Ambrose whistled. I watched the water, not seeing anything for several seconds, then something that looked like a log appeared on the surface around a bend in the bayou. As it moved closer, I saw two eyes staring at us. I was sure the overgrown lizard was assessing how I would taste.
“Ambrose.”
“Just don’t make any sudden moves.”
The gator came to the shore and began to climb out. My instincts screamed at me to run, but I held still.
“Good morning, Gerard.” Ambrose called. “I’ve got some breakfast for you.”
If I didn’t know better, I would have said the creature smiled at him.
“You see anything suspicious lately?” Ambrose asked when Gerard was almost to shore.
The gator looked at me, then back at Ambrose.
“Eric’s a friend.”
Gerard made no further response.
Ambrose pulled a whole chicken, feathers and all, from the bag and tossed it to the gator. He swallowed it down whole, then turned and swam away.
“That was… How… There’s no way you can really talk to that animal.”
Ambrose shrugged. “We communicate in our own way.”
He didn’t say anything else as we walked back to the house. The hot, humid air was already weighing us down, and by the time we reached his cabin, I was covered in sweat. Ambrose’s mosquito repellent did seem to be a miraculous potion. I might be uncomfortable, but I didn’t think I’d suffered a single bite.
“You can shower first.” Ambrose gestured to a wooden stall attached to the back of his cabin. “There should be enough water.”
I studied the structure. “The water’s not heated, is it?”
He grinned. “No, but the cold water will feel good after our walk.”
I was skeptical about that, but I really wanted to wash off.
“There’s soap in there and towels in the cabinet beside the shower.” He looked me up and down slowly which made my cock perk up.
“I’ll see if I can find something you won’t burst the seams of. I think Dax left some clothes here.” Dax and Ambrose weren’t identical, and Dax was taller and broader than his brother. I would definitely be better off in his clothes.
The spray of cold water was shocking at first, then refreshing, but by the time I was finished, I was shivering. I wrapped a towel around my waist. I didn’t think there was anyone but Ambrose for miles, but I didn’t want him seeing my junk in the shriveled state it was in after the freezing shower.
“Your clothes are on the bed,” Ambrose said as he brushed past me and headed to the shower. I hadn’t really needed to worry about the towel. He seemed to barely see me. I reminded myself he wasn’t used to having anyone here and he was probably desperate to be alone.
How would it work with him staying at my house?
I dressed quickly and hung the towel over a doorknob, but as humid as everything was, I didn’t know when it would ever be dry.
I was pouring myself another cup of coffee when I heard the sound of a car approaching. I dug my gun out of my filthy jeans and approached the front window slowly.
I saw a black SUV pull up, then heard the sound of a gun going off and ducked down.
The shot hadn’t come from the vehicle. I rose up enough to see Ambrose leaning around the side of the house with a rifle in his hand.
“What the fuck are you doing?” It was Lance. He was the driver of the SUV.
“Warning intruders,” Ambrose answered.
“You knew it was me.”
“I did, but I don’t want you here.”
“Remington sent me.”
“You fucking told him?” Why would Lance admit that? Did he want to be shot?
“Put the gun down.”
“I will when you drive away.”
Knowing I was an idiot to interfere, I stepped out onto the porch. Ambrose was not only armed, he was naked. “Why don’t we all just talk about this?”
Ambrose growled. “Don’t use your cop voice on me. I didn’t invite Lancelot here.”
“Couldn’t you at least get dressed?” Lance shouted. “I don’t need to see all that.”
Ambrose fired another round into a tree.
“Whoa,” I said. “Please put that down. You don’t really want to hurt Lance.”
“If I did, he’d be hurting now. I never miss.”
13
Ambrose
I knew I was out of line. If Eric hadn’t thought I was crazy before, he surely had to now. Lance was going to try to take Eric away, and I wasn’t ready for that. I couldn’t give him up yet. Fuck, I was never going to want to give him up, but at least he could be mine until this was over. I could let myself have that. How much more could it hurt to walk away in a week or so than it would now?
“Remington arranged a safe house, and I came to pick up Winston.”
“I’m not going to a safe house.” Eric’s voice was still annoyingly calm and even.