Page 28 of Gator

In the SUV, it was blissfully quiet for about two blocks. Then the bird started up again. First wolf-whistles, thenDaddy!over and over in perfect imitation of Julius’s drawl. Julius didn’t even try to hide how delighted he was.

By the time we got back to Three Bears HQ, it was pushing seven. We parked, and I looked around, making sure nothing looked off. When I was confident that we were good, I opened the door.

“I’ll get the bags. You take the bird. But you stay right beside me until we get inside the building.”

“Mmm, bossy. I like it,” he said.

It was like he couldn’t turn it off. Someone had been waiting for him outside his salon and followed him all the way here. But he was acting like we were on some kind of fun outing. But we weren’t. These guys had not only found him but they’d followed him to his place of business.

“Jules.” I turned to face him, ignoring the bird. “I’m serious. Stick close to me.”

He sighed. “I’m not stupid, Gator. I know this is serious.”

“Then treat it like it is.” I rubbed my temples. I didn’t like being a grouchy stick in the mud, but this had been a long day, and a man could only take so much. I let out a breath. “I’m sorry, I know you aren’t stupid. I’m just worried about you, and I want to keep you safe.”

He looked at me and nodded. “I know it doesn’t seem like it, but I’m scared, Gator. And this”—he took a step back and then motioned at his body, starting at his legs, moving up to his face, framing it with his hands and giving me a big fake smile—“is how I deal with being afraid.”

“Well, shit, baby boy.” I opened up my arms, and he set down the bird and stepped into my arms. “Listen to me,” I murmured into his hair. “This is an unusual situation, but I need you to know that I want this thing between us to work. I know we haven’t even really gotten started yet, but I think we could have something special.”

“I’ll admit you make it too easy to want things I told myself don’t exist,” he said.

“It exists, baby boy. Trust me.”

“You think so?”

“I really do. But like I told you earlier, right now my focus needs to be on keeping you safe.”

“What’s for dinner? Carrots, broccoli, whiskey?” Trixie asked, making us both laugh.

I brushed a kiss on his head and stepped back. “Looks like it’s time to get you upstairs.”

We got up to the ninth floor where most of the guys lived. Julius was glancing around, taking it in. You would never know this used to be an office building. The common area had a large television, a couple of couches, a few armchairs, three dining tables, a foosball game, a pool table, and my personal favorite, a poker table. Axel and Maddox were sitting on the couch playing a video game, but they were the only ones here tonight. I’d been busy with Julius, so I wasn’t sure where everyone else was.

“This is where everyone hangs out most of the time when they aren’t working,” I said to Julius. “Hey, guys, this is Julius. He’ll be staying here for a little while.”

Axel glanced over his shoulder and grinned when he saw Julius.

“Hey, Axe.” Julius grinned back.

I looked between them. “You two know each other?”

“Just from the salon,” Julius said. “Migs cuts his hair.”

“And he does a fabulous job. I don’t let just anyone come near my fabulous mane with a pair of scissors.”

Maddox let out a big sigh and tossed down the remote control. “Great, you got distracted, andIdied. You were supposed to have my six.”

“Sorry.” Axel shrugged and got up. He turned to us with concern on his face. “So what’s up, Jules? Why are you here?”

“It’s a long story, and I should get Trixie settled.” He held up the cage, and Axel hurried around the couch.

“You have a parrot?”

“Yeah, this is Trixie.”

Axel stuck his finger between the bars of the cage, and the bird snapped at him with her beak. Maybe the bird wasn’t so bad after all.

“She bit me,” he yelped.