Chapter Eight

“Iheard that Fighter is looking for a business partner,” Brick’s younger brother said, sipping at a cup of coffee in his hand.

“Yeah, sounds like they need it,” Jaxon agreed with Syn.

“I offered him money,” Brick snapped, irritated to all hell that none of them would stop talking about Fighter. Brick wanted to pull his hair out.

“When did you offer him money? Was it a loan? When was this?” Jaxon fired off, stabbing at a piece of cut meat on his plate.

Syn grinned at Brick. “Yeah, spill the beans, big bro.”

“It was at that charity event,” Brick mumbled, avoiding their gazes.

“So that’s why he stabbed you,” Hayden murmured, glaring at Brick.

“What exactly did you say?” Syn squinted at him.

“What does it matter?” Brick scowled, shifting uncomfortably.

“Did you make it seem like charity?” Hayden asked.

No, he’d made it so much worse than charity.

Fuck.

Shit.

God damn it.

Brick thought back to that night and of how he’d spotted Fighter the minute the man had walked into the Broadmoor resort where the annual fundraiser was held.

It wasn’t the first time he’d seen Fighter. Brick had gotten a glimpse of the man one other time at a bodyguard convention. He had found out the man’s name, but Fighter had left the event before Brick had the chance to meet him.

Until the night of the fundraiser.

It had been hard to miss the sleek, animalistic man who walked and moved like silk. Fighter should have been a dancer instead of a bodyguard. Brick had almost been tempted to investigate the guy prior to meeting him, but he decided he would much rather find out the details personally. All he knew was that Fighter owned Suwan Guardians and the building was not far from Cobalt Security.

Having already donated to the fundraiser, Brick was bored out of his mind when he spotted Fighter. It took Brick a few minutes to work his way over to the bar where the elegant-looking man had taken a seat.

Another man stood by Brick’s target and the closer he drew, he recognized trust fund baby Jeffery Frame.

The fucking poser.

All Jeff did was spend Daddy’s millions on bullshit. There’d be little left in a few years and Jeff would be adrift. The only reason Jeff was here was probably to hobnob or get laid.

Not a fat chance, buddy.

The bartender placed two drinks down on the bar and Jeff pushed one of the glasses toward Fighter. With a nod, Fighter reached for the glass.

Brick stepped up and snagged the glass from Fighter’s fingers and swallowed half of it in one gulp.

“Hey!” Jeff squeaked.

Brick gave Jeff a flat stare and the guy took off after one hard swallow.

A soft chuckle from his quarry drew his gaze and Brick stared into the man’s dark brown eyes.

“I’m Brick.”

“Fighter.”

“I know.”

“Same.”

Brick liked the fact that Fighter knew his name. It put them on even ground. Had the guy researched him? Or was he also waiting to find out?

“Been in Denver your whole life?”

“I grew up here.” Fighter fought back a smile.

“Do tell?”

“I could.” Fighter’s smile grew. “But then I’d have to…” A hand waved charmingly about. “You know.”

“Kill me?” Brick grinned.

Fighter laughed. “What an imagination.”

“You started it,” Brick said with a chuckle, his eyes locked on the flirting depths of those deep brown eyes.

“Did I?” Fighter’s smile was to fucking die for.

“Mmhmm, now you have to tell me a story.” Brick moved closer and slid onto the barstool next to Fighter. He lifted his hand to the bartender, who jumped at refilling their glasses.

Fighter launched into a story about when he was a boy. The high school Fighter mentioned didn’t ring a bell, but Brick had gone to private school.

Sipping at his drink, he wondered if this sexy and well-put-together man had come with someone tonight. Brick dropped his gaze to Fighter’s hands. No ring, that was a plus. Perhaps he could talk him into getting the hell out of there for the night.

On their second whiskey, things loosened up and Fighter shoulder bumped his arm as they shared a chuckle over a television series they’d both previously watched.

Brick had been enthralled. Everything about Fighter was fucking perfect from his dark hair, pale skin, and fitted tailored suit.

Fighter gave a sudden heavy sigh.

“What?” Brick asked, trying to keep his eyes from lingering on Fighter’s mouth too long. He didn’t want to make things weird.

“Just… shit, ya know? My bodyguard business has a temporary cash-flow problem.” Fighter grimaced and drained his glass.

Brick stilled and studied his half glass of whiskey. “What do you mean?”

