Then

To say it was an utter shock to experience a rare glimpse into a side of Phoenix that was not let out often was an understatement.

It was a spectacle.

And absolutely mesmerizing.

Phoenix's entire persona was changed. His body language relaxed, hands and arms enthusiastically gesturing at charts, overhead slides, and stuff he scribbled in a strong, artistic handwriting on the blackboards. His eyes were lit with a passion that was clearly heard in his deep, baritone voice, which kept nearly every person in the class hanging on his every word.

Jace and Cracker sat inside the auditorium, listening to Phoenix conduct his class. Officially, they were there to observe the students, teachers, and walk-ins, who attended the class, to maybe compile a more extensive list of suspects responsible for stalking Phoenix. That was the job, and it was almost impossible to do because their eyes were trained on Phoenix.

It was the first time Jace had sat in on a lecture. Usually, he was outside to observe who came and went. That decision had been more than fine with him because, boring!

Or so he had thought.

What he witnessed was indescribable.

Though Jace only understood about twenty-two percent of what was said, and those twenty-two percent were limited to him actually understanding the words said and in no way what they meant when in a sentence. No matter how it sounded like gibberish, Jace could not stop listening to Phoenix. He listened to his voice and felt dumber and smarter at the same time.

How was that even possible?

Ok, he knew he was not the smartest of people, the things he knew were not taught in a classroom. In the school of life, there were no exams or papers to hand in, no teachers to gently guide and encourage learning, there were only harsh lessons taught by those who were smarter than you or wanted it more. What he knew kept him alive, kept the people he cared about alive, and he knew how to do that.

Because that was his life mission.

Ask him to explain how gravity worked without an egg to dump on somebody's head, well, that would be a major bust. Ask him to explain how to go unnoticed, or who to trust in a shady bar, and you would get a crash course in human behavior and how to read a situation.

It was not that he was embarrassed about being academically challenged. Jace did not have an inferiority complex concerning what he knew, because he was amazing at using his skills, it came when compared to what other people were capable of. Then again, most of those people would not have survived in the streets for four days let alone almost four years like he had.

He was a survivor.

And he had fucking survived.

Yes, he had had a home for those four years, and he had not been homeless, but he had rarely been there because money was earned in the streets, found in odd jobs, and, yes, stolen in the shadow of night.

Everything had taken money that no teenager should have been burdened with earning to solve problems that should never have been his to begin with.

Money had been needed to feed his father rather than himself. Money, which had kept that home secure, for his father to not wander the streets and forget where he was, and they had made sure his father was entertained in that prison of a house. Tv packages and satellite connections had not been cheap back then, not to mention medications. And the mortgage paid at the expense of Jace's education and well-being.

Money, he had traded his dignity and his peace of mind for.

To provide.

In the name of family and love.

Jace understood the value of money. And from the day Gareth had entered his life, he had worked hard to learn whatever was needed to make sure the money kept coming. Money, which now paid for the exclusive facility for Alzheimer's patients where his father was a permanent resident. Money, which paid for all the things he had wanted but had not had when growing up.

Money, money, money.

He understood how to make money. He might not understand the way Phoenix talked about making money, still, their process was the same, though their battlefields were different. Phoenix analyzed businesses and numbers and fought his battles in the boardrooms of the world. Jace analyzed people, reactions, and the basics of supply and demand and fought his battles in the gutters.

Both did it for themselves and for Gareth.

Their reasonings were undeniably different, the goal, however, was the same.

To make something of themselves they could be proud of.

Cracker discreetly pointed at people for Jace to notice, mainly women who were on the verge of spontaneously orgasming rather than learning, even if they listened to Phoenix. A few guys here and there seemed to be swooning, and then there were the ones who had body language that stood out. One kid had on a constant scowl and his arms crossed over his chest the entire class; he was paying attention, though. Another sort of hid behind his textbook, and a few fiddled with their phones where only one of them used it to record the lecture.

There were plenty of potentials in the room.

Jace snapped pictures of them to later discuss with Phoenix because they needed something.

Anything.

Everything in the box that Cracker had taken to get tested had all come back clean. As in forensic scary clean. Only the delivery company employee's fingerprints along with the apartment building guard or hotel employees, Jace's on the two he had touched, and Phoenix's prints were found, which probably spoke to whomever it was not being some lovestruck student.

If it was a student, it would be one from criminology and not business as Phoenix taught. Which was why the walk-ins were of particular interest to Cracker.

It seemed too professional, and yet there was nothing in the letters that indicated a threat, it was as Phoenix had said, declarations of admiration and lust without the 'I'm coming for you' undertones or even the 'why don't you notice me' vibes. They were just letters to Phoenix from somebody who had noticed him for some reason.

The gifts could not be traced though they were pricey items, they were not exclusive or numbered designer items that could be tracked to a specific shop.

Phoenix had received more letters and presents since, and they had been dead ends too. There had even been a get-well card, which meant the person knew Phoenix had been hurt, that did not exclude anybody, though. Both Gareth's business associates and the colleges had been informed about the 'ladder fall' incident, which meant the same people as before had the information.

Gareth had reacted just about how they had expected to the news. Somewhere between a natural disaster and a nuclear world war. He had been livid at Phoenix for not telling him sooner, and he had not only referred to the stalking while in Dublin. Phoenix should have told him long before while they were still in London.

