Page 5 of The Bait

Oh.

August wasn’t sure what to make of that.

Joshua seemed to steel himself again, shaking off his emotions. “Please take care of my baby.”

Jacob nodded. “She’ll be here when you get back.”

Joshua smiled as if that was a beautiful thought, whereas Michael didn’t seem so hopeful. The bigger man simply nodded, and they disappeared into the dark without making a sound. Not a footfall, not a breath. The gate didn’t make a sound. Pure silence.

Jesus.

August closed the door, locking it twice, and breathed for what felt like the first time since he’d woken up. Fucking hell. He put his hand to his heart and followed Jake back to the kitchen. “What do you make of that?”

“I can guess it has something to do with the three men who turned up in town today,” Jake answered. “But why they’re now going overseas, or where, and what for, is anyone’s guess. Not sure I want to know, to be honest.”

August had to agree.

“What are we supposed to do with their cat?”

Jake snorted and opened the carrier door. He scooped the little cat out and held her to his chest, and she immediately began to purr. Jake grinned.

August sighed, scrubbed his hand over his face, and flicking the laundry light on, he turned the kitchen light off. “I’m going to bed. Show her where the kitty litter is. If she craps in the house, you’re cleaning it up.”

“Why me?”

“Because Joshua Hill said he likes you.”

Jake laughed, but August still didn’t think it was funny. Not because he was jealous.

But because he was pretty damn sure tomorrow would involve opening a triple homicide case of three Croatianlambs that August himself had led right to the lions for slaughter.

And now, as if that wasn’t bad enough, they were babysitting their cat. Correction: they were now the owners of the damn cat because it was extremely unlikely they’d ever see Michael or Joshua Hill again.

And for the life of him, as he was falling asleep, August wasn’t sure why that bothered him.

TWO

ANDAMAN OCEAN, OFF THE COAST OF THAILAND

The water was relatively calm,but Harry Harrigan kept the boat under ten knots. The old fifteen-foot fishing boat was built for open water, but he didn’t want to risk drawing attention to themselves. They’d bargained for the sale at the marina, paid in cash, and hit the water before seven in the morning.

The weather was warm; the sun and humidity already biting.

Funny how moderate the temperatures were that Harry had gotten used to. He used to be able to handle the baking heat of the Sahara or the sauna conditions of the tropics.

Not anymore. He’d grown soft these last two years.

He kept his eyes ahead on the water, all while watching Asher intently.

Asher sat at the bow, the wind to his face, staring out across the blue horizon.

Harry had never seen Asher so . . . scared.

Asher had always been confident, cocky, even. Sure of his skills, sure of his ability to read a situation, read people, and he’d never taken a backward step.

But that all changed two days ago.

Yunho had gone silent.

---