“I’m going to bring him home,” Priest said into the silent room, his voice full of conviction, and Robbie couldn’t help but wonder if Priest was trying to convince Robbie or himself.
Chapter Twenty-Three
CONFESSION
This is my worst nightmare.
The ones I love suffering because of me.
PRIEST WASN’T SURE how long they sat there like that. Alone in the Peninsula Suite, silence their only companion, but when Robbie finally moved, it was to lift Priest’s hand and unwrap the towel.
His head was bent down over Priest’s knuckles as he inspected the abused flesh, and Priest couldn’t stop himself from running his other hand through the thick waves of hair only inches away from him.
He needed to touch something and remind himself that he was alive. As he did, Robbie raised his head and Priest noticed that fierce frown had returned.
“You really hurt yourself,” Robbie said. “These are going to be bruised tomorrow.”
“I know.” Priest curled his fingers just to see if he could, and winced.
“We need some Tylenol or something.”
“Alcohol,” Priest said. “I need some alcohol to do what I have to do next.”
Robbie raised an eyebrow. “And what exactly is that?” Priest went to speak, but before he could, Robbie held a finger up. “If you plan to tell me it’s better that I don’t know, I’ll squeeze your knuckles until you cry. Don’t think I won’t.”
Priest turned away as Robbie got to his feet, but when he was halfway across the room, Priest relented. If the shoe were on the other foot, he would want to know everything. “I need to call Henri and get him over here.”
Robbie stopped in front of the bar and pivoted in Priest’s direction. “But I thought you were going to him.”
“I was,” Priest said, and pushed up to his feet. “Before Jimmy called. But there’s no way I’m leaving you alone now, not when I know for certain he’s the one behind this. There’s also nothing I can do by leaving here tonight. He wants money and a passport, and me to bring them to him.”
“No.” Robbie shook his head. “No, you’re not going.”
“Robert, this is the only way with Jimmy. But I can’t get what I need until tomorrow. And one of those things, I need Henri for.”
“The passport?” Robbie bit on his lip.
“Yes. Henri has…connections,” Priest said, as he started to pace again, the initial shock of the phone call having worn off and the adrenaline now back.
Robbie narrowed his eyes, and Priest walked over and took his hands.
“I know you don’t like this. Me going. Henri coming here. But we can trust him, and I’m not leaving you alone. I thought it would be safe and I wouldn’t worry. But after hearing Jimmy’s voice—” Priest drew up short, not wanting to admit that after speaking to Jimmy, every memory he’d had as that scared little boy had come back tenfold. “I would just feel better if Henri came here, to us.”
“I don’t care about that. If you trust him, so do I. I’m just worried you’re going to”—Robbie shook his head—“do something that’s going to get you in trouble, and that scares me.”
Priest drew Robbie to him and kissed his head. “I have to do this. Whatever it takes. You understand that, right?”
Robbie nodded, but didn’t look at Priest. “Of course. I just…I want you to be careful.” He sniffed. “Julien’s already gone, and—”
“Hey,” Priest said, and took a step back to look into Robbie’s eyes. “Julien’s not gone. Don’t you think like that. You think good thoughts.” Priest swept Robbie’s hair off his forehead and tried to soften the stern expression he knew was on his face. “You think about what we’re all going to do when he comes home. Okay?”
“Okay,” Robbie said in a small voice. “Let me get you that drink and some more ice for your hand.”
“How about you get one for yourself, too.”
“Yeah,” Robbie said. “That might help a little.”
“Exactly,” Priest said, and watched as Robbie turned and headed to the bar. Priest then picked his cell phone up off the floor.
He was about to call Henri when the screen lit up with a familiar name and number, and he shut his eyes and bit out a curse. Logan. He’d known this was coming after the way things had ended at Tate’s, but he had no idea what to say right now.
Shit. He was going to have to deal with this sooner or later, and since he wasn’t going to be coming back to work until Julien was home, safe and fucking sound, this was as good a time as any.
“Logan, hey,” Priest said, and as he did, he looked over to Robbie and saw his head snap up.
“Hey? Are you fucking kidding me right now?” Logan said, and Priest grimaced. “I just got to The Popped Cherry after a phone call from Tate telling me that you called and told them to lock the place up. Want to maybe tell me what the fuck is going on?”