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For now, at least.
I smiled up at him with wet lips, both of us panting from the intensity.
And then I noticed it again. Above Maverick, the glass of the sunroom was dusted in a layer of fake snow. At first, the sun had blocked me from seeing it, but now, from this angle, I could see it perfectly.
In the fake snow, four words were written: Here since the beginning.
“What?” Maverick asked, seeing my attention drift. “What’s that mean?”
“It has to be a clue. I don’t think that’s part of the usual holiday decor.”
“No, I don’t remember my moms ever putting serial-killery quotes on the tree.”
“Me neither.” I sat up on the couch and leaned in for another kiss from Mav, twirling his soft hair between my fingers.
I worked to pull myself off him. Our cocks still hung swollen and glistening. I could easily go for another round, and it seemed like Mav could, too, but this breakthrough was too big to put off.
“I think it means the Secret Santa Slayer was here since Stonewall Investigations opened…”
Mav looked at me, putting a finger up. “Or maybe it means they were here since the beginning of the party? Who got to the party first?”
“We did.”
“Oh, right.” He got up and started to put his briefs back on. He looked like such a fucking snack, wearing only his black Calvins, his ass and dick filling it out perfectly, the little trail of dark hair disappearing underneath the white waistband.
Thankfully, he put his jeans on next, or I would have tossed him back on the couch and gone in for a round two, losing my productive train of thought in the process.
“So we know it’s someone from Miami, but someone who’s been here since Stonewall opened in New York…” It hit me like a brick. It was the last clue I needed to piece things together.
I got up and followed Mav’s lead, grabbing my jeans and tugging them on, zipping with extra care since Mav still had me swollen. My shirt hung off the couch arm. I tossed it on and rebuttoned with much less care.
“Come on,” I said once we were fully dressed. “I know who the Secret Santa Slayer is.”
“You do? Who—”
A loud, roaring shout broke through the locked doors. I tugged Mav toward the sound, wanting to get to the scene of the crime as fast as possible.
Just to be sure.
We tossed the double doors open and ran toward the shouts, which were beginning to trail off. As we turned a corner, we almost walked right into Andrew, who was speed-walking away from the shouts.
“Wait, which way is that coming from?” he asked, turning around toward the obvious shouting. “These halls with their echoes. So weird!”
The three of us walked down the hall in the correct direction.
“Where were you coming from?” Mav asked Andrew in a very nonchalant way that made my detective bones proud.
“The bathroom,” he answered quickly.
Maverick nodded, unable to poke any further as we arrived at the room where the shouting drifted from.
It was a dining room, with the long oak table set to host holiday royalty. There was a cornucopia of frosted food sitting in the center, with silver and gold garland running up and down the length of the table, the chairs all decorated with red velvet bows. Potted pine trees placed around the room gave off the fresh scent of Christmas.
Next to one of those pine trees was Zane, groaning like he’d had some bad takeout. Standing around him were Griffin, Mark, and Liam, all of them trying to look as innocent as possible.
“Santa strikes again,” Andrew said, clapping his hands behind his back, shaking his head in exaggerated disappointment.
“He sure did,” I said, smirking with the cocky confidence that followed every time I reached the end of a case.
Even when those cases involved Secret Santas and great friends.
“All right,” I said, offering a hand to help Zane back on his feet. He gladly took it, brushing off his pants and taking a few pine needles out of his hair. “I think I’ve got it figured out.”
“You do?” Zane asked. “Let’s call a house meeting, then.”
CHAPTER 10
Maverick Gold
The house meeting was held in the foyer, where the massive sixteen-foot Christmas tree took up most of the focus, the star at the top glittering as light from the setting sun cut in through the windows. It was wrapped in red and gold ribbon, decorated with ornaments that filled every branch. Underneath it was an impressive stash of perfectly wrapped gifts.
Theo currently stood in front of the tree, the entire party gathered around. Some of us sat on the couches, others on the floor. Zane and Enzo stood next to the fireplace, which crackled and filled the room with the scent of firewood. Andrew and Declan stood next to them, Declan’s arm tossed over Andrew’s shoulders. Everyone was smiling, seeming excited to hear what Theo had to say. Shiro had managed to get Nick on FaceTime and currently had the phone aimed outward, even the prince of Spain invested in what Theo had to say.
