Chapter 3
Relaxing his head against the back of the couch, Shayne tilted his chin up, and focused on the ceiling.
He hoped staring at the blank surface above him would make the room stop spinning.
He’d done a damn good job of keeping his pain hidden with Lincoln around.
Now, he prayed he wouldn’t pass out. His hopes were brought up short at Grady’s first words.
“I tried serving a warrant on Alex Cormier today.”
Shayne’s gaze shot to Grady’s, making everything tilt around him worse than before.
He ignored the sensation. “For real? How did that go?” He purposely didn’t make eye contact with Henley as he asked the question.
The last thing Shayne wanted was for Henley to see the hope he was trying to hide.
It was nothing against the team he’d loved for ten years.
If the Blue Fires’ meanest defenseman was on the verge of getting arrested, the media would stop talking about Shayne, and the star they’d hired to replace him.
That sounded like heaven to him. Grady’s expression stopped Shayne from stewing for too long.
The other man’s gaze skirted away as he answered.
“I couldn’t find him. The address listed with his probation officer isn’t valid any longer. He hasn’t lived there for going on two months.”
The low chuckle rumbling from Henley could only be described as depraved. “Two months, huh?”
Shayne’s brows drew together in his confusion, before realization set in, and Grady’s odd behavior became more intriguing. “Seems to me Alex was still living with Ryker two months ago.” Henley’s laughter deepened at Shayne’s observation. Grady’s gaze moved between them. His features went blank.
“You know Ryker?”
If Shayne didn’t know Grady was as straight as they came, he’d think Grady was interested.
He knew that wasn’t possible. In truth, if they hadn’t grown up together, becoming the best of friends before either Henley or Shayne came out, he wasn’t entirely sure Grady would be sitting here with them now.
It wasn’t as if the guy had a phobia or anything.
Grady was simply a man’s man. Shayne had watched him run through women like most people did clean dishes.
Henley crowed at Grady’s question, robbing Shayne of his chance to mull it over.
“Dude! Everyone knows Ryker. Holy crap.”
Grady switched his gaze between them, looking more confused by the minute. “Okay.”
Shayne put him out of his misery. “He’s an underwear model.” When Grady didn’t appear any less puzzled, Shayne sighed. “Damn, dude. I know every guy looks the same to you, but you can’t open a magazine without seeing Ryker’s face plastered inside.”
Henley snorted. “Yeah. His face.”
“Along with the rest of him,” Shayne said, giving Henley his due. “But that face,” he said, whimpering a little as he switched his attention to Henley, searching for someone to commiserate with him. “Goddamn. Chiseled jaw. Mismatched eyes. The lips.”
“Goddamn,” Henley agreed, tilting back his beer and taking a sip.
“What’s wrong with him then?” At Grady’s question, Shayne and Henley exchanged a knowing look, but neither one jumped to assuage Grady’s curiosity. Obviously mistaking their silence for confusion, Grady added, “I mean, why would he want Alex? That dude’s totally fucked in the head.”
“They’re not together any longer,” Shayne said, deflecting. Grady wasn’t having it.
“But they were dating and I don’t understand people at all. No offense, but that’s too much like every woman I’ve ever met, wasting their life on some douche who beats them or drinks all the time.”
In spite of Grady’s irritation, Shayne chuckled.
“No offense to who? Women or everyone in general?” He was used to Grady’s rants about society.
Shayne assumed it came from seeing too much shit all day long.
Since it served his purpose to feed the flames, he let Grady rage.
Grady waved his hands wildly in response to Shayne’s taunt.
“If you play the gay card, I swear to God, I’ll punch you in your bad ribs.
I’m being serious. When I stopped by to serve that warrant, Ryker was acting all cagey and shit.
It’s got my ass twitching. I’ve arrested that motherfucker Alex on domestic charges before.
Do you think he’s threatening this guy? Goddamn it.
I hate I don’t know where to find that bastard. ”
Henley cast a resigned look in Shayne’s direction. Shayne shook his head. He didn’t want to be the one to add another log to Grady’s hate fire. Henley sighed. “How much time did you spend with Ryker?”
Grady shrugged. “Not much. When I got there, he was carrying groceries into the house. I offered to help, you know, hoping to play nice, but he wouldn’t accept. I asked about Alex. Ryker said Alex had moved out two months ago and didn’t know where he was living now.”
“Just like that?” Henley asked. “With no coercion on your part?”
Glancing away, Grady shifted in his seat. Un-huh. That’s what Shayne thought. “I might have wrestled a few bags from him and forced my help on him. It’s also possible he would’ve said anything to get rid of me, but you know…”
A smile exploded across Shayne’s face. Henley followed suit.
Grady switched his attention between them, like watching a tennis match, and obviously awaiting the punchline.
Shayne gave in. “I’m surprised he didn’t shoot you.
Between being the son of Derrick Wiltz, and Alex hardcore stalking him since they broke up, he’s bound to be carrying. ”
Grady’s reaction didn’t disappoint. His jaw dropped.
“Derrick Wiltz? Like the world’s most notorious conman?
That Derrick Wiltz?” Yeah. Shayne knew that would snag Grady’s attention.
Ryker was such a paranoid conspiracy theorist, Shayne wished he’d been a fly on the wall during his encounter with Grady.
“Wait. Hardcore stalking? What’s that supposed to mean?
” Fuck. He should’ve known the conman news wouldn’t distract Grady for long.
It was Shayne’s turn to shrug. “You know, calling him nonstop, keeping tabs on his every move, and showing up everywhere he goes.” Grady’s expression turned thunderous.
