Ian (Unbreakable Bonds 4.5)

“Should we wait for Rowe and Noah or get started now?” Hollis asked as they gathered in the mostly empty kitchen. He and Jude had gotten all the cabinets ripped out. “Lucas, I need you to run to the hardware store to—”

“Go to hell, Banner,” Lucas snapped. “I went to the hardware store four times yesterday. You can send someone else today and let me use the fucking sledgehammer.”

“Don’t start that shit again, Vallois!” Snow shouted while Hollis snickered, his hands tightening on Ian’s back.

“It’s been six months. I’m healed.”

“God, no sledgehammers today, please,” Andrei grumbled.

“Rowe and Noah should be here in a second. We saw them looking for a parking spot when we were walking up the yard,” Jude chimed in. “We can send them to the hardware store since they were the last to arrive.”

Hollis snorted. “Nah. We don’t really need anything.” Lucas frowned at Hollis, which only got him laughing harder. Ian even had to laugh at that, though he hid it by pressing his face into Hollis’s chest.

“Rise and shine, campers!” Rowe announced as he came through the door, carrying three large bags of Mickey D’s. The scent of grease and meat filled the room, causing Ian’s stomach to churn. Of course, the man wasn’t the least bit hungover. He was also dressed in a pair of black slacks and a black polo shirt with the Ward Security logo. Noah walked in behind him, wearing the exact same outfit.

“You’re not working today, are you?” Ian asked, pulling away from Hollis.

Rowe stopped in front of a makeshift table of plywood and two sawhorses to put down the drive-thru breakfast. He lifted apologetic eyes to Ian. “Sorry, but Noah and I have to do a sixteen-hour shift on a pair of jobs. We’ll be back tomorrow.”

“Did someone call in?” Andrei asked, stepping up next to Noah. “Do you need more help?”

Noah shook his head, some of his loose curls falling forward to crowd his bright blue eyes. “Nope. Just shorthanded. We got it. We’ll probably need you for a day or two on the schedule later in the week.”

Andrei nodded and glanced over at Lucas, who appeared less than pleased but nodded as well. Ian had listened to Lucas rant on more than one occasion about Andrei risking his life for his job and how relieved he’d been when he’d left the field to serve as Ward Security’s COO. Unfortunately, business was too good for Rowe right now and he was short-handed too often.

“However, I did call in a couple of replacements who were bored on their day off.”

They all looked up as Sven and Royce walked in, already garbed in old T-shirts and jeans.

“Sven!” Ian pulled away from his boyfriend to walk over to the giant man. He’d served as Ian’s personal bodyguard on more than one occasion while Jagger was hunting them. The man had always reminded Ian of a Viking—as if he should have been carrying a shield and a sword at all times. He wasn’t as familiar with the dark and brooding Royce, though Lucas always said he was a great bodyguard.

“You didn’t have to do this!” Hollis quickly said.

The big man, who seemed flustered over Ian’s hug, said over his head, “Happy to help.”

Royce huffed a soft laugh. “I’m just grateful Rowe didn’t trash my house in Morning View, so I don’t mind helping.”

Rowe waved him off. “Whatever. We’ll catch you guys tomorrow. Don’t touch my sledgehammer.” And then he and Noah were walking back to their truck.

Lucas tore into one of the bags and released a soft moan. “Hell yeah. Sausage and egg sandwiches.”

Snow reached around Jude and snatched it out of Lucas’s hand. “No. Your cholesterol.”

Then Andrei snatched it right back out of Snow’s hand and handed it to Lucas. “His cholesterol is down, and the doctor is taking him off the meds soon. He already ate oatmeal this morning. He’s earned this treat.”

Lucas unwrapped his sandwich and took a big bite, smiling smugly at Snow as he ate. Snow just rolled his eyes at him, accepting a sandwich from Jude.

“You two are like five-year-olds,” Ian muttered.

“Five-year-olds who get to play with power tools today,” Snow threw back, sounding way too happy at the prospect, his bickering with Lucas already forgotten.

Ian reluctantly accepted a sandwich. His stomach was improving and he had a feeling that he’d recover even faster with a little food in his system. They teased and joked as they ate breakfast and decided on the best way to divide up the tasks. He and Andrei drew a quick paint job in the bathrooms. The toilets and sinks had to be installed later, and it was easiest if the painting in those areas was completed first. Hollis was working on installing cabinets with Sven and Jude while Royce was prepping the sanded drywall in the living room for a coat of paint. Lucas and Snow were in the master bedroom, installing the first of three new ceiling fans.