"But-"

His father held up his hand. "I'm not budging on this, Gabe." His tone was firm. "You'll do as Miller Legend instructs. Do I make myself clear?"

It was rare that his father use that clipped, harsh tone with him. Gabe found himself nodding even though he wanted to shake his head and demand to remain at his father's side. But he knew arguing would be pointless.

So he asked, "For how long?"

He felt defeated and like a piece of shit for leaving his father to handle this on his own. Gabe didn't have any formal training and would probably be more of a hindrance than help if he stayed. But the guilt began to mount.

"Pack for at least four weeks."

"Four weeks?" Gabe nearly shouted the words. "You want me to leave the only home I've ever known and the father I cherish for an entire month while you face down the cartel?"

"That's exactly what I want you to do." His father strode from the study, leaving Gabe to sit there gaping at the man. Not once in his life had his father dismissed him like an errant child.

Gabe wasn't sure what to make of it.

While he understood his father's concern, Gabe resented the high-handedness. He was a grown man, ran his own department at the bank, and was intelligent and sensible. For Maxwell to treat him like a little boy who didn't understand grown folks' business cut Gabe to the quick.

Twenty-four hours.

His shoulders slumped as he walked out of the office, heading upstairs to pack.

Chapter Two.

The following evening, Gabe heard murmuring inside his father's office. The unfamiliar voice was husky, wholly masculine, and had him willing to investigate further. Gabe's curiosity was piqued. He felt like a spy as he lingered out in the hallway, but he wanted to hear the uncensored conversation.

Unfortunately, his father was good.

"Gabe, get in here," Maxwell called from inside his office.

Busted.

Squaring his shoulders with dignity, Gabe strolled in. He never could get away with eavesdropping. Maxwell's hearing had been sharp when Gabe was a small boy. His father had always caught him. And as his father grew older, his skills had only sharpened. But Gabe had to try. He knew Maxwell wasn't telling him everything.

"This is Miller Legend," his father said in introduction.

Gabe turned toward Legend and felt as if he'd stepped off a cliff, freefalling. His new bodyguard was the hottest man he'd had ever laid eyes on. Legend wore a three-piece charcoal-grey suit that clung to his body with perfection. Gabe couldn't stop himself from openly appraising the man, fighting not to groan at Legend's executive-style appearance.

Yet, when Gabe glanced at his face, the man reminded him of a street brawler. The manly cut of his chin, the scrub of hair that ran along his jawline and thickened under his bottom lip, and those piercing amber eyes were enough to make Gabe's pulse roar.

Legend's hair was shaved on both sides. Light-brown strands lay softly down the middle, reaching just above his shoulder blades. If Gabe had met this man out on the street, he would not have had the nerve to talk to him.

He was finding it hard to utter two words as it was.

Legend extended his hand and Gabe nearly fainted when their skin made contact. Legend's skin was rough, but his touch gentle. He gave Gabe's hand just the right amount of pressure as he shook it. Gabe didn't want to break the connection. But after two pumps, Legend pulled away.

Gabe wasn't sure what in the hell had gotten into him. He'd never swooned over a man. His name was not Scarlett O'Hara and they were not in the movie Gone with the Wind. This wasn't the Deep South and Gabe had all the confidence in the world when it came to flirting with men. Okay, almost all the confidence in the world. There were just some men, like Legend, who flustered him.

Gabe mentally smacked himself on the back of the head, trying to dislodge something intelligent to say. Finally, he muttered, "Nice to meet you."

The start of a smile twitched at the side of Legend's mouth and then it was gone. "A pleasure."

Those ambiguous amber eyes seemed to deepen in color as Legend gazed at him. Gabe felt as if the man could see right through him, read his thoughts. Legend was staring too intently and Gabe began to shift uncomfortably.

Gabe's bodyguard was not supposed to be this good looking. The man should have been as unappealing as roadkill on a hot summer's day. If that had been the case, Gabe wouldn't be standing here right now trying not to drool all over the guy.

Maxwell cleared his throat. Gabe had to tear his gaze away from Legend to look at his father. There was a knowing gleam in the man's eyes.

His father knew that Gabe was bisexual and hadn't batted an eye when Gabe had confessed to being attracted to both sexes. The man had even tried to set Gabe up on a few dates. Totally weird and utterly embarrassing. His father was a damn good-looking man and had good taste, but no child wanted their parent hooking them up.

After a few loud no thank yous and a couple more stay out of my love lifes, his father had backed off. And now the man was smirking as if he had done Gabe a favor.

Gabe rolled his eyes and ignored his father. Although Maxwell was a very powerful man and a heavy game piece in his industry, the guy was sometimes too damn juvenile.

"I filled Legend in on the situation," his father stated. Gabe had to concentrate to understand what was being said. His mind was fully on Legend, assessing the man, trying to figure out why he'd had such a volatile reaction to the stranger. "He has assured me that you will be safe."

