“Ugh, okay, I’ll take a more direct approach with this research. Okay?” Sam says. “Now feed me. I hunger, Daddy,” he says.
I scrunch my nose.
“Yeah, you’re too cute to be a daddy. I agree,” he says and opens my fridge.
“There should be leftovers from last night,” I tell him. “I’ll heat it up while you tell me when we're meeting the prodigal son, who I’m assuming is in the city? Because there’s no way in hell you’re leaving me out of this case,” I warn him with the most vicious voice, because whatever Sam might say, I have in fact not gone soft.
Chapter Two
Revolutionary Therapy and Rude Interruptions
Nick
All the way to Matt's place, I think about how I’d never seen Elliot open up like he did when he saw Sam at his door. I’ve never seen him that comfortable. Didn’t even know his niceness spectrum stretched that far. I want to be jealous and angry, but it’s honestly just really nice to see Elliot has that. A friend he could always rely on.
I have friends who’ll do anything for me. They’re my family. They know everything about me. Well, almost everything. And Elliot barely has anyone, mostly by choice. He really doesn’t make it easy for anyone.
Sam seems like a nice guy. A bit of a shit stirrer, but he’s friends withElliot, so I wouldn’t expect anything less. The idea that Elliot could be like that with me someday, too, fills my heart with happiness.
I don't realize I'm grinning at the red light until the guy in the car beside me gives me the finger. He’s lucky I’m not petty enough to pull out my siren. I mean, it wouldn’t be the right thing to do, but when has that ever stopped me? I drive away when the light turns green.
Besides, I’m already in hot water with the department. My strongly suggested leave after the shooting is endingtomorrow, and who knows what awaits me on the other side. When they cleared me, I was ready to go back right away, but Captain won’t let me, and now I’m worried she’ll move me to desk duty if she doesn’t think I'm well.
Which I am.Completely. I’ve barely thought about Dominic at all. About the shift in his face when I entered the basement where he held Elliot hostage. The hatred in his eyes right before he noticed me, the doubt when he did. How his hard eyes turned trusting as we talked. How his demeanor shifted when he thought I was going to shoot Elliot.
I don’t think about his frown right before I pulled the trigger, the moment he realized what was happening. It was too late by then. It was already too late the minute I found him. I wouldn’t have let anyone harm Elliot.No onecan touch him.
My hands tighten on the steering wheel. When I realized Elliot was the Vigilante Wolf Hunter, the serial killer the Bureau had been hunting for years, I was angry. Of course, I was. I wanted to confront him.
But all my feelings took the backseat because the next minute, I’d learned Elliot had been taken by another serial killer who had been murdering humans in the most cruel ways. And now he had his ultimate target, the person he’d been hunting for years, just like us.
So, no, I had no sympathy for Dominic. My choice was simple, if I even had one. It was always going to be Elliot. That look of fear in his eyes when Dominic had his claws trained on his throat, that was all the reason I needed to justify that bullet.
I take a deep breath and relax my hold before I get more cracks on the wheel.
As Matt's place draws closer, dread settles in my stomach. I’m meeting my Werewolf Regulation Bureau, aka the Bureau team, for work. But the problem is they’re my best friends too. That means they’ll want to talk about the shooting. And the more I talk about it, the harder it is to explain without spilling the beans.
Someone has tried to broach the subject every time we’ve met since. It’s always followed by a sympathetic head tilt from everyone. I’d find it funny if it didn’t make me want to roll over and confess everything.
I want to turn my car around and drive back to Elliot’s place, where we spent an entire week doing nothing but fucking, cuddling, and watching sitcoms. I used the strongly suggested leave from work for its intended purpose. Destressing in the best ways known to mankind.
But I can’t escape anymore.I asked. So, it’s time to wear my big boy pants and face the music, even if it’s just because everyone’s making me do it.
I park outside Matt’s building for quick-exit purposes. Hopefully, I won't need it. But you never know. I make my reluctant way towards their building, then up to their apartment. Every step makes the pit in my stomach grow.
When I’m at the door, I put on a big smile and knock.
Matt frowns when he opens the door. “Are you hurt or something?”
I cool off my smile. As someone who’s not generally in the business of faking smiles, I clearly need some practice. “That’s a rude question to ask someone at your door, Matt.”
Mickey pokes his nose out beside Matt. Oliver and Matt picked him up from Elliot’s yesterday because Oliver was missing him, having not seen him for a week. I was just happy they rang the doorbell and politely asked to take him rather than rolling up in a van and breaking into Elliot’s house.
With Oliver’s history of constantly kidnapping Mickey, I was kind of disappointed by the lack of action.Fine, I miss my job a tiny bit.
I sneak past Matt to walk inside, leaving him to frown at the door.
“Hey, buddy! Did you miss me?” I kneel to give my baby some scratches while he’s still paying me some attention, which is a surprise with the number of people in the apartment.
