Chapter 14
Chapter
Fourteen
L eo woke the next morning, and it took him a few moments to understand why he was unusually warm. Then it hit him and he smiled. Torres was still using him as a pillow, his warm heavy body the perfect weighted blanket. His little snores and snuffled breathing made Leo giddy as he ran his finger over the back of Torres’ head and he waited for the man to wake up. Watching Torres wake up was one of the funniest things he’d ever seen. The man was a heavy sleeper who turned into a toddler when it was time to get up.
“Quit laughing. You’re shaking the bed.” Torres mumbled which just made Leo laugh that much harder.
“Sorry, but you’re adorable.” Leo said when he was able to get a hold of himself. Torres’ sleepy brown eyes looked around, confused, which just made him laugh harder.
“Take that back, wench.” Torres grumbled, digging his fingers into Leo’s sides, making him gasp and flinch, almost kneeing Torres in the nuts as he tried to get away from him.
“STOP!” Leo screeched as he laughed, trying desperately to get away from the tickling fingers. “Uncle, uncle!” When Torres finally stopped Leo laid there, panting, trying to catch his breath as Torres huffed, yanked the blanket out from under Leo, and rolled over to go back to sleep. “Shouldn’t you be getting up for work?” Leo asked, clicking his tongue.
Torres glared at him over his shoulder. “Shouldn’t you be writing?” He stuck his tongue out.
Leo snorted. “Touché.” He left Torres to go back to sleep and went into the kitchen to make himself some coffee as he planned out the scene he wanted to work on today. He grimaced when he remembered he needed to call his agent.
“Leo! Where the hell have you been?” Anna screamed in greeting. Her voice booming, making him understand how she was a drill sergeant, and from the medals he had seen a damn good one.
Leo pulled the phone away from his ear as he rolled his eyes at her antics. “Sorry, Anna, I’ve been dealing with a family emergency.” He didn’t really want to go into details. She would start hovering like a mother hen and he had enough of that going on right now. Although, he did kind of want to see her and Torres try to out-boss the other. That would be fucking hilarious.
“Oh, shit, is everyone ok?” Anna immediately demanded. She loved Leo’s family. They were so sweet. They had always been nothing but good to her as she had no family herself, always inviting her to gatherings and to dinner any chance she could.
Leo sighed. “Yes, everyone is good.” He cringed. “You’re going to hate me though…because I haven’t been working on the book, I started a new one.”
She groaned. “I’m sorry. I must be deaf. Can you repeat that.” Her tone made it clear she had heard him and just wanted to make him repeat himself so he could understand how stupid he sounded.
“I’m sorry, I hit a wall with the Boulder series, but the one I started I think you’ll really like…” Leo said in a singsong tone, hoping it would intrigue her enough.
She growled at him. “Fine, tell me about it.”
“Awesome, ok so it’s about a prince who is in love with an older battle-worn knight, the knight protects the prince but doesn’t even acknowledge his existence until the prince is almost killed when his half-brother kills their father and the rest of the family and tries to take the throne.”
“Ok, fine, I’ll admit that does sound good. I better have at least ten chapters of it by next week or so help me god Leo, I will make your life a living hell.” She huffed.
He grinned, knowing damn well she was serious. “Thanks, love you, Anna.”
“Love you too, boo.” She made a kissy noise before she hung up.
Leo sighed, thankful that was over. While he loved Anna dearly, she was a lot to take in at once. Grabbing his coffee and heading to his writing nook, he felt almost giddy. The words were coming back. He was able to see what he thought played out across his mind. The knight and the prince were going to be his best characters ever. He could already feel it. He already has plans to reach out and get some stickers and other pictures of the prince and knight made so he could put them in each of the paperbacks when he gave them out at public appearances. Booting up his laptop, he sat back enjoying his hot coffee as he settled into the headspace he needed to knock out the seven more chapters he needed by next week. He was deep into the scene where the prince kissed the knight when Torres busted through the door, scaring the shit out of him. “WHAT THE FUCK!” He jumped back, almost throwing himself to the floor when his chair tipped backward.
“Sorry, Kade has information on your case.” Torres said breathlessly, as he stumbled into the room.
Leo stared at him wide-eyed. “So you thought you’d take it out on the door. What is with you and bursting through doors, anyway?” He demanded, exasperated. His heart was trying to beat itself out of his chest, and he didn’t like that feeling.
“If it’s between me and you, it’s getting knocked down. I don’t mind you closing it when you’re writing or if you need some space, but the bitch is going down if I need to get in here.” Torres shrugged. He wouldn’t apologize for it either. He could give Leo the respect he needed and leave him alone when he was writing, but he’d knock the whole house down if it was between him and Leo.
Leo just raised a brow. “How chivalrous of you.” He said sarcastically.
