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“But how can I just go off with you, Gavin? What about my job and my apartment and my car? What do I do about all of those?”
“This will be the hardest thing for you to comprehend, darling, but you must simply disappear. Leave everything behind. There can be no explanations, none that your friends and work colleagues would ever accept. Your grandparents have passed away, right?”
“Yeah, a few years ago, but I have some close friends who wouldn’t let this go so easy, including my partner. ”
“Hmmph. ” Gavin made a sharp disgruntled sound that made Tucker smile and shake his head.
“Bryson and I have been partners for over two years. He’s a good friend too, but whatever you’re thinking—just no. He’s straight, married and has a kid on the way. We were never involved. ”
Gavin shrugged, blushing a little. “Sorry, but where you’re concerned I’m a little jealous. ”
Tucker cupped the side of his face in his hand. “No need to be. I’m not ready to just disappear like you’re talking about. I have a job and a life. I’m only going for a visit, remember?”
“An extended visit. ” He held up a hand at the mutinous expression on Tucker’s face. “At least until we get this situation under control, and we can figure out who or what is doing this. Until then you could be in danger. Besides, Tucker, I still have hopes you’ll want to stay with me. ”
Deciding to ignore the last part of what Gavin said, Tucker took a long sip of his cola. “Danger? I have no idea what you’re talking about, Gavin, and that’s been true about half the time we’ve known each other. ”
“Don’t be deliberately dense, Tucker. I’ve already told you about the natural pets being targets for this, as near as we can figure. Just because you don’t want to admit who you are doesn’t make it any less true. Think about it. Why did he come to Florida? And all the men who were attacked were young, white males, about your size and build. One was killed at the police station, where you work, one in the park where you sometimes jog and the last one in a club you frequent. ”
Tucker almost choked on the sandwich he was eating. “What? You think he was after me?”
“Well, maybe. I don’t know, but it seems like too much to be a coincidence. Until we find out who is hurting our pets, you’re all in danger. Maybe even especially you, since we’re not sure if he was targeting you in particular. We’re not sure if this was random or not. ”
Tucker stood up and sighed before putting a determined expression on his face. “Okay, I guess I can’t very well run from this anymore. What do I need to do?”
“Go get dressed. Wear something comfortable, jeans, a jacket, running shoes. Take whatever personal effects can fit in your pockets. Leave behind anything that can help them trace you. We need to travel fast and light. ”
“That’s never going to work,” Tucker said, shaking his head. “If I simply disappear, Bryson will never stop looking for me. I’m his partner and we’re pretty tight. I told him about you wanting to take me to Tennessee, and that’s the first place he’ll look. ”
Gavin shrugged. “Okay, you’ll have to call him and tell him you’re leaving with me. You’ll have to be convincing and make sure he believes this is your own decision, and you’re not being coerced in any way. ”
“That’s a tall order. I don’t think he’ll believe me. ”
“Call him after we’ve left town and then you have to make him believe you, sweetheart. Do whatever you have to do. ”
Tucker nodded distractedly. “Okay, I’ll try, but he’s going to be furious. He wants to talk to you about the whole keeping me a prisoner in your room thing. ”
“Tell him it was a lover’s quarrel, and if that’s not good enough for him, then…”
“Whoa, settle down. He’s a little protective of me too, you know. ”
“He has no right to be. You’re mine, Tucker. ” Tucker rolled his eyes and shook his head at Gavin’s aggressive tone. To distract him he held his lips up for a kiss. Right away, Gavin leaned down and took control of his mouth, sweeping his tongue inside and thoroughly tasting him. He moved his body so that he was grinding against Tucker’s groin, making little groaning noises that Tucker thought he could become addicted to pretty easily.
Tucker pulled away breathlessly to go to the bedroom and get dressed. Gavin looked after him, his eyes filled with barely concealed lust. “Want me to go with you and help you decide what to bring?”
“I don’t need any help. Besides, what makes you think I want you pawing through my stuff anyway?”
