Page 8 of Edge (Killers Inc. #2)

As billed, Mickey didn’t see any cars when he arrived.

Everyone who lived there usually kept their cars in the garage.

That likely meant no one else outside the family was there.

He had thought about Edge’s texts way more than he should.

The longer he mulled things over, the more Edge’s confessions made sense.

He honestly couldn’t see Field acting the way he did around Henry for all hours of the day.

There was something behind his eyes when he was obnoxious—like he purposely made people uncomfortable so they wouldn’t look at him.

Mickey knew all about not having anyone. He would do what he could.

The door opened before Mickey knocked. Tracker stood on the other side, smiling. He had nice blue eyes and dark hair. The guy was honestly someone he could see as a news anchor or some shit. He was so polished.

“Damn. Do you ever leave those cameras?”

Tracker laughed. “I have an app on my phone that alerts me when the perimeter is breached. Then I can check the cameras from my phone.”

Mickey nodded. That made sense.

Tracker waved him inside. “Come on.”

Mickey stepped through the door and waited.

He didn’t want to leave the foyer and invade the guy’s house.

Tracker shut the door and headed for the sitting room.

Mickey followed. They turned left and ended up in some den-like area.

There was a table for presents and cake plus beer on ice.

Mickey dropped his present on the table with the rest before inspecting the room.

A few couches lined the walls. The way they didn’t match made him wonder if they had been carried into the room for the party.

He didn’t recognize a few faces, but he knew there were brothers he hadn’t met. They were down to only floor seating.

A smile exploded across Field’s face when he spotted Mickey. “Mickey! Hey. You came.”

Mickey returned his smile. “I said I would.”

Field laughed. “I know, but I put you on the spot.”

Mickey made a dismissive gesture. “Nah. I’m glad you asked. I wanted to come.”

Field’s smile made the claim worthwhile. He began pointing at people. “I know you know Tracker, of course, Edge, and Shadow and Rain. Obviously, you know Austen. You’ve met Ridge, Shore, and Scout briefly. But I don’t know if you know Foster, Tidy, and Crisp.”

Mickey shook their hands.

Crisp smiled the brightest. “Sorry we keep missing each other. Foster, Tidy, and I show up after the fun. Our planning sessions are usually separate.”

Mickey shrugged. “It’s cool. I figured we’d cross paths eventually.”

Ice-blue eyes focused on him. “People don’t cross paths with us unless they’re dead.”

Well, Foster seemed fun.

“All right.” He didn’t know what the guy expected him to say.

“Come have a seat.” Edge stood, offering his spot. “Tracker was just getting ready to hand out the presents.”

Mickey waved for him to sit. “I’m good on the floor.” He dropped down to the empty spot in front of Edge and scooted back between his knees when Edge sat.

Edge immediately sat forward and set his hands on Mickey’s shoulders. He spoke closely to Mickey’s ear. “How was the rest of your day?”

Mickey answered quietly so he wouldn’t interrupt the party and take focus away from the birthday boy. “Pretty boring. With Kylo down, I don’t have shit to do.”

Rain leaned his way, obviously overhearing. “He’s fine. Beau just feels guilty for neglecting him. He’s been pampering him.”

A smile exploded across Mickey’s face. “Good. Kylo needs that.”

“Wow! Someone has been talking to Austen.” Field held up the jar of peanut butter Mickey had brought him.

Mickey laughed.

Edge obviously didn’t think it was funny. “Damn. You drove two towns over and risked anaphylactic shock to get the organic peanut butter he likes? You’re lucky you’re not dead.”

Mickey realized Edge had started out intending to keep the words between them. By the end, his voice had risen to where he had everyone’s attention, especially Field’s.

“You’re allergic to peanuts?”

Mickey nodded. “It’s fine. Don’t worry about it.”

Field hugged the jar to his chest. “You’re allergic to peanut butter and risked death for me?”

An uncomfortable laugh escaped Mickey. “It wasn’t quite that dramatic.

Austen told me that’s your favorite brand, so I sent a guy from work to pick it up.

