The Talented Mr. Rivers (9 page)

Hunter's fingertips brushed over Will's ears, then slipped around to the top of his cheeks, just under the glasses' edge. Down to his mouth. “Make me out?”

Words started to fumble in Will's brain. This close he could feel Hunter's breath blow across his cheek. “You know what I mean.”

“Tell me.” Hunter leaned in. “Say the words nice and slow.”

“You need to stop thinking about me as some college kid.” Will followed the words with a touch. He flattened his palm against Hunter's chest and let it trail down to his flat stomach.

A small shake moved through Hunter. “You're younger than me.”

“Not by that much.” Will refused to get derailed by the world outside the door or doubts or even whatever wave of panic might hit Hunter and send him flying into asshole territory.

“Something like ten years.”

He seemed to have the math ready. Will guessed that meant it mattered to Hunter for some reason. Will didn't give a shit. “Maybe it's time you see me as a man. My own man.”

Hunter's breath came hard now. His chest almost heaved from the force of it. “Prove to me you deserve it.”

Will didn't play games. Why bother, when it was obvious, despite everything, he wanted the man standing in front of him. “This time I fuck you.”

“You like when I'm in charge.”

“You're not stupid enough to think the person on top is always the one in control, right?” Will knew he had power over Hunter. He could hide a lot of things, but not his reactions. The groaning, the way his body shook. No, that all belonged to Will.

A smile spread across Hunter's face. “I knew it.”

Will slipped his shirt up and off and let it fall to the floor. “What?”

“From the moment I saw you I knew it would be like this. Dirty, with you just as into it as I was.”

But they weren't touching yet, and Will wanted that to stop. “Damn straight.”

“Not even a little straight, actually.” Hunter laughed and the rich sound flowed through the room.

Will wasn't sure he'd really ever heard the sound from Hunter before. It spun right to his lower half, making him more determined than ever to get them both out of their clothes. Now. “Take your pants off.”

Hunter lifted his arms and held them out to the sides. “You do it.”

Oh, no.
Will intended to savor this. “I want you naked and on your hands and knees on the mattress.”

Hunter's eyebrow lifted. “Or?”

“I'll put you there.”

For a second Hunter didn't move. He stood there, arms wide, with an assessing gaze. Then his fingers went to his zipper. The rip echoed through the room as he brought it down. Slowly, almost painfully so, he stripped off his jeans and boxer briefs. Let them pool by his sneakers. In a few swift moves he had everything off and threw his T-shirt on the floor behind him.

Never broke eye contact. Never hesitated.

Will didn't hide his appreciation. His gaze wandered over Hunter's muscles and across that chest. Over the scars to the light bruise just below his rib cage. That one was new and thanks to the attack in the club.

Every imperfect mark had Will's breathing kicking up until it raced to a gallop. Without a word, he nodded toward the bed.

Hunter must have sensed the subtle shift in power. Picked up on Will's need to control whatever happened tonight. At first he sat on the edge of the bed. When Will didn't come closer, Hunter turned over, balanced his weight on his knees, and slid his arms along the bed until his forehead rested against the mattress.

Will almost lost it. “That's better.”

“Stop talking.”

Will stepped up behind him. Ran his hand over Hunter's ass. “Stop acting like you're in charge.”

“Do it.” Hunter's hands balled into fists as he grabbed the sheet.

“So bossy.” Will's belt jangled as he opened it and unfastened the top button of his jeans. “You should ask nicely.”

“Now.”

Will's hand slipped around to Hunter's stomach, then to his erection. He was hard and ready. That made two of them. “Yeah, now.”

Will forced his body back. He started around the side of the bed.

“What the hell are you doing?” Hunter sounded ready to fight.

“I want you really ready.” Will's hand shook as he opened the drawer next to Hunter's side of the bed and grabbed what he needed.

“I don't…” Hunter's narrowed eyes focused on the tube in Will's hand. “Oh.”

