Page 147 of Broken Wheels

He was treated to the most adorable puppy eyes. “For me. Please? I know you’ve got a lot going on in your head, but your body and brain need fuel. And you also need sleep. So, how about we have something for lunch, and then we take a nap?”

“Won’t they need you?” It was way too easy in moments like this to forget Dixon had a job. Responsibilities.

“Not today.” Dixon tilted his head. “Hey, did I tell you I accepted a promotion?”

“What? No! When was this? And how come I missed it?”

Dixon laughed. “Relax. It only happened this morning.”

“Congratulations. What are you doing now?”

He buffed his nails on his shirt. “Special Projects Manager.”

Josh had never heard of that position. “What’s that?”

“Oh, well it’s where I’m responsible for one of the singular most important things in CrossBow.”

Josh frowned. “I don’t understand.”

That earned him another eye-roll. “You, doof. With everything that’s been going on, Michael and Gary have decided you need a full-time bodyguard.” He grinned. “So that’s me. I’m no longer Operations Manager.”

Oh God, this was terrible. “So you’re no longer in charge?”

“I am, just not of daily stuff.” His eyes sparkled. “My sole responsibility now is you.”

Hell no. Hell to the freaking no.

“That’s garbage.” The words came out as a bellow. “I don’t want you to give up your job, especially since you’re so good at it.”

Dixon squeezed his fingers again. “I appreciate that, really. But I gotta be honest. I wouldn’t be able to focus on my job if I was here worrying about you.” He gave a shrug. “So I accepted, and as of now, I’m your permanent bodyguard. In fact, Michael declared that today is ‘Take Care of Doc’ day and I’m responsible for it, so you’d better shut up and let me do my job.”

Despite his misgivings, Josh couldn’t suppress his chuckle. It was hard to stay in a bad mood when you had a cat playing with your shoelaces and a man who wanted to take care of you.

“Okay, I’ll eat.” He really was starting to get hungry. Then he batted his eyes. “And if you happen to have a grilled cheese, I’ll love you forever.”

Dixon snorted. “You’re a shitty actor.” His gaze softened. “But you got it.”

He moved into the kitchen, and Josh enjoyed watching him walk. The swagger was enticing. Maybe he could talk Dixon into doing a little more than napping. Or maybe they could have the nap after. His doctor had cleared him for more strenuous activity, after all. He had to admit, having the clinic inside CrossBow was a great idea.

“So tell me something,” Dixon called from the kitchen. “What do you think is going to happen with Spencer?”

That had been plaguing Josh since the day they’d hauled him in. Spencer’s army of lawyers were already busy filing motions to dismiss, claiming improper procedure. Each had been turned down by all the judges thus far, but Josh figured they’d find one eventually who agreed with Spencer or his ideals, or was in one of Spencer’s many deep pockets.

“They’ll dismiss most of the charges, but the ones for all the deaths? He’ll be spending a very long time in prison. Hopefully.”

“You don’t sound too hopeful.

Josh pulled a face. “That’s because we have a two-tier justice system in this country. The wealthy, who can afford the best lawyers, usually get off or receive a slap on the wrist. Those who can’t afford counsel usually end up behind bars or with fines so stiff, they’re ruined.”

Dixon paused before asking another question. “Do you think any of Spencer’s plan had merit?”

That was an easy one. “No. No one person, no matter how noble or well-intentioned, should hold that kind of power. They say power corrupts for a reason. Of course, it’s even worse when the person who holds it is corrupt in the first place.”

Silence fell while Dixon finished cooking, broken only by the occasional noise from Coby, who had declared war on Josh’s shoelaces and was demanding their complete surrender. When Dixon brought a plate over to Josh, he had to admit it looked delicious. That first bite was pretty sublime too.

“You missed your calling,” Josh announced. “You would be a great cook at almost any restaurant.”

“I’ll let you in on a secret. This is about the only thing I can cook, and I had to learn to do it, just in case I ever got the chance to impress CrossBow’s resident genius.”

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