Page 35 of Grind
Shane exhaled, and the roguish smile dropped from his face as he watched Frank in silence. They both knew Paul all too well to have a positive outlook on Ezra’s situation.
“Shit,” he said with a shake of his head. “What are you gonna do?”
Frank shrugged. “For now, I’m keeping him safe, giving it a few days. I might reach out to Paul in a bit, ask him if he’s heard from Ezra to throw him off his scent. I’ve texted Ezra’s phone in case he’s checking the messages on it. Future? I contacted my fake IDs guy, and when I feel it’s safe, I’ll ask Ezra if he prefers Canada or Mexico. He should cross the border on foot, without needing to book a plane ticket.”
Shane tapped his fist on the table, watching the puppies feed from their patient mom in the corner. His face looked like carved in stone when he frowned, deep in thought. “He’s the guy you’ve been seeing for the past year, isn’t he?”
What would be the point in pretending now? Frank nodded and had more beer. “It was just a bit of fun.” Shane would probably judge him for it, but Frank was too old to care.
“Must have been more than that if he’s here. Why would he run to you out of all people?”
Frank shrugged. “‘Cause I’m big and dangerous but also have a soft spot for him? And he was right. I guess I do. But when I—you know, when I paid to see him, we both knew where we stood. This? This is a mess. I can’t expect anything from him in this situation. I don’t want to abuse the power I have.”
Shane cocked his head. “Okay? So the two of you are just stewing together in one house, knowing you could bang? What didhesay about it?”
“Shane, look at him. He was happy enough in our arrangement, but it’s not like he’d look at me twice if we met in the street. That’s okay. I know who I am. It doesn’t matter. It was fun while it lasted.”
Shane scowled. “You’re acting like some sad old man who thinks there’s nothing out there for him. He’s pretty as a picture, yes, but why do you sell yourself so short? I’m assuming most of the guys who hired him were notthis.” He pointed to Frank's body.
Shane’s words ignited a spark of hope Frank couldn’t put out no matter how much his pessimism was trying to. Because what if hewasEzra’s type? Frank hadn’t been born yesterday and was well aware that some guys like them big and mean just like Frank liked them refined, with the bone structure of angels.
“I can’t really keep him here forever without Paul finding out eventually.”
Shane rolled his eyes. “So all of a sudden it’s about Paul?”
Frank spread his arms so abruptly some beer spilled out of his bottle. “I don’t know! All of this is throwing me in a loop. Do I even have time for a relationship? And then there’s thebusinesshe can’t really know about. He’d want nothing to do with me if he knew. He’s very… delicate,” he ended flatly.
Shane’s eyes opened wide and he pretended to shut his jaw with one hand. “Ohhh, Frankie. I said nothing about a relationship, but if that’s where your thoughts go, then you need to fucking pursue this. And if you won’t do it, I’ll make sure he knows that you might need somelovin’.”
Frank got up and grabbed Shane by the collar, because a man had limits. “Don’t you fucking dare—”
“Um… all okay down here?” Ros asked, making his way down the stairs.
Frank let go of Shane, but still gave his friend a glare as he sat down. “Fine.”
Chapter 12
Ezra
Themoststunningfeatureof Rosen and Shane’s bedroom was the fresco painted on the ceiling in the alcove containing their bed. Featuring fantastical creatures and men in shiny armor, it should have looked over-the-top. New money. But instead it was the expression of Ros’s artistic talent, and Ezra couldn’t help but keep glancing toward it as he tried on clothes. He was surprised that most weren’t from any well-known brands and often had an unusual design, which, he supposed, went with Ros’s personality. One of the sweaters he’d tried on was even handmade.
As he’d suspected, Ros wore a different size, since he had less muscle tone and was shorter, but many of the garments he’d been offered worked quite well. And the gray pants Ros had gotten online and intended to return not only fit Ezra but also showcased his legs. He’d paired them with a simple T-shirt, which he tucked in, andvoila, he immediately felt more like himself. Not to mention that the gold-plated band of the Rolex elevated the outfit to new heights.
“You have no idea how happy this makes me. I can’t access any of my belongings right now,” Ezra said as his shoulders dropped a bit.
Ros, who sat on the floor alongside a Husky/Welsh corgi mix named Eros, offered him a smile. “Don’t worry. You can borrow all the clothes you like. I could also order some necessities for you, like underwear. If Frank bought something that’s your size, it could stand out to someone looking for clues.”
And there it was. Despite his sunny personality, love of quality food and art, Ros was well aware that whoever was behind Ezra’s temporary banishment to the junkyard wasn’t a regular citizen. No details have been shared, but as Ezra suspected, even this pretty boy knew Frank’s business wasn’t entirely legitimate.
He cleared his throat. “Thank you. Really.”
“That’s a nice watch,” Ros said in an innocent tone, but his big eyes revealed a curiosity that came with context. He recognized that the piece of jewelry on Ezra’s wrist wasn’t just a trinket.
“It was a gift,” Ezra told him, approaching the bed to fold all the items he intended to take with him. He smiled when his nape tingled with the sense of being watched.
It didn’t matter whether Ros was his type, or if hewanted to do anything with him, but being noticed made him feel like he still hadit. That kind of leverage that only came with beauty.
“Generous. But I can’t complain since I’ve been blessed with six new fur babies last month. Do you know how long you’ll be staying?”
