Page 47 of Remote Access

“Who? Hayrick?” Lane waved a hand. “I can take him.”

Grinning, Quincy leaned over to press a hard kiss to Lane’s lips. “I know you can, baby, but I’m talking about him.” He pointed and handed Lane the binoculars.

When he didn’t raise them and look, Quincy lifted an eyebrow.

“You called mebaby.”

“I did?” He had without even realizing it. Somehow, this kid had crawled into his heart in a very short period of time and he wasn’t doing a good job of hiding that fact.

“I like it,” Lane whispered.

“Then look at the widow’s walk again, baby.”

“You guys are giving me cavities,” Helix grouched as he tugged the canoe into a thick stand of trees. “But he’s right. There’s a guy up there.”

Lane lifted the binoculars and frowned. “Which one of you can climb trees?”

“We don’t need to climb anything. There’s an entrance off the side. I got Shelli to leave it open. Told you I only needed a day to get something going. She hates Hayrick as much as the rest of us. The trick will be to get in and out without the two security men cluing in we’re there. They’ll be armed. Which reminds me.” He opened the satchel he’d brought and handed Lane a Glock. “You know how to use this?”

“No, but hopefully, I won’t need to. Where’s the safety thing so I don’t shoot myself?”

Quincy grinned and took the gun, popping out the magazine. “This has a safe action trigger.” He checked it, pointing to the small blade in the trigger. “Your finger is basically the safety, and you have to get a full grip for it to work, so this gun isn’t going off unless you want it to.” He demonstrated how it worked. “That said, be careful where you aim anyway.” He silently vowed to teach Lane basic gun safety before he let the man disappear from his life.

The way his heart wrenched at the thought no longer surprised him. One week and he was as attached as if they’d spent years together. Years with Lane wouldn’t be enough. Fuck, a lifetime wouldn’t. He stared down at the thief who’d stolen his heart and knew in that moment, he would never stop missing him once he was gone.

Lane stared back as if he were reading his mind, and the pain he saw flash through his expression told him he wasn’t alone in his feelings.

Helix suddenly groaned. “If you two are done gazing into each other’s eyes, you ready to get a move on? We still have to get through these woods apiece.”

That was the second time Helix had used the phrase and Quincy thought it meant a little ways, but he didn’t ask. Instead, he ignored the man’s griping and reached for Lane’s face, holding his chin as he leaned down to press a lingering kiss to his lips. “You stay safe,” he whispered. “No matter what. If a gun is needed, let me deal with it.”

“You’re the expert.” Lane kissed him again. “You stay safe, too.”

“Sheesh,” Helix grouched as he turned and stomped off around the trees.

“He’s a real bundle of joy, isn’t he?” Quincy kissed Lane again.

“You wouldn’t be either if you’d lived his life.”

“You have.”

“His has been more violent than mine.”

True compassion showed in Lane’s beautiful gray eyes and Quincy tugged him into a hug, holding him tight to his body and wishing he could absorb him forever. “I know you’ll have to run once those files are out and…I want you to know that I’m going to miss the hell out of you.”

“I’ll miss you so much, Quincy. How did you get so important so fast?”

“Beats me.” He pulled back, not able to let himself think about what his life without Lane would be like and stunned by that fact. “Okay, let’s get that poster of yours.”

* * *

Lane’s heart began pounding harder the closer they got to Hayrick’s place. Dry underbrush crunched under his feet and he started skirting it along with Helix and Quincy. The woods were thick and green and the moss along the ground helped to mask most of their steps—not that he thought anyone would hear them. Not with the sounds of splashing water and seagulls. Hundreds filled the area with their cries.

Once the house was in sight, they hunkered down to watch. A black-haired girl passed in front of one of the windows. Helix nudged him. “That’s Shelli. She’s been under his thumb a long time, but she’s younger than we are by a few years. I think he actually took her off the streets.”

“Then how can we trust her?”

“She may or may not have a thing for me.” Helix grimaced. “Though you wouldn’t know it by how rude she is. Shows her affection with a wicked, barbed tongue. Girl cuts glass with that thing.”

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