The crick in his neck woke Low. He blinked his eyes open just at the man in his arms stirred. They stared at each other, Renzo’s expression wary as though he expected a repeat of what happened at Low’s place.

“You’re here.” Sleep, and maybe the emotion of the moment, put a rasp on Renzo’s words.

Low nodded. “I am here.” His stomach grumbled loudly and he blew out a breath. “Why don’t I make us something to eat? We can talk then.”

Renzo searched his gaze before nodding. “Okay.”

Low brushed a lock of hair from Renzo’s forehead. “It’s important that you know…” He bent, lips barely brushing Renzo’s. “I love you.”

He felt the tremor in Renzo’s body, saw the quiver in his chin. “Low. I love you.”

“Okay.” He pulled back. “Let’s go.”

Renzo stood first, rolling his neck, stretching on socked feet, pajamas hanging off his hips. Nothing and nobody looked better than this man.

He joined Renzo in the bathroom long enough to wash his face and brush his teeth. He missed that, damn it. The easy domesticity, moving quietly and comfortably around each other. Hands and shoulders brushing, holding each other’s gaze in the mirror.

Saying shit without saying anything.

When Renzo got into the shower, Low went downstairs to the kitchen, quickly rustling up scrambled eggs with strawberry jelly toast. Coffee for Renzo and tea for him.

Renzo didn’t drink tea, but Low did, so he’d bought it for him. A small gesture that made Low love him even more.

He’d just popped a slice of lemon into his cup when Renzo appeared in the kitchen doorway, hair still damp, in clean clothes. Definitely looking refreshed. Low licked his lips and Renzo’s gaze turned predatory.

Yeah, Low liked that. But the yearning would have to wait until they talked. So he waved Renzo over to the table. They ate in silence, the air between them charged with heavy anticipation. It took a lot to not swipe the dishes off the table and launch himself at Renzo. Low watched him chew. Fuck, he’d missed that mouth.

He must have made a sound because Renzo’s head jerked up, his eyes darkening from flashing silver to burnt ash.

Christ.

Low squirmed. Renzo’s nostrils flared as though he could smell how much Low wanted to fuck him. He cleared his throat and tore his gaze away. “Uh, we should-we should talk.” Before fucking atop the kitchen table. Definitely before that.

Renzo granted him a sharp nod before putting down his cup and licking his lips. Low’s body clenched. Shit.

“My mother told me you saw me at her place three years ago,” he began.

“I did,” Renzo said softly. “You brushed past me on your way out the door and the warmth of your body, the smell of your skin…” His Adam’s apple slid up and down. “You stopped me in my tracks.”

Low sat back heavily. “You’ve always known who I was.”

“Always.”

“And it didn’t matter that Alistair—”

Renzo grabbed Low’s chin, gaze fierce and branding where it landed on his face. “I told you, it never fucking mattered. Not once, baby. Not once. When Atta told me you were her son, you were off limits, but only because you couldn’t know about him. You didn’t need that in your life. I never stopped thinking about you, about what it could be like to have you, but I moved on.” He looked away then. “There were other bodies. Lots of other bodies, but there was only one you.”

“Renzo.” Low didn’t have much more than that.

“I didn’t expect to see you that night at the bar. I didn’t expect to die a thousand times in the brief second that our eyes met.”

“I didn’t expect to feel as if you’d stripped me naked and fucked me while the entire bar watched.” Low snorted. “I didn’t expect to like that feeling.”

“But you blamed me for Kenton’s death. As you should. It got harder and harder to keep from telling you about Alistair.” Renzo covered Low’s hand with his atop the table, linking their fingers. “But I didn’t think I should be the one to tell you. That was your mother’s job, it was her right, and I had to wait until she was ready.”

“She told me about Chicago. Why didn’t you tell me about the sex trafficking thing?”

“Because then I’d have to tell you about Atta, which would lead to Alistair.”

Right. Low blew out a breath.

“I’m sorry I hurt you by keeping all of this from you.” Renzo’s grip on Low tightened. “I will fuck up again, but I can promise you it won’t ever be this bad. I can promise you I won’t keep shit from you. I can promise you, Low, I won’t ever lie to you. These past few days without you—” His voice cracked. “I can’t do them again.”

“Okay, listen I don’t know that I’ve fully grasped the reality of who fathered me. All I know is that I love you and you love me.” He shrugged. “I know that the man who raised me, chose me. He loved me. He gave me his last name.” Renzo kissed his knuckles. “My mother thinks he would have accepted me being gay. She knew him way better than I did, so I’m choosing to believe her. But it doesn’t matter, because this being away from you thing only proves to me that I don’t want to be without you. And I don’t want you to be without me. Everything else? One day at a time.”

