Above and Beyond E-Book

Andrew Grey

• Herausgeber: Dreamspinner Press
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 335

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2020

Beschreibung

Sequel to Over and Back Bronco's Boys: Book Six When Salvatore Adruccio finished his time in the military, he moved on to a life of good friends, cold drinks, and hot men. His job as a bouncer at Bronco's is fun and drama-free, at least until sexy but secretive server Elliot Hastings catches his eye. On the run and in possession of evidence that could expose his stepfather for the dangerous and powerful criminal he is, Elliot doesn't want to draw anyone else into his troubles. But when a thug catches up to him and Salvatore fends him off, he decides Elliot needs his help, even if he won't admit it. Attraction quickly heats into passion, but Elliot is wary of commitment when he might have to drop everything and run at any moment. The only way they can be together in all the ways they want is to take out the threat posed by Elliot's stepfather and his underworld ties. And Salvatore intends to do just that.

Leseprobe

Table of Contents

Blurb

Dedication

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Epilogue

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Copyright

Above and Beyond

By Andrew Grey

Sequel to Over and Back

Bronco’s Boys: Book Six

When Salvatore Adruccio finished his time in the military, he moved on to a life of good friends, cold drinks, and hot men. His job as a bouncer at Bronco’s is fun and drama-free, at least until sexy but secretive server Elliot Hastings catches his eye.

On the run and in possession of evidence that could expose his stepfather for the dangerous and powerful criminal he is, Elliot doesn’t want to draw anyone else into his troubles. But when a thug catches up to him and Salvatore fends him off, he decides Elliot needs his help, even if he won’t admit it. Attraction quickly heats into passion, but Elliot is wary of commitment when he might have to drop everything and run at any moment. The only way they can be together in all the ways they want is to take out the threat posed by Elliot’s stepfather and his underworld ties.

And Salvatore intends to do just that.

To all the fans of this series. It’s always difficult to say goodbye.

Chapter 1

ELLIOTT HASTINGS glanced toward the front door of the club for the hundredth time in about three hours. He needed to calm down and get his act together. He took a deep breath, turned, and bumped into one of the guys hurrying across the floor. Somehow, he managed to not drop the tray of glasses he’d just cleared and was taking back to be washed. That was a God-ordained miracle, considering he’d already spilled a drink and had a martini glass shatter on the concrete floor. Of course, the guys around all clapped, because that’s what assholes did when something like that happened. Elliott wondered how people like that actually had graduated from kindergarten.

He got the glasses back to the dish room without breaking any more.

“You need to be more careful,” Grant, the head of the waitstaff, told him as he got ready to head out again. “You’re here on a trial basis.”

Elliott nodded, and his self-esteem took another little ding. He had practically begged for a chance. Elliott needed a job badly or he was going to find that the life he had just managed to start was going to come crashing down around his ears. Leaving everything had been hard, but necessary, though leaving his dog with a friend had nearly killed him. And starting over had been difficult enough, but having to try to do it again when he was barely hanging on by a thread as it was…. “I know, I’m sorry.” He grabbed a clean tray and headed to check on his tables.

The beat of the music hit him like a wall as soon as he passed through the door out of the back area and into the club. Part of him fed off that beat and the energy, while another part would never get used to it. When he was out there, the music largely retreated. But when he left and then came back, it was like he’d just walked into the club for the first time. Still, he put that aside as best he could and returned to work.

“Can I get you something from the bar?” Elliott asked a group of six guys who had crammed themselves around the table he had just cleared. It was one of the smaller ones, and the guys were going to find it hard to keep their drinks straight. Maybe they didn’t care.

The guy closest to him, wearing a maroon shirt and painted-on jeans, turned in his chair, parting his legs a little, probably to give Elliott a better view. Elliott ignored the move. He’d seen it before, and frankly, he wasn’t interested. Grant had told him that this was a job. It didn’t matter that he was cute and that the guys in here were all gay—they were customers, and he was expected to act professionally, be polite, smile, and get what they wanted, but he wasn’t to flirt or spend extra time talking. Being nice was one thing; trolling for dates was quite another. And Elliott was more than ready to be done with that sort of thing.

