“What are you two going on about?”Giles asked.
Gunnar shook his head.“Jesus, Giles, for a genius scientist type you sure are slow on the uptake.The answer to both of those questions is the same.Bryn.”
Light dawned in Giles’ eyes.“Fuck.”
“After bringing down The Hammer’s accountant, Bryn has to be top of his hit list.Russo already had a chance to kill him and didn’t take it,” Gunnar said.“That can only mean he sees more value in keeping him alive.If Bryn could be compelled to work for him, Russo would be assured of loyalty in his organization.”
“Not only that, he’d be able to extract information from his enemies and rivals,” Giles contributed.
“So what are the odds that Russo has been promised Bryn as his prize for orchestrating this shit show?”
“And they’ve both found a clue,” Bryn said, under his breath.
“Don’t act like a brat,” Gunnar said.
“Damn lupine hearing.Anyway, I think I’m entitled to act up, don’t you?”
“No,” Gunnar and Giles replied in unison.
“You two ganging up on me is getting real old.”
“Suck it up, buttercup.”
“Really, Gunnar?”
Gunnar patted Bryn’s hand, letting his touch linger.Bryn’s face heated like he’d entered a sauna.Giles smirked at him but didn’t say anything.
I need a cold shower.Fuck me, Gunnar is one kinky wolf.He wasn’t going to get the image of Gunnar indulging in some ass play while Bryn was tied to the bed out of his mind for some time.If that’s his intent, I really hope he acts on it.
“So nice to see such a…close…working relationship has developed between you two,” Giles said.
“You wouldn’t know a good relationship if it smacked you in the face,” Bryn grumbled.“Though, in the name of science, I’m willing to test that theory out.”
Giles chuckled.“Maybe not.But it sure is entertaining watching you dance around each other.When are you going to take him properly in hand, Detective?”
“When I’m good and ready,” Gunnar grumbled.“Not that it’s any of your goddamn business.”
Giles shrugged.“Does Warden know about you two?”
“More than we do,” Gunnar said.
Bryn wasn’t sure what that meant but he needed the subject changed and fast.“I’m hungry.”That seemed to be a safe topic and Gunnar loved food.
“I’ll bet you are.”Giles didn’t as much as blink as he spoke.
“Let’s find Emmett then hunt down some food,” Bryn said, getting desperate.
Gunnar took pity on him.“We can do that.I’ll make grilled cheese.I also spotted apple pie in the apartment fridge.”
Giles gestured them away.“Go.I’m not hungry.”
Don’t recall asking him to join us or for his permission.Bryn scowled but couldn’t stay mad for long when Gunnar’s grilled cheese was on offer.
* * * *
Three hours later they were signing in at the hospital.Gunnar had driven a roundabout route, constantly checking for a tail.He didn’t spot anyone and relaxed once they’d entered the secure premises.The three of them were escorted to a room with two beds where Orwell Armitage, the lupine, and the sanguine, whose name was Trent Gordon, were being looked after.
The room was a study in institutional sterility.The off-white walls were broken by a single window covered by gray vertical blinds.The metal-framed beds had smooth covers with neat corners.There wasn’t too much in the way of medical paraphernalia, which Bryn took as a good sign.A rolling table extended across each bed for meals and to one side of each sat a single squat metal chair.The air carried the distinct scent of disinfectant and Gunnar kept wrinkling his nose.Privacy curtains were drawn back to the wall.