“You didn't think I'd just force myself in, did you?” Will didn't waste time. He slid his jeans off and put the condom on. There was no way he could string this out. Not when he wanted this so much.

“I don't care what you do.”

Will's hand went to Hunter's back and he slid it down to his neck, pushing Hunter's body lower as he went. “You will.”

Then Will couldn't talk. It took all of his energy and concentration to get Hunter ready and keep from losing it. To keep from spilling right there.

His fingers tightened around Hunter's neck. Not tight, but just enough pressure to let him know who was in control. Hunter's chest flattened against the mattress as a low guttural sound escaped his throat.

None of it—Hunter's reaction or the heat coming from his skin—sidetracked Will. He pushed inside Hunter, slow at first, giving him time to adjust. But when Hunter widened his legs and put a hand over the one on his neck, Will didn't hold back. He thrust in and out, forcing his body to vary the speed.

The plunging lit his body on fire. Every cell burst to life. He pounded and his hips shifted. Hunter's body wrapped around him and it felt so good.

After a few minutes, Hunter moaned. “Harder.”

Will angled his hips and gave Hunter what he wanted. What they both needed. And as his body started to tip and the first ripples of an orgasm hit him, he slipped his hand around to Hunter's stomach, then moved lower. Wrapped his fingers around him and jerked in time with the press of his body against Hunter's.

That's all it took. Hunter's elbow wobbled and his body started to shake. One final plunge and Will's hips shifted. He tried to catch his breath as he came. Ignored the squeak of the mattress and focused on the rough sounds Hunter made as the orgasm ripped through him.

Even as his body still bucked, Will knew the truth. This was more than just sex. And that meant he probably was screwed.

Hunter flopped against the mattress. “We're going to need new sheets.”

“I'm sure we can figure something out.” Will kicked off his jeans and slid along the bed to lay beside Hunter.

“Your talents are never-ending.”

Will noticed Hunter's words were slurred and his eyes barely stayed open. “Are you going to sleep on me?”

“I'm pretty relaxed.”

Not what Will expected. Hunter always seemed to be on call and ready. He wasn't one to drift off. Maybe that meant something. “I'm not sure that's flattering.”

“It's the biggest compliment.” Those eyes focused on Will, but barely. “I don't trust anyone enough to fall into a deep sleep.”

“But you trust me.”

“I'm not sure how it happened.” Hunter sounded stunned at the thought.

Will smiled at that. “You can sleep. I'm not going anywhere.”

Hunter's eyes popped open. “Promise?”

A strange peace settled inside Will. He didn't know why but there was something about this relaxed moment in the quiet room that felt so right. “You'd miss me?”

“I'd hunt you down and drag you back.” Hunter nodded off.

“Then I'll stay.” Will knew Hunter was asleep or close to it. Still, he leaned over and kissed Hunter's forehead. “With you is where I want to be right now anyway. Because you're right. You can trust me.”

Right as Will closed his eyes he heard it. Low, almost a grumble, but the words were clear. So was the way Hunter's hand moved to cover one of Will's. “You're mine.”

Will waited a few more minutes to answer. Until Hunter's breathing evened out. “Yes, I am.”

Hours later Will shifted on the mattress. They'd had sex twice, with each taking a turn on top. They didn't discuss it. It just happened. A natural back-and-forth and shifting of control.

Now Will could feel Hunter's arm heavy across his stomach. Feel his deep breathing on the side of his neck. But there was something. The air was wrong, the lack of noise…His eyes popped open and a shadow loomed. He blinked twice but the outline was unmistakable. He reached over to snap on the light.

Hunter groaned as he buried his face tighter against Will's side. “What the hell?”

But Will couldn't move. “Peter?”

Hunter sat up, switching to fully awake as he reached for his gun on the table next to him.

Peter just smiled. “I see I came back just in time.”

