Over and Back, page 12
They started across the square as a group and made it halfway across before a man on a bicycle decided that the best way to get to the other side was to go through their group. He wasn’t successful, as Angus stopped him cold. He probably would have knocked the bike over if he’d have tried to continue.
“Do you think that was on purpose?” Grant asked.
“I don’t know.” Hank was certainly seeing threats and suspicious activity everywhere. He tugged Grant closer, and they walked slowly but purposefully up to the ticket counter inside the ground floor, where they stood in line to buy the passes. Hank kept glancing around as though he expected to see shady guys in dark clothes burst in at any second. Instead, the line moved swiftly, and they were in and out, passes stowed in their money belts, close to their bodies.
“Have you heard from Bull?” Hank asked Zach, who was checking his phone every few minutes.
“Not yet. We’re going to head back that way, but we’ll stay clear of that end of the Duomo. The museum is where he said he’d meet us, so we’ll wait there.” Zach was growing nervous—hell, they all were.
Angus led the way from the square toward the Duomo, down narrow streets filled with tourists. Hank stayed close to Grant, not letting him out of his sight. They broke into the clearing around the church and went along the back to the museum entrance.
“Should we go inside?” Grant asked.
“We’ll wait out here for a few minutes. We’re in the shade and there’s a breeze, so it shouldn’t be too bad. I’m sure Bull won’t be long,” Harry said.
Everyone clustered around, watching the open area. Finally Bull strode around the side of the massive green-and-white stone-clad church and walked over to them.
“What happened?” Zach asked. “Did he show up?”
“Yes, he did. And he wanted something I can’t give him,” Bull answered. “I told him to go home and leave us alone, that he’d be better off leaving the whole situation alone.” Bull sighed.
“What situation?” Zach asked.
Bull shook his head. “I can’t discuss it with you or anyone else. Let’s just say that I did some work here in Italy a number of years ago, and it didn’t go well. Jarrod wants me to finish the job. I, however, have no intention of doing anything of the sort. I told him to pound sand and go away.”
“Will he?” Grant asked.
Bull shook his head. “I doubt it, but that’s his problem.”
“But why me?” Grant asked.
Bull shook his head. “Jarrod knows me to a degree. He knows I’m not going to respond to a direct threat, other than to take him out. But he knows I’ll move in to protect my friends. As I suspected, when I stood up for you at the club, that got his interest. Well, that and I think he’s got the hots for you.”
Hank wasn’t sure if Bull was teasing or not, but Grant shuddered.
“So you really think this is all about you?” Grant asked with more than a hint of snark, cocking his hip, snapping his hands to his waist. Grant was definitely pissed. “Really. His interest in me is all about you.” Man, the fire in his eyes was kind of exciting.
Bull took it in stride and didn’t react. “No. There’s something else going on. But I told him to keep away from you. That you weren’t interested.”
“What did he say?” Grant’s hands slipped to his sides, but he remained wired.
“Nothing, unfortunately.” Bull blew out his breath.
“So now what?” Grant asked. “I’m supposed to wait around for him to try something?” He shook and blinked up at Bull. “That really sucks. You know that. Doing nothing and just waiting to see what he has in store next is a real pain in the butt.” He crossed his arms over his chest and stood a little straighter. “Maybe if I had been there….” He shook his head, growing rigid with tension that seemed to roll off him. “I just want him to leave me alone. Is that too much to ask?” Grant seemed to lose some of his steam, and Hank tugged him closer.
“I know you do. But it was best that you weren’t there.” Bull met Hank’s gaze. Hank wondered what Bull was leaving out from this meeting. He had an idea that Bull was sanitizing things for Grant’s sake.
“Just tell me,” Grant pressed. “I’m not a child, and I don’t need to be coddled.”
Bull nodded. “Okay. If you’re sure.” At Grant’s nod, he continued. “It seems your ex was telling stories about you.”
Grant blanched.
“Sounds like Jarrod wanted to find out for himself whether the things his cousin had said were true. Apparently the two of them share some of the same tastes.”
Grant swallowed. “I see. And Jarrod is the kind of man who doesn’t take no for an answer.”
