His mismatched eyes watch me carefully as I take a seat opposite him.
“Thank you for meeting with me.”
He shrugs. “Don’t think you’re special; I was craving a milkshake, and to get out of the house for a bit. Have you ever been around a newborn? I thought they slept more than my new cousin does. Maybe it's defective.”
I snort, my tension easing as, with just a few words, the man I knew proves he’s still the boy who helped keep me sane in college. “I’d love it if you told Daniel you think his kid is broken.”
“Please, he knows better than to go after me. We all know Ely is the one to be scared of. Enough small talk.” He slides the water glass on the table over to me. “Drop your earbud in and turn off your phone.”
I applaud myself for not flinching as three different voices protest in my ear.
Javi stares at me, the glint in his eyes is that of a predator, even as he brings his straw to his lips.
Reaching into my pocket, I pull out my phone and show him as I power it down. Taking the earbud out is harder, knowing Daddy was relying on it to keep in touch with me, but needs must. I just hope the punishment isn't a fucking catheter.
Dropping the small earpiece into the water, we watch as it sinks to the bottom.
Javi drinks his milkshake for another long moment, his cheeks hollowing out as he sucks on the straw. His plush lips pucker and old, long buried feelings rise up once more.
Once he's done, he licks his plump bottom lip, enticingly slowly.
“You're going to get me into trouble…” I mutter.
He grins. “Didn't expect your Daddy to be the jealous type… At least, not what I've heard about him.”
“Can we get down to business, please? I need to get back. I have patients to care for.” I try not to squirm, but Javi’s grin says I failed to hide my reactions to him.
“Fine, ruin my fun. What can I do for you, Dr. Wescott?”
I flinch at his formal tone and use of my surname…but he knows what a minefield my first name is, and we’re not close enough now for him to take any liberties with me. “I have two patients who need more mental health care than I can provide. It's a full-time position, and your pay will be the same as mine.”
“There are other psychiatrists, any one of them could give you a diagnosis and provide you with the correct prescriptions…”
I lean forward a little, lowering my voice. “You and I both know we need someone…special for the types of patients I have. It's full-time for a reason. One of them…hell, two of them—different patient, not the one who needs your evaluation—need delicate care. I'm meeting with a therapist tomorrow because…way too many of those fuckers need help. I'm hoping between the two of you, we'll be able to get everyone on stable, if not level ground again.”
Javi leans back in the booth. “There isn't enough money in the world for me to agree to such insanity. I have my own…interests. Ones I doubt your preciousCouncilwill agree to.”
I smile. “I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.” I won't mention that both Hollis and Carter have concerns about what Javi’s extracurricular activities might be, and I don't blame them.
But…if they want Emilio and Roman to be up and functional again, this is what we have to do. Besides, what's one more psychopath in a house already full of them?
Reaching into the messenger bag I brought, I toss the thick file folder onto the table between us.
“I had a feeling you'd need some persuasion.”
He hesitates, but the lure is too much for his curious nature, so he nudges his drink to the side and pulls the folder in front of him.
I watch his expression as he scans the first document. Luckily for me, I already had the file prepared. The only thing I needed was for Leandro to pull the most recent police reports, and the newest write-ups from Tennant’s therapist.
It's actually a good thing Hollis can't hear this exchange. Tennant will most likely find it amusing that I'm using him as leverage, but his lover not so much.
“Quite a list of disorders here, almost like a build-your-own psychopath.”
I snort. “He was officially diagnosed as a high-functioning sociopath.”
“I see that,” Javi muses. “With an obsessive personality and a splash of child neglect that led to an inconclusive Attachment Disorder evaluation.”
“Oh, he can form attachments all right, just not in a way that'll earn him points with his current medical team.”
