In addition to harming countless children, not everything they did with the money was entirely legal. The guns came into the picture after the wrong people found out about this couple’s predilections. They found themselves being blackmailed into bankrolling and laundering money for an offshore weapons scheme.
Sucks to be them.
Odd and I manage to get through a small traffic jam at the Y in Oakhill (same as it ever was) and get to Everett’s shop downtown in under an hour (a small miracle) while the team chats through the different scenarios with us. By the time we pull into a parking space, I have a solution that might just work.
That is, if DB is willing to be a bit unorthodox.
Odd and I walk into the Portal to Nowhere, and I immediately look for Omar, who isn’t there.
He hadn’t said much on the call, and I wondered what that was about.
No one is as surprised as I am that I hadn’t annoyed the hell out of him in the few days we spent together after our trip to Lufkin. He even made several comments about what we could do when I got back. Communications during an op are always limited, but we managed a few texts here and there.
I’m not sure why I’m so nervous; maybe it’s because we haven’t been able to connect for the last three days and…I feel like I’m going to burst. Let’s just say I’m discovering that my ability to handle relationship uncertainty is one of the few things I really suck at.
Parker bumps me with her shoulder and whispers, “Hey, why do you look like you want to throw up?”
I whisper back, “Because I want to throw up.”
The others are chatting about Christmas, which I realize is like, days away. Which means New Year’s is around the corner, and I wonder if I’ll be ringing in the New Year alone.
Stop being ridiculous. He’s already said that there’s a party scheduled for the top of his building.
Parker grabs my arm and whispers, “Is all of this angst about the boy?”
I let out a long breath, trying to figure out how forthcoming I should be. She and Omar are good friends, as are she and I. Pulling my hair down to conceal the gesture from the others, I nod.
“I just haven’t talked to him in a few days.”
“And then you got all up in your head, didn’t you?”
I scrunch my face, closing one eye.Tiny nod.
“Goofy-ass boy,” she says, grabbing my arm and spinning me toward the door.
Omar is standing there, smiling at me.
Without a thought in my head, my feet take me in his direction, and he grabs my hand, pulling me back into the shop. He closes the door and pushes me against it, kissing me hard and rough, like maybe he missed me as much as I missed him.
Thank god.
“Hey,” he says softly against my lips.
“Hey.”
“Missed you,” he says, gripping my jacket as he touches his forehead to mine.
I take a deep, deep breath, letting it out slowly. “Same.”
He pulls back with a little smile on his face. “What’s this? Why am I getting Anxious Anders? Where’s my Teasing Anders?”
“I’m just…hooo.” I bite my lip and chance eye contact. “Happy you’re glad to see me.”
He uses his thumb to release my lip from my teeth, then leans in and whispers in his deep accent. “I am so very glad to see you. And I know we haven’t talked about what we are, but you have no reason to be anxious about how I feel. I was trying to let you know in a subtle way with the texts, but—”
“Yeah, no. I need direct,” I say, shaking out the nerves from my hands. Seriously, when did I become this guy? “Been a little bit of a mess these last few days if I’m being honest.”
His hand comes up to cup my face. “Me too. It’s hard when communication is cut off the very moment when you need it. Hopefully, me pinning you up against the door, knowing the others are looking at the camera feed, makes you feel a little better.”