Gareth would have helped.

He had more than made up for lost time. Gareth had taken it as personally as humanly possible. He saw it as an attack on a close friend and the Russians. That shit had to stop, and he was bringing out the big guns to protect them all.

Nobody moved in on them for any reason without retaliation.

Just like those idiots who had tried to steal his drugs at Verno's. Once the dead had been identified, Gareth had sent a team to deliver a warning to not mess with him again.

The message had been heard loud and clear.

That had been easy, Gareth had known who to go after, but in Phoenix's case, they had nothing substantial.

All they had to go on was his lectures since the business associates all had been cleared by Cracker's team. Gareth had asked Cracker to filter through everybody who at one point or another had had any contact with Phoenix in a work capacity and even asked Phoenix to be observant when he went out to flirt and hook up.

In the end, they had nothing at all.

It had been nearly three months since the controversy at Verno's. Both Phoenix and Jace had healed and gone back to work.

Living at Phoenix's apartment with Gerson for three weeks had been a strain on all of them. Especially Phoenix, who had been forced to witness his apartment become busier than an airport at Christmas time. There had been guys there constantly, and it had driven him crazy even if they had brought booze and game consoles for entertainment. Natalya had sent more food than they would have ever needed, though the guys had helped with that problem.

At one point, they had feared that Gerson would shoot them himself, because the poor man had been put to the test with Jace's joking and Phoenix's grumpiness. He had done his best to not snap. Phoenix and Jace had, after about a week of acting like childish morons, learned to get along, and by the end of the forced roommate situation, they had quite enjoyed a few late-night conversations together after Gerson had gone to bed.

And one thing they had bonded over was annoying Gerson.

Because that was funny as fuck.

Gareth had insisted that somebody was present whenever Phoenix went to teach or speak at places. He had not backed down no matter how much Phoenix had said it was unnecessary, and in the end, it had been as Gareth wanted. Full-on babysitting service by the Russian mafia. That job had often befallen Cracker, who was head of security for Gareth in many cases anyway. Jace had volunteered to help, without informing Phoenix, of course. Cracker had stated that Jace had been assigned and Phoenix had not complained.

To everybody's surprise.

Even Jace's upbeat persona and his excessive joking did not faze Phoenix. There were plenty of slaps delivered to the back of Jace's head, but that was the extent of it.

Phoenix had put his foot down on an in-car escort and around-the-clock bodyguard detail. He needed some semblance of privacy. It was not like the stalker had made him fear for his life.

As instructed by Cracker, it was always at least a two-man job going to Phoenix's lectures. One inside and one outside for the most part. Cracker, Jace, Malachai, Maksim, and a few more took turns depending on where and what.

That day Cracker had asked Jace to sit in because he had wanted a second opinion on a girl Maksim had noticed at one of the earlier lectures. In many ways, she fit the profile. She had stars in her eyes when looking at Phoenix, and she was a trust fund kid according to the background check they had done on her, which meant she could afford the expensive gifts. It had ended up being a dud, to their great disappointment. During the lecture, she had spoken up and her way of speaking did in no way resemble the letters, not that it was a certainty. She just did not display the intelligence or sophistication with words that were portrayed in the letters.

As Phoenix concluded the lecture and the room slowly emptied, Cracker made his way to Phoenix while Jace made sure to get the last pictures they needed.

"That was intense, mate," Cracker said with an impressed smile, walking toward Phoenix's desk. "I only understood the numbers part of what you said."

"I think I got carried away today."

"Whatever you did it was breathtaking." Jace had joined them and was staring at Phoenix with newfound respect. It had been an honest statement, one Jace had suspected Phoenix to brush off, because why would Jace's opinion matter at all? He was just a dumb kid in Phoenix's eyes.

Weirdly enough, Phoenix nearly blushed and looked down like he was not ready to meet Jace's eyes. "I just talked about business structures, I didn't save a baby from a burning building or anything."

"Ok, the building wasn't burning, but you did save our baby." Cracker pinched Jace's cheek and shook it in a grandmother-kind of way with a cheeky grin.

Jace laughed it off, like he always did, hiding how bad he still felt with Phoenix having gotten hurt to save his sorry ass. The heroic deed had spread like wildfire within the ranks of Gareth's men. The paper pusher had survived his trial of fire and saved Gareth's favorite in the process.

Yes, Phoenix certainly was the man of the hour.

Ok, quarter.

Because people would not shut up about it.

Much to Jace's chagrin.

"We all ready for Gareth's birthday tonight?" Desperate to change the subject, Jace clasped onto the one sure subject to catch their attention. They had been excited about Gareth's birthday for weeks. His parties were always a blast his birthdays were epic.

"Indeed," Phoenix confirmed. "He even called me personally to inform me that tonight is tuxedo night for real. Like fuck I'm turning up in a tux again without confirmation."

Cracker laughed. "I don't care what you say. That was one of Jace's better stunts."

With a smug face, Jace puffed out his chest. "Yeah, you'd better recognize my talent. We ought to move. I need to polish my shoes and dust off my tux and then shower. It takes time to look this good."

Cracker rolled his eyes.