Likely, I would drop dead if I stepped one foot in that place, but I didn’t go.

Fabrice did. Then he gift-wrapped it for me just to be safe. So I was never in any real danger.”

Field set the jar aside and stood. He crossed the room and dropped to his knees. “This would be a marriage proposal right now if I didn’t have to give up peanuts for you.”

Another uncomfortable laugh rumbled from him as Field’s massive arms engulfed him.

Seriously, the guy was huge. He could probably bench twice his weight, and that said a lot.

Field was likely six-six and three twenty-five of solid muscle.

It was just easy to forget how big he was with his golden retriever personality.

Mickey awkwardly patted Field’s back. “I’m glad you like the gift.”

Field pulled away and jumped to his feet. “Okay. Santa time.”

Mickey looked around, confused. It was nowhere near Christmas. Sometimes Field said things that baffled him, except someone passed Field a Santa hat and he eagerly donned it. He wore a huge grin as he grabbed a badly wrapped present from a stack Mickey hadn’t noticed.

“Shadow first.”

Shadow did a happy clap before give-me hands like a little kid as Field passed him a present. He tore into it. Mickey didn’t get to see what it was since a white box was shoved toward him.

“For you. It’s not wrapped because I picked it up last minute.”

Mickey reluctantly reached for it. “Thank you.” Even Mickey heard the question in his voice.

“You’re very welcome.” For a heartbeat, right before Field turned away, Mickey caught a glimpse behind Field’s mask. It froze his blood.

Luckily, Edge spoke against his ear, saving him. “Field doesn’t believe in receiving gifts without reciprocation. This is really important for his mental health. Please go along.”

Mickey pasted on a bright smile he didn’t feel and lifted the lid on the box. It was a t-shirt with Edge’s face printed on it. A surprised bark of laughter escaped him. Several people flashed proud smiles his way, as if praising him for being a good sport.

“Ah man. Your gift spoiled mine.”

Mickey looked behind him at the comment. Edge held up a shirt with Mickey’s picture on it. He couldn’t stop laughing. “Oh my god. Where did you even get that picture?”

Field’s smile was unrepentant. “Tracker pulled it off one of the recordings. I got your good side.”

“My every side is good.”

Everyone roared with laughter.

Edge leaned forward. “Damn right.” He swiped his lips across Mickey’s and Mickey’s chest warmed. Edge wasn’t hiding this… whatever it was. Mickey didn’t know what to think, but he knew how he felt. Every moment with Edge felt good. He could get addicted to this.

He was a good person. Like, genuinely. Mickey had a good heart. He had no idea the story behind how Mickey ended up working for someone like Beau Bosi, but damn. He was wonderful.

Peanut butter was such a small thing to almost everyone.

But not only was it something Field loved, Mickey had gotten him that gift at his own detriment.

Then he had gone on to act like Field’s gift brought him joy.

Not just anyone would have stepped into that party and handled everything so beautifully.

Edge couldn’t get past it. By the end of the gathering, Mickey wore the shirt.

Seeing Field’s happiness was priceless to him. Mickey couldn’t possibly know.

The moment they were in his bedroom alone, Edge had him hauled against him.

His tongue was in Mickey’s mouth, and he couldn’t get enough.

Mickey didn’t question his intensity. He was right there, matching Edge’s passion.

Edge went straight for the button on Mickey’s jeans, and they still stood a foot behind his closed door.

The hunger he felt went way beyond physical.

Mickey made him desperate for something bigger.

He terrified Edge in a good way. Edge had thought of nothing else all day.

He wanted to say it, but he couldn’t think of a way to express himself without scaring him away.

So he released the madness the only way he could.

He ripped open the front of Mickey’s jeans like a rabid fiend.

In a flash, he was over Mickey’s shoulder and headed for the bed. No one had ever manhandled him like this. Edge loved it. Mickey tossed him onto the bed and covered Edge’s body with his. He was everywhere.

“Am I allowed to do to you what you did to me last night?”

God. He was adorable. “You can do anything you want to me.” He might have stopped to think a little harder about that one if he wasn’t so horny.

