Page 123 of Lovesick Titan

Well, withoutmostof the Titans.

“Break’s over,” Shan snapped his fingers in Other Danny’s face. “Get back to work…Grant. And get that thing off,” he leaned in closer. “Creeps me out.”

Other Danny merely smirked.

“Thanks again, Mr. Grant,” Danny said to his double. “I mean,Detective.”

For a moment, he could have sworn the man’s eyes lookedblue. “See ya around, Sparky.”

R

Mal sucked in a breath after tearing the black mask from his face, safely hidden in the back of John’s car on the way to the precinct.

He’d already turned off the belt, leaving him in only the sleek black fabric, with the actual clothes he’d been projecting folded neatly in a bag on the floor for Danny to change into. Ludgate couldn’t haveguessed that, between Andre and Priestly, they’d been able to recreate The Invisible Manandreplicate his belt’s technology within a week.

“ETA?” Mal called to John in the driver’s seat.

“About now, I’d imagine,” John said, and as if on cue, a flash of yellow preceded the presence of Danny sitting beside Mal in the back of the car. He removed his mask and began changing into the clothing from the bag, soon looking exactly like the Danny Grant from the courtroom.

Mal was the closest of their companions to Danny’s same height and build, so it made sense he’d be the one to wear the suit while Danny played the part of Zeus. Plus, Mal hadn’t wanted to leave Danny alone in a room with Ludgate ever again.

Tugging the black gloves from his hands, he sat back and marveled at the man beside him. Now that Danny was dressed in civilian garb, he turned a sunny smile Mal’s direction that quickly turned into an unapologetic leer as he drifted his gaze down Mal’s body in the form-fitting attire.

“Thought you hated this thing,” Mal raised an eyebrow at him.

Danny shrugged, eyes remaining fixed on Mal from the neck down. “Your duster covers all the good parts.”

Mal chuckled. He supposed he didn’t look half-bad with every curve hugged tight, and allowing Danny to ogle him unabashedly offered the opportunity to closely observe Danny in return. He didn’t think he’d ever seen Danny so unencumbered by life and loss and pain. Mal had seen him happy, content, even in stitches as he laughed so hard he couldn’t stop for minutes on end, but this was different. This was weeks of collected tension having sloughed from his shoulders, and Ludgate wasn’t even put away for good yet. Somehow the hearing had seemed so much more important than what came next, weeks, maybe months from now. Like a first step down a brand new road, with twists and turns, sure, but fewer landslides.

Silently, Mal vowed to make sure that stayed true. Neither Ludgate nor any villain would ever bring Danny that low again, him included.

“What?” Danny blinked when he met Mal’s stare, a bashful grin teasing his lips. How this kid could be machismo incarnate one moment and an innocent blushing boy the next, Mal would never know, but he’d sure as hell enjoy every second he had with him.

“Something on your face,” Mal said.

“Really?” Danny brought a hand to his mouth as if he had a stray crumb.

Gripping his raised wrist, Mal used the leverage to pull Danny toward him, kissing him soundly with a firm press and slip of his tongue. Danny tasted the way a summer stormsmelled.

“See. Something on your face,” he repeated softly.

Danny giggled.

“You two behaving back there?” John said, though his tone betrayed his amusement, which Mal would never get used to.

“No more or less than usual, Dad!” Danny called back.

The detective chuckled and shook his head.

They were almost at the precinct, where John would drop Danny off for any watching public to witness, and then bring Mal to the morgue through the basement parking garage. Lynn had insisted on a few more checks before she let Mal go home for good, and he had a few things to grab—like decent clothes.

Danny’s hand found his and laced their fingers together on the seat.

“We’re here,” John said, shifting into NEUTRAL with a soft jolt. “You’ll see Mal later, kiddo.”

Darting forward to peck Mal on the cheek, Danny started to pull away, but Mal hung on.

“One more thing.”

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