I want to thank everyone that has given me so much support and being so kind to send such wonderful reviews. It is very much appreciated!! Thanks again for all the support and please keep the comments coming they help fuel the muse! J
Thanks to Paula for the read through and being such a supportive sis and she keeps corrupting my muse which can be a dangerous ;-) ... Thanks to Insomniac-Angel, MSevenj and Cheryl for all the great support and encouragement... will get a hard beta once it's finished... All remaining mistakes belong to me… so on with the story…
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As much as Eliot wanted to get the 'talk' over with he still dreaded it like facing a firing squad. The mercenary sighed. What did that say about him that he would rather face death than face his past? Face Angel.
He had decided during breakfast that he wanted to get this over with. He hated feeling so wishy washy, as his grandmother use to say, about anything. He was a man of action. He was never one to be undecided for long. In his business you make decision fast or die for procrastinating for a second or two.
Yet, he couldn't figure out what he really wanted with or from the master vampire. But did it really matter what he wanted? He and Angel were not good for each other. Oh sure, he and Angel were sexually compatible but they both sucked at emotional crap. Though he wasn't stupid enough to believe that Angel really loved him. He was more inclined to believe that the vampire was looking for something, or someone, that was familiar from his old life. Someone before he lost his family.
Taking a deep breath he walked into the gym he had added to their new offices. He thought he could kill two birds with one stone so to speak.
He didn't see the vampire so he stripped his shirt off before starting to warm up. It had been impossible to convince Parker that he needed to do this on his own. It had been Hardison and Sophie that had distracted her enough for him to slip her watchful eye. He hoped they didn't kill Nate for sending them to the zoo of all places.
They'd all been surprised that Parker had taken the idea so well. Of course, it did backfire on Nate when Parker made it a family outing. They all went, except Angel he had made the excuse of having some things he had to take care of, only Parker and himself knew the real reason for it. The trip to zoo would be worth every minute of it once he got the pictures from his camera phone developed of Sophie standing next to chimp cage and them throwing food at her. He had snapped a few pictures before he slipped out to meet Angel. He'd have to get something special for Sophie. He had no doubt she had planned that. He felt touched that Sophie would endure being humiliated for him. The others knew exactly where he was and what was going on. They just had to keep Parker occupied for a few hours. Then everything would be back to normal, well normal for them anyway.
He was moving through his Thai Chi routine when he noticed the vampire leaning against the door frame. He chose to ignore Angel until he finished. Twenty minutes later he started his cool down routine feeling more centered. He kept his breathing slow and even for several minutes before deciding to bite the bullet and get this talk started.
Actually this was more like pulling a bullet out of your own body without any painkillers. Painful. To be honest he'd rather do that than deal with his past and Angel.
"What do you want from me Angel? Why even look for me at all?" Eliot wasn't one for emotional talks. Hell he went out of his way to never have one. But this one had to be done. "You and your people went out of your way to let me know I wasn't worth shit to you." Eliot sighed and started to pace. "The only time you were even close to civil with me was when you or one of yours needed or wanted something that only I could do for you. After that it was back to being treated like crap. So what changed to make me so desirable all of a sudden?"
Angel let Lindsey rattle on mainly 'cause he loved the sound of his voice. The vampire could feel the hurt, anguish and fear rolling off the mercenary in waves and each one was like a punch in the gut.
Angel sat on the bench in the gym. "You were always desirable but I was just too stupid and oblivious to realize what was in front of me. I always wanted you but I was afraid of what might happen, what I was feeling. More than anything I was afraid of what I might do to you. What 'it' might do to you. And let's not forget you did work for an evil law firm. I couldn't take the chance that you or the firm weren't going to try to bring out Angelus. You had already tried by bringing my sire back."
"That's why I left, but evil law firm or not, you didn't do anything to hurt me on that last night. We had sex and I went back to my old life. So what is the point of finding me?" Eliot was confused. He was trying to figure out what Angel wasn't saying.
"True, I didn't hurt you, but at that time it wasn't perfect happiness. I was confused and worried about Darla and everyone else I cared about. At that moment you were stress relief. Nothing more or so I thought. It didn't matter at the time that my demon was screaming to be let loose. To have you in every way it could." Angel tried to ignore the fear that was strong coming from his boy.
