Free Marie Harte - [PowerUp! 08] by Killer Thoughts

Keegan barked. “I have the next three days off. I was busy.”
    “I’m so sorry.” Ian would have fluttered his eyelashes, but he knew Keegan wouldn’t buy it. “If I’d known, I would have asked Jack to have someone else help me out. But with Rory being Owen’s cousin, and since I knew she’d be busy working, I just thought you’d help me out.”
    Keegan let out a sigh. “No, no. It’s fine. But I hate Jack taking so much damn pleasure calling my ass in to work.” He frowned.
    Another reason why Ian had chosen Keegan. Jack would have had a blast, egging the big guy on. For some reason, Jack and Keegan constantly butted heads, as if Keegan continued to challenge him for a leadership position everyone knew belonged to Jack. Though Keegan had once admitted he only riled Jack for the fun of it.
    “That’s Jack for you.” Ian nodded with empathy while Tim looked on, his face expressionless. “You know Tim, right?”
    “We’ve met.” Keegan held out a hand, which Tim grabbed. “Still strong as a bull.”
    “Yes, sir.”
    “Please.” Ian cringed along with Keegan. “You don’t ever have to call him sir.”
    “Yeah, please don’t. Makes me think of my father.”
    Tim grinned and stepped back from the entrance to the house. “Yes, sir.”
    “Hell.” Keegan followed them inside and tossed Ian’s duffel at his feet. Then he snatched Ian by the collar and dragged him some distance away. Tim, that turncoat, grabbed Ian’s bag and walked away, leaving Ian at Keegan’s mercy.
    “Ow. Let go, you big brute.” Ian loved playing with Keegan. A man’s man who happened to be in love with his wife and James Foreman. Not gay, not even bi, except that he loved James like crazy. So Ian loved teasing him about an attraction that didn’t exist. “Oh, have you finally come to your senses and realized how amazingly handsome I am? Did you come for me, cowboy?”
    “Shut up. God, you’re annoying.” His twang pronounced, Keegan griped in a lower voice, “I brought that shit you asked for. Not a word, you get me?”
    Ian had made the big lout bring his favorite dildo and lube, in addition to a well-used plug. “Not a word. Scout’s honor.”
    “Like you were ever a Boy Scout.” Keegan snorted and let him go. “Rory wants you to take care and keep an eye on Owen. She’s worried about him.” He paused. “And Avery said to keep close too. Said Mr. Billionaire is gonna need you.”
    Ian’s mirth left him. “Did he say anything else?” Did that mean Owen might get hurt? “Need me how? To help him with this case? To save his life?”
    “Don’t know. But he wasn’t playin’ around. Keep Owen safe, Ian. We need him, and not just ’cause he helps fund the gym. The guy is a good man. He did a lot for Rory. You need anything, you call me. Hear?”
    “I will.” Owen hurt? That wouldn’t be good for anyone. Ian tried to reason his concern away, thinking about the financial aspect of Owen’s contributions. But why did his heart sink like a stone at the idea of Owen in pain?
    “Avery also said to tell you that you’re gonna fix the fixer. I don’t know what that means, and I didn’t ask. Not a word to Owen about any of this, or it’ll all come crashin’ down. He said that too. Keep your piehole shut, just like last time. His words, not mine.” Keegan stepped back when Tim reentered the room. “Now I gotta get back. Rory’s comin’ home soon.” He grinned. “And I bet James twenty bucks I get to kiss her ’fore he does.”
    “Your trio is positively sickening with all that happy crap, you know that?”
    Keegan slapped him on the back, hard enough to fell a tree, and Ian stumbled. “Good luck, son. You’re gonna need it. Tim.” Keegan nodded at the larger man who’d just returned and saw his way out the door.
    “Are you okay?” Tim asked him.
    “Fine.” When I get my breath back . But it was worth making the big guy handle his toys. Ian laughed to himself, imaging Keegan’s face when he