Chapter 3
On the Wrong Foot
Carter
“So, when will you introduce me to your new partner?”
The mere mention of a person made me cringe.
“You don’t want to meet him, Vic,” I said with a sigh as she pulled into the parking lot across from the police station. “Trust me on that.”
“Why? Is he mean?”
“I… I don’t know. I just met him.”
“Was he rude to you?”
If anyone was rude the day we met, it would be me, but his sudden appearance in the locker room rattled me. I knew it was a matter of time before we met formally, but to see him stand there, to feel his eyes on me, to hear his voice, to be able to smell him… it made me feel weird. I couldn’t remember noticing a man’s scent before. Bruce sometimes used the avocado-based anti-dandruff shampoo, which I could smell on him when he stood close to me. Chief Bibb wore the most obnoxious cologne his wife gave him for his birthday. But this guy smelled good. I couldn’t describe it or compare it with anything else. It was just… good.
“What does he look like?” Vic asked me.
Huge. Muscular. Ridiculous.
I shrugged. “Dunno. You know… just a regular guy.”
His hair was tied into a messy bun the other day, but he had several hair ties wrapped around his wrist, which meant he was probably losing them a lot. There was a tiny mark above his upper lip, possibly from a lip piercing he once had. His voice was deep and melodic, with a faint French lilt that made his r’s sound funny. And his eyes were so damn blue, it was uncomfortable to look at them. Creepy, really. Imagine the clearest, the bluest sky, and then make it creepy. Those were his eyes.
“Is he handsome?” Vic asked me.
“No,” I scoffed. “Of course not.”
How the hell should I know, anyway? I’m not an expert on male beauty.
“No one is as handsome as you,” Vic said, caressing my cheek. “You’re the most handsome detective in town.”
“I have to go,” I grumbled, disliking the subject of our conversation. “See you tonight?”
“I would love to, darling, but I can’t. Abigail has tickets for the opera, and I promised her I would go with her. Rain check?”
“Of course.”
“You’re the best.”
I kissed her cheek and stepped out of the car into the simmering heat of late August.
Vic waved at me. “Bye, darling. Have a great day.”
“Thanks. You, too.”
A great day. What was that, anyway? I was catching criminals for a living, so my days were mostly shitty. It was tough to watch this town lose its soul, but not as tough as coming to work and seeing everyone sucking up to that blue-eyed prick. And why were they all gathered around my desk?
“Are you kidding me?” Bruce said, choking with laughter. “You really said that?”
The person sitting in my chair chuckled, and the smooth baritone made my skin crawl.
“I sure did.”
“Hell, yeah!” Adam exclaimed, fist-bumping him. “You’re my kind of guy.”
Their exchange triggered my vomiting reflex as I crossed the room, nodding at Shelly, who gave me an apologetic smile. The others stepped to the side, clearing the way for me until my chair came into view and the man sitting in it. I gulped what tasted like stale air and left my gun holster on the desk, refusing to look at the man seated in my chair.
I was about to go and make myself some coffee when he suddenly stood up. And since we were approximately the same height, we found ourselves eye to eye, nose to nose, and chin to chin. Yeah… no. I almost turned to leave because he stood too damn close to me, but I remained where I was out of sheer principle. Too close. Too hot. Too blue. No, not blue. Aquamarine? And what the fuck was that scent? The sensory overload was messing with my mind, but I would sooner die than back down. His intense blue eyes flicked to my mouth before meeting my gaze, followed by a lopsided grin.
“Hello again, partner.”
The room was so silent you could hear a pin drop while everyone stared at me, waiting for my inevitable blowout. I couldn’t even blame them. It was my thing. My curse.
I glanced at the piercing hole above his upper lip before meeting that creepy blue gaze.
“You’re in my way,” I said, trying to sound cool, the opposite of how I felt.
He slapped his forehead as if he’d just remembered something.
“Right. Sorry. I was just trying out your chair.”
“What’s wrong with yours?”
He grinned. “Ah, but I like yours better.”
I could feel that red sensation creeping up on me, but the vast blue of his irises was successfully fighting it off.
“We were never properly introduced. I’m Tye.”
He extended his hand for a handshake, and I eyed it like a poisonous serpent before looking at him coolly.
“I’m Carter. Move out of my way.”
He didn’t seem unperturbed by my harsh words or my refusal to shake his hand.
“And what’s your first name, Carter?”
“None of your business.”
“None-of-your-business Carter,” he mused. “It’s a mouthful, but I like it.”
“Just ignore him, Tye,” Adam cut in before Shelly jabbed him in the ribs. “He’s a prick.”
“Not entirely sure about that,” Thorsen said with a smile, winking at me. “The jury is still out on that one.”
