I hoped to have seen gratitude. Parker limped over to us with a big scowl plastered on his face, muttering, “That was completely irresponsible behavior, boy.”
“Why? I knew it was Sean. It just took me a second to recognize the sound because you made me nervous,” Alex bit back.
His motto: the best defense is to attack. I gnawed on my inner cheek to prevent myself from smiling. Despite everything, I really liked him. Too bad he came with an appendix.
Sean twittered something, his face showing signs of distress. Alex replied, “You don’t have to worry, baby. The detective and I just didn’t agree on something, that’s why he yelled. He wouldn’t hurt me.”
Hurt him? Baffled, I looked from Alex and Sean to Parker, who merely shrugged and asked, “Could you take him back to the living room so we can finish this interrogation? I have plans for the evening.”
“I think we’re finished. I’ve nothing more to tell you,” Alex said tightly.
“ You don’t tell us when we’re finished. We will go as soon as we get the letter from you,” I hissed.
Alex pulled Sean into his arms and laboriously got to his feet. How often did he have to carry Sean around every day? How did that affect his own health? Alex interrupted me in my musings by saying, “You really don’t like anyone else being in charge, huh?”
Parker flapped his hands in the air. “Too much information, boy, way too much information.”
“Sorry,” Alex replied.
The apology didn’t convince anyone as he smiled. My own lips curled upwards in response to one of those goddamn dazzling smiles. I repeated, “Get the letter.”
The smile vanished and he opened his mouth. A second later he clicked it shut and nodded. I beckoned Parker back into the kitchen where we would wait for Alex. Parker still limped slightly. “He got you good.”
“No shit, Sherlock. I’m tempted to cuff his ear,” Parker growled. “How did you know he’s lying?”
“I didn’t, it was just a gut feeling. Didn’t you feel the same?”
“Yeah, but I was ready to believe him.”
“Sucker.”
“Uh-huh, hello, kettle.”
I grimaced and crossed my arms above my chest. “I’m not.”
Parker rolled his eyes as he sat down on a chair. He was still rubbing his thigh when Alex entered the kitchen without Sean, whom he’d obviously settled in the living room in front of the TV again. Alex clutched a piece of paper tightly in his hand while he offered Parker, “I could give you an ice bag?”
“It’s not that bad.”
I deadpanned, “You sure look to be in dire need of a doctor or a nurse.”
Parker’s eyes danced in mischief when he said innocently, “Oh, you’re into role play? Kinky. Should have told me before I hooked up with that stud.”
Alex glanced from Parker to me, bewilderment clearly written all over his face. I nodded at the letter in his hand. “Unfold it and lay it on the table so we can have a look at it.”
Alex made no move to follow my instructions. Instead, he clutched the letter even tighter. His eyes were impossibly wide and full of emotions while his face remained impassive. I always thought the phrase “eyes are the doors to our souls” was utter bullshit. I revised my opinion. Alex exemplified the phrase; his eyes definitely fit the bill. Did he know how much his eyes gave away? There was so much hurt and fear in them, so much of it.
When it became obvious he didn’t intend to move any time soon, I closed the distance between us. This time he didn’t back off. He dropped his chin to his chest, though. With a gentleness that was foreign to me, I rested my hand on top of the hand clutching the letter and guided it to the table. Alex’s hand felt cold and unsteady. Standing behind him in such close proximity caused my body to react strongly. It was also rather inappropriate in the circumstances. I cleared my throat. “Let me guess. There’s a threat in this letter. You’re not supposed to go to the police, otherwise
“Why? I knew it was Sean. It just took me a second to recognize the sound because you made me nervous,” Alex bit back.
His motto: the best defense is to attack. I gnawed on my inner cheek to prevent myself from smiling. Despite everything, I really liked him. Too bad he came with an appendix.
Sean twittered something, his face showing signs of distress. Alex replied, “You don’t have to worry, baby. The detective and I just didn’t agree on something, that’s why he yelled. He wouldn’t hurt me.”
Hurt him? Baffled, I looked from Alex and Sean to Parker, who merely shrugged and asked, “Could you take him back to the living room so we can finish this interrogation? I have plans for the evening.”
“I think we’re finished. I’ve nothing more to tell you,” Alex said tightly.
“ You don’t tell us when we’re finished. We will go as soon as we get the letter from you,” I hissed.
Alex pulled Sean into his arms and laboriously got to his feet. How often did he have to carry Sean around every day? How did that affect his own health? Alex interrupted me in my musings by saying, “You really don’t like anyone else being in charge, huh?”
Parker flapped his hands in the air. “Too much information, boy, way too much information.”
“Sorry,” Alex replied.
The apology didn’t convince anyone as he smiled. My own lips curled upwards in response to one of those goddamn dazzling smiles. I repeated, “Get the letter.”
The smile vanished and he opened his mouth. A second later he clicked it shut and nodded. I beckoned Parker back into the kitchen where we would wait for Alex. Parker still limped slightly. “He got you good.”
“No shit, Sherlock. I’m tempted to cuff his ear,” Parker growled. “How did you know he’s lying?”
“I didn’t, it was just a gut feeling. Didn’t you feel the same?”
“Yeah, but I was ready to believe him.”
“Sucker.”
“Uh-huh, hello, kettle.”
I grimaced and crossed my arms above my chest. “I’m not.”
Parker rolled his eyes as he sat down on a chair. He was still rubbing his thigh when Alex entered the kitchen without Sean, whom he’d obviously settled in the living room in front of the TV again. Alex clutched a piece of paper tightly in his hand while he offered Parker, “I could give you an ice bag?”
“It’s not that bad.”
I deadpanned, “You sure look to be in dire need of a doctor or a nurse.”
Parker’s eyes danced in mischief when he said innocently, “Oh, you’re into role play? Kinky. Should have told me before I hooked up with that stud.”
Alex glanced from Parker to me, bewilderment clearly written all over his face. I nodded at the letter in his hand. “Unfold it and lay it on the table so we can have a look at it.”
Alex made no move to follow my instructions. Instead, he clutched the letter even tighter. His eyes were impossibly wide and full of emotions while his face remained impassive. I always thought the phrase “eyes are the doors to our souls” was utter bullshit. I revised my opinion. Alex exemplified the phrase; his eyes definitely fit the bill. Did he know how much his eyes gave away? There was so much hurt and fear in them, so much of it.
When it became obvious he didn’t intend to move any time soon, I closed the distance between us. This time he didn’t back off. He dropped his chin to his chest, though. With a gentleness that was foreign to me, I rested my hand on top of the hand clutching the letter and guided it to the table. Alex’s hand felt cold and unsteady. Standing behind him in such close proximity caused my body to react strongly. It was also rather inappropriate in the circumstances. I cleared my throat. “Let me guess. There’s a threat in this letter. You’re not supposed to go to the police, otherwise
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