"God, Angel that's exactly what I'm afraid of, Angelus getting loose. And how did you prevent him from getting out if he wanted it so badly?"
"Like I said it wasn't perfect happiness at the time. And I have gotten good at ignoring him for the most part." Angel knew it sounded lame but it was true.
"So if it's not perfect happiness then what am I? Third or fourth best. You think it's better to be with me than nothing at all?"
Eliot went to the punching bag, not caring about the pain in his side, just wanting to hit something other than Angel for now.
Angel felt the anger from the mercenary but ventured close to hold the punching bag for him. "You are not second, third or any other number you can come up with. There is no excuse for the way I treated you or allowed my people to treat you." The vampire held on tight as the blows to the bag became vicious. He held no illusions that Eliot wasn't picturing his face with each hit. "I did everything wrong where you were concerned and I'm more sorry than I can ever express. I want to make it up to you. Get to know the real you. Will you let me do that?"
"Why should I? All that'll happen is you'll hurt me and my family. I can't and won't allow that to happen." Eliot grabbed and hugged the bag, laying his forehead on the cool material. He ignored the vampire until he felt Angel move up behind him. "I just can't allow anything to endanger or hurt them. That's what you are danger, pain and heartache."
Angel came up behind the specialist, his body flush with Eliot's. Putting his hand on the small of Eliot's back slowly moving it up the well toned muscles. He wanted to claim his boy but knew he had to move slowly so as not to spook him into running.
"Please don't." Came the broken request.
Angel turned the man around but Eliot wouldn't look at him. He used two fingers under Eliot's chin to raise the specialist's face up to his. Close enough to kiss but Eliot still wouldn't meet his gaze. This was the first time since the meeting in the board room that Eliot's heart was racing. "Look in my eyes and see that I'm telling you the truth Eliot."
Eliot met his gaze. "No. I'm not going to even try. You've treated me like crap and now you want me to forget about it. Then you want me to allow you back in my life, my family's lives, to do what? Play happy couple? That's not only...mmhhhh.'
Eliot's hands flailed about for a few seconds before settling onto the vampire's shoulders, slowly making their way up into the soft brown hair. He just didn't have the strength to pull away from the soft sweet mouth.
Angel had hoped that this would be a good way to shut the former lawyer up. The kiss started off soft but grew more demanding with each second. Then he was stumbling back as Eliot pushed him away.
Eliot was disgusted with himself. Stupid vampire kisses him and he goes weak in the knees. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "You have no right to come and disrupt my life because you don't have anyone else left from your old life." Eliot snapped his fingers. "Wait a minute you do have someone else. You said someone else survived the battle. So, why in the hell are you here?"
"Yes, Spike survived and he's with Buffy somewhere in Europe where they belong. But I belong here with you." Angel tried to look less threatening, holding his hands up in supplication. "I'm sorry I got carried away. We were supposed to talk. Why don't we start off with how you became Lindsey McDonald? Tell me about yourself Eliot. Let me get to know the real you." Angel sat back down on the bench, relaxing back against the wall. He wanted to show that he was calm and wanted to know about his boy.
Eliot was angry and frustrated. "You want to know about me fine. I loved my mom but she was blind when it came to my father. But she wised up and sent me to live with my grandparents when I was 5. She came to visit as often as she could get away from the bastard. I learned a lot from my grandparents and even more from my uncles that stopped by when they weren't in the military or jail. Then Mom died and the bastard came for me when I was 9. At least the beatings stopped because at 11 he started selling me to the highest bidder."
Eliot's breathing became labored. He sat down resting his elbows on his knees, his head down, hair falling to shield his face. He jumped when he felt a hand on his back.
"Easy, sweetheart." Angel rubbed circles on Eliot's back, wanting to comfort his soon to be lover. "I know bringing up the past is hard but I think we both need this to move on. You know everything there is to know about me. So let me in. Let me see and get to know the real you."
Eliot snorted. "You don't want to know the real me. Nobody does. Even the team doesn't know everything. It's safer for everyone that way."
"Well, I want to know everything there is to know. You know there isn't much that anyone can do to me, so your secrets would be safe with me." Angel easily held the mercenary in place when he tried to put distance between them. "I understand better than anyone what you have gone through. I've seen enough and lived long enough. I'm just sorry I didn't let you tell me all those years ago but I'm here now, so talk to me." When Eliot had calmed down some he let his boy pull away from him.