"You know everybody wants a piece of this," Jace laughed and gestured up and down himself.

"I'll drop you off when we've escorted Phoenix to his car, that'll give you enough time to dive into your beauty box, you might even find your balls in there while you're at it."

Jace stuck out his tongue like a kid. "Whatever. I'll meet you out front, I just need to use the head."

"Outside the auditorium and to your right, down the hall."

"Thanks."

They watched Jace run off and the doors close behind him. Phoenix began packing his things but stopped when he felt Cracker staring at him.

"It's not mandatory tuxedo night. Gareth didn't call me about it. I've not even gotten a text."

"Yeah, you know that, and I know that. Apparently, Jace fell for his own trick. The power of suggestion." Phoenix winked at Cracker.

"Fuck, you're evil, mate." A bubbling laughter rose in Cracker's throat before he could stop it, tears formed in his green eyes as he let loose. "We've got to meet up early for a drink. There's no way I'm missing the sight of Jace coming in a tux."

"6:30 at the venue?"

"Done deal."

Phoenix packed the rest of his stuff and shut off all the equipment and then led the way outside for a smoke while they waited on Jace.

Jace was already sporting his own half-smoked cigarette when he rounded the corner from the building. The guys greeted him briefly and continued their discussion of something business-related that just made Jace zone out.

Why even bother pretending to listen?

He had nothing constructive to say anyway. No clever inputs or even understanding of the subject.

One thing he had learned early on was that it was ok to fake some things, but you could not fake information. Body language; arrogance, sympathy, physical, and emotional reactions could easily be faked if understanding the situation. Words, however, would always reveal the uneducated or ignorant at some point.

Playing a bluff in a situation that warranted it, sure. He had done it enough times when handling Gareth's drug issues, or when at his different adult establishments sorting out problems. Saying as little as possible to get the other person to do the talking and enforcing the few words said through body language was ok as long as there was no chance of having to reveal the bluff.

"Ready to go?"

Apparently, Cracker had been trying to snap Jace out of his thoughts for a while, because Cracker's expression was one of mild annoyance when Jace finally focused.

"Yeah, sure. Sorry, I was thinking about somebody I needed to give a call," he lied effortlessly. Not entirely a lie. He needed to get back to Tana about their monthly dinner.

"Whatever. Let's go. See you later, Phoenix."

"I'll be there." Phoenix got into his SUV and drove off.

"Dude, you've been zoning out a lot lately." Cracker's concern was genuine. He had noticed Jace being more subdued and somewhat distant at times when Jace felt people would not notice. It was Cracker's job to observe, assess, and then take action, not participate, and he saw a lot when being a shadow in a room. It was unusual behavior from Jace and did raise some red flags for Cracker. He knew how a shock or trauma could sit inside and fester if not addressed, and he had seen it enough times with his army buddies after missions.

"Are you ok? I mean after everything? You hit your head pretty bad and had to handle knowing you could have died. That can't be easy."

"It's there," Jace admitted. There was no reason to lie to Cracker. It was either tell the truth there or have Cracker go to Gareth with his concerns and then tell the truth. "It's not like I have nightmares or anything. I'm just not sure why the universe chose to save my ass."

It was certainly not what Cracker had expected to hear. He had expected a funny deflection and that would have been the end of it. Jace did not share his problems, he hid behind his jokes and a carefree attitude, as Cracker himself hid in the mystery of his past, or like Phoenix hid behind that stoic indifference.

Everybody had a mask on when they needed to shield themselves from the world.

Maybe Jace more than most.

That Jace had dropped his in front of Cracker meant Jace trusted him. Cracker had honestly not been prepared for that. He had asked because he wanted to help Jace, he had not expected Jace to accept his help. That kind of trust had to be taken seriously.

"I don't know if the universe had anything to do with it. But as a friend, I'm glad that Phoenix did it."

"But why? The guy hates my guts and finds me annoying. Most of the time, he pretends I'm not even there."

They were walking toward the car side by side, preventing them from facing each other. None of them were ready for eye contact at that moment so it worked out well. The conversation was a bit too deep, and it was easier to be honest when not feeling scrutinized.

"He doesn't. Well, ok, he finds you annoying. He also views you as a friend and somebody valuable enough to the world to save. Why can't you see that?"

Stubbornly, Jace clenched his fist and kept walking. "Because I'm not. He put his life on the line. That massive brain of his, a good life, parents who would miss him, and certainly a fuckload of great accomplishments in the future, for what? Me? I'm a nobody."

That time Cracker was the one to deliver the smack to Jace's head.

"You're about as dumb as day-old pudding," he snapped and stopped. Grabbing Jace's shoulders to face him, Cracker barked into his face with withheld anger, "Listen up. You might not see it, and it seems like you have no desire to, but let me tell you that you are not nobody. You're important to people. Gareth, Phoenix, myself, and a great many others."

Completely stunned, Jace looked into Cracker's eyes and then down in shame. He felt how his shoulders shook which Cracker surely had to feel too.

Double up on embarrassment.

"Why do you value yourself so little? Why do you compare yourself to others? You bring light and joy to everybody's day. You lighten the mood and give people a respite from the worries weighing on them. I've seen you in meetings, you voice your thoughts and ideas in simple and to-the-point sentences. You draw on street smarts and survival logic without being clouded by all that higher learning that often makes Gareth's head spin because he can't turn it off. People value your inputs."

