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“I know what I saw that day. Boudreaux paid a hooker—”
“For information,” Bailey said. “Which you saw and took advantage of. Admit it. It’s not like I don’t know what goes on to get these guys on board. You saw an opportunity and you took it. But we both know Henri was not paying for sex that day, and since I don’t plan to stop seeing him anytime soon, you need to stop being a dick to him.”
Sean almost choked on his coffee. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me,” Bailey said. “I like him—a lot. And for the past year, you, Kieran, and Xander have been on me to start dating, and, well, now I am.”
“A crook.”
“He’s not a crook,” Bailey said, and shook his head.
“His past actions say differently.”
Bailey regarded Sean closely. “So we should judge people based on their past actions alone? What about redemption? Changing? Don’t you believe in rehabilitation?”
If Sean understood Bailey’s not-so-subtle implication that one could judge him on his early morning drinking, he showed no indication.
“Oh, come on, Bay. Of course I do, but some people are just born on the wrong side of the tracks. They grow up a certain way, and they learn to survive by choosing all the wrong paths. Boudreaux is one of the smoothest, stealthiest motherfuckers I’ve ever met. He’s charming, likable, and cunning, which makes him unpredictable. You never know which way he’s gonna turn, good or bad.”
“I disagree,” Bailey said. “I have never felt that from him. The charming, likable part, yes. But I trust him. He was upfront about everything when it came to you and him. Maybe he acts a certain way with you because that’s how you treat him. Ever think of that?”
Sean let out a long-suffering sigh. “Fucking hell.”
Bailey said nothing to that, and after about five minutes of silence, Sean said, “You really like him, don’t you?”
Bailey finished off his hash browns and put his knife and fork down. “I do.”
“And nothing I say is going to stop you from seeing him?”
Bailey shook his head. “Nope.”
Sean finished off his breakfast and then sat back in his seat. “Then I guess I better make sure the fucker stays alive, huh?”
Bailey’s stomach clenched. It hadn’t even occurred to him that Henri might be doing something dangerous for Sean, and when his brother seemed to realize the worry he’d just unintentionally caused, he added, “I’m just kidding. If anyone can look after himself, it’s Boudreaux.”
Bailey got that impression too, but found himself caught up in a whole new world of worry as Dawn appeared and placed the check on the table.
“Your case?” Bailey said as he pulled his wallet out of his pocket. “I’ll take a look at the files, see if there’s anything you might’ve missed at the scenes if you like. But Sean?”
“Yeah?”
“Quit the drinking or I’m out.”
Sean rolled his eyes but nodded. As Bailey paid the check, he couldn’t help the niggling voice in the back of his head about what exactly Henri was doing for Sean, and just how dangerous it was.
Chapter Six
CONFESSION
Henri Boudreaux just might be
the best way to wake up—ever.
THE VIBRATION OF his phone on the bedside table woke Bailey around five hours later, and as he opened his eyes and reached for his cell, a smile curved his lips at the three notifications waiting for him from Ghost.
Thinking he should probably update Henri’s contact info, Bailey rolled to his back and punched in his PIN. But when he opened up his messages and read the three texts waiting for him, all thoughts other than calling Henri right back left his mind quick-smart.
Henri: Nineteen hours between seeing you is too fucking long.
Bailey grinned as he stretched beneath the covers.
I don’t like it.
Neither did he.
Call me when you wake up. I want to imagine you in that bed of yours.
Bailey didn’t stop, or question, the way his cock reacted to the order. It was like he’d been specifically hard-wired for Henri, and everything he did flipped a new switch in Bailey and showed him a new side of himself. One that was just now being revealed to him, like the fact he got off on being told what to do, apparently.
Bailey reached down, wrapped a palm around his stiffening length, then hit call on his phone and waited for an answer.
“Afternoon, officer.”
Bailey tightened his hand around his erection. “Afternoon.”
Sleep and arousal made Bailey’s voice deeper than usual, and Henri let out a low hum. “I’ve been staring at my phone all day waiting for this call. I think that officially makes me pathetic.”
Bailey chuckled. “I disagree,” he said, as he spread his legs a little to give himself more room to play. “I think it makes you hot.”
“I must be on fucking fire, then, because I’ve been absolutely worthless all day.”
And wasn’t that a stroke to Bailey’s ego, to know that someone like Henri was sitting at home distracted by the likes of him.
