“She loves you, and is like the team mom. Text her. I’m betting she will.”
He pulled out his phone, and he looked so scared to be given more bad news in his life, so, Corbin did it for him. He would always do the difficult things for a person he wanted to be with. Will had taught him that.
“I got you, Alex.”
He took his phone, and texted Elizabeth.
‘Hey, it’s Corbin. Alex just showed up. He wants his job back. Is he still a Fed? If he is, I’d love to keep him as my partner. If he’s not, I’m going to have to resign. I can’t work with anyone else but him. We’rethe perfect team, so it has to be him. Please say yes so we can both stay.’
He sent it, and then he handed the man his phone so he could read it. As he did, tears filled his eyes when he read the words.
The emotion was raw.
And Corbin hated that someone had kicked this man’s heart around this much as a child, that he didn’t see that he had people who would always protect him.
That he could be loved and deserved it.
“Thank you for that,” he said. “It is appreciated. That you’d give up your job for me is a big thing.”
Corbin sniffed the roses that the man brought him, and he was to the point.
“Listen, it’s not a big thing. When you care about someone, you do the work to show them. Like you bringing me flowers and coming here to meet me halfway.”
Alex listened.
For the first time, in a very long time—since he’d been taken in by that social worker, before she let him be taken back—he had hope.
Corbin wasn’t done.
“The bottom line is, Alex, we’re a good team. I’m not losing this partnership. I meant what I said. I wanted to start the journey with you, and hopefully, you’ll stay on it with me. It has to be something we both do. If we work as a team, we’ll be okay. There will be good days and bad days, but that’s half of a relationship. Trust and love.”
He just held the phone in his hands, thinking about what Corbin had just said.
“I do want that. I want to have someone I can trust, more than anything. I want to know that if I turn around, they’ll bethere and be my partner. I thought I had it once before, but it wasn’t the right fit. I’ll always feel things for Noah, simply because he saved me when I was about to be decimated, but I know that he wasn’t the one.”
Corbin sat there.
The truth was, he wanted to be the one for him. That was a first since Will. He’d known it on day one, and he knew it now. His gut told him.
Before Corbin could say anything else, the phone chimed, and Alex saw it was from Elizabeth.
It took all he had, but he opened it.
And read it.
‘Alex’s resignation was never accepted. I’m just buried right now, or I would have gone after him and dragged his ass back, kicking and screaming. As far as I’m concerned, he’s still on my team, and will be for the duration. As for you two being partners, that’s an easy one, Corbin. Approved. Alex has a special place in my heart, so if you hurt him, I don’t care if Ethan and Gene try to stop me, I’m going to make you cry like a bitch. That’s your one warning. Kiss him for me, and tell him that I love him. Don’t tell him he’s one of my favorites. Then, he’s going to torment Axl, and I don’t need to be shrinky-dinked by another man. Now, get that information to me, ASAP! And stay inside where you’re both safe. Bad shit is coming, and I need all of my ducks tucked away!’
As he read it, his heart didn’t hurt as much.
“What did she say?” Corbin asked.
Instead of answering, he handed Corbin the phone, and let him see for himself.
After Corbin read it, he grinned. The part about them being in danger set the stage, and he knew he’d keep Alex locked down with him. While he was a damn good investigator, if he was distracted, that was dangerous.
And Corbin knew it.
It looked as if they were on lockdown.
