Part 42 (1/2)
”Shut up. Tell everyone to f.u.c.king shut up,” Haris screamed.
And in the momentary silence, he heard a faint snuffle. Dropping to his knees, he lifted up the bed skirt, yanked away a board and in the gloom he saw the dark eyes of the guy he loved staring back at him.
Haris reached underneath and pulled Tyler out. His tattered clothes came with him. Haris peeled the tape off his mouth and Tyler sucked in a deep breath. Haris wrapped his arms around him and trembled as he hugged him.
”You didn't count to a hundred,” Tyler croaked. ”My turn to hide again.”
”Are you okay?” a policeman asked as he cut away the ties around Tyler's wrists.
”Yeah. The cavalry arrived just in time.”
Haris let him go long enough to rip off his coat and put it round him and then held him again.
”He was willing,” Prescott barked.
”No, I f.u.c.king wasn't,” Tyler shouted back. He turned frightened eyes to Haris. ”One of the men who pays to f.u.c.k at Prescott's parties is a senior policeman. That's how they knew. Prescott cancelled the event. I was the only one on the menu.”
The lump in Haris's throat grew large enough to choke him. The second time he'd almost lost him. I could have lost him forever.
”We'll need a statement,” said one of the policemen.
”Not tonight,” Haris said.
”Yes tonight.” Tyler sighed. ”I want this over and done with.”
Haris found Tyler's shoes, brought them over and helped him put them on. When Haris stood up, Tyler smiled at him.
”I looked up your name,” Tyler said. ”Guess what it means.”
”I know what it means.”
”Man who mends roofs.”
Haris laughed. ”No, it doesn't.”
”Oh no, that's me.” Tyler laid his head on Haris's shoulder. ”Haris means vigilant guardian.”
By the time they returned from the police station, Tyler was fast asleep in the pa.s.senger seat. Haris unbuckled his seat belt, leaned over and kissed him. Tyler's eyes opened.
”We're back home,” Haris said.
”Home,” Tyler whispered, and hearing that word fall from his lips sent fire rus.h.i.+ng through Haris's veins.
When he opened the door of the house, Wilson and Alcide came out of the kitchen. Tyler kicked off his shoes, started to take off the coat and then stopped. Haris's stupid c.o.c.k perked up because under that coat, Tyler was naked.
”Have the bad guys been rounded up and taken to jail?” Wilson asked. ”I was so disappointed not to be involved in the operation, although the constant ache in my arthritic hip might have made me a little slow.”
”Everything's fine,” Tyler said.
Not quite, but at least Lu, Mex and Prescott had been arrested. Haris had already called Stan and asked him to provide a bodyguard for Tyler for the time being. Tyler had slept through that call-he hoped.
Tyler bent down to Alcide and the dog licked his face. ”Who's a good boy? You happy to see me?”
”Is there anything I can do for either of you, sir?”
”We're going upstairs.” Haris took off his shoes. ”It's been quite an evening.”
”Then I'll wish you a good night and see you in the morning. I'm glad...I'm glad everything's worked out.”
Haris followed Tyler up the stairs.
”I need a shower,” Tyler muttered.
”How about a bath?”
”Is there room for two?” Tyler asked.
”Yes.”
”Good, I'll give Steve a call.”
Haris laughed. ”Christ, you nearly died tonight and you can still crack jokes?”
Tyler widened his eyes. ”I'm not joking.”
”Well, it's a big tub. We might be able to fit three in.”
Tyler smiled and wrapped his arms around his neck. ”You're more than enough for me.”
Haris choked up. They didn't often share endearments and as much as he knew, or thought he knew, of how they felt about each other, he cherished moments like this.
”You have the end with the taps,” Tyler muttered against his lips. ”And I get to play with the duck first.”
Haris swallowed hard. I can't let him go. I want him to be mine. I want him forever.
Tyler lay next to a sleeping Haris, wondering if he dare close his eyes. When he'd been thrust under the bed and been unable to move, hardly able to breathe, it had catapulted him back to the day his family had died. He'd thought he was going to die tonight. If it hadn't been for Haris, he probably would have. By the time the police had searched the building, it would have been over.
Haris had the perfect opportunity to tell him he loved him. When they'd finished in the bath, they'd crawled into bed and Haris had lain facing him, holding his hand. I could have told him. Just said the words. But it had become an issue for Tyler that Haris say it first. The longer they went without saying it, the more important it was that Tyler didn't blurt it out.
The problem was maybe Haris didn't love him. He cared for him, Tyler knew that. But love? Did he not feel as Tyler did, that he'd break apart if he didn't have Haris to come home to? That the only thing that gave his life meaning was the pair of them together?
Tyler would wait. There was an obvious time to wait until. The end of the contract. He just hoped it wouldn't be the end of them.
Chapter Twenty-Four.
Tyler's body healed faster than his mind. Cuts sealed up and bruises faded but the memory of what Lu, Mex and Prescott planned to do to him had sunk deep into his soul. The police had a.s.sured him that even though the three men were out on bail, they wouldn't dare come near him. When Haris told Tyler he'd asked Stan to keep an eye on him, he pretended to be annoyed but actually, he was grateful.