Chapter 16

"When you said you'd monitor everything, I didn't think you meant in my security room," Luke bitched.

Jud could only smile. Since they'd left the house, all Luke had done was gripe at him. He hadn't wanted Jud to leave the house, but the officer had insisted. Luke had nagged him down the stairs to the garage. They'd taken separate vehicles so he'd gotten some reprieve. Once he was in the back door of Bennett's, it started all over again.

Earlier in the day, Raymond had allowed Iain and Smith into the building to set up microphones and extra cameras. Luke's cameras didn't have sound and only went to his system. These new ones had sound and were recorded to both the main system and to Jud's phone. It would give them extra time to look over things they may have missed in real time.

Jud reclined in the chair as best as he could without pulling on his side. He understood Luke's reticence about being out in public. To everyone, he was dead. He had to act like he was. He couldn't do the things he normally did on a mission, and that made his nerves even worse.

Luke stood behind him withhis hands on his shoulders. He could feel the tension rolling off the man. He didn't like this, and Jud knew it very well. Not because he'd heard about it for the last two hours, but because he could see it in Luke's face and posture. If he could come up with a different plan, he would. But this was the only way he knew he could be involved without giving himself away.

"When is your friend coming?" Luke asked.

"He'll be here at midnight. He said he'll be in the appropriate attire. You'll be able to recognize him easily," Jud said.

"Do you know how many people I see on any one night?"

Gibby laughed. "You'll be able to recognize him," he reiterated. "He's hard to miss. Even if he's in the proper attire, he'll find a way to make it outrageous."

Luke's fingers tightened in agitation. Jud reached up and put his hands over Luke's. He drew his arms around his neck and rubbed them gently. Luke nuzzled his face into his hair and sighed. He was scared and nervous. The last time he'd physically been in the club had been the night Jud was shot. The night after the incident the club was closed, and the last four nights he'd stayed home. Raymond had run it in his stead. He was bound to be nervous.

"Do you have to be here?" he asked. His breath whispered over Jud's skin, sending goosebumps skittering along his body. "Can't you just go home and wait?"

"I would, but I'd be worried about you," Jud said.

"You could have watched the camera from home."

"Luke, arguing about it won't make me go home. Too many people will see me. So I'm here until close."

Luke turned his head and pouted at him. Jud did everything he could not to smile. Luke needed to see how serious he was about this. He couldn't help the twitch of his lips as the blue eyes turned molten.

Gibby cleared his throat. "If you both can't behave, you should just go home."

Luke's face beamed at him. "Let's go."

Jud laughed at his excitement. "Go do your job and I'll do mine." Luke's smile faded so Jud kissed him. It was a quick peck. "Go, but don't forget your ear piece."

Luke slipped the little black nub in his ear. He tapped it once and heard the buzzing that told him he was too close to the speaker. The distortion made them all wince. He backed towards the door while rubbing his ear. He cast Jud one last look then disappeared.

Gibby glanced at Jud, noting he was watching the door. This was the first time he'd seen his captain and friend act this way with anyone.

He had seen Jud with Luke before, but it had never dawned on him that the two would be dating. He'd seen Jud look at the man like he'd hung the moon, and Gibby had always wondered what was between them.

Seeing Luke throw caution to the wind to get to Jud that night had been an eye opener. Then Myka had told all of them the two had been together for four years. The reaction Luke had shown on the street had been a genuine, soul-wrenching reaction. He had just witnessed his partner nearly die. And hearing him now meant he was still seeing it, especially since they were five hundred feet from the place it had happened.

"He's better than I thought he would be," he mused. Jud looked at him before looking back at the screen. "He really loves you."

"The feeling is mutual," Jud replied, "but sometimes I'm going to have to make hard decisions."

"Just keep him in the loop, and I think he'll be fine. He seems to be more willing to work with you if you tell him what you're going to do. He may bitch, but he'll trust you."

