Gage (Trenton Security Book 3) Read online

  He didn’t relax his guard until he knew Alex wouldn’t be back. He still remembered his mother’s hell. Her whippings for breaking the fucker’s rules. The choke chain she wore around the house to remind her whom she belonged. The dotted bruises around her pale neck. The Major had used the excuse of a lifestyle to justify his abuse.

  She had tried to warn him, to subtly teach him the proper way to care for a partner and he hadn’t realized that until years later.

  Years passed since he’d touched another person. Linus had ordered him to take a vacation, and while he was halfway across the world, he’d succumbed to his weakness. In the end, he received more satisfaction from jerking off. The man hadn’t felt right, and his discouragement caused him to never try again. After mutual orgasms, he sent the man on his way and promised never to repeat.

  “Gage, our car is waiting downstairs.”

  He didn’t answer, just slung the straps of his bag over his shoulder and headed for the door. They had so little time to prepare, and he’d only have part of the team with him. He and the Crew functioned better as a single unit. Alex and him spoke sparingly as they were lost in their thoughts. They exited the lobby and let the driver take their bags as they slid into the backseat.

  He focused his attention on the scenery outside the window as it shifted from towering buildings to the beach in the distance. The thirty minutes to the airport crept by, and as they pulled up in front of the terminal, he tensed. No way in fuck would they do that—a beautiful boy with dirty blond hair stood flanked by Pure and Raul. The sexy scruff no longer on Derrick’s face made him appear younger.

  “What the fuck was Linus thinking?” He growled the question. Didn’t they understand what would happen to Derrick when the boy was completely at his mercy? He’d have to touch Derrick, maybe more depending on the surveillance around the estate. “I can’t do this.”

  “Gage, he’s just a man, a pretty one, but just a man. It’s an assignment.”

  “It’s not just an assignment or some man. How do I fight my instincts?”

  “It’s him? The perfect one. The ghost that drifts through your dreams. The one you cut to forget?”

  “Has the one person you’ve dreamed of for years ever appeared? Six years ago, I thought I was fine and”—he turned his attention to Derrick and studied the young man through the tinted glass—“he gave me this sweet, shy smile and I wanted to own him. I can’t have him just for that.”

  “You’re not your old man, Gage. The Major is an evil bastard, and he can’t be satisfied unless he hurts someone. He gives sadists a bad name. He’s reaping his reward, wasting away alone in a nursing home, and no one is going to mourn when he’s dead.”

  On a night with too much drink, he’d told Alex everything, and if Alex hadn’t mentioned it the next day, he’d never have remembered his loose tongue.

  “Gage, he’s just a man. Focus on the mission, the end game and nothing more. Draw the line and don’t dare fucking cross it. This is about finding Cameron and bringing her home safe.”

  He nodded but knew his agreement was a lie. He’d already crossed a line without knowing it. The proof was in his bag, his weakness tangible as the cool metal nestled in a bed of silk. He drew his disinterest and coldness around him, fixed his expression so as not to reveal his true feelings. As him and Alex got out of the car, they took their bags and entered the terminal without sparing the three other men a glance.

  They made their way to Alex’s jet, and he played a damn good game until they were locked inside, the pilot getting ready to take off. Derrick hadn’t looked at him once. Pure and Raul kept their heads down. They both knew they’d fucked up and Derrick wasn’t on the team—the boy didn’t understand the danger that Gage represented.

  He knew Alex had an office set up in the back of the plane. He moved until he stood in front of Derrick. “Stand.”

  “What…why?”

  “Boy, you don’t question, you don’t hesitate, when I order, you do. Stand.”

  Derrick shook as he got to his feet. He lifted his left hand to fist his fingers in Derrick’s hair winching his head back.

  “Gage, don’t be a—”

  “Raul, you brought the boy here knowing what would happen. He needs to know the game before he gets every one of us fucking killed.”