He pushed his chair back abruptly and got up, making his way over to Renzo who watched him with so much longing in his eyes. He swung one leg over Renzo, straddling him, face to face. Renzo shoved his chair back, away from the table, giving Low room to sit in his lap, one hand clasping his neck.

Arms circled around his waist.

Forehead resting against Renzo’s, Low inhaled on a shudder. “I missed you. So bad.” Renzo’s hands moved up and down his back. Soothing. “So bad.”

“Baby.”

Low kissed him. Soft as first, lips just touching, brushing. Then Renzo parted, made way for him, and Low went in, tongue sweeping as if he owned it all. Which he did. Renzo’s breath hitched, fingers on Low’s back clawing at him. Following, as Low led. Tongues making love, hands caressing, breath strangled.

Felt like the first time. Hell, every time felt like the first time. That first taste of Renzo flooding him, making him moan. Against his ass, Renzo’s hard-on throbbed, Low’s own erection straining, wanting.

But he stayed in Renzo’s mouth, reacquainting himself with the wet, with the thrust of tongue touching him so right. Blood rushed from his head to his cock, settling in his balls.

Aching.

Needing.

He cupped Renzo’s nape, holding his head steady so he could plunge deep into his mouth, fucking him with his tongue, hips rolling in time to Renzo’s. So good, kiss so reckless. He liked it like that, saliva all over, tongue lapping at chin, their teeth making that sound when they connected, hard and damn near violent.

Not enough. Low wanted to climb inside Renzo, lick him from the inside out, leave him dripping wet. Mark him hard enough, big enough for anyone else to see he was taken. For them to know Low had him locked the fuck down.

He tore his mouth away, the retreat loud and wet. Renzo grunted in protest, mouth seeking but Low dipped his head, kissing his jaw, the rough shadow there scratching him. Renzo’s head fell back, bare throat there for the taking so Low moved lower, biting, sucking, licking as Renz’s hips bucked hard against him and he got louder.

“Fuck, baby. Please. Please.”

Renzo Vega begging. Best. Sound.

Hands under Low’s t-shirt, Renzo’s fingers dug into his skin. Low groaned, teeth grazing Renzo’s Adam’s apple while slamming his ass back onto the cock throbbing underneath him. He was an addict for this, their bodies writhing together, moving in sync, his saliva shining on Renzo’s skin. He blew on the damp spot at the base of Renzo’s throat and his man swore.

“God. Damn. Low.”

Needy. For Low, because he did that to Renzo. “Nobody.” He moved upward to whisper the word in Renzo’s ear. Then he bit him on the shoulder. Hard, keeping his teeth in Renzo’s skin as the other man bucked hard, body going wild. “Nobody but you.”

“Yes.” Renzo’s cupped his behind, smoothing a palm over an ass cheek before settling Low forcefully over his erection. “Nobody but you, baby.” Hands on Low’s hips now, Renzo encouraged him to ride.

Low did, taking Renzo’s mouth again, humping him. Shuddering, aching, body hot and stretched tight. He rocked on the thickness nestled against his ass through their clothes. Renzo took over this time, mouth voracious, their heads twisting, tongues mating in ferocious swirls, his tight clasp on Low’s hips all that kept him from melting down.

Until one of those hands slid under the waistband of Low’s jeans and dipped beneath his underwear to smooth over his ass. Fingertips traced down his crack, teased his hole, and Low couldn’t breathe.

He broke the kiss, gulping air into his burning lungs. Renzo stared at him, gray eyes turned almost black with lust, nostrils flared, cheekbones alight with fiery color, lips wet. So wet. Low flicked his tongue over those lips.

“Ungh.” Renzo’s fingers on him flexed. His cock jerked against Low. “Christ, Low.”

A ringing started in Low’s ears as he lifted the corner of his lips in a smirk. “I need you, Daddy.”

“God.” The finger teasing his hole pressed in. “Fuck, baby. I need you, too.”

The ringing got louder and Low blinked.

Phone. That was a phone. His phone behind him on the table. He ignored it, lifting up to give Renzo’s finger room to work. The ringing stopped and he blew out a breath. The digit breached him and he keened, holding Renzo’s gaze, cock throbbing at the burn and stretch.

“Daddy.” He moaned. God, how he missed this. “Need it.” Throat dry, ass burning, he begged the way he knew Renzo liked. “Finger fuck it, Daddy.”

Renzo slammed in. Low’s body froze.

The phone started ringing again.

Shit. He reached behind him without looking, fingers scrambling until they closed around the phone. Renzo paused. “Don’t stop.” He clenched around the digit. “Fuck, don’t stop.”

Renzo didn’t, thrusting in and out as Low held up the phone to check the caller’s identity. “It’s Dax.”

Renzo didn’t seem to hear him, too busy finger fucking Low.

“Dax.” He answered with a breathless whisper as Renzo’s fingers plunged in and out of him.

