Bowie blinked at him. “What?”
“Enthusiastic consent, angel. I know how to keep my hands to myself. Hell, you can even tie me up if you want.”
Bowie tried and failed at not smiling, that big grin splitting his face. “You’re really fucking weird.”
“See ya in the morning, angel. Bright and early.”
Javier turned, whistling as he walked away. He’d left his car back at the ballet place. He had known better than to ask Bowie to get into a car with a stranger. Not after everything he’d been through. His phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it free and glanced down at the screen.
Lawson.
“Sup, cuz.”
“Cy needs us,” Lawson drawled in lieu of a greeting. That kid hadn’t been in West Virginia in years but his accent somehow only seemed to get stronger. Sometimes, Javier wondered if he laid it on thick because it got him laid.
“Now?” Javier asked, glancing at his watch.
“No. Tomorrow. Hoarder situation. Lots of cats. Likely abused. Pam needs bodies.”
Pam was the owner of the organization he worked for. She was a nurse at a correctional facility by trade but a bleeding heart animal lover in her spare time. When she wasn’t rescuing animals, she was the one who vetted the ex-bikers and ex-gangbangers like him who helped advocate for victimized children. She had a lot going on all the time. He admired that about her.
“I got a thing early, but maybe later.”
“She wants us there by ten.”
Bowie would be in classes for most of the day. Javier had watched the building for hours until he’d finally emerged about half an hour ago. “Yeah, cool. I just gotta be out by five.”
There was a long pause on the other end of the line. “This about that dancer kid you made Nicky run a background check on?”
Javier snorted. “I didn’t make him do a background check. I just asked him to find his name and address.” Sort of.
Lawson gave a slow whistle. “You realize trolling for dates in the victim pool of the sex crimes unit is a little on the desperate side, even for you.”
“Says the dude who brought home a guy so busted he looked like he bought his meth from the tooth fairy.”
Lawson barked out a laugh. “Hey, don’t knock it. No pesky teeth to get in the way.”
“You’re a sick fuck, homie.”
“Seriously, though. Be careful, man. Guys like that…they’re usually more trouble than they’re worth.”
Javier shook his head. “I’m always careful. Besides, I’m just keeping an eye on him until the creep who assaulted him crawls back under his rock.”
“And if he doesn’t? Crawl back under his rock?”
Then I’ll beat him to death with it.“We’ll cross that bridge when we get there.”
“Whatever you say, man,” he said before crooning the chorus ofTiny Dancerinto the phone.
“Oh, fuck off.”
“Yeah, yeah. There’s leftover pizza in the oven. Be back late.”
“See ya.”
Lawson was right. Bowie Baker was probably trouble. But he seemed like the good kind of trouble. And Javier could use a little good in his life, even if it was wrapped up in a whole lotta bad.
Bowie dropped his bag at the front door, looking around at the dishes piled in the sink and the grime caked onto the counter and burners. In the tiny living room, someone had left a plastic bag from Nobu, an empty sushi box, three empty water bottles, and a pile of clothes.
