Boundaries

The rest of the week continued the same pattern. Elliot pushing boundaries, asking personal questions, finding excuses to touch Kieran.a hand on his shoulder, fingers brushing when passing objects, standing too close in elevators. 

Kieran maintained his cold professional demeanor but it was getting harder. His body was betraying him more every day. His suppressants felt less effective. He was hyperaware of Elliot constantly where he was, what he was doing, how he smelled.

On Friday night, they had a corporate dinner at an upscale restaurant with several of Elliot's business partners. Kieran stayed alert the entire time, scanning the room for threats while Elliot charmed investors and closed deals. The alpha was good at this, Kieran had to admit.

 The playboy act disappeared when he was in business mode, replaced by someone sharp and focused who knew exactly what he was doing.

The dinner ran late, past eleven by the time they finally left. Kieran's instincts were on high alert as they walked through the parking garage toward their car. Something felt wrong but he couldn't pinpoint what. The lighting was dim. Too many shadows. Too many places for someone to hide.

Leone, their driver, was waiting by the car. Kieran did a quick sweep of the immediate area, then nodded to Elliot that it was clear. Leone opened the back door.

That's when everything went to hell.

The first shot shattered the rear window, missing Elliot's head by inches as he was about to get in the car. Kieran's training kicked in instantly.

 He grabbed Elliot and yanked him down hard, covering the alpha's body with his own as more shots rang out. Glass exploded everywhere, raining down on them. The car's windows were being systematically destroyed by what sounded like at least two different shooters from different positions.

"Stay down!" Kieran shouted over the gunfire, his body completely covering Elliot's, using himself as a human shield. He could feel Elliot's heart pounding beneath him, and could hear the alpha's harsh breathing. Leone was on the ground on the other side of the car, weapon drawn but pinned down just like they were.

Kieran's mind raced through options while his body stayed perfectly still. They were completely exposed here in the open parking garage. The shooters had elevated positions with clear lines of sight. The car was torn apart, no longer offering any protection. If they stayed here, they were dead. But moving meant exposing themselves to the active shooters.

Another bullet hit so close that Kieran felt the heat of it passing. They were adjusting their aim, getting more accurate. They had maybe thirty seconds before one of those bullets found its target.

Kieran looked at the building entrance about forty feet away. There was limited cover, a few concrete pillars, and some parked cars. Not much, but better than staying here like sitting ducks. It was a huge risk. They'd be running through an active shooting gallery. But staying was certain death.

"Elliot," Kieran said urgently, his mouth right by the alpha's ear. "Look at me."

Elliot's golden eyes met his, wide with fear that Kieran had never seen before. The usually arrogant alpha looked vulnerable and scared and human.

"We can't stay here. We have to run for that building entrance. When I say go, you run and you don't stop no matter what happens. You understand?"

"Kieran—"

"Do you trust me?" Kieran interrupted, knowing they didn't have time for arguments.

Elliot stared at him for one heartbeat. Two. Then he nodded.

"Then run. NOW!"

Kieran hauled Elliot up and pushed him toward the building entrance, keeping his own body between the alpha and the shooters. They ran like hell while bullets chewed up the concrete around them. Kieran felt one graze his shoulder, burning like fire, but he didn't stop. Leone was running too, providing covering fire toward the shooter positions even though he probably couldn't see them clearly in the darkness.

They were twenty feet from the entrance when Elliot stumbled. Kieran caught him, practically carrying the taller alpha the rest of the way. More shots rang out. Something hit close enough to spray them both with concrete floor..

Ten feet.

Five feet.

They burst through the glass doors into the building lobby and Kieran immediately pulled Elliot down behind the security desk. The building's alarm was blaring. People were screaming and running. Complete chaos.

Kieran's hands were shaking as he checked Elliot over frantically, looking for blood, for wounds, for any sign that one of those bullets had found its target. "Are you hurt? Did they hit you?"

"No, I'm okay. I'm okay." Elliot's hands came up to grip Kieran's arms, his golden eyes searching Kieran's face with an intensity that made Kieran's breath catch. "You're bleeding. Your shoulder—"

"It's just a graze. Not important." 

Kieran could hear sirens approaching outside. The shooters would be gone by now, too professional to stick around. But his body was still in full protective mode, still positioned between Elliot and any potential threat, still ready to take any bullet meant for the alpha he was sworn to protect.

The alpha he was starting to care about way more than was professional or safe.

"You covered me," Elliot said, his voice rough and a little awed. "You used your body to shield mine. You could have been killed."

"That's my job," Kieran said, but it sounded hollow even to his own ears. Because somewhere in the past week, this had stopped being just a job.

And that was the most dangerous thing of all.