Then

"Phoenix!"

The shrill scream carried through the private club over the low chatter and sounds from the stage. It held desperation, fear, and above all, panic.

Phoenix's head snapped to where the scream came from. Not because it had really sounded like his name, but because it was unusual for anyone to scream like that inside the private club. Those kinds of noises only came from the stage and never held that level of unhidden panic to them. They were responsible people, after all, and would instantly stop any action that caused distress like that.

At first, he saw nothing out of the ordinary, except for the rest of the people in his vision, also turning their heads. Then Eoin pushed his way through the crowd and rushed toward them.

He stood up instantly, followed by everyone in the VIP section. Brannon rushed past him to get to his sub. Eoin looked upset. Naturally, Brannon went full mother hen on him. Checking his face, touching his arms, and turning him around to check for damages, but Eoin pushed him away and tried to get to Phoenix.

"Phoenix... Club... Help..."

"Eoin, relax. What's up?"

Eoin heaved for air, red in the face, sweating like mad. His focus stayed on Phoenix, though his eyes skittishly shifted because everyone was looking at him. Even the show on stage had stopped, and their attention was on Eoin as well. Eoin grabbed Phoenix's arm, though that was unheard of with a Dominant, and Phoenix no one touched.

"Need... Come..."

"Eoin, fócas, anois!" Brannon barked in Irish, instantly snapping Eoin out of his panicked state, calming him with the control his Dominant provided when he could not find it himself.

"A man," Eoin gasped, still clinging to Phoenix's arm. "He took Jace. Chess and Sydney went after them."

For a man who had no real connection with emotions and swung between very few with understanding, indifference, annoyance, and whatever he identified that feeling he had toward Jace, as the most prominent, Phoenix suddenly found himself in a crash course on emotions. Surprise, disbelief, fear, and above all, anger. They rushed through him with such power it stole his breath.

The fear paralyzed him, and Phoenix could literally not breathe. Hundreds of dreadful scenarios flashed in his mind, and in every single one, he lost Jace. His emotions showed him a reel of what his life would look like without Jace, a reality that only fueled the fear.

"Who? Where?" Phoenix grabbed Eoin's shoulders in a death grip, obviously scaring the kid. His eyes widened, and it did not help his already flustered state to form sentences.

"A man, tall..." Which was the poorest description coming from someone like Eoin, who was half a foot taller than a Smurf, making everybody tall. "Near the lounge."

Letting go of Eoin, Phoenix ran past him and plowed through the crowd to get to his love. Who the hell dared to touch Jace? He asked himself, but at the back of his mind he knew, and dread entered his system, turning his limbs to jelly, yet he kept moving.

Every single person in the room, men and women, Dom or sub, went on the barricades when one of their own seemed in trouble. They allowed the VIPs through and helped guide the more defenseless of the subs to stay back.

"Silent alarm!" Packard yelled at the bartenders, setting in pursuit of Phoenix, followed by Brannon, who barked orders at every security guard they ran past. Telling them to guard the exits and keep a lookout for Jace, ordering them to spread out and be ready to protect the guests, and a few he made to follow if they needed the extra muscle.

Phoenix smashed through the crowd with difficulty, not apologizing on his way into the sea of people on the dancefloor to get to the lounge entrance rather than going around, praying Jace was there and had not already gone. Guided by tunnel vision, he zoned out everything. No people, music, smells of alcohol, or sweat. No upbeat atmosphere or even recognition of the fact that people in the room had no idea of the danger Jace was in, and how that affected Phoenix.

Only a soul-crushing dread was present in his mind.

At first, people yelled and got upset, but the train of people behind Phoenix made them understand something was up, and they parted as best they could. Even the DJ understood and turned down the music, awaiting news about what was happening. Brannon's men stayed back to keep people at bay and not cause panic.

Phoenix continued with Packard, Brannon, Braxton, and some more muscly Doms at his heels. When he reached the swing doors to the lounge corridor, he held up his hand to ask people to stay back. If they charged in there and Jace was in trouble, then they could escalate the situation. He would call for them if needed, and the Doms understood, waiting anxiously. Phoenix waved Brannon forward, and they silently looked at each other, agreeing that Brannon was only there as backup. Brannon just nodded.

Packard said nothing but sent Phoenix a pleading look, obviously worried sick about Chess, which Phoenix understood completely. It was Packard's club, and he could go anywhere if he wanted, but he respected Phoenix and the situation.

"Come, but stay back. If this is who I think it is, all of them could be in danger."