Lights on, fog cleared. Gabe spun around to glare at Maxwell. "What the hell? I should have a say in this considering it's my life we're talking about."

"You're being unreasonable," his father bit out. "You have no background training for this."

"And you do?" Gabe asked. "What do you know about dealing with money-laundering thugs? You didn't even know what they were up to until it was almost too late."

Maxwell narrowed his eyes at the reminder.

Gabe hadn't meant to embarrass his father in front of his friend, but it scared the hell out of him to leave the man here while he ran. That didn't sit well with him at all.

"Go get your bags," his father ground out. "Now."

Gabe started to argue further, but could see that it was pointless. He stormed from the office, furious that his father was sending him away. After gathering his luggage from his room, he was met by Legend at the front door.

"You're being unreasonable," the bodyguard said before walking out.

Gabe knew he was. But Maxwell was all he had and Gabe was terrified of losing the man. He was allowed to be upset. Screw Legend and his unwelcome opinion.

He stepped out into the bright California sunshine and spotted Legend standing by a luxury sedan, trunk open. The man was leaning against the car, his arms crossed over his chest. Gabe crossed the cobblestone driveway and stored his luggage.

"Pack enough unnecessary shit?" Legend asked as he gazed disapprovingly at Gabe.

Gabe flipped the man off, though he'd noticed a solitary duffel bag that had been stuffed in the trunk before he packed it full. "I can't help it if you only own one pair of underwear."

After slamming the trunk shut, Gabe walked around to the passenger side. He was reaching for the door handle when he heard something that sounded like a ping. His eyes went wide and he screeched as Legend dove toward him, knocking Gabe to the ground and making him hit his head.

"What the fuck?" Gabe shouted at the man as he tried to shove Legend off of him. "What are you going to do, kick my ass for getting smart with you?"

His bodyguard pinned Gabe to the ground as he growled into his face, "Someone is shooting at you, moron."

Oh. Well, that changed everything.

Legend reached up and yanked the passenger door open before he grabbed Gabe's arm and shoved him onto the floor of the car. Gabe stayed down as he watched Legend pull a gun from a holster that had been hidden under his jacket.

This was getting too real. Gabe wanted to run back inside and make sure his father was okay. Legend crawled to the front passenger side and then slid over into the driver's seat. Gabe had to reach up and slam the door closed as his bodyguard peeled from the driveway, exiting the estate at a hair-raising speed.

Gabe worked his way out of his tight confines before he took a seat and then turned, trying to see who was shooting at him.

"Get down," Legend shouted as he cut another corner, tossing Gabe into the door.

"But my father!" Gabe righted himself as he slunk down in the seat. "We can't just leave him there."

"He has measures in place just in case something like this happens."

What measures? It was as if Gabe didn't know who Maxwell Summerville was anymore. He knew his dad had a military past, but Gabe had never seen the man acting in any way but normal. Legend's reassurance didn't ease the suffocating fear that had Gabe fighting to breathe.

"Please, take me back. I have to make sure he's okay." Gabe twisted in his seat and reached for the handle. If Legend wouldn't slow down, then he would jump from the car. It wasn't the best plan, but it was the only one he could come up with.

Legend reached over and grabbed Gabe's arm in a firm grip. "Don't even think about it. Your father can take care of himself. My job is to make sure you don't get your damn head blown off or break your neck by stupidly leaping from a car that's going ninety miles an hour."

As much as he hated to admit it, Legend was right. Gabe would be of no use to his father if he broke his neck. He sat back, snapping his seat belt into place and taking a shuddering breath. This was all too much. Gabe had never been shot at before and he was wigging out.

"I just...I can't..." Gabe shook his head as he felt the tears welling up. "I can't lose him."

"You won't."

"But how do you know?" Gabe was desperate to believe Legend. He didn't want to think about his father dying. "Can I call him to make sure he's okay?"

Legend shook his head firmly. "It's too risky right now."

Gabe gazed out of the window, watching as they drove past the exit for the airport. "Where are we going?"

"It's on a need-to-know basis," Legend said as he steered toward a familiar exit. They were headed to the Summerville airstrip. His father owned a private jet and it seemed they were about to put it to use. But he still didn't know where they were headed.

"And what, I don't need to know?" The small airstrip came into view and Gabe could see that the jet was fueled and ready to go. The steps were lowered and the pilot was standing there talking with one of the workers as Legend pulled onto the tarmac.

"You catch on quick." Legend pulled the luxury sedan to a stop before killing the motor.

"You know, evasive answers aren't going to work with me. I demand that you tell me where you're taking me." Gabe crossed his arms over his chest in a gesture that said he wasn't moving until he got some answers.