“I’d like a martini, sweetheart.” The guy flashed a million-watt smile, but Elliott knew what those meant as well.

He jotted down the order and took the rest of them for the table. He turned, and Maroon Shirt patted his backside. Elliott whipped around, glaring and shaking his head at the man before hurrying to fill the orders.

“Did he just grab you?” Hank asked from behind the bar.

“He patted me, yeah. I think I took care of it, though.” God, Elliott wished he could get his voice to work. He was getting so tired of being afraid all the time. He felt like some jumpy cat ready to run and hide at any moment.

“If you need any backup, be sure to tell one of us. That sort of thing isn’t allowed.” Hank crooked his finger and leaned over the bar. “You are a cocktail waiter, not a piece of meat for anyone to decide that they can feel up. This is a job, not a profession.” He smiled a little. “Don’t be afraid to tell someone about things like that or to ask for help. It’s what we’re here for.”

“I don’t want to cause trouble,” Elliott said. That was the very last thing he wanted.

“You aren’t causing trouble. Someone like Mr. Touchy-Feely over there is the one to borrow trouble. Bull and his other security guys will be more than happy to toss guys like that out on their ears.” Hank gave him another smile and filled his drink order. “Go on, and know we have your back.”

“Thanks….” Elliott returned to the table, delivered the drinks, and made sure the cash they gave him was enough to cover it.

“Keep the change, little guy,” Maroon Shirt said. There was a pretty generous tip included. “And maybe when you go on a break, you can come over and spend a few minutes with us.”

“Thank you,” Elliott said for the tip and ignored the rest. “Can I bring you anything else?” He almost didn’t wait for an answer before heading to his next table, taking away the empties, and getting their orders for refills before making his way to the bar. “It’s busy tonight.”

Hank nodded, taking care of Elliott’s order and putting the dirty glasses in a busser tray for him. “It is Friday, but who knows, maybe somebody put something in the water today.”

Elliott rolled his eyes. “Yeah, let’s-behave-badly juice.” He glanced at the table. “He asked me to stop by on my break.”

“Huh…,” Hank said. “Look. When it’s break time, go over to that table instead and introduce yourselves. The guys are nice. The one looking this way is Bull’s husband, and another is Harry’s. Those four guys are great, and they aren’t going to let anyone hit on you. It will give you a few minutes away from Mr. Grabby Hands to let him cool down.” Hank stood up straighter, and Elliott followed his glare across the room to the table with the grabber.

Elliott took his drinks back to the tables and continued making the rounds. That was the part of his job he liked and what he was good at. He had been waiting tables in restaurants and clubs for years. Elliott knew what he was doing. It was the fear that crept into him that made him as jumpy as a cat.

For much of the next hour, he managed to avoid Maroon Shirt’s table. He already knew what they wanted and brought them refills, but didn’t stay long.

“Hank told me someone has been giving you trouble,” Grant said, when Elliott was taking plates and things to the dish room.

“I handled it,” Elliott said.

“Okay. Just so you know, we have your back.” Grant smiled.

At break time, Elliott took Hank’s advice and approached the table of guys a year or two older than he was. “Hi,” he said nervously. “I’m Elliott. Hank said that I should come over on my break and….” He felt stupid and was about to tell them never mind and scurry back into his little rabbit hole. He could take his break in the office area.

“I’m Zach, and this is Kevin, Tristan, and Jeremy.” Zach pushed out the empty chair at the table. “Of course you can join us. Have a seat. Do you need something to drink?”

“I’m working, so a Diet Coke or something.”

Jeremy slipped off his stool and wove through the crowd toward the bar.

Elliott sat down and placed his hands in his lap, checking the front door and hating himself for doing so.

“Are you expecting trouble to come storming through?” Zach asked. “You keep looking at the front door with dread. This is a safe place. Yeah, there are a lot of people here, but there’s plenty of security. Whatever you’re worried about, Bull and the guys can handle.”