"Mister P., please?" Braxton waited for the three men to acknowledge that he had taken Sydney under his wings for the night, if not longer, and that sense of responsibility he took seriously, and he needed to come and help Sydney.

"Of course," Phoenix said with an understanding nod. He might not really understand all those feelings in the real world, but he understood the Dominants' sense of honor and responsibility, and Braxton showed that for Sydney, like Phoenix expected from any Dom worthy of that title.

All waited for Phoenix's move. After all, he knew best what they were venturing into, even if he was unsure. Phoenix pushed the doors open, stepping in with the others, and stood nailed to the floor.

Not far from them, Chess sat slumped against the wall, holding his bleeding head, groaning low. Farther down the corridor, Sydney lay unmoving, and Phoenix easily felt Braxton's reflexive jitters to just run there.

Jace was nowhere in sight, and Phoenix felt fear take hold of him worse than before.

They rushed to Chess first, as he seemed awake.

"Candy, did you see where Jace went?" Packard asked as gently as possible, though he worried at the sight of blood on his sub, and even more so with the nervous energy Phoenix sent out.

Chess lifted a shaky hand and pointed down the corridor. "We did what we could." He tried to catch Phoenix's eyes through his blurry vision to let him know he had fought for Jace, and Phoenix gave him a half-smile in understanding. "They went around the corner toward the emergency exit."

"You stay with Chess. Braxton, take care of Sydney. Brannon, you're with me," Phoenix commanded and stood up, hurrying past an unconscious Sydney with Brannon right behind him. They rounded the corner and stopped dead in their tracks.

Time froze at that moment.

Phoenix took in the scene before him with his heart in his throat.

Jace, his wonderful and smiling Jace, stood held against the wall. Not stood, hung helplessly by a forceful grip around his throat, legs slack under him, cowering with dread etched into his features. Something that looked so wrong to Phoenix because Jace was a master at hand-to-hand combat. He could take down almost anybody, and certainly took no shit when he led his team against perverts and creeps. For him to stand paralyzed with fear, Phoenix knew Jace was lost in his head with no chance to channel that power or skill set. Something Phoenix sadly had experienced a few times and never wished for Jace to experience again.

Jace's attacker stood with his side to Phoenix, and though Phoenix had strong suspicions about his identity, he could not fully see him. He did, however, notice the hand the man had halfway down the front of Jace's pants.

"Get. Your hands. Off my sub. Now!" Phoenix spoke calmly and never raised his voice; instead, he oozed pure death through his punctuation of the words that came out a lot more powerful than if he had yelled.

Turning his head, the man faced Phoenix, and an overbearing smile spread across his face. Not to be mistaken by the evil glint in his eyes, because that held promises of unspeakable acts. He slowly removed his hand from Jace's pants, but only after he had squeezed Jace hard enough to draw a whimper from his parted lips.

Raising an eyebrow at the orange boa, still wrapped around Phoenix's neck, he acknowledged Phoenix's words. "Relax, I'm just inspecting my merchandise to see if it's still in good working condition."

It took everything in Phoenix to not pounce on the man, but as long as he had a grip on Jace, he needed to stay calm.

He gave the man a once-over, and, much to his dismay, from an objective standpoint, he was a good-looking specimen. Tall, broad, and with plenty of muscles in a casual outfit of leather pants and a leather vest. Well-proportioned, with strong features, brown hair, slicked back, and brown eyes. Easily considered handsome, if not for the evil in his eyes and that aura of immorality.

Phoenix knew Jace's preferences, and how vain the man was. It came as no surprise he had chosen an older, attractive man back before the horrors of life caught up with him. Everyone needed something to turn them on, and Phoenix could not fault Jace for believing a man like that was a catch.

"I'll ask only once more for you to let go of my sub," Phoenix said coldly, ignoring the crude comment.

"I can't say I'm surprised. This one always had a taste for large men." The sly smile said a lot more than the words, and he was not commenting on Phoenix's height. "You might have played with it a bit, but it's not yours. I'm Levi de la Rue, owner of this slave. It belongs to me, and I don't see you have anything to say."

Slave? Though he did not show it, Phoenix was taken aback by Levi's blunt and derogatory way of speaking. Like he did not care about being cornered in a corridor by a man of Phoenix's size. Brannon huffed behind Phoenix, reacting the same way to the crude words. But Levi clearly believed he had the right of way and saw no real issues.

Jace was no slave, no one's property. He was a man who gave himself freely in passion and stayed an individual. A wonderful and independent man, seeking something his psyche needed. Be it physical or emotional, Jace had finally allowed himself to go after his needs. Phoenix felt honored that Jace found it with him, and he would never let him down, even if Jace did not return his affections.

