Silence.
“Boss?”
“The plan is a go, but if things go sideways, we pull him out, even if he’s been in there two minutes. Lane’s safety is more important than executing the plan. We’ll get Alan another way.”
“All right. X?”
“What?”
“You’re not going to like this either.”
He growled. “I am out of fucking patience.”
“You should tell Lane who you are.”
“No.”
“You’d really like him, and you need to see his art. It’s incredible.”
“You’re an art critic now?”
“That’s the thing. I know fuck all about art, but his pieces speak to me. Just think about telling him.”
He huffed. “Fine.”
“Are you going to be there when we go in?”
“Yes. I want all four of us involved. I’ll get an invite and attend as my other identity. I’ll see what I can learn by mingling with these bastards.”
“Lane might see you.”
He was silent for a moment, then said, “I’ll take the risk.”
“When the truth comes out about the fundraiser—”
“I’ll figure out a bullshit story, but my family’s reputation is less important than putting a stop to what these men are doing.”
“True.”
“Go. Prep my son for this fucking mission. I need to know he’s well prepared.”
“Yes, sir.”
I’d insisted I needed privacy to talk to X, so Lane had gone to his studio to work on one of his pieces. After he’d left, I’d paced the room for a while, sorting through my thoughts before I could force myself to actually make the call.
By the time I hung up and pushed open the studio door, Lane had fallen into a work trance. He didn’t turn around when I entered the room or acknowledge me in any way. He kept staring at the canvas in front of him, which he’d painted with a swirl of blues.
I leaned against the doorframe and watched as he chose small objects to attach. He made each decision slowly and carefully, but once he’d chosen, he seemed to know exactly where to place it. He picked up a can of spray paint and sprayed a swirl of iridescent glitter over the entire thing. Next, he used a rich yellow to paint a sun in one upper corner and a moon in the other.
He had a streak of paint on the side of his face, and his hair was even wilder than it had been earlier. He’d tied the front part up in a little ponytail on top of his head. He shouldn’t have looked so good, but he was achingly beautiful. The large button-down he’d been painting in hung loosely on him, but I knew exactly what his body looked like underneath. I wanted to touch him. I wanted to run my tongue over every curve and sinew. But I also wanted to punish him, to make him pay for even suggesting he put himself in danger. I wanted him to know I was in control, that I would call the shots.
I had no doubt Lane needed that too. He’d held himself together so well. He’d stood up for what he wanted, and he’d impressed the shit out of Leo and Niall. I could tell he wasn’t at all what they’d expected, but I also knew he was scared. I knew how devastated he’d been when he realized Alan’s bodyguard had found us at the cabin. I knew how defeated he’d looked just that morning before anger had taken over and made him want to fight. He needed comfort, and for Lane that meant surrender.
A few moments later, Lane turned and saw me. My presence startled him, and he jumped.
“Why didn’t you say something?”
“I was enjoying watching you.”
He frowned. “I don’t let anyone watch me work.”
I took a few steps toward him, hardening my expression. “I didn’t ask your permission, did I?”
His eyes widened. I knew he could sense my mood. He put his hands on his hips and glared at me. “You should have.”
“I didn’t want to ask. I wanted to watch, so I did.”
“What else do you want to do?”
I let my gaze run down his body as I cupped my hardening cock. “What do you think?”
He licked his lips. “You want to punish me.”
“Yes. We both need that. We’re both in uncertain territory, and nothing will ground us like me using you until I’ve exhausted us both.”
Lane pulled off his paint-stained shirt and tossed it on the floor. Then he shoved his pants down. He wasn’t wearing anything underneath.
My mouth watered at the sight of his hard dick and all that skin.
He wrapped a hand around his shaft and stroked until he was rock-hard. “Take what you want. I’m yours.”
“Damn right you are. And I’m going to keep you safe, even when you’re fucking reckless, even when you think you can do anything you want.”
“You don’t like that, do you? You want me to do exactly what you say. You want to control me.”