Hunter vowed to kill Seth. Peter had walked right into the apartment without making a sound, which meant Seth hadn't just made it easy for Peter and Ed and whoever else to walk in off the street and find them. He'd made it easy for Peter to actually get inside. That involved remotely turning off the alarm while he all but drew a big flashing arrow pointing to the place.

It was some sort of trap, had to be, but for whatever reason reinforcements didn't come barreling in to take the guy down. No, Peter stood right at the end of the bed. Watching. God knew how long he'd been there. Hunter refused to think about what could have happened or why, for the first time ever, he'd dropped into a deep sleep instead of staying aware at all times.

With a gun in one hand, Hunter's other arm snaked under the pillow for the knife he'd hidden there. His fingers touched the hilt. He didn't grab it, but he could if he needed to.

This wasn't meant to be a friendly chat. Not unless Peter usually brought a weapon to a welcome meeting. Right now he held it loose by his side, but Hunter knew he could shoot. The whole damn Rivers family had a talent with guns.

Peter's gaze slipped over the white sheet and finally landed on Will's face. “I guess you're not familiar with the concept of ‘don't fuck the help.' ”

That was enough of that. Hunter slid one foot to the floor and sat up straighter. “Get out.”

Peter didn't even spare him a glance. “You work for me.”

“He's
with
me.” Will actually held out an arm. It shot right in front of Hunter's midsection like a mother might do when she slammed on her car brakes too hard. “He's not your employee.”

It took a second for Will's words to register. He was actually playing the role of protector. Hunter almost laughed at the thought. He could rappel off the sides of mountains and jump out of helicopters. Never mind how he could destroy a shooting range or an obstacle course in ten seconds. All that training, all those years of being a human weapon, and Will was trying to save him.

It was weird and pretty damn humbling. It should have been an unwelcome sensation, the kind of thing Hunter shook off or pretended he didn't hear. He wasn't the emotional type. He didn't depend on others because he'd learned young that one wrong word and his world could flip upside down. That so-called parental love was actually very conditional.

But this hit him differently. His usual skepticism didn't rise. He didn't feel the rushing need to bolt. No, Will had stood up for him and Hunter…what? Liked it? He didn't even know how to process or describe the feeling that overtook him. He did know that he suddenly didn't want Will anywhere near Peter. Brother or not, Hunter couldn't risk it.

“So, you think you have a big, loyal boyfriend now?” Peter used the gun to point in Hunter's direction. His attention finally switched to Hunter after he asked Will the question. “Is that what you're supposed to be?”

Good—that's exactly where Hunter wanted Peter's focus. On him. Off Will. “I thought you were dead.”

“See, that's the interesting part.” Peter sat down on the edge of the bed with the gun resting in his hand on his lap. “It was your job to save me.”

Hunter moved his leg out of the way just in time. “Wrong.”

“That's an unfortunate answer.” Peter let out a long dramatic sigh as he turned back to Will. “Your boy toy—”

“Oh, come on.” Hunter almost took out the knife for that comment alone.

“—ran away when the house exploded.” Peter's gaze shot to Hunter. “Do you deny it? You had one job and you failed. You should have been focused on getting me and Will out, not on saving yourself.”

“He carried out his main job. He came to find me.” Will sat straight up with his long legs stretched out in front of him. He didn't have a weapon and didn't reach out to pull up the sheet, which was gathered on his hips.

Didn't look scared either, which intrigued Hunter. With all he knew about Peter and the dysfunctional family dynamic he'd just assumed there would be an undercurrent of wariness when the brothers saw each other again. In its absence, Hunter was the one who started assessing. He had no idea what the obvious lack of concern meant or how to take that epiphany.

At least he didn't have to decipher alone…not that he was ready to admit working with others was a great strategy. But Hunter knew the team was watching. He had to stall to give Seth time to do whatever he planned to do now that Peter was there. But he needed to hurry because Peter was not the type to idly flash a gun around. If he had it out, he was more than prepared to use it.

