Reese snapped his mouth shut.
So much for not blurting it all out.
Mati turned to Hodges. “We’ll take Reese’s car.”
Chapter Four
David staggered into the executive lobby at the headquarters of McCormick Associates at some god-awful hour in the morning and paused outside Chance’s door. Usually, David was okay getting an early start, but last night had been endless.
It had taken hours to get things wrapped up at the hotel and even longer at the station with Andrea and Harold to get the charges filed. When Prentiss’s parents had arrived, distraught, David’s already elevated opinion of Harold had gone up another notch as he took it upon himself to console them.
David appreciated Harold’s reminder of how good people can be, but that was something he wouldn’t be able to savor fully until he was no longer dead on his feet. Once the paperwork had been completed, David had visited with his former colleagues, enjoying the time to catch up despite the heavy weight on his shoulders knowing that he was no longer one of them. That he no longer belonged in the place where he’d always thought he was supposed to be.
Almost worse was that it still didn’t make him regret his decision to leave.
He’d gone home, sure he’d be able to pass out from exhaustion, but had spent the entire night tossing and turning, dreaming about that fucking kid and his gun. Sometimes he shot Andrea or Harold. Sometimes he shot David. Often, David shot them all.
He shook that off and lifted his hand to knock on Chance’s door, knowing his friend had been here an hour already, at least. David paused when he heard footsteps running over the thick carpet and braced himself.
He was slammed into from behind, a pair of strong arms wrapping around him.
David let out a huff of laughter and held those arms to his chest while he regained his equilibrium, both mentally and physically. “You keep doing this, Kieran. And every time you’re damn lucky I don’t punch you in the face before I realize it’s you,” David said, turning to see his assailant.
Kieran Morrison grinned. “You always say that, but you haven’t done it yet. And how else am I supposed to cop a feel of all this delicious man-meat?” Kieran winked as he trailed his finger down David’s arm.
David rolled his eyes. “You’re so full of shit. First of all, you see all thisman-meat”—he couldn’t help the sarcastic finger quotes, becausereally?—“three times a week at hockey. And secondly, if you want to cop a feel, all you have to do is ask.”
Kieran’s right eyebrow shot up. “Oh, really?”
“I mean a hug, loser.”
“Oh. Okay.”
David’s arms were instantly full again. Kieran’s forehead bumped his chin, but his grip was fierce and David couldn’t help but return it, his eyes slipping closed as he let Kieran’s strength seep into him.
“Better?” Kieran asked quietly.
David didn’t bother to ask how he’d known. “Yeah. Thanks.”
Neither of them moved when the door at David’s back opened.
“Well, this is cozy,” Chance observed dryly.
“Your husband is an exceptionally good hugger,” David said.
“He is,” Chance agreed, his voice loaded with affection.
A combination of raw envy and immeasurable joy for his friends and the love they shared filled David. It was actually kind of nauseating.
Or maybe he shouldn’t have skipped breakfast.
With a sigh, he released Kieran. “I suppose you want to hear about the shit show that went down yesterday.”
“I would. If that’s okay?” Kieran asked, looking between his husband and David, since he didn’t actually work at McCormick Associates.
David shrugged.
Chance stepped back into his office. “Yeah, come on in.”
