Shatter (Unbreakable Bonds 2)

Jude couldn’t see Andrei’s expression, but there was no missing the tension that seemed to straighten his shoulders just a little more. “You listen to Jude. Do exactly what he says.”

“Huh.” Geoffrey flopped back in his seat and frowned at Jude, but it had lost some of the venom that had been present earlier.

He appeared to be struggling to forgive Jude for stealing Snow away. And Snow was most definitely his. The young-looking blond might not be Snow’s type, but Jude was happy to lock horns with anyone who thought they might have a shot at the doctor. Jude found himself wanting everything the general had to offer, even his crankiness. Or maybe especially his crankiness because that meant Jude had the pleasure of bringing a smile to his lips. And a moan.

“It’s serious, isn’t it?” Geoffrey demanded, pulling Jude back to the car. “This thing with Snow. It’s serious.”

“Yeah.” Jude felt heavy words beating against the back of his teeth, fighting to get out, but he swallowed them down. He’d never used those words with anyone he dated, hadn’t even thought about using them, but everything with Snow was different. With Snow, he was willing to risk it all. “Yeah, it’s serious.”

But even saying just that, he was grateful the mics and micro video camera hadn’t been turned on yet. He didn’t want to think about what Snow’s reaction might be to his words.

“Damn it! It’s just not fair. He’s so hot,” Geoffrey groaned. He slouched low, glaring at the seat in front of him.

“You’ll find someone.”

“As hot as Snow?” Geoffrey snorted. He plucked at the cuff of his shiny silk shirt, pulling the sleeve back in place. “Not likely.”

Okay. Geoffrey had him there. “You’ll find someone,” Jude repeated, ignoring the tell-tale laughter in Andrei’s eyes when he met the other man’s gaze in the rearview mirror. Fuck. He had it so bad for the general.

“I—” Andrei started to say something and then stopped, lifting his right hand to touch the ear piece hidden under his hair. Jude’s stomach dropped and he sat up a little straighter. Holy shit! Were the mics on?

“Snow and Lucas are parked over on Race, directly across from the building, but the view is partially blocked by the park,” Andrei explained. There was a soft creaking under his words as he tightened his hands on the steering wheel. “We’ll be parking at the lot near the temple on Elm. It’ll put us a block down from Music Hall.”

“The Washington parking lot is really nice and it’s across the street from Music Hall,” Geoffrey suggested.

“And it’s underground,” Andrei grumbled. “Only two ways out. If we encounter trouble tonight, I don’t want to be stuck underground with only two exits. Stick with the plan. If you are running out, cut through the park. If you don’t see Lucas or Snow on Race, keep going to Vine and find other people. Disappear into a bar and call the cops.”

Jude glanced over at Geoffrey, who looked considerably paler in the thin light flashing from the street lamps. His shoulders hunched, he shrank into himself, looking much younger than his late twenties.

“We’ll get through this.”

Geoffrey directed a disbelieving look at him, but some of the tension relaxed from his thin shoulders. “Really? Had a lot of experience dealing with bastards who buy sex slaves that look like little boys, Torres?”

“Nope,” Jude said, grinning at Geoffrey’s surprising sarcasm. “But do you think Lucas Vallois would let his boyfriend walk into this place if he couldn’t protect us and himself?” Jude paused, letting the weight of Lucas’s name just sit on Geoffrey for a moment. While in Lucas’s living room, Lucas had been the only one who could get Geoffrey to sit still and listen to their proposal. “Do you really think Lucas and Snow would just abandon us to these fuckers?”

“No,” Geoffrey said in a huff. He glared at Jude a second then rolled his eyes dramatically. “Just stop, okay? I really don’t want to like you and I definitely haven’t forgiven you for taking Snow. I so found him first.”

Jude chuckled but the sound was cut off when he felt the car slowing and turning into the dimly lit lot. It was time. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a choker studded with gems along with a hidden micro video camera and mic.

A sly, wicked grin spread Geoffrey’s lips and Jude couldn’t stop the flush that reached his cheeks. “Well, at least you give me pretty gifts,” Geoffrey said, taking the choker and lifting it to his slender throat.

“Do you need help?”

Geoffrey arched on blond brow as if to say he had plenty of experience putting on a choker, making Jude instantly feel like an idiot. Apparently he wasn’t the only one because he caught Andrei’s laugh before he could cover it with a cough. When Geoffrey had the choker secured, he looked over at Andrei. “Is it working properly? Can they see and hear?”