through the rain and around the building. He slipped along the wall and into the dark alley behind the coffee shop.

Once there, he paused with his back to the building and eased his breathing. The neighborhood wasn’t noisy, but it wasn’t too quiet either. It was somewhere in the middle with sounds ramping up when cars passed out front. The rain made it worse as it pinged off awnings and emergency ladders.

He sensed rather than saw Hunter next to him and Seven eased closer, his heart pounding in his chest at how easily Hunter had appeared.

Reaching down, he locked their damp fingers together and thought he heard a snicker from Hunter.

“What is it?” he whispered.

“I’ll protect you,” Hunter murmured.

Seven grunted. “Did you see something?” he said, barely audible this time.

“Nothing, I guess.” Hunter breathed the words for his ears only. “I thought I did.”

When Hunter tugged him back toward the front of the building, Seven tossed a look over his shoulder.

From what he could see through the driving rain, the alley was empty, but there were a shit ton of pitch-black places. He pulled Hunter to a stop when he spotted the silhouette of a man in the shadows. Hunter must have seen it too because he pivoted. Stalking the short distance to the back of the alley again, they reached the darkness to find it empty.

“A trick of the light?” Hunter whispered.

Seven stayed silent. It hadn’t been a trick of the light, but whomever it was, was long gone. They needed to get back to Theo. Hunter must have thought the same and hurried toward the front of the coffee shop. Opening the door, Seven ushered Hunter inside and then shook the rain from his shoulders.

Theo stood by their table with wide eyes.

“What’s going on?” the man asked.

“Nothing,” Hunter softly assured Theo before taking a seat. Pulling his damp shirt away from his skin, Hunter shook it before sipping at his coffee as if nothing had transpired.

Seven was slow to join them.

He didn’t believe Hunter’s “nothing” comment at fucking all.

Someone had been in that alley.