Threateningly, Phoenix moved forward, but he did not touch Levi. He just went close enough to force Levi's grip on Jace away. Like a rag doll, Jace fell to the floor, looking up with a dazed expression at the men facing off in a brutal staring match. Anger rolled off both in oppressing waves, almost nauseating in their intensity, forcing him to look down.

The air between the two men crackled in a testosterone-laced face-off. Levi stood his ground, smirking at Phoenix's display of dominance, where Phoenix inwardly rolled his eyes at the audacity of a man like Levi. He did not understand how anyone could have that much confidence when outnumbered and in the wrong.

"Why don't we ask him? This is, after all, his decision," Phoenix said, not moving his eyes from Levi. "If he wants to go with you, I'll respect his wishes, because that's my honor at stake if I don't."

Phoenix wanted to believe Jace would choose him. Still, there was an actual chance that his fear of Levi and concern for his friends made him disregard his own well-being and future. The kind of person Phoenix thought Jace to be was one who believed the sacrifice of one for the good of the many was acceptable.

Levi gleamed at the idea and turned his evil gaze to Jace, promising him a world of hurt if he let him down. "Speak up, slave. The choice is yours."

Levi's words gave Jace the choice, but the underlying threat was not mistaken. The apathy on Jace's face scared Phoenix. He had already withdrawn and seemed out of touch with reality, lost in his mind where he could not find a way out. The forming bruise around his left eye and red marks on his neck tore at Phoenix if that was Jace's future.

"Go on, Jace. Whatever you choose, it's entirely up to you. We'll do as you decide." Phoenix sent Levi a hard stare, willing the man to acknowledge they would honor the result. To that, Levi just shrugged and nodded, as if he had already won that battle.

Finally, Jace looked up, turning his head slightly to view the two men. "Supernova," he muttered.

"What was that?" Levi grumbled with annoyance.

Hoping he heard right, Phoenix crouched next to Jace. "Say it again. We need to know your choice."

Jace looked at Phoenix. A brief flash of recognition showed in his eyes before he spoke clearly. "Supernova." Then he went back into his protective shell, rocking himself slightly.

"I hear you, Baby," Phoenix whispered and caressed Jace's hair, cringing inside at how Jace flinched at the touch. He stood up, ignited by the rights Jace had just laid in his hands. It was not just his 'cease all actions'-safe word, but his ultimate 'Save me, I'm drowning'-safe word, releasing all his rights to Phoenix and placing himself in his care.

"Supernova. Jace called his safe word. He chose me to speak on his behalf. Which means anything from here goes through me." Phoenix refrained from gloating, though he truly wanted to rub it in Levi's face, but he needed to stay calm and protect Jace. He could lose his cool later.

"Safe word?" Levi's face turned red, and his muscles bulged when he flexed his arms, ready to take on Phoenix. "It doesn't need a safe word. The slave is mine; it signed an indefinite contract with me. Until I release it, you have no say in the matter."

Understanding that Levi had meant to play that card in case Jace decided to act stupid, Phoenix braced himself for a fight. Be it verbal or physical, he meant to protect Jace. Just the way Levi referred to Jace as 'it' was a massive red flag.

"I know all about that contract. Any contract made within the BDSM community constitutes a moral binding of a consensual nature and doesn't hold any legal merit. Jace can walk out any time he wants." Phoenix did not care who Levi was. When it came to contracts, laws about them, and how to find loopholes, Phoenix was a masterful opponent. "But if you want to act like that contract has any meaning, then you made it void by not respecting Jace when he said he wanted out."

Though Levi backed down slightly, he was nowhere near done. "That's bullshit. It signed and ran away. The contract stands, even if it's morally only. Who are you to lecture me anyway, kid?"

"I'm the one who knows more about contracts and their legalities than anyone else in Great Britain." Phoenix gave Levi a droll stare. "You can throw anything at me, and I can pick it apart seven ways 'til Sunday. And I don't need to consult a single textbook to be right."

Probably choosing his battles, or not really caring, Phoenix was not sure, but Levi just shrugged, seeming utterly unimpressed.

"Doesn't matter. I hadn't planned on taking it with me today, anyway. I just happened upon it and thought I'd say hello." He looked curiously at Phoenix with his cold eyes, tilting his head a bit. "I must admit, you don't really look like one for sloppy seconds. One for used goods, are we? Well, I'll admit that this slut is a good fuck. I trained it myself."

Instinctively, Phoenix raised his arm, ready to punch that smug smile off Levi's face, when Brannon caught his wrist midair.

