Page 31 of Beta Team-The Saviors: Part two
“We aren’t eating there again. We’re going to find a restaurant, and then you’re going to relax.”
“What about Ari?”
Tivon doesn’t answer until we’re standing beside a black SUV, and he pops the passenger side door open. “Axel is on his way to sit with him. It doesn’t all have to land on you.” He gently helps me into the car and shuts the door, leaving me staring at him as he walks around to the driver side. When he gets in, he flicks a glance at me and grins. “We planned this. Keon is keeping Kira occupied, and my job was to get you out. Aryeh can stew in his own shit.”
I bark a laugh before I can stop myself. “I’ve been wondering where Kira and the rest of the team were. Since you guys were conspiring against us, does that mean you’re a part of the team now?”
Tivon shrugs and backs out of the parking spot. “I’m still gaining their trust, but since they trust me with your safety, thatmeans I’m getting somewhere.” My watch beeps again and Tivon gives me a concerned look. “I don’t like that.”
I pat his bicep - his very nice bicep. “It’s just telling me that it’s back to normal.”
Tivon drives into downtown Forest Grove and pulls into a parking lot of a small diner. They have the best burgers and fries, so I happily get out of the car. After we’re seated and have our food ordered, I turn to Tivon. I have so many questions that I’ve wanted to ask, but I didn’t know how. But since he’s my bodyguard for the day, I’m not holding back. “Tell me about the real you.”
Tivon raises a brow. “I don’t have much more to tell you.”
“Is there someone waiting for you at home?”
“No. Our lives didn’t leave much time for a partner.”Partner. That’s an interesting term. I sip my drink, thinking of how to phrase my next question when Tivon laughs. “Out with it, Jason.”
“What do you mean?”
“I can see the question all over your face.”
“Damn trained professionals,” I grouch, making him laugh again. “Fine. Are you gay?”
Tivon leans back in the booth and stretches his arm across the top. He stares at me for so long that I start to fidget, and when he grins, I know that’s what he was waiting for. “Gay, no. Bisexual, yes. Where I come from made it hard to have a partner either way that I would turn.”
My eyes widen. “Are you a virgin?”
“Not even close. I said it was hard to find a partner, not that it was hard to find someone…” Tivon waves his hand around, “to play with.”
My train of thought is interrupted by the waitress dropping off our food. I dip a fry into ranch dressing, and Tivon wrinkles his nose in disgust. “Don’t knock it until you try it.” I hold itout to him and, if anything, he looks evenmoredisgusted, and I laugh. “It’s not going to bite.”
Tivon gingerly takes it from my fingers and pops the fry into his mouth, only to shudder from head to toe. “That’s gross.”
With a giant grin, I drag a fry through the ranch and bite into it. With a shake of his head, Tivon starts eating his steak salad. Now that Ari is mostly out of the woods, I’ve actually seen Tivon relax. He’s still always on high alert, like he is now, watching out the window or searching the restaurant for a threat, but he doesn’t look like a bow string ready to snap. Now that he isn’t the enemy or ready to explode, I can admit how attractive he is. He’s tall, broad, with dark hair and eyes. Even Kira made a quip about it yesterday. With everything going on, I’m just glad that he’s on our side. Tivon has given us an inside look into who is in Israel, and he isn’t someone we would have wanted to go up against. Somewhere along the way, I started trusting him, mostly because he doesn’t deal with Ari’s shit. Ari has hurled awful things at Tivon, and Tivon just shakes his head.
“Where did your mind go?” Tivon asks, making me look at him. He gestures toward my plate. “You haven’t eaten.”
“Just thinking about how fucking crazy things have been. None of us have had a chance to breathe.”
“That’s what today is for. Now, eat.”
I dig into my burger, and before long, Tivon is paying the bill. As soon as we get back into the car, his phone rings. Axel’s name flashes on the display, and Tivon is already headed back to the hospital before he hits accept.
“Hello?”
“Someone needs to come talk some sense into this asshole,” Axel growls. “He’s threatening to leave.”
“We’ll be there in ten.”
I sigh and lean against the door, already gearing up for a fight. Tivon pulls into the parking lot, and we make our way toAri’s room, where I can hear his voice as soon as we step off the elevator. I push into the room and to my surprise, Tivon follows me in, when he usually waits in the waiting room for me to calm Ari down.
“Sit. Down,” Tivon growls when he sees Ari standing beside the bed and reaching for his IV, making my eyes widen.
“Who the fuck do you think you’re talking to?” Ari demands, swaying on his feet. I move to step forward, and Tivon grabs my arm to stop me.
“On that note,” Axel says, leaving the room, but I can hear him laughing under his breath when the door shuts behind him.