“Exactly. That’s exactly the kind of guy he is, I’m afraid. In his mind he’s the best at everything he does, so if things were interesting for his cousin, apparently things would be stupendous for him. And all he needs to make that happen is you.”
“Okay.” Grant shivered again. “So, I stay with other people and make sure Jarrod doesn’t catch me alone. Anything else?”
“I think that’s about it for now. I really don’t want this ass to ruin anyone’s vacation. We’ll be cautious and watch out, stay together, and go about what we want to do.” Bull lifted his gaze to the rest of the group. “I think we’ve wasted enough time on this guy for now. Ready to go?”
“Where’s Lowell?” Jeremy asked.
“He was following Jarrod back to his hotel. He’s going to keep an eye on him. He’ll text us when he’s back, but he said to go in without him. We can give him his card when he joins us later.” Bull motioned to the museum, and they went inside, redeemed their tickets, and even got a time to climb the dome. Then they spent a few hours viewing some of the masterpieces of the Florentine Renaissance.
Spook finally met up with them a half hour later. Bull went to meet him out front so he could get in.
“I’m not really one for museums,” Hank told Grant, “but this is so amazing.” He found himself getting lost in what he was seeing.
“Yeah. The relief on the doors is only about half an inch deep, but it looks so real, it’s hard to believe.” Grant leaned against him as he looked, and Hank reveled in the gentleness. It was nice to have someone relying on him for a change. With Danny, he’d been the one who had needed the support and understanding.
Once all of them had seen what they wanted to see, they left the museum and stopped at the nearest gelato stand, got a snack, and sat at the tables on the sidewalk. Damn it all if it didn’t take Hank less than five minutes before he saw Jarrod just down the street, sipping coffee, watching their group. It was unnerving. He caught Bull’s gaze and shifted it down the way. Bull nodded that he’d seen him. Thankfully Grant hadn’t, and Hank did his best to keep it that way.
“This is really good,” Grant said, and offered Hank a bite of his peach and chocolate. He took a taste and offered Grant some of his coconut.
Hank barely noticed when Bull excused himself and headed down the street toward Jarrod, but he couldn’t miss the way Jarrod jumped to his feet, knocking his chair back as Bull came at him in full intimidation mode. Unfortunately, neither did Grant.
“I hope Bull scares the shit out of him,” Grant muttered.
“Me too,” Hank agreed as Jarrod took off.
Bull rejoined their table, plopping down with a self-satisfied grin. “He wants to be a big man, but he can’t take the heat.” He sat back.
“Was that really a good idea?” Zach asked. “It’s only going to make him angry.”
“Probably. But I can’t let him stick around, intimidating everyone. The guy is a coward—he always was. If he wasn’t such a chickenshit, he could do what he’s trying to get me to do,” Bull growled, then stood and walked away from the group.
Zach finished his cone and stood with Bull, the two of them talking softly. Soon the rigidity faded from Bull’s posture, and he hugged Zach close.
“Ready to go?” Spook asked, and they all got to their feet. “I think it’s time to see the best butt in marble.” He knocked Jeremy’s shoulder, and they all headed out to get a glimpse of Michelangelo’s masterpiece.
BULL RELEASED Zach and slipped back in the group, falling into step with Spook, and they let the others go on ahead. “We have to find him and make this stop, but to tell you the truth, I’m not sure how to do that.” He clenched his hands into fists and released them, knowing any outward show of anger or force could be seen.
Spook nodded slowly. “You need to tell me what it is you think he wants. I don’t care if it’s classified or some shit. I need to know what he’s capable of.”
Bull huffed, and his stubbornness threatened to spill over, but he caught himself. Spook was correct. Bull needed his help, and he deserved to know some of the story. “I was on a mission here in Italy, and we found a cache of Nazi gold. He’s trying to get me to tell him where it is.”
“But the gold isn’t there any longer, is it?” Spook said, as though he knew.
“I don’t know, and I couldn’t say even if I did. But I’m sure that’s what he wants.” Bull was grateful Spook didn’t press for more, because it wasn’t something he could speak about.
