Page 42 of Overstaying His Welcome

No one much cared because they were all looking over the note.

“Bruno?” Orion asked.

The name felt familiar, but it also felt wrong. When they called me Tank, that gave me a sense of warmth and recognition. This held bad memories, though I refused to draw them forth.

Chance stood slowly and reached for the page. He looked it over as well. Then he gave it back before looking down at me.

He voiced the words I couldn’t. “Bruno was his given name at birth. It was his father's name, which is why you never hear him say it.”

An ache formed in the pit of my stomach, and my heart rate sped at the echo of thoughts. There were shadows moving through my head, infiltrating my subconscious and bringing forth terror that was long dead.

I couldn't take it. The beating, the temporary memory loss, and now this. It was all too much.

In a bid to just let it all go, I closed my eyes, put my hands over my face, and screamed.

CHAPTER 11

CHANCE

WatchingTank break down threw everyone into a state of disbelief. It was like we were finally seeing the man we thought immovable, the man we clearly put on a pedestal above all else, tear through the façade.

My heart ached to comfort him. He was hurting. I needed to be there for him, just as he would have been for me.

But I didn’t have a clue how to help.

This thing we were dealing with was more than I’d ever experienced. The pieces in this puzzle outnumbered my expertise.

It was only after Tank tired himself out and drifted to sleep post-screaming fit that the rest of the group decided to create a plan of attack. While I wanted to stay by his side, I knew I needed to be more involved in everything going on.

For so long, Tank had hidden me away. He’d let my career aspirations take the lead in how our relationship would go. My job was more important than anything else.

The minute I realized he’d been taken, it was like a lightbulb illuminated above my head. I became the idiot in the cartoon who realized how foolish and blind I’d been.

Ronan took charge of the conversation as I approached. “We’re going to go into lockdown mode from here on out. As soon as they release him to our care, we’ll get him moved to the room at HQ. Chance, are you going to be sticking around or is this done now that you know he’s ok?”

I bristled at the comment. Then I thought of it from their perspective.

They didn’t know about our relationship. Not until I came bursting through the door telling them Tank had been taken from my bed.

It made sense they were questioning my motives now.

“I’m in this. I’m going to be here for Tank however you’ll allow me to be. I can’t leave him.”

He gave me a sharp nod as the rest of the men watched me with a mix of weary and cautious looks. I knew it would take time for them to realize I wanted to be part of the team. Especially since they all likely knew it was my conservative political standing that made things difficult. These men were smart. Surely they had put the pieces together by now.

Sure enough, Memphis was next to speak up, proving that I’d been right in my thoughts. “What about your campaign? People are going to be talking. Someone probably already saw you on the way in here. I wouldn’t be surprised if this makes the news.”

Because life wasn’t already a disaster, the door opened behind us, drawing our attention and putting the men on alert. I ignored the way they pulled weapons out of thin air as I faced the two people in the door.

“Dad? Emmett? What are you doing here?”

The pair stepped through, with Emmett shutting us all in the space together. He folded his hands in front of him, waiting like the obedient footman he was for my father.

“Son, we need to talk. Tell your goons to put down their weapons. It won’t be necessary.”

“If you don’t mind, Mr. Sheppard, we’ll wait it out to see why you’re here,” Cohen said, his voice devoid of the humor I’d been hearing since we first met.

Dad scoffed, his attention turning to me. “I’d rather have this discussion in private.”

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