Ex's and O'S (21 page)

promising to make them cookies. Even Chance, who seemed more reserved, and Max, who was the quietest of the bunch, soon joined in and Charlene was just glowing from all the attention.

“I think your mom is going to be quite popular with the guys,” Nick said from where he stood beside Adam. “Homemade cookies and bread, and she even mentioned pies—she’ll have the pack of them damn near courting her for sweets.”

Adam laughed as he watched Bo hook his arm through Charlene’s. It tickled him to

see his mother so happy, but, “As long as she doesn’t forget to make enough for me and Les.”

Nick snorted. “Right. That woman might put up with us, but you and Stanton—I

mean, Les, are the centre of her world.”

Adam knew that. It was just going to be a little weird, sharing his mom, but it’d make her happy, and maybe keep her busy enough that she didn’t poke her nose into his and Les’

relationship too much.

“I can see you calculating the benefits of her having other people to dote on.”

“Well yeah.” Adam huffed and looked at Nick. “I’m not stupid. I love her to death, but she does like to pry.” Although, it had worked out for the best, so maybe he shouldn’t EX’S AND O’S

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discourage her. He doubted he and Les would have got to where they were now if Charlene had stayed out of it all. That didn’t stop him from groaning when Nick spoke again.

“C’mon, let’s get this show on the road.” Nick nudged Adam’s elbow. “Y’all have a lot of stuff to haul?” He started towards the others and Adam followed.

“No, we had it all in my car.”

“Which car’s yours?” Chance asked, obviously having overheard at least part of his conversation with Nick.

Adam pointed to his little POS, so out of place in this parking lot filled with big trucks.

He told himself his cheeks were burning from the Texas heat. “That one.”

Chance looked at the dented rusty vehicle and grimaced. “Ah. Shouldn’t take us long, then, and we can divide up and some of us help while the others keep an eye out for anyone suspicious looking.” His lips quirked up into a grin that made him look years younger. “This might be fun, especially if the asshole that beat up your friend shows up.”

“Calm down, cowboy,” Rory teased as he slipped an arm around Chance’s waist. “I’d rather we not encounter ‘the asshole’ and have you put that energy to better use later.” Rory gave his lover such a heated look that Adam half expected them to slip off for a quickie.

Chance kissed the tip of Rory’s nose then rubbed it with his own. “I will always have enough energy for you, don’t doubt that for a second.”

“All right you two, cut it out,” Bo muttered, but his cheerful expression belied the gently scolding tone and words. “You’re embarrassing Maxie—”

Adam peeked at Maxie just in time to see the poor man’s face turn nearly purple as he sputtered.

Bo looked contrite as he hustled back to his partner’s side. “Sorry, sorry, it slipped out.”

Max’s eyes promised retribution, which got him a sultry look from Bo.

“All right, boys.” Charlene clapped her hands as she narrowed her eyes. “All this lovey dovey stuff is fine when y’all are alone, but the way some of you are going, you’re going to end up arrested for lewd behaviour—and I’m not bringing you cookies in jail!”

After that, things moved quickly. Adam was mostly silent as he tried to work things out in his mind. He was struggling a bit with his independence, trying to convince himself he EX’S AND O’S

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wasn’t less of a man for taking cover with his boyfriend, or for accepting help from other people.

Then he realised, this is what friends do, it’s what lovers do, moving in and sharing their lives with each other, and the tight ball of pride that had clogged a few of his arteries dissipated until he was able to appreciate all of the good changes in his life. He immediately thought of Chase, bruised and broken-looking on the couch, and some of his happiness dimmed.

Even if the guy did make him uncomfortable, he didn’t deserve to be beaten and…

Adam could still see the injuries to Chase’s body. Some of them had been old, inflicted years ago, and those pricked at Adam’s conscience as much as the newer wounds did. Chase had either been abused severely at one time, or over a period of time, considering all the old marks, or else he’d been incredibly, incredibly clumsy. Somehow, Adam doubted that was the case. He wondered if Les had noticed then decided that he must have. Les was pretty damn sharp, and Adam wished he’d call and tell him something about what was going on with Chase’s condition. Adam wanted to call Les but he didn’t know if Les was still interviewing Chase, or doing other police business, and besides that, there were too many people around.