"Don't, Mister P," he warned. "Right now, we have him on assault. If you touch him, you'll get in trouble too. Wait for the Garda."

"Garda? You called the fucking police?" Levi raged, getting redder in the face, as it had never occurred to him.

"What did you expect?" Brannon drawled and noticed Packard come around the corner, supporting Chess with his arms. Chess still looked somewhat dazed, but more alert than before. "Unwanted advances on people will get you thrown out. Physical violence is for the police to handle."

"They attacked me. It's my slave, and I wanted to chat. They had no business meddling with that."

"Chat?" Phoenix repeated in a high-pitched, disbelieving voice. "Chat? Say hello? Look at him. He's traumatized."

Phoenix swung his arm to lead attention to Jace, who instantly cowered away from the hand swung in his direction, even though it was nowhere close enough to hit him, nor had it any intention to. Still, he reacted to what looked like a threat to him, proving Phoenix's point.

Levi rolled his eyes and sighed. "Overdramatic much?"

"That's for the Garda to decide." Brannon cut in before Phoenix had a chance to rebuttal. Though Phoenix rarely showed any emotions and always seemed in control, then all bets were off when it concerned Jace. That was the one pressure point Phoenix had, and from the looks of it, he was ready to kill Levi for hurting Jace in any way.

Other than the red face from his outbursts, Levi didn't seem too bothered by the situation at all. He shrugged lightly and stepped back to the side, leaning against the opposite wall from where Jace sat.

"You look like a sensible sort," he began, addressing Phoenix and ignoring Brannon. "I'll make you a deal. You let me go, and I'll never come near Jace again unless he comes to me freely."

Noticing Levi used Jace's name and did not call him slave was a difference that both Brannon and Phoenix did not know what to make of. It threw away all the macho bravado and left them with a level of crazy they did not know how to anticipate. When Levi acted all stupid and entitled, that was one thing, and they both understood how to handle that, but an attempt at a conversation, they knew could throw in a lot of curve balls.

"I don't think so. We can't believe a word you say," Phoenix stated calmly, having regained his usual control over himself after Levi moved away from Jace. He was still alert and ready for any kind of physical attack, but he allowed his mind to rest from the immediate worries of Jace being in danger. With Brannon by his side, he knew Levi could not hurt Jace physically without going through them, and that reassurance helped.

"True," Levi said with a casual smile. "But so far, I've done nothing to him. I haven't seen him in years, and it was nice seeing him again. But really, he's just a fucktoy, a pretty damn good one, albeit. Still, I can find plenty of those."

Grumbling low in his throat, Phoenix closed his hands into fists. Not to punch Levi, but to stop himself from doing it, his nails biting into his palms to center himself and concentrate on not reacting instinctively. Levi knew exactly which buttons to push, but sadly also what everyone wanted, including what was best for himself.

"So far, we have had an unfortunate incident. If you let me go, I promise not to go after Jace. If he one day comes to me, then that's on him, and you'll respect that." Levi looked very serious and spoke without a hint of his previous malice or entitlement. "If you don't let me go and I have to deal with the police, you'd better believe I'll be pissed off, and I'll make your lives a living hell."

Phoenix looked at Jace first. It was his life he needed to be mindful of. Chances of Levi telling the truth were slim, but on the off chance he was honest, Jace would benefit from him making a deal. Jace had chosen him to decide on his behalf, and Phoenix wanted to honor that with a rational mind, but a little hope could not hurt. Morally, it tore at him that he considered letting Levi go. It was unfair to Chess and Sydney, who clearly both had taken quite a beating to protect Jace. But knowing the law and how it usually worked in cases like these, Levi might get a fine, and then he would be out and pissed like none other.

Could he do that to Jace?

Or to Chess and Sydney?

Levi did not strike him as the most reasonable man, but if he felt wronged, he could become a downright menace.

Looking to Brannon, who just shrugged, and then at Packard, Phoenix was uncertain how to play it.

"Let him go," Chess said with a groan, swaying a little and holding his hand against his bleeding head. He pushed Packard back and staggered closer, leaning on the wall with his hand to support himself. He moved all the way to Levi and looked up at him, tilting his head a bit to study the man Jace seemed to fear so much. "Do you mean it? You'll leave him alone?"

"I give you my word." Coming from Levi, that was maybe not much, but it was something.

Chess kept looking at Levi. He saw what Jace saw. Indecency and brutality, but he saw no lies. "I believe you."

