Page 2 of Angels of the Night
CHAPTER 2
“A penny for your thoughts as the saying goes. Of course, my husband's thoughts are priceless, so name your price, and I'll pay it gladly.” Alasdair grinned suggestively, circling Ardan's left nipple with the tip of his index finger.
“Mmm, it sounds very tempting, but I'm not interested in money. What about this gorgeous body of yours? Oh, wait, it already belongs to me, and I feel so blessed.” The older man rolled to one side, pulling his husband close to him.
“You know I'm here whenever you need someone to talk to, and lately, you've had a lot on your mind. It's time to let it all out, my beloved.” Alasdair bore his emerald-green eyes into Ardan's turquoise ones, waiting for his soulmate to start talking.
“You know me so well, my Spitfire. There is no point denying it. I'm a little worried about Brennan going to Sabahaddin with Cillian and all the complications that could result if the real nature of their relationship is discovered. Living their love story here is one thing, but there, with all those indiscreet eyes studying every move they make...” Ardan sighed heavily, shaking his head.
“They will be fine. Brennan will behave impeccably, as always. He's very cool and composed when the situation requires. As for Cillian, he may have blue balls from hell, but he won't do anything to put the two of them in danger.” Alasdair ran both hands through his husband's dark-blond strands, innocently kissing him on the lips.
“I know, but I can't stop worrying about him. It's what older brothers do. Since we are talking about it, Caleb seems a little off lately. He doesn't smile as often and spends a lot of time avoiding his friends and the rest of us, even Father, with whom he always had a very close relationship.” Ardan's voice became heavy with sadness, and it took Alasdair only a split second to realize what his husband's real problem was.
“Maybe it's just a phase that will pass sooner rather than later. Caleb is not a teen anymore. He's a twenty-two-year-old man, but neither you nor Brennan seem to notice that, not to mention your father. Did it occur to you that maybe he's in love?” Alasdair winked seductively, making Ardan smile but only for a brief moment.
“Now that you mention it, I think I should have kept my mouth shut and not discouraged Saint when he started to flirt with Caleb. Basically, I've told him not to give my brother false hope, pointing out the age gap between them. Since then, Saint has put distance between him and Caleb, and I wonder...”
“Don't even try to go there, my Ardan. It was probably bound to happen this way. Your brothers have their own destinies. All you can do is be there for them when they need your help. In the meantime, what about me tempting you with this body of mine?”
His husband's words brought the smile back to the older man's face, making his turquoise eyes shine with adoration. He started to worship every inch of the redhead's body, covering him in sweet, petal-like kisses from head to toe before becoming one with him, their souls mirrored in one another's eyes as their bodies were caught in the dance of love, always new and special.
Ardan came deep inside his husband, while Alasdair shot his load between them, a sated smile on his lips. Later, the redhead abandoned himself to the older man's gentle hands, washing the sticky, clear substance off of his abdomen and torso. As soon as the blond joined Alasdair in bed, Alasdair protectively wrapped an arm around his slim waist, spooning him from behind and peppering butterfly kisses on his spine.
That time, it was Ardan who fell asleep first, while his red-haired husband spent a long time awake, a thousand thoughts roiling inside his head, all of them centered around the love of his life and the deep wound in his soul. It had been there for a long time, getting bigger and deeper by the day, and his inability to help his soulmate was eating Alasdair alive.
Ever since Godfrey MacNamara had become obsessed with searching for Ardan's twin, who had been kidnapped at the same time, the responsibilities of running his organization had fallen on his firstborn's shoulders. However, Ardan hadn’t complain, on the contrary. He fulfilled his obligations flawlessly, in spite of having to take care of The Base at the same time.
Between trips to Scotland, Godfrey was barely paying attention to the sons in his life, too absorbed by finding the missing one. Ardan was reduced to an employer of some sort, whose duty was to present reports to his boss; while the man had barely acknowledged Brennan and Caleb, whose wellbeing became their older brother's concern.
Afraid that he would only made the wound in Ardan's soul deeper, Alasdair didn't bring up the subject, but things couldn't continue the same way. He would have a serious talk to Godfrey MacNamara and tell him everything to his face. With that thought, the redhead finally drifted to sleep, tightly hugging Ardan from behind.
The insistent beep of a phone woke Alasdair up a few hours later, making him groan in frustration. The redhead checked, and it was Lothier, calling his husband, who was sleeping deeply. Careful not to wake Ardan up, he left the room, going downstairs, where he answered another incoming call from The Base's second-in-command.
“What in the name of all things holy is wrong with you good people? Why don't you pick up the goddamn phone? This is the twentieth time I’ve called you.” Lothier's voice was a mix of irritation and concern.
