Page 8 of How to Hack a Hellhound (Hellhounds of Paradise Falls #2)

Chapter 8

Liam

Q uinton had been whistling in the shower, so he couldn’t have been too disturbed by the whole camera thing. Really, I thought Toby was probably blowing it all out of proportion. Humans were funny like that.

When he came out, though, I had to reassess things. He seemed a little… miffed. I even took a sip of his coffee to show him it wasn’t drugged, but he did not appear happy with me for some reason.

I suddenly felt sympathy for Dexter. Humans were difficult to navigate. It was much easier when dealing with them through the computer. I couldn’t help the tiny growl of frustration that escaped me when he just continued to look grumpy even after I offered him more food. My little hellcat had claws, and I was worried they were about to be unsheathed on me. At this rate, I’d end up going to Jude for human advice. I still wasn’t sure I trusted Toby, even though he was a human. After all, he thought Quinton would be upset about the whole camera thing.

The danger seemed to pass, however, because Quinton seemed relaxed when he said, “We haven’t been properly introduced.”

Ahh. Maybe that was the problem? I might have been a bit lacking in manners. “I’m Liam,” I said, “and you’re Quinton.” Were we supposed to shake hands? Quinton had his hands on his coffee cup, so I just gave a small incline of my head instead.

“You rescued me last night,” he stated.

“Yes. It wasn’t very wise to go to the club.” Quinton grimaced, but I continued. “Especially not alone. They thought you were dead, but now they know you aren’t. Then you went off with James, and neither of you returned. They’re bound to look for you now.”

“But I wasn’t alone, was I?” he asked.

“Well, no, but you didn’t know that,” I added.

“Yes, exactly,” he said, sipping his coffee and glaring at me. It didn’t feel as dangerous as earlier, but he was obviously not pleased.

Hmm, maybe Toby was right. Could he be a wee bit upset about the cameras? It wasn’t like I had watched him pleasure himself or anything. Ok, so yes, that was mainly because he hadn’t done that while his computer camera was facing him.

Would I have watched if he had? I would have liked to—I found the idea extremely arousing—but that was something that probably wasn’t polite. But he knew about the cameras now, so if he decided to pleasure himself, I wouldn’t have to feel guilty about watching. Toby was worried about consent, so maybe that meant I needed to tell Quinton where all the cameras were?

I shook that fantasy out of my head, though, and got back to business. First things first, and that was convincing him to move in here permanently.

“I don’t think it’s safe for either of you to go back to the apartment across from the coffee shop,” I stated. “This apartment is fully secured, including alarms on the doors and windows—which are a weak point in your apartment. Plus, it has the benefit of being within hearing distance of Dexter, Jude, Corbin, and I. We’d know if there were any intruders or if something was amiss. One of us is always around.”

“And it has cameras everywhere inside, too,” he mumbled, sipping his coffee again.

“Well, yes, but we could negotiate their use,” I hedged. “I could point out where they are, and I suppose I could remove the one in the bathroom, as Toby suggested. Not that it aims at the commode,” I added to set his mind at ease.

“Hmmm,” Quinton murmured, and I wasn’t sure if we were back in danger mode. He really was like a cat—graceful, fascinating, and ready to attack.

“I look into all of Dexter’s strays,” I answered, hoping to calm him down, but that only made his eyes flash in anger.

“I see. So I’m simply a stray of Dexter’s. You watch Aiden just as closely, then,” he said.

I fidgeted again under his stare. “Well, not exactly,” I murmured.

“You don’t watch Aiden?” he clarified, and he seemed a little less angry at that.

I was so confused. I had no idea what he was looking for, so I figured honesty was the easiest course of action. “I look into everyone, and I’ve watched Aiden because he lives with you and to make sure he stays safe, but I can admit that I’ve, perhaps, watched you a little more closely than anyone else. Toby told me that people found that sort of thing an invasion of privacy, but I certainly didn’t mean it to be. And now that you know about the cameras, it isn’t without your consent, so that makes it ok.”

Quinton just stared at me.

“Plus, people are looking for you. You were taken once before, but you won’t be taken again. If you are, I’ll know, and I’ll find you. Always. So really, it’s much better to stay here, where there are reliable cameras, as opposed to going back to your apartment, which is not secure.”

