They played games over even the most mundane things.
“Possibly. As you’ve pointed out, Peter and Stacia took sides. They forced others to do the same. I could never tell who was spying or double-crossing whom, but Ed knew about the safe house Peter had set up. That’s how I tested him and he passed.”
“You need to get away from all of them.” Hunter didn’t even want to give Will a choice on this point. The idea of him getting wrapped up in the family business and becoming Peter’s main target made Hunter’s head pound. That would not fucking happen.
“That’s the plan, yes.”
“And you can forget the part of your scheme where you sneak out and leave me behind.” Hunter didn’t have to ask because he knew. He could sense the plotting and the assessing. It thrummed off Will.
“Why?”
“It’s not safe.” And it went against his BND orders, or the CIA orders…whoever was in charge these days.
But that wasn’t really why Hunter hated the fucking plan so much. The idea of being apart, of Will being on the run and living a life somewhere without them ever seeing each other again, rubbed Hunter raw.
Not that he could admit that. Hell, he’d already been too open about his feelings, messed up as they were. With Will he had this open wound. This constant source of potential debilitating pain. And he despised the vulnerability.
All of the amusement drained from Will’s face. “I haven’t decided what I’m going to do yet, but I’m not going to be a Rivers anymore.”
That was the real shot to the stomach. Hunter worried about losing Will and what his future plans might be, but there were no real choices here. Pain and disappointment were inevitable. Will was supposed to be nothing more than a mission. The CIA and BND intended to use him. Suck him dry of all the intel, then likely abandon him.
Even if he did get away, and maybe Hunter would even let him do it once he got the information he needed, nothing would ever be the same. Will would know, at least on some level, that Hunter was the one who’d flipped his life upside down.
Hunter fought to keep his voice steady. “I wonder what the deciding factor will be.”
“Good question.”
Chapter 9
When Hunter left the next afternoon for supplies, Will suspected a trap. Hunter had delivered his usual
do-not-leave-or-else
threat before stepping into the hall and locking the door behind him. Will pretended to listen but had no intention of actually doing it. After a lifetime in the Rivers family stronghold, Will was done with blindly obeying or going along only because it sounded better than getting shot.
And he needed to go outside. Fresh air would be good. Walking around in more than a guarded small space proved hard to resist. But the real reason it had to be right now was that Ed stood across the street.
Will spotted him five minutes after Hunter left the apartment. Leaning against a wall of fruit. Right next to the stand holding all the oranges. Ed didn’t bother with subtlety. He kept staring up at the apartment. Never flinched or looked away when they made eye contact.
Will had no idea how the man found them, but Ed wanted his attention, and Will intended to give it to him. He released the lock and looked up and down the empty hallway. When no one jumped out and Hunter didn’t come racing in, Will kept moving. Slid down the long hall, pausing before each apartment door. When the path appeared clear, he took off for the staircase. Wound down as his sneakers thudded against each step.
Just as he got to the last landing, someone started up the staircase from below. Came barreling through, head down and quiet. Will shifted to the side, plastered his back against the wall, but it wasn’t enough. The body rammed into Will’s stomach. The blow vibrated through his entire body.
One second he was on his feet. The next, doubled over. Another shot had him crashing into the rail next to him. Momentum drove him sideways but he regained his
“Possibly. As you’ve pointed out, Peter and Stacia took sides. They forced others to do the same. I could never tell who was spying or double-crossing whom, but Ed knew about the safe house Peter had set up. That’s how I tested him and he passed.”
“You need to get away from all of them.” Hunter didn’t even want to give Will a choice on this point. The idea of him getting wrapped up in the family business and becoming Peter’s main target made Hunter’s head pound. That would not fucking happen.
“That’s the plan, yes.”
“And you can forget the part of your scheme where you sneak out and leave me behind.” Hunter didn’t have to ask because he knew. He could sense the plotting and the assessing. It thrummed off Will.
“Why?”
“It’s not safe.” And it went against his BND orders, or the CIA orders…whoever was in charge these days.
But that wasn’t really why Hunter hated the fucking plan so much. The idea of being apart, of Will being on the run and living a life somewhere without them ever seeing each other again, rubbed Hunter raw.
Not that he could admit that. Hell, he’d already been too open about his feelings, messed up as they were. With Will he had this open wound. This constant source of potential debilitating pain. And he despised the vulnerability.
All of the amusement drained from Will’s face. “I haven’t decided what I’m going to do yet, but I’m not going to be a Rivers anymore.”
That was the real shot to the stomach. Hunter worried about losing Will and what his future plans might be, but there were no real choices here. Pain and disappointment were inevitable. Will was supposed to be nothing more than a mission. The CIA and BND intended to use him. Suck him dry of all the intel, then likely abandon him.
Even if he did get away, and maybe Hunter would even let him do it once he got the information he needed, nothing would ever be the same. Will would know, at least on some level, that Hunter was the one who’d flipped his life upside down.
Hunter fought to keep his voice steady. “I wonder what the deciding factor will be.”
“Good question.”
Chapter 9
When Hunter left the next afternoon for supplies, Will suspected a trap. Hunter had delivered his usual
do-not-leave-or-else
threat before stepping into the hall and locking the door behind him. Will pretended to listen but had no intention of actually doing it. After a lifetime in the Rivers family stronghold, Will was done with blindly obeying or going along only because it sounded better than getting shot.
And he needed to go outside. Fresh air would be good. Walking around in more than a guarded small space proved hard to resist. But the real reason it had to be right now was that Ed stood across the street.
Will spotted him five minutes after Hunter left the apartment. Leaning against a wall of fruit. Right next to the stand holding all the oranges. Ed didn’t bother with subtlety. He kept staring up at the apartment. Never flinched or looked away when they made eye contact.
Will had no idea how the man found them, but Ed wanted his attention, and Will intended to give it to him. He released the lock and looked up and down the empty hallway. When no one jumped out and Hunter didn’t come racing in, Will kept moving. Slid down the long hall, pausing before each apartment door. When the path appeared clear, he took off for the staircase. Wound down as his sneakers thudded against each step.
Just as he got to the last landing, someone started up the staircase from below. Came barreling through, head down and quiet. Will shifted to the side, plastered his back against the wall, but it wasn’t enough. The body rammed into Will’s stomach. The blow vibrated through his entire body.
One second he was on his feet. The next, doubled over. Another shot had him crashing into the rail next to him. Momentum drove him sideways but he regained his
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