Page 30 of Up in a Blaze
“They cannot be all connected to this trafficking, correct?”
Blaze let out a frustrated sound and scooted his chair back. “There’s a lot more people missing, but the ones we’re concentrating on all have a few things in common. They’re aged between eighteen to twenty-five, and they’re all slim, short, and have naturally blonde, dark brown, or black hair. So, then we widened the search. It’s not happening just in Australia. It’s here and the UK too. Fuck,” he bit out, scrubbing a hand over his face before he slammed a fist to the desk.
“Dude,” Tech yelled. “Careful of our babies.”
Blaze stilled.
Tech froze.
Mirth filled me. “Ah, is there something I should know? Mon amour, when did you sire some offspring? Actually, please tell me who birthed these babies?”
Tech groaned, and Blaze snorted, but at least I noted some of their tension had eased.
“I’m tired. Don’t tell the brothers I said that, Henri,” Tech demanded.
“I will try to keep my lips sealed. It’s Blaze you should worry about. He’s the biggest gossip I know.” All lies, which Tech obviously knew too from his chuckle. “Mon amour, are we going home or do you plan to stay and work more?”
Blaze stepped in front of me. With his fingers in my hair, he pulled my head back and kissed my neck. “I’ve got a few hours left in me. Tech?”
“Yeah. Then I’ll probably nap on one of the couches and get back to it.”
I slid my hand up my beast’s wide chest. “I can go home and bring back some clothes for you if you want to stay here for this.”
“You’re not leaving without me.”
“Mon amour?—”
“No, Henri. You’re not out of my sight.”
He was scared.
“Then what is it you wish for me to do? Sleep on the couch too? I will do it if you want me to, and we can go home in the morning to shower and change.”
“Brother, go home ’til mornin’. I’ll do what I can and then you take over for me tomorrow while I get some shut-eye,” Tech suggested, but Blaze said nothing, just stared down at me. “Blaze, I don’t have a partner to worry about.”
“He doesn’t need to worry about me. I know how important this is.”
“I know you do, Henri, but your guy needs a clear head, and I think steppin’ away for a while will be good for him. Hell, I’ll even do the same thing now, and we can come back to it refreshed at seven?”
Blaze’s brows pinched. He didn’t want to leave, and I didn’t want him to stress more than he was.
Reaching into my pocket, I quickly tipped up to kiss Blaze’s chin and then moved around him. “Tech, be a chéri and stop into our place to grab some fresh clothes in the morning. We will stay here for the night.”
“But—”
I shook my head. “It is what he needs, and I understand that more than anything.”
“Henri, I don’t want you to suffer because shit’s spinning in my head.” Blaze turned, jaw clenching. “Tech can drop you home.” He stretched his neck out.
“Non, mon amour. I want to stay by your side.”
“Henri—”
I slapped my hands to my hips and told him in French, “No, you don’t get to tell me what I can and can’t do. You worry about me, but I worry about you too, you big oaf, and I know you will not settle until you’re at your computer working while I stay here in this room so you can make sure I’m safe. It is not difficult to ease your stress by sticking close, you big beast.”
Tech whistled. “That sounded like a scolding.”
Blaze shot him a glare, and Tech slid his pinched fingers across his lips, mimicking he was shutting up.