Once he and his mother were somewhat settled into Les’ place, Adam thanked the

men for helping them. After a promise of cookies tomorrow from Charlene, Adam found himself alone in the living room with Nick as Charlene drifted into another room. Adam would bet she was snooping, at least a little.

Nick looked at the bare walls and the perfectly clean room. “This is kind of…dull.

Why am I not surprised?”

Adam’s spine stiffened as he glared at his friend. “Not every gay man has an interior decorator living inside him.”

“No kidding,” Nick agreed with a snicker. “Josh’s decorating style involves lots of hot pink and penguins…everywhere. I’m more like Les, except not nearly as neat.”

While Adam tried to wrap his mind around Nick living in a place decorated to Josh’s tastes, Nick proceeded to open drawers and poke around the shelves of the entertainment centre. “There’s no porn? Does he keep it stashed somewhere else?”

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“I have enough porn for us,” Adam sniped then immediately regretted it when Nick

grinned at him. “It was in the big Rubbermaid tub, the green one.”

“The duct taped one. Good idea, what with your mom around.”

Adam was fairly certain his mom wouldn’t look in that container. She knew him well enough to suspect what was in there.

“Is the whole place like this?” Nick’s gesture encompassed the whole room.

“No, the master bedroom is definitely more…” Adam struggled to come up with a

description, shrugged, “just more. Lots of colour and warmth, and no, you can’t see it.”

Charlene’s delighted whoop reached them then.

“I wouldn’t bet on that.” Nick darted off in the direction of the sound. Adam was hot on his heels. They found Charlene standing beside Les’ bed, patting the bright blanket on it.

“Now, this room gives me hope,” she said, looking from one wall hanging to the

other. “This is more like the Les I know. And,” she kicked at the waste basket beside the bed,

“I’m glad y’all are being safe.”

Adam didn’t know how he kept from melting with the heat of humiliation that

washed over him. Probably because he was too busy trying to think of a way to get back at Nick when the man poked him in the ribs. Adam glared up at his friend, then scowled as Nick waggled his brows. “Aw, y’all are being safe! That’s good, and it makes your mama happy, too.”

Adam was going to kick his ass, just as soon as Charlene and Nick quit laughing.

Chase didn’t manage to stay awake long. Les left his room and practically ran to the nearest rest room. He shoved into a stall and retched, bringing up what little bit of breakfast and coffee he’d had. It wasn’t anything even close to professional behaviour, and Les hadn’t reacted like this to any case since he’d been a rookie, but seeing all the scars on Chase’s body, the old scars, had sent Les’ mind plummeting back to his own childhood. Granted, the abuse he and his brother had suffered had been different, and deadly, but it still resonated, seeing proof that Chase had been abused as well.

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It wasn’t just suspicion. Chase had confirmed some of it. Les doubted the man would have done so had he not been loopy with pain meds. As for the latest assault, Chase hadn’t remembered much of it, and the assault in Montana was something Chase refused to speak of despite the drugs.

That fact alone was enough to make Les queasy and angry in equal parts. He didn’t know what had been done to the younger man in Montana, but if it was worse than being abused as a child, well, Les didn’t want to know. But he needed to, had to do his job.

Les swiped at his mouth then left the stall. He turned the faucet on and washed his hands thoroughly, then cupped them and brought some of the water to his mouth. After rinsing the foul taste away, he told himself to get his shit together.

Back at the police department, Les sat at his desk and read the report on Chase

Murphy. He was still waiting for more information on the man, but the papers in his hands confirmed his suspicions. No wonder Chase refused to talk about the attack in Montana. The man had been brutalised, tortured, left for dead. It was a miracle he’d survived—and a phone call confirmed he should never have left the hospital in the first place. The only reason he gave Les for that was that Rollins was looking for Adam again.

Whether Chase knew that for a fact or just suspected, Les didn’t know, but as soon as the man was coherent, he intended to find out. Then he’d figure out what he needed to do to stop Rollins from ever hurting anyone else again.

