Holden traced a binder’s edge. Slowly, gently stroking, while his gaze remained fixed on Kit. “I’ve tried to find patterns. I like weird details. Marks left and trophies taken. Little mysteries—besides the main whodunnit, for unsolved cases. But some of the ones that interest me are the simplest, quietest things. Obvious culprits with obvious motivations, meeting their victims in the most obvious ways.”
Holden’s fingers moved to a notebook next, and cardboard whispered against his touch.
“Just like you’re interesting because I’m interested in you, and I can’t figure out why,” Holden said. “Sometimes I think I have the reason, but it’s never the only reason. You’re a fascinating pile of reasons.”
Kit had no idea what to say to that.
Maybe he should be scared of being interesting like a crime scene. But that was nothing new. Kit’s very existence was an unfulfilled crime, and Holden knew that better than anyone.
“There are lots of reasons I like you,” Holden said, quiet and earnest, like he knew what Kit was thinking. “Not just one.”
“You’re so sweet.” Kit jumped to his feet. “Let’s pack these up, and we can read them later.” He glanced at Darius. “Together, unless you really have that much free time.”
Darius’s lip quirked. He slid his phone away. “We’ll talk about it. Let’s grab the bags.”
Thirty minutes later, everything Holden needed was packed up in duffel bags. Less noticeable than boxes, so neighbors didn’t realize Holden was moving out. Holden and Darius were both boringly efficient. Kit did appreciate the way Darius rolled his sleeves up to work.
They waited five more minutes for the rain to fizzle out, then ventured into the late November chill. Such as it was in Southern California.
Holden slid into the car first, relegated to the back seat with his long legs cramped. Darius paused at the driver’s side door, tapping at his phone again.
Instead of sliding into the passenger’s side, Kit leaned on the hood. “Soooo, who are you texting? Is it someone cute?”
Eyebrows lifting, Darius finished typing, then slid the phone into his pocket. “She’s a deranged monster.”
Kit laughed. “Miranda. Got it.”
He hadn’t met Darius’s younger sister, but he’d heard a bit about her. She lived with her girlfriend thirty minutes away, right on the beach. Allegedly she was into really nerdy, gory cosplay.
Darius glanced towards the backseat. “She wanted to hang out this week, but I’m a little busy.”
“I’m sure we can figure something out.” Kit peeled himself from the hood of the car. Asphalt scraped under his feet. “James can babysit. Or we can just lock Holden up for an afternoon.”
Darius grinned with a bright flash of teeth. “You’re getting good at the hostage-keeping thing, Trouble.”
“I have so many great examples to follow,” Kit said, grinning back.
“And James too,” Darius said, not missing the potshot. “Don’t worry about Miranda. Odds are she’s too busy with work, and she would have canceled last-minute anyway.”
Kit couldn’t tell if that was an excuse or not. “I’d like to meet her, sometime when we’re all less busy with hostages and stuff.”
“She’d love you.” Darius’s smile faded. “But I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
Right. Fuck.
Kit and Darius were together, even if Kit lived with James and Darius didn’t say the word “boyfriend” every other sentence. But a certain distance still lingered between them.
At first Kit thought it was his fault. He kept such tight control over his secrets, and he’d let Darius see so few of them. Darius didn’t push like Bishop did. It had taken Kit a while to realize that might be because Darius was protecting secrets, too.
Kit knew about the massacre that drove James to revenge, and the shitty ex-partner who drove Bishop to seek vigilantism. He knew the only thing motivating Holden’s bloodlust was sheer enjoyment.
He didn’t know what led Darius to become an assassin.
“Sorry,” Kit said, fidgeting with his sleeves.
Darius tilted Kit’s face up. “We’re good. Now, I meant to bring this up earlier. James said you wanted a gun.”
Kit happily allowed the blatant subject change. “I don’t really like them, but it seems smart. You guys have like a hundred each anyway.”
