Gabriel stood in the kitchen, leaning his hip against the sink while he sipped a glass of ice water. When they arrived back at Justin’s place, his partner had disappeared downstairs, muttering something about needed to check the security system. Gabriel had taken a quick shower, trying to wash away the events of the night, before returning to the first floor. He needed a drink, a real drink, but he didn’t know where Justin had his alcohol stashed. Searching around his house while there were cameras hidden around every corner was a good way to unsettle the man and he wasn’t looking too settled as it was.

The Jones house was quiet when they drove past, which was a good sign that the small family was fine. They’d arrived in time to save them, and with any luck, they’d be able to finish this job before the culprit decided to take another shot at them.

For now, they were left with trying to figure out what was wrong with the drug that Iaso was desperate to keep hidden and who had ordered the hit on Wiess and Jones. Gabriel was really starting to miss the old days of someone handing him a target and him pulling the trigger. Those jobs were little fuss and a lot less headache.

Of course, those jobs were unlikely to have allowed him to cross paths with Justin Mallory and that was a horrible shame.

Heavy footsteps pounding up from the basement announced Justin’s return from his secret lair. Gabriel was dying to get a look at his security set up, but he knew there was no way in hell Justin was going to trust him with that information. Not that he blamed the man.

When Justin finally appeared in the kitchen, he gave a little start. His blue eyes swept from Gabriel’s bare feet, up his loose black sleep pants, across his bare chest to the wet hair. He came back to the glass of water in his hand and sneered.

“You need a better drink than that,” Justin announced. He moved over to the cabinet above the refrigerator and pulled out a full bottle of Jameson whiskey. He held up the bottle to Gabriel and stuck out his lower lip in a pseudo-pout. “Sorry, no vodka.”

“Well, no one ever accused you of being civilized,” Gabriel shot back.

Justin gasped, pressing a hand to his chest. “I’ll have you know that Jameson is very civilized.”

Some hidden tension eased in Gabriel’s chest to see the playful side of Justin coming back out. He’d been too quiet on the drive from the cabin in the woods, and Gabriel couldn’t decide if it was the execution of the assassin or the threat to the young father and child that had Justin so shaken. Maybe it was a little bit of both.

It was with sad resignation that Gabriel realized that Peter’s death didn’t bother him in the least. He’d executed far worse men in the world because it was his job. But the innocent father and his child, that was cold-blooded bullshit that he wouldn’t stand for. It was bad enough those poor people had lost Kristen, but to have their own lives stolen simply out of fear that they suspected that she’d been murdered was a step too far for him. Gabriel was looking forward to finding the person behind this tangled web and killing him or her slowly as they deserved.

“Get me a couple of tumblers out of the cabinet behind you,” Justin directed with a jerk of his head before he worked on opening the bottle of whiskey. Gabriel put down his own glass of water and snagged two crystal tumblers as directed. When he’d made dinner the other night, he noticed a light coating of dust on many things within the kitchen, but there was no dust on the tumblers.

Putting them down in front of Justin, he watched as he carefully poured about a double shot for both of them and then sealed the bottle again. Justin grabbed one glass and walked over to the chairs at the breakfast bar, while Gabriel stayed on the other side. The whiskey was good, with a nice burn that warmed his insides.

“How long have you been doing this?” Justin asked suddenly.

“Like all good boys, I started drinking when I was fourteen, but I didn’t get really accomplished at it until I was in my early twenties.”

Justin stared at him across the breakfast bar, giving him an unamused look. “And how old were you when you pulled the trigger for the first time?”

Gabriel took another sip of his whiskey, meeting Justin’s eyes over the rim of the glass. This was an oddly dark mood for the man. They’d been cautious about avoiding any questions that would have pried into their respective backgrounds. They both knew that the other would tell a lie, but the fact that Justin was asking point blank meant that he expected Gabriel to tell the truth. And Gabriel was surprised that he really did want to tell the truth.

“Nineteen when I pulled a trigger and killed a man,” he said evenly. He set his glass down and held Justin’s gaze. “But sixteen when I killed a man for the first time. I…lived in a bad neighborhood, and such things were common. But, I joined the military when I was seventeen to avoid trouble with the law.”

Justin nodded and downed the last of his whiskey. He started to lean forward to grab the bottle, but Gabriel snatched it up before him. He poured another double in Justin’s glass and then topped himself off. “What about you?” Gabriel prodded.

“I get a sneaking suspicion we have similar tales. Joining the military, which led to other, darker opportunities before deciding to strike out on your own.”