Torres grinned at Leo’s sass. “Do you want to go with me to see Kade about this or do you want to stay here?” He raised a brow. “I’ll leave you here if you want. Doc is ready to come hang out if needed.”
Leo sighed and looked longingly at his computer, but knowing now that there was a lead on his case, he’d never be able to focus. “I’ll go with you. I won’t be able to focus knowing something’s changed.”
Torres ran a hand through Leo’s hair. “Why don’t you take your pad and pen that way you have it just in case?” He smiled gently when Leo looked up at him.
Leo smiled gently at his big man and kissed him on the side of his mouth as he rose from his seat. “Good idea.”
Torres left Leo to get ready as he went to get his gear. When he was on a job, he never went anywhere without his Glock strapped to his thigh, his 38 strapped to his ankle, and a knife in his belt. He never knew what kind of situation he could end up in and it always paid to be prepared for anything, not to mention the zip ties he had in his back pocket.
“Are we going to the office?” Leo asked as they got in the car, trying to calm his racing nerves.
“Yeah, Kade pretty much lives there during cases.” Torres shrugged. “He’s weird.” It was true the man rarely went home to his apartment when he had a case. Torres didn’t even know why the man even had an apartment; the office had everything Kade needed. He’d even had a soundproof bathroom put in his office, much to Saint’s enjoyment.
Leo raised an eyebrow. “He’s a man that’s dedicated to his job.” He could definitely see Kade not wasting time going home when he had work to keep him busy.
Torres grinned. “Is that a nice way of saying he’s a workaholic?” He teased Leo.
Leo gasped, offended. “Would never.” He placed a hand over his heart. “But yes, the man is a workaholic.”
Torres snickered. “I am telling Kade you think he’s a workaholic.”
Leo winced. “I mean, if the shoe fits, lace that bitch up and wear it. Does the man ever take time off or relax?” He asked curiously.
Torres looked over at Leo and sighed. “No, he doesn’t. At this point I’m afraid if Kade stops…” he shook his head.
Leo gently caressed Torres’ neck. “Afraid he won’t be able to handle it.”
Torres nodded. “There’s so much shit Kade has been through in his life that he's never dealt with. His childhood was hell, and joining the military was an escape. He never learned to deal with the emotions he has, the military gave him an outlet but not one that was good for Kade in the long run. Ever since he was blinded Kade hasn’t stopped. I’m pretty sure he’s afraid of what he’ll find if he does.”
Leo nodded. “That’s no way to live.”
“No, it isn’t, but try telling Kade that I dare you.” Torres snorted. “I tried, and it didn’t get me anywhere. I know he doesn’t regret his time in the military, but I think that did more damage to him than anything else.”
Leo chuckled. “Hell no, I choose life.”
Torres laughed. “You chicken.” He was still laughing when he pulled into the parking lot at Clairvoyant Sight.
Leo rolled his eyes. “How’s Gabe doing with his mom?” He asked softly. He knew it was a touchy subject to bring up, but he hadn’t been able to actually talk to Torres about how it was going.
Torres sighed. “He’s struggling. Catherine is very angry with me, and Gabe feels he needs to protect me from her. She thinks he’s choosing me over her and it’s making things tense. I asked if he could stay with her until tomorrow. He’s mad at me for it, but I want to see if I can have a conversation with Paul after we check this out.”
Leo nodded. “Have you heard from him?”
Torres sighed and shook his head. “No, I haven’t. Although that in itself is not unusual, I am worried about him. I have no idea what I would do in his position. He has the right to be so angry and from his reaction, he’s just hurt, and while I’ve never been close to my brother, I hate that for him. He’s always been a decent guy. He treated Catherine and Gabe very well and for this kind of betrayal…” he blew out a sharp breath. “It’s very shitty.”
“I know.” Leo said, rubbing Torres’ back on the way to the elevator. “I hope Gabe can walk away from this unharmed. Screw Cathrine, but I hate that your brother was hurt, and that you were hurt in the middle of this.”
Torres smiled softly at him. “Thank you, baby.” He leaned in and gently kissed Leo before he headed to Kade’s office. “Alright Kade, what do you have for us?”
Kade leaned back in his chair with a deep groan. “From what we can tell, it seems that Daegan had a hand in the deaths of at least five village elders in remote locations.”
“Jesus,” Leo hissed, tears burning the back of his eyelids and he tried to hold them back. How could the man he loved do something like this? It didn’t make any sense to him.
“I’m so sorry, Leo.” Kade said softly.
“No,” Leo said, his voice breaking. “I really appreciate your help on this Kade. I have no idea what I would have done without your help.”
Kade hauled himself out of his chair and grabbed Leo’s shoulder in a gentle grip. “I’ll always do everything I can to help your family. Saint means a lot to me and I have to admit your mother is growing on me…you tell her I said that and they’ll never find your body.” Kade warned.
Leo chuckled wetly. “Your secret is safe with me, Kade.”