Chapter Twenty-Four
Somewhere across town…
“For fuck’s sake!” Frost growled. “Did you seriously just lose our suspect?”
Red and blue lights washed the street in uneven flashes.
The young operative swallowed. “I’m s…s…sorry, sir.”
“Don’t call me sir.” Frost scowled, yanked his hands through his hair, and turned to stalk away.
Instead, he careened into the slight frame of his husband and had to catch Seth before he toppled backward.
They ended up in a Gone with the Wind clutch—Seth’s back bowed, arms around his neck, while Frost had a firm grip on the guy he was crazy over.
“Are you two going to kiss?”
Frost glared, and Seth laughed as he was swung upright.
“Maybe?” Seth spun around to face Noah at the same time Frost did.
Behind Noah came Mac. The U.S. Marshal had the fugitive in cuffs.
“You got him,” Seth said, turning soothingly to Frost. “See? No harm, no foul.”
“Yeah, yeah. Still—this guy is out,” Frost snarled at the newbie.
The man stammered and looked like he was going to cry.
“He’s kidding,” Seth told him, then elbowed his husband.
“You torturing newbies again?” Noah smirked at Frost.
“So?”
Mac shoved the fugitive into the back of one of the SUVs and walked over, slinging his arm around Noah’s shoulders.
The engine idled rough beneath it all.
“We got him. That’s all that matters.”
“So, once we turn this guy over to the Marshals out here, should we stay and enjoy the city?” Seth asked.
“No,” Frost grumbled.
“Ah, I don’t—” Mac began.
Seth held up a hand. “Shut it. I was talking to Noah.”
“We rarely come this far for a job,” Noah murmured.
“What were you thinking of?” Mac immediately changed his tune, and Frost rolled his eyes. Figures. Mac was head over heels for his husband.
“Dinner and a movie?” Noah grinned at his cousin before slanting a glance at his husband.
“Date night!” Seth clapped his hands and glanced at him.
Frost could do nothing but nod when his husband turned those beautiful eyes on him.
“Date night,” he echoed.
The streets were filling with lookie-loos and gawkers, people filming on their phones.
Phones up. Voices carrying.
“Let’s get the hell out of here,” he said, pulling Seth toward their own SUV, leaving the fugitive with Mac and Noah. The newbie was already long gone.
“Meet us at the Marshals’ office, and we’ll find a hotel,” Mac told him, sliding into the other SUV.
Forty-five minutes later, they walked out of the L.A. field office.
The city hadn’t slowed—just thinned out.
Frost glanced at his watch. Just before three p.m. Too long a day for this shit.
Fuck, he was tired.
It sat heavy behind his eyes.
L.A. was a pit. In his opinion, its glory days had come and gone.
Warm at this hour, the air carried that faint city grit.
But Seth wanted to see it—and apparently so did Noah, because the cousins had talked nonstop the whole time inside the office. He stretched and glanced at Mac.
“Let’s get a room for tonight. We can head out in the morning,” Mac said, tugging out his keys. The drive home would take about six or seven hours, give or take.
“You guys taking any vacation this year?” Frost asked.
“Yeah, we’re meeting up with Rossi and Stefano in Aruba at Barry’s place.”
“For how long?” Frost tipped his head.
“About two weeks. Why?” Mac juggled his keys.
“Seth is working too much.” He made damn sure his husband didn’t overhear him or he’d catch hell.
“Bring him. We fly out of SFO on August 10th.”
“Where are you going?” Seth asked, walking over with Noah.
“Noah didn’t tell you?” Frost asked, surprised.
“Nope. I haven’t seen Seth since the plans were made,” Noah said, hooking his arm through Mac’s.
“We’re going to Aruba. Staying with the guys at Barry’s place for two weeks,” Frost said, his tone firm as he pulled Seth into his arms.
“Okay.” Seth’s voice was muffled against his shirt before he laughed and pulled back.
“Hey…” Noah frowned, glancing at his phone. “We just got a message from William Caldwell.”
“What’s it say?” Mac asked, gaze dropping to the phone in Noah’s hand.
“He wants us to stick around L.A. and help with an op that’s going down.”
“Pegasus?”
“No, this is…Genesis,” Noah said slowly.
“Genesis. Jesus, we rarely hear about them,” Seth gaped.
“Viper in town?” Mac asked.
“I don’t know.” Noah’s thumb flew over the screen. “Nope—it looks like it’s Law.” He glanced up at Mac with a smile.
“Damn…haven’t seen him since he stopped by our place a few years back.” Mac returned the smile.
“Okay. So.” Frost ticked off his fingers. “Movie and dinner, then find that Motley Crew.”
Noah chuckled. “Sounds good. Let’s find rooms first.”
“I wonder what the op is?” Seth said, hooking his arm through his.
Frost huffed out a breath and shook his head.
“Genesis doesn’t need help unless it’s bad,” he said. “This is going to be a problem.”