Page 77 of Barrett

Instead of going to the room we’d sleep in, I walked Barrett down the hall so Noah wouldn’t hear us talking. I gripped the back of Barrett’s neck and brought our foreheads together. “Marshall’s fine. He’s in a secure building. This asshole would have to go through many people to get to him. My apartment is on the floor beneath Jordan’s. That’s a lot of distance from the lobby.”

Barrett nodded and put his hands on my hips. “I hate this. I hate not seeing him or having him with me, but you’re right. He’s better off there.”

My phone vibrated in my pocket. Without releasing Barrett, I reached down to withdraw it and looked at the screen. “Lawson. Says he can’t find Noah anywhere. His identity has been wiped from every system. The first name might not be real, which isn’t surprising, but I have a feeling it is.” I tapped out a quick thank you and put the phone back in my pocket. “Jordan has men out there looking for this asshole, but I need you to gain Noah’s trust so he’ll speak to you. It sucks and I hate pushing him, but there are lives on the line.”

“I know. After we eat, maybe you and Sylvan can leave us alone, and I’ll try to get him to talk. I get it. He’s been through hell and obviously fears for his life. Whoever this is can make his life much worse. I can’t help but think it’s a politician or someone along that line.”

“We’ll get him. And, Bear?”

“Yeah?”

“I hate the circumstances, but I like knowing I don’t have to be away from you.”

“Same, baby.” He pressed forward to brush his lips over mine. “The end is in sight, right? After all this is done, we can be together.”

“Don’t let Jordan pressure you. Only you can make that decision, and you’re the one who has to be comfortable with it.” I understood why Jordan said what he did, but Barrett had enough on his shoulders. He didn’t need more.

“I already made it and don’t want to take it back. If I can have you, Mars, and the money I need to help him, I’m good. Everything else will fall into place.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. I don’t love my job, you know that. Sure, I love helping people, but the bullshit that comes with it makes the job that much harder. If I can do some good working for Jordan while making what I need, I’ll be fine. Plus, I’ll get to be with you every day if he hires me.”

A smile tugged at my lips. “That is a perk.”

“Are you going to move me into your apartment?”

“You want to share my bed, Bear? You want to make a home with me? A life by my side?”

“Fuck, I want that. I didn’t realize just how much until you said it like that. Are you sure it’s me you want there? You can have anyone.”

“You’re it, have been for a while. I just didn’t realize how deep you were under my skin until I got my first taste of you. There was no removing you from my soul after that. You’re mine.”

He groaned when I put my arm around his waist and brought our bodies flush together. “God, don’t get me hard. We can’t do anything about it.”

“Later?”

“Fuck, yeah. But quietly.” He was right. We had Noah next door to us, so we’d have to keep it down.

“I love you, Bear.”

His response was to kiss the hell out of me, to sweep his tongue into my mouth and devour me. I got so lost in him I forgot where I was. It was just us. No outside world, no bullshit, no motherfucker kidnapping people.

I was the first to lean away, although, it was brutal to do so. What I wouldn’t give to slam him against the wall and fuck deep into him. When he was finally in my apartment, I was going to have him on every surface in every room.

Barrett took a step back, his hands sliding from my body. “Okay, we have to get control over ourselves. I can’t be hard for my talk with Noah.” He shook out his arms and jogged in place.

“What are you doing?” I laughed.

“Trying to get the blood flowing to other parts of my body. It’s not working, and I feel like a jackass. Wait, maybe that part is helping.” He stopped and adjusted himself. “The problem is going away.”

“Good to know.”

The door to the room Noah was in opened and he stepped into the hallway, his head whipping from one side to the other until he spotted us down the hall and relaxed. He had on a pair of clean sweatpants and a long-sleeved white shirt. It was a little big on him but better than being too small. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“You’re not,” Barrett said, striding toward him. “We were just about to head downstairs.”

I joined them, following behind as they descended the stairs.

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