Whoa.

Male bonding moment.

Jace was flabbergasted.

He had not ever imagined Cracker to say anything like that.

"You're sure? I'm not just a waste of space? Tolerated but not respected?"

Cracker rolled his eyes and began talking like he was talking to a child. "The only thing we tolerate with a certain level of overbearing is the joking. The rest everybody respects. You do your job well, you're a good friend, and you always know how to handle Gareth when he's acting up. That alone should earn you a medal." Cracker chuckled at that because only Jace had the balls to stand up to Gareth in situations where death would be imminent for everybody else. "You had a near-death experience and maybe that messed with your head and chipped at your confidence, but I've had nothing but respect for you since I joined."

"Ok..." Cracker had given him too much to think about to have the brain capacity to talk it out. Acceptance was his only option and then some soul-searching when he was alone.

Jace found a cigarette and lit it, inhaling like it would help sort his chaotic thoughts. Cracker gave him space and just took out his phone which had buzzed a few times. He smiled widely and texted a quick reply.

Cracker waited for Jace to finish his cigarette without bothering him, it was a lot to take in if in a funk. "Good. Now let's get going. I need a shower. I smell like tweens and nerd."

"Says the numbers nerd."

"I'm a tactical wonder, I'll have you know, not a numbers nerd," Cracker huffed. He hated his brain and how numbers always seemed to occupy his mind. It had been part of his life for too long. He had hoped that being with Gareth would rid him of that. People knew he was good with numbers, but they did not know how good he was, and he wanted it to stay that way.

Being good at something did not mean he was passionate about it. He liked to think up attack plans and figure out how to take down an enemy, not be a glorified accountant.

"What did the zero say to the eight?" Jace wiggled his eyebrows at Cracker. His smile said that it would be some stupid answer.

"What?"

"Nice belt."

"Dude..."

"Why is six afraid of seven?"

"Give it to me." There was no stopping Jace now, and that was quite alright. It was good to see Jace smiling again.

"Because seven eight nine. Get it? 'Ate' nine."

"Oh, my God. Never stop being you,. Cracker laughed. "Get in the car, you shithead."

Jace found himself happily telling jokes on the way to his apartment and relishing in Cracker's deep sighs, rolls of his eyes, and laughs. He had been right, that was his position in the group, to relieve tension and keep people from getting too worked up or wrapped in seriousness.

He was not dumb.

And he was not just tolerated.

He was valued and respected for being him. He brought something else to the table and that was enough for him.

For now.

At his apartment building, Jace got out of the car and stuck his head in again. "Cracker, thank you, I needed the pep-talk..."

"Don't go all mushy on me. You're my friend and trust me, I'll always be here to land a kick to your ass if you need it. Now piss off, I've got shit to do."

With a wave and a smile of gratitude, Jace closed the door and watched Cracker speed off. He shook his head. The man was confusing. He was a friend, something Jace had not been sure of before, because Cracker was sort of an enigma and not easy to get close to, still, Jace had seen him as such.

Cracker had just proven that he felt the same.

Good stuff.

It was a short ride up to his second-floor two-bedroom apartment. The peace that washed over him when he closed the door made him sigh with contentment.

Behind that door, he could be himself.

He dropped his jacket and keys on the table near the door and walked to the kitchen where he poured himself a gin and tonic. It was Gareth's birthday; alcohol was a given, and he was ready to party.

Bypassing the living room, walking through the hall, Jace made his way to his bedroom where he put his phone in the charger and placed the drink before he found his tux and shoes in his closet. God, he hated monkey suits, he felt out of place in them, but they also made him look hot. He had learned to deal for the greater good. Quickly, he gave his dress shoes a shine and found his butterfly before stripping down, grabbing his drink on his way to the en-suite bathroom.

Shower, shave, moisturizer, and then blow drying his hair. Yes, he was such a girl about some things, there was no way around it. His hair did not look good when air-dried, the natural waves made him look like a mermaid. He liked the slightly shorter sides and longer top, and when blow-dried the top part got all fluffy and shiny and fell perfectly over his head with a few cheeky strands down his forehead to bring attention to his blue eyes.

They were not that icy blue as Gareth's, or that stormy greyish blue Vasili had. His were a soft blue, like the sky on a summer day, and he liked the shape and color. He liked his entire appearance if he had to be honest.

He was tall, not as tall as Gareth or Phoenix, that fucking giraffe. His skin was a well-kept, light tan that made his tattoos pop and pulled tight over his muscles he had worked very hard to get the way he wanted them and still worked to maintain. His hands were nice, with slender fingers and well-manicured nails, yes, those he had done from time to time. What woman would let a man with nasty fingers and cracked nails touch her?

Exactly!

People could judge, but he knew it was true that women did notice stuff like that. They noticed his prominent pecs and abs too, and the long legs.

Yeah, he was more than satisfied with his appearance.

It was important for him to have that. There was a lot of competition when out on the town and hunting. With Gareth's guys mainly being good-looking too, Jace knew he had to up that part because he lacked in other areas where they excelled. Lucky for him, a lot of women appreciated his humor and outgoing personality.

