“No.”Chad rubbed his brow.“He was his usual happy self.He said we can get pizza, play a few games, and he’s desperate to tell me about his disaster date with Angel.”
“Disaster date?”
“Apparently he insulted her new haircut.”
Romeo widened his eyes.“What a bastard.”
“Insulted it by not mentioning it other than to say it looked shorter, apparently that’s an insult.He wants to know whether that only happens in straight relationships.”
Romeo folded his arms.“Remember your reaction when I cut my own hair.You said one word.Wow.”
“I meant wow in a good way.”
“No, you didn’t.”
Chad chuckled.“You’ve gotten much better at cutting your hair.”
“You cut my hair.”
“Exactly.”Chad grinned, but it soon faded.
Romeo studied him.“If you’re not up for it, call him back, cancel.”
Chad took a deep breath.“I want to see him,” he winced, as if expecting Romeo’s jealousy to take over, but he held it in check.He wanted to be Chad’s everything, but the fact was, he couldn’t be.He was missing certain ...traits of the human condition.“And I need to know if he’s made any progress in these missing people’s case.”
“You mean our victims.”
“Yes,” Chad whispered, ducking his head.“We need to be a step ahead, that way I can...”
“Lead him in the wrong direction.”
Chad looked glum as he nodded.He fished his keys from his pocket before crunching them in his fist.“Are you going to be all right?
Romeo smiled.“I’ve got this window to board up, and then I’m going to hit the gym,” he flexed his arm.“I can see the muscle wastage already.”
Chad snorted, “You look handsome as hell like always,” He strode closer.“See you later.”
He slipped his arms around Romeo, and Romeo embraced him back.Romeo closed his eyes at the kiss Chad pressed to his cheek.He let go first, but Chad clung to him for a few seconds longer.
Before Romeo could question it, Chad was backing away.
He left the room, and a few minutes later, Romeo heard the engine of Chad’s car start from the smashed window, then heard it judder up the dirt track.
Romeo eased out a long breath and continued sorting out the living room.
A whimper gave him pause.He frowned and went to let Mercutio out of the kitchen.Mercutio stared longingly at the door.
“Next time.”Romeo murmured.
Despite stealing the TV, the thieves hadn’t found where Romeo had hidden his laptop away, in the bottom grill of his oven that hadn’t worked since they’d moved in, and he ordered a new TV to be delivered the next day.
He checked the other rooms for any signs of a break in, then the outhouse that remained just as he’d left it except a thin layer of dust had settled over the desk and gym equipment.
Romeo ordered shopping to arrive for the next day, boarded up the window with planks he found in the outhouse, did an hour session in the gym, then played fetch with Mercutio.
His eyes kept finding the patch in the field where they’d buried the bodies.Rocks marked their graves.It had been too long since he’d last killed someone.
The monster was restless, pacing at the back of Romeo’s skull.Too much had happened to even broach the subject with Chad.