“Are you here all the time?” Elliott practically had to shout to be heard over the music, and it made his voice rough.

“No. We usually come in a few nights a week,” Zach told him. “We work, but with the guys here until all hours most of the week, it’s a chance for us to get together and to at least be where our husbands are.” Zach smiled as Bull—a huge bald man—approached, leaned down to Zach, and kissed him fully.

“Everything all right?” Bull asked Zach.

“Yeah. Apparently, our new server, Elliott, is having trouble with a table and some wandering hands.”

“Geez, word gets around fast.” Elliott was determined not to blush because they were talking about him. “I handled it, sir,” he told Bull.

Bull turned to face him. “Okay, but we’ll keep an eye on them. If they made advances to you, then they might do it to others. We don’t allow that kind of troublemaking here. This is a gay club, and we all know that guys come in here to meet other guys and that’s part of what we’re here for. But we won’t stand for anyone being accosted or pawed at when they aren’t interested.” Bull’s gaze grew hard for a second and then softened. “We’re a family here. The people who work for us, Harry and I, all of the people here, we look out for them.”

Elliott nodded. “Thank you.” Those few words were as close to a family as he had right now. He swallowed hard. That was just what he needed to hear at the moment.

Bull placed a hand on Zach’s shoulder and leaned closer to say something in his ear. Zach grew red, and Elliott turned away; it seemed like an intrusion to watch. Then they parted, and Elliott’s heart ached for something like that. He’d thought he’d found it, but like so many of the things in his life, he’d been wrong about it.

Bull moved away, the huge man giving Elliott a single pat on the shoulder before disappearing into the crowd.

Jeremy returned and distributed a round of glasses for each of them. Elliott tried to hide his heartache by taking a drink of the soda. It went down cold and wet his throat.

Elliott checked the time and saw he had five more minutes. He drank the rest and set the empty glass on the table. “I don’t want to intrude on your time together,” Elliott said, and went to get up from the chair.

“Dude,” Jeremy said, “just sit and stay off your feet for a few minutes. It’s okay.” He smiled. “Did you just start?”

“Yeah. This is my third day, and already I’ve broken three glasses and nearly dumped two trays.” Elliott felt like such an idiot, knowing he was better than that.

“Why are you so nervous?” Jeremy asked. “Grant only hires experienced servers, so I figure something has to be up.” He smiled. “And speak of the devil.” He stepped off the chair and hugged Grant as he came to the table.

“Hey, guys,” Grant said, and turned to Elliott. “Any more problems?”

“No. But if I have any, I’ll come to you or Bull right away.” This time Elliott did get up. “I need to get back. Thank you,” he said to Jeremy and the other guys, then hurried to get a tray and check on his tables. He was glad that the night was nearly half over.

An hour later, Elliott was making his way around the edge of the club, through a crowd of people watching the dancers writhe and grind to the techno beat, when a hand descended on his shoulder. “You’ve been busy, little rabbit.”

Elliott pulled away and turned around. He hated that name. “And who are you, the big bad wolf?” he retorted, shaking his head. “I’m sorry, but I’m not interested. Now please let me get back to work.” Why did guys like this think just because they had nice eyes, good hair, and were built pretty well that they could get away with this kind of behavior?

“Come on, little rabbit. I have a carrot with your name on it.”

Elliott couldn’t help it. He practically dropped his empty tray as he started laughing. “You have got to be kidding me. Does a line like that really work on anyone? Go back to your friends or else I’ll call security and they can take care of you.” He turned away and headed toward the bar, but was wheeled around and ended up facing a rather drunk and pissed-off patron in a maroon shirt.

“I’ve been nice and tipped you well….”