“Sorry, Ardan is sleeping, and I don't want him woken so early. He needs to rest, especially with everything his father dishes out to him.” Alasdair regretted the last words, cursing his impulsiveness, but he couldn't unsay them. “Is there anything I can do for you?”
“Yes, can you come to The Base, please? Now, that you’ve mention it, I’ve also noticed how exhausted the boss is. Plus, the matter is quite...complicated. It would affect him in a not-so-good way. It's better to...filter it, and you are the best for the job. Okay, I’ve talked too much already, come here and...”
“Lothier, what happened? What are you talking about?” As he spoke, Alasdair started to move around the lobby area, collecting his keys and wallet, getting ready to leave the house. “Don't hang up on me, goddammit!”
“It's Caleb. He didn't show up last night, right?” Ardan's quiet voice startled the redhead, but he was determined to deny it. “I'm going with you. He's my younger brother. I should have kept him safe but failed miserably.”
It wasn't the right moment or place for an argument, so Alasdair nodded, trying to keep his emotions at bay. Letting his husband see how much Lothier's call affected him was the last thing the redhead wanted, especially since the suspicions regarding Caleb could prove right. During the short ride to The Base, he put himself together, hoping Ardan's second-in-command had exaggerated the gravity of the situation, as he put it.
The commotion prompted by the arrival of the new transport of rescued children took the two husbands by surprise because none of them had knowledge about such an operation taking place that night. However, both of them sighed in relief because the call hadn’t been about what they imagined. The image of a very worried Lothier brought a confused expression to Ardan's and Alasdair's faces, the two men not knowing what to think anymore.
With a large, semicircular gesture, the second man in The Base's hierarchy indicated the administrative building. Once inside, the two husbands spotted Erling and Avery waiting in the narrow corridor to the boss's office, the tired, defeated expressions on their faces a confirmation of Ardan and Alasdair's worst fears.
Hugging the two young men, the man in charge of The Base invited everyone into his office, indicating the chairs in the room. He patiently waited for everyone to take a seat, then turned to Erling and Avery, giving them a weak, apologetic smile.
“It must have been a very rough night for you, so I only ask you one question: what happened?” Ardan looked between the two young men, waiting for them to start talking.
“Caleb answered your phone the other day. It was the guy who tips you off about transports, auctions and the likes. He had new information for you. This transport seemed easy to intercept, and Caleb thought it was a good idea if we did it. Of course, none of us tried to talk him out of it.” Avery's voice died down, and he hung his head low in shame.
“One of us was the bait, the one who lures the guards away from the vehicle, so the other two could hijack it. This is our system of operating,” Erling explained, swallowing hard. “Last night, it was Caleb's turn to be the bait, and, as usual, the guards followed him on their bikes.”
“We take a detour route on the way back, so the one who acts as the bait arrives earlier. However, that was not the case this morning, and I have no idea why. I...I'm terribly sorry.” Avery raised his head, locking eyes with Ardan.
“There is nothing to be sorry for. Thanks to the two of you, twenty-two children are safe from predatory monsters, their innocence intact and souls untainted. Time for you to go to bed, and let us bring Caleb back. In no time, the three of you will be together again, but no field trips for a while, okay?” Ardan patted his brother's friends on the back, an encouraging smile on his pale lips.
Avery and Erling nodded and left the office, heading to the house they shared with Luca Moretti and Kevin Neville, their respective fiancés. Their hearts were filled with admiration for the man in charge of The Base, who didn't blame them for whatever happened with Caleb. Anyone else would have, but then again, Ardan MacNamara wasn't anyone.
Meanwhile, the news that the boss's younger brother was missing spread with the speed of a wildfire consuming everything in its way. One by one, the guards working the night shift came into Ardan's office, offering to participate in Caleb's search. Lothier suggested to start in the neighborhood, thinking and hoping that the young man escaped his chasers, finding shelter in a backyard or shed.
However, after a few good hours of intense searching, the rescue party returned to The Base empty-handed but not totally discouraged. They only had to wait a couple of hours until the sun rose, and then they could start again with fresh forces and renewed hope, Lothier tried to encourage Ardan, who approved with a small nod.
The second-in-command returned to his daily duties, leaving the two husbands into the office. After a short debate, they decided to stay there until the search was resumed, instead of going home and returning a few hours later. Alasdair held the one he loved, rubbed soothing circles on his back and poured sweet, reassuring words into his ear, making him hope again.
Finding comfort in one another's presence, the two fell asleep on the couch in the office, a thin blanket wrapped around their hugging forms. After a couple of hours, a phone buzzed, bringing them back to the cruel reality of Caleb's disappearance. The redhead checked the caller's ID, frowning when he didn't recognize it. In spite of it, after exchanging a look with Ardan, he answered the call, putting the phone on speaker.