“But?” Gabriel said when Justin fell silent.

“I’d only run into a few other mercenaries over the years.” He smiled at Gabriel and held up his glass. “I mean, it’s not like there’s an annual convention each year we gather at to swap stories and attend panels on the newest gadgets.” The forced smile fell away almost as quickly as it was formed. “But looking at that guy tonight…it reminded me that I’m not the only one out there.”

Gabriel stopped in the middle of lifting the glass to his lips and stared at Justin in confusion. “And I’m not a reminder?”

Justin huffed. “You’re different.”

Gabriel could feel his expression grown more incredulous as he lowered his glass without taking a drink. “In what way?”

“Ugh. I’m not saying this right.” Justin let go of his tumbler to fist his hands on the counter in front of him. “I’ve heard of that Peter asshole. He doesn’t work with Marilyn. She’s too damn picky. Likes certain reputable killers,” he said with a mocking sneer.

“Of course,” Gabriel said primly.

“But I still hear about others through the grapevine. Hear about contracts. Hell, I’ve turned down so many jobs because they just felt bad or were fucking evil. And for every contract that I turned down, there was this sour knot in my stomach because I knew there was some evil fuck out there who was going to take that job and I couldn’t stop him. Did that make me just like the ones who took the job?”

“You’ve got lines you won’t cross, Justin.”

“Yeah,” he said forcefully. “I won’t hurt innocent people. I’m not going after some grieving father and his kid for a fucking paycheck. Do you—”

“Yes, I’ve got lines too,” Gabriel interrupted. He didn’t like the idea of Justin doubting him like that. Sure, he might have played up the image of being a cold, ruthless killer when they first met, but that was to protect his own ass from Justin. This was different.

“But is that enough?”

Gabriel walked around the breakfast bar to stand beside Justin chair. Grabbing the back, he swiveled it until he was standing between Justin’s legs. Gently, he cupped both side of his face and forced him to meet Gabriel’s narrowed eyes.

“You might be fucking insane and annoying as hell, but deep down you’re a good man, Justin Mallory.”

“Is this a pep talk?” Justin asked.

“Maybe.”

“You suck at this.” A small hint of a smile peeked out and Gabriel’s heart sped up.

“I’ve never done this before.”

“It shows. You should probably start with the ‘good man’ part next time.”

“Fuck off,” Gabriel muttered. He dropped his hand and started to step away, but Justin slipped his fingers into the loose waistband of his pants and pulled him back in. Their mouths slammed together in a hungry kiss that obliterated all thought. Gabriel’s tongue slid into Justin’s mouth, tasting the whiskey and a bit of Justin that only stoked the fire that was racing through his veins.

God, he wanted this man. He couldn’t imagine a time when he didn’t want to consume Justin. It felt like this need had burned within him from his earliest memory. He knew it wasn’t true, but it didn’t matter. They kissed roughly, teeth clacking together and tongues dueling. Their lips would probably be bruised in the morning, but it didn’t slow them down.

“Upstairs. Supplies,” Justin managed to say as Gabriel moved his mouth across Justin’s jaw to his bite down on the thick cords of muscles in his neck. Justin groaned. His strong hands moved down to Gabriel’s ass, digging into the round cheeks until he was groaning again. “Fuck, we gotta get upstairs.”

Licking along the curve of Justin’s ear, Gabriel smiled at the shiver that went through his frame. He dropped his hands down to the button and zipper of Justin’s jeans. “I’m sure I can make you come right here.”

“No doubt,” he scoffed. Those big hands gripped Gabriel’s ass, kneading the muscles there until Gabriel could no longer swallow back to the low, throaty moan that rumbled up from his chest. His touch felt so damn good. He wanted to feel those hands on every inch of his body.

“Justin,” he panted, fighting to rein in his body’s own raging desires.

As if reading Gabriel’s mind, Justin slid his hands inside his pants to continue rubbing his ass. A finger slid down between his cheeks and Gabriel hissed while he found himself pushing back against that finger.

“Fuck, I need in you, G,” Justin whispered in his ear and this time Gabriel shivered. He could no longer remember why he’d been fighting this idea. Justin’s touch was lighting him on fire and he didn’t want this to stop.

Grabbing Justin’s mouth in another blistering kiss that left them both moaning, Gabriel broke it off and pressed his forehead to Justin’s. “Upstairs.”