Men too.

He was not picky with gender.

He was however a bit judgmental when it came to looks. He was attracted to good-looking people and did not limit himself to gender. If they made his blood run hot, he was willing. The bisexual part he kept to himself, not all of Gareth's Russian members, especially the older ones, were fully accepting of the idea of guy-on-guy action. That did not stop him, he just kept it on the down low, and women were easier to pick up anyway.

Stark naked, because it was his bloody apartment and nobody was around anyway, Jace walked to the kitchen to make a refill drink while waiting for Tana to pick up his call. It was too early to get dressed. He was not looking like a dorky penguin for longer than necessary.

"Jacey-boy!" Tana's overly happy squeal through the phone nearly made his ears bleed.

"Tana, do you have to do that every time?"

"I've missed you, dumbass."

Jace smiled. He had missed her too. "I know, I've been a bit busy. I'll make it up to you, dinner on me, and you can pick the place and where to party after."

"Oh, are you sure you can handle that?" Tana asked with a laugh.

That laugh had said it all, Jace knew he was in for it. They would probably end up at some sleazy bar with a bull she would make him ride for her amusement. It was only fair, he had been blowing her off since the accident, not because he had not wanted to see her, it had been because he had been dealing with some issues.

Issues Cracker had made him realize he had to get over.

"You just text me when you have a weekend off, and I'll make sure to clear that Saturday for us."

"Will do, and no complaining. You owe me."

Jace sighed deeply. "Fine, you brat."

"I look forward to seeing you again."

Tana had cut the call before Jace had a chance to say anything. That was typically her, and he found himself smiling at it. Some things luckily never changed.

Some two hours and four drinks later, wearing his best cologne, not a hair out of place, in his impeccable tux, Jace entered the hotel where Gareth had invited them for his birthday. He did not have to worry about the gift because they had all chipped in and somebody, probably Vasili, had bought Gareth his own island or something equally extravagant with the amount Jace had been made transfer.

That feeling in his stomach of something not being right began as soon as he had asked for directions to whatever banquet hall Gareth had reserved. The way the receptionist had looked at him gave him that nervous chill up his spine. There was the obvious flirtatious glint in her eyes and then that curious wonder. It did not lessen when he made his way down the corridor, he had been instructed toward the banquet hall as he saw a few of his colleagues, none in tuxedos, though dressed nicely.

Jesus fucking Christ!

Mouth agape, Jace stared into the room, stunned as reality crept up on him. He was the only one wearing a tux.

The only one!

And everybody was staring at him.

Phoenix!

Where the hell was that fucktard?

Jace's eyes scanned the room, avoiding as many questioning glances as possible. His mouth had gone dry, and he felt small beads of sweat form on his brow and down his back. He met Gareth's amused face and dismissed it because he was on a mission to find one person.

When he did, he did not know if he was going to explode or laugh.

Phoenix had gotten him.

And gotten him good.

From the looks of it, Phoenix had been waiting for it. He stood next to Cracker not far from Gareth with a smug face. A real smug face, finally showing actual emotions, sadly, emotions Jace did not appreciate at that time.

Phoenix gave him a cheeky wink and tapped Gareth's shoulder, then turned to Cracker, and they left the room through a door at the other end of the room.

Not in his wildest dreams had Jace seen that one coming.

Damn it, Phoenix was good.

The master had met his match.

Nothing to do but suck it up.

Chuckling to himself, Jace straightened his back and walked in like he owned the place. He might have lost that round, but that did not mean he was going to sulk and not be a man about it. Phoenix had after all taken it in stride when it had happened to him, and he had not known all the men at the dinner back then.

"What? It's the bossman's birthday. I dressed up, you didn't," Jace grinned at Malachai and Yarro who were at the bar when he got there.

"Not saying anything." Mal laughed at Jace and did not comment further.

He did pale a bit some fifteen minutes later when Gareth, Cracker, and Phoenix entered the banquet hall, all decked out in tuxedos, looking like they all were supposed to be wearing that.

"Eh, Jace. I guess you were right."

"What?" Jace turned to look at what Mal was looking at. It took everything in him to not drop his jaw and show how surprised he was.

Gareth looked like a fish in water, he always looked like a million in whatever he wore. The price tag of his wardrobe choices might have something to do with it, nevertheless, he was practically glowing with his usual powerful aura. Cracker displayed a sight they had not seen before. He was panty-droppingly handsome in a tux. His hair he had tamed and pulled back but left loose, something he never did, he, like many of them, swore to the man-bun.

And Phoenix...

That time he was not self-conscious or pissed. He had his shoulders back, head held high, and by God, he could have walked straight out of a Savile Row quality bespoke advertisement. His eyes were trained on Jace, and his lips pulled up in the closest to a toothless smile Jace had seen on him.

The three of them came directly to Jace, turning heads along the way and initiating quite the murmuring among the men there. They stopped in front of Jace, and all of them had that weird inclusive acceptance on their faces.

It was then, Jace realized that, sure, Phoenix had gotten him back in the best way possible and could have left it at that and basked in the glory the entire party. Yet, he had not wanted to humiliate Jace and showed that it had been done and it was to be considered over.

Score: one-one.