Elliott’s eyes widened. “I’m not someone you can buy with a tip and then think you can come on to like this. Go back to your table and leave me alone.” He looked around to see if he could find anyone who could help him. When a pair of intense green eyes met his for a second, Elliott’s stomach went cold as ice. The crowd shifted, and when Elliott looked again, he didn’t see the man he expected. He turned and hurried away, jostling a few people, then slammed into a solid brick wall of muscle. Elliott hadn’t seen him before, but the guy was six feet six, at least, and wide as hell.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” It was only when he backed away that he saw the guy was dressed in a black polo that stretched across his ample chest, with the Bronco’s logo on the left side.

“The guy there wouldn’t leave me alone. He grabbed my backside earlier, and now he’s pushing his suit. He thinks because he tipped me well that….” The words spilled out even as Elliott kept a watchful eye for the man he feared most of all, but he didn’t see him and wondered if his fear was conjuring up things.

He looked over the crowd. “It seems your friend is getting up to leave, along with his friends. Have they paid for their drinks? And left enough that you don’t get stiffed?”

Wow, most people didn’t worry about the servers or what they got.

“Yes. They gave me the money for what I brought. I didn’t let them start a tab.” Elliott was definitely smarter than that.

“Good job. Then I’ll make sure they leave and don’t cause any more trouble. Go on toward the bar and stay there a minute.” He flashed what turned out to be a rather nice smile and then made his way toward the table.

Elliott hurried to the bar, watching out for a particular set of eyes and the man who went with them, but he didn’t see anything more.

At the bar, he placed his order with Hank and turned to watch the crowd, his heart racing. It was just a sea of guys dancing and doing that all-too-familiar mating ritual in order to entice someone else, one way or another. While Hank made his drinks, Elliott let his mind wander for just a minute. He was so familiar with those movements. Fluidity and grace on the dance floor equaled the same traits in the bedroom, while power and intensity yielded the same. At least that was the theory anyway, the one most of the guys in the club were operating under.

That used to be him. Elliott used to be one of the guys out there on the dance floor. He knew how to shake it like it was hot, because he was hot. Or at least he had been.

“You look far away,” Hank said as he set the first of the drinks on the tray.

“Sorry. Just a little more drama than I expected.” Elliott sighed and kept his thoughts from sinking back into the past. It didn’t matter any longer. What had happened was over. He’d moved away and was trying to build a new life and turn over a new leaf. That was what counted and where he needed to keep his attention.

Hank finished with his order, and Elliott took the tray and headed off. In general, most of the guys had had enough to drink that they were pretty mellow, except for the mean drunks. It was pretty easy to tell who they were, and Elliott steered clear of them.

A large group of guys left his tables a little after midnight and a new group took their places. They seemed intent on nursing their drinks for the rest of the night, which made Elliott’s job easier, but it didn’t do shit for his tips, which he needed if he was going to make his rent.

“Can I bring you anything?” Elliott asked when he made his next pass.

“No, we’re good,” one of the guys growled. “They just want us to buy their overpriced drinks.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a bottle, right in front of Elliott, and filled up his buddies’ glasses. Elliott left the table to find someone.

“Are you lost?” the huge guy he’d bumped into earlier asked.

“No. I was looking for you. The guys at tables three and four snuck in their own drinks. They have a flask taped to their body or something.”

“I’ll take care of it,” he said. “By the way, what’s your name?”

“Elliott.”

“Salvatore,” he said, and headed over to take care of the problem, which involved some yelling and two other bouncers to pick up a couple of the guys and half carry them out. The others didn’t want any trouble and left on their own.

“Thank you,” Elliott told Salvatore when he passed him again on his way back to the same tables, which had filled with other groups almost right away.

“No problem….” He looked as though he was about to say something else and stopped himself.

“What?” Elliott asked, a little confused by Salvatore’s reaction.

Salvatore shook his head as though he were trying to remove a bad thought or something. “I was about to say ‘no problem, cutie,’ but that would have been inappropriate.” He grinned and turned away.

Elliott stared after the walking wall and actually smiled to himself. At least it was better than being called rabbit or bunny or some such nonsense.

He went back to work, and it wasn’t until he was serving the next round of drinks that it hit him. Salvatore thought he was cute.

