Their Obsession (Four Mercenaries 2)

Next to him, Drake rested his elbow on the table and patted Clover’s thigh with a soft smile. On the other side, Pyro clasped his fingers together, grinning. Was there something he was missing? No, Boar looked worried too.

“Joking aside, are you guys in?” Tank asked.

Drake frowned. “Who’s joking?”

Clover’s eyes landed on Tank as well, and Tank could sense the conflict coming as if he were back in a war zone. He’d witnessed the progress Clover had made. Training was the boy’s only job, and Drake had been making him do some crazy-level calisthenics, which, among other things, resulted with Clover learning how to walk on his hands. Clover was no weakling anymore, but when Tank looked into the boy’s face, all he could see was innocent eyes and pink lips. He’d gladly put him under a glass dome to admire like the most perfect rose, and where not a petal was at risk of being torn off.

Tank cleared his throat. “I thought you were joking, but guess not. I don’t think it’s the right job for you to start with, boy.”

“What would be the right job though?” Pyro asked with a mouth full of fries and ketchup. “I don’t know about you, but this sounds like a walk in the park.”

Drake rolled his eyes. “Hardly, but I get what you’re saying, Pyro. It’s not like we’re taking him to deal with a hostage situation. He needs to start somewhere.”

“I’ll listen to you, Tank, and stay out of trouble. I can follow instructions,” Clover said quickly, and Tank found himself tensing when Clover didn’t call him Daddy. He wasn’t play-pleading. This was serious.

“Then we should go on a practice mission somewhere. I can arrange it. Pyro and Boar could play the enemy roles, I’d prepare a setup to test and surprise you.”

Boar cleared his throat. “Tank, we’ve done that, and he passed with flying colors.”

Pyro pointed at him with one hand, as if he wanted to say that if even a sweetheart like Boar agreed, it was obvious Clover should be allowed to participate in the job.

Tank’s head was empty when Clover tried to sit up, only to lower his upper body when a tiny tomato escaped its bowl and rolled to his crotch. This was ridiculous. Were they really discussing something so serious, so dangerous, while Clover was naked and serving as the table centerpiece?

So maybe Clover was brave, and eager, and he’d improved fast, as if he was Drake 2.0, but he was also gentle, delicate, and just like Raul had been, too sure of himself to stay safe.

“You had no problems involving me when I was his age,” Drake said. The traitor.

“You were already working… in a way… when we met!”

Boar raised his ketchup-stained hands. “If this is such an issue, how about we skip this one and choose something more straightforward when it comes along, huh? Maybe we could even do one of the legal security jobs.”

Pyro shook his head. “Babe. You need licenses for that. I don’t wanna deal with taxes on top of it.”

Drake raised his glass and clinked it against Pyro’s. “I say we do it. We could even talk to the driver about changing the route, just in case.”

Tank’s stomach shrivelled. “No.”

Pyro snorted. And petted Clover’s head. “He’s an adult. Can’t tell him what he can and can’t do.”

Tank stroked Clover’s hair, already uncomfortable about the manipulation he was about to attempt, but it was for the greater good. “Can’t I, boy? How about you sit this one out for Daddy, huh?”

Clover frowned. “No. That’s not how it works.”

Boar pretended a fly had fallen into his burger, and he stayed focused on it while Pyro just stared at a nearby tree. Drake smirked.

Fuck.

Burning hot blood rushed to Tank’s head, and he clenched his hands under the table. All of a sudden, the scent of cooked meat had become repugnant to the point where it made him nauseated. His sense of authority had been crushed by Clover’s rosy feet.

“How does it work then?” he asked, struggling to keep his voice steady when everyone stared at him as if he’d already failed.

Clover reached for his arm, but couldn’t move more if he wanted to avoid spilling anything from the bowls. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude. I just… I can be your boy here, and still do the other things out there, okay? You know I love my Daddy.”

At least he realized his tone had been out of line. The apology did soften Tank’s heart, even if he made a mental note that a spanking was in order.

He would not be contradicted this way in front of others.

Drake’s touch on Tank’s shoulder was so unexpected he flinched before looking into the black eyes, which hadn’t lost their intensity since they’d first met Tank’s in an attempt to woo him. Back then, Drake hadn’t been nearly as muscular or as proficient at fighting as he was now, but he had the beauty and charm to make men lower their guard. And if he were more Tank’s type, then Tank might not have survived the encounter with that beautiful yet deadly viper.