I was about to wipe that smile off his face with my fist when Shelly wrapped her arm around mine and led me toward the kitchenette. I let her do it because, first, I didn’t want a suspension, and second, I didn’t want my teeth knocked in. Mount Everest looked as if he had a mean right hook, so the smart thing would be to avoid it. Then again, so what if he was a big guy? I was bigger. Well, not really, but close enough.
“What was that?” Shelly whispered once we were alone. “You two looked as if you were about to get physical.”
The expression made me cringe.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“That was intense,” she breathed, fanning herself with her hand. “Don’t you think it was intense? Golly!”
“No, I don’t. Traitor.”
“Sorry,” she said, looking remorseful. “He was telling a funny story, and I wanted to—”
“Stab me in the back? Betray your friend?”
She rolled her eyes. “Oh, shut up. Instead of scolding me, tell me how you spent your day off.”
“Peachy. I just didn’t expect to find that asshole sitting in my chair and everyone else finding it amusing.”
“It’s not a popularity contest, Carter.”
“Isn’t it?”
She brushed a strand of hair from my forehead.
“Not where you’re concerned.”
She barely lowered her hand when someone behind me spoke.
“You’re wearing black again. I bet it’s your favorite color. It suits you, by the way.”
At the sound of a low voice filled with amusement, I closed my eyes, praying for patience. Why that guy wouldn’t leave me alone was unfathomable. He was begging for a punch in the face, or he wouldn’t be creeping up on me like that. Still, a physical altercation probably wasn’t the best of ideas, so I counted to ten before turning around.
“What do you want from me?” I snapped, unable to help myself.
His eyelashes fluttered, hiding the blue irises for a moment before he looked at me and shrugged.
“A welcome would be nice.”
“Yeah, well, you’re not getting it.”
“How about a hug?”
I narrowed my eyes as he burst into laughter.
“Just kidding, partner,” he said, looping his arm over Shelly’s shoulder. “Shel, have I told you that you look radiant today?”
Shelly blushed. Blushed. For the love of God.
I rolled my eyes and turned to leave, only to realize that everyone was standing in the doorway and staring at us. Bruce even held a bag of popcorn in his hand.
“What the hell is going on?” Chief Bibb yelled, making the crowd disperse in an instant. He stomped into the kitchenette, shifting his angry gaze from the asshole behind me to Shelly and then to me.
“A woman was found dead in her flat on Sycamore Street,” he growled, staring us down. “Are you going to just stand there, or, God forbid, do something about it?”
I opened my mouth to reply when he bellowed.
“Carter, Thorsen, move your asses! Now!”
“On it.” The deep voice behind me said, sounding unimpressed.
“No.”
I wasn’t aware I spoke until the chief's eyes narrowed dangerously.
“Come again?”
I walked up to him, speaking in a low voice so only he could hear me.
“Chief, please. Anyone but him. Give me Shelly. Or Bruce, or even Adam. Just not him.”
“Let me be clear, Carter,” Chief Bibb said with feigned patience. “Imagine there’s glue between you two.”
The bastard behind me choked with laughter, making my ears burn.
“Or a magnet,” Chief Bibb explained further. “Where one goes, the other one follows. Or a set of dominoes. If one falls, the other one falls, too. Bottom line, I don’t want to see one of you take a shit without the other one present. Comprende?”
“Yes, Chief,” I muttered as a low chuckle behind me made my hair stand on end.
Then I remembered my car broke down, and I left it at the shop. It meant I would have to ride with the nutcase behind me dressed in orange cargo pants and a T-shirt three times too small.
Somebody, please shoot me. Now.
Anything was better than this.
Thorsen
Imagine there's glue between you two.
I would gladly glue myself to that body, but I suspected that my grumpy partner felt differently. The homicidal rage in his eyes wasn’t exactly inconspicuous, even if it made him look hotter than a spoon at a crack house. Sexual tension, much?
No. Don’t go there.
Not after I embarrassed myself that day in the locker room when I forgot how to speak in his presence. It was unacceptable, and I was ready to take speech exercises to prevent it from happening again. I also jerked off in the morning, just in case. I doubted he could inspire another boner, being a magnanimous douche and all, but still I came so hard I almost broke the sink. You should never lean on it if you weigh more than two hundred pounds, no matter how wobbly your knees get. Lesson learned!
Still, I was determined to break the ice one way or the other, starting with a peace offering.
“Want one?”
He looked at the pack of gum in my hand as if it were syphilis in a syringe and turned his head toward the car window.
Okaaay then.
I tossed a piece of gum into my mouth and started the car, navigating through the crowded parking lot.
“So, is it just me, or are you like this with everyone?” I asked him, turning left into the main street. “Please, do share. The suspense is killing me.”
He didn’t reply, not that I expected him to, so I kept talking.
