Niall (Vigilance 2)

I just happened to notice he was wearing a dark gray, pinstriped suit as if choosing something other than the stereotypical black made him look any less like a G-man. I did note that the well-fitted suit cupped his backside just as well as the others I’d seen him wear. He liked to show off his high, tight ass that surely needed a hard pounding. I’d hidden my interest in men until years after I’d run from my uncle’s house. Even now, I tended to go out with more women than men. I didn’t advertise my bisexuality, but I didn’t hide it either. I don’t even think I could around a man like Niall.

His pompous demeanor screamed fed so loud I was surprised someone in the neighborhood hadn’t jumped him. I knew from what Devil had told me that Niall could blend if he needed to, but he wasn’t trying at all. That told me he was going to be as inflexible as I expected.

He’d be leaving the shop a disappointed man if that was the case. I had my own plans for dealing with Arlington, and I intended to follow them.

I flipped the deadbolt and opened the door a crack. “Yes?”

“We need to talk,” Niall said.

“I don’t need to do anything but get my shop ready for the day.”

He huffed. “Don’t be difficult. “I have information you need.”

“Then spill it, and let me get back to work.”

He shook his head. “That’s not how this works.”

“How does it work then? You tell me what to do and expect me to follow your orders like a faithful dog?”

He didn’t respond

“That’s what I thought.” I started to close the door, but Niall stuck his foot in the opening and pushed back. “You’re trespassing.”

“You’re an asshole.”

I shrugged. “Never said I wasn’t.”

“Let me in. X has a plan, and I need to share it with you.”

“I have a plan, and I’m going to follow it.”

“Do you actually want to catch these men?”

“Of course I do. That’s why I don’t want you interfering and fucking things up when I’ve been working on this for almost a year.”

“I’ve been looking into this organization since before you knew your cousin was involved.”

I scowled at him. I wanted to challenge that, but I didn’t actually think he was lying. I knew X had people everywhere. He knew even more about the criminal world than the Marchesis, which was saying a hell of a lot. I was damn good at ferreting out information, and the Marchesis got a lot of their intel from me. But X seemed superhuman, and he was as good at hiding his identity as he was at finding everyone else’s secrets. I didn’t even know his real name.

With a sigh, I stepped back and opened the door wide enough for Niall to come inside. Instead of entering immediately, he studied me. I could tell he was annoyed, but there was something else in his gaze. Heat? Was he also thinking a good hate fuck would be a lot better than a conversation right now?

My cock swelled as I let that fantasy play in my head. What would Niall do if I dragged him upstairs to my apartment, pinned him against the wall, and used him like I wanted to?

Pushing aside those tantalizing thoughts, I looked him in the eye. “What do you want from me?”

Niall’s lips parted for just a second, then he shook his head as if dismissing what he’d been about to say. “I want you to listen to X’s plan.”

“Uh-huh.”

His expression hardened again.

“We’re not going to talk about the plan with you out there. You wanted to come in, so do it.”

Niall finally entered the shop, and I locked the door behind him. “Out with it. What information are you so eager to give me?”

“Arlington owns a twelve-acre island near St. Croix. Rumor has it he’s hosting a party there and hoping to bring along a potential investor to discuss an off-the-books business.”

“Fuck. You think they’re bringing in a new partner for the trafficking business?”

He nodded. “That seems very likely.”

“Is Swain on the guest list?”

“From what X has learned, we don’t think so, but that doesn’t mean his name won’t be brought up.”

“If they did mention him, how would we know?”

“Because you’re going to use your connections to get an invite to the party.”

I snorted. “You must be confusing me with your boss. I don’t have connections with men like that.”

“Your family does.” I stared at him as I realized what he was suggesting.

“No.”

“If you pretend to have been a double agent all along—”

“I said no.”

“All you have to do is say you’ve been biding your time and making plans to step back in, take over where your cousin left off, and do it a hell of a lot better.”

“No one will believe that.”