“And where you can only watch me through my computer camera,” he added.

“Well, I could install cameras there, if you insist on going back, but I don’t think it’s safe even with cameras.” I really did want him closer to the pack.

“Hmm,” he murmured, sipping his coffee again.

He set his coffee down, then looked at me. I braced myself. He seemed on the verge of something. I had a moment of panic. What if Toby was right? What if he requested that I not watch him? I couldn’t very well continue to do so if he specifically asked me not to. That would not be polite at all. I gripped my coffee cup so tightly that I heard a slight cracking sound.

He didn’t seem to notice, and he stared into my eyes. He was captivating in person—even more so than on the computer. If I wasn’t allowed to watch him, perhaps I could just move in. Surely that would be acceptable. Or he and Aiden could move into the main house. Yes, that would be even better.

Before I could suggest it, however, Quinton spoke. “We’ll think about moving into this place, but only if I tell Aiden about the cameras and he’s comfortable with them. Are there two bedrooms? I haven’t even had time to explore.”

“Yes, there are, and there are no cameras in the second bedroom,” I added helpfully. With the windows and doors alarmed and a camera pointed at the bedroom door, I hadn’t seen any need for one in what would be Aiden’s room.

“But there are in my room?” he asked.

“Yes,” I replied, bracing myself for him to ask to have them removed.

“Toby was right. The camera has to come out of the bathroom. Aiden uses it too. I suppose they’re ok in common living areas, but not in the bathroom. People expect privacy there,” he explained.

I nodded my head. He hadn’t mentioned removing them from his bedroom, and I certainly wasn’t going to remind him.

He glared at me then, resting both hands on the kitchen island and leaning forward slightly. I was unsure what had caused the change in his attitude, but he looked ready to hiss at me.

“I’m going to look for the men who work with Marcus, and I’m going to bring them down,” he insisted. “I’m going to do this with or without your help. You’re right that going to the club was stupid of me. It hadn’t occurred to me that they thought I was dead. I guess it should’ve. You’re also right that I’m probably on their radar now, and I won’t risk Aiden. I’m an idiot for putting him in this position.”

I reached forward and put my hand over his. “You couldn’t know. You don’t think like them. You’re not evil like they are,” I reassured him. “You can’t be blamed for not knowing what they’d do.”

He looked down at my hand, and I thought of moving it, but he flipped his hand over and held onto mine. It felt… nice.

“But you know,” he said, looking up at me again. “You know what they’d do.”

“Well, yes, I suppose I do. I’ve dealt with their kind for a very long time.” I hoped he didn’t think I was like them. I most certainly was not. “I’m not evil, though. I only kill evil people,” I added.

“God, you’re just like Dexter,” he chuckled, shaking his head.

“Well, yes, we both deal with evil people, but I assure you I have much more common sense and far better manners than Dexter,” I promised.

He hmm’d in response, but he didn’t look convinced. That was alright. I could convince him, especially if he was staying here.

“I’m going to hunt those fuckers down,” he said again. “Will you help me?”

“Of course,” I answered. Had he doubted I would? “I’ve already begun looking into things. I’d be happy to take care of it for you. You don’t need to be involved.”

He pulled his hand away, and I missed the warmth of it in mine. He began pacing the kitchen, looking agitated. Had I said something wrong? He didn’t seem angry at me, though, so perhaps he was thinking of his kidnapping.

I wasn’t used to feeling unsure, but I didn’t want to press and scare Quinton off. I almost chuckled at myself then. Not that Quinton would scare off. More likely he would unsheathe his claws and eviscerate me before strutting away. It was something I thoroughly enjoyed about him.

I felt a little more relaxed at that. If I had fucked up, I was sure Quinton would tell me exactly how. He wasn’t quiet and unsure. He spoke his mind. He was obviously thinking something through, and he’d no doubt tell me exactly what he needed from me.

He finally stopped and looked at me across the island again. “No,” he said.

I quirked my head, unsure what he meant.