"Look I don't want to even talk but if this is the only way to get you to leave..." Eliot was startled when he found himself pinned to the wall. The vampire's lips inches from his.
"I'm going to tell you this as many times as you need to hear. I'm not leaving you again. I'm in this for the long haul. Quit shaking your head because no matter how much you deny it I'm not going anywhere." Angel fingers slowly made their way into the copper blond locks and tightened his fingers, pulling Eliot's head back. "Listen and listen closely. I love you. I'm not going anywhere. I want to love you for the rest of our lives." Angel sighed as smelled the fear from his future mate. He was get so tired of that putrid smell. It didn't belong on this very special human.
Bringing Eliot's body tighter to his, holding the mercenary's chin, meeting his gaze. "Why are you afraid of me Eliot? You were never afraid of me before. Why now?"
Eliot sucked in a breath, trying to calm his racing heart. He didn't want to get into this but maybe this would finally be what would push Angel away. Get him to leave. "You're the champion for good." Eliot shrugged, his shoulder scraping against the concrete wall. "Me, I'm just a lowly thief waiting for The Powers That Be to strike me down because I'm not good enough for you. Or maybe I'll contaminate you with my evil soul.
Angel was getting irritated with his frustrating future mate. He tightened his hold. "Quit trying to push me away and tell me why you're afraid of me."
Eliot jerked his face out of the vampire's hand and looked away. "You keep telling me that you love me. That would imply that if we had sex it would be perfect happiness and I won't be responsible for unleashing Angelus on the world." He looked Angel in the eye again. "I can't let that happen and I can't afford to let you in my heart only for you to break it then kill my family. I know all about what happened to the Scooby gang when you slept with Buffy. I can prevent it. When you say you love me, that terrifies me."
Angel laid his fingers over the soft lips. "I should have said something sooner but I was just so happy I had finally found you. After the battle, the carnage, all the loss of life, and the loss of every one of my family that I loved, the Powers That Be rewarded me by lifting the curse. I have a soul free and clear of consequences of total happiness. I love you and want to spend the rest of our lives proving just how much I love you."
Eliot was dumfounded. At least for a second and then the anger hit him again. He pushed Angel away from him again. The vampire didn't go far enough. So, he moved back to the punching bag, putting it between them.
"That's bullshit. You are just feeling lonely and looking for someone from your old life to fill the void. Go find Spike and join the gang again. Get back to saving the world from evil demons and you'll forget all about me."
"No, Eliot, that's bullshit. I've looked for 10 years. Looked for you. Not anyone else. Don't care about Buffy, her gang or their group. I want you and only you. Tell me what you need to get you to believe me." Angel stayed where he, leaning against the wall, not wanting to further agitate the mercenary. "Finish telling me about how you got here."
"What still not enough for you?" Eliot started punching the bag again. Angel stayed quiet. "Fine. My father sold me to government officials and rich men that like children. I started to keep records on everything that was done to me and by who. I kept doing every Martial Art that existed. Started doing street fighting. Then one day I finally got my scores back from the college entrance exam. I was 14 and I passed. Scored so high it caught the notice of a few people and then it got back to my father. I knew if I didn't get out he'd do something drastic to keep me in that life. So, I started blackmailing the people who bought my ass. They put me through law school. Wolfram and Hart had followed my schooling. Saw something they wanted and liked. So, I made a deal with them they help rid the world of all the people that had paid for me and most importantly my father." Eliot shrugged. He started punching the harder, adding kicks, trying to release his pent up anger.
"You didn't have trouble adjusting to being a lawyer for an evil law firm? With demons?" Angel moved to hold the bag for him again while he waited for Eliot to answer.
"Nope. Learned a lot from my time on the streets. Underground cage fighting has a lot of demons involved. Not only that, I picked up *a lot* of my fighting skills from them. Also helped when I got into the law firm to have so many underground connections."
"You never got used to it, did you?" Angel could sense the shame and anger coming from his boy.
"No, I didn't. I tried to even the balance between good and evil as much as I could. Those kids weren't my first. Just the first for me to ask for help." Eliot stopped hitting the bag, hands on both sides of the bag near the vampire's hands, meeting Angel's gaze. "For your help."
