The Rest of Forever Read online

  From the glare Eric was fixing on him, Kyron knew he was fighting a losing battle. Eric was incredibly stubborn. You couldn’t sway him. If you manage to succeed something so rare, it didn’t last long. Eric had to be in charge. Kyron sighed.

  “Okay, fine. But I’m coming with you.”

  “Huh,” Eric scowled. “Just don’t get in the way.”

  “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

  Chapter Five

  Eric thought that maybe coming into work wasn’t such a good idea. Eric had thought it would take his mind off what he had witnessed, concentrate on something that wasn’t the dead bodies of his family. He always felt more grounded, more in control when he was working on something.

  Instead, Eric found himself sitting at his desk staring at his laptop as he tried to make sense of a simple email that had popped up in his inbox in the last five minutes. His brain just wouldn’t formulate any sentences that made any sense.

  Kyron had been right. Again. Eric hated it when he was put in a situation where someone said to him “I told you so.” Kyron had had a lot of those moments in just the short time they had reconnected.

  It was irritating. It was more irritating that Kyron was causing quite a stir in the office. Less about his special agent status and more about the fact he was a handsome man. The girls kept wandering past Eric’s office when they had no business being nearby just to get a look at him. Jenna had certainly come in several times more than she should, and Eric was getting sick of watching her flirt with Kyron. Kyron remained charming and polite, no indication of flirting back, but it didn’t make Eric feel any better.

  Which was the most annoying part. Eric had no claim on Kyron whatsoever. So why was he treating Kyron like he belonged to him? Kyron was there to make sure nothing happened to Eric. He was on duty. Eric needed to remember that.

  However, that was easier said than done when Eric recalled heading to his bedroom to get dressed and bumped into Kyron coming out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist. They had collided, and Kyron had grabbed onto Eric to stop him from falling. All Eric’s thoughts went out of his head when he realized he was holding onto Kyron. An almost very naked Kyron, touching his bare chest for the first time.

  Fuck, that had felt good. Eric had almost given in to the urge to take the towel away and see everything. But Kyron had set him away very quickly, looking anywhere but at Eric with a very red face. He had mumbled something before ducking into the spare room.

  Their journey into the office had been silent and tense. Eric kept looking over at Kyron, who simply stared out the window. He tried to start a conversation, but Kyron merely responded in grunts. Had he embarrassed Kyron? Or was it something else?

  Either way, Eric needed to remember this was not the time to think about taking Kyron to bed. After the killers were caught, maybe. But not now.

  It was closer to lunchtime when Kyron, who had been sitting in the corner on his own laptop, his bent as his fingers flew across the keys so fast Eric couldn’t see them, sat back and looked at his watch.

  “Right, I’m going to get some lunch.” He stretched his arms above his head. “You want anything?”

  “There’s a sandwich place across the street we always go to. They know my order.”

  It was typical it was time to have something to eat just as Eric was finally getting into the swing of things. He had answered all of his emails and he was starting to work on a project where the deadline was rapidly approaching. If he stopped to eat, it was going to take a while to get back into it. But Eric needed food.

  Kyron closed his laptop and stood, stretching his arms above his head with a loud yawn. His t-shirt rode up, and Eric saw a flash of flesh between the shirt and his belt. He licked his lips, and then realized Kyron was watching him. The man’s eyes had darkened, and the intense look on his face had Eric shivering.

  “Damn.” Kyron shook himself and strode toward the door. “I’ll be back shortly. Don’t leave this office until I get back.”

  “You don’t think anyone’s going to get to me while I’m in here? We have security.”

  “Just so I know where you are.” Kyron pointed at Eric. “I know what you’re like. You can never sit still.”

  “Glad to know I’m good at something.” Eric said dryly.

  Kyron rolled his eyes and left the room. Once he was out the door, Eric felt like he could breathe more easily. Having Kyron close by made Eric more than aware that he was present. He wasn’t one you could ignore. Eric had figured that out pretty quickly.