Jud laughed at the bitching comment, but he knew Gibby was right. Luke would support him. He just had to know what was going on. He would work on being more open with Luke about what he was going to do. It wasn't easy being the lover of a cop.

~~~~~~~

Luke's ear itched every so often. The ear piece was small enough no one could see it, but he wasn't used to it. He didn't usually have someone in his ear.

He caught Raymond's eye as the club slowly filled up. Most of the people he knew since he'd had some sort of relationship with them. Those had long since fizzled out and ended, but he was still friends with most of them.

However he wondered how his friends were doing with everyone. They'd volunteered to work at Bennett's since they were concerned about Luke and his being around all these people, all his exes. Andreas was working security with Raymon. The twins - Queenie and Rook - were behind the bar with Jameson. The last member of their group - Winston - was lurking about somewhere. He didn't usually show his face unless it was necessary.

Raymond had asked Jud's permission to let them in on the secret. When they'd found out about Luke and Jud, the sisters had slapped each one of his shoulders. They'd all known he'd been seeing someone, but Luke was insanely private. Unless he told them of his own accord, they would have never known.

They had known it was serious when they'd heard Jud had been shot in front of Luke. Nothing more needed to be said. They would help no matter what needed to be done. So when Raymond had called, they'd found people to cover their shifts and had come immediately.

Despite being in the comfort of his own club, Luke felt out of place. Jud was sequestered in the back watching the cameras. Watching every person he had ever slept with actually. He was nervous about what was going to happen. Were they going to act a fool? Would they try to hook up with him, with each other, or with his staff? There were too many variables that he couldn't predict, and it made his mind race.

He watched the majority of his tables fill up. Tonight was going to be a lucrative night, but he hoped no one acted out. He didn't want to blow this whole thing. It would mean an end to the case for Jud.

"Michael just arrived," Raymond said.

Luke's blood ran cold as his heart thundered in his chest. He shrank back to the VIP Lounge and sat with the group he always had around. They'd closed off the upstairs lounge so Luke could move around the club easily, but it didn't offer the bird's eye view like the balcony lounge did. It also kept Luke hidden until he wanted to be seen.

He found Michael instantly. He was smiling and talking to people he'd met through Luke. he seemed to be in good spirits, but Luke knew it would change soon. If he didn't get what he wanted, he'd turn violent. That was what Luke wanted to avoid.

As he watched him, Luke realized he was looking for him. He knew what he would try to do. Michael always wanted money, and he would try to blackmail him for it.

There was a feminine chuckle in his ear. Luke knew it was from Rook by the timber. He glanced at the bar to see if he could see her, but she was blocked from his view.

"You said I would know the special guest when I saw him?" she said. Luke hummed so he didn't seem like he was talking to himself. "Well, he's here, and you're going to love what he's wearing."

Luke had to wonder what she was talking about. He stood up and motioned one of his waiters to bring him a drink. He leaned against the cord as he waited,eyes scanning the crowd.

Rook had been correct. It was interesting. Dressed head to toe in black leather suit, the blond headed man made his way through the crowd. Luke bit back a smile when he saw the leather corset that snatched his waist. Gibby had been correct when he said he would find a way to make the dress code over the top.

Jud, however, failed to mention how good looking his friend was. All he'd said was he'd know him when he saw him, but there had been no mention of the blond hair that made him look like a Greek god. If he hadn't been in a long-term relationship with Jud, he would have definitely taken him upstairs. Luckily, he did get to flirt with him a bit. That would ease the edge he was already on.

The guy paused in the center of the club and looked around. He smiled at the hosts and waved them off. Luke knew he was looking for him, but he couldn't contain his excitement.

He felt a little odd, but he had permission to flirt with someone. He would have to make it up to Jud by flirting extra hard with him later.

Like in the raunchy romance novels the twins liked to read, the guy's eyes locked on Luke. With his personality coming out, Luke felt his flirty smile take over his face.

"Damn, Luke," his friend said. "Can't you leave some for us?"

Luke laughed. "Not a chance, Carson. Besides, you have your lover beside you. I'm the one that's lonely."

"Carson," the other whined, "we can always add a third from this group when we leave."

Carson nuzzled the other guy. "Alright, Blake. We'll choose one of the others."

His friends appeased for now, Luke left the lounge and headed towards the guy. He snagged two drinks from a waiter on his way. When he walked up to the other man, he handed him the glass. They smiled at each other then clinked their glasses together. They took a sip, not losing eye contact.

"I've never seen you here before," Luke said. "And I know everyone here."

The blond raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? Now why is that?"

"I own the place." Luke extended his hand. "Luke Meyers."

"Cameron," the other man said. They shook hands, Luke letting his linger a little longer. Cameron looked around. "I thought host bars were only popular in Japan."

"That's where the idea came from. I traveled some after college. When I returned, I wanted to open one almost like it."

They chattered for a long time, Luke poured on the charm. He told him about his many trips and where he wanted to visit again or for the first time. Cameron told him of some of his own adventures. There was a glint in his eye that said it was all his cover story. Luckily, Luke had been forewarned about them.

Cameron inched closer until there was barely any separation between them. His cheek brushed up against Luke's intimately. Luke couldn't help the urge to pull away. This guy wasn't Jud, but he needed to play his part. They had to lure Michael in.

"We could go somewhere more private," Cameron suggests.

"My office should work," Luke offered.

"Sounds like a plan to me."

Luke turned to go to his office. He had only taken two people there once before; Antonio and Michael. Taking this guy even though it was a ruse set his teeth on edge.

They were halfway across the club when a hand latched on to his wrist. Luke knew that touch very well. It had always come before the violence.

Turning slowly, he met the brown eyes of Michael. His ex looked the same but was slightly thinner. He smiled handsomely at Luke, bringing up very dark memories. So dark Luke barely heard Jud's voice in his ear.

"I have been looking all over for you," Michael said. His voice was an octave higher than he usually spoke in, and it grated on Luke's nerves.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Luke recovered and plastered a fake smile on his face. "I didn't see you come in with all the people."

"I can tell." Michael looked over Luke's shoulder at Cameron. Recognition dawned on him, and it lit his entire face. "Are you going to have some fun?"

Cameron draped himself across Luke's back, flicking his tongue over his ear. Luke tried not to shiver in disdain. It must have worked because Michael smiled slowly. He looked like a lecher when he did it.

"Can I join you?" he asked.

"Should we play with him, love?" Cameron asked.

Luke turned to open his office, but his phone went off. Pulling it from his jacket pocket, Raymond's name flashed across the screen. His friend - more than likely Jud - had great timing.

"I've got to take this," he said. Michael raised an eyebrow at him. "It's Raymond. Something must have happened on the floor. Go ahead and enjoy yourselves. I'll join you when I can."

Michael latched onto Cameron with a seductive smile that made Luke's stomach turn. "I know. Lock the door behind us."

Luke nodded and watched them disappear into his office. They had cleared everything important out of it before rigging it with cameras and microphones. He couldn't risk Michael looking through his things again.

His phone stopped ringing, and he heard Raymond's voice in his ear asking what was going on. Luke covered his ear as he turned away from the office door.

"He's with Cameron. Jud, turn on the office's camera," he said.

With his job done, Luke went back to take care of his patrons. It was Jud's turn to work. He would know when he would be needed again. All he had to do was listen for a specific word.