Page 79 of Wrecked

What? Real wanted to reach through the video and wring Dave’s neck. How could he be so casual about this?

How the fuck would he know if Azrael was okay? What if something went wrong on the job? What if he started…seeing someone?

Shit.

Fuck!

“I’ll talk to you later,” Real snapped and jammed his finger at the computer button that would end the video chat.

Dave smiled and turned to Stone, who had been sitting off-camera.

“What do you think he’s going to do?” Stone said.

“Who? Azrael or Real?”

“Real.”

“I think… I hope he gets his head out of his ass and realizes that Azrael is old enough to make his own decisions,” Dave said and took a sip of the iced tea in his glass.

“It would be nice if others got their head out of their ass too,” Stone said and stood.

“What—” Dave blinked and scowled. Had that been directed at him?

Stone stretched and the tight t-shirt the man wore rode up revealing ripped abs. “Go do…” Dave waved a hand at Stone. “Whatever.”

Stone’s deep chuckle followed him out of the room.

Real sat at the desk for several long moments, squeezed his fists, and then stood. He stalked out of his office and into the communications room.

“Sir,” Jeffrey Chambers, the Genesis techie and administrative assistant, stood.

“Get me a flight to California.”

“Um…can’t you just take the helicopter?” Jeffrey asked, confused.

“No, I want to go under the radar. Maybe I will take a break while I’m there.”

Come to think of it, Real thought,he hadn’t had a vacation in a long time. So that was exactly what he would do after he handled some recruiting business.

For months now, Real had had his eye on an assassin known only as Edge, who worked primarily out of California.

His trip to California had nothing to do with a certain young assassin.

Yeah, keep telling yourself that.

Enclosed in a new hotel room in a different place, Rebel gazed out of the windows as darkness crept across the sky.

Crow placed their bags on the bed and Rebel heard the man approach from behind him.

He searched his brain for something to say, but after leaving the house where Jimmy had chained him, Rebel hadn’t said a word other than the thank you to Azrael.

He owed the assassin too damned much and had no idea how he’d ever repay him. He also owed the man standing quietly behind him, but again wasn’t sure.

What were they? Friends, lovers, co-workers? Or just two people thrown together in a hellish situation?

Crow caressed his hair with a gentle touch.

“I’m sorry,” Crow said in a low voice against his hair.

---