A Restored Man (48 page)

"Good," Robert said, withdrawing a gun from his suit jacket. "I hope you said all your good-byes."

Fucking hell
. He hated guns, especially when people kept pointing them at him. He had no idea how to get out of this and he was cursing up a storm in his head at Aidan for taking so long to get to the port knowing damn well where—more or less—he was going to be. Aidan was a fucking detective, why the hell wasn't he detecting?

"A gun? Really? Man up and fight me with your fists," Cole challenged.

Robert laughed. "I'm not a junkyard dog or a worthless thug like you."

That stung. Asshole
.

Cole crossed his arms and tried to appear relaxed. "You're just a different type of thug. Did you really think calling the cops on me would get me out of the way so you could make your move on Ty?"

Robert huffed a laugh. "I underestimated you. You are far more perceptive than you appear to be. Ty will be mine."

Cole scowled. "Did you go to villain school or something? Who the hell talks like that? It's no wonder he doesn't want you. You're too fucking creepy. You really think he'd want you after all this?" He was officially kicking Aidan's ass when he got out of this. What the hell was taking him so long?

Robert's lip curled into a smile that twisted into a sneer. "He needs me. I'm the only man who can get him out of this situation."

"You're the idiot who put him
in
this situation," Cole said, trying to buy some time while he controlled his simmering anger.

Robert shrugged and grinned. "He'll eventually realize he needs to partner up with me to get out of this. Besides, he and I could make a fortune together."

The thought repulsed Cole. And where the fuck was Aidan? He's supposed to be a super-cop. Why didn't he just swoop in here with a fucking cape or something?

There was a noise off to the side. Robert turned to his two guys. "Go check it out." He kept his gun trained on Cole as the two men raced away through the maze of bins. "I hope you said good-bye to Ty as well."

"Nah. I'll see him in a little bit," Cole said, trying for nonchalant.

"I don't think you are grasping the magnitude of the situation."

Cole rolled his eyes. "Dude, I swear. You must have gotten a gold star at that school."

Robert pulled the hammer back with his thumb to ready the pistol and took a step closer. "Your mouth is going to get you in trouble."

"Tell me something I don't know." Cole tried to maintain his composed, steady exterior. He stared down Robert as the anger started to boil over. There was no way he was going to let this bastard win. No way would the outcome be anything other than him walking out of there and seeing Ty again and telling him those three words he needed to say.

I love you.

He could say it. He'd thought about it enough times, he'd practiced it in his head. But the words never seemed to pass his lips. Ty was right. How could he screw it up? However bad it would be, Ty would know he meant it.

I love you.

Three tiny words. Each relevant and strong on their own, but combined managed to harness more power than he had imagined.

And he'd been holding back from Ty.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

I'm so stupid. It's easy. I love you.

He opened his eyes and channeled his rage. There was no way in hell this asshole was taking away his chance to finally say the words to the man he loved. There was no way he was going to let this bastard take away his future with Ty. Cole took a step forward. Robert jerked his head and took a step back.

Cole took advantage of the slight hesitation and lunged toward Robert. He swept his left hand upward to push away the gun and swung a right uppercut to connect with Robert's face. Cole grabbed Robert by the collar and hooked his right fist back in the air ready for another punch, then another, and another. The rage took over, and everything other than the bloody target in front of him was a dizzying blur.

A force stronger than his wrath pulled him off his target. "Calm down, we've got them."

Cole closed his eyes and tried to steady his breathing past the anger that vibrated through his body.

"I'm not letting you go until you calm down," Aidan whispered by his ear.

Cole opened his eyes and saw a bloody Robert on the ground with his hands cuffed behind his back. The two uniformed officers then pulled him to his feet. More men with FBI vests emerged from the maze of containers with the other two men disarmed and cuffed. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, finally feeling the anger slow to a simmer.

Aidan released Cole and stepped away. He turned and looked at Aidan, who stood staring at him intently. "Tell me you got what you needed," Cole said.

Aidan nodded. "Yup. We're good. Your audio got screwed up."

"One of his guys grabbed me by the neck."

"That probably did it," Aidan said with a sigh. "Doesn't matter. I was close enough to record it on my phone and confirmed it's what we needed before we made our appearance."

Cole scowled. "So you were here the whole fucking time that prick had a gun pointed at me? Is that payback for the Jessie dinner?" He crossed his arms and grunted.

"He wasn't going to shoot. He's a wuss," Aidan said with a shrug. "He would have had his muscle take the shot for him. And yes, payback's a bitch. Deal with it, you meddling prick."

"You're a certifiable asshole." Cole looked over to Robert getting escorted away, happy he got a few punches in, but hating himself for letting the anger take over. "He was right about one thing."

"What's that?"

"He underestimated me," Cole said, turning back to face Aidan. He took a deep breath and tried to let the anger fade.

A hint of a smile ghosted over Aidan's face. "That he did."

Cole clenched and released his fists, trying to stop the shaking of his hands. "I need to see Ty. Where is he?"

"Back at the warehouse and probably pissed. He wanted to come but I wasn't sure what we'd find here," Aidan said. The unspoken
I-wasn't-sure-if-you'd-be-dead
lingered between them. "I asked your guys to make sure he didn't leave." He reached into his pocket. "Take my SUV. I'll ride back with the guys."

Cole raised an eyebrow.

Aidan exhaled heavily. "Take it before I have a chance to reconsider."

Cole snatched the keys from Aidan and exited through the shipping containers from where Aidan had arrived. He found the parked SUV waiting and jumped inside, shifting into gear as he snapped on his seatbelt.

He needed to get to Ty. He needed to say the words.

I love you.

He now knew it was one thing he couldn't screw up.