Looking back, Gabriel was sure that he’d never be able to remember how they managed to get to the second floor safely while still attached to each other. They kissed and pulled at Justin’s clothes all while stumbled and falling up the stairs. He was vaguely aware of something crashing to the floor. Something glass might have even broken, but before his mind could drift away to figure out what that noise might have been, he was pulled back in by the heat of Justin’s mouth or the amazing touch of his fingers.

And then he was on his back across the middle of Justin’s bed. His heart was pounding fiercely in his chest while he watched Jason dig in the nightstand for the bottle of lube and a condom. Justin tossed both on the bed and then paused long enough to finish removing his shirt and kick off his pants. Gabriel lie back and let his eyes slowly drift down his wide, muscular frame. The man was stunning with a light fur of hair across his pecs and then the lovely trail leading down to his hard cock. There was an assortment of scars, but it was the white bandage covering his side from the bullet fragment he’d extracted just a few days earlier.

A few days…

Had it really only been that long? And he was already back in his bed.

A sharp whistle jerked Gabriel’s eyes back up to Justin’s face to find him frowning. He lifted his fingers and made a motion next to his temple like he was turning a key. “Whatever is going on up there, turn it off.”

Justin knew him, and it was a little unsettling. But this time, he did as Justin commanded and turned off his brain. Those thoughts and worries had no place in that moment. Sliding his legs apart, he placed his feet flat on the bed and grinned up at the other man. He loved how his hands opened and closed at his sides as if he wanted to grab Gabriel, dig his fingers in and explore every inch of flesh spread before him. Eyes moved carefully over him from his feet to the top of his head and then back down to his face.

“What’s it going to take for you to get in this bed?” Gabriel asked. He reached down and wrapped his right hand around his cock. After a couple of long, hard pulls, Justin was licking his lips. Gabriel could feel his balls draw up and he moaned softly. He’d already gotten on his knees for Justin and just the thought of sliding his dick past through full lips had him tightening his grip on the base of his cock to keep from coming.

“I gotta say that I’m enjoying the view while I decide where to start.”

Gabriel crooked his finger and beckoned him. “Closer would be a great place to start.”

Justin placed his hand on Gabriel’s calves and slid them up, over his knees, and down the inside of his thighs. “You are so fucking sexy,” Justin said, his voice little more than a low growl. “You walk around in your proper suits and little pocket squares matching your ties and socks—”

“You noticed that they match my socks?” Gabriel chuckled.

“And then underneath is this perfect fucking body and those tattoos. Makes me just want to lick and suck and fuck you until we can’t move.” He leaned down and licked the crease where his leg met his torso, the scruff of his cheek rubbing against Gabriel’s balls and cock so that a shiver ran through his body. Gabriel stiffened, back arching off the bed, as Justin continued to lick and nibble down to his balls. He sucked one into his mouth, the flat of this tongue gliding around it until Gabriel was panting and gripping the sheets with his free hand.

“Fuck, Justin!” he snarled.

The ball popped from Justin’s mouth and he smiled as he lifted up. “That’s just the beginning.” One hand cupped his balls, massaging them, before one finger tapped against his hole. “I want to be deep inside of your ass.”

Gabriel shut his eyes and felt his jaw clench. Hell, he was pretty sure his entire body locked up at Justin’s touch. His body warred with his brain. He wanted to feel Justin moving inside of him, stretching him. Nothing felt better in the world. He loved to bottom…or at least, he used to love it.

But just the thought of it tightened his chest, making it hard to breathe. No one had even touched his ass since Ivan. Gabriel swore that no one else ever would. And what? He was throwing that promise aside a short five years later because he found himself in bed with the hottest fucking man he’d ever laid eyes on?

The bed shifted around him and Gabriel’s eyes popped open to find Justin climbing onto the bed between his legs. Before he could shift, Justin brushed his lips against Gabriel’s. The touch was surprisingly gentle and helped to get the air flowing into his lungs again. Every time Gabriel chased his lips, trying to deepen the kiss, Justin would pull back.

“You’re in your head again,” Justin whispered.

“I’m not.”

“Liar.”

“I’m not. I’m fine. “I can—”

“It’s not fine,” Justin said firmly before finally deepening the kiss so that his tongue swirled around Gabriel’s. He relaxed into the pillows, letting Justin dominate his mouth while the old tension was replaced by something more delicious and wonderful. When Justin broke off the kiss, Gabriel blinked, surprised his eyes had even fallen closed. “There’s so much more we can do.”