"I'm really very sorry about that." Angel laid his hands over Eliot's. "I'll spend a lifetime regretting the way we, I, treated you. But I want to spend that lifetime making it up to you and loving you."
Eliot pulled his hands out from under the vampire's. "You've apologized. Your guilt is absolved. No need to keep up with the charade." Eliot walked over to the windows, crossing his arms over his chest, leaning his head against the window. "I never thought once you'd really look for me." A self deprecating smile on his face. "You know, before I slipped back completely into my old life I used to dream that you'd find me? That by some miracle you'd love me and we'd have a happily ever after. God, I was so stupid back then and so young. I guess I'm more like my grandmamma than I thought. So, I started going into any and every war I could. I used them to exorcise you and any romantic notion out of me. Now," Eliot turned around and spread his arms. "I don't have anything left to offer you. My heart is no longer usable in the love department. So, really, this is a waste of time. You are absolved and released from any and all obligations you feel for me."
Angel watched as Eliot leaned his head against the window, arms crossed again. He looked defeated to the vampire. It broke his heart to see his boy like this. He walked over to Eliot, approaching him slowly. He rested his hand on the small of the mercenary's back, slowly moving his hand around the firm waist then pulling the man's body into his, resting his chin on Eliot's shoulder and gazed out the window. And waited.
Eliot enjoyed the feel of the cool body behind him and the comfort it offered as he stared out the window. He really hadn't meant to tell Angel all that but he just wanted to push the vampire away emotionally and all it seemed to do is bring him closer. How did you push someone away that didn't respond like he was supposed to?
"Why aren't you running the other way? Getting as far from me as possible?" God, he was bone tired after that conversation. He just wanted get as far away from here as possible, away from Angel, and sleep for a week. Which, was wrong because he finally had what he wanted, a family that loved him, that he loved, someone that knew the worst about him and said he still loved him. Angel tightened his hold him. He liked the feeling of the man behind him. The unleashed power in Angel's body made him tremble and it made him want to be the one to have all that energy released on him. And that was not a good thing.
"I've done worse than you could ever do. I murdered people for no other reason than to feed off them. There is nothing you can say that can scare me off. Please stop trying to push me away. We'll take it slow. Let me get to know the real you." Angel could smell all the conflicting emotions coming from Eliot. "But can I ask one favor?" He felt Eliot tense and he started petting his boy's stomach. Trying to reassure him.
"No promises, but let's hear it."
"Can I go with you on a few of your jobs? I'll stay out of the way and even take orders." Angel wanted to get Eliot used to his presence.
Eliot turned his face towards the vampire to see if he was serious and only saw sincerity. He shook his head as he laughed. "Of all the things you asked for, that's one I didn't think about."
Angel grinned. "I wouldn't mind a little more protection from Parker."
"That's more like it." Eliot was still grinning as he looked back out the window. "I'm not sure how that's gonna work. Maybe I should leave you two work it out yourselves?"
"You wouldn't?" Angel was liking this playful side.
"Nah, wouldn't do that to Parker." Eliot couldn't keep the smile off his face.
Angel started tickling the irritating boy; he did try to be easy so as not to aggravate Eliot's ribs too much. As Eliot tried to get away from him they ended up on the floor. Angel made sure he cushioned Eliot's fall. Eliot glared at him before turning the tables on him then they were wrestling.
Then Eliot stopped and looked up at him. If he had a beating heart it would have stopped at the heated look he was getting. He leaned in and captured the soft lips in a slow heated kiss. Every time Eliot tried to deepen it he pulled back to nibbling on the sweet lips.
Eliot was hard and he wanted this but now Angel was pulling back from him every single time he wanted to go further. The sounds coming from Angel were driving him crazy. His hands couldn't feel enough of the cool skin. He could feel how hard Angel was so why wouldn't the vampire allow him to go further? Oh God, he lied. He was still cursed. He needed to get away now.
Angel felt the shift in his boy's emotions. "What's wrong Linds?"
"Get off of me NOW!" Eliot was angry. The vampire rolled off him and on to he's back. "You lied didn't you? You're still cursed!" Eliot rolled over on to his hands and knees, moving slowly he rose to his feet, glaring at the vampire.