Ty was going stir crazy. He paced and ran his hands through his hair for the billionth time in the last twenty minutes. Cole had to be fine. Everything was fine. He was coming back.

He had to.

The radio silence was painful and becoming unbearable. He cursed Aidan and his insistence on leaving Cole's guys to babysit him. They were wrapping up their gear and occasionally looked over their shoulders to give him a pitying glance. They assured him Cole would find a way out of things like he usually did, but he didn't care. He didn't need assurances, he needed Cole. He had to know what was happening. He paced the room again and stopped when he faced the back wall. He screwed his eyes shut, trying to stave off the emotions that threatened to take over. He could sense his inner strength slowly fading. His throat was too tight and his chest felt as if it had been pierced.

The thought of losing Cole was unbearable.

The thought that it was all
his
fault would break him.

"Guys, can I please have the room?" he heard from behind.

Cole.

Ty's entire body sagged with relief and his legs weakened. He placed the palm of his hand against the wall to steady himself. His heart pounded fiercely in his chest and his pulse raced. Cole was safe. It wasn't his imagination. He heard Cole's voice and could feel his presence in the room. He exhaled a heavy breath and felt a tremor travel his body when a strong, muscled arm snaked around his waist.

"I love you," Cole whispered.

Ty gasped when those three small words blew across his ear. He knew he was loved, but hearing Cole actually say it clogged his throat in a suffocating grip of emotions. His heart punched against his chest as his belt was pulled off and his jeans pulled down in a swift move. He threw his head back onto Cole's shoulder when strong, firm, familiar fingers wrapped around his already hard shaft. He turned his head and finally opened his eyes, the love he saw staring back at him in those mismatched eyes was indisputable.

"I love you," Cole said, leaning in and devouring Ty's mouth in a kiss.

Ty reached behind him and gripped Cole's muscled thigh, tugging him closer as the life poured back into his soul through the kiss. He reached up with his other hand and dug his fingers under the beanie to grab a handful of dark, silky strands.

Ty's head lolled to the side, unable to fight the need coursing through his body as Cole kissed a trail along his neck. Cole released him for a moment and deftly pulled both their shirts off then pushed his body against Ty's, pressing his lips against the back of Ty's neck. Ty pushed his forehead against the cold wall, hoping to cool the desire and need igniting the blood in his veins with each heated graze of skin and each brush of demanding lips.

Ty looked over his shoulder and watched Cole retrieve two packets from his wallet before tossing it to the ground. He closed his eyes and tried to settle his breathing while his pulse sped in anticipation. He heard the jingle of Cole's belt and the zip of his pants seconds before he felt the welcoming heat of Cole's arousal press against his backside. He planted both hands on the wall in front of him, hoping to ground himself, anxious for what he knew would follow. His breathing was labored and his mind clouded with desire and a desperate urgency to reconnect with Cole after almost losing him. Cole ripped a packet with his teeth just as slick fingers entered him.

"I need you," Cole said, his voice shaking and his warm breath heating Ty's already sensitive skin. "Please."

Ty pushed back into Cole and bit his lip, reveling in the welcome invasion and sharp burn as the fingers stretched him.

Cole wrapped his arm around Ty's waist again when he entered him in one swift push. Ty's body arched and a strangled moan escaped. He gripped Cole's thigh tightly, trying to hold on as Cole relentlessly thrust into him, the heat and fullness almost too much for his already heated body.

"I love you," Cole said between grunts and groans.

Ty pushed one hand hard against the wall to steady their bodies as they both fought to get closer, tighter. Cole's arm tightened around his waist and his other arm wrapped around Ty's shoulders, pulling him in, taking him, claiming him, unmistakably letting him know with each powerful thrust how much he needed him, how much he loved him. The heat rose in Ty's body with each frenzied push, and the sparks flickered with each whispered phrase. Cole brutally pounded into him, pulling Ty toward him to mesh their bodies as one. Ty gasped for air as warm, strong fingers wrapped around his hard shaft again. A whimper escaped and a thunderous bolt of current weakened him before he finally peaked with Cole following a second behind.

Ty's body hung loosely, held only by the strong arms wrapped around him.

Soft, wet lips pressed against his neck and warm bursts of air skated across his skin. "I love you, My-Ty. More than you can imagine. I'm glad I got arrested. I know I sound crazy, but I'm here with you, right now, because of that. And there's nowhere else I'd rather be."

Ty wanted to turn in the embrace when their bodies finally unlinked, but the strong arms held him in place. He looked to his side and saw Cole resting his chin on Ty's shoulder, his eyes screwed shut.

He felt each deep strangled, shaky breath Cole took push against his back and blow across his skin.

"I'm yours, Ty. For however long you want me, I'll be by your side."

Forever.
Ty took a deep breath and anchored his hand on Cole's arm wrapped around his waist, feeling the quiver of the tense muscles that held him tightly. He reached behind and rubbed his hand on Cole's thigh, trying to ease the tension. He leaned in and placed a tender kiss on Cole's cheek.

Cole opened his eyes and turned to face him, inching forward and pressing his soft, full lips against Ty's in the slowest, most gentle kiss he had ever received. Cole's tongue slid between his lips in a caress as loving as the slow press of lips.

Even without words, Ty knew and could feel the love pouring from Cole in each touch and gentle stroke.

Cole separated from the kiss and placed a few, barely-there kisses along Ty's spine. He took a deep breath then rested his cheek against Ty's back, finally loosening the tight hold he had on him.

Ty turned in Cole's arms and faced him, finally able to wrap his arms around the man who had stolen his heart. "I love you."

Cole wrapped his arms tightly around Ty and tucked his head at the side of Ty's neck. "I'm sorry I didn't say it before."