Gabriel opened his mouth to argue again, but Justin covered his mouth with his own, deepening the kiss until whatever he was going to say drifted completely from his mind. Flexing his hips, Justin rubbed his cock against Gabriel’s and they both groaned. That warm flesh on flesh felt so damn good, sending waves of pleasure rushing through his body. Gabriel released his dick and wrapped both arms around Justin, pulling him down tight against his narrower frame. Wrapping his hands over his shoulders, Gabriel lifted his hips, grinding his leaking cock against Justin’s.

“Oh Jesus fuck,” Justin swore on an exhale. He bit down on Gabriel’s lower lip and then licked him, earning a hiss of pleasure from Gabriel. “I’ve got an idea. Something I haven’t done in a long time.”

“Do I have to move?” he teased.

“Just roll onto your side.” Justin pushed off of Gabriel and then shifted around on the bed so that he was laying on his side next to Gabriel, but his head was now positioned next to his cock. A slow grin spread across Gabriel’s lips as he shifted to his side.

Using Justin’s thigh as a pillow, he swirled his tongue around the head of Justin’s cock and then licked his way down to the root, taking a second to nuzzle his balls. He breathed in his musk before licking back up his cock. He opened his mouth wide, eager to take him down his throat when Justin beat him to it. His eyes rolled back in his head when Justin engulfed his dick, swallowing him down until the head touched the back of his throat. Fuck, he nearly came to feel the flat of his tongue slide around the shaft. And then the man hollowed his cheeks and sucked him harder. It felt so damn perfect.

Gabriel turned his attention back to Justin’s cock, working him over. He loved the weight and feel of his dick on his tongue, the soft sounds rumbling up his throat. Justin started shallow thrusting as his cock swelled even further.

Hard hands gripped his thighs and Justin pulled off his dick, groaning. “Fuck, G. Your mouth should be illegal. Wanna come so bad.”

He answered by increasing the suction and speeding up the movement, taking his cock just a little bit deeper. The thought of Justin coming down his throat had his own dick swelling. He moaned, letting the vibrations caress him until Justin was suddenly shouting. His hips jerked and the first taste of semen splashed on the back of his tongue. He swallowed him down, continuing to suck him until he was empty.

“Now it’s your turn,” Justin said on a sated sigh.

It was Gabriel’s only warning before Justin sucked him to the back his throat. He relaxed his jaw and encouraged Gabriel to fuck his mouth. He started slowly, not wanting to gag him, but Justin gripped his thighs, pull him in deeper. And Jesus fucking Christ, Justin’s mouth was pure sin. Nonsense might have poured out of it on a constant basis, but he was the goddamn king of blowjobs.

“Jus, fuck… Justin,” he panted. He could feel his accent slipping, but he couldn’t think, couldn’t get his own tongue to obey his commands when Justin’s mouth was so perfectly moving over his dick. And still, he couldn’t tip over the edge. It was so perfect, and he couldn’t… “Please, more.”

Justin hummed and slowly pulled off. “Don’t worry. I’ll get you there.” Gabriel met his stare and watched as he placed two fingers into his mouth. Justin seemed to hold frozen for a second before Gabriel gave a jerky little nod. “Just say if it’s too much,” Justin continue when he removed the fingers from his mouth.

And then his cock was sliding back down Justin’s throat and a moment later he could feel the blunt pad of his finger circling his hole. Pleasure sparked through his body and Gabriel could barely catch his breath. He moved, fucking Justin’s mouth and pushing back on those fingers until the tip pressed back those tight muscles. He’d forgotten that first bite of pain, the burn and stretch. Forgot how much he loved it. A loud, deep moan drifted from his parted lips. Had it always felt this good?

“Yes. More,” he begged.

Justin sucked him harder and pressed the one finger deeper then slowly pulled it back. When he pushed deeper a second time, Gabriel was aware of him brushing against that magical bundle of nerves and the world whited out. He shouted, coming hard down Justin’s throat. There had been no chance to warn him or pull away. Fuck, he didn’t know his own damn name or where he was in that moment. There was only pleasure sizzling through his entire body, stopping his heart and knocking the air from his lungs.

And then he was slamming back down to earth. A soft whimper could be heard over heavy breathing and Gabriel didn’t want to face that he’d made that noise, but he didn’t care. Didn’t care about anything. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d come so hard. Well, maybe last night when he’d been deep in Justin, but damn this was so good too.

