Dax (The Theriot Family 4)

He answered them all, and when I was done with him, I grabbed hold of his head and snapped his neck.

Tony pointed a finger at him and chattered away.

“Don’t worry. We wouldn’t really make you bite him,” I said. “That couldn’t be healthy for you.”

“Come here, Tony.” The monkey ran back to Lance and was rewarded with an offer of dried mango. He grabbed a piece in each hand and began nibbling.

“I can’t believe the fucker was scared of Tony,” Lance said.

“You were something else.”

“I figured you needed some entertainment.”

Lance typed out a text, letting our people know it was time to come in and make Jean-Charles and any evidence of his presence disappear.

“What now?” Lance asked as he pocketed his phone.

“Now it’s time to go visit my brother.”

“Is he expecting visitors?”

“We’ll know when we see if he shoots at us or not.”

17

Travis

I had a hell of a time trying to concentrate on work that morning. Between constantly looking behind me to see who was entering the garage, worrying that someone else here would get caught in the crossfire, and then thinking of Dax and what he was doing, I hadn’t completed a single fucking task.

Every time I saw Beau, I asked if he’d heard anything from Lance or Dax. Finally, he asked me if I wanted to take a break or take the rest of the day off.

I shook my head. “I know I’m doing shit work today, but I need something to focus on.”

About an hour later, Dax returned. When I saw him step into the garage, I couldn’t help myself. I ran to him, and he opened his arms and pulled me to him. Thank God I was the only one around. If Beau had seen my reaction, he would have known.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean… I know you don’t want anyone to know.”

Dax kissed my forehead gently. “I don’t like hiding what’s between us, but I don’t want Beau to find out like this. We’ll figure out how and when to break the news, and we’ll tell him soon.”

“He’s going to freak out.”

“Then he’ll just have to work through it.”

Dax’s words warmed me. “He wouldn’t say that if he wasn’t truly committed to me. “How did things go?”

“I learned part of what I needed to, and it’s over now.”

“Are you okay?”

Dax tilted his head as if considering my words, and a terrible thought hit me. “Has anyone ever asked you that, or does everyone just assume this kind of work is just what you do and that you’re always fine with it?”

“Ambrose asks. Sometimes. It wasn’t like I interviewed for the job or anything. As I got old enough to be part of the business, everyone could see where my skills lay.”

“That doesn’t mean you’re not affected by all that evil.”

A look of horror crossed Dax’s face, and he took a step back.

“No.” I reached for his arm. “I think that came out wrong. I don’t mean that it rubs off on you. I meant that you having to be the one who pushes back the hardest, the one who has to talk to all these evil people, has to take a toll on you.”

“Do you really think I’m not as bad as them when I do things that are equally gruesome if not more so?”

“You do what is necessary.” I placed a hand over his heart. “You’re a good man.”

He laid a hand over mine. “Are you ready to go see my brother.”

“The night I shot Guidry is the only time I’ve seen him since… since he came back from the military.”

“It fucked him up real bad.”

“I know. Beau’s in touch with him, but it sounds like they only see each other occasionally.”

“Since he came back, Ambrose prefers to keep to himself. Beau and I are pretty much the only people who can hope for a good reception if we show up at his place. Hell, we might be the only two people who could find his place.”

“What’s he going to think about you bringing me there?”

“He’ll get over it once I explain. I might not even have to. As soon as he sees me, he’ll know.”

“Know what?”

“That you’re mine now.” He said the words so low I could barely hear them because Leland had come into our part of the garage to start work on a GTO we’d just acquired.

“We can talk more in the car.” Dax motioned for me to follow him.

“Hold on. I’ve got to clean up. Beau will kill me if I leave tools out.”

“I’ll take over,” Sam said as she entered the garage. “You’re going with Dax, right?”

“Yeah, we need to go talk to his brother.”

She smiled. “Take the rest of the day. I’m sure an afternoon with Ambrose will be enough excitement. We’ll keep things moving here.”

Once we were in Dax’s truck heading out of town, I asked what Sam meant about excitement. “I thought Ambrose just kept to himself and didn’t talk or…”