He and Spook walked down the cobbled, mostly pedestrian street. “I’ll find him, but do you have any ammunition that we can use against him?”
Bull laughed nervously. “Of course there is ammunition, just like he has things he can use against me. My life wasn’t any prettier than yours was,” he snapped. Spook didn’t flinch. That was part of the reason he liked and trusted him so much. Spook understood his past in a way few other people ever could.
“What would get under his skin?” Spook asked.
Bull stepped off the street as a car approached, letting the small vehicle go by as he considered his options. “Switzerland. There was an operation in the Alps that went bad. One of our colleagues died under his watch. Jarrod did everything he could to shift the blame, but I think I know what really happened. I can’t prove it, though.” Bull knew that sometimes proof wasn’t necessary, that the suggestion of impropriety was enough.
“We’ll keep the Switzerland thing in our back pocket for now.” Spook quieted as they approached the museum. “You know that sometimes we can only do what we can do. None of us has the answers all the time. We’ll have to watch, be vigilant, and do our best to keep him away from the others.”
“I know, but I hate not having the answers.” Bull’s frustration rose once again. He was a man of action. What he wanted was to find the guy and beat the hell out of him. But things didn’t always work that way, and muscle wasn’t the best answer to everything.
He just wished he knew what the answer was.
THE MUSEUM was everything Hank had expected and more. David was spectacular, and thankfully they saw no more signs of Jarrod. The tension from earlier dissipated as the sights in front of them took center stage. Hank was completely awed as David towered over them, and Michelangelo’s unfinished works were stunning, even in their rough form.
“It takes my breath away,” Grant whispered standing next to him, looking down the hall toward David. “He’s so….”
“Yeah. Impressive and perfect,” Hank said with a sly grin.
“He’s pretty.”
“Maybe.” Hank leaned closer so only Grant could hear. “But I don’t think he’s as pretty as you.”
Grant coughed and tried not to blush. “I’m…. You don’t need to tease me. That’s mean.”
“I’m not.” Hank leaned closer. “Really. Sure, he’s perfect and everything, but it’s the flaws and imperfections that make us interesting. Perfect people are boring as hell. But you’re interesting, and yes, I think you’re prettier than he is.” Hank stood up straight once again. He wasn’t sure if Grant believed him, but what he’d said was the truth.
They wandered through the Accademia, checking out all the exhibits and taking pictures. Hank was getting exhibited and museumed out for the day. Grant seemed to be as well. They left and walked the short distance to the hotel.
“I want to go out for dinner, and I know you had planned for just the two of us, but what about Jarrod?” Grant asked along the way.
“I was thinking of inviting Zach and Bull to come with us. We’d have someone else there, but it wouldn’t be the entire group traipsing along. They could even sit at their own table.” Hank leaned closer. “I’m getting tired of everybody doing everything together.”
At the hotel, Hank talked to Bull, and they agreed to come along. Bull, too, felt it was a good idea that he and Grant weren’t alone. They agreed to meet in the lobby in an hour.
“Are you going to be okay?” Hank asked Grant once they were back in their room. “I know it’s been a busy day with plenty of excitement and all.”
“Yeah. I just wish Jarrod would leave me alone.” Grant grabbed his phone and lay on the bed, making a call. “Timothy, you jerk,” Grant said into the phone. “How dare you tell your cousin stuff about us.” He sat up and then jumped to his feet. Clearly this wasn’t going to be a low-energy conversation. “How would you like it if I started telling everyone certain things about you?” Grant grew silent. “He’s here… in Italy. I’m on vacation. He tried to pick me up at work, and then….” Grant sat back down as the wind went out of his sails. “You don’t talk about stuff like that. It was private,” Grant said more softly. “Then it’s a good thing we broke up.”
He was winding up once again, and Hank sat next to him, taking Grant’s hand. He really liked that Grant had enough steel in his spine to stand up to his ex. Hank wished he had that kind of guts.