Mickey made him lose himself. That was a good thing.

Edge did a decent job of hiding it, but he was ugly inside.

One day, Mickey would see it and then never look back.

Until that day, yeah. They would do whatever he wanted, and he would pray his mind didn’t come unglued.

“Good.” Mickey slithered down his body and had Edge’s dick in his mouth before Edge had time to realize this was what he meant.

Relief poured through him every bit as deeply as the pleasure of Mickey’s hot mouth.

Truthfully, it was obvious this was something Mickey didn’t really do.

Edge had never been more unbothered and happy.

He was just overjoyed to have Mickey’s mouth on him and his sanity mostly intact.

Edge tried to focus on everything Mickey did. He couldn’t take it. Last night had been too amazing. He had to get inside Mickey again.

He pushed, urging Mickey onto his back. “Sorry. I just need to be inside you. You’re too much temptation.”

Mickey didn’t look bothered. In fact, he looked turned on and ready to do anything.

Edge didn’t do all the talking him through things again. This time, he worked quicker and pushed his way inside before he should. Mickey’s entire body language screamed Edge had hurt him, but he didn’t make a sound. If he protested, Edge wouldn’t know because his brain short-circuited.

Edge scrambled away. “Sorry. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—” He tried taking a few breaths.

It didn’t help. His vision darkened around the edges.

Babbled words fell from his lips. He had a bad feeling he confessed things he never would.

Edge wasn’t sure Mickey heard a word either from trying to calm him.

“Take a breath. I’m fine. I swear I’m fine. You don’t have to worry about me. Okay? I’d never agree to anything I couldn’t handle. Just breathe.”

Edge tried, but nothing happened.

Mickey climbed from the bed and yanked on his pants.

Fear of him leaving made everything twice as bad. “Please don’t go. I’m sorry I’m a mess, but fuck. Don’t go.”

Mickey climbed back on to the bed and dragged Edge beneath him.

He held him so tightly, he could barely draw the breath Mickey demanded he take.

“I’m not going anywhere. You just need me dressed.

I need you to know I’m not here for the sex.

Please, just let me hold you while you do whatever this is. ”

The statement cut straight through his PTSD attack.

His entire body shook with laughter. He practically felt the way Mickey had wanted to tell him to calm down, but didn’t want to use those words.

Edge swore he heard all the things Mickey was scared to say.

He was a huge mess. There was no tiptoeing around that.

When the laughter died, the embarrassment struck.

Damn. All that had really happened. He wouldn’t hear from Mickey again, and he completely understood. Edge wouldn’t choose himself either.

“Well, shit. I really know how to ruin a good thing.”

He felt Mickey smile against his ear. “Nothing is ruined. Do you want to hear something sad?”

Edge chuckled. “You have something humiliating you’d like to add? Please go ahead.”

“This is the happiest I’ve ever been.” He heard the sadness in Mickey’s tone and felt it in his heart. Mickey didn’t stop there. “I don’t mean like it’s sad because you just flipped out. It’s because I’m holding you and it’s the most I’ve ever been held in my life. I’m kind of scared it’ll stop.”

It hit Edge. Mickey’s life was completely empty.

He wasn’t an employee. Not really. He didn’t have the option to leave Beau.

There was only one way someone in Mickey’s position left their job and that involved a body bag.

Beau wouldn’t risk his family’s safety by letting someone who had seen as much as Mickey go.

So, who held Mickey? No one. God, Edge felt that.

He wrapped his arms around Mickey. “Would it be okay if we just stayed like this for a little while?”

“I don’t want to disappoint you.” Mickey sounded so sad.

Edge understood. Most men were like that. He might as well continue down the path of total humiliation to fix it. “Before last night, I hadn’t had sex in years. You don’t have to worry about disappointing me. I gave up a long time ago.” Damn. Now he was the one who was sad.

Mickey touched his chin, turning Edge’s face his way. He captured Edge’s mouth in the sweetest kiss that lingered. Something beautiful blossomed between them. Edge didn’t feel so much like he wanted to die. That was on Mickey.