  He focused on getting his work sorted. That needed to be the focus right now, not any erotic thoughts Eric was experiencing about his bodyguard. It was going really well and Eric was close to finishing, when his bladder started trying to get his attention. He had been drinking far too much water, and now he was going to suffer.

  Sighing, Eric stood and headed into the corridor, waving at Jenna as she went the other way.

  “I’m just going to the bathroom, Jenna. Be right back.”

  Jenna looked up from her iPad and frowned.

  “I thought Agent Horton said you weren’t to leave your office?”

  “Would you want me to piss all over the floor?” Eric barely broke his stride as he turned the corner. “Be two minutes, tops.”

  It took a little longer than two minutes, but it made Eric feel a lot better. He finished up and washed his hands, splashing water on his face. Kyron would be back soon, and then the room would start to feel too small again. Eric needed to keep himself in check.

  He had dealt with attraction before, and he had dealt with unresolved sexual tension, but nothing compared to Kyron. Eric wondered if it was possible to be that sexually attracted to someone that anything else became a challenge. It had been a while since Eric had been in this situation.

  He had the worst timing possible. Kyron was trying to protect him. He wasn’t a bed partner. Not for now, anyway. Eric just had to wait a bit longer. From the way Kyron was reacting, he certainly wouldn’t be pushing Eric away if Eric propositioned him.

  Eric started to leave the bathroom, only to hear voices on the other side of the door in the corridor. There was the sound of rustling before a gruff Southern voice he recognized reached his ears.

  “That’s the last lot for the week. I’ll get some more cut tonight.”

  Then there was a second voice. A softer accent, more eloquent.

  “Let’s hope the clients don’t mind that there’s been a stall in supply.”

  “That’s hardly my fault, is it?”

  “I know that, but try telling that to people who want the coke.” The second voice snapped back. “We can hardly tell them someone made us direct everything we had to someone he wanted us to sell to.”

  The first man snorted.

  “As if we have a choice in being choosy with our clients.”

  “Adam was more trouble than he was worth.” Eric stiffened at the mention of his father’s name. “Thank fuck he’s dead now. Don’t need to deal with him threatening us whenever he doesn’t get his own way.”

  What were they talking about? Dad was involved in something criminal? Somehow that didn’t surprise Eric. He didn’t need to be a genius about what the two had been talking about.

  He couldn’t hide in the bathroom all day. Taking a deep breath, Eric opened the door and stepped out into the corridor. Two men in their thirties, one dark-haired and one black-haired, both tall and tanned with a dark brown that shouldn’t be naturally possible, were standing just outside the restroom. One of them was holding a bag with white powder in it. As soon as they saw him, the bag disappeared.

  Paul McCormack and Gerard Manning. Eric had suspected the two producers were involved in drugs. From the way they acted and how their clients behaved after coming out of the recording studios, it was not really up for debate. How they had kept it from Tess and the bigwigs, Eric had no idea. He had never witnessed it himself.

  Now he had. Eric focused on their faces, trying
to pretend he hadn’t seen a bag of cocaine disappear into Gerard’s pocket.

  “You guys okay?”

  Paul’s eyes narrowed at him.

  “What are you doing here?” he demanded.

  “Going to the bathroom. Is that a crime?”

  “Depends.”

  Gerard nudged him sharply before turning to Eric.

  “Ignore Paul. We’ve got a lot on today. But we do have a question for you, Eric, if you can spare us the time.”

  Eric didn’t want to spare any time. He just wanted to get out of there. But instead he shoved his hands into his pockets and waited.

  “I’ll answer your question, if I can, Gerard.”

  Paul and Gerard glanced at each other. Eric had had several interactions with them, but he often kept his distance. Even before he suspected drugs, the two of them made him uncomfortable. That and the fact his father seemed to find it amusing the hang out with the two of them in front of Eric. Eric wasn’t touching anyone his dad had come into contact with.

  Gerard turned back, giving Eric a smile that looked more at home on a rattlesnake.