  Pure’s face was red with rage, but the young man didn’t say a word. Pure would fight out of a corner by whatever means necessary, so the man wouldn’t have made it a few hours as someone’s boy. He knew what Pure thought of Livingston and Fielding, thought being someone’s boy was nothing more than degradation. Pure would never trust enough to let someone else care for him.

  Derrick’s gaze was locked on his chin, and without thinking about the consequences, he forced the boy into Alex’s office and locked the door.

  “Strip,” he barked out the order. “No, you don’t argue, if I tell you to get naked and kneel at my feet, you will do so without complaint. If you’re not convincing, we lose whatever traction we have. Now, fucking strip.”

  The rage he always kept under control surged to the surface to mask what he felt. He didn’t like ravaging the boy. With his arms crossed over his chest, he straightened his spine and watched Derrick strip, first kicking off his boots. His increased respiration had nothing to do with his anger as smooth tanned skin stretched over lean muscle was slowly exposed. The same pink blush that stained Derrick’s pretty face the day he’d told him his boy’s place would be on his knees for him highlighted strong cheekbones. His chest was hairless with flat pectorals. Derrick’s stomach wasn’t defined, just soft skin with an outie bellybutton.

  He felt like a bastard when his cock started to harden at the short pause as Derrick dropped his jeans and pink briefs to pool around his ankles. Derrick covered his slender, average-sized length with both hands.

  “Did you come here thinking I’d play with you? Make those silly fantasies of yours come true?”

  “N—no, they asked me, and I thought I could, I just wanted to help.”

  “Once we enter that estate, it’s just the two of us. One moment of hesitation…” He paused and approached Derrick as he dropped his arms. He steeled himself for the first touch. “And we draw attention. You don’t question. You have no choice but to trust me without question. I’ll touch you when and how I want.” He circled behind Derrick and stroked his fingertips down the indent of Derrick’s spine to the top of his crease. Derrick’s cheeks were rounded with the cutest dimples. “You have to trust me above all others, and when I say something, don’t question. If my ownership is mistrusted—” He didn’t want to finish the sentence. Instead, he pressed to Derrick’s back. The boy fit perfectly against him, and he inhaled the boy’s scent. “You’re mine for the duration of this operation. Do you trust me?” He lowered his head and brushed his lips to the slender strength of Derrick’s shoulder.

  “Yes.”

  Derrick’s soft voice was breathy, and he leaned into Gage.

  “No hesitation, and if we have to play, you play. But I’ll make one thing clear…it means nothing, am I understood?” He pretended to be satisfied with the slight nod, and he quickly moved away. “Get dressed and in your seat, we’ll talk more when we land and get to the hotel. By the time we start this operation, you’ll be ready because if you’re not, my niece might be lost forever if she isn’t already.”

  He ignored the boy’s flinch and left the office, and then he took his seat before buckling in. He grabbed his laptop to check his emails and to see if Hunter sent him any more information. Linus had also earned an email about the Derrick bullshit. Derrick shouldn’t be anywhere near this operation, but the damaged part of him wanted to be selfish. All he wanted was a night to learn what Derrick sounded like in his pleasure and to memorize the bliss that he knew only he could give Derrick. But he also knew that it couldn’t be, and he needed to remember that it was all an act—Derrick would never belong to him.

  Derrick Should’ve Said No

  He’
d never stayed in a room as nice as the bedroom they’d given him when they’d checked into the suite. In a few hours, they’d leave for the estate. For almost two days, Gage had ruthlessly worked to destroy any urge he had to resist—to question—and he had to remember it was all a show. That was harder to remember when Gage appeared almost loving, and it reminded him of the way Livingston took care of Fielding. Making sure he was happy and safe, and he’d lost count of the times Gage had pulled him down on his lap just to hold him.

  The discomfort had lessened, but the disapproving looks from the other three men had made him self-conscious. It made him wonder how many messages and updates his dads were getting. The day before Gage had ordered him to strip in front of them all. He’d fought back the tears as the arguments raged around him. In the end, Gage had won, outlining every detail of what he’d probably see. How was he supposed to ignore what was going on around him and never speak up?