“LAST CALL” rang through the club, and when the next song ended, the music stopped and the lights came up. Thankfully not too much, but enough to tell the remaining patrons that it was time for them to go home. Elliott settled all his remaining tabs, got everything squared up at the registers, and slipped his tips into his pocket. Then he got to work wiping down the tables and chairs, stacking them up as he went.

“Elliott,” Salvatore said as he was finishing up. “There’s a guy out front looking for you. He says he’s here to take you home.”

The blood seemed to drain from his head, and for a second, Elliott thought he might pass out. “What did he look like?” Somehow he managed to get the words out.

“About thirty, with a military haircut, dressed in a suit.” Salvatore didn’t seem too concerned.

“Was he packing?” Elliott asked, and Salvatore’s posture changed completely. “Did he look like he was?”

“Shit…,” Salvatore swore under his breath. “I didn’t let him in, so I didn’t think to check. Why?”

“Ask him for ID because it’s after hours. Then say that I’m finishing up and you can’t let anyone else inside because it’s after last call and it’s against the law or something. Make something up.” His breathing came in short pants, and Elliott wondered how in the hell he was going to get out of here without being seen. It was probably too late for Salvatore to just say that he had already left. “And once he leaves, get Bull.” It was all he could think of, and Elliott found himself hoping that what Bull had said earlier was true, that the people here had his back.

“Why?” Salvatore asked.

Elliott closed his eyes and dropped his rag on the floor. “Because it looks like I’m going to have to leave.” And try to get out of here so he could disappear once again. Maybe this time he’d try a bigger city, where he could get lost in the millions of people. He had been stupid to think that he could come to this area and start over. It was too small and there weren’t enough places for him to hide. Still, he couldn’t figure out how they had found him in the first place, and he needed to know so he didn’t make the same mistake again.

Chapter 2

“LEAVE? OF course. If you have to go, I can let Bull know. That’s not an issue. From the look of things, you’re about done, and I can help you out. I mean, if there’s a family emergency or something.” Salvatore paused to listen to what he’d just said. The guy out front had said that he had come to take Elliott home, and Elliott’s first question was if the guy was packing. What the hell kind of family was this kid from? Elliott couldn’t have been more than twenty-two or twenty-three at the very most, and while he was cute, the guy was also running scared and jumpy. That was for damned certain.

“Not that kind of leave,” Elliott said. “I need to give my notice to Bull and figure out how to get out of here without the guy out front seeing me.” He was nervous as hell, shifting his weight from foot to foot, biting his lower lip so hard that it was already red and a little swollen. Salvatore wanted to soothe the abused skin with his finger, but didn’t.

“Okay. I’ll find Bull, but you need to stay here and don’t go anywhere. Promise me.” Salvatore made Elliott promise and then hurried to the back. “Bull, I need your help.”

“What is it?” Bull asked, looking up from his seat at the desk in the office, where he was preparing the receipts for the night.

“Okay….” Salvatore wasn’t sure where to start. “There’s guy out front who said he’s here to pick up the server Elliott. Said he was going to take him home. I told Elliott, and he went pale, looked like he was going to faint, and then asked me if he was packing. That isn’t like any family I know of. Now Elliott is trying to figure out how to give his notice so he can sneak out the back and disappear. This stinks like week-old garbage.”

“Sounds like something right up your alley,” Harry, Bull’s partner in the business, said with a half smile, like this was a normal occurrence.

“Yup. Come on. Let’s go have a chat with this guy and see what’s up.” Bull pushed back the chair and left the office, with Salvatore following right behind. “Elliott,” he said as soon as he saw him hovering by the bar.

“I need to go.”

Bull shook his head. “You need to stay right here. Who is this man and what does he want with you?”

Elliott blinked like a deer caught in headlights, taking a step back. “It’s best if you just let me go and I can get out of here and disappear again. You don’t need to get involved in this.”

“What?” Bull asked.

