Page 47 of Risky Taste
Noah grins up at me, his hands now splayed across my chest. “I love you too.” A pause, then, “Maybe it’s too fast, but it feels right.” His voice fades a little, his jaw pulling tight, no doubt the headache a little worse than before. “Next time, I want you to make love to me, Declan. I want you to take me and make me yours. Completely.”
“Next time will be sooner than you think, Bunny.”
***
I didn’t mean to fall asleep but having Noah plastered against me, his head tucked beneath my chin is everything. He fits so perfectly here, in a way that makes me want to stay but we only have so much time to figure this shit out. In another day or two, I won’t be able to get my hands on Kurt—not physically anyway.
And I want him to feel real pain before he’s stolen away by the system.
I shift, careful not to wake him, and press a kiss to his forehead. He doesn’t stir, just sighs in his sleep, and I slip out from under him, knowing that it’s now or never. The chargesthat come with what I’m about to do will be worth it—if I get caught. And if I don’t, I’ll be back here, maybe a little worse for wear but will have dealt the justice all of us so desperately need.
A quick shower and last night’s clothes are all I have time for before I head downstairs, the murmur of voices drifting from the kitchen. Logan and Sebastian are at the table, hunched over coffee mugs, expressions darker than they were last night. It’s some early hour in the morning, faint light peeking through the windows. I lean against the doorway, crossing my arms, realizing that neither of them probably slept. “If I’m not back in two days, call the police,” I say, my voice cutting through their quiet.
Sebastian looks up, his brow furrowing. “Where are you going?”
I tap my pocket, where my phone sits. “You’ve got the tracking software, but don’t turn it on unless you have to. Plausible deniability and all that bullshit.”
He grins, leaning back. “Smartass.”
Logan snorts, rubbing a hand over his face. “I’m kind of mad to be missing all the fun.”
I smirk, but it’s tight, edged with the weight of what’s coming. “I have a feeling someone might try to waltz their ass back in here. Stay on guard.” I nod at them, trusting them to hold this down, and turn for the door, grabbing my keys off the counter. There’s no goodbyes, no heavy words, just silence as I leave because I’m coming back.
There’s no need for formalities.
And yet, I still worry that either my anger will get the better of me or that I’m leaving my buddies and Noah wide open for something much worse than any of us could think of. I head for the next town over, knowing that I have to be far away from the guys to make any of this work.
Once I’ve put enough distance between us, I bring up his number, praying that this stupid plan will actually work. The phone rings three times and then Kurt’s sharp voice crackles through. “What the fuck could you possibly want?”
I sigh, keeping my eyes on the road before I find a small convenience shop parking lot to pull into. “You were right; your brother’s a waste of time. I’m sorry I ever doubted you. That voicemail? How the fuck could he do that to you?” I keep my voice rough, layered with fake regret, and picture his smug face, eating it up.
He hums, a low, suspicious sound. “You’re in love with my brother, Declan. I’ve never known you to stick your neck out for someone and yet you protected him from me. Care to explain that?”
“Seriously? First off, at the time, he was still your little brother to me. Also, Noah’s fickle. He’d have found a way to play the victim, get you in trouble…”
Kurt bursts out laughing. “I’m not saying I don’t believe you but you’ve said so many soft words regarding Noah. I found you more than once in the same room with him and the others. Declan, it’s going to take a bit more than that.”
I figured as much but it’s a good thing I can lie on my feet. It’s a great thing that Kurt will be dumb enough to believe it. Heaving out a sigh, I lean back in my chair, hoping he can catch on to the weariness in my voice. It’s a true emotion but not for the reason he thinks. “Look, we’ve all made mistakes in our time. They’re my best friends, brothers from another mother bullshit. We’ve known each other longer and it’s been a habit to peel off with them. Noah was just around, collateral damage, I guess?” Those words feel like ash in my mouth but there’s no other way for me to have Kurt believe me. "The other two are in love. He’s a great hole to fuck. Now, what are we doing to clear your name?” I bitethe words out, selling the lie with every ounce I’ve got. Silence stretches between us as I wait for Kurt to concede.
It never takes much because he can’t fathom someone not choosing him over everyone else.
“I knew you’d come around eventually,” Kurt says, his tone shifting, smug now. “Meet me at Sunshine Motel, alone. We’ve got a bunch of shit to catch up on.” The line goes dead and I toss the phone onto the passenger seat, muttering to myself, “As self-centered as that bastard is, he truly thinks the world revolves around him. I have no idea how his operation survived as long as it did.”
The plan’s simple—play the loyal dog again, lie through my teeth, get him to spill something I can use. Risky as hell, but sitting around, waiting for lawyers or cops, won’t cut it. Not when Noah’s breaking, not when Kurt’s still out there, free, fucking with us. The town fades behind me, the road narrowing, as the motel’s faded sign reveals itself ahead, its neon buzzing weak in the morning gray.
My phone vibrates as I slip from the car, a mere‘Room 212’sent from an unknown number. “I guess we’re doing this,” I mutter to myself.
Chapter thirty-four
NOAH
I wake up without the warmth of Declan wrapped around me, my head still throbbing, my ears straining for any sound past the faint hum that’s replaced the ringing. I shuffle to the door and head down the stairs, my hand gripping the rail tight. Halfway down, I freeze, hearing sounds—low voices, a clatter—and my breath catches, panic spiking until I catch the familiar rumble of Sebastian’s laugh and Logan’s softer tone. My shoulders sag, a faint smile tugging at my lips as I keep going, stepping into the kitchen where they’re waiting.
Sebastian spots me first, his eyes lighting up, and he’s across the room before I know it, pulling me into a hug. “Morning, babe,” he murmurs, kissing my temple, his lips warm against my skin.
Logan’s right behind him, his hands soft on my face, brushing a kiss across my mouth, and I lean into it, the tension easing just a fraction. “Coffee’s ready,” he says, stepping back to graba mug, I’m not sure how I missed it before, bacon sizzling, eggs bubbling in the pan. They nudge me to the table, piling a plate in front of me, and I take it, grateful, the normalcy of it a thin shield against the reality waiting outside.
I’m halfway through a sip of coffee, the bitter heat waking me up, when a third voice cuts in from the hallway. “Sorry to ruin breakfast,” Ed says, striding in, his suit rumpled, his briefcase slung over his shoulder. “But all of this is time-sensitive. They want to wrap this case up fast.” He drops the case on the table, his eyes flicking between us. “Now, tell me Declan’s here.”