“Well, since you blabbed about how I was such a good time, the nutcase decided to go after me to see if it was true. You had no right.” Grant shook his head. “That was a real dick move, Timothy. Your cousin is sick, and he’s mixed up in some serious stuff.” Grant listened again. “Goodbye, Timothy.” He ended the call and wound up to pitch the phone.
Hank took it and set it on the bedside table. “Take a deep breath.” There was nothing to be done from where they were.
“You know, I wonder what I ever saw in him. He’s a selfish prick, and I let him run my life for way too long.” Grant flopped back on the bed. “He admitted to telling his cousin all about me. He said that when Jarrod asked if it was okay if he gave me a ride, he told him to go ahead. That I was probably Jarrod’s cup of tea.” He banged his fists on the mattress. “How could that ass do this to me? I thought we’d parted on good terms. I was willing to let things go, but obviously he wasn’t and had to get back at me.”
“Did he know his cousin was here?” Hark asked.
“I don’t think so.” Grant covered his eyes with his arm. “He really seemed surprised by that and the fact that I was here. Timothy always thought I was never good enough to do anything on my own. But he did tell his cousin about some of the things we used to do.” He groaned. “That was private,” he added in a whisper. “I didn’t tell you about what we did. It’s personal, things that were between the two of us. Just because a relationship ends, that doesn’t mean everything is suddenly public domain. Does it?”
“No. It certainly doesn’t.” Hank was curious about what Timothy had shared with his cousin, but he wasn’t going to ask. Grant was right—it was personal. And his own curiosity would need to go unfulfilled. “Do you think you can let it go for now?”
Grant sat back up. “I have to. There is nothing I can do about it. Which completely sucks. I want to smack him until he can’t see straight, but….” He sighed.
“Why don’t you relax for a while. We’ve still got some time before we need to meet the guys for dinner. Maybe you can put some of this out of your head before we need to go.” Hank lightly touched Grant’s shoulder. “That is, if you still want to go.”
Grant stood and straightened his shoulders. “I am not going to let Timothy or anyone else ruin this vacation or our first date.” He blinked and his shoulders slumped slightly. “This is a date—well, kind of a date—isn’t it?”
“Yes.” Hank smiled. “And I want to change into something a little nicer. If I’m going to have a date, I want to look my best.” He winked and opened his suitcase, pulled out some light slacks and a polo shirt, then headed to the bathroom. He shaved again and washed up, then stripped out of the T-shirt and shorts he’d been wearing all day and pulled on the lightweight tan slacks and hunter green polo. Then he splashed on a little cologne and stepped out of the bathroom.
Grant had changed as well, and looked amazing in his light blue shirt and white pants. “Is this okay?”
“You look very handsome,” Hank told him, and checked the time. Grant was good enough to eat, and Hank’s appetite rose by the second. They had to be downstairs in fifteen minutes. Hank wanted the first time with Grant to be special, and that meant taking his time. He tugged Grant close and kissed him gently before offering him his arm. “Why don’t we go downstairs to the sitting area.” Being alone with him in the room was temptation on a stick.
Hank closed the door behind them and walked down the stairs. The sitting room off the lobby was comfortably furnished, but the room itself was spectacular, with a honey-warm wooden coffered ceiling and even frescoes over the doorways from the time that the building had been a convent. The floors were old polished wood that glowed, and even the fireplace, dark at the moment, was rich and stately. “I love this room,” Hank commented after sitting on the deep, comfortable sofa.
“Me too. Can you imagine having a house with a room like this?” Grant looked around, leaning against him. “I’d sit in here all day, and in the winter, that fireplace would be so magical.” He chuckled. “Can you imagine a Christmas tree in that corner with lights and then a crackling fire? It’d be so warm.”
“Did you have magical Christmases growing up?”
“Not really. Mom and Dad were there for me and they did their best, but there wasn’t a lot of money and Dad really wasn’t into it all that much. So, while we had Christmas, and a tree, that was about all.” Grant shrugged. “Some of my friends’ moms went all-out, and I used to go over to their houses and marvel at all the decorations, cookies, treats, and stuff that happened. Mom did some of it, but….” He sighed. “Can we talk about something happier?” He seemed sorry to have brought it up.