“My family. No one deserves to get on their bad side. Just get me out with no one seeing and I’ll be out of your hair.”

Bull once again shook his head. “That isn’t how things work around here.” He turned to Salvatore. “Let’s go see what we have, shall we?” Bull strode to the front door like he owned the world, unlocked it, and stepped outside. “Can I help you?” he asked with a slight smile.

“I’m here to take Elliott home, and I don’t appreciate you keeping me waiting.” The man stepped forward, but of course Bull wasn’t going to be intimidated.

“He doesn’t seem to want to go with you.” Bull drew himself up, and Salvatore stood right behind Bull, off to the side. “And it’s his choice where he wants to go and with whom. I think it’s best if you go and let Elliott decide what he wants to do.”

“Look. Elliott’s father wants him to come home, so that’s what I’m going to do, and I’m willing to go through you to get to him. Why don’t you just step aside and send Elliott out so we can take him home and that can be the end of this? No harm, no foul. Otherwise….” He left the threat hanging in the air and unfastened his coat. It was a classic intimidation move.

“I see,” Bull said.

Salvatore saw a flash of metal, and before he realized what was happening, Bull had the gun in his hand, ready to wield it like a club.

“Call the police and have them come down here now. Unless this man has a license to carry a concealed weapon here in PA, I say we let the police deal with him.” Bull stepped closer. “I’m not someone you or anyone else wants to mess with. I eat little punks like you for breakfast, and you do not get to come near my place and threaten any of the people who work for me. If you do again, you’ll feel pain in ways none of you can imagine. And you tell Elliott’s father that if he wants his son to come home, that he can use the damned phone and talk to him.”

“This isn’t going to end well….”

“For you, maybe,” Bull told him, and Salvatore was damned impressed. Bull didn’t even break a sweat with this guy.

Salvatore got out his phone, called the police, and explained the situation. “They’re on their way.” He put his phone back in his pocket.

“Good. Now, you sit down, or I’ll use this gun as a hammer and thump your skull so damned hard, you won’t be able to fucking remember your own mother’s name. That is, if you recover at all. And just so you know, it will all be self-defense. I have plenty of witnesses that you can’t see and have no idea have been watching you. So, ass on the pavement, now.”

The guy didn’t move and glared at Bull. Salvatore was ready to act, but Bull swept the guy’s feet out from under him with one quick leg movement, sending him sprawling to the concrete sidewalk.

“Jesus.”

“He isn’t going to help you.” Bull pressed his knee to the guy’s back. “You decided to do this the hard, painful way.” He added additional pressure so his spine stayed right there.

“You’re hurting me,” the man growled. “You’ll pay.”

“Actually, I’m fully within my rights. You threatened me with a gun. I disarmed you, and now I’m making sure you can’t hurt me or my colleague any further. I could smash your head into the pavement a few times for you.” Bull didn’t, and they waited as sirens grew closer and then flashing lights pulled up to the curb.

“What do you have, Bull?” the police officer said as he got out of the car.

“Someone that might be interesting to you, Tom. He came here demanding that one of my servers go with him. He threatened me and was carrying concealed. Salvatore can verify my facts for me. You might want to check that he has a permit. He’s claiming that he was sent here by the guy’s father. What kind of fucking family sends an enforcer to get their son?” Bull set the gun on the pavement a good distance away.

“Did you disarm him?” Officer Tom asked.

“It was a piece of cake,” Bull said, and Salvatore figured he was just rubbing it in. “The guy is all intimidation on the outside, with little to back up his mouth.”

“We’ll take it from here,” Officer Tom told him, and took custody of the guy. “You want to give us a name?”

“Go to hell,” the guy swore.

Officer Tom simply shrugged. “We’ll take him in and find him a really nice cell. Let him think things over with some friends.” Tom was clearly enjoying this.

“Thanks.” Bull stood, and Officer Tom marched the suspect out to the curb as another car arrived. They got him in the back of the car that arrived, and then Officer Tom approached Bull. “I need to speak to your server and find out what’s going on. I suspect this is a pretty hardened guy, and from what you’ve told me….” He groaned.