"Eliot you know that I would *never* lie about that. I'm sorry I called you Linds but in my defense I'm getting use to calling you Eliot. Just give me more time than a day to get use to it. Why would you think I lied about the curse?" Angel was slowly standing up when Eliot grabbed him shoving him into a wall.
"Because I wanted to take this further and you won't let me." Eliot pulled Angel towards him and slammed him back into the wall. "You are messing with my head and I want to know why."
Angel grabbed on to Eliot's biceps and pulled his boy's body closer to his. "I want to make you happy and I need to take this slowly to show you how much more you mean to me than that one night so many years ago. Also, I want to show I was listening to what you said." Angel held on as Eliot tried to pull away from him and then he grabbed Eliot's chin. "Stop struggling and listen to what I'm saying." Angel was happy when Eliot stopped trying to pull away from him. "You haven't had anyone in your life in a very long time that loved and respected you enough not to rush things, if you ever did. I don't want to have sex with you. I want to make love to you when the time is right. And not until then."
Angel could feel his boy emotionally pulling away from him and he just couldn't allow that. The fact that he could hear Vinny enter the outer offices had nothing to do with him framing the mercenary's face and kissing the breath out of him. He pulled back slowly resting his forehead against Eliot. They stayed that way until the door to the gym opened and Vinny cleared his throat.
Eliot tensed for a moment before glaring up at the vampire, pulling away, he walked over to where he had left his shirt, he picked it up and decided to provoke Angel a little. He'd have to rewrap his ribs later. "Hey Vinny." Eliot clasped hands with the young detective pulling him into a short hug before he put his shirt on. He noticed Vinny watching Angel as he pulled away.
"Vinny, this is an old friend of mine. Angel this is Detective Vincent Dragani."
Vinny was tall with messy long black hair. Sizzling, vivid blue eyes that he had felt aimed at him more often than not. He had striking noble features that he got from his Roman/Italian ancestors. He enjoyed those large hands on his body more than once but they were just really good friends with a lot extra benefits.
Angel decided to ignore the emotions rolling off his boy like waves pounding the surf. He offered his hand to the cop. "Dragani, Italian for dragon. Nice to meet you. So how did you two meet?" Angel sat down on the bench by his boy. He could smell the jealousy, lust and amusement coming off the detective. He quelled the urge to stake his claim again.
Vinny understood the looks he was getting from the man in black. He almost snorted in amusement. The man actually thought he could possess the mercenary. "Cowboy and I met one night at a frat party. Eliot came to my rescue." Vinny glanced at Eliot waiting for him to pick up the story before he gave the man in black more information than he should.
"Don't call me Cowboy, Dragon." Eliot glared at his friend. "Vinny may not look it but he's a few years younger than me. He decided to rush a fraternity. It was set up by his 'brothers' to be in a porn scandal since his family is mostly high ranking officers. Dragon was going to be 10th generation law enforcement. They had something against his family. They needed blackmail material. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Took out a couple of low life's that had set it up and roofied Vinny." The sneer in the mercenary's voice made it very clear how he felt about that. "Got him out of there, took care of him until one of his brothers could come and pick him. We've been friends ever since. Every once in a while we'll be in the same city." Eliot sat by Angel, an arm around his sore ribs. "So what do you have for me?"
"Mind if we talk in private, Cowboy?" Vinny wasn't sure about the stranger beside his friend and the fact that Eliot had told the real story meant something. He just didn't know what yet. He watched the silent interaction between the two lovers, if what he had seen earlier was anything to go by.
"I'll just wait in your office." Angel got up letting his hand linger on Eliot's shoulder.
Eliot shivered at the caress and watched as Angel closed the door behind him. Eliot put his finger to his lips, indicating Vinny should be quiet. He walked over to the door and engaged the door lock and flipped a switch. It was something Hardison had wired throughout the offices. Every room had its own white noise generator.
"That's awfully careful for an old friend and lover."
Eliot heard the question in the statement. He leaned against the door and shrugged his shoulders. "We're working it out. Or rather he's trying to get back in my good graces and I'm trying to figure out if that's what I want. So what'cha got for me?"
Vinny could take a hint but like always he chose to ignore it. "So, how much does he know Cowboy? Since you mentioned college and the fraternity I'm sure he knows about the alias you used in school. So how'd you meet him?"