“I’ve already seen your, uh, stuff, baby. And pawed through most of it. You didn’t seem to mind at the time. ”
A smile twitched around Tucker’s lips, but he continued into the bedroom, choosing not to dignify the remark with a reply. He came back in a few minutes, outfitted in jeans, T-shirt and hoodie. He pulled a baseball cap down low over his eyes and put on his sunglasses. “Okay, I’m ready. ”
Gavin smiled at him. “I’m not putting you in witness protection, you know. We’re just driving to Tennessee. ”
Tucker felt his cheeks get warm. “I wanted to be ready for anything. And then if somebody was watching me…well, this might throw them off the track. ”
Gavin’s eyes swept over him familiarly. “Maybe. Though personally, I’d know that ass anywhere. ”
Tucker fidgeted in the back seat of the big SUV, trying to get comfortable. Immediately, Gavin reached for him and pulled him over into his arms so that he could stretch his legs out on the seat beside them. That would have been fine if it hadn’t put him practically lying in Gavin’s lap, and while the position was comfortable, it was also more than a little embarrassing. He glanced up at the two large men in the front seat—gammas, Gavin had called them—and he felt his cheeks flame. Gavin noticed, as he seemed to notice every move Tucker made, and he ducked his head to whisper in Tucker’s ear.
“Relax, baby . Theyknow we’re mates. Todd…” he nodded toward the driver, “…is newly mated himself, and can’t wait to get home. Christian is still looking for his mate, so if anything, he’s envious. ”
Tucker wasn’t convinced, and Gavin chuckled in his ear . “If you’re worried about the fact that we’re both men, don’t be. Wolves don’t have the same prejudices humans do—it would be prettydumb if we did when we have little say in the person we’ll be mated to. The bloodmatch chooses for us. ”
“So it’s not that you find me attractiv e then. Your blood compels you to want to be with me. ” “No, baby. I find you incredibly attractive. You may have noticed I can’t keep my hands off you. But yeah, the blood signals to us when we meet our mate. Then once I touched you, and caught your scent, I was totally enthralled. I’ll love you for the rest of our lives, and nothing will ever change that. The bloodmatch is forever, baby, even death can’t end it. Your father, for example, still grieves terribly for your mother and always will. ”
“It seems cruel to tie him to someone who’s been dead and gone for over twenty years. ” “Well, he’s not tied exactly. It’s in the realm of possibility for him to have a love match, and some—a few—wolves have managed to love again. It’s rare, though, because our devotion to our mates is so intense. It’s one reason why we’re a little overprotective and jealous of our mates, I guess. ”
“Yeah, I’ve witnessed some of that—the other night at the Nightstick with Chase. ” Tucker arched a look up at Gavin, and he actually blushed.
“I-uhI’m sorry about that, baby. I guess I get a little carried away when it comes to you. ”
“You think?”
Gavin turned his face toward the window and was quiet for a long moment. “Of course, you shouldn’t have let him put his hands on you that way. From now on, no wolf, except your father, of course, will ever lay hands on you again, unless your safety is in doubt. No human males, either, unless they’re already mated. ”
“Oh really?” Tucker leaned f
urther away from Gavin, glaring at him. “And just who makes these rules, Gavin? Oh and by the way, I haven’t agreed to this mating thing yet, just to keep the record straight. I’m only going to Tennessee with you to meet my father. ”
Gavin shot him a dark look and turned his face toward the window again, without saying another word. His lips thinned to a grim line, though, and Tucker could almost see the thoughts tumbling around in his head. Tucker thought about trying to tease him out of his bad mood, but decided to let him stew over it for a while. He hadn’t decided yet about staying with Gavin, though the idea of leaving him made his stomach clench like a closed fist. Tucker closed his eyes and tried to relax, letting his head fall back against Gavin’s arm.
The SUV’s slowing had Tucker’s eyes opening and he straightened in the seat as they took an exit ramp. He glanced over at Gavin who nodded toward a gas station. “We need to stop for gas and something to eat. This might be a good time to call your partner too. ”
Tucker nodded, not looking forward to the conversation with Bryson. He’d already had his ass chewed out pretty thoroughly by the chief when he called from the condo before they left, not that he’d expected any other response, really. He was, after all, one of the leads in the murder investigation, and once the chief was satisfied Tucker hadn’t been coerced, he’d been, quite rightly, furious.
“Two weeks! You want to take two fucking weeks off to go to Tennessee to meet your longlost father? In the middle of the most important case of your career? Why not just make it a month? Hell, take the whole summer, Tucker. As a matter of fact, take the rest of your life!” The slamming of the phone in his ear had ended the excruciating conversation, and Tucker groaned as he took the phone from his ear.