Page 39 of Wrecked

“You need some help?” Garcia asked.

“I could use some.”

“How about I have some of my men get him out of here for you? That’s them at the door,” Garcia offered.

Crow could hear them calling through the wood.

Boss!

Boss, you okay?!

“Thank you,” Crow reached into his own pocket and took out several hundred-dollar bills and handed them over to Garcia. “For your trouble.”

Bang!

The door was shoved against hard.

“Hurry,” Rebel hissed, bracing his feet.

Crow stalked over and jerked open the door. Several men crowded in and went straight to Garcia. A few of them were packing. What the fuck? Did everyone carry in this place?

Not bothering to ask, Crow pulled Rebel along and stepped out into the hallway.

“We should probably call it a night,” Crow murmured next to Rebel’s ear.

“No way. I need to get Angel out of there.”

“Okay, then stay close.” Crow threaded their fingers. He felt better now that he had Mitch’s gun.

The bathroom door opened and two men along with Jose Garcia came out along with the guy, Mitch. The rest of Garcia’s gang were preventing anyone else from entering the restroom.

Garcia had wrapped a coat around Mitch’s throat, but it didn’t hide all the blood. Carrying Mitch toward the back of the hallway, the door to the alley was shoved open and all six men disappeared.

“That takes care of that asshole,” Rebel muttered.

Crow kept silent. He didn’t know if he could trust Garcia not to blab his mouth, so he might need to wrap back around in a few days and eliminate the threat. After all, the guy had seen their faces.

Typically, the assassins left the gangs alone, but there were always special circumstances.

What Crow could do was call in the cleaners, they sometimes took care of witnesses, but he didn’t want to do that. He wanted to take Garcia at his word. If the guy did rat him out, then there was always the SecDef. That office could make anyone disappear.

Reaching the dance floor, Crow drew Rebel into his arms.

Wouldn’t you know it? A slow song was playing and he wrapped Rebel up tight as the pulsing beat ofAlways Remember Us This Way, by Lady Gaga thrummed through the speakers.

Rebel pulled back just enough to gaze up in his eyes, and Crow saw the man’s lips move. He dipped his head to listen and Rebel started singing the song, Crow’s throat tightened.Every time we say goodbye, baby, it hurts.Rebel pulled his head down and put his mouth against his ear and sang…When you look at me and the whole world fades, I’ll always remember you this way.

Damn it, Crow swallowed around a knot. Had he really fallen so fast? Or was this just a spur-of-the-moment thing?

The slender man melted against him and Crow wrapped him up tight. Sweet hell and all that was holy, he wanted Rebel. He wanted the young man like he’d never wanted anyone before.

But they had a fucking job to do and an abused and underaged girl needed rescuing, so all that would have to wait.

When the last of the song faded, Crow drew Rebel to the stairs and upward to the upper level. Rebel took over at that point, holding his hand and walking toward Jimmy’s booth.

Eight men stood guarding and two stepped up as they approached.

Rebel stopped and gazed at Jimmy, who nodded after a moment.

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