Eliot sighed. He didn't really want to get into this but he knew how hard headed his Italian friend was, especially when it came to him. "Fine, Dragon, that law firm I told ya about?" At Vinny's nod he continued. "Well, he's the one I had so many run-ins with."
"The one you called a champion for the underdog?"
"Yep, that's Angel. We may have butted heads all the time but when it came down to it he's the better man." Eliot had his arms crossed over his chest, he dropped his head. He was still ashamed of that part of his life. It may have rescued him from the hell he grew up in but he swam in guilt on the best of days over the things he had done.
Vinny watched his friend, and sometimes lover, drop his head like he always did when it came to that part of his past. He knew there was a lot more to Eliot's time as lawyer than he let on, most likely to protect him. Vinny walked over to his friend and leaned into him raising his face with a finger under the mercenary's chin. "Hey, stop it. You did what you had to do to survive. I know the signs of abuse when I see them, even at that young of an age I knew something had happened." Vinny held tight as Eliot tried to look away from him. "My family did a background check on you." The detective felt the sudden tension in his friend. "Don't worry nothing came of it officially. They just wanted to know more about the man who saved me and our family." Vinny grinned at the shocked look he was getting. "You didn't think it was strange that a family of cops practically adopted a stranger? Not ever saying anything about your past? I knew you were young, Cowboy but as a survivalist of your caliber I expected better." Vinny clucked his tongue before he leaned in, placing a kiss on the stunned man's lips.
Eliot was dumbfounded. How the hell did he miss that? In hindsight he could see things in a different light. "You and your family have been protecting me all this time?"
The Italian backed up and watched his friend's face, the expressions ranging from stunned, anger and bafflement. He just stood back and waited. It never took long for Eliot to get back on solid ground.
"Why? Why would they do that? You're the good guys and you took a crook into your family?" It made no sense to him. Eliot wanted answers and he wanted them now but this was his friend so he stayed where he was. Waiting for Vinny to answer him.
"You are no more a crook than I am. You have different ways of aiding the helpless. Even more so now." He shrugged. "My family thought for sure you were going to blackmail the family but the fact you gave everything to my father and helped with the investigation on the people involved, pretty much sealed your fate with our family. Every once in a while we make sure that nobody can get any information on you or your past. There hasn't been much since you became involved with Ford. We just watch your back. You are family."
God, what did he do with this information? He couldn't wrap his head around it. He had to clear his throat so he could talk. "So, they all know and never said anything?" Eliot slid down landing on the floor with a thump.
Vinny sat down beside him, throwing his arm over his friend's shoulder, drawing him close, wanting to comfort him. "Listen closely to me Eliot. You became a full fledge member of the Dragani family when you did what you could to bring those guys down after the law did what it could and we had no other options left to us in the end. We all knew who took care of those loose ends and prevented them from hurting anyone else. And let's not forget that you can do no wrong when it comes to the females in the family. You make the rest of us look bad for christ sake. You remember all their birthdays, mother's day and the holidays. If they don't hear from you they get us to locate you and make sure you're alright."
Eliot had tears in his eyes that never fell. He swallowed the thick emotion in his throat and looked at Vinny. "Is that why I woke up in a hospital in Peru that time I was locked up for stealing some artifacts from a local war lord for the government?" Vinny nodded. "Do I even want to know how y'all were able to pull that off?"
Vinny scoffed and hugged Eliot before standing up. He turned and helped the mercenary up, pulling the firm body to his. He wanted Angel to know he wasn't going to be pushed away from Eliot unless that was the way Eliot wanted it. "I know, even you have better sense than to deny a family of worried, protective and angry Italian women."
Eliot loved the feel of Vinny against him. He placed a soft chaste kiss on the detective's lips. "You know I'll always have soft spot for you and our relationship but I need to see where this will go with Angel. It either works or I finally get closure." He gave Vinny a wicked smile before he swooped in and kissed the Italian's breath away. He let go of the warm soft lips, resting his forehead against his friends. "But I'm not opposed to making him a little jealous."
Vinny let out a loud bark of laughter. "That's my Cowboy." Vinny pulled out of the embrace putting a little distance between them. "I have a feeling your Angel would rip me apart for even touching you if the looks I was getting is anything to go by."
