Gavin nodded.
“You haven’t been having too many of them lately.”
“Keeping tabs, Big Brother?” Because no way Landon knew that firsthand, since he rarely spent the night at home anymore, nearly always at Ava’s.
“Yep. Deal with it.” Landon shrugged. “What happened to set you off? Do you know?”
Since Landon had seen his own mess while in the Marine Corps, Gavin felt comfortable—to a point—talking to him about things. Though Landon would never admit it, he’d had his own sleepless nights. His own stressors to deal with since becoming a civilian, from shit that stemmed from his own time in the desert.
“I know exactly what happened. I was expecting the nightmare, if you want the truth. After Zoe and I went out tonight, we were walking back to get the car when two druggies attacked a lady. Or tried to attack her. I took care of them. The violence of it shook me is all.”
Landon’s gaze sharpened as he looked Gavin over from top to bottom. “You okay?”
“Fine. It was fun, in a way.” Not as fun as breaking their bones might have been. A surprising anger resurged. “Fuck, Landon. It was barely dark. Some lady and her kid, who couldn’t be that much older than Colin, were walking down the public sidewalk. Near Seattle Center. And these assholes tried to take her purse.” He snorted. “Like that shitty gun and rusty knife would do much damage against”—he struck a ninja pose—“Guns of Steel.”
Landon covered his mouth, but Gavin saw the grin there. “You need mental help.”
“I’m getting it once a week, dumbass.”
“I mean for your ego.” Landon laughed. “Okay, Guns of Steel. Nicely done. But it cost you.”
Gavin shrugged. A woman and little boy’s safety versus a nightmare? No contest.
“So you were out with Zoe again. Hmm.”
“The water’s boiling.”
Landon took the kettle off the stove and poured two mugs full, then added the powdered mix.
Gavin stirred his, took a sip, and sighed. “Why do you insist on buying the cheap crap?”
“Why don’t you shut your piehole and buy your own?”
“Touché.” Gavin chuckled, blew on his hot chocolate, and sipped as he heard Theo’s pathetic moan.
They ignored him.
“So Zoe. What’s up with her?”
“Um, she’s a woman. About five ten, great ass. Beautiful blue eyes, long, sexy black hair. It’s witchy black, not bland. If I had to guess, and don’t tell her this, I’d say she’s maybe one-forty? One-fifty? But all muscle. Sweet. And—”
“You know what I mean, dipshit. I don’t need her vitals, but what she isto you.” Landon sipped his cocoa and frowned. “This is awful.”
“Told you.”
“Save the rest for Theo.”
They nodded and pushed the cups aside in favor of sucking down whipped cream straight from the can.
“Zoe and I are friends who also have sex. We like each other. I guess we’re kind of dating.”
“Kind of?”
“It’s new, okay? I don’t want to jinx it.”
“Ha! I knew it.” Landon looked like their mother nailing a real estate sale. Victorious and kind of rabid scary. “You like this chick.” He squirted more whipped cream into his mouth.
“Duh. I’ve been asking her out for months.”