"Well played, my friend." Jace held out his hand and stared into Phoenix's face.

Phoenix saw the look of appreciation and humility mixed with that usual humor in Jace's eyes, his hand lifted on its own to do something he really should not, and even worse, did not understand. He stopped himself instantly and took Jace's outstretched hand instead.

"I look forward to round two."

Jace cocked his head with a grin. "Game on, big guy."

"Do I need to begin investing in nuclear bomb shelters?" Gareth eyed them and smiled at that weird understanding between those two. He had no doubts that Jace was already cooking up new ways to piss Phoenix off. It was funny to him that of all people able to set Jace straight and beat him at his own game it would be the one man with less inclination for humor than any he had met before.

Not that he found Phoenix to be humorless, he had his moments and often said and did things Gareth found top-level funny. He had just thought that it would have been a prankster like Jace, who would have beaten Jace. Or somebody with a massive temper who could not control himself, where Phoenix had control ninety-nine percent of the time.

"We look like the four tenors," Cracker complained.

"You do a great impression of Pavarotti."

Jace snort-laughed and nearly choked on his drink at Phoenix's dry comment and clasped his hand over his mouth to not explode.

"I thought we agreed on The Rat Pack?" Phoenix offered.

"True that." Cracker's pout turned into a bright smile; amusement twinkled in his green eyes. "Hand me a drink and we're almost there. I'm Dean Martin but don't expect me to sing."

Gareth grabbed the whiskey the bartender handed him and sipped it before joining the stupid conversation. "I'm game, just don't call me Sammy Davis Jr. or I'll have your balls."

Wisely, they all kept their mouths shut and sipped their drinks looking up at the ceiling innocently.

"Oh, sod off, you stupid pricks."

They all burst out laughing, ready to run for their lives. Gareth, however, just laughed with them and led the way to the table where they were going to sit for dinner.

Cracker leaned in to whisper to Jace, "He texted me to bring a tux, and he got Gareth to do the same. He's a good guy, just so you know."

"Oh, I know."

As expected from Gareth, the dinner was presented with all the bells and whistles possible. The food was exceptional, and there was plenty of it. They were big guys who would not get full on snooty French dollhouse-sized servings.

Naturally, the alcohol flowed.

And it was no surprise that they ended up at one of Gareth's nightclubs. He had reserved half the club for them, and drinks were free. Something people had no problems with.

Gareth knew how to work hard and party hard. He ruled his men with an iron fist but rewarded their hard work in equal measure. Those with families, he made sure had time off to do family stuff, and he often paid for trips to Euro Disney in Paris or Aquafan in Italy as the most common places for them to go.

It was a balance to make sure everybody felt appreciated.

Of course, he did it because he wanted to, and he needed to be a better leader than his grandfather who had been more of a dictator than the 'lead by example' type that Gareth was. Gareth knew his grandfather had had issues with some members leaking information or stealing from him because they were being treated badly, and because they were dumb enough to think they could get away with it. That was something Gareth did not wish for, and that resolution made him do what he did to earn loyalty, respect, and friendship within his group.

A brotherhood by choice, not by force.

"This is nice," Jace said with a half-drunken smile to Gareth. His eyes roamed the dancefloor to see if there was a bit of honey out there for him to sample. He had spotted a cute one earlier in the night and had lost track of her.

"It is. People seem to be enjoying themselves. Want to grab a smoke?"

"Sure." Since he could not find the woman in the sea of people, and the disco lights were annoying the hell out of him, Jace thought a smoke would be a good choice.

On their way out, Jace saw Maksim giving a tonsil check to some tall, curvy brunette in a less-than-there blue dress. Mal and Yarro were like twins as always and stood near the dancefloor with a few others and a bunch of women fawning over them. Roarke sat in a booth with a harem of willing women, batting their eyelashes for his attention.

Cracker and Phoenix were nowhere to be seen.

In a way, Jace envied the friendship those two had. They had things to talk about and could relate to each other. Both were accomplished in their own rights. Cracker was a badass military guy who could take down an army singlehandedly, probably. Rambo could seriously suck it in comparison. Cracker had more kills under his belt than any in Gareth's organization. And Phoenix, he was smart enough to run the world, and through his work, he knew how to be tactical like Cracker.

They might be different and had learned their skills in completely different ways, still, they could relate to each other.

And if that was the criteria for friendship, why on earth were he and Gareth friends? They were as different as night and day.

In everything.

"What's on your mind, mate?" Gareth inquired while patting down his pocket to locate his lighter.

Jace held up his lighter for Gareth to light his cigarette before he lit his own. "Just wondering why we're friends."

"Because you're the little brother I never had."

"I'm four and a half years older than you, dumbass." Jace rolled his eyes.

Why did everybody see him as a kid?

"And I'm mentally five years older than you," Gareth retorted with a grin.

Jace could not argue with that.

"We're friends because friendship holds no criteria other than fondness and compatibility. We've been friends for ten years, and I don't regret a single moment of it," Gareth said with sincerity, looking at Jace. He had great trouble understanding why Jace was questioning their friendship.

Had he done something wrong lately?

Had he not been enough of a friend?

Not shown his appreciation?

"It's been a privilege to watch you grow into yourself. See you educate yourself, work hard, and find your niche within my organization."