Eliot smirked, "He's a bit possessive but I won't let him hurt you. So, now that we got all that out of the way you want to tell me what the job is?" Eliot went and sat on the bench, watching Vinny lean against the wall across from him.
"Okay, Kieran called about a problem he's been having in New York that the officials tied his hands and then the perp showed up in Boston and he was hoping I knew what you were doing right now, so maybe you could do a favor for your older brother."
He did love Vinny's family even though he'd never gotten use to them. He never really accepted that they claimed him as family. They were very open and loving with their family. Everything he wasn't. They made him feel like family and called him son, brother, grandson and uncle. So, he owed them for that alone. That kept him sane most of the time. He'd deal with the emotions to the other revelations till later. "Who's the perp and what does Kieran want me to do?"
"Willy Howards. He's a 'made' man in a crime family and no I'm not telling you who. I know you, you'd try to take the whole family down and from the inside, no less. Kieran wants proof of anything that can get the man put away. The man and some of his crew splintered off from the family but still have strong ties. Enough for Howards to get away with threatening his family. Paula picked Callum up from school, Howards and friends were waiting. They threw blood on them. We tried everything and with Kieran being a high ranking FBI agent that's saying something."
Eliot was angry. No one ever threatened anyone he claimed as family. Ever. "You know as well as I do that there is nothing, *nothing* you can or your family can do now. You've already gone through any and all proper channels you know of. If they can't protect your family then I can." Eliot stood up he was trying to contain his anger. He went and flicked the white noise generator off and yelled for Angel. He wasn't disappointed when the man was right there. He quickly told Angel what he knew.
He looked at Vinny. He could see the surprise in the Italian's eyes but he didn't have time to waste on anything else. "How long has this been going on? Do you know where he is now?"
"He's been threatening the family for 7 months and he was last seen at a local auto shop with his group. That was a few days ago." Vinny saw that there would be no reasoning with the mercenary now.
"Why didn't you call me sooner? Like when it first started happening?" Eliot was getting angrier the longer he thought about it. "Damn it to hell! I could have already sorted this out before they even got close to Paula and Callum."
Angel put a hand on the mercenary's shoulder. "Calm down, Eliot. Why don't you get the address and see if Alec can get you more information and let Nate know what's going on." Angel watched his boy slam out of the room after Vinny gave him the address.
He hadn't been happy when he couldn't hear what was being said. He had been ready to bust the locked door down. Hell, he wanted to kill the son of a bitch! He knew that Eliot had cut him out on purpose, not like that was a surprise with Hardison's computer skills that this place was rigged for privacy. So he paced outside the room. If anyone had seen him he probably looked like a caged animal, which wasn't far from the truth at the moment. The only thing he could do was go off of the emotions coming from the two men inside. The lust and on some level, Vinny and Eliot, loved each other but that seemed to be more as friends. Which was good news, he wouldn't have to kill the detective, just hurt him a little since he definitely had been touching and kissing his boy.
Both men stood eye to eye staring at each other before Vinny broke the silence. "I'm not sure why you are here but you better not hurt him. Do we understand each other?"
"Oh, I understand more than you think, little dragon. All you need to know is that I love him and I'm not going anywhere, unless it's with him." Angel kept his body relaxed as possible, even though his monster was screaming to be set loose on the interloper.
Vinny got even closer to the man in black, looking directly in his eyes. "You hurt him and they will *never* find your body. Once again do we understand each other?" Vinny spoke each word sharp and clear.
Angel backed off and smiled. He could be the bigger man because in the end he'd have Eliot. "Yes, we understand each other."
Vinny nodded but he had to make sure. "Can you fight? Protect him if necessary? He lives a very dangerous life. I need to know that you can take care of him."
"He's very capable of taking care of himself. Eliot's been doing it for a very long time. But don't worry I've been fighting all my life for one reason or another. Eliot will always be safe with me. I'll protect him for as long as he allows me too and even if he doesn't want me too. No matter what, I'll back his play over anyone else's. He's my only priority."
"I know he can take care of himself but he does get in over his head sometimes." Vinny sighed in disgust. "You know this means we'll have to be nice to each other for his sake, right?"
"Yeah, I already figured that out and I'm choosing to not hurt you for kissing him. But this is your only warning. Touch him, kiss him again? And you'll see how well I can fight. Do we understand each other?"
