Page 7 of Collin, Episodes 4-6 (The Residency Boys #2)

“Why did you say my name to him?”

“I threatened to have you take him shopping.”

“Oh.” Damian stood up slowly. “And he ran out of the room?”

“I had to bribe him to see me later with pizza, just to get my phone set up.”

Damian ran a hand over his face. “I didn’t realize I’d scared him that bad. I just wanted to keep him out of jail. I’ll…head back home. Was going to ask if you wanted to join me on a walk.”

“Sorry.” Collin glanced back. Ash was still gone. “I’ll text you when Ash goes home? Besides, Mr. Reevesworth gave me a route.”

“Yeah, no worries.” Damian slipped out of the salon.

Ash stared at his reflection at the end with both hands gripping the sides of his chair. Collin held his breath and mentally crossed all his fingers and toes.

The stylist set aside his comb. “So, how do you like it?”

Ash raised his hand and touched the long drape in front of his face. If he wanted to hide his face, he could, or he could pull it back behind his ear. He snagged a black face mask out of his pocket and slipped it on over his ears, then turned to Collin. He gave a thumbs-up.

Collin grinned. “Perfect. You’re ready for Comic-Con, for sure.”

Even behind the mask and the hair, it was obvious Ash was smiling.

Collin turned back to the mirror and looked at his own hair. The highlights were nice. They made his hair look fuller and healthier, and the cut made him look professional but not boring. The sides were fairly short, but the top was long enough that Mr. Reevesworth still had plenty to play with.

And that was the important thing.

Collin made a face at himself. Mr. Moreau and Mr. Reevesworth were getting into his head. Now he was thinking of himself as their kitten.

He got up out of the seat and motioned Ash to join him. Like Damian had instructed, he left a hefty tip for both stylists before seeing Ash out the door.

He said goodbye to Ash on the sidewalk and texted Mr. Reevesworth that he was walking home.

For a moment, his finger hovered over the send button.

It was ironic, somehow, that he was checking in with someone now, in his mid-twenties, when he’d been keeping his own schedule and getting himself around since he was thirteen.

He waited for resentment, chafing, anything. But there was nothing but amusement. He hit send. A moment later, Mr. Reevesworth texted back.

Damian’s coming to meet you. Change and join me in the gym when you get here.

They had a quiet night in. Damian and Mr. Reevesworth had put together the new bed, much to Damian’s amusement.

Collin stretched out to test it out and fell asleep.

He woke to Mr. Moreau laying a blanket over him.

He reached out and grabbed the man’s hand, kissing the backs of his fingers, before passing out again.

Wednesday morning in the office of Reevesworth Industries was bustling.

Hartwick was busy prepping reports for Mr. Reevesworth’s trip to London in two weeks.

Janice had a cold and was curled up around a massive mug of tea while translating business intelligence out of Malaysia.

Bruiski was fielding calls and sorting mail and faxes.

Collin had never seen so many faxes. But at least they looked like they were in English.

Mr. Reevesworth had kicked him out of the office to take calls, so he was on his own for the moment. He dropped down next to Bruiski.

“I don’t think I’m earning my paycheck.”

Bruiski laughed. “Considering what you’re used to doing, I can imagine downtime feels odd. Don’t worry, you will be earning every dime you’re paid. Here, put these in order by date and page number.”

Collin collected the pile and started to spread it out. “So, did you know about me, too, before I knew about you all?”

Bruiski made a face, staring at some numbers. He set the paper aside. “Um…don’t know what that is. But, yes, I helped run some of the background checks.”

Janice blew her nose. “I voted for you.”

“What, you all had a vote?”

“No.” Bruiski shot Janice a look. “Janice just votes for the cute boys in general, whether or not we’re voting.”

Janice put her sore nose in the air. “You need to have more fun, Bruiski. Make friends.”

“Who needs friends when I work with you? This office is all the drama I can take.”

Janice giggled. “So, are you going to go on vacation with Tim or not?”

Bruiski scowled. “He wants to go bouldering in Yosemite. We’re all going to die. My wife is going to kill me if I say yes.”

“Then take her with you.”

“Just because she’s a nurse doesn’t mean she wants to rescue me on vacation.”

Collin picked up the paper Bruiski had discarded. “These are schematics. These are my schematics.”

Bruiski leaned over. “Did you fax them in?”

“No. I haven’t touched these in over a year. These are the plans I drew up for aquaponic farming for the abandoned building on the south side.”