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Les hung up the phone then dropped his head into his hands. He scrubbed at his

forehead in a vain attempt to dull the throbbing pain in his skull. Today had been one frustration after another. Chase Murphy hadn’t been able to describe his assailants, having been attacked from behind. The reason he’d given for leaving the hospital in Montana without being released—his friend, an attorney who’d hired him to work the Rollins case—

had gone missing.

Sheer desperation to locate the man had sent Chase on a hunt for Adam. Les thought there might be more between Chase and the lawyer than mere friendship. Already Chase was strafing against being held in the hospital, the urge to find his missing ‘friend’ making him skittish and surly. Or surlier. Adam had said the PI was a bit…unstable.

Les wondered if Chase had inadvertently led Rollins’ thugs to Adam, or if they had been watching him before Chase’s arrival. The thought sent an icy streak of fear down his spine, just as it had the first time Les had pondered the question. It was the reason he’d thought to call Xavier Talbot, Adam’s boss. It made a twisted sort of sense to Les that Rollins, having succeeded once in tearing Adam’s life away from him, would try the same

manoeuvre again.

Having Talbot confirm that he had received an offer on his business, out of the blue and unsolicited, only confirmed Les’ suspicions. Rollins was back to stalking Adam, determined to strip him of any sense of security. He’d bet the apartment manager had been contacted, too. For the right price, there’d probably be a short eviction notice on the door.

That wouldn’t be a problem now, Les thought with a wave of relief that nearly made him giddy. He snorted. The way he was bouncing from worried to ecstatic was so unlike him. It was as if all the years of holding his emotions under such tight control had resulted in this, a breaking of the dam that had held them all back. Now they were swirling around like an F-4 tornado.

He groaned at his melodramatic thoughts, also a new and not very enjoyable

experience. It reminded him too much of his mother’s unstable behaviour. His past had been EX’S AND O’S

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on his mind more and more lately. Being around Charlene was forcing him to examine his fears and the way they had affected his life. The way he’d let them affect his life. Adam and Charlene were a package deal, Les knew that, and, he guessed, accepted it. Having Adam in his life, living in his home, their home, was a culmination of a dream he’d not known he wanted.

And it would all come crashing down if he didn’t alter the patterns he’d set. Adam and Charlene would quickly realise he was screwed up unless he found a way to move forward. That wouldn’t happen overnight, which meant… Les gulped so hard his throat hurt. Sweat slicked his back and armpits; his undershirt felt suddenly damp with it. Irritated with his reaction, Les snarled and shoved up from his seat at his desk.

Officer Lukowski gave him a quizzical look. “Got a problem, Stanton?”

“No, but I am going home. Have a good evening.” Les tacked the last bit on because Lukowski was a decent guy, always trying to be friendly to him even though Les consistently rebuffed his offers to hang together outside of work. It wasn’t anything personal, he just hadn’t been able to deal with letting anyone close before Adam.

Although, maybe he’d let Josh in a little first; it was impossible to push that guy away.

And it could just be that first bloom of friendship had made it possible for Les to reach for something more when the right man had come into his life.

God, he was getting to be a philosophical, melodramatic, moody… The skin on the

back of his neck prickled. Les didn’t stop walking towards his vehicle even though he was sure he was being watched. He didn’t want whoever it was to know he was aware of what was going on. As unobtrusively as possible, he glanced around the parking lot. He really didn’t expect anyone to mess with him but the spying, that he did expect.

Les unlocked his vehicle and got in. Keeping his head tilted down, he glanced up

through his lashes and looked in the rearview mirror. There was an alley across the street.

He’d bet dollars to donuts that was where Rollins’ thug was. Les could see nothing but pitch black there, but anyone in the alley would have a good view of the well-lit parking lot.

So, Rollins knew who he was, or at least had reason to suspect he was someone close to Adam. Which meant the asshole probably already knew where he lived, maybe even that Adam and Charlene were there. The air thickened with the weight of Les’ unease as he started the truck. He made two calls, the first to Lukowski, who he hoped really did want to EX’S AND O’S