“Believe it or not, people usually like me. Old folks, kids, puppies… I would also mention women, but I’m not the one to brag.”
He snorted. It was barely audible, but I heard it, so I took it as encouragement.
“You know what?” I mused. “I think we just got off on the wrong foot. You were grumpy, and I was pushy… no big deal. We have all the time in the world to get to know each other. In fact, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”
More silence. And the more silent he was, the more I wanted him to speak. Immature, yes. But no one accused me of being mature before, so I kept yapping.
“Mark my words. In time, we will become best buddies. I grow on people, you know? I’m like… well, not like fungus, but you get the idea. I’m actually quite adorable. Like a baby penguin, only in XXL size.”
When Carter’s phone rang, he pulled it out of his pocket, further ignoring me. I noticed he wore no jewelry, not even a watch, and there was no ring on his finger, thank God. The only thing I’d spotted while ogling him was a gold cross necklace around his neck.
“Hey, Vic,” he said into the phone.
Silence.
“Yeah, that’s doable. When?”
Long silence.
“I mean, I guess so? I’m not in the office, but…”
Brief silence.
“Unfortunately.”
This comment had something to do with me. I was sure of it.
“Okay, bye.”
After he hung up, I glanced at him, only to see his leg bouncing. Was he nervous? Annoyed? I was dying to know.
“Was that your girlfriend?” I asked him, speeding up at the yellow light. “A looker like you is taken, for sure.”
He shook his head, revealing some of his frustration, but he still wouldn’t answer.
“I, myself, am single, believe it or not.” I said, popping my gum. “A shocker. I know.”
At that point, an incredulous chuckle left his mouth, and I grinned with satisfaction. I was getting to him, after all.
“Is Vic short for Vicky? Or Victoria? Victoria sounds regal, but Vicky is more of a stripper’s name, don’t you think?”
“Will you shut the fuck up?” he snapped, looking at me in disbelief. “I mean, really. What does it take for you to shut up?”
Jungle green. He had the most amazing eyes. Not to mention the bone structure of his face. If someone ever broke that nose, I would seriously weep. Then I would kill the fucker.
As far as his question was concerned, there were ways of shutting me up, but I doubted he would like them, not with his sexual orientation.
“We’re bonding,” I said instead, shrugging my shoulders. “Tell me her name, and I might shut up.”
“Victoria Sloane.”
I looked at him sharply.
“Sloane, as in Sloane Industries?”
He said nothing but pressed his finger on the window, wiping away the invisible dirt there.
I whistled softly, turning into Primrose Street.
Sloane Industries was one of the wealthiest companies in the country. Robert Sloane, the founder and the CEO, was a billionaire and a philanthropist. His wife was a former underwear model and a well-known socialite. And those people were supposed to be his future family? I couldn’t see it. Also, the way Carter talked to his girlfriend was weird at best. He sounded cold and businesslike, as if he were placing an order at McDonald’s.
We reached Sycamore Street too soon for my liking because I wanted to talk to him some more. I doubted that leaving the LD was in my cards any time soon, so I wanted to make my life easier. An agreeable, maybe even a friendly partner, was a good beginning. Speaking of…
“By the way, I’m sorry about your partner,” I said, looking for an available parking spot. “It must have been tough.”
And that right there was the wrong thing to say. The wrong thing. His expression had changed so drastically he looked almost like a different person. So many emotions wrecked his expression, the most prominent being sadness and guilt.
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
He left the car before I could apologize, although I didn’t mean to provoke him, much less offend him. He already hated my guts, and I wondered if it could get any worse. The answer to my hypothetical question was yes, because the crime scene was a mess. I had seen a fair share of blood-splattered walls, but those I presently faced made my stomach turn. Everything around me indicated that the person who did this was not a well-adjusted human being. And the lifeless, naked body of a young woman on the bed told me she died a horrible, horrible death.
“No sign of forced entry,” I said, pulling on the rubber gloves as Carter did the same. “The victim let this monster in for some reason.”
“Yes,” he agreed, checking the window and the bolts.
His hospitable behavior toward me would surprise someone else, but not me. I knew he was a professional. The bickering was fine in our free time, but this was our job, and we both knew how to do it.
I approached the bed, observing the body. The victim lay on her stomach, with her arms and legs spread wide and tied to the bed. There were countless deep cuts and lacerations all over her body done by a sharp object. Her long blonde hair was tangled, her face smeared with mascara and tears. Her lifeless eyes were wide open and fixed on the wall across from her.
“She died of asphyxiation.” The man coming out of the bathroom informed us. “But the multiple knife wounds contributed to her death. There’s no sign of penetration, but I’ll confirm it at a later stage.”
“This is John Smith, our forensic examiner.” Carter did the introduction. “John, this is Detective Tye Thorsen from New Mesa.”
