Page 65 of Vail

“That doesn’t do us much good now. We have to go there and, I hate to say, let Vail walk inside.”

Jordan strode toward Sheldon and put his hand around his throat. “Don’t you ever tell me to risk one of the men I love again.”

Sheldon held Jordan’s eyes and didn’t move, like this was exactly what he expected to happen. He probably predicted it would.

I went to them, put my hand on Jordan’s lower back. “Let Sheldon go. He’s right.”

Jordan dropped him as his gaze snapped to mine. “You’d risk Vail?” he bit out.

“Don’t talk to me like I’m not scared to death of what could happen. Vail is his own person. I don’t tell him what to do. If this is how he wants to handle it, I’ll support him. Besides, once he’s inside, the guards will be distracted by him being there and you can start taking them out from up close, so you don’t hit Vail’s family.”

“We can get close,” Sheldon spoke while rubbing his neck.

“Jordan,” Vail said to get his attention. “It has to be me. It’s me he wants. Once I’m inside, do what you have to and get us out.”

“I hate this. Every fucking part of it.” Jordan paced away from us. “What I hate more is that if this was anyone else, I would have said it was a smart move. It’s also predictable. You could be walking into a trap.”

“I figure I will be. Gil is a smart man, but when it comes to me, he doesn’t see much else. He has tunnel vision when I’m in the room and not in a good way. I’m his prey, always have been.” His words got quieter the longer he spoke. “If he’s going to slip up, it will be once he has me.”

Jordan visibly deflated.

I couldn’t stand the distance between us, so I reached for Jordan and pulled him toward Vail. “You have to trust us,” I told Jordan. “We’ve done almost everything your way, but this is what Vail wants to do. Let him.”

“He could be killed,” Jordan stated.

“He could every time he leaves our home. Our lives aren’t guaranteed. If he wants to be the one to go after his sister, that’s his call to make.” I put my arm around Vail again, wanted to feel his solid body against mine. The fear inside me wouldn’t be pushed away. I didn’t miss the way Vail trembled. This wasn’t easy for him. Not when it came to his family. Not when it came to putting himself in front of Gil again. He was scared and rightfully so.

“You said you didn’t want to clip my wings,” Vail murmured.

Jordan whispered, “Never.”

“Then I’m going in and you’ll have to save me.”

Jordan put his hand on the back of Vail’s neck, while his other went around my waist to pull me closer. “I will always come for you both. No matter the situation.”

“Does that mean I can follow Vail in?” I asked, my fear bleeding out in a poor attempt at humor.

“Absolutely fucking not,” Jordan growled. “You’ll stay here with Sylvan.”

I reared back. “The fuck I will. I’m going with you. I’ll stay with the SUV, but I’ll be damned if I’m sitting here while this shit is going down.”

Jordan dropped his head back to stare at the ceiling. “You two are driving me to an early grave.”

“Nah,” I said. “You’re already sixty. It wouldn’t be early at this point.”

Vail chuckled while Jordan speared me with his gaze. “If I didn’t love you,” he growled.

“Yeah, yeah. Now kiss us so we can go rescue Vail’s family.”

That was just what he did. Jordan laid a possessive kiss on each of us before shouting orders and putting the wheels in motion.

“I’m coming too,” Forest said.

Before Jordan could even respond, Sheldon spun. “You’re not going anywhere.” There was a tiny thread of irritation in Sheldon’s voice. That was probably the most inflection in his voice I’d heard.

“You can’t tell me what to do.”

“Your choices are to stay here or stay here,” Jordan said. “It’s bad enough I’m taking Hartley with me, while Vail walks into the fucking home where his piece of shit ex is. I’ll be damned if I’m allowing anyone else to join us who isn’t experienced in defending themselves or knows how to handle a gun. Do you know how to shoot?”

---