Page 36 of Vail

I glared at him until he pressed his lips together and shut the fuck up about the location of the damn otters.

“Sir?” the guard monitoring the screens said, drawing our attention. “There’s a man walking around the back of the building.”

We leaned forward as he zoomed in on the screen. Barry picked up his phone and told three of my men to go see what the person wanted. He was carrying something, but I couldn’t tell what.

The camera stayed with him as my men approached. The guy shrank back before handing them something and turning to run. He wasn’t fast enough.

I stood from the chair so quickly it rolled into the wall. Barry and Sheldon were on their feet as well. We went to the elevator and took it down to the lobby where we arrived as the guy was brought in.

“What did he give you?” Barry asked.

“A letter.” A guard handed it over. Barry skimmed it quick then gave it to me.

Vail,

I wasn’t sure how else to get word to you. I was ignored when I tried to contact you. I had to send an early morning courier in the hopes you’d get this. The cabin is yours, darling. I signed it over to you. The deed’s being transferred. It’s a show of my love. The cabin held so many memories. I’d love to create more with you.

You’re mine, Vail. Not Jordan’s. Not Hartley’s.

Mine.

Enjoy the cabin.

Until we meet again,

Gil

P.S. I know you’re reading this, Jordan. Release Vail. He belongs with me. All you’ll do is cause him pain.

“What in the ever-loving fuck?” I shouted.

When I lifted my gaze, the man who brought the letter was visibly trembling. I handed the letter to Sheldon and stalked closer to the messenger. “Who the fuck are you?”

“N-no one, sir. I’m j-just a courier who was hired to deliver this. I do t-this all over the city. My clients s-send requests and I fulfill them.”

“If this person contacts you again, I want you to call me immediately.” Barry produced one of my cards and handed it over. I didn’t ask why he had it on him. “If you provide me with valuable information, I’ll make it worth your while. If you fail to inform me of contact, well, I don’t need to say what will happen.” I bared my teeth, the threat clear.

“Of c-course. I’ll do that.” The card shook in his hand. “Can I g-go now?”

I nodded. He was escorted outside.

Sheldon held up the letter. “This is a game. You know that, right? He’s fucking with Vail and you. Vail is his prey. He’ll use whatever tactics he can to frighten him.”

“Once the sun rises, I want a call made to Lana,” I told Barry. “I need to know if Gil turned the property over to Vail. If so, I’m fucking bulldozing it.” Turning, I strode toward the elevator. Barry and Sheldon followed.

“What if Vail wants to keep it?” Sheldon asked as he handed me the letter back.

“I won’t kill his ex, but I will burn that fucking cabin to the ground, whether Vail likes it or not.” There were a lot of things I’d do for the men I loved. Saving a cabin where he spent time with Gil wasn’t one of them. I didn’t care what the fuck was inside it. My anger had reached its boiling point and was spilling over. Someone had to pay for this. With Gil still in the wind, I could level the fucking cabin he took Vail to.

The elevator let Sheldon and Barry off on their respective floors while I continued to my home. Reghan waited for me, keeping watch over Vail and Hartley while I was gone. He’d return downstairs to where he was previously.

Striding into my office, I set the letter on my desk, hating the sight of it. As much as it would upset Vail to see it, I wouldn’t hide it from him if he asked to read it. While I wanted to buffer Vail from Gil, I wouldn’t keep things from him. Vail was a grown man who knew his limits. If he wanted to read it, he could. If not, I could give him the gist. Then I’d tell him I was removing any trace of the cabin. He could do as he wished with the property after.

I was an understanding man. Hell, I was fucking soft because of Vail and Hartley. Some things weren’t happening though. Vail visiting a place where Gil probably beat him, raped him, and whatever other god-awful things, wasn’t a house that should remain standing.

If I had to go one by one to every location Vail was hurt in and destroy every inch of the memories they held, I would. Vail deserved better than being dragged back to the hell he lived through. No man of mine would be subjected to that kind of terror. Not as long as there was air in my lungs. I would fight day and night for Vail and Hartley, until my dying breath.

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