“Yeah, I know. I don’t like the sound of this at all,” Bull said, leading the way inside. Hank and Grant sat with an obviously nervous Elliott. His leg bounced, and he wrung his hands in addition to punishing his lip.

They pulled over chairs, and Salvatore sat next to Elliott, keeping an eye on him to try to help keep him calm. “It’s okay. We all want to try to help you,” he told him gently.

Elliott shook his head and seemed to withdraw further.

“He’s right,” Officer Tom said. “We have the man in custody on a weapons charge for now. But do you know his name?”

“Roderick Young,” Elliott said. “He works for my father. Does the kind of jobs that my father will only trust to him.” He sounded small and frightened, his voice quivering a little. “He isn’t going to tell you anything, and I suspect that there will be a lawyer at your station within the hour.” Elliott sighed. “I thought I had managed to get away from him.”

“Your father?” Salvatore asked.

“Yes.” The others all turned to him. Elliott seemed to respond to his questions. “Well, my stepfather, anyway.” Elliott shivered.

“Why does he want you to come home so badly that he’d send an armed man to get you?”

Elliott sighed and didn’t answer. Instead, he looked at each person around him. “I don’t want to put all of you in the line of fire, okay? This is a fight between the two of us, and I moved here to get away from him. I didn’t tell anyone, and I don’t use anything electronic. My phone is one of those you can get at Walmart and have to load minutes on. I do it in cash. I don’t have credit cards or even a bank account. Everything is cash.”

“But your name? You used your name.”

Elliott blushed a little. “I had to use a fake last name. When I decided to try to disappear, I got a new identity. My father isn’t the only one who knows people who will do just about anything for a little money. And then I disappeared and came here to try to start over. I needed a chance to have a life of my own.” Elliott swallowed. “For all your sakes, just let me go and I’ll disappear once again.”

“How?” Salvatore asked quietly.

“You think I only got one identity? Why get one when you can get two for the same price?” So Elliott had a sense of humor under all that fear. He turned to Grant. “You all have been nice to me and gave me a chance. I’m sorry I’ve been as jumpy as a cat and all, but it’s best if you all just go on with your lives, let me go, don’t ask too many questions, and forget you ever saw or knew me. You can tell Roderick that I did a rabbit, and he’ll go back to my stepfather and they can try to find me again.” He sighed. “At least all of you will be safe.”

Bull stepped forward, stopping Elliott with a glare. “I think it’s time you quit your running and told us all what’s going on. This isn’t helping you or anyone.”

“Who is your stepfather?” Officer Tom asked.

Elliott sighed loudly. “Antonio Losquaro.”

The name meant nothing to Salvatore, and it didn’t seem to register with Bull either. Officer Tom seemed confused. “Should we know him?”

“No. That’s the issue. My stepfather controls a lot of things in Pittsburgh, including trucking and garbage collection, stuff like that. He also has his hands in real estate, ladies of the evening, drug distribution, and God knows that else. But no one knows about it. He hides behind a number of associates and entities. Like a modern-day gangster, but with corporate shells and holding companies that make following his path nearly impossible.” Elliott stood.

“That doesn’t explain why he is so interested in you,” Salvatore pointed out.

Elliott paled and clammed up tight.

“Okay,” Bull said. “We aren’t going to make you say what you don’t want to. But know this. Running and hiding isn’t the answer, not to something like this. You can go where you want, but if he can find you once, he’ll do it again. He obviously has his ways. His associate is in jail, and Tom here is going to do what he can to see that he stays there.”

“I better get back to the station so I can build a case fast. If a lawyer is already on the way, I need to have a case for a judge to deny him bail. He’s definitely a flight risk.”

Elliott snickered. “As soon as you let him loose, he will be out of the state.”

Tom smiled. “Good to know.” He backed away and pulled Bull aside. They talked softly, and then Officer Tom left the club and Bull returned.

