Page 76 of Tell No One
Yet Tag thought he knew what Delaney was trying to do. Show Tag he wasn’t important, that this—whatever it was they had—meant nothing. Tag was a convenient inconvenience and once Delaney had no more need for him, he was gone. And yet Tag didn’t believe it. Maybe hewasan idiot.
When Delaney pulled out and dropped onto his back, Tag reached for some tissues and cleaned Delaney’s hand, then his cock, wrapping up the condom and putting them on the bedside table. Delaney’s eyes were closed and he lay with his arm over his face still breathing heavily.
“Are you okay, Mike?” Tag asked.
“Stop fucking aggravating me.”
“Not sure I can, Bartholomew.”
Delaney reached out and grabbed Tag around the back of the head, and Tag thought he’d gone too far until he found himself pulled in until he was half-lying on Delaney’s chest. He listened to Delaney’s heart pounding and smiled.
“What are you smiling about?” Delaney asked.
“I worried all that exercise might be too much for you at your age, but your heart’s fine.”
Delaney pushed him out of bed.
Early the next morning while Tag was still asleep, curled up like a comma on the edge of the bed, Delaney dyed his hair back to white, then crept out of the house. He took a folding shovel and his backpack and locked the door behind him. The alarms were off, but theoretically, Tag shouldn’t be able to get out of the house. It would be interesting to see if he managed it. Delaney had one moment of panic that Tag would set fire to the place and be trapped, then dismissed it. He’d break a window to escape. Hopefully he wouldn’t feel that desperate until Delaney got back.
Delaney headed up the hill behind the house and when he’d gone over the fence into the wood, he walked exactly twenty-five paces south until he stood in front of an elm tree. Then he turned east and walked another twenty paces. Delaney scowled when he saw the nettles but he’d brought gloves. He started to dig.
Around two feet down he hit something and several minutes later, he’d excavated a package wrapped in blue waterproof material. Inside was a rectangular metal case. Delaney clicked it open. The foam interior protected a SIG Scharfschützengewehr 3000, or SSG 3000, a sniper rifle that at a glance could pass for a hunting rifle, though this weapon had aflash hider on the end of the barrel. The rifle looked as good as when Delaney had put it there. It was broken down into stock, barrel, scope and grip to allow it to fit in the case. Delaney put the extra ammunition into his backpack.
There was other stuff in the hole too, some of which he took, before reburying the rest. He couldn’t do much about the nettles looking disturbed but they’d grow back. He hoped he wouldn’t need the rifle, but if an invitation to Scotland was made, he’d be ready.
The house was exactly as he’d left it. No fire. No broken windows. Tag was still asleep in bed, his bare arse now on display.I must be mad keeping him around.There were very few places where Delaney felt safe. Even in one of his houses, he had to stay wary. Now there was a bomb lying in front of him. And he’d brought it here. It was only a matter of time before it went off.
Delaney opened the blinds and Tag still didn’t stir. Delaney’s gaze kept sliding to him and before he gave in and fucked him, he smacked him hard on the backside. Tag jerked upright with a yelp, his eyes wide with shock.
“What the fuck? Ooh…you’re Vadim again?”
“Maybe soon. Get dressed. T-shirt, shorts, the running shoes I bought you.”
Delaney thought Tag would complain, but he didn’t. He put on what Delaney had told him to, then cleaned his teeth.
“Is this the way you usually start off the day?” Tag spat foam into the sink, then rinsed off the mess he’d made.
Delaney didn’t answer.
“Can I have marmalade on toast when we get back?”
“You’re expecting me to make it?”
“I won the chess. I get to order you around.”
“And toast is all you want?”
“Hey, I never set a time limit.”
“And I never agreed.”
“You did. You said fine.”
“Fine to you ordering me around. I didn’t agree to do as you told me.”
Tag huffed and stomped out of the house.
Delaney set the alarm and locked up. When he turned, Tag was stretching.
