Xavier #2
This time I turn to face him, secure in the knowledge that Miles will have his eyes trained on Lester if he tries anything.
Besides that, I have a good hold on him, and I can shoot him faster than he can move.
“Helping who exactly?” If he’s looking to help me, he’s far too many years late.
If he’s trying to help Lester, then he needs better judgement.
“Your boy has a soft spot,” Lester remarks lazily. “That’s going to get him killed. Ready to dig another grave, Xavier?”
“Shut up,” I growl through gritted teeth.
What does Matthew expect from me? Restraint?
How does he not see that violence is who I am?
All that I am? Without it, without my mere existence being a threat, what do I have left?
Stripped bare until I no longer exist. Hunter thought once that I was more, and I showed him just how much of a weapon I am, how little a person.
I tried to change for him. I’m still trying to change for him.
But not at this cost. Not if it means putting them in danger, of not being a danger enough myself that someone thinks they can come for what’s mine.
Hunter steps closer, sliding a hand over my forearm, squeezing gently. “Xavier.”
I growl, pressing harder against Lester until he’s gasping for breath. No one stops me. No one speaks. They won’t stop me now. With a frustrated cry of pain, I shove one more time and let go, staggering back.
Matthew is there in a moment, an arm sliding behind my back, his hand reaching for mine. I don’t deserve the softness or his careful, kind heart. If he hadn’t been here, I would have killed Lester without a second thought. I’m not better than that, and next time I won’t be either.
“We’ll do this the right way,” Hunter says quietly.
“And what way is that?” I ask, low, defeated, tired. Can’t they see that I need to keep them safe? How can I do that if we keep letting the people that want to hurt them live? “He’s not going to talk.”
“We’ll find another way.”
The sound of tires screeching nearby has us all tensing. Slammed doors. More footsteps. I’m not in the mood for more idiots tonight.
“Think they called some friends?” I ask.
“No, they’re all dead,” Miles says. “It was the only way we could get clear.”
Matthew looks away at that, what little colour he usually has in his face gone. I much prefer when he’s blushing at everything to this look.
“It’s likely Jericho,” Hunter says, though he doesn’t look convinced. He kicks the back of Lester’s knees. “You move? We let Xavier off his leash.”
“Did you have to put it that way?” There are better ways to word that. I don’t have a leash.
Hunter sends me an air kiss. He’s lucky I’m so in love with him.
He’s correct in his assumption, at least, and my leash stays firmly on.
Jericho strides angrily towards us, and he’s brought his two cop boyfriends. William McMahon and Quinn Hughes. Probably left the ex-special forces at home with their lawyer. Smart.
“I told you to fucking wait,” he says furiously, eyes darting over his brother, looking for any sign of injury. “You need a dictionary for your birthday?”
“You did that already,” Hunter replies. “This year you should go for the thesaurus.”
“Why didn’t you wait for the backup you called for?”
“We tried. Stop looking at me like that, I’m fine. Not a scratch on me.”
“Are you bleeding anywhere else?” Quinn asks me even as he glances around, grip tight on his weapon. Anywhere else? Oh. The bullet graze. I forgot about it; it doesn’t hurt, and the bleeding has already stopped.
“To Jericho’s disappointment, no.”
“I can change that if you want.”
“Perhaps another time. It’s been a long day.”
Jericho squints at Matthew. “What the hell is the teacher doing here?”
Matthew slides further behind me, gripping onto my forearm. Jericho blinks at that, surprised.
“Teacher?” Quinn questions. He straightens, confusion and concern flashing in his gaze. “What are you doing here?” Ever the detective.
“He’s with us,” Miles says shortly as if daring them to contradict him. Even if Matthew wasn’t with us, that tone alone would turn anyone away.
“You brought a teacher with you to a drug exchange?” Jericho asks incredulously. “Did you all hit your fucking heads?”
Hunter sighs and rubs his forehead. “It’s a long story. I’ll tell you later.”
“Fine. What happened here?”
“They knew we were here,” I say, filling in the dots. “Spotted us somehow. They fired, we fired back. Now here we are.” I smirk at him when he sneers.
“Eloquent.”
“Not everything has to be long and drawn out. It doesn’t always have to take all night to be a good experience.”
Ignoring that, Jericho slides his gun back into his holster. I’ve never seen him relax and let down his guard so quickly on any kind of job. His faith in the men beside him is interesting to see. They’re clearly good for him.
It likely helps that one of them is holding an automatic rifle like he knows what to do with it.
“This is who you were after? Lester?”
“In the flesh,” Hunter says.
“You didn’t kill him, Xavier? That’s not like you.”
“You’ll never purge the killer, Jericho. You know that as well as I do.” I look at Matthew, who looks right back. “But sometimes there are more important things.”
Jericho doesn’t respond, though the way he’s looking at me hides more understanding than he’s ever shown towards me.
“So what are we doing here?” Quinn says.
“Saving the day,” I reply laconically.
Will moves to stand beside Matthew and says something quietly to him. Whatever it is, it helps bring back a little colour to his face when he nods in reply.
A noise sounds nearby, and Will immediately switches focus, lifting his rifle in that direction. He nudges Matthew behind him. “Is this place secure?”
“Probably,” Miles says, not elaborating.
“What do you mean by that?” Quinn asks, clearly secure in the knowledge that if there’s trouble, Will has it covered. “We’re saving the day how, exactly?”
“Just over that way, you’ll find some dead drug dealers,” I say, waving vaguely in that direction. “Along with a case of enough drugs to make you a hero. And”—I hold up my phone—“footage that’ll make you cream your pants.”
“I’ll take that,” Jericho growls, swiping it out of my hand. “Don’t ever talk about getting off and my boyfriend in the same sentence, ever again.”
“He asked,” I say with fake innocence.
“It’s not that good anyway,” Hunter says dryly. “He’s exaggerating. But you will get some clear images of faces, including ones that ran when shots were fired. Give us a few days, and we’ll get you names.”
“That’s great and all,” Will says, back still turned to us as he scans the area. “But we can’t legally use any of that; what are we supposed to do with it?”
“I’m sure you can find a way.”
Quinn rubs his forehead. “I’m getting a headache,” he mutters. He holds out a hand, and Jericho drops the phone into it. “What’s the code?”
“One, two, three, four,” I say with a straight face.
“You’ve got to be actually kidding me,” Jericho bursts out. “That’s your fucking phone code? And you want me to trust you with my baby brother? I’ll tell you where to—”
“Well, it’s not my phone,” I interrupt, smiling at Jericho’s annoyed face. “Burner phone. You understand.”
“I’m not a baby anything, and you’re getting off subject,” Hunter says before Jericho can murder me. “Can we focus, please? We need to take Matthew home.”
Jericho squeezes Quinn’s shoulder and turns away from me. He’s been working on his self-control. How admirable.
Hunter isn’t wrong, however. Matthew looks worse for wear and a few steps away from collapsing. No matter how long our night has been, his has been infinitely longer. “It’s been a pleasure, Jericho. Do have fun with our crime scene.”
Jericho looks to the sky with a long, aggravated sigh. “Why are you doing this to me, Hunter?”
Hunter kisses his temple. “It’s what baby brothers do.”
Jericho narrows his eyes at his brother, but Hunter is already at my side, gesturing for me to go. I wink and send a little finger wave to Jericho, who snarls silently in return.
Hunter gently places a hand on the small of Matthew’s back. Matthew doesn’t look at him, and his steps are unsteady as he walks. My own falter when he wraps his arms around himself. Trying to protect himself. We’ve tainted something that was nothing but light.
It doesn’t matter that we warned him. The damage is still the same.