Legend turned toward him, piercing Gabe with those gorgeous amber eyes. "You don't want to push me, Mr. Summerville. It would be quite embarrassing if I had to throw you over my shoulder to get you onto that plane."

The threat made Gabe's cock hard, which only pissed him off. Why on earth did the thought of Legend manhandling him turn Gabe on? That was some pretty twisted shit.

Gabe could tell his bodyguard was dead serious. Legend would do exactly as he threatened. Gabe's eyes darted to the pilot to see the man staring at them. Could he risk the humiliation? Legend was twice his size and had a good sixty pounds on Gabe. Sixty pounds of pure muscle from what he could see from the cut of the man's suit.

"Don't think you've won." Gabe released his seat belt and got out of the car, heading straight for the plane. He shook the pilot's hand and then boarded, leaving Legend to grab his luggage. Screw him. If Legend was so dead set on being an asshole, then he could carry the bags.

Gabe knew his anger stemmed from being shot at. That had been a terrifying moment and he was still trying to deal with too much. And since he couldn't and wouldn't take it out on his father, Legend would have to do. Gabe dropped into one of the leather seats and stared out the window, watching as the worker grabbed the luggage from the trunk and brought it on board.

Legend glanced up at Gabe and there was...amusement in the man's eyes. He thought this was funny? Gabe ground his back teeth and looked away. He might be hot for his new bodyguard, but he definitely didn't like the man.

The plane took off after Legend and the pilot boarded. Gabe sat there quietly the entire ride until they touched down in Louisiana. What on earth were they doing here?

"Is this where we'll be staying?" Gabe asked as the plane came to a stop.

"It's the first leg of our journey," Legend answered as he stood and headed toward the exit.

"First leg?" What in the hell did that mean? Again, he asked, "Where are you taking me?"

Legend ignored him as he exited the plane. A car was waiting on them as Gabe joined the guy. If Gabe didn't get some answers soon, he just might shoot the son of a bitch with his own gun.

Maxwell Summerville watched his son leave with Legend. It had been the hardest thing he'd ever had to do. But he knew by sending Gabe away, he was keeping his son safe.

He turned from the foyer when he heard something outside. Max walked back to the front door to see Legend and Gabe lying on the ground, Legend's weapon drawn. He started to go outside when Legend shoved Gabe into the car and sped off.

Max hurried to his study and grabbed his gun from his drawer. He next went to a room Gabe knew nothing about, pressing in the code before a section of the wall slid free. It was a room with monitors and weapons. It was also Max's intel room. Little did his son know that Max worked counterintelligence. His son worried greatly for him and Max hadn't wanted to add to the man's stress.

Besides, these days, Max took on less and less work. He felt guilty for lying to his son. The cartel threat was real, but Max hadn't called the FBI. He'd called the team he relied on when he needed things handled in a discreet matter. Gator-the team leader-was working on the Ortega problem. Max knew Gator's team was comprised of nothing but bear shifters, but Max also felt that was to his advantage.

Ortega posed a very real threat. He was a powerful U.S. operative who was known best for his gruesome killings and weapons dealings. Max didn't plan to be the man's next target. Ortega had reaches far beyond the prison cell he was currently sitting in. Ortega had men working for him that would have no problem not only killing Max, but Gabe as well. From what Max had gathered, Ortega had branched out to the Irish gun-smuggling pipeline.

Max needed a safe house. His home had been compromised and there was no telling how many men would be coming for him. He grabbed his cell and called Gator.

"Speak," the man said with a thick southern accent.

"Gabe has been moved and now the heat is on. They've come for me." Max checked the monitors to see three men moving slowly through his backyard. It was large, ten acres, and he knew there were more coming.

"Exit plan," Gator said. "Use it. I'll meet you where we agreed and get you to a safe house."

"On my way." Max hung up and glanced at the steel door to his far left. It led to an underground tunnel and out into the edge of the woods just south of his estate.

He grabbed another Glock and shoved it into his waistband before using the computer in front of him, entering his codes, and locking the house down. Metal shutters began to descend as Max locked his intel room and headed for the steel door.

He'd had the estate built when he'd married his wife, Sofia. The tunnels and the room hadn't been included in the blueprints. Max had hired a special group for that phase of the construction. The tunnels were concrete and had taken nearly a year to complete before he'd brought his bride to the Summerville Estate. He'd been working counterintelligence since leaving the marines and knew he would need the intel room as well as an escape route.

In his line of work, an undetected means of escape was always a smart move.

Max worked his way toward the exit, praying the bastards invading his property didn't do too much damage. He loved his home and didn't want it destroyed. He also thought of Gabe and his heart clenched. Max knew that Legend would take care of Gabe, but as a father, Max would always worry over his son.

Reaching the end of the tunnel, Max emerged to find Gator waiting for him in a SUV with tinted windows. Max also knew they were bulletproof. He climbed in and they sped off.