Fighter laughed. “Have any spare money lying around?”

Slowly, Brick lifted his glass and drained it.

Disappointment left a bitter taste. He figured the dollar signs wouldn’t come out until morning at the very least. Wishful fucking thinking.

“Hey,” Fighter nudged him. “I was just joking.”

Here we go, now he’s backtracking. Remember, they all try tricks to get what they want from you. Ask for cash and then say it’s a joke. Brick had heard that one several times.Like some reverse psychology bullshit.

Fighter had been too good to be true. The fucked-up part was Brick should have known better! He’d been down this road so many times, ad nauseam.

“So, it’s money you want?” Brick turned his hard gaze on Fighter and curled his lip. “How much for the night?”

“What did you say?” Startled, Fighter drew back, his dark eyes went wide—their depths became pools of mystery and Brick’s heartbeat increased.

“I said, how much money do you want for the night?” He waved his hand, gesturing down the front of Fighter’s sexy body.

“Let me get this straight. You’re not interested in a possible business partnership or making it a loan? You’re offering money to fuck me,” Fighter said very slowly as if he were fact-checking.

Shrugging, Brick placed his empty glass down on the bar and kept his eyes on Fighter’s face.

The flash of anger in the man’s eyes caught Brick by surprise.

“Fuck you,” Fighter snapped.

Here’s the part where they always get affronted, but in the end, their true colors show.

“Is that a no?” Brick kept his tone bored.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t sleep with entitled assholes. I’m not some whore you can buy. Oh, and I wouldn’t touch your lousy money for anything in the world.”

“Then why did you ask me for some?” Brick glared.

“You self-centered prick. It was a damned joke. I don’t know you from fucking Adam, but thank you for showing your true colors.”

“Prick?” Brick growled incredulously.

“That’s what you focus on?” Fighter hissed.

Brick didn’t see it coming because he hadn’t expected it. So, when Fighter’s fist hit his jaw, he stumbled backward into the bar. His mistake was lunging forward and grabbing Fighter’s arm. How the hell a steak knife ended up on the bar, Brick would never know. But he sure the hell felt it when Fighter jabbed it through the fleshy part of his side.

“Brick?” Jaxon said, yanking him from the past and back to the bullpen.

He found not only Jaxon and Syn, but Gunner and Felix had returned. All four men were watching him.

“Thought you were guarding Gabby?” Brick said, eyeing both Gunner and Felix.

“We were, but we got a text from Wyatt and waited until Fighter’s men arrived.” Gunner dropped into a vacant chair and Felix sat next to him.

Everyone was looking at him and it was making Brick fucking uncomfortable.

“What?”

“What happened between you and Fighter the night of the fundraiser?” Syn asked, placing a hand on Brick’s arm.

Brick hesitated.

“You can tell us. It won’t leave this room,” Felix added.

Brick gazed up at the ceiling and told them everything, coming clean about his part in this fucking mess.

“So that’s the story. I could have handled the whole thing much better. I just got too angry.”

He rubbed a hand at the back of his neck. His other hand pressed gently over the bandage beneath his shirt. Maybe—and that was a big maybe—he’d deserved being stabbed. In his defense, Fighter had asked him for money. So, had the guy been joking around after all?

Brick shifted uncomfortably. Had he become so jaded that he’d stopped listening to people?

Fuck.

He didn’t like not knowing if Fighter had indeed been kidding and now, he figured he’d never know because Fighter would just as soon shoot him in the head than talk to him.

Rubbing at his chest, Brick sat up straighter in his chair. The night of the fundraiser, Fighter had said he had a cash flow problem and Brick had taken that to mean the guy was just a little short on funds, not that he was fucking broke.

“I can’t believe you propositioned him.” Syn shook his head, scolding him.

Gunner grunted as if in agreement and Felix admonished the big man with a quick shake of his head.

“Fuck you.” Brick flipped his brother off. “It was a… misunderstanding.” His mouth tasted sour all of a sudden.

“As if that’s an excuse?” Jaxon sighed.

“Bro, you can’t assume that everyone you meet is after your money,” Syn said. Resting his elbows on his knees, he leaned forward in his chair.

“I don’t.” Brick grimaced when Syn shot him a look of disbelief. “He asked me for money,” he mumbled in defense.

“Yeah, and said he was kidding. He probably just needed someone to joke around with and laugh a little. Relieve stress.”

