He opened his mouth to say something, anything, to the beautiful man standing before him, but Jaime spoke first. “You can let go of me now, I’m not going to pass out.”
Right. He was still clinging to the younger man like his life depended on it. Finn quickly dropped Jaime’s arm, and cleared his throat. “Sorry. Right. Yes.”
The whole ride over Finn had been pinching himself, feeling like this was all some surreal dream. This morning, Jaime had been a what-if; a deep regret that he’d messed up somehow and lost his chance.
And now, just a few hours later, Finn was standing in his foyer.
But Jaime hadn’t chosen the circumstances that led to him needing a security detail, and he hadn’t chosen to reconnect with Finn. This was all a result of the unfortunate events Jaime had survived last year.
Sheppard had filled them in on everything the detective could share before the case went to trial—Jaime had delivered a commissioned painting to Vera Novikova-Dugan’s house on that early spring evening roughly a year ago, and wound up shoved in a closet, tied up, and left to suffocate. Somehow, he’d escaped and called for help. As far as the police could tell, he’d been in the wrong place, at the wrong time.
Oh, and he was the only witness to a brutal murder and had overheard key evidence that it had more than likely been orchestrated by someone other than the guy they’d already arrested.
Someone who had a very good reason to want Jaime dead.
Protect!
Finn realized he’d been staring for too long, so he cleared his throat again and fumbled for something to say, but again, Jaime beat him to it.
“Thank you, for… that. Out there. I’m sorry. I just found out that my name was leaked to the media, and I wasn’t thinking straight. I’m not… helpless, like that. All the time. I mean, I wouldn’t have gone out there at all if I hadn’t been distracted. I’m not an idiot.” His tone grew increasingly indignant even as he stumbled over his words and fidgeted with the hem of his t-shirt, as if Finn had been the one who accused him of acting recklessly.
Finn couldn’t help but think how adorable Jaime’s nervous rambling was.
The sight of him being swallowed up by that pack of scavengers currently squatting outside would haunt him for a while, and his hackles rose with the instinct to protect.
He’d been half out of his mind when they pulled up to the house only to realize they hadn’t arrived in time to keep Jaime away from the media fishing for an angle on the breaking news. Throwing open his door before Silas had even fully stopped the vehicle, all he knew was the steady pulse inside him.
Protect, protect, protect.
Go! He’s there!
Protect!
Finn tore down the lawn, yelling as loud as he could at the group to step away from Jaime. Silas caught up quickly, his giant strides eating up the short distance, and together they parted the crowd like sharks. Seeing Jaime crouched there, with his head tucked in, honed all of Finn’s predatory awareness.
He’s vulnerable.
Protect, protect, protect!
Luckily, his training in basic mental health triage kicked in, and Finn talked Jaime through slowing his breathing and grounding his senses. It was a pity that all of his training and common sense seemed to have left him now, though, standingin Jaime’s foyer while he stared like he was looking at the last golden unicorn.
Which was silly, considering those went extinct hundreds of years ago. Probably. Fuck if he knows.
God, you’re an idiot. Say something, you fool!
“I believe you,” he ground out, tone gentle. Jaime seemed to like that, before. “This situation must be quite a lot to process, never mind the frenzy outside. I promise you, we won’t let them hurt you like that again.”
Silas shot him a look.
Right, Finn wasn’t usually one to promise clients much of anything, except his professionalism. Or one to be very talkative.
Chattyhad never been a word used to describe him.
Jaime nodded, but still had that reserved look. Could there be more to what had happened? What had made him so worked up that he’d walked right out into that feeding frenzy without realizing he’d be mobbed?
Silas cleared his throat. “How about we all have a seat, and Mr. Winters and I will talk you through some next steps. Does that sound alright with you?”
Jaime looked toward Silas as he spoke, taking stock of him for the first time, noting how giant he was. Finn bristled at the once-over, and Silas shot him another confused look.