Not wanting to antagonize but needing the attention back on him, Hunter poked a bit. Aimed for just the right spot to get Peter talking. “You were gone. You're the one who abandoned your brother, not me. I handled my post and responsibilities.”

“I had to find Stacia.” Peter's hand tightened around the gun but his finger stayed off the trigger. “Make sure she was dead.”

This guy, the true heir to Pentasus, he was a piece of garbage. No question. He'd picked his side long ago and it included murder for cash. He'd helped to shape the family business his father handed down into an international killing machine. “She's your sister. Maybe have some respect.”

“She was the competition. That's the way my father set it up and we played the game.”

“Peter.” Will sounded disgusted.

“I found her. Shot.” Peter's eyebrow lifted as he looked to Hunter. “Your doing, I suppose?”

“Definitely not.” Hunter could claim a lot of sins, had taken far too many lives in the name of justice and the general good, but Stacia's death was not on his head.

“So, Stacia was killed. Our father was killed. The guards were killed. The CIA garbage got away and you survived.” Peter's voice took on a singsongy quality as he reeled off his list. “You can see where that might test my trust.”

Fire had raced through the house that night. Walls toppled and windows exploded. He'd assumed Peter would run to safety, trampling over everyone in his path. But maybe Peter had kept his eyes open, which could make this current mission even harder.

“People scattered.” Hunter glanced over at Will, but he just sat there. Listening, taking it all in.

“You didn't get paid to run. You failed.” Peter actually smiled. It was feral and registered more as a smirk, but he sure seemed to be enjoying himself. “Do you know what happens to people who fail me?”

“You don't get a say this time,” Will said.

Peter's expression morphed into stone-cold hate as his head whipped around and he faced Will again. “Excuse me, little brother?”

“No one touches Hunter. Ever.” Will bent over the side of the bed and grabbed Hunter's abandoned T-shirt. Slipping it over his head, Will put both feet on the floor as he looked around, likely for pants. “He's mine.”

“Dear God, you're not in love, are you?” Peter made a face. Actually sounded appalled at the idea.

Will grabbed his jeans and practically jumped into them but didn't bother with the button or zipper. “Where have you been and why are you here now?”

Hunter didn't realize he was holding his breath, waiting for the answer to Peter's question. When Will ignored it, the air whooshed right out of Hunter and he had to cough to cover up the sound.

“Excellent question.” Peter changed again, this time shifting to a firm voice and business manner. Very serious. Kind of like how he might act in a legitimate business meeting, if he even had those anymore. “I need to talk to you. Your guard can wait in the hall.”

Will shook his head. “He stays.”

“Don't test me, Will.”

Will didn't even flinch at his older brother's harsh tone. “I was about to say the same thing to you.”

Stark silence blanketed the room. After a few seconds Peter laughed at a joke only he seemed to get. “All that training is finally kicking in. Good—you're going to need it.”

Hunter suddenly felt very naked. He used his foot to feel around on the floor for his jeans. Giving up, he tugged open the nearby drawer.

“Hey!” Peter's gun aimed right at Hunter again.

“Just getting dressed.” Hunter dragged another pair of jeans out. But Peter's words kept snagging his attention. “What do you mean he's going to need it?”

“Don't leave the bed on my account,” Peter said.

That only made Hunter move faster. He shoved the knife in his pocket and held on to the gun.

“Hey.” Will actually snapped his fingers and got his brother's attention. “Explain what you were saying.”

“Stacia made some arrangements with people, not our type of people. The kind who are more interested in supplying weapons than in targeted attacks. These men will do anything, including fund their main business with both human and drug trafficking. Not our type of people at all.” Peter's expression made it clear he thought he sat at the top of the food chain with all others below him. “I saw it coming when she brought them around to the house, but she wouldn't listen to my warnings.”

Will sighed. “You're saying Stacia got into bed with the wrong people?”

