Page 100 of Ride the Lightning
“Yes,” Jonah replied. “We have a long way to go to repair the damage Malcolm caused, but last night and tonight was a big step in the right direction.”
Avery hummed. “The two of you decided to stage the parking lot incident, didn’t you?”
“We did,” Jonah agreed.
“And you didn’t tell me ahead of time because you didn’t trust me?” Avery asked.
“No, I do trust you. I wasn’t certain the confrontation was going to occur. The arrangement was for Trexler to accost me if Malcolm contacted him about the podcast. I needed to be sure Malcolm took the bait.”
“You’re quite brilliant,” Avery said. There was a pensiveness in his voice that troubled Jonah.
“I also wanted to diminish your culpability as much as possible, Avery.”
“Because you want me?”
“I do,” Jonah emphatically said as he pulled into the driveway. He put the car in park and killed the engine before threading his fingers in Avery’s hair and guiding his head to meet Jonah’s halfway. “I could’ve lost you tonight, and you wouldn’t have known that you’re all I want,” he whispered against Avery’s lips.
Instead of kissing him, Avery placed his hand on Jonah’s chest to stop him. “How?”
Before Jonah could answer, his screen door opened suddenly, slapping against the front of the house. A partially dressed man burst out of Jonah’s house like the devil was chasing him. Kendall, apparently playing the role of said devil, stepped onto the porch a second later and flung something at the man, nailing him square in the back before he reached his car parked in front of Jonah’s house. When the object hit the ground, Jonah saw it was a shoe.
“What the fuck?” Jonah asked, shoving his car door open.
“I don’t ever want to see you or talk to you again, Travis. Don’t come back,” Kendall yelled across the lawn.
“How many times have I heard the same thing before, and yet, you still call me?” Travis replied.
“Now, I’m telling you,” Jonah said. “I don’t want to see you on my property, and I better not find out you’re harassing him at work.”
Travis halted and faced Jonah. “Work? Is that what you call wearing a tiny scrap of fabric while serving drinks and chicken wings to horny men? Lose my number, Kendall,” Travis said with a sneer before getting in his car. He gunned the engine so hard his tires squealed before he shot down the road.
“Christ,” Jonah muttered. “I’m ready for this night to be over.”
“That makes two of us,” Avery said, joining him. “I had a gun pointed to my head.”
Jonah looped his arm around Avery’s waist and pulled him against his side. Having his man so close to him was making it hard to remember precisely why they’d wanted to have a conversation. “I got shot, so I win.”
“It’s not a contest,” Avery hissed. He slid his hand over Jonah’s heart, where a bullet would’ve struck him.
“Good thing because I’d win the prize.” Jonah cupped Avery’s face and captured his lips for a kiss. “I take it back. I’ve already won.”
Avery elbowed him. “I’m not some stuffed teddy bear from a carnival.”
Jonah pressed his mouth against Avery’s ear. “Do you want to be stuffed?” Jonah whispered, nuzzling his nose against Avery’s soft flesh.
Avery whimpered. “God, yes.”
“What the hell is going on here?” Kendall asked from the porch. It sounded like he’d temporarily forgotten his troubles. “Someone held a gun to Avery’s head, and someone else shot you, Jonah?”
“It was the same person,” Jonah replied.
“It’s a very long story,” Avery added.
“Sure makes my guy problems seem small,” Kendall said. “Are you both okay?”
“We’re fine,” Jonah told his friend. “I’ll tell you all about it in the morning.” Kendall nodded and started to head inside. “Kendall.”
Kendall turned around and looked at Jonah. “You don’t have guyproblems. You haveaguy problem. You can do better than Travis.”