“Renzo’s not answering his phone,” Dax answered without preamble. “Are you still—”

“He’s here.” He cleared his throat when Renzo’s movements stilled. “Hold-hold on.”

“So, you guys are good?”

The finger inside Low brushed his spot and he almost leapt off Renzo with a shout. Eyes watering, ass clenching, he gritted his teeth and swallowed. “It—Um…” He shook his head slightly. “We’re good.”

“Let me talk to him.”

Low held the phone to Renzo’s ear, and the other man spoke while holding Low’s gaze. “Dax.” He added a second finger to the first, bringing a fresh burn and an extra stretch to Low’s hole. Low eased up and down on it. “Yeah, I— Shit.” He paused and cocked his head. “How long? Yeah, okay. I’ll see you in a bit.” He sighed and moved his head away from the phone.

Low ended the call and lifted an eyebrow. “What?”

“I have to meet with my guys in about twenty minutes,” Renzo said apologetically. “My FBI guys. Dax will be here in a bit.” He pulled his fingers from Low, slowly.

“Ungh.” He rolled his hips at that retreat, head falling forward to rest against Renzo’s neck.

“Sorry, babe.” He sounded sorry too. “It’s an emergency.”

“S’okay.” Low patted his chest. “But you will make this up to me.”

Renzo caught his chin, bringing his head up to press their lips together. “You fucking right I will.” He deepened the kiss before pulling away with a sigh. “Later?”

“Yes.” If he could make it that long.

“Meet at the club?”

He nodded then blew out a breath with slumped shoulders. “Okay.” He lifted off Renzo, standing on shaky legs, erection tenting the front of his jeans. Renzo didn’t fare better, the length of him was clearly outlined against the front of his black pants. “Let’s do this. The sooner you get your meetings done, the sooner I get you inside me.”

Renzo got up and pulled him into his arms, erection pressed to Low’s belly. “I love you, baby. So fucking much.”

Low smiled. “Same.” A horn blared outside, the same time Low’s phone went off. “Three guess on who that could be,” he grumbled.

Renzo released him with a laugh and headed to the door. “I’ll see you later.”

Damn sure he would.

* * *

What the fuck happened?” Renzo spun in a circle, meeting the eyes of the five men in the room. “One job,” he barked. “You had one fucking job!” And they’d fucked it up.

Timothy Groves was in the wind. Again.

How the fuck was that bastard so slippery?

Renzo had him delivered to FBI custody. He’d damn near wrapped him up in a bow, and now?

“He was being transported to lock up,” one of the men told him. “Those guys weren’t our people. Groves talked them into taking him to a gas station bathroom. One of the officers ended up with a bullet to the gut.”

Jesus. Renzo scrubbed a hand over his face. “He’s alive?”

“In surgery.”

“And the other officer?” he asked.

“Beaten pretty bad, but he’ll live.”

And in the meantime, they had to go hunting for Timothy Groves who, it turned out, was pretty damn good at disappearing. For all the searching they’d done for him after the auction, Renzo hadn’t been the one to find him. Groves had come to him.

“I want everybody on this. Everybody, you hear me?” Fucking déjà vu. “And let’s look at all of his associates again. Anyone loyal to him or his dead father in the city, even on the police force.” Groves couldn’t be doing any of this without some kind of help.

Once business was handled and the men had taken their leave, Renzo left the lowest level of the club—an area off limits to everyone except Dax and himself—and made his way back up to his regular offices. He sat back behind his desk with a heavy sigh. The very last thing he wanted to be doing was this shit when he should be with Low. He scratched his jaw, a small smile forming. He had Low back in his arms. In his bed.

He picked up his phone.

“Renzo.”

“How is your day?”

“Well, I’m on my way to sign the papers on the condo I bought,” Low told him. “The one I mentioned in Marietta.”

Renzo nodded even though Low couldn’t see. “I remember.” He also remembered the excitement in Low’s eyes whenever he mentioned this little side business of his. “Congratulations.”

“Thanks.” His lover chuckled before asking, “And how are you doing? How’s business?”

“Fucked.” He exhaled roughly. “The sonofabitch who held the auction I told you about? He escaped custody. He’s in the wind.”

“Oh shit.” Low paused. “What does that mean?”

“It means he’s dangerous and I have to find him.”

“You will,” Low reassured him instantly. “You will.”

Damn sure he would. “Thanks, babe. We’re still on for the club later, yeah?”

“Of course.”

“All right.” A knock came on his office door and he called out for the person to enter. “Low, I gotta go. I’ll see you later.”

“Bye. Love you.”

Renzo smiled as Shay strode into his office. “I love you, too.” He hung up, scowling when Shay puckered up her lips and batted her eyes.

“Aww, how is Low?”

“Mind your business, woman.”