Page 61 of Under His Sheets
I covered his hand with mine. “You’ve given a lot of your life to the service. I can understand feeling let down.”
Alonso took a deep breath. “If I were a betting man, I would bet that the comandante never intended to actually investigate anyone.”
“He certainly didn’t seem as concerned as you did about this event. Guess he was wrong.”
Alonso shook his head. “Word had to come from somewhere of my identity. Our personal politics are not to interfere with our duty. This all began because there was chatter in an online forum that Ferrer and Vidal had been raising money for the defense funds, but there were also rumors that they had bribed some officials to protect those involved in the separatist movement. There was talk that they had politicians in Madrid on their payroll as well.”
“That’s serious. Do you think it’s true?”
“The last twenty-four hours have me believing anything is possible. Someone revealed my identity, and that leads me to think there are individuals in the military involved as well. I hate that this has put my family in a bad position and you in danger.” He looked down at the counter. “My father was so upset. He reminded me that he’d discouraged me from enlisting after my required service. I love my country, and I love Catalunya. I amtorn between my duty and my heritage. I was doing my job to protect the children. And you.”
I reached out and rubbed his back, and he hunched into my touch.
“I’m sorry you were dragged into this,” he whispered. “I hope it doesn’t ruin your ability to do your job.”
I shook my head and stood from the stool. “I’m going to be fine. And so will you. So will your family. I have faith. Now come on, you need rest. And I need a shower.”
He glanced up at me and despite his exhaustion, he gave me a small smile.
“You want some company?”
I woke early the next morning alone in the bed, but I smelled something delicious in the other room. I stretched out for a moment and sighed.
We’d both been too tired to do anything other than wash each other and fall asleep kissing. It was certainly how I’d love to spend all my future nights—sleeping naked with Alonso wrapped around me—but Alonso was in such a precarious situation, and who knew if Paolo and his associates would let me be after the events of the previous evening?
I heard Alonso speaking to someone so I sat up in bed, realizing we weren’t alone even at this early hour. I looked around and recalled that I’d left my suit in the bathroom and I’d have to walk past the open door naked. But then I noticed a black robe laying across the foot of the bed. I wrapped myself up in it and crept toward the doorway.
Alonso sat on the couch with his brother Mateu and two men I didn’t know. They were huddled around a laptop speaking in Catalan. I meant to sneak away before he noticed me, but the door hinge creaked the slightest and all four men looked up.
Alonso’s bright smile gave me courage.
“Amor,” he said, standing and holding out a hand. “Come meet everyone.”
The men I didn’t know laughed, and Mateu’s eyes went wide.
I pulled the robe tighter and faked a brave smile as I crossed the great room, the plush carpet feeling wonderful under my bare feet. When I reached Alonso, he kissed my cheek and one of the men moved over to make room for me.
“The teacher?” Mateu said, his voice cracking. “Cecilia’s friend? ¿Què està passant?”
Alonso wrapped his arm around me and squeezed my hip as we sat together.
“Ell és el meu xicot. And since he doesn’t speak Catalan yet, anglès, si us plau.”
Mateu opened and closed his mouth a few times. “Boyfriend? I’m sorry, Randall. I just?—”
“Didn’t know your brother was bi?” Alonso interrupted. “Now you know. May we continue?”
And that was that.
“Randall, this is Romeu and Leo, my mates from the Army. They were smart enough to avoid this current quagmire but they’ve offered to help me eliminate any remaining threats.”
“Hello,” I said, my cheeks heating under their appreciative stares.
“Molt de gust,” Leo said, shaking my hand, followed by Romeu.
“Verynice to meetyou,” Romeu said, exaggerating his words.
Alonso rolled his eyes. “You promised to behave,” he said to them, and they laughed.
