“Think they called some friends?” I ask.
“No, they’re all dead,” Miles says. “It was the only way we could get clear.”
Matthew looks away at that, what little colour he usually has in his face gone. I much prefer when he’s blushing at everything to this look.
“It’s likely Jericho,” Hunter says, though he doesn’t look convinced. He kicks the back of Lester’s knees. “You move? We let Xavier off his leash.”
“Did you have to put it that way?” There are better ways to word that. I don’t have aleash.
Hunter sends me an air kiss. He’s lucky I’m so in love with him.
He’s correct in his assumption, at least, and myleashstays firmly on.
Jericho strides angrily towards us, and he’s brought his two cop boyfriends. William McMahon and Quinn Hughes. Probably left the ex-special forces at home with their lawyer. Smart.
“I told you to fucking wait,” he says furiously, eyes darting over his brother, looking for any sign of injury. “You need a dictionary for your birthday?”
“You did that already,” Hunter replies. “This year you should go for the thesaurus.”
“Why didn’t you wait for the backupyou called for?”
“We tried. Stop looking at me like that, I’m fine. Not a scratch on me.”
“Are you bleeding anywhere else?” Quinn asks me even as he glances around, grip tight on his weapon. Anywhere else? Oh. The bullet graze. I forgot about it; it doesn’t hurt, and the bleeding has already stopped.
“To Jericho’s disappointment, no.”
“I can change that if you want.”
“Perhaps another time. It’s been a long day.”
Jericho squints at Matthew. “What the hell is the teacher doing here?”
Matthew slides further behind me, gripping onto my forearm. Jericho blinks at that, surprised.
“Teacher?” Quinn questions. He straightens, confusion and concern flashing in his gaze. “What are you doing here?” Ever the detective.
“He’s with us,” Miles says shortly as if daring them to contradict him. Even if Matthewwasn’twith us, that tone alone would turn anyone away.
“You brought ateacherwith you to a drug exchange?” Jericho asks incredulously. “Did you all hit your fucking heads?”
Hunter sighs and rubs his forehead. “It’s a long story. I’ll tell you later.”
“Fine. What happened here?”
“They knew we were here,” I say, filling in the dots. “Spotted us somehow. They fired, we fired back. Now here we are.” I smirk at him when he sneers.
“Eloquent.”
“Not everything has to be long and drawn out. It doesn’t always have to take all night to be a good experience.”
Ignoring that, Jericho slides his gun back into his holster. I’ve never seen him relax and let down his guard so quickly on any kind of job. His faith in the men beside him is interesting to see. They’re clearly good for him.
It likely helps that one of them is holding an automatic rifle like he knows what to do with it.
“This is who you were after? Lester?”
“In the flesh,” Hunter says.
