Priest should’ve known the second Tate was involved that Logan would go all fucking caveman, because that was exactly how he would act. But right now, he had no answers he could give his friend and work partner. “I wish I could, but I can’t right now.”
“What does that even mean?”
“It means,” Priest said as he locked eyes with Robbie, “I can’t tell you anything more than what I already told your husband. You are both fine and safe. I’ll tell you more when I can.”
There was a second of silence. “And when might that be?”
“I don’t know,” Priest said.
Logan sighed, and Priest could imagine him running a hand through his hair.
“Is Robbie there with you?”
“He is.”
“Can I talk to him?” Priest was about to say that wasn’t a good idea, but Logan added, “That wasn’t a question, Priest. Put him on the phone or I’m going to make your life a living hell.”
Too late for that. Priest took the phone over to Robbie, thinking it might help to hear from someone he knew.
When he got to the bar and held the phone out, Robbie went to take it, and Priest noticed his hand shaking. Fuck, he hated this. Hated that, because of him, the men he loved were suffering. Robbie was absolutely terrified.
“Logan wants to talk to you.”
Robbie wrapped his fingers around the phone, and as he did, Priest brushed his hand over Robbie’s, trying to offer what little comfort he could, though that wasn’t a whole lot right now.
As Robbie took the phone and brought it to his ear, he didn’t look away from Priest, and Priest felt somewhat better knowing that Robbie wasn’t turning away from him.
“Hello?” Robbie nodded, and then said, “Yes. Yes. I’m fine, Logan.” When Logan started talking again, Robbie shook his head. “No, you don’t need to do that. I’m with Priest. You know what he’s like.”
Robbie’s lips curved a little, and Priest was curious what Logan had just said.
“Exactly,” Robbie said. “He’d never let anything happen to me. I promise.”
As Robbie fell silent, listening to whatever Logan was telling him, his lips turned down, and for the first time since Priest had handed over the phone, Robbie lowered his eyes. “No. Julien’s not here.”
The somber words were like an arrow through Priest’s heart, and he clenched his fist to fight back the urge he had to snatch the phone out of Robbie’s hand—but remembered too late why that was a bad idea, as pain shot up his arm.
Christ, that hurt. But at least it distracted him from what Robbie had said.
Priest didn’t want to hear the sadness in Robbie’s voice. He didn’t want to imagine the horrors Julien was enduring. But most of all, Priest didn’t want to accept that his husband, and Robbie’s partner, the man they both loved, had been taken because of him.
“I can’t say anything else,” Robbie said. “I’ve got to go. Can you tell Tate I’ll be back at work as soon as I can? He can give me all the horrible shifts. I won’t complain at all, promise.” Robbie nodded, and then he raised his eyes back to Priest’s and held out the phone. “He wants to talk to you again.”
Priest took the phone and held it to his chest. “Are you okay?”
Robbie swallowed and nodded. “Yeah. Logan’s just worried. But I’m fine. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere other than here right now.”
Priest understood that. Robbie knew this was the first place he’d hear any news of Julien, and whether he was scared or not, there was no way in hell he was going anywhere else.
Priest turned away before bringing the phone back up to his ear. “Mitchell.”
“Priest. Okay. I’m not going to push here,” Logan said, shocking Priest. “I can tell something’s obviously wrong, but I trust you. Do you hear me?”
Yes, he heard him, and Priest wondered if he deserved that trust. Logan was assuming Priest would keep Robbie safe—keep his men safe—and yet he’d failed spectacularly at that, hadn’t he?
“I hear you.”
There was a pause for a long minute and then Logan said, “Are you okay? Priest? Is Julien?”
No. No, he wasn’t. Priest wasn’t going to let himself feel that, say that—not yet. So instead, he ignored the question altogether. “I don’t know when I’ll be back at work.”
“That’s fine. Do whatever it is you need to do and then come back to us. Cole and I will work it out.”
For the first time ever, Priest found himself grateful for the burgeoning friendship he had forged with Logan. It was one of the only ones he had outside of his two men, and right then he felt a sense of allegiance from Logan that was invaluable.
“Thank you, Logan,” Priest said, and he’d never meant that more.
“Anytime. And Priest?”
“Yes?”
“If you need me, don’t hesitate to call. I mean it when I say anytime.”