Chapter 10 #2
“You got it.” Val got to work frying up the steaks and onions when Saint’s phone rang. Saint quickly answered.
“Hey, Jack. How’s it going? Oh. Okay. I’m going to put you on speaker so Val can hear.” Saint tapped his screen and placed his phone on the counter.
“Hey, Val. Sorry for interrupting your evening.”
“Not at all. What’s up?” He kept his eye on the steaks as he listened.
“Okay, good news and bad news. The good news is that the guys who jumped you have been arrested.”
“That’s great news,” Saint said. “How?”
“The night you got jumped, Leo set up an algorithm on his computer to scan local security camera footage for these guys. They broke into a pawn shop several blocks away from Sapphire Sands. Leo then had his computer call in an anonymous tip that led the police to where the bastards were hiding out. He also mentioned that they might have been involved in the explosion at the hotel.”
“And the bad news?” Saint asked.
“They had nothing to do with the explosion. Mason had one of his detective friends question them. He asked them about your assault that night, and one of them confessed that they’d been hired by someone through an online message board to jump you and rough you up.
Apparently, it’s not their first time. They were told where and when and paid cash.
The detective was able—with a little anonymous help—to connect them to a violent crime spree. ”
“And the person who paid them?”
“Leo’s been trying to follow the money, but so far, it hasn’t led anywhere. Whoever’s responsible for this has been really careful not to leave a trail.”
Val sighed. “So that asshole is still out there.”
“Yeah. We’ll keep working on it.”
“Okay,” Val said. “Thanks for your help. And please thank Leo for me.”
“Of course. You guys stay safe.”
“We will. Thanks.”
Saint hung up and sat back. “At least those assholes are off the streets. I spoke to Mason earlier, and none of the people you had incidents with panned out. Most of them aren’t even in the state anymore.”
“I figured as much.” Val finished putting their steak sandwiches together and placed Saint’s plate in front of him. He grabbed a couple bottles of water from the fridge and motioned to the living room. “Time for a little vegging in front of the TV. Grab a couple paper towels.”
Saint jumped out of his seat, tore a few paper towels off the roll, and followed him into the living room.
He took the recliner on the left side of the couch like he always did, and Val took the one on the right.
They’d fallen into a comfortable routine when they got home, one that Val looked forward to, which was dangerous because soon Saint would return to work and the house would be empty again.
Not that it was a problem. Val loved his house.
He had it just the way he wanted. He just liked it more when Saint was in it with him.
Saint turned on the TV. Somehow he always managed to get to the remote first. A screen filled with streaming apps appeared, some of which Val wasn’t subscribed to.
“What do you want to watch?” Saint asked as he moved through the apps.
“Did you add apps?” Val asked.
“Yeah. I have subscriptions to these. Thought you might want to watch something from one of them. It’s cool because we both have different subscriptions, so we’ve doubled our binging options.” Saint’s smile faded, and his eyes went wide. “Shit, I’m sorry. I should have asked first.”
“No, it’s fine. That’s a really great idea, actually.”
“Cool. So, what’ll it be? Movie or show?”
“Show.” That way, he wouldn’t miss too much if he fell asleep, which happened pretty often.
“Okay. I know you don’t like anything too close to home. I feel you on that. Ooh, I know a great one. It’s about this group of kids in the eighties and their friend who has powers, and there are monsters, and it has a great eighties music soundtrack. Anyway, it’s amazing and right up your alley.”
Val chuckled at Saint’s excitement. “Well, now we have to watch it. Let’s do it.”
“Aw yeah.” Saint bit a huge chunk out of his sandwich as he got the first episode of his show playing.
Val was behind on his TV- and movie-watching.
There hadn’t really been much time for it when he was on the job.
Most of the time, he worked late, and when he got home, he’d shower and then usually crash.
If he had the energy, he’d go to Sapphire Sands and hang out with Frank or hook up with someone.
But this…sitting here with Saint, eating dinner, and watching TV together… .
Val shook his head. He needed to stop thinking of this as anything more than hanging out with a friend.
Okay, so he was definitely deluding himself because what they did earlier on the couch and then in the shower was not something you did with a friend.
Well, he was sure somewhere someone did those things with their friends, but for Val there was most certainly a very clear distinction.
Maybe he’d talk to Saint about it tomorrow.
Tonight, Val would enjoy this time he had with Saint.
“Hey.”
Val opened his eyes and looked down to find Saint lying on the couch with his head resting on Val’s leg. “Hey.”
“Did you know you snore? But it’s really quiet and very cute.”
“Shit, I fell asleep?”
“Middle of the third episode.”
“Sorry. It’s a great show, I’m really enjoying it.” Val yawned. “Guess I was more tired than I thought.” He let his head fall back and closed his eyes. “We should probably get up.”
“Hm, we probably should,” Saint said with a yawn of his own. “But that would mean moving, and I’m pretty comfortable right here.”
At some point in the middle of the night, Saint woke Val up. They were both groggy, and Val was pretty much still half asleep when Saint pressed the button on Val’s recliner to lower the footrest. He held his hand out, a big yawn escaping him.
“Come on, Chief.”
Val didn’t question it. He took Saint’s hand and shuffled behind him as Saint led him to the guest room.
“My bed,” Val said through a yawn. “It’s bigger.”
Saint walked past the guest room and into Val’s bedroom, pulled back the comforter, and flopped down on the bed on his stomach.
“This is comfy. Memory foam?” Saint asked but was out before Val could answer.
“Cute,” Val murmured as he climbed into bed next to Saint.
He pulled the comforter over them. The bed was nice and cool from the AC hitting it.
He’d just about fallen back asleep when Saint shimmied closer.
He threw an arm over Val’s chest and hooked his ankle over Val’s leg.
Smiling, Val covered Saint’s hand with his.
Maybe this was a mistake, maybe he was heading for heartbreak, but there was nothing Val would change about this moment right here.
Having Saint in his bed felt right. Like he belonged there.
What if Val gave this a chance? What if he went all in and did his best to support and guide Saint when he needed it?
Was he overthinking? Trying to prepare for a worst-case scenario when there might not be one?
“Sleep,” Saint grumbled, his cheek pressed against Val’s shoulder, making Val smile.
“Okay.” Giving his thoughts a rest, Val closed his eyes. Whatever happened, they’d get through it. It would be okay.