“I run a business in London,” Quick said. “We liaised with CDR. Your name came up. Mr. Romero was reluctant at first.”
Of course he was. The only reason Lou had probably agreed was because he had been lying in a hospital bed, barely able to think.
“But he told me that the only person he trusted apart from me was you. CDR agreed. You come with an excellent reputation, and you were available.”
“If I’d said no?”
“I’d have handled that issue when it arose.” Quick’s expression said he’d been relieved he hadn’t had to resolve that thorny issue.
“You know there’s history between us?” Craig demanded.
“I do.”
“Messy history.”
God, messy was like saying a tornado was a summer breeze. Their history was catastrophic.
Quick gave a brief nod. “I know.”
“Then why are you agreeing to this?” Craig demanded.
He would never have agreed to let a bodyguard take care of a client if they had a relationship, let alone a failed one.
“One, because I checked your background before I agreed. Two, because it’s a short assignment, and others will be involved. Three, because I needed someone who could ride bikes.”
He paused and Craig scowled.
“Go on. There’s clearly a four.”
“He needs a Daddy, if only on a temporary basis, and the bodyguards who can fill all three requirements are few and far between.”
“It doesn’t bother you?”
“I’m gay. I’m not a prick or judgmental. I don’t give a shit what you do as long as you keep my client alive. He’s in danger, and that’s all I care about. The question is, can you do your job?”
Craig gave him a cool look which didn’t seem to faze Quick. “I can do my job.”
“Good.”
“What’s the event?”
“It’s a spin-off from the bike show. He’s providing the VIP after-party, schmoozing them for next year.”
“Which one?”
“The Bike Live Expo from last month.”
Craig gave a low whistle. Louis had obviously expanded his interests since they had parted company. Craig was sorry he’d missed the Expo. He’d gone with Louis a couple of times, and they’d spent hours drooling over the high-end luxury bikes.
Louis gave a snort-snore he remembered so well. Craig smiled fondly at him, then looked up and caught Quick’s smirk. He scowled but Quick’s smile deepened. Nothing was going to faze the man.
Craig turned his attention back to Louis. Could he be Louis’s daddy and walk away at the end of the assignment with his heart intact? He’d fallen apart the first time. He wasn’t sure he could do it again.
Chapter 2
Louis
Louis woke up before the plane landed, roused by the change in noise of the engine. The first thing he saw was his Daddy—Craig—talking with Liam, his expression somber. He couldn’t hear what they were saying, but neither man looked happy.
Craig Booker. He couldn’t believe Craig was on the same continent as him, let alone in a small plane. They’d parted so acrimoniously. He studied Craig, noting that he’d packed on muscle in the years since they’d split. At nearly thirty, Craig was stunning; all carved lines and hard muscle.
He tried to sit up, moaning in pain. Despite what he’d said, he’d taken a severe beating.
Craig was by his side immediately, kneeling at his feet, his brows furrowed. “Are you okay, baby? Where do you hurt?”
Louis snorted ruefully. “Everywhere.”
There wasn’t a part of him that didn’t ache. He had to admit flying to Paris had been a mistake, but he’d been desperate enough to plead with Craig to help him.
“Do you need pain meds?”
“Yeah.” Louis frowned, trying to remember where they were.
“I’ve got them,” Liam said. He dug them out of his pocket, offering them to Louis.
Craig took them, preventing Louis from moving. Louis growled but Craig ignored him, uncapping a bottle of water and offering it to him. Even the little movement of taking the tablets drained his energy and he wanted to sleep again.
“Sit back and close your eyes,” Craig murmured. “I’ll wake you when it’s time.”
Louis clutched at his arm, fingers around the soft sweater Craig had shrugged on before they flew. “Stay here.”
Craig laced his fingers with Louis’s. “I’m not moving from your side.”
Louis closed his eyes. He knew he was a needy piece of crap, but at the moment, Craig sitting next to him was what he needed.
As soon as they arrived back at Louis’s row house in Seattle, Craig insisted he go to bed for a few hours before he started work. Louis protested loudly. He needed to get back to the club and see what a wreck it was. Craig just stood, his face stern, and waited. Louis ranted, but Craig didn’t budge and Louis caved after a few minutes, too tired to force the issue.
Craig ran his thumb under Louis’s eye, his touch gentle, but even that was tender on the bruised skin. “You’re exhausted, baby. Let me take care of you for now.”
“Do I have a choice?” Louis asked bitterly.
“You always had the choice.”
Louis looked away, unable to meet Craig’s gaze. He’d had the choice and thrown it all away.
“Come on. You needed to sleep.”
Craig guided, and Louis followed, just like he’d done from the first moment they met. As Craig led Louis toward the master bedroom, Louis murmured “Not there. I don’t…this way.”
He turned and headed into the room that had been a guest room when Craig lived with him. It still had the feel of someone who was barely there. Clothes spilled from a hamper and the bed was unmade, but it didn’t have the same warmth that their bedroom had shared. He’d never cared to make it anything except a place to sleep.
“I couldn’t sleep in our room once you left,” Louis confessed.
Craig stopped, cupped his chin, forcing Louis to look at him. “I wish I could make right what went wrong. I really do.”
“I believe you,” Louis whispered.
“Do you?”
“You never lied to me, Craig.”
And that was the problem. Even when Louis was desperate to hear the lies, Craig wouldn’t say them, wouldn’t compromise himself. He’d left Louis and moved into a soulless apartment which he barely slept in. He’d taken every overseas job available, so he didn’t have to face the possibility of running into Louis. Louis knew this because friends had told him.
“You need to sleep,” Craig murmured.
He eased Louis onto the bed. Even as gentle as Craig was, every part of Louis hurt. He sat, unmoving, his shoulders slumped and staring at his hands, drained of all energy.
“You should get undressed,” Craig suggested.
“I don’t think I can.”
“Lou, baby, do you have a daddy or boyfriend?”
Louis refused to meet his gaze. “No, not since you.”
It wasn’t a lie, but it wasn’t exactly the truth either.
The relief showed on Craig’s face. “I thought so, but I had to be sure.”