Out of nowhere, Chess rammed his knee up into Levi's family jewels. Not brutally hard, but enough for Levi to double over and hiss from the pain as he held his baby maker.

"And now we're even." Chess just turned and staggered back to Packard, who stood stunned and stared at his sub.

The normally well-behaved and diplomatic man he loved so much had exacted his revenge, and he was proud of him. He did not condone violence, and he would have to punish Chess for what he had done. But that did not mean he was angry at all. Packard wrapped his arms around Chess and kissed his temple, mumbling softly to him while they waited for Phoenix and Levi to decide on how to proceed.

"What'll it be?" Levi asked with a huff, still cupping his genitals.

"Go. As long as you never go near Jace again..."

"Unless he comes to me," Levi interjected.

Phoenix sighed. "Unless he chooses to come to you, yes. I'll respect it if he does. But you don't come near him."

"Agreed."

"I don't need to remind you that if you break your word, you'll have to deal with me, and I won't back down."

"Of course."

Levi looked at Jace, and much to Phoenix's surprise, he saw something that resembled softness. A longing he understood too well. He wondered why Levi treated Jace so poorly if he actually liked him. From what he knew, Jace had truly liked Levi before things went to hell, and if Levi had appreciated what he had, they could still have been together. A thought that made his stomach churn with jealous sadness. Phoenix never wished for Jace to have gone through what he had, but if that was what had brought Jace into his life, then he would help heal him and treasure him forever.

Or as long as Jace would allow.

"Better get moving before the Garda gets here," Brannon advised when Levi kept looking at Jace.

Levi inclined his head with a brief glance at Brannon. Then he nodded at Phoenix and turned to leave through the emergency exit. "I'll miss you, Jace," he said low over his shoulder and disappeared out the door, which slammed with an ominous sound behind him.

"Did I do the right thing? Do you think he meant it?"

"I don't know," Brannon said with the same level of doubt. He patted Phoenix's shoulder. "Only time will tell, but you need to take care of Jace. You can worry about that prick some other time, for now, it's over. We have to handle the police and all that."

He looked at Packard and Chess. "We agree that we found the boys abandoned and we have no clue who did this?"

In silent agreement, they conspired to keep things between them to keep Jace safe. Though Packard and Brannon did not know the entire story, they knew enough to know they had to adhere to what Phoenix felt was best for Jace.

"Baby?" Phoenix crouched next to Jace again. "It's just me. Don't be afraid. I'm going to take you away from here."

Gently, he picked up Jace, who shook in his arms but did not fight him. To Phoenix, Jace looked exhausted, more than hurt, and he fully understood. He wondered what to do. Taking Jace to the playroom with all the BDSM paraphernalia could trigger him, and he could not let anyone at the mansion see him like that.

They heard the commotion from the other corridor. Braxton called for the paramedics to aid Sydney. Officers asked questions and then ran in their direction.

"Jace, stay quiet and relax. No one will harm you. I swear I'll protect you. Just stay quiet." Jace said nothing and did not even react to what Phoenix whispered to him. Jace's lack of response scared Phoenix to his core. They had done so well, and Jace had come too far to have this kind of setback. He could not imagine the damage control needed to bring Jace back from that almost catatonic state he was in.

Ambulance people and officers rounded the corner and crowded them all. The paramedics naturally went to Chess and to Phoenix, who held Jace to his chest. As soon as the first paramedic touched Jace, he let out a strangled sound and squirmed to get away. He incoherently cried for help and clung to Phoenix.

"Baby, relax. It's just the paramedics. They need to check you for damages. If you're hurt, we need to get you treated," Phoenix tried to reason with Jace. But to no avail. Jace went into hysteria and desperately tried to get away. Phoenix held on to him the best he could without hurting him, but it was hard when Jace was determined to not let anyone near him. Apologetically, Phoenix looked at the nearest of the confused, though sympathetic, ambulance people. "I'm sorry. Can we do this where you just observe? I'll do what you ask, but I can't let you touch him right now."

"Sure. We need you to turn his head so we can assess his wound, and you need to undress him and check for broken ribs and stuff like that. Is there a better and more private place for that?"

"I'll clear the lounge, and we can use that for all three to get checked out, ok?" Brannon asked. Mostly he needed Packard or Phoenix's acceptance, but also the police needed to ok that he let people out. "The people in the lounge have seen and heard nothing. Only those from the dance club might have witnessed something."

The next hour or so went by in a blur for Phoenix. After the lounge got cleared of guests, Chess, Sydney, and Jace got checked by the professionals there. Sydney they carried off on a stretcher to have x-rays done at the hospital, and Braxton went with him. Chess they stitched up and told Packard to have him on watch for a concussion, but otherwise, he was just bruised and would be sore for some time. Luckily, nothing that demanded hospitalization.