Vinny started laughing which irritated the vampire. "What the hell are you laughing at?"
"Us. He'd kill both of us for the way we're acting." Vinny grinned at Angel's uncomfortable look.
"Yeah but the boy does need someone to look after him." Angel rubbed the back of his neck.
Vinny cocked his head to the side watching every expression of the man face. His instincts had been screaming since he had met the man, but he could not find what was triggering the alarm. "You don't look like you're older than him. In fact you look a few years younger than me. Yet, you referred to Eliot as boy." Vinny wasn't surprised when Angel's body went ridged then he took a deep breath and the man's body was relaxed and fluid.
Angel had forgot what being around a detective was like. This would be why he hadn't been around one since Kate. He felt like the prey. "I've been around the world enough to know more than your average person. Most people seem younger to me." Angel gave the detective an easy smile. "Besides it irritates him."
"What irritates me?" Eliot asked as he walked back into the room. He noticed Vinny's intense scrutiny of the vampire. Oh, crap, the stupid vampire slipped up. He had never told anyone in his life of the monsters he dealt with until last night with Parker.
"Hey, Vinny, I need you to call Kieran and tell him to get as many of the family ready to go off the grid for a few weeks. Here's Hardison's number. He's got the info and he'll go over it with you and Kieran. I need this to happen by tomorrow morning." Eliot knew he needed to get Vinny's focus off of the vampire. Damn man has been nothing but complications since he met him all those years ago. "Use my office to call Hardison and he'll you get Kieran on the phone at the same time."
Vinny could easily read his friends unease and decided to take care of the family business then come back to what the puzzle of Angel and Eliot. "Okay, I'll be back in a few minutes."
Eliot watched Vinny leave, waiting until he heard the office door close. He stalked over and flipped the switch again. He turned, glaring at the vampire. "What the hell did you do?"
Angel didn't need his senses to tell him how angry the mercenary was. He put his hands out in surrender. "I slipped and called you boy."
Angel was prepared for the mercenary slamming him into the wall but he was not prepared for Eliot giving him a bruising kiss. He groaned opening his mouth letting Eliot's questing tongue in to duel with his. Eliot's hands were roaming under his shirt, his fingernails scraping down his torso. He turned the tables on the mercenary, flipping places with him. He became the aggressor. He pulled away from the sweet hot mouth, letting his boy breath, as he trailed kisses down the long tanned neck. He was surprised when Eliot bared his neck to him but he just sucked gentle on the fluttering pulse point, leaving his mark on his boy. He kissed his way back to the full lips, his tongue slipping back in, rubbing against its mate. He pulled back, still had his arms around his boy, waiting to see what Eliot's reaction would be. He was surprised when Eliot cupped his cheek, leaning in placing a light kiss on his lips.
Eliot left his hand on the cool cheek. "Look, I get it, I, really do. The age difference makes me a boy in your eyes but I'm not. I need you to be very careful about what you say around the others. Parker is the only one that knows that world, about you and I'd like to keep it that way." He really did love the vampire but he didn't trust either them right now. "I'm going to have to take care of this problem with Vinny's family and you can't be there."
"Wait a min…" Angel sentence was cut short by the mercenary laying his fingers on his lips.
"Absolutely not. I can't have you there. You'd be a distraction. Not to mention that what I'm going to be doing is breaking a lot of laws. You are good and what I'm going to be doing is very bad. I'm not going to have anywhere near this." Eliot looked warily at the vampire's smile. It was almost as bad as Parker's.
Angel kissed the fingers on his lips before he removed them. "Eliot, thank you for thinking of me but I don't need you to protect me from anything. I know what you're going to do and I'll help. Stop shaking your head no." Angel framed the mercenary's face. "You know my history and you know me."
Eliot thought about it for a minute. Angel had a point and it wouldn't hurt to have some back up that was actually capable of helping. He nuzzled into one palm before grabbing both wrists, kissing each palm. "Okay, but you have to promise to follow my orders and no arguing." At the vampire's nod of agreement he kissed the lips chastely. "Let's go find Vinny and get this started."
Eliot walked out of the room hoping he hadn't made a big mistake agreeing to let the vampire come with him. He also had to come up with something to handle Vinny's suspicious nature. He stopped there and started going over everything he might need and what favors he was going to call in.