I was out of the shower and shaving my face when Calvin appeared in the reflection. “That took a while,” I said, trying to use a casual tone that suggested we’d woken, hadgreatsex, and were continuing our morning routine as if nothing unpleasant had happened.
He grunted as he pulled his T-shirt and pants off and walked naked into the bathroom. “I think Dillon had to sniff every tree between here and Astor Place.”
I raised my chin and felt underneath my jaw. Missed a spot. I turned the electric razor on again. “He seems to be real partial to the one outside of—”
“What’s that?”
I glanced at Calvin in the reflection. “What’s what?”
He came up behind me and pointed at my neck while meeting my gaze in the mirror.
“That’s a hickey,” I said with a smirk. “Which, thank you, by the way. Now I can look forward to side-eye and snickers from Max, and my father’s chastising ‘Don’t let Calvin suck your neck’ comments.”
Calvin poked the bruise and frowned when I flinched. “I meant this.”
“Er—well, that has a rather long story attached.”
He let out a breath through his nose while staring at the ceiling. “God help me.” He turned and stepped into the shower. “Is this in regards to whoever Officer Shapiro is?” he asked over the spray of water.
“Uh, yeah.”
“Start talking.”
“Well, you got my message then, about not having my phone or keys,” I said as I continued getting ready for the day.
“Yes.”
“Someone followed me into the building after the taxi dropped me off. I was standing outside of our door and this… guy attacked me.”
Calvin pulled back the curtain. “He what? Whothe fuckwas it?”
I’ll be honest—the slip of Calvin’s, showing his defensive boyfriend side that was usually so well controlled, made me feel a little better.
I turned to him and made a shooing motion. “Finish.” When Calvin closed the curtain once more, I continued regaling him with the tale of being choked, meeting 4A, and giving my statement to a cop who laughed at my luck—or lack thereof.
“Other movies,” Calvin said at the end of my story, climbing out of the shower.
“That’s why I’m convinced he was the second person at the Emporium,” I clarified. “Otherwise, what the hell, you know?”
“And that’s all he said to you?”
I shrugged. “Pretty much. Took the canister and ran away.”
Calvin grew silent as he toweled off.
I left the bathroom, went to the closet, and found some clean underwear in one of my bags. “Neil came over,” I continued, speaking loud enough for him to hear me. “He dropped off my bag. I told him what happened, and he took my clothes. Trace evidence.” I dug out a pair of jeans and did the twist-and-shimmy to get into them.
Calvin walked naked across the bedroom. He reached around me at the closet to pull out a suit. “Did you get a badge number on Shapiro?” he asked.
“Oh, yeah. I figured you’d want to get the statement I gave her.”
Calvin didn’t respond immediately. He tossed his clothes on the bed, put his hands on my shoulders, and gently turned me to look at him. “I’m sorry.”
“Why?”
“This is my fault.”
“Calvin,” I said firmly. “This is no one’s fault, least of all yours. Hell, we could blameme. Usually I don’t listen to you. The one time I did, I got into trouble.”