“Hank and Grant, you two go on home and get some rest.” They nodded. “And call when you get home so I know you’re safe.”

“Will do,” Hank said, taking Grant’s arm, and the two of them left together.

Bull pulled up a chair and sat right in front of Elliott. Salvatore moved closer to Elliott to show a little support.

“I don’t want you to go, okay? Running isn’t going to help you, and what are you going to do when he finds you again… and again? Because he will and you know it.”

“But what about all of you?” Elliott asked.

“I’m not without my skills, and I’ve dealt with men like your stepfather before. Hell, I’ve dealt with men much worse than you could ever imagine. It’s part of my life from before that seems to keep making an appearance whenever I least expect it. The thing is that you are safer with us than you are alone.”

Elliott bowed his head forward. “Why would you all want to help me? I’m just some kid off the street you hired less than a week ago. I’m not worth you all getting hurt over.”

Bull placed one of his big hands on Elliott’s leg, and it took all Salvatore’s self-control not to swipe it away. He hated that Bull was touching him. It didn’t matter that it was not in any sexual way or that Bull was devoted to Zach; it sent a wave of irrational jealousy running through him. “Why don’t you let us decide what’s worth fighting for and what isn’t?” Bull nodded. “I’ve done things that your stepfather can’t possibly imagine, so I’m offering you this. If you want to stay, we’ll be here with you.”

“Why?” Elliott asked, clearly not fathoming what was going on. “No one does something for nothing.”

“Maybe where you come from. But here, in this club, and with me, I do things because they’re the right thing to do. For years I did things because I was ordered to, and I didn’t question it. When it got to be too much, I got the hell out through a miracle. I stopped following orders and followed my heart when I met Zach, and he made me want to do things because they’re the right things to do.” Bull backed away. “The decision is yours and no one else’s.”

Elliott didn’t move for quite a while, his head hung low. Salvatore hoped he decided to stay, but it seemed as though there was no more fight in him. All that he got from Elliott was the need to run and hide. His entire posture and demeanor screamed scared rabbit. Salvatore hated to see it, but there was nothing he or Bull could do to help someone like that. Bull knew it too, and he stood and put his chair away.

Salvatore sat where he was, determined to wait until Elliott gave them some sort of answer. “What is it to be?” he asked quietly. He could almost see the moment Elliott made his decision.

He took a deep breath and finally raised his gaze. “Okay. I’ll stay,” he said. “But you don’t know what you’re getting yourself into.”

Bull nodded. “Then tomorrow, before you start work, you and I need to have a talk in my office, and you can tell me exactly what it is you think we’re in for. No one can fight without information, and you’re going to have to tell us everything you can about your stepfather and his operations.”

“Okay.” Elliott seemed resigned to it.

“For tonight, you need a safe place that you can stay. Don’t think about going near your apartment. If your stepfather is as you say, that will be watched already.”

“He can stay with me. I have the room at my place, and it isn’t like anyone is going to connect me with him,” Salvatore offered. “I live just up north in Italian Lake, and at this time of night, no one is around, so anyone following is going to stick out like a sore thumb.”

Spook came in through the back to join them. He was one of Bull’s colleagues and also worked security at the club. “There are no tracking devices on any of the cars, and as near as I can tell, our visitor came alone.” Sometimes it was creepy just how much Spook knew, and yet he was rarely seen—hence the name. The man had superpowers. “I’ll make sure they get out of here with no one seeing, and then I’m going to go home.” He patted Bull on the shoulder and quietly left the room.

“Take him home and watch out for him,” Bull said gently. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Elliott shook his head. “You don’t even know what my stepfather is capable of.”

Bull stopped and turned around. “Elliott, your stepfather has no idea what I’m capable of, and I think he’s the one who should be worried.” He turned away and left the floor.

“Come on. Let’s get out of here. I don’t know about you, but I could use something to eat and then a soft bed for a few hours.” Salvatore did his best to stifle the threatening yawn, but failed. It was nearly three in the morning, and the summer sun would be rising soon enough.