”No, I do not want you to do it without me. I know I don’t have experience, and I’m not… whatever you guys are. I know that. I know I’m just a weak human who got himself kidnapped and locked in a basement?—”

I cut him off. “You are not a weak human. You are a hellcat, all claws and explosiveness. You would have made life miserable for your captors.” I chuckled at the thought. “You would have at least maimed a few of them. You would have fought every step of the way, and I think you would’ve escaped. Don’t ever underestimate yourself, Quinton.”

He stared at me. I wasn’t sure if he was still upset, but eventually he smirked. “A hellcat, huh?”

“Yes,” I said. “And if you want to help, that is your right. I do have experience and knowledge, and I would simply ask that you follow my lead for those reasons. But I will not stop you from getting your vengeance. You deserve it, and I would never stand in your way for anything.”

He nodded, still staring at me.

I pressed on while he seemed agreeable. “You can speak to Aiden after his shift. We’d be happy to drive you both to and from work, but if you’d rather have use of a car, that’s fine as well. You both have valid driver’s licenses, so either of you could drive. I would prefer if you drove together or got a ride, however. After you speak to Aiden, we can easily move the things from your apartment here.”

He smiled at me then, even if it seemed a little exasperated. “People usually like to pack up their own shit.”

“Why? We can do it much more quickly and easily,” I stated.

He just rolled his eyes. “I’ll talk to Aiden. Is someone picking him up later?”

“Yes, Jude or Corbin, since he knows them best and they rescued him. We don’t want him to feel uncomfortable. I have no doubt that Toby will inevitably ingratiate himself as Aiden’s friend, and I’m sure he’ll insist on driving as well, but he does accept boundaries if they’re set.”

Quinton actually chuckled at that. “At least someone does,” he mumbled. I was unsure what he meant, but he continued on. “Ok. I’ll talk to Aiden and let you know. Or you’ll just listen in and find out when you go back to your batcave and watch me from your monitors.”

I didn’t deny it, and he didn’t seem upset about it. “I’ll start researching and seeing who’s looking for James. I haven’t had time to do a deep dive into his online presence yet, but I’m hopeful that it reveals some information. I’ll keep you informed,” I add.

“Good. At some point I want to see you work your hacker magic, but right now I’m gonna eat and relax. Being drugged leaves a shitty hangover,” Quinton said.

He did look tired again. It was probably best if I left him to relax, even though I was loath to leave his presence. Yes, I could watch him through the monitors, but really, it didn’t compare to seeing him in person. I sighed and got up.

“Can I get you anything?” I asked.

He just shook his head as he walked around the island toward the front door, and I followed him. I noticed his feet were bare, and I realized these floors were mostly hardwood. Humans got cold feet. I knew Quinton didn’t love wearing socks, since he never seemed to wear them at home. I’d have to see if he liked slippers, or else I’d have to get some carpeting for beside his bed and the common areas.

He opened the front door, and I came up to stand next to him. He was shorter than me, and I had the desire to dip my head down and kiss his pretty lips. I wondered if he would kiss me back or if he would claw out my eyes.

He looked too tired for either a make out session or an explosion of temper, though, so I leaned down and pressed a light kiss to his forehead before I quickly walked out the door. I couldn’t help myself, but I also didn’t want to tempt fate.

“Creepy stalker,” I heard him mumble behind me.

“Little hellcat,” I called back over my shoulder. I heard him chuckle, and then the door shut, and I heard the lock engage.

Good. I’d go back and watch to make sure he relaxed, and I’d start digging into James. I usually worked alone, but the idea of Quinton sitting next to me as I researched, adding in his snarky commentary, was oddly attractive.

I didn’t want Quinton in danger, but he would charge headfirst into whatever he wanted either way. All I could do was hang on for the ride and watch over him. Whatever he wanted, I would provide. If he needed to wreak havoc and stand in the line of fire of the human traffickers, then I’d be the shield that protected him from them.

I had a feeling that he would even be interested in interrogating them. I was a little sad that I’d already dispatched James. It would have been fun to see Quinton have a go at him.

Ah, well, next time. With that cheery thought, I walked into the main house. I opened my laptop to see Quinton resting on the couch with a second cup of coffee, and I brought the laptop into my office. I set it down next to my main computers so I could glance over to check on him while I worked.

The sooner I tracked down another person responsible, the sooner I’d get to see my little hellcat unsheathe his claws.