A Bit of Me (31 page)

Chase’s body temperature shot from comfortably warm to blazing hot as he whimpered

softly and pushed back into the touch. His nipples throbbed and his cock swelled as Xavier rubbed over that spot again. Chase’s hands clenched on his thighs as he struggled to keep from shucking his trousers and letting Xavier fulfil his fantasy. It wouldn’t take long, not with the way he was feeling, and he was pretty sure Xavier wouldn’t have any better control at that point.

Chase started to turn towards Xavier, dislodging his fingers although Xavier let his hand slide around to Chase’s hip. Xavier’s features were pinched with need, fine lines spearing from the corners of his eyes, his full lips pressed tight together and thinned as he gave Chase a smouldering look. Chase’s pulse thumped along with his heart. “We could—”

The squeak of a shoe in the hallway had Chase muttering curse words as he took a step back.

Xavier grimaced and put his back to the doorway as Shearing entered the room.

Shearing glanced at Chase. The man’s cheeks tinted and he looked at Xavier then at his watch instead. Chase felt a grin pulling at his lips. How much of that had Shearing heard?

www.total-e-bound.com

A BIT OF ME

Bailey Bradford

194

Maybe the squeaky shoe hadn’t been an accident at all. Shearing looked flustered when he saw Chase’s grin and he cleared his throat before licking his bottom lip.

“Let’s go. The Stratton’s should be leaving the facility in a few minutes. They’ll be staying in town for the rest of the week, so they will be visiting James pretty much constantly.” He didn’t wait for a reply, only turned and headed back out. Xavier grumbled and turned as well, clutching Chase’s elbow and walking with him to the front door which Shearing had left open.

“How much do you think he heard?” Xavier asked so softly Chase almost didn’t hear

him.

Chase glanced at the stiff line of Shearing’s back where the man stood at the base of the steps. He noted the shaky hands as Shearing scrubbed at his face, and the uneven breaths the man took. “Probably all of it.”

Xavier grunted then stopped once they were at the door. He locked it then called out to Shearing. “I think you’re right,” he murmured to Chase as Shearing came back up the steps.

“I figured you’d want to lock up properly,” Xavier told the man as he manoeuvred himself and Chase away from the door.

Shearing nodded but looked a little dazed before he shook his head and palmed his

keys. “Right. Don’t know what I was thinking.”

Xavier’s smirk matched Chase’s, and it was all Chase could do not to tease the agent. If he’d known the man better he would have, or, not so long ago, he’d have done so just to be a shit, but he didn’t feel that need to poke and prod like he used to. He did step a little closer to Xavier, but that was for himself, and Xavier as well. It felt good to be close to Xavier, and it soothed that anger in Chase that had always flared uncontrollably.

For his part, Shearing didn’t spare them another glance until they were parked at the Rosseaux clinic. Only then did he give Chase a severe look. “No doing anything to make me regret this. My ass is on the line in more ways than one, and if James doesn’t want to see you, you leave without any arguing.”

Chase nodded. “Of course. I—” he glanced at Xavier then back at Shearing. “We

appreciate you doing this. I won’t do anything to cause trouble.”
Now. Not with Shearing here.

But if James wants out…

www.total-e-bound.com

A BIT OF ME

Bailey Bradford

195

“That’s all I can ask.” Shearing got out of the car and waited for Chase and Xavier. “The cameras along the way we’ll be going will stop recording and run a loop in ten minutes. That loop will remain in place for an hour. We have to be clear of here then. I want you two to go around to the side door, over on the far left. There’s actually four of them; wait at the first one. James’ room is right in front since Mrs Stratton wanted him to have a nice window view, and it’s on the ground floor because her arthritis acts up.”

Chase zeroed in on the part of the building Shearing was talking about. He could get in and out of that place in no time, once he figured out the security system. If Shearing could run a loop…

“If anyone does see you, show them your badge. Hopefully they won’t look too close or remember what they see.” Shearing stopped and scratched the back of his neck. “Maybe I should have got the two of you some scrubs instead. What was I thinking, trying to pass you both off as agents? Like they won’t track that back to me.”