Brick held his little brother’s gaze for a long time and then turned to Jaxon. “Can you find out how bad the situation is over at Suwan Guardians?”

“I’ll see what I can do.”

Wyatt suddenly appeared in the doorway, but only had eyes for Syn. Brick got it, Syn was the sexy brother. While he’d taken after their big bruiser of a father, Syn had taken after their beautiful mother. Men flocked to Syn like bees to honey.

“Hey, there’s a gun show at the convention center this weekend, let’s go,” Wyatt told Syn.

“I’m in,” Syn agreed, and the pair left the room.

“All right, let’s figure out how we’re going to split up the jobs over the next few weeks,” Jaxon said pulling his laptop closer.

Brick silently agreed and pulled his own computer from the black bag near his feet. Anything to take his mind off of Fighter.

Gunner leaned closer to get a look at the list of jobs and Felix leaned over Gunner. The big man gave an annoyed sound, but Felix only grinned.

“There are five jobs. I don’t know if the recruits can handle some of these,” Brick murmured.

“I’m thinking we split up. Each of us take a few recruits along with us. That will give us more coverage,” Gunner said.

A knock on Jaxon’s open door sounded and the downstairs lobby receptionist appeared, looking worried.

“Excuse me, Mr. West.” She smiled tentatively at Jaxon. “Someone named Bishop is here to see you. He insisted I brought him to you directly.”

“The fuck?” Gunner charged to his feet, but a hand from Felix made the big guy pause.

Brick stayed seated. In fact, he stretched out his legs and cocked one boot over the other. He folded his hands behind his head and locked his eyes on the man who suddenly filled the entrance.

“Thank you,” Bishop said to the woman, who disappeared.

“She must like you,” Jaxon told Bishop.

“Oh?” Bishop lifted an eyebrow.

“Yeah, otherwise she wouldn’t have let you up.”

“I don’t think she could’ve stopped me.” Bishop’s smirk was slight.

“Tammi is an excellent shooter,” Jaxon informed the man.

“Ahhh.” Bishop rubbed sheepishly at the back of his neck.

“What the hell do you want?” Brick snapped, tired of the stall or whatever the hell this was. He was annoyed just looking at someone who worked for Fighter Suwan.

Bishop glared right the hell back at him, not intimidated at all.

“May I?” Bishop gestured to a vacant chair and Jaxon waved a hand toward it. When Bishop settled into the seat, Gunner also resumed his spot next to Felix.

“We’ve got a stalker problem,” Bishop said.

“So?” Brick scowled.

“Brick,” Jaxon shook his head before responding to Bishop. “If my memory serves me, you work for Suwan Guardians. Isn’t that their area of expertise?”

Bishop scratched at the top of his head and then ran a hand down his face with a tired sigh.

“This shit is happening to Fighter.” Bishop tossed Brick a quick glance and then looked back to Jaxon.

“Is he aware of it?”

“Yeah. And he’s…” Bishop threw up his hands and sank back in his chair. “He’s not worried.”

“Why not put one of your team on it?” Brick interjected before Jaxon could respond.

“Gee, why didn’t I think of that?”

Brick met Bishop’s sarcasm with a narrowed gaze.

“Fighter won’t let me or anyone in the company look into it. I tried getting one of our men to investigate without Fighter’s knowledge, but…” Bishop stopped and clenched his fists.

“But?” Brick dropped his hands and sat up.

“Let’s just say…Fighter has ears everywhere.”

“Who ratted you out?” Brick asked.

“A newbie on the team told Fighter, but I doubt it was his fault. Look, someone is stalking my boss.”

“And someone on your team doesn’t want it investigated,” Brick pointed out.

“I can pay you.” Bishop shifted uncomfortably. “I don’t have much, but I can give you something.”

Jaxon turned from Bishop to Brick. While holding Jaxon’s gaze, Brick spoke slowly. “We will take the case.” Jaxon’s brow twitched just a tiny bit as if amused, but Brick didn’t give a fuck.

“As for payment…” Brick turned to Bishop. “We’ll settle up afterward.”

Bishop was already nodding. “I can do a payment plan.”

Something sour caught in the back of Brick’s throat. Bishop was struggling for money. That probably meant that Suwan Guardians were too. More importantly, so was Fighter.

Why that bothered him to hell and back, he couldn’t say.

Fuck me.