“Literally.” Peter shook his head. “But she wasn't naive about it. She went in with her eyes wide open, hoping to expand business in that direction.”

Will swore under his breath. “What does that have to do with me?”

“They'll come to you. Test your loyalty.” Peter put the gun away. Tucked it in the small of his back and let his jacket fall over it. “Kill you, if they feel like they need to.”

Hunter debated making a move. Tackling the guy and tying him up. Taking him in and ending this part of the sick game. But instinctively he knew that was the wrong plan. There were too many moving parts and pieces of information he didn't know—Stacia's arrangements, the other players, if there were guards waiting nearby.

“Who are they?” At least Hunter could get a handle on that much, and use Will's safety to do it. “How do I protect him if I don't know who to watch out for?”

For a second Peter just stood there. After a brief look around, he started moving. Went to the window and peeked out, moved the curtains to the side while staying out of a direct angle to the outside. He let the curtains fall again and walked around the couch. Even straightened the pillows.

It was a strange show. Hunter didn't understand the waste of time or the big production but he knew from experience Peter liked everything just right. He was the guy who lined up the bottom edge of his towels with a ruler. Turned every bottle in his medicine cabinet so that the labels matched up. Insisted the house staff stack the dishes a certain way.

His life was about order. Despite the playboy looks and overstuffed bank accounts, he kept the outward show of his personal life pretty rigid. Behind closed doors, he preferred to watch others have sex than to get sweaty himself. His file had been clear about that hobby, but Hunter had never figured out a way to use the information. Hell, thanks to Seth and the inadvertent placement of cameras in the apartment, he'd had his own run with providing a sex show.

“Just say it, Peter.” Will went to the couch. Away from the bed. “Who are we talking about here?”

“He goes by Reynard Gatt.” Peter shook his head. “His business is lucrative but people don't trust him. He needs Pentasus and the Rivers reputation to make this work.”

“His business isn't exactly based on trust.”

“He has a nasty habit of killing people who disagree with him. He doesn't understand the concept of keeping the client happy, like we do.”

It was all Hunter could do not to laugh. Peter talked about Pentasus as if it were something other than a killing machine.

“The point is he'll come and talk a big game about you taking over Pentasus. But the goal—the real goal—is to put you in power, feed off the family reputation until he has enough client support, establishes the contacts he needs, and learns the business.”

“How can I help with any of that?” Will asked.

“You are the one person, other than me, who will have access to all the Pentasus information. That is your birthright and arrangements are being made right now to get that intel to you. Father saw to that and I have no control or way to stop it. One day soon you will know.”

“But Gatt thinks he already has access and can step in right now.” Hunter suspected that was the case and Peter's nod confirmed it.

“He will learn all of our secrets for keeping Pentasus going and off the radar and then he'll take you out. To remove Pentasus from our family's hands for good and take over.” Peter had gotten very animated. Toward the end of the speech he acted the words out as he spoke.

Will shrugged. “Is that such a terrible thing? We could find another business. We do have some legitimate ones.”

“Ask again.” The gun came out of nowhere. One second Will put the question out there and the next Peter pointed a gun in his face.

“Stop.” Hunter practically leapt over the bed. He came up at Peter's side. “Put that away.”

Without breaking eye contact with Will, Peter switched his aim to Hunter. “This is a nice love nest, but you deserve better.”

The stance was all wrong. Too open and vulnerable. Hunter could disarm him, take the guy out, in two seconds. But he waited.

“You mean more expensive,” Will said.

“I mean you're a goddamn Rivers.” Peter's arm dropped to his side again and the barrel swung out of firing range. “You've had only the finest of everything. Our father built a dynasty and I have no intention of losing it. If I have to wipe out the entire fucking CIA to maintain what's ours, I will. I don't care who you fuck, but at least pretend you understand me on this point.”

“They blew up our house with us in it.” Will's voice took on an edge of desperation. “Infiltrated Pentasus and attacked from within.”