Janice shuffled over with her mug. “Maybe that’s left over from the background check.”

Bruiski shook his head. “I just took all this out of the fax machine this morning. These are all external.”

Collin’s skin ran cold. “Where’s the fax cover for this? Who sent it?”

Bruiski shuffled around. “It’s an unknown number. I don’t recognize this.”

Janice put down her mug. “I’ll get Ash up here.”

Twenty minutes later Janice, Hartwick, Bruiski, and Collin were gathered around Ash at the large table at the end of the room. The overnight and morning faxes were laid out in order of receipt and labeled with sender.

Ash had his laptop out and was checking the fax number. “I can’t run a trace now. The connection is gone. The number comes from Indianapolis. But that doesn’t tell us much. It could be from anywhere. You can get online fax numbers now for whatever area code you want.”

“Online fax numbers?” Janice tapped her head through her hijab with the end of a pen. “Why not just email?”

Ash scowled. “Sometimes the other end won’t use email. And some countries still use it a lot, like Japan.”

Janice rolled her eyes. “People need to catch up with the times.”

“I heard there’s a really famous country singer who only uses fax still. And everyone just works with it.”

Janice snorted. “I can’t with these people. That’s like as old as the telegraph.”

Ash waved Janice away. “It doesn’t matter; if people are still using it, then you use it. Anyway, are we sure none of you recognize this number?”

Bruiski was typing into his own laptop at the corner of the table. “We have contacts in the area for a project, but none of them are using that number. And it’s not registered publicly to any government office or local business I can find.”

Collin picked up the schematics again. “The only people who should have this are me and my professors. This isn’t even the final copy. It’s one version before the final that I shared at the symposium.”

Ash squinted up at him through his red bangs. “It’s not a public document?”

Collin shook his head. “Honestly, this is like looking at a ghost. There’s still some comments on this that I needed to change before my final submission.” He pointed to a comment line.

Ash grabbed the papers and hunched over them. “Would your professors have shared them?”

Collin shrugged. “Probably not? They wouldn’t have a reason to. And they aren’t in Indianapolis.”

Ash grimaced. He pulled both of his legs up so that he was crouching on his seat instead of sitting on it. “Where’s the computer you have this file on?”

“At home.”

“Can you go get it?”

“Yes. Do you think…”

Ash hunched his shoulders. “We should check. Don’t open it. Don’t plug it in. Just bring the charger and the computer.”

“I haven’t opened it in over a week.”

Ash made a face. “Just get it.”

Collin glanced at Mr. Reevesworth’s door. “I’m supposed to be here.”

“We’ll cover for you. If he needs anything, we got him.” Hartwick waved Collin toward the door.

Collin grabbed his coat and hurried out.

He had to use his own keys to enter The Residency.

It felt weird and awkward. For the first time, he was in the condo with no one else.

Collin stood in the entryway and took a deep breath.

Shoes off, go to the guest room, well, maybe his room?

Was it? He hadn’t slept in it in days. His computer was still in a bag.

He found his old phone as well and chargers for both of them.

The bag went over his shoulder, and he hurried back to the entryway.

Closing the door behind him, he checked the lock three times and then called the elevator. Stay calm. Stay calm.

On the ground-floor atrium, a flash of bright light hit his eyes. He raised his hand to cover his eyes, suddenly remembering that he’d forgotten his hat.

There was another flash. Collin glanced back. Someone was ducking behind a pillar. Collin gritted his teeth. He reached for his new phone, the one Ash had secured.

Sir, I think I’m being photographed.

Almost immediately, Mr. Reevesworth replied: Why? Where are you?

Leaving the atrium of The Residency building.

You’re supposed to be in the office.

Collin swallowed. Fuck .

Yes, sir. I went back for something.

We will discuss this when you return.

I’m on my way, sir.

Mr. Reevesworth was waiting when Collin stepped back into the office he shared with Hartwick, Janice, and Bruiski.

Collin’s schematics were in his hand. He looked over the top of them at Collin as he approached.

Collin dropped his eyes. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

He shouldn’t have gone out without talking with his dom. He hadn’t even checked in.

“I have the computer, sir. And my old phone.”

Ash made the give-me motion with both hands. Collin glanced at Mr. Reevesworth.

His dom nodded. “He’ll need your passwords.”

Collin nodded. “Just let me write them down.”

“Do that. I’ll see you in my office after.”

A phantom need to bite his own arm or scratch wafted through Collin’s body. He gritted his teeth and turned back to Ash. “Let’s make this quick.”