"My niche?" Jace scoffed, flipping his cigarette into the bucket on the ground. "You mean Captain Humorous of the SS Annoying?"

Gareth laughed. Even when being serious, Jace had to voice it with his usual take on things.

"I find it refreshing. Sure, you piss me off at times because you seem to not take anything seriously, and you always joke around. Each time you prove me wrong and show that not only do you listen and understand, but you also seek solutions to problems, offer your help, and don't mind stepping in when it's not your job to do so."

"And what is my job? I mean, I don't mind doing what I do. The pickups, the checking on club personnel, and stuff. But I'm just a floater from odd job to odd job. I do all the crap job loose ends. I'm not a section leader with my own area of responsibility."

Oh!

That was his problem?

Gareth had never thought Jace had needed the title because he was much more than a leader of one thing.

"Mate, you're my overseer. You don't have one area of expertise. Your expertise is to know everything from every part of what we do. With you, I know that if I send you to do a weapon shipment, you can handle it. If I ask you to do pickups at Verno's, you don't get caught. Jesus, you stupid fucker, you're better than a section leader."

The fuck?

Jace blinked and studied Gareth's face.

"Really?"

"For crying out loud," Gareth grumbled with exasperation, ready to knock some sense into Jace. He had already formed a fist, though he chose not to resort to violence just yet. "You and Vasili are the only people I trust with everything. Should I fall into enemy hands, you and Vasili would be the people I would trust to save my ass! I trust you with my life."

"Ditto, brother."

"Can we put this to rest? I'm your friend because you've proven to be friend material of the highest quality. For fuck's sake, I'll print you business cards saying 'Jace Keys, Overseer and best friend' if that'll make you understand. Or do you need a plaque and a ceremony?"

Ok, two reprimands in a day.

Both stating the same. He had to pull it together because it was all in his head. He had friends and he was not a failure or considered dumb.

Why was he so insecure lately?

Could it be like Cracker had said that the incident at Verno's had messed with his head? That his confidence had slipped?

"A ceremony would be nice. Can we have a bouncy house and cowboy theme?"

"Oh my God, you'll be the fucking death of me." With no concern for Jace or possible spectators, Gareth pulled Jace into a tight hug and whispered with deepfelt passion in Jace's ear, "I don't know what I'd do without you in my life, Jace. Why do you think I almost lost my shit when you and Phoenix were hurt? You two mean the world to me."

"Same, G-man. Best decision I ever made was listening to you that day. I never thought a thirteen-year-old kid would be my savior."

"Your father would be proud of what you've done for yourself." Carefully, Gareth let go of Jace and managed to blink back the tears that were threatening to overwhelm him. He did not cry. He blamed his whiskey intake for the tears, not the heart-to-heart.

Every word he had said was true.

"I hope so."

"Grab another smoke and come back in when you're ready, ok, mate?"

Jace nodded and looked up at the stars, feeling Gareth walk away. He did not believe in any God; he believed the universe had a purpose for everybody. His purpose he had not found yet, but he was sure he would find it with Gareth somehow, that was why he had been saved that day.

His purpose had not been fulfilled yet.

The early summer air was surprisingly warm and caressed his skin while he stood there alone, looking up at the stars. His party mood had gone with the conversation with Gareth. His need for a drink and some bedside company had not.

If he put his best foot forward and turned up the charm, he should be able to get laid.

"Jace?"

"They're beautiful, aren't they?" Jace did not bother to face Phoenix, he just kept staring up at the dark sky with the gazillions of shining, tiny stars. A feeling of peace always came over him, when he looked up and saw them, remembering what they had meant for him his entire life.

"They are."

He felt rather than saw Phoenix come closer. The warmth of his body, and that sporty cologne or aftershave he used enveloped Jace when the breeze swept it his way.

It was as calming as the night.

"I used to dream about going there. Because how can anything that beautiful be bad? Unlike my life. They were my friends when I was a kid."

"I can understand that. I learned languages as a kid because I thought if I knew enough, I'd have more people to talk with one day," Phoenix admitted as a sort of confidential confession to Jace's words. It was not something he liked to admit, even to himself, there was just something about Jace's mood and the way he talked that made Phoenix feel like Jace would not pity him.

"That makes sense."

It was an odd conversation and, in a way, comfortably intimate. Jace felt no judgment from Phoenix with his stupid dreams of going to the stars.

"Tell me about them?" Phoenix stared up just like Jace, trying to see what Jace saw.

Pointing at the different constellations, standing so close to Phoenix they were almost touching, Jace told him about the easily found ones and about those that were not commonly known.

"It's not that visible this time of year, August or September is much better, but that dust glob there..." Jace pointed and made sure Phoenix's followed his finger's direction at something barely visible. "That's Andromeda. The nearest galaxy to ours. Imagine what possibilities lie there. The life we as stupid humans have no way of comprehending."

"You know a lot about this stuff, don't you?"

Jace sighed. "I do. I borrowed books from the library and sat outside for hours learning about the constellations, their names, and their origin. The tales of heroes and mythical theories about how we perceived the changing of the sky back in the day."

"You're a complex man. Maybe we should all look up a bit more and realize that we're just small and insignificant in the grand scheme of things. That what we know is a fraction of what there is to understand."