Shayne wished he could go to bed. His ribs hurt and his ankle ached.
The pain meds were wearing off, and he didn’t want to take any more pills.
Most of all, he really wanted to text Lincoln.
“If you knew someone was under attack like that, you should’ve said something to me.”
A line appeared between Henley’s eyes, making Shayne wonder if he was as confused as Shayne.
Grady was always over-the-top protective, but this was extreme even for him.
“Once again,” Shayne said, drawing out every syllable.
“I realize you don’t swing that way, but did you see the guy?
If Ryker kicked my ass to the curb, I’d be crying in my beer and following him around like a psycho too.
” Henley nodded, showing his avid agreement.
“Jesus. There’re probably at least two hundred men jerking off to that dude’s pictures as we speak.
If I wasn’t totally crushing on a sexy doctor, I might throw my hat in, but speaking of Lincoln, I’m going to text him.
Can I get y’all something while I’m up?” With a little more wincing than he liked, Shayne pushed himself to his feet and headed for the kitchen without waiting for an answer. Pain was making him bad-tempered.
The second he was alone, Shayne fired off a message to Lincoln, and gave into the meds. He hated it. The room was already unsteady beneath his feet. Thankfully, Lincoln returned his text right away.
Shayne: I’m so sorry about tonight.
Lincoln: I’m not. I had a great time.
Shayne: That’s not what I meant. I wanted you alone. I wanted to fuck you.
Lincoln: I have to leave for work in two hours.
Shayne: Did you just turn me down?
Lincoln: Are you alone?
Technically, he was. The guys were still hanging out in the living room, but there was no way in hell he was allowing Lincoln to avoid answering his question. Not to mention, he already felt better simply reading Lincoln’s messages.
Shayne: Yes. What does that have to do with anything? You didn’t answer my question.
Lincoln’s image appeared on his phone. This time, it was decidedly lower than the picture he’d received the night before.
Shayne blinked at the photo, drawing a slow breath in through his nose.
He needed more of Lincoln in his life. Whoa.
To him, Ryker paled in comparison. The floor shifted beneath Shayne’s feet, forcing him to lean against the counter.
This time it had nothing to do with the painkillers.
Every drop of blood left his brain and rushed to his cock.
His phone kept him prisoner. He couldn’t look away.
A second image appeared, and Shayne growled.
He was helpless against it. The sound vibrated from his chest and passed his throat before Shayne could swallow it down.
If he could drive, he’d already be heading that way.
Shayne: Is that for me?
Lincoln: Seriously?
Shayne laughed. He could practically hear Lincoln’s sarcastic tone.
“You’re smiling.” Shayne’s head shot up as Grady’s voice cut through the haze of his lust. “I wasn’t sure what to expect when I saw you tonight.
Yesterday had to be one hell of a day for you, but it’s odd.
I can’t remember ever seeing you this happy.
” He was happy. Unemployed. Injured. Carless and totally ecstatic.
“Sexy doctor,” Shayne reminded him, going back to texting Lincoln.
Shayne: Just wanted to make sure you understood that’s mine.
Lincoln: Got it.
Shayne: Do you? Mine.
Lincoln: That sort of possessiveness goes both ways.
Shayne’s fingers paused over the face of his phone before responding.
Before Lincoln, he would’ve scoffed at this conversation.
They’d just met. There’s no way he would’ve made such a demand of someone after two days together, but he had just done so.
Not only that, he was smiling like an idiot at the idea of belonging to Lincoln.
Somehow, in the matter of minutes he’d declared they were exclusive and couldn’t be happier.
Shayne: I wouldn’t accept anything less.
Grady was still staring at him. Shayne could feel it boring into his skull. Meeting the other man’s gaze, his eyebrows rose in question. Grady’s mouth lifted in one corner, knowingly.
“You’ve got it bad, don’t you?”
Shayne blew out a sigh before answering, “Yeah. Looks that way.”
Grady crossed his arms over his chest, nodding. “Cool. You up to head over to Plethora? Henley says that’s where Ryker hangs out on the weekends, and Alex is bound to turn up, looking for him.”
To hide his surprise, Shayne made a show of setting his phone aside. “You do realize that Plethora caters to a certain cliental,” Shayne asked, hoping to be diplomatic. Instead of backing down, as Shayne expected, Grady’s face hardened.
“Why would I care?”
Shayne rubbed the spot between his eyes, hoping to wipe away the pain blooming there. “Will you at least tell me why you’re obsessing over this?”
Pacing away, Grady scrubbed his hands through his hair, leaving it standing on end before focusing on Shayne once more.
“Honestly? I don’t know. You know how I get and there was something in Ryker’s expression when I said Alex’s name.
” Shayne’s phone buzzed across the counter, snagging his attention.
Lincoln: Ugh! Got called in early. See you around noon tomorrow?
An evil grin tugged at the corners of Shayne’s mouth.
It must’ve been wickeder than he realized.
When he focused on Grady, the man cast a nervous glance around the room.
“Okay,” Shayne said, drawing out the word.
“I’ll go with you to Plethora tonight under two conditions.
First, you have to change. Seriously. If you’re wearing your uniform, I’ll have to find a hardhat.
Poor Henley will have to hunt down a headdress, and, well, you know how that’ll look. ”
A slow smile spread across Grady’s face. “Change clothes. Check.”
“Then you’ll have to swing by Ochsner Baptist. I didn’t get to tell Lincoln goodnight.”