Ben grasped the back of his neck. “You said nobody else had replied to the ad.”
“Nobody has.” Silas confirmed. “Which means he’s running out of time. He’ll likely start to use other routes to look for a hitman or he’ll just—” The words went stale on his tongue, and he glanced once at Toby before looking over at Ben.
I abandoned my spot between Ivan and Ben and started toward my boy.
“What?” Toby pressed. “He’ll what?”
“He’ll…” Silas’ throat pulled tight, and I clamped my hands on his slender shoulders, digging my fingertips into the muscle there. “He’ll likely carry out the mission on his own.”
“Fuck.” Ivan rubbed his head, eyes closing for a moment before springing back open. “Shit, okay, well if he’s looking to kill a public figure, then it’s likely he’s trying to make some kind of statement.”
Son of a bitch.
“He’s going to do it in public.” I said, and the hush that followed my words left behind an eerie sensation that slivered up my spine. “He’s going to hit Ben in public where the world can witness his fall.”
“Fuck, boss.” Ivan blew out a breath and glanced at Ben. “Who the hell did you piss off?”
Ben shook his head, and a wild shout left his throat. With a violent swing of his arm, he swept all the contents off the top of the table and threw his foot at the nearest chair. It soared across the room and when that wasn’t enough, he lifted it clear off the ground and tossed it at the window.
Toby stood. “Da… daddy?”
Ben’s gaze washard, and it hit Toby in the chest so intensely, the kid nearly stumbled. The blaze in his eyes had turned to ash, leaving a sheen a black smoke behind every blink. “You arenotleaving our fucking penthouse until we find this man. If you argue with me, so help me god, I will chain you to the fucking bathroom sink.”
Toby’s lip quivered, and I thought it had less to do with the threat his husband had issued and more to do with the panic he felt festering inside his chest. “Are you…askingme to sit on my butt while you go out into the world like a sitting duck? What happens when you don’t come home? What am I supposed to do then?”
“It’s going to take a lot more than a bullet and a vendetta to take him down, Toby.” Ivan was built from muscle, and he often made men piss their pants with the simple pop of his knuckles, but there was something reassuring in his tone, a barely there inflection that offered Toby an inch of peace. “We’re vigilant men, so much so that Ben hasn’t been shot in nearly fifteen years. It wouldn’t be in his best interest to hide, okay? It’s a scary thought, I know, but if Ben disappears, so will the ghost.”
“Your plan is to use my husband as bait?”
“Yes.” Ben sighed. “Baby, I know you’re scared but the only way to lure this man out of the woodwork is to offer myself up.”
Toby made a choked noise. Tears leaked down his chapped cheeks, but he stood a little taller and nodded once as if to confirm he understood the importance of what we had to do.
“What about the charity benefit next week?” Ivan looked over at Ben. “Your sponsorship has been all over social media and local news. That’s likely where he’ll head first.”
“That’s to benefit Boys In Ballet.” Toby mumbled. “I was supposed to go to that.”
Silas patted his hand. “You can come to my house, if you want. We can watch on my cameras.”
“That’s not a bad idea, sir.” I said. “If Silas acts as surveillance, he’ll be able to spot anything or anyone out of place. We can inform your security of an anonymous threat just to keep them vigilant. Ivan and I will station ourselves beside you. If we position our stances just right, we can hinder any shot the ghost might take.”
Ben swept a hand through his hair. “We’ve got five days until the benefit. I’ll have my security team in this room first thing tomorrow morning.” A thick vein pulsated beneath the thin skin of neck, throbbing with a heave of his chest. He sent a cold, focused look across the table. “Silas, I want blueprints of the building. We need access to every point of entry. That includes the air ducts and any foundation work.Do notunderestimate this man.”
“Yes, sir. What’s the venue?”
“The Regency.”
“I can have—” I didn’t think it was possible, but I watched his pale skin get two shades lighter while he sat there, throat swelling.
“Kitten?”
His hand was quivering when it reached for where mine was. With the turn of his head, he was looking straight at me, brown eyes impossibly wide. “The Regency is in Bellevue. That’s where…” His teeth clicked together. “Daddy, that’s where Ezra is.”
Fuck.
ChapterSixteen
Silas