  His role fit like a cheap, too small suit, but his mind played it through his head in detail. Gage hadn’t spared him any details. The profile and intel they had on their host showed a man who had more money than morality, and he didn’t want to think about what that meant for the people they allegedly bought. His gut told him something wasn’t right, but he couldn’t put his finger on what that was, and his frustration grew. It was all too easy.

  Gage’s actions confused him, one minute he played the loving Daddy to perfection and the next his pride was shredded as the man berated him. He was informed that he’d have to adapt. Slave or boy, an object or a treasure.

  He was enjoying some privacy while he had it. Gage had warned him once they entered the gates, they’d be under surveillance twenty-four, seven. Hunter had tapped into the security system, and cameras were placed in every room. He opened his laptop, signed in and opened the encrypted messaging app Hunter wrote the code for.

  “I’ll send you a ticket.”

  He chuckled as he watched his dad twist his long hair into a loose bun. The dark circles were noticeable beneath Hunter’s eyes. Every video call Hunter seemed more exhausted and aged beyond his years.

  “Dad, I’ll be fine.”

  “We shouldn’t have put you in this. It’s too fucking much.”

  Hunter appeared as if he hadn’t slept in days and he had a feeling the man wouldn’t sleep right until he returned home. Hunter had become overprotective the moment they’d met. They hadn’t known what a family was supposed to be until the three of them. All the times he’d dreamed of what parents would be, he hadn’t fully understood until Hunter and his husbands made them their sons.

  “It’s a few days. I’ll be fine.”

  “Linus isn’t happy with how Gage is treating you.”

  What had they expected when they sent him undercover? Pure always seemed as if he wasn’t afraid of anything. The thought of being under someone else’s control terrified Pure. If anyone other than Gage was going in with him, he didn’t believe he’d have agreed. His agreement while he wanted to help—to save the girl—it was also selfish, a moment to spend with Gage.

  “Would he be happier if it was Pure?”

  “Pure isn’t our kid.”

  “But he’s one of the team…family. I’ll be fine. I promise.”

  “I know you’re an adult. Were before you even came to us, but that doesn’t change that I love you like a son.”

  “They need me to find Cameron, and I can do that. When I get home, everything will be normal or as normal as it gets around there.”

  He felt better when Hunter smiled, but he rolled his eyes as Linus appeared on the screen. His arms wrapped around Hunter's neck and the kiss Linus placed on Hunter’s cheek was sweet. The love between his three dads was something he aspired to have one day.

  “I can kill him.”

  “Pop, I have no doubt, but it isn’t necessary.”

  He attempted to hide his smile as Hunter turned his head to press his face into the side of Linus’ neck. It was an action he’d seen Wren and Hunter make a thousand times over the years. For them, it was as natural as breathing to seek comfort in the same way.

  “I think it’s very fucking necessary.”

  “You just want to kill something…you’re getting soft in your old age.” Surprisingly, Linus had mellowed over the years, but that didn’t mean he didn’t welcome some bloodshed every now and again.

  “I’ll kick your ass when you get home for that.”

  “I love y’all, too.”

  “Derrick, one word, one signal and you’re out, we’ll be watching,” Hunter assured him.

  He cringed at the possibility. “Please don’t watch.”

  “Okay, we won’t be watching, but Raul and Pure have orders to get you out by any means. We’ll hide the bodies.” If anything was a certainty when it came to Linus, it was that the man was homicidal on a good day.

  “You do pay Peaches an obscene retainer.”

  “She needs to earn it. Can’t just have her looking pretty around the office. I’m going to take my gorgeous husbands out to dinner. Pride is spending the night with Sawyer and Ricky.”

  Linus made life seem so simple, and he’d always owe them a debt for the life they’d given Pride. He couldn’t imagine his baby brother as he would’ve turned out with their biological parents. Pride was a million times better than he would’ve been growing up with Thorpe and their mother.

  “Take advantage of that kid-free house.”