Chase agreed, not that he’d say so. Shearing seemed to be a bit of a mess in his opinion, and since he had plenty of personal experience of being one himself, he was kind of

sympathetic. The deep bruises under his eyes attested to Shearing’s lack of sleep, and his failure to think through this plan was a sign he was walking a dangerous line.

“We can come back tomorrow night, try again, or—” Chase held up a hand when

Shearing tried to speak. “Or, you can leave us. Forget we were here, you know the drill.”

And he would come back to do what he needed.

The doubt fled from Shearing’s expression. “No. I’ve already done this, and I’d be no less culpable if I walked away and you broke in. I would know it was you. I’d know you did it.” He sighed and his broad shoulders slumped. “I’ve decided to retire anyway. I just don’t—” he glanced up in the direction of James’ room, swallowing a couple of times before he continued, still watching that room. “I don’t want to do this anymore. I’ve spent the last twenty-one years devoted to this job, letting it take over my life. I’m just…I’m just
tired
.”

And maybe he wanted more, Chase thought as he recognised the longing in the man’s

expression. The fact that he seemed to want it with James might be problematic, or maybe not. If Shearing wanted James, felt any of the protectiveness towards him like Chase felt for Xavier, and he was letting Chase sneak in…Chase rolled that around in his mind as he www.total-e-bound.com

A BIT OF ME

Bailey Bradford

196

looked at Shearing. Xavier touched his shoulder and Chase tipped his head up and to the side to meet Xavier’s gaze. He couldn’t read his mind, but Chase figured Xavier’s thoughts were following the same path as his.

Shearing didn’t think James was in a good situation here, otherwise he wouldn’t have let them anywhere near. The man had to know that Chase would find a way to get James out, if necessary. If Shearing was using him, Chase didn’t care. He was even grateful.

“We should go,” Shearing murmured, still watching, as if he could see through the

walls. He shook himself slightly then gestured towards the gates. “There’s a gate on the side, the code is three-two-two-nine-seven. The cameras are on a loop there as well. I’ll meet you in approximately three minutes.”

Chase watched Shearing walk off before glancing at Xavier. “We can’t get caught. I

don’t want him in trouble for this.” Used to be he wouldn’t have cared, but… “I’m not sure how I feel about him, you know. Do you thing he has a thing for James? Or is he just trying to right another wrong done to a good man?”

“I’d think it’s more of the latter. I doubt James is in any shape to deal with anything other than trying to survive,” Xavier said, and Chase had to agree even though it made him ache to do so. Whatever had happened to James it had damaged him but, maybe with the right help, he could overcome it.

They made their way to the gate, where Chase, paranoid and proud of it, slipped on a latex glove before entering in the code Shearing had given them. That done, they moved on to the doorway. They didn’t have but a moment’s wait before it opened and Shearing

gestured them inside.

“Hurry, and come right in here,” Shearing said as he pointed to another door. Chase

pulled it open with his gloved hand and gave Shearing an arch look. “A supply closet?

Real—”

“Really,” Shearing said, drolly, as he tossed something towards him. Chase caught the pile of material and realised Shearing had brought scrubs. He looked at the man and thought the slight smile made Shearing look a decade younger. “I decided I don’t want to risk going down quite so easy.”

www.total-e-bound.com

A BIT OF ME

Bailey Bradford

197

Yeah, he wouldn’t if he gave thought to what Chase suspected he wanted. It’d be hard for Shearing to see James if the agent was in prison. “Got it. Xavier?” Chase couldn’t resist waggling his eyebrows at his lover as he stepped into the closet. “Care to get naked with me?”

Shearing made a choked noise that made Chase grin. Xavier bit his bottom lip but the edges curved upwards as he shook his head. They stepped in and stripped quickly, bumping elbows and knees and trying not to laugh from sheer nerves. Once they were changed, they bagged their suits and stuffed them onto the top shelf behind all the cleaning products.

“Our dress shoes are going to look a bit out of place,” Chase pointed out. He felt Xavier shrug beside him. “Not much we can do about it. Ready?”