When Justin released him, Gabriel flopped onto his back and dragged his arms over his head, desperate to get enough air into his lungs. He blinked slowly, and Justin crawled up his body, knees on either side of his hips and hands braced above his shoulders. The smuggest grin was spread across his face, but then he deserved to look smug.

“Fuck,” Gabriel panted.

Justin leaned forward and kissed him deep, plunging his tongue into his mouth so that Gabriel could taste himself. And he was damn sure that Justin could taste himself. A perfect blending. When Justin pulled away again, the smugness was gone but he still looked supremely pleased.

“I forgot how much I enjoyed that position,” Justin said.

“Definitely worth keeping.”

Justin snorted and dropped down on the bed next to Gabriel. They were lying diagonally so that Gabriel was only partially on the pillow. Justin’s legs had to be half off the bed, but the man didn’t complain, and Gabriel was one hundred percent sure that Justin would say something if he wanted Gabriel to move. They lie comfortably in the bed, their bodies touching from chest to knee, and listening to their breathing slowly even out.

“Do you like what you do?” Justin asked suddenly out of the blue.

Gabriel wanted to shift to look at Justin, but he didn’t move. He knew what he was talking about and it was suddenly easier to talk without meeting those all too perceptive blue eyes.

“Some days,” Gabriel admitted. “You?”

“Parts of it.” Justin said after a couple of seconds. “I like the sneaking. The hacking.”

Gabriel nearly nodded. The sneaking was his favorite part as well. There was an addictive rush of adrenaline when he broke into a place, grabbed what he needed, and then escaped again without anyone being the wiser. He loved discovering ways around the world’s most sophisticated security systems. He just loved outsmarting people.

“Pulling the trigger gets old,” Gabriel murmured.

“I never expected to be doing it for so long.”

“Seventeen years.”

Justin snorted. “Old man.” He then added quietly, “Twelve.”

Gabriel closed his eyes and quickly did the math. If Justin had joined the military like himself and his first kill was at eighteen, then the man laying stretched out next to him was only thirty. Just three years younger than himself.

“Why still do it?” Gabriel asked.

Justin twisted and leaned up on his elbow to look over at Gabriel, who raised an eyebrow at his confused look. Had he really never considered walking away?

“Why are you still doing it?” Gabriel pressed. “If you’re half as good as me and usually work solo, you should have a lovely nest egg. You don’t have to do this. So why are you still doing it?”

Justin frowned at him, his expression turning dark a second before he pushed off the bed and started to get up. Gabriel grabbed his wrist and jerked him down hard enough that he bounced a little when his back hit the mattress. Moving quickly, he slid over him so that he was straddling Justin’s hips. He knew that Justin could push him off, but it would mean them both tumbling to the floor.

“Why?”

“Because it’s what I’m good at. All I’m good at,” Justin snapped.

“Well, you are pretty damn good at blowjobs too.”

“Blowjobs don’t pay as well.”

Gabriel smirked. “I think you’re underestimating exactly how good you are at sucking dick.”

Justin looked away from him, but not before Gabriel caught the hint of a smile toying with the corner of his mouth. Some of the tension flowed from Justin’s shoulders and Gabriel relaxed a bit, no longer expecting to land in a painful heap on the floor.

“Lying, sneaking, hacking, killing…it’s all I’ve known for so long. It’s been beaten into my head. I’m trying to help people, but at the end of every job, someone is dead or hurt or worse. And there’s always a dozen more contracts waiting.”

Gabriel leaned down, kissing Justin slowly. He started at the corner of his mouth, moving down along this bottom lip, licking and nibbling to the other corner. Then he moved over the slimmer top lip until he reached the center and deepened the kiss. Justin instantly opened and moaned into his mouth, welcoming him.

Reluctantly he broke off the kiss and pulled back. The smile he gave Justin felt frail and weak, already trying to slip away. He knew the feelings of burnout. The wear and tear on the soul when he thought too much about what he was doing. Most of the time he could keep those doubts at bay, but there was something about the time they spent together. He knew of no one else who would understand their frustration and pains.

Crawling off the bed, he quickly scooped up a handful of his discarded clothes. It didn’t matter if he got everything. It was more important to beat a hasty retreat before he did or said something that would be even stupider than the sex they’d enjoyed so far.

“What about you? Why do you do it?”

Gabriel stopped, his hands balled tightly in his fists, and looked at the man who was still lying on his back in the middle of the bed, staring at the ceiling. A dozen answers danced through his brain, but on a whim, he decided to give Justin the truth.

“Because I haven’t yet found a reason to stop.”