  They said their goodbyes and made plans, well, he was given orders before the screen went blank, then he closed the lid, and stowed his laptop in his backpack. A knock preceded the door opening, and he looked up as Gage walked in. He tensed as Gage closed them in the room. The big man was dressed in a long-sleeved t-shirt and worn jeans. Gage’s hair was messy as if he’d run his fingers through it constantly.

  “You ready?”

  “I’d lie and say yes, but I think you’d know.”

  “It’s seventy-two hours. We should be good for that amount of time.”

  There was a question he wanted to ask but hadn’t wanted to do that in front of Alex. “Gage, may I ask something?”

  He shoved his bag aside as Gage took a seat on the bed. He noticed the flat box Gage set between them.

  “This doesn’t work if we’re not open and trust in each other.”

  “What if we don’t find her? I didn’t want to ask with Alex around.”

  “I don’t know. We’ve checked with every one of our contacts. Livingston is chasing every Jane Doe reported. Little and Hunter are looking through every second of security tape on international flights.

  “I was there the night Cameron was born. I broke quite a few laws to make sure Alex made it stateside to be there. She was the most beautiful, tiniest thing I’d ever seen. I love her, but I can’t possibly understand what Alex and Margo are going through.”

  “Why isn’t Margo here?”

  “She’s working every angle. She arrived at Trenton Security a few hours after we left. She’s driving Livingston insane.”

  “I just don’t want to fu—” He almost rolled his eyes as Gage raised one thick brow. “Screw, screw up.”

  “Good boy, you’ll do great. If all else fails, just follow my lead. We do have one thing to take care of before we leave.”

  “What?”

  “When we arrive, you have to wear something that shows who you belong to. As long as you wear it”—Gage picked up the box and lifted the top off—“you’re off limits. It’s the only protection I can offer.”

  He stared down at the beautiful length of chain, the two ends secured by a lock with ornate scrollwork. It appeared to be a lock that would grace a treasure chest. Nestled beside it was an old-fashioned key on a thinner chain. Fielding wore a ring crafted to be a delicate length of chain. Sin and Saint, Pelter’s husbands had tattoos that matched the one that Pelter had. These were to show ownership, an agreement as binding as wedding vows. His heart broke as he stared at the collar.

  “If something
happens, you’re to find Raul and Pure. They’ll get you to safety. You save yourself, do you understand?”

  He wanted to protest. He wasn’t useless. And wasn’t it the Trenton policy to never leave anyone behind? For days Gage had threatened to put him over his knee, and as much fun as he’d once assumed that would be, he wasn’t in the mood for his first punishment yet.

  “Yes.”

  Gage had removed the chain and was running the length through his fingers. He held his breath as Gage leaned in closer and looped it around his neck. His eyes fell shut to conceal his pain with the quiet click of the lock. He peeked from under his lashes and was fascinated by Gage’s expression. It was almost unreadable, but the lack of emotion piqued his curiosity. Gage might play his hand close to the vest, but Gage was never completely emotionless. His eyes always gave him away. Gage kept staring at it as he fingered the lock and the back of the man’s fingers stroked his skin through his t-shirt.

  The heaviness of the chain seemed as if it weighed him down and he wished it meant more than three days of protection. For almost a decade, he’d dreamed of growing up and belonging to Gage, proving himself worthy of the standoffish man’s love and affection. He barely suppressed the urge to grab the man’s hand as Gage retreated and lifted the other chain—the man’s big hands awkward as they tried to release the clasp.

  “Want me to do it?”

  Gage nodded as he handed over the chain with the key, the decorations matched the lock. He used his nail to open it, and he leaned forward, his arms around Gage’s neck. The big man’s face was close enough to his that he felt the warm rush of breath across his cheek.

  He straightened to put a safe distance between them. “It’s beautiful, you shouldn’t have, a plain one would’ve been fine,” he said as he raised his hand to trace the links under his fingertips. It was slowly warming where it rested on his skin.

  “A beautiful collar for a beautiful boy,” Gage said in a tone barely above a whisper. “Get a couple of hours of rest, and I’ll wake you in time to get ready before we leave.”