“Yeah.” Chase was, but he grabbed Xavier’s shoulder and held him still for a passionate kiss. “I think you definitely need to bend me over and fuck me brainless when we get done here,” he purred, the sound turning to a rumble when Xavier’s breath hitched. “I’m feeling a little…wild tonight.” He was, his mind spinning images of aggressive sex that’d leave them both marked up. He wondered how far he could push them both, because he suspected there was more to Xavier than the vanilla lover he’d experienced so far. The idea of that made Chase want to rub against Xavier like a determined cat, but the door knob jangled and they sprang as far apart as possible.

“Later, as you asked,” Xavier growled as he pushed the door open. Shearing gave them a suspicious look and Xavier’s growl went from sexy to fierce. “What?”

Shearing merely peered around them and asked, “Suits?”

Chase answered before Xavier could snarl something out. “Hidden. We need to come

back for them.”

Shearing glanced at his watch. “Okay. We have to hurry then. We’ve got forty minutes left to be out of here.”

They followed Shearing from a short distance. The hallways were almost deserted, and Chase was glad. He didn’t know what the hell he’d do if someone handed him a chart or ordered him to clean a bed pan. Shearing stopped in front of a door then rapped softly.

Xavier tugged Chase back and turned them away from the door. “Don’t want anyone in

there to think we’re hovering around.”

www.total-e-bound.com

A BIT OF ME

Bailey Bradford

198

Chase heard a female voice—not Mrs Stratton—enquiring about Shearing’s presence. “I

need to ask Mr Stratton a few more questions,” Shearing said in a firm voice. “His parents have been around all day and I don’t think they need to hear some of the questions I’ll have to ask James. And I didn’t want to chase them off early. I know they want to see their son.”

“Oh, well, I can understand that.” Her voice faded as she asked James if he was up to another interview. “All right then. It’s really later than we normally allow, but considering the situation—”

The sound of the nurses footsteps faded and Shearing cleared his throat. Chase turned with Xavier at his side, and found that he was shaking with too many emotions to name.

Shearing tipped his head at the open door. “Hurry up before someone else comes along, or Nurse Gomez comes back to cop another feel of my butt.”

Chase couldn’t quite hold back a nervous titter as Xavier took his hand. “Come on, he’ll be glad to see you.” To Shearing, Xavier asked, “You’ll give us a few moments, won’t you?”

Shearing hesitated a moment before nodding. “Just a few. It would look odd if someone saw me standing out here for too long.” He plucked his cell from his pocket and put it to his ear. “I can only pull this off for a few minutes before I feel like a total idiot.”

“Thank you,” Chase murmured as he neared the door. As soon as he saw the figure

getting out of bed, his muscles locked up and his heart stopped. Tears blurred his vision as James stood. Chase couldn’t see his face clearly, but suddenly he was moving, propelled both by Xavier’s hand on his lower back and his own need to see James.

Somehow he kept from tripping, as if his feet knew the shortest path to his friend when his eyes refused to clear of the moisture welling in them. Then he was there—James was right there—his thin arms going around Chase and holding him tight as Chase clutched at him.

Chase’s nostrils filled with James’ familiar scent, and he shuddered as he squeezed his eyes shut tight—only to open them when James pushed his chin up.

Chase blinked a few times and James’ smile came into focus. His eyes weren’t quite lit with it, some pain lingered there, but he was happy to see Chase. “I’m okay,” James said, stroking Chase’s back. His lips twitched and he tugged Chase sharply. “Where have you been? I was worried, and no one would tell me anything.” James glanced over Chase’s head www.total-e-bound.com

A BIT OF ME

Bailey Bradford

199

and his hand stopped moving on Chase’s back. “Has it got something to do with that

handsome guy looking all sappy as he watches you?” James asked quietly.

Chase grunted and shook his head. It didn’t; he just hadn’t been able to find James.

“He’s the reason I was able to get here,” Chase rasped. “Your parents—”

James stiffened against him and his hand clenched on Chase’s back. “Yeah, I know.

We’ll discuss that later. So, get me the fucking hell out of here, Chase. You can tell me how you got agent uptight to let you in, then, too.”

Chase snorted and, after a careful hug, stepped back far enough to not have to crane his neck to see James’ face. He looked older, worn, scarred somewhere beneath his surface.