  “Are we going to get our money back?”

  “I beg your pardon?”

  “Your dad owed us. A lot, in spite of his denials, and we want it back now he’s dead.”

  Eric was completely thrown. Adam always declared he never had any debts and he always paid his due. He was very proud of it. He looked from Gerard to Paul and back again.

  “You know Dad and I didn’t talk, and it was certainly not on cordial terms if we did. I’m not likely to know anything about the money you’re owed.”

  “Bullshit.” Paul snorted. “How do we know that’s not a ruse to throw us off? How do we know you’re not a silent partner?”

  “Silent partner in what?” Eric realized they were backing him against the wall. “And pretending to be at each other’s throats? If you’ve had dealings with Dad, you knew him well enough to know he hated my guts.”

  Paul sneered. He leaned his hand on the wall just by Eric’s head. They were roughly the same size in terms of build, but Paul was taller. Eric could try and fight back, but not when there were two of them.

  Now he was beginning to wish he had pissed on the floor of his office.

  “You’re his son, Eric.” Paul flashed his bright white teeth at him. “There is that saying, isn’t there?”

  “Which one?”

  “Like father, like son.”

  Eric snorted.

  “That’s certainly not us.” He rolled up the sleeve of his shirt and showed them the white scar twisting up outside his elbow. “See that? Dad did that to me. That’s not even the worst of them. He would have snapped me in half if he could get away with it. Why would I want anything to do with that bastard after he threw me out while I was in the hospital from another one of his beatings?”

  “Well, he’s dead now.” Gerard shrugged and folded his arms. “A lot of weight off your shoulders, isn’t it?”

  Eric stared at them. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. They were demanding money off him and accusing him of murder in the same breath. They were mad. Everyone in the building knew of Eric’s relationship with his father, that it was non-existent. But to murder his entire family? They couldn’t think that was possible, could they?

  “Eric?”

  Eric almost sagged to the floor when he heard Kyron’s voice. Kyron was standing at the end of the hallway, looking close to squaring up to the producers. His hand was on his gun as he approached them, looking from Paul to Gerard and back again.

  “Is there a problem here, gentlemen?” He growled. “I do hope you’re giving Mr. Schoenauer condolences about his family and not something that could get you into trouble?”

  Paul jumped away from Eric like he had been burned. Gerard gave Kyron a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, stepping back slowly.

  “No problem here, Agent.” He said smoothly. “Just a little check on a song Eric was writing for one of our singers. Should be ready by Monday, shouldn’t it, Eric?”

  Eric swallowed and straightened up.

  “Yes, it will be. I…”

  Turning away from Gerard sickly smile and Paul’s scowl, Eric hurried past Kyron and back into his office. Even as he entered his office, his hands were still shaking.

  ***

  Kyron found an empty office and shut the door, leaning on it with a heavy sigh. He was getting in too deep; he knew it. This had been a bad idea agreeing to let Eric come into work. They should have stayed back at the condo.

  Then again, if it was just then at the condo, something would certainly have happened by now. After stopping Eric from falling when they collided that morning, Kyron had noticed how Eric reacted to his near-naked body. And he had felt an erection pressing against his hip. Eric was turned-on.

  And that made Kyron hot and bothered as well. He didn’t know how to behave after that. Women often started throwing themselves on him—a protector or law enforcement figure was always a turn on—but Kyron hadn’t had any men do the same. And yet with Eric, it was different. Kyron had almost dropped his towel to let Eric have his fill.

  Fuck, he was in trouble. Kyron had never been led by his cock before.

  Then he had witnessed two of Eric’s colleagues cornering him in the corridor outside the restrooms. Eric had told him it looked more like a drug deal and everyone suspected the two producers of handing out drugs to their singers and colleagues, but there was no proof. Until Eric saw the drug bag.

  He wasn’t safe here. If what Gerard Manning had said was true and Adam Schoenauer was involved with it as well, then they could turn their anger at not being paid what they were owed onto Eric.