Phoenix found his cigarettes to do something with his hands.

To do something in general.

Jace had surprised him, in a way he had not imagined. He had a depth that had been unforeseen. The way Jace spoke when talking about the stars and their names was fascinating. His blue eyes seemed darker as a reflection of the night, but they were lit up, and the emotions in his voice was so different from the cheeky kid he normally was.

It was intriguing.

It was a side of Jace that showed that he was more than a cocky, little shit who seemed to not care about much.

"Did you want something?" Jace drew his gaze from the stars and let it settle on Phoenix's face. He was not intoxicated, more like loosened up a bit.

Relaxed.

"You've been out here for an hour. Gareth sent me to check on you. He said you needed a bit of time, and I should see if you were ok." Not really wanting to ask, Phoenix cleared his throat. "Are you ok?"

"I'm good, thanks for asking. I've just been a bit in my head since, you know..."

Oddly enough, that was what Phoenix had felt in Jace, though Jace had not said much, and Phoenix had not addressed it. Jace had thanked him profusely, and Phoenix had done what he could to reassure Jace that he did not need to feel like he owed him anything. It still felt like Jace was keeping score and had taken it upon himself to pay Phoenix back somehow.

There was no need for that. In Phoenix's mind, Jace paid him back every time he gave him some insight into human relations.

"I know. I've had a lot of thoughts about it too," Phoenix professed. "Want to know what I've come up with?"

"Sure." Jace found another cigarette and offered Phoenix a new one, while he waited for Phoenix to share his wisdom. He expected nothing less than wisdom from Phoenix.

Phoenix took a long drag of the cigarette and looked up at the stars to not look at Jace. "I think I at first saw it as something completely out of character for me, and maybe something you did not want me to do. Yes, you were grateful and thanked me, but it seemed like you questioned my motives and the risk I took. Am I right?"

"Yeah," Jace agreed reluctantly.

"Well, I understand that. What I've realized is that it was me accepting what you taught me at training. That we as brothers have each other's backs. And your back was one I needed to have, and your life one to protect." Phoenix was not sure if he explained it right, he was really not the emotional kind of guy, who had a way with words. "I knew you protected me all the time in there, and I found the same mindset as you while fighting a common enemy. Does that make sense?"

"I think it does. Thank you for telling me, I've been struggling a lot with what you could have lost that day."

"I stood to lose the same as you. Our lives are equal in importance in my eyes, and you would have done the same for me. Jace, you might not be like me or Gareth, or anybody else, for that matter. You're uniquely you, and you sure as fuck are the best fighter I've ever met." Phoenix gently patted Jace's shoulder. "You annoy the living shit out of me most of the time, and the only reason you can do that is because in a twisted way, you matter to me. Remember that."

Phoenix did not say any more, he had said enough and hopefully given Jace some peace. The same peace he had given himself by acknowledging what he had discovered about his relationship with Jace, which extended to every member of Gareth's group. He would protect them if the need arose.

Jace stood there and stared at Phoenix's back until he was gone.

He mattered to Phoenix?

Even if he was annoying and barely measured up in comparison?

Phoenix had called him unique.

It took another cigarette for Jace to gather his thoughts enough to go back inside. His party mood had not returned, his need for a good fuck had increased with his self-confidence coming back. And the selection at the club should give him something to work with.

"Jace!" Phoenix's deep and smooth voice carried over the music from where he stood with some women. That was nothing new to see, it happened every single time they were out. He gestured wildly for Jace to come over, when Jace turned with a sigh.

"Ladies, this is my friend from work, Jace. Jace this is Meghan, Taryn, and Rosemary," Phoenix introduced them to each other, his eyes lingering on the redhead he had introduced as Rosemary. Phoenix gave Jace 'the look' over the heads of the women who were saying hello in their flirty ways.

Oh, the fucker needed a wingman to get the redhead alone?

Well, fuck him.

"Ladies, would you like to meet some of our other colleagues?" Jace tilted his head at the VIP area where most of the guys were sitting and drinking while observing the guests at the club.

The women immediately reacted to the number of hot, and seemingly rich men. Ginger or Taryn, whomever, latched herself onto Jace's arm and looked at him seductively.

"By all means, introduce us." She winked at him. "Though I personally don't need to meet them."

Maybe the wingman thing worked both ways?

She was definitely cute.

Jace chuckled and put his arm between them and around her shoulder, effectively cutting off Rosemary and Phoenix from the two other women as he led them to the VIP tables, leaving Phoenix behind with his conquest.

Maybe the guy did have a type.

Redheads.

Hi dear Wattlings, it's Thursday... Well, not where I live, but somewhere it's still Thursday, and I'm sorry for the late update but I've been sick. Currently sporting 39.2/102 fever and it's taken me the entire day to stay awake long enough to do this update.

Thank you for reading.

Jace and Phoenix have both healed and the hunt for Phoeix's stalker is on. Who do you think it is? Will they catch whomever it is soon or? Who do you think it is?
And poor Jace has been struggling with his self-esteem. Good thing both Cracker and Gareth could set him straight. They did good in explaining to him that he's valued, right?

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: August 27th, 2021. ©Alix Davenport, Copenhagen