Jace stayed passively calm during everything the lone paramedic asked Phoenix to do. Phoenix thanked his lucky stars he had not asked Jace to wear anything that could have embarrassed him, like a cock cage or something more daring than the leather and feather outfit. Especially when he got asked to undress Jace's pants. After a thorough examination, they concluded nothing was broken and if Phoenix monitored him and made sure Jace saw his personal physician, then they would release Jace from further observation. Phoenix noted to call Gerson for a checkup. Maybe Jace felt safer with him than with a stranger. He also took pictures of all of Jace's injuries with his phone that he had Brannon get for him from his playroom.

The police came last. They had spent time with the guests in the dance club while the men got examined.

"I'm sorry we have to do this now. I'm Officer Conlin," the tall, rather bulky police officer said, rubbing his bearded face. He looked at Jace, who sat on a couch next to Phoenix, with Phoenix's arms protectively around him. "We just need a preliminary statement, and we can handle the rest at the station after you've both gotten some rest."

Phoenix nodded, grateful the officer did not push too hard. Levi was long gone, anyway, and they probably had little to go on.

"Can he talk?" Conlin asked, eying Jace with his natural skepticism from years in law enforcement.

"Baby?" Phoenix cooed, nudging Jace a little. "The officer needs to know who attacked you?"

Jace blinked, but said nothing.

"I'm sorry. He has a history of abuse, and I'm afraid this is his coping mechanism." Sadly, Phoenix needed to use that card with the police. It was the only safe one to play that would make the officer understand how traumatized Jace was, and hopefully, make him limit his questions. That was the upside of it, too. It saved Jace from further scrutinizing interrogation.

"Name?"

"Jace Keys."

Conlin nodded and wrote the information down in his notebook. "And you?"

"Phoenix."

"Just Phoenix?"

Yes, like fucking Cher.

Phoenix grumbled. "Phoenix Collymore." He usually used his mother's maiden name in work situations. The police were no different to him, and he could legally use the name, though his papers held a few more he rarely wanted people to know about.

"And you're his...?"

"I think boyfriend is the term that makes the most sense to you."

"I see. Please tell me in your own words what happened."

Rambling off the story that matched that of Packard and Brannon, from when Eoin had come to get them and until the police arrived, Phoenix kept his cool, though it was hard as Jace shook violently through it all. It showed that Jace was there, and he was listening, but he was not in a place to talk or process anything.

"It fits with what we know. The few guests who saw something all described a tall man with brown hair, dressed in leather pants. Inhere that could be anyone, and the hair color helps very little." Conlin nodded to himself. "We'll search the area, but with a man of that description, I'm sorry we might not find whoever did it."

"I understand. Thank you for all your help. Can I take him home now?"

"Of course. I just need some contact information, and you have to schedule a meeting for your boyfriend to make a statement at the station when he's up for it."

"Naturally." Phoenix gave Conlin the information, and they talked back and forth for a bit while the other officers finished up.

Phoenix's head pounded. The adrenaline had worn off and his entire system now reacted by not protecting him from the worn-out state he was in. He looked down at Jace, whose head rested on Phoenix's shoulder. Jace breathed evenly, and his eyes were closed.

"That's good, Baby. Just rest. I'll protect you." Phoenix pressed a feathery kiss to Jace's forehead. "I've got you, always. I'd do anything for you," he whispered.

"You look like you need this." Brannon placed what looked like brandy on the table in front of Phoenix, along with a glass of juice for Jace. "Is he asleep?"

"Yes, luckily." Phoenix emptied his glass, letting the burn in his throat turn into a heat that warmed him a little. He was still nervous for Jace. He wanted to believe Levi, but the odds were against that. The look of longing he had seen in Levi was what had him anxious. That kind of want was dangerous, and he did not suspect Levi to be rational enough to just give up and move on.

"I let the police out and locked the place up," Packard informed and threw himself on the couch opposite Phoenix and Jace. Chess came over and snuggled up next to his boyfriend, where Brannon led Eoin to a chair and stood behind him, gently massaging his shoulders.

"I think it's time we know everything."

Phoenix looked at Packard and knew he was right. They needed to know. He looked at Jace, who still slept peacefully. It violated Jace's privacy to tell, but it was in Jace's interest if he did. All four men had proved trustworthy and were in it to help Jace. They deserved to know in case additional problems came at them in the future.