  Kyron should have been at Eric’s side, squashed into his office and making sure Eric wasn’t disturbed. But while they had been eating lunch and Eric was calming down from his confrontation, Kyron had realized that they had been sitting a little too close. Their interactions had changed, and the air was charged. Kyron had come very close to kissing Eric.

  He needed a moment away from Eric to get his head screwed on properly. Or more than a moment. His cock was still pressing against his jeans and was refusing to back down. Kyron couldn’t walk around Eric’s building with an erection, not with all the ladies watching him. That would certainly give them the wrong idea.

  Kyron was jerked out of his thoughts when his cell phone started ringing. His hands were shaking as he fished it out, seeing Raquel’s name on the screen. Good, he needed a distraction.

  “Horton.”

  “Got an update for me on Schoenauer?”

  “Eric’s still alive, last time I checked.”

  “Last time you checked? You’re not shoved up his backside right now?”

  “Raquel!”

  Kyron was so stunned at his boss’ response that he nearly dropped his phone. Raquel sighed.

  “Don’t be so uptight, Kyron. I didn’t mean it like that. I meant I thought you were supposed to be keeping an eye on him.”

  “I…” Kyron was still trying to recover from Raquel’s comment. He was glad she could see how red he had gone. “I needed a breath of air. It’s a bit stuffy in his office. Guy doesn’t understand air conditioning.”

  “Yeah, I’m sure.” Raquel drawled.

  “What’s that supposed to mean, boss?”

  “You’ve done something you shouldn’t have, haven’t you?”

  Kyron growled. He didn’t want to discuss any of this with Raquel, but she wouldn’t let it go. He started pacing around the room.

  “I thought you were supposed to be looking for killers, not profiling your team.”

  Raquel sighed. There was the sound of something squeaking. She was more than likely sitting down in one of those swivel chairs Raquel loved. Every place they went to, she had to be given a swivel chair, claiming it was for her back. Kyron guessed it was more than likely the closest she got to a slide or a bouncy castle.

  “Normally I wouldn’t, but your behavi
or since you found out Eric’s family were the victims has given me cause for concern. I need your head in the game, Kyron, not the head between your legs in Eric Schoenauer.”

  “Such a way with words,” Kyron snorted, “And it’s in the game.”

  “I don’t believe you.” Raquel paused. “But I guess I’m going to have to trust you on it for now. We need all the hands we can get, and you’re the only one I can spare to watch Eric Schoenauer.”

  Kyron didn’t know if that was a good or a bad thing. Part of him wished Raquel would switch him with someone else, then he wouldn’t be getting away from his charge sporting a hard-on that would be difficult to miss. Not the most professional of looks.

  He slumped into a chair. “Look, I’ve not given you cause for concern before, have I?” He tried to ignore his leg, which was bouncing up and down. “Just trust me on this, Raquel.”

  “I am. For now.”

  “You have a funny way of showing it.”

  “I’m your boss. I’m allowed to question things.” Raquel let out a heavy sigh. “Sorry, I get a little tense after breaking bad news. We’ve just spoken to both sets of grandparents.”

  Kyron was glad he hadn’t been the one to do it. He hated to give bad news. Men often squared up to him or actually came at him swinging and women would slap him. There was something about Kyron that made everyone go mad when given the news someone they loved had died.

  “How did they take it?”

  “As well as could be expected.” Raquel grumbled. “Schoenauer’s father said he and his wife were at odds with their eldest son for being who he was and his attitudes, but they still loved him.”

  “Love is strange.”

  “I won’t argue with that. I also spoke with one of Schoenauer’s brothers. From what I could tell, practically everyone who came into contact with Adam had a reason for getting rid of him. He wasn’t liked by anyone in his family.”

  That was an impressive feat. Kyron rubbed at his eyes.

  “Had he always been an ass?”

  “No, he was an awesome older brother when they were kids. Then Jake Schoenauer said that Adam changed when he went to college and ended up rooming with a white supremacist. Jake thinks he got a little groomed.”