Page 18

Lucas

AKIO HAD been quiet since identifying Kuroki. He wasn’t surprised. He hated that this was taking him back to that time, that trauma. He felt like shit for asking him about the pictures, especially after that nightmare. He knew Akio wanted to help, though, and lives were at stake. Lives Akio would blame himself for losing if he didn’t help.

He’d gone to buy more chocolate. He’d basically thrown anything with chocolate into the basket and brought it home for Akio. He put the bag of goodies on the kitchen counter and went in search of Akio.

He found his boyfriend standing in front of the living room windows, arms crossed as he gazed out at the buildings across the street. He walked up behind Akio and wrapped his arms around him, tugging him close against his chest as he dropped a kiss to his shoulder.

“You doing alright?”

He hated how much bad shit all of this was dredging up for Akio. He’d been through more than enough already. He certainly didn’t need this reminder of it all.

“I guess.”

He held on tighter, his heart breaking at the dejected tone in Akio’s voice.

He wasn’t sure what to do except be there for him and listen if he needed to talk. He couldn’t slay Akio’s demon because it was already dead and gone. If he could have, he would. Without hesitation.

Akio turned in his arms, head down as he mumbled, “It’s my birthday tomorrow.”

He pressed his lips together to keep from smiling.

“Did you think I’d forget?”

Akio snapped his head up, eyes alight with excitement.

There was no way he could ever forget Akio’s birthday. The last one had sent him spiraling.

“What did you get me?”

“Nuh-uh. I’m not telling you.”

“Oh, come on.”

Akio batted his lashes at him and gave him an innocent smile, but he wasn’t falling for that. He tugged Akio closer and rested his chin on top of Akio’s head, grinning to himself.

“Not happening.”

He’d bought the present weeks before Akio’s brush with the local police. He’d seen the old-school black leather-strapped watch and known Akio would love it. He knew Akio hadn’t planned on throwing a birthday party this year and they hadn’t exactly seen much of each other either, but he hadn’t been able to stop himself. Knowing how that watch would look on Akio’s wrist had him pulling out his wallet and buying it before he could change his mind.

Hands slipped under his shirt, running up his back. He pulled back to look down at Akio, finding him smiling up at him, a wicked look in his eyes.

“Oh, you think sex will get you your present faster?”

Akio’s mock gasp of outrage had him chuckling and reaching behind him to grab Akio by the wrists and pull his hands out of his shirt.

“Absolutely not.”

He was a sucker for Akio, but he would not be giving into this. He would not.

The flirtatious smile Akio gave him had his breath catching.

Lips pressed against the side of his neck, and he tilted his head to the side with a groan, his grip on Akio’s wrists slipping.

“Absolutely,” Akio brushed a kiss to the underside of Lucas’ jaw, “Yes.”

“Cheat.”

Akio laughed, the sound low and breathy.

Hands slid back under his shirt and this time he let them wander over his skin, soaking in Akio’s exploratory touch. He sucked in a breath when those hands moved to the front of his pants.

“Get your perky little ass to the bedroom. Now,” he growled.

Akio laughed and backed away from Lucas, exuding nothing but confidence as he smirked at Lucas. He turned, glancing over his shoulder at Lucas before taking off. He followed Akio out of the living room and into the hallway, only a few steps behind him. Akio made it to the bedroom before he caught him.

He wrapped his arms around Akio from behind and lifted him off his feet. Akio’s laughter was like balm to the soul.

He put his lips against Akio’s ear and whispered, “What shall I do with you?”

Akio turned in his arms and looked up at him with desire swirling in his dark eyes.

“I have an idea or two.”

Lucas’ response was cut off when something buzzed in his back pocket. He took a step back and pulled his phone out with a curse, giving Akio an apologetic glance. The second he opened the text, his heart rate spiked with excitement.

“They’ve confirmed Kuroki’s identity and with your information on his involvement with Yokota, they’re now looking at him as the possible leader of the ring.”

“That’s good, right?”

He nodded.

“It means we have a real shot at closing down the whole ring.” He tugged Akio against his chest. “Because of you.”

Akio rolled his eyes, and he could only smile and steal a kiss because it was decidedly a much better reaction than whatever might’ve come out because of the guilt that still clung to him.

“Now, where were we?”

