Page 102 of Double Daddies
I spear him with a look that would cause glass to splinter. Normally, I go for the empathy thing, but I just don’t have it in me today. “Answer the question.”
He gives a toss of his long hair and looks nearly dignified. “I amnota nerd. I am a fantasy connoisseur.”
“What kind of fantasy?”
He narrows his eyes. “The only kind that counts.”
“Which is?Lord of the Rings?Legend of the Seeker?A Court of Thorne and Roses?”
He snorts. “NotACOTAR.”
“Lord of the Rings, then.” I walk in, swing the door closed behind me, and walk to the counter. I peel two blue gloves out of the box and put them on. “And just so you know, if you call a series by its acronym, you can protest all you want, but you’re a fan.”
The blonde throws her head back and howls with laughter.
“Now, just a minute?—”
“Nope, we don’t have a minute. Ma’am, I’m going to need you to wait outside while I get Howie taken care of here.”
“Gladly.” She stands up, still laughing as she walks out the door.
Ben
“Hey, are you listening, Ross?”
I shake myself out of the daze of my thoughts. “I’m sorry. What was that?”
“I was saying do you want to grab a couple burgers? There’s a place just down the street.”
“I’m going to wait to eat with Cami tonight.”
“Ah. The girlfriend. How’s that going?”
I whip my head toward my partner, James Collins. We’ve been partnered together for two years and get on pretty well. Part of me even wants to open up, just to have someone to tell, but I hesitate. What’s happening between us—all three of us—is crazy and not something I want anyone else involved in.
“It’s good. Thanks for asking, man.”
“Sure. So… burgers? You want fries?”
I shake my head. “No thanks.”
“Well, do you mind if I get something, becauseIdon’t have a girlfriend who’ll be waiting on me when I get off.”
“Sure,” I chuckle. “Why not? Doesn’t look like anything’s going on right now anyway.”
While he heads to grab his food, I turn my attention back to the apartment we’re staking out. We suspect that one of the leaders of a cocaine ring, DeMar Ortega, lives in the apartment we’re watching, but so far there’s been no one inside or out. Truthfully, I’m starting to become convinced we’re wasting our time, and I have enough going on to distract me.
I can’t stop seeing the look on Cami’s face when Ryle was there. I can’t stop wondering if she wishes we’d never gotten back together. And if he’s the father of her baby… where does that leave me?
Suddenly, I catch sight of something out of the corner of my eye. A blur of color that makes me laser focus. Someone running. I throw open my door practically without thinking, and I see that the person is about the build and height of our suspect. I’m in an unmarked vehicle, I don’t know how he made me, but it’s clear he did.
I take off after him, and as soon as my shoes hit the pavement, my adrenaline is coursing hotly through my veins. “Stop! Police!” I shout as I see him approach a chain-link fence. But he vaults over the fence without breaking stride, like someone who trained to do hurdles on the Olympic team.
My hand grazes the butt of my taser, but there is no clear shot to take. I have no choice but to keep going. I clamor over the fence, boots making the metal sing as I hoist myself up and over with a grunt. As soon as my feet land with a thud, I take off again.
He’s got to get tired eventually, and when he does, I’ll be there.
DeMar sprints toward an abandoned lot, trying to lose me in the maze of the rusted cars that litter this side of town, but this is exactly what I’ve trained for. My calves are on fire, but the burn is numbed by the thrill of potentially catching Ortega.
