something. Not taking any chances, he slowly retreated to the entryway and grabbed the baseball bat resting in the corner against the wall. Thanks to his dad and Old Betsy, Dex had taken up the tradition and kept his own baseball bat. Never knew when it would come in handy.
Cautiously, he searched his house, leaving no space unchecked. He inspected every cabinet, every closet, even the pantry. Nothing. Could it have been TIN? Why would they be in his house? The doorbell rang, and Dex almost jumped out of his skin. Enough of this bullshit. He was not going to start jumping at shadows. Checking through the peephole, he smiled, pleasantly surprised. He returned the bat to its corner, then opened the door wide, greeting the English wolf Therian on the other side with a big grin.
Hudson looked him over, his eyes wide. “Bloody hell.”
“Hey, we’re like the Bruise Brothers,” Dex teased, stepping aside so Hudson could get by. “Come in.”
Hudson stepped inside and removed his jacket. “Is that a picture reference?”
“ Blues Brothers . Please tell me you’ve seen the movie.”
Hudson wrinkled his nose. “Of course I have. Just never know with you.”
Dex took Hudson’s jacket from him and hung it up. “Dude, you didn’t have to come all the way down here. You were shot.”
“All the resting was growing tiresome. I heard Sloane returned to work today. I figured you might like some company. And you….”
Hudson studied him, and Dex tried his best not to squirm under the inspection. The last person he needed examining him was Hudson. A gasp escaped Hudson, and he took hold of Dex’s wrist, making him flinch. The bruises from the zip ties hadn’t quite faded yet. Neither had the bruising on his fingers.
“Hudson, I—”
“Ambush, my bloody arse! What really happened?”
“Bad intel. We arrived on scene and—”
“Don’t take the piss with me, Dexter.” With a huff, Hudson released Dex’s wrist and marched into the living room.
Take the piss. That was a new one. Take it where? And why would you want to take piss anywhere? That was just gross. “I, uh, have no idea what that means.”
“It means I know enhanced interrogation techniques when I see them.” He turned to Dex and folded his arms over his chest.
“I’m pretty sure that’s not what it means.”
“Oh, for Pete’s sake. It means don’t mock me. How long have you known me?”
Hudson was adorable when he was flustered. Dex tried his best to hold back a smile. The last thing he needed was a doctor who wielded sharp medical implements to be mad at him. “I can’t remember all your weird Brit terms. I don’t think I’d heard that one yet.”
“You’re being evasive.”
For a very good reason. “I can’t go into it. I’m sorry.”
“Fair enough. Are you all right now? Considering?”
“I will be. How about some coffee?” Dex held a finger up. “Actually, I think there’s still some of that English breakfast tea you gave Sloane a couple months back.” Hudson was a guy after his own heart. He drank as much black tea as Dex drank coffee, and he was damned scary when he didn’t get it. Never keep an Englishman away from his afternoon cup of tea.
“Tea would be lovely. Thank you.”
Dex motioned for Hudson to follow him into the kitchen. He pulled the electric teakettle out from one of the bottom cabinets. Tea wasn’t Dex’s favorite drink, but since he’d met Hudson he’d been drinking more of it. He wasn’t a fan of some of the herbal ones. The whole boiled-grass thing didn’t appeal to him.
“How are you doing?” Hudson asked, taking a seat on one of the chairs behind the kitchen counter as Dex took out a couple of mugs. He might as well make himself a latte.
“Sore as hell, but—”
“That’s not what I was referring to,” Hudson said gently.
Dex turned to see what Hudson was referring to. He swallowed hard when Hudson motioned to Dex’s arm. On instinct, he put a hand over the healed wounds.
Cautiously, he searched his house, leaving no space unchecked. He inspected every cabinet, every closet, even the pantry. Nothing. Could it have been TIN? Why would they be in his house? The doorbell rang, and Dex almost jumped out of his skin. Enough of this bullshit. He was not going to start jumping at shadows. Checking through the peephole, he smiled, pleasantly surprised. He returned the bat to its corner, then opened the door wide, greeting the English wolf Therian on the other side with a big grin.
Hudson looked him over, his eyes wide. “Bloody hell.”
“Hey, we’re like the Bruise Brothers,” Dex teased, stepping aside so Hudson could get by. “Come in.”
Hudson stepped inside and removed his jacket. “Is that a picture reference?”
“ Blues Brothers . Please tell me you’ve seen the movie.”
Hudson wrinkled his nose. “Of course I have. Just never know with you.”
Dex took Hudson’s jacket from him and hung it up. “Dude, you didn’t have to come all the way down here. You were shot.”
“All the resting was growing tiresome. I heard Sloane returned to work today. I figured you might like some company. And you….”
Hudson studied him, and Dex tried his best not to squirm under the inspection. The last person he needed examining him was Hudson. A gasp escaped Hudson, and he took hold of Dex’s wrist, making him flinch. The bruises from the zip ties hadn’t quite faded yet. Neither had the bruising on his fingers.
“Hudson, I—”
“Ambush, my bloody arse! What really happened?”
“Bad intel. We arrived on scene and—”
“Don’t take the piss with me, Dexter.” With a huff, Hudson released Dex’s wrist and marched into the living room.
Take the piss. That was a new one. Take it where? And why would you want to take piss anywhere? That was just gross. “I, uh, have no idea what that means.”
“It means I know enhanced interrogation techniques when I see them.” He turned to Dex and folded his arms over his chest.
“I’m pretty sure that’s not what it means.”
“Oh, for Pete’s sake. It means don’t mock me. How long have you known me?”
Hudson was adorable when he was flustered. Dex tried his best to hold back a smile. The last thing he needed was a doctor who wielded sharp medical implements to be mad at him. “I can’t remember all your weird Brit terms. I don’t think I’d heard that one yet.”
“You’re being evasive.”
For a very good reason. “I can’t go into it. I’m sorry.”
“Fair enough. Are you all right now? Considering?”
“I will be. How about some coffee?” Dex held a finger up. “Actually, I think there’s still some of that English breakfast tea you gave Sloane a couple months back.” Hudson was a guy after his own heart. He drank as much black tea as Dex drank coffee, and he was damned scary when he didn’t get it. Never keep an Englishman away from his afternoon cup of tea.
“Tea would be lovely. Thank you.”
Dex motioned for Hudson to follow him into the kitchen. He pulled the electric teakettle out from one of the bottom cabinets. Tea wasn’t Dex’s favorite drink, but since he’d met Hudson he’d been drinking more of it. He wasn’t a fan of some of the herbal ones. The whole boiled-grass thing didn’t appeal to him.
“How are you doing?” Hudson asked, taking a seat on one of the chairs behind the kitchen counter as Dex took out a couple of mugs. He might as well make himself a latte.
“Sore as hell, but—”
“That’s not what I was referring to,” Hudson said gently.
Dex turned to see what Hudson was referring to. He swallowed hard when Hudson motioned to Dex’s arm. On instinct, he put a hand over the healed wounds.
Similar Books