"I'll gladly tell you everything. But not here. Can we do it tomorrow? I need to get Jace home."

"I hate to be the insensitive prick of the bunch, but you can't go home."

"What?" Phoenix's mind had turned to mush, and he had trouble understanding what Brannon meant.

"As long as we don't know if that man is trustworthy, he can't know where you live or work. You can't come here for a while if he's out there monitoring the place."

Phoenix wanted to kick himself for not thinking about that. Of course, they could not go home. And though Jace would be safe at the mansion, he feared it would harm Jace if everybody knew what had happened and, even more so, who and what Levi was to Jace.

"Maybe I can use one of the empty apartments in Gareth's real estate portfolio. Fuck, I'll buy him a place if needed. But what can I really do in the middle of the night?" Frustrated, Phoenix pulled the band from his hair and ran his fingers through it, desperately grasping at what little rational brain activity he had left. He needed an alternative to anything Gareth-related. The only trump card he had left in the battle against Levi was that he knew nothing of the connection to Gareth's Russian organization. They stood a better chance of protecting Jace if Levi did not know what he was up against.

"What about a hotel?" Brannon asked. "At least for the night. Then we can regroup tomorrow and figure out a solution. I think we all need some rest to clear our minds."

"Probably. I don't care right now. I just need Jace somewhere safe, where he can collect himself." Phoenix tried, but his brain swarmed with a million different things. Worry for Jace. Worry if he had made a mistake by letting Levi go. How they would handle things with Gareth gone and Jace probably out of commission for some time because of that abusive twat. Thinking of a place to sleep was the least of his worries, though he wanted Jace somewhere away from the club.

Phoenix looked at Jace, thankful that he just slept and with no nightmares or obvious discomfort from his bruised ribs and possibly sore throat.

"My apartment, maybe?" Chess suggested. "Packard asked me to move in with him. I know I've not moved yet, but you can use it, and I'll stay with Packard." He looked up at Packard. "If that's ok?"

"I asked you. I'm not backing out just because it'll happen faster than I thought." Packard frowned. "But what about...? It's the middle of the night."

"We'll manage." Chess nodded and had what looked like a silent conversation with Packard before he turned his attention back to Phoenix. "I'm sorry, the place is a bit messy. I hadn't expected guests."

"If you're truly offering us your apartment like that, then a bit of mess from normal living won't ever be a bother." Chess' offer floored Phoenix. Sure, they were all friends, but Chess had no obligation to do anything of the sort. Phoenix was grateful that he did, though.

Chess shrugged. "I just know how... eh... you are about tidiness."

"Anal?" Packard suggested with a grin.

"OCD," Brannon chimed in.

Phoenix huffed. "Organized, thank you!"

Eoin was the first to giggle at the interaction. Soon the rest joined in, relieved to have something to laugh about. They finally let some of the night's tension seep out of them and found something positive to bond through that did not have to do with Levi or violence. The man had ruined an otherwise good evening of friends celebrating friendships and enjoying each other's company. Even Phoenix let out a chuckle at his own obsessive need to have everything in order.

"Ok, here's how we do it," Packard said when they had stopped laughing. "Chess will take a cab home to prepare. Brannon will take my car and drive home with Eoin. You and Jace take Brannon's car and take the scenic route to Chess' place, and I'll take your car, drive it to a hotel where I'll check in, and then grab a cab to Chess' apartment after. If that fucker is out there, he can't openly follow any of us with the streets bare at night, so he'll probably do license plate searches, and none will lead to Jace."

"That's some deep James Bond shit right there, mate," Phoenix said, grinning, though impressed with Packard.

Packard put up a smug face. "I know. I missed my calling."

"Ok, Eoin and I will bring breakfast at 9:00, and we can have that talk?" Brannon pulled his car keys from his pocket and threw them to Phoenix. "Better get this Mission Impossible plan on the road. We're all tired. I'll grab your things from the playroom, and you can help Jace change when you get there."

"Thank you, I appreciate that."

While waiting for Brannon to get their clothes and stuff from the safe, Phoenix gently caressed Jace's arm as he picked up his phone and made a call he really did not want to.

"I'm sorry about the hour, but I need help," he blurted as soon as the call got picked up. He quickly explained what had happened, though he kept a few details to himself, to guard Jace's privacy and the relationship they had. "I'll text you the address. See you soon."

The whole undercover operation of getting Jace to Chess' apartment went well, though driving around with a sleeping Jace in Brannon's car to not take the direct route was not Phoenix's idea of fun. But they got there, and Chess showed them into his bedroom, where he had changed the sheets and cleared away as much as possible for them. A bucket was placed next to the bed, just in case, and wet wipes waited on the table. He had even put out a drink for Phoenix and some soda and juice for Jace if he woke up, along with some painkillers.

