AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What?” Zero croaked out.
He squeezed Zero’s hand gently, loving that Zero cared while also hating it because he knew the first thing Zero would do was blame himself which was stupid because if it was anyone’s fault, it was his.
“You guys were the target?” Jack asked Sully.
Sully shrugged.
“That’s our working theory,” was said from the doorway.
Jack clenched his jaw tight for a second before he turned his head to see King standing there, arms crossed, and an unreadable expression on his face.
King stepped into the room and Jack straightened.
“Jack,” King said sounding exhausted. “We’re your family whether you like it or not.”
He pressed his lips into a thin line, glaring at the man in front of him.
“I was trying to push you into admitting you fucked up. I was wrong to do that. The fact that you didn’t trust me enough to tell me the truth had me spinning. I was so god damned pissed at you. Mostly because I knew I could’ve helped you. I could’ve prevented this,” King said, the remorse he saw in the man’s eyes seemingly genuine.
He felt a nudge in his side and after grinding his teeth and holding back a curse, he stood and let go of Zero’s hand to walk up to King.
“We both fucked up,” he said and tried not to sound as bitter about it as he felt.
“We did. I’m sorry, Jack.”
King held out his hand and while he knew he was gonna need some time to truly forgive and forget, he knew King was right. They were family whether they liked it or not.
He bypassed King’s hand and pulled him into a hug. King’s big arms wrapped around him and held on tight.
“I’m sorry, too,” he muttered.
“Ow,” Zero yelped, making Jack pull away from King to see Zero rubbing his arm and scowling up at Sully.
“Why’d you go make him all adult and responsible-like?” Sully asked Zero, hands on his hips as he mock-glared down at him. “He’s gonna make people think I’m the immature one now.”
“What do you mean now?” Zero quipped.
Sully sputtered, his hands flailing around for a moment before he turned toward Jack and King.
“Your boyfriend’s an ass,” Sully said, making Zero laugh.
Jack found himself smiling at the two of them. As much as he liked hearing Zero’s laugh, he had to admit that he loved that word even more. Especially because it was associated with Zero. Boyfriend. He didn’t know if that’s what they were but one look at Zero and he knew he didn’t care what Zero wanted to call him as long as it had the same meaning as mine.
Zero
Jack was asleep in the chair next to his bed. He looked calm as he slept but he knew better. Jack was a mess. He was angry. At the people who’d planted the bomb but also at himself. He understood. Blaming himself was a favorite pastime of his.
A knock had him glancing up at the door and he did not expect Detective Lopez to be the one standing there.
“Hey,” she said, her eyes running over Zero. “I heard. I just wanted to check up on you.”
“I’m okay.”
Jack’s snort had his lips twitching.
“He’s got a concussion,” Jack said, his voice sounding gravelly from sleep.
Lopez stepped into the room and raised a brow at Zero as she said, “You’d better be taking that seriously. If you don’t, it can lead to some pretty serious long-term effects.”