He was reaching for the hem of Akio’s shirt when he heard a floorboard creak and froze. He knew every sound this apartment made, and that particular floorboard was in the living room.

Akio watched him with a frown, eyes searching as he scanned Lucas’ face.

He put a finger to his lips and tugged Akio behind him as he headed for his gun safe in the closet. He unlocked it, thankful for the thing being silent, and pulled out his gun. He quickly checked that his magazine was full, then grabbed a spare from the safe, sliding it into his back pocket.

He heard another creak and rage sparked inside him. It was one thing to have dangerous assholes like Kuroki coming after him. He was trained for that. But coming after him while he was with Akio? They were going to regret that.

“What is it?”

Akio’s words were whispered. He knew something was going on. He also knew when that something was dangerous.

“Stay quiet and stay close,” Lucas whispered back.

He kept ahold of Akio’s shirt as he started moving. He led them down the hallway, being careful to walk slowly, listening for the others’ footsteps. Still in the living room from the sound of it though there could be someone in the kitchen, too. The second he took a shot, whoever else was in the apartment would discover their position.

He turned to Akio and motioned for him to get low and stay. Akio crouched down but shook his head, the fear in his eyes tugging hard at Lucas’ heart. He wished he could simply erase it. That he could snap his fingers and bring them to safety.

He gave Akio a stern look to make sure he listened as he pointed back at the bedroom. Akio didn’t look happy about it, but he nodded and backed down the hallway. Lucas watched until he was certain Akio would reach the bedroom.

He snuck down the hall, making his way to the living room with silent steps, knowing exactly where to step and where not to. Stopping in the doorway, he found the intruder instantly. By the couch was a small man dressed in black. It looked like he was searching the room. For them. He was armed and his gun had a suppressor attached. There was no doubt in his mind that he was there to kill them.

He would never let him get the chance.

Lucas raised his gun just as the man turned, catching Lucas’ reflection in the living room windows. He wasn’t fast enough and Lucas’ bullets tore through his body and hit the window behind him. The glass cracked but didn’t shatter, staying in the frame.

He stepped into the living room, eyes scanning for movement, but it was a sound that had him whirling around. Something hard crashed into his side, and he hit the floor with a shout, the man on top of him heavy and keeping him from rolling away.

He grunted at the pain flaring in his hand when it was slammed against the floor, his gun flying out of his grip. He brought his knee up and managed to plant it in his attacker’s side. He drew back just enough that Lucas could roll away.

He threw himself across the floor to grab his gun. His fingers nearly reached it when an arm wrapped around his throat, pulling him up onto his knees while his airways were squeezed shut.

He slammed his elbow into the man wherever he could reach him, but he only squeezed harder. Panic started to hit him as he realized he only had seconds before he passed out. Seconds before he could no longer protect Akio. He reached up, finding the asshole’s face, and jammed his fingers into his eyes.

He was released with a shout and dropped to his hands, gasping for breath.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the man pulling a gun from his waistband and knew he only had seconds to reach his own.

Before he could move, blue glass exploded against the back of the man’s head, and he fell to his knees. Akio stumbled back, away from the man, half of the broken vase still in his hands.

Lucas lunged to the side, grabbing his gun off the floor to fire it twice into the bastard’s head, not taking any chances with Akio’s safety.

He got to his feet and reached for Akio, pulling the shattered glass free from his cold and shaking fingers. He was hit with a memory as Akio’s startled eyes met his. Four years ago, it had been a gun he’d taken from Akio. A gun he’d used to shoot his father with.

He dropped the vase, not caring one bit about the glass littering the floor. All he cared about was Akio and whether he was alright.

He felt the man’s knees give out and caught him, lowering them to the floor with a pained grunt. That tackle to the floor hadn’t done anything good for his body and his throat was sore as hell, though all he could think of was Akio.

He held Akio close against him as they both simply breathed for a few seconds, adrenaline surging through his body and leaving him lightheaded though that could also be from the strangulation.

“Are you okay?” he asked as he pulled back.

Akio nodded, gaze snapping up over Lucas’ shoulder. He whirled around, finger on the trigger though he never got to pull it before the dark-clad man standing before them had a hole in his skull. His body crumbled to the floor and Lucas dropped back with a sigh. He wasn’t sure he should be relieved at seeing Diesel and Chris standing in front of them, though.