Jace was out cold, probably from exhaustion, which Phoenix thought was for the best under the circumstances. He needed a few hours of sleep himself before he had the energy and mental awareness to tend to Jace and be there for him.

As carefully as he could, Phoenix put Jace to bed, and though Jace did not wake, he sat for a moment to be sure.

"You just relax now, Baby. I'll be right outside. Nothing bad can happen here." He kissed Jace's forehead and smoothed back Jace's hair. "I'll always protect you."

He left the bedroom and met with Chess outside, leaving the door ajar to hear if Jace needed him.

"Ok, basic layout." Chess pointed at a door down the small hallway. "That's the bathroom, if you need it. And that's the living room. The kitchen is by the front door." He pointed in the different directions, though it was not needed as it was pretty much self-explanatory.

Nodding with appreciation, though he was drop-dead tired, Phoenix smiled a rare smile at Chess. "Thank you for this, Chess. I don't know what to say."

Chess just smiled. "Then say nothing. I don't need you to thank me, and neither do any of the others. That's what friends do."

"I guess." Phoenix shrugged.

"Hey!" Chess took Phoenix by the arm and guided him into the living room, which was not as bad as Chess had made it out to be. Just a lot of books, newspapers, and normal stuff. And the couch he had unfolded into a bed and put bedding on for him and Packard.

Chess pushed Phoenix down into an armchair and stood in front of him with his hands on his hips. "Now you listen to me. Jace is my friend. But you..." He paused. "You're more than a friend. You gave me a job when I needed it and paid a lot more than the going rate. Then, you helped me get some good contacts and made sure I got into school, and then upped my pay and accommodated your cleaning schedule to fit my studies. You made sure I live my dream. There's nothing I wouldn't do for you."

It had never occurred to Phoenix how those insignificant gestures made Chess feel. Sure, he liked Chess and had wanted to help the man. But he had not seen it as something that needed to be repaid. That was not how Phoenix's mind worked. He did not do things for others and then expected them to feel indebted. He did not know what to say. Looking up at Chess, he saw just how serious the man was. Despite the freaky hair color and that cute charm to him, he held a stern gaze and wanted Phoenix to understand that he was there to help, whatever it took.

Luckily, the doorbell saved Phoenix from saying anything.

"Oh, that's Packard." Chess beamed and ran out of the room, all sternness forgotten. He looked out the peephole and saw a broad chest, like always, and opened the door, freezing instantly at the stranger outside.

The man froze too, inspecting first the flamboyant hair and then the man in front of him. "I'm sorry. Maybe I have the wrong apartment. I'm looking for Phoenix."

"I'm here." Phoenix came into the small hallway and stood behind Chess. "It's ok. I called him."

Chess visibly relaxed and squeezed past Phoenix in the tight space by the door and left for the living room to give them some privacy.

"Hey," Phoenix said, feeling quite lost for words. "I'm sorry to drag you out of bed like this. We just needed a few drinks, and I didn't think..."

"Save it. I'm not your mother, girlfriend, or priest. You don't have to explain yourself to me. But I am your colleague, and, I hope, friend too." Rami held up a hand to stop Phoenix from going into some misplaced apology. He rubbed his tired face and stepped inside when Phoenix moved to the side. "Listen, I know Jace has been high-strung lately, and he needed a night out. Next time, can you just tell me so I can arrange some protection for him?"

There probably would not be a next time for a while, and Phoenix's balls hated the thought of that, but he understood what Rami said.

"Sure. Come on. Let's have a drink. There's a lot to discuss before Jace wakes up."

Hi dear Wattlings.

Thank you for reading.

Yes, I know I've been gone. I'm sorry. It took a while to edit Russian Roulette: Family secrets for the Wattys, and since I don't make any money on my books, I had to bring in the bacon somehow. Work seemed the obvious choice, so I did that. 

Ok, so Phoenix came to the rescue. Good thing Eoin got him there. What do you think of Levi? And how do you feel about Phoenix letting him go? Can he be trusted? How do you think the future looks?

So many questions and much more story to go.

If you like it, then pop a vote and please leave comments. The comments are important for me to know how the story is progressing and the characters are developing. And I'd love to know what you think and interact with y'all.

Give me a follow too for updates on other work and put this book in your library. I'd appreciate that.

Love, Alix

Published: September 15th, 2022. ©Alix Davenport, Copenhagen