Page 13 of Duped

“I dare you to try, Gabris.”

Saul stood and his guards closed in, forming a tight circle. They wouldn’t be leaving.

Tarek panicked. “It’s okay. For God’s sake. Everyone stand down. I don’t know what in the hell is happening here, but just stop.” He had to defuse this. No matter the cost. The alternative meant their lives. “Please. I swear I’m safe. There’s no reason for all this.” He held Portland’s arm in a tight hug. “Let’s just go home like we planned. This is out of control for no reason. I’m starved and my head is pounding.”

At his final statement, Portland’s gaze snapped his way. His features softened, turning concerned. “Why didn’t you say anything?” He kissed Tarek’s forehead. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think about you not eating yet today.”

Saul looked confused. His gaze slid between them. He cleared his throat. “If you change your mind, Tarek, your job will be here. You’ll always have a place here with us.”

Tarek dipped his chin. Sadness washed over him. “Thank you. I’ve loved working here.”

Saul looked as upset as Tarek felt—like he witnessed a tragedy. “Please call me if you need help.”

Tarek managed a small smile. He didn’t know how it looked, but it felt fake as hell. “Thank you. I will.”

“He won’t and doesn’t need you.” Portland’s voice was back to being a stranger.

Tarek urged him toward the door. “Let’s go, baby. I need some food.”

Portland looked at him again like an overly concerned father. His gaze moved over Tarek’s features. Tarek must have looked as bad as he felt because Portland nodded. “Okay, angel. I’ll stop somewhere on the way home.” Without another word or glance for Saul, Portland led him from the room.

Tarek fought not to look at anyone. He felt like a goddamn idiot. His chest hurt. He was confused and upset. It seemed he no longer had a job, and he wasn’t even sure who was at fault because the entire situation seemed to have absolutely nothing to do with him. Tarek tried like hell to gather his thoughts as they headed back to the valet stand. In the end, only one thought repeated loudly in his mind. What in the hell had he gotten himself into?

Chapter Six

Thestiff,shockedsilenceTarek rode home in had Portland ready to snap. Even after Portland gave him a drink and headache medicine, he stared at nothing—like a broken toy. Portland ordered them food and waited for Tarek to come back to himself. It aggravated Portland more than a little that Tarek obviously didn’t believe Portland would take good care of him.

When his nerves finally broke, Portland headed for the garage. He grabbed the expensive leather duffle bag from the trunk. Portland almost laughed at the way he had forgotten about it until now, considering the lengths he had gone to collect. He stormed back inside and dumped the bag on Tarek’s lap.

“Would you please stop looking like I destroyed your life? I told you I would take care of you. You don’t need to work.”

Tarek blinked. He glanced down at the bag. “What’s this?”

“It’s yours.” Portland stood over him with his hands on his hips. He realized it probably looked like he tried to intimidate him and relaxed his pose and softened his tone. “Seriously, baby. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Tarek unzipped the bag. His entire body froze. “Is this a bag of cash?”

Portland resisted the urge to roll his eyes. It was obviously a bag of cash. “Fifty grand. Deposit it as you need it, but never deposit more than nine grand at a time. You don’t want to trigger the IRS. If you need more than nine K for something, just let me know and I’ll buy it.”

Tarek’s chin lifted. “You’ve been carrying around fifty thousand dollars in your trunk all week.”

Portland shrugged. “It’s not like I’ve needed it.”

Tarek blinked. “But… why? You came out of the casino with this. Did you win it?”

Portland didn’t lie. He wanted to climb from as few holes as possible when Tarek learned the truth about him. “In a way. I collected on a debt.”

Tarek moved the bag from his lap to the coffee table. He twisted his fingers, looking ready to cry. “Will you tell me why Saul doesn’t trust you?”

Portland’s shoulders relaxed. Tarek didn’t sound like he intended to boot Portland to the curb. Talking was a good sign. He joined Tarek on the couch and stole one of his hands so he’d stop fidgeting. “Saul works for one of the biggest and most protected criminals in the country. He doesn’t trust anyone. Trusting people could get him killed.”

“I’ve seen him with his husband. He trusts him.”

Portland smiled. “I’m sure that’s different. There’s not a person in his sphere that isn’t fully investigated. Yes, that includes you. He knows who the innocents are in his life. Yes, that includes you. I, on the other hand, am also considered powerful in my own right. That makes me dangerous in his eyes. I can afford to challenge him in certain ways. In his world, that’s a bad thing.”

Tarek nodded. He relaxed and Portland pulled him against his side.

Portland pressed his lips to Tarek’s temple and stayed like that for a moment. He needed to breathe in that innocence Portland spoke of for a minute. “I’ll open you an account at my bank tomorrow. You’ll be okay.”

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