“Welcome,” John Smith said, pushing his glasses up his nose. “I’m sorry your first case here is such a grisly one.”
“Nice to meet you, John,” I said as we shook hands.
“What do we know about the victim?” Carter asked him as I walked up to the vanity table cluttered with makeup and perfume bottles.
“Her name is Sophie Malik. Thirty years old, single, living alone. She was working at the bank on Mayfair Square.”
“Time of death?”
“About 4 a.m. The neighbor found her in the morning when he came to walk her dog. We have his statement, but he doesn’t know anything.”
“Look at this,” Carter said, crouching next to the bed. He used his pen to overturn a piece of paper lying on the carpet.
“Some kind of receipt?” I guessed.
“Yeah. It’s from Allure. It’s a strip club at Park Lane.”
“What would a God-fearing, uptight banker that grew up on a farm in the middle of nowhere do in a strip club?” I wondered out loud.
When Carter looked at me, I pointed at the nightstand where stood a Bible, a worn-out copy of Pride and Prejudice and a photo of a small, blonde girl with her parents, posing in the middle of the cornfield.
His expression changed as if my deduction had surprised him, but he remained silent. Instead, he pointed at the receipt.
“Something is written on the back.”
“Luz.” I read the word on the paper. “What does it mean?”
“I don’t know, but we’ll find out,” Carter said, straightening up. “John, when can we expect the forensic report?”
“Tomorrow morning. Maybe.”
“Busy week?”
“Busy year.”
Half an hour later, Carter and I stood on the street, inhaling fresh air greedily. This sort of crime always made me sick to my stomach, and Carter looked equally grim.
“Shelly mentioned that everyone’s going to Pete’s after work,” I said once in the car, as Carter scrolled through his phone. “Are you coming?”
He tensed up, his fingers freezing on the screen.
“I don’t think so,” he said without looking up. “I have stuff to do.”
“Are you sure? Blowing off some steam sounds like fun.”
I wanted to befriend him, and to do that I needed him to let his guard down. Plying him with alcohol sounded like a solution.
“Look, we’re not pals,” he said, pushing his cell into his pocket. “We have a job to do, and we’re going to do it, but I won’t socialize with you. I don’t even want to talk to you, man.”
“If this is about me mentioning your partner, I’m sorry about—”
“I said I don’t want to talk about it,” he interrupted me, opening the car door.
My eyes widened in alarm when he got out of the car, ignoring the vehicles honking around him.
“What the hell?” I exclaimed. “Are you insane? Do you want to get hit by a car?”
“If that will shut you up, then yes.”
Carter
This damn town.
Crime-fighting was more an illusion than a possibility these days, and everyone knew it on some level. The innocents were being slaughtered, and the other side was winning, while our hands were tied. Why? Because the bad guys didn’t play by the rules, and we had to. Sophie Malik, for example. She was an innocent, and alone in the world. She didn’t deserve to end up the way she did… tortured and murdered in a town that didn’t give a damn.
Tye Thorsen was another enigma I couldn’t figure out. I remembered Adam saying how he’s “built like a brick wall, but not too bright.” That was bullshit. My new partner was quick-witted, shrewd, and perceptive. He had great instincts and, I strongly suspected, a photographic memory. The persona he cultivated, one of a clown and a buffoon, was all for show. As much as I was reluctant to admit it, he intrigued me, and my thoughts kept returning to him.
“Brooding over the job again?” Shelly said, sitting on the edge of my desk.
I took off my glasses and rubbed the bridge of my nose, glad that she couldn’t read my mind.
“I got lost in thoughts. You okay?”
She opened her mouth to reply, but someone else beat her to it.
“Have you changed your mind about that drink, partner?”
The mirth in the annoying baritone made my teeth grit because, my God, he was everywhere.
“No,” I replied, wondering how he could be so tireless in… whatever the hell he wanted from me. The ruder I was, the more persistent he was. It was unfathomable. And unnerving.
“Shel, how about you? Are you coming?” Thorsen said, ruffling her hair and annoying the shit out of me. “I know you can’t stay away from me.”
Shelly blushed, glancing at me before replying.
“I have to finish something first.”
“Don’t take too long. And persuade the grumpy one here to join you.”
He winked at me before leaving as I rolled my eyes, feeling relief when the door closed behind him. I was quick to anger on a good day, even without him breathing down my neck.
“Are you sure you don’t want to come?” Shelly said with a sigh. “It’s been a while.”
I actually wanted to have a drink with her and the guys, but not with Thorsen being there. Then again, why shouldn’t I go to Pete’s just because of him? If someone wasn’t supposed to be there, it was him, not me. Who the hell invited him, anyway?
“Please,” Shelly pleaded. “If you come with me, I will do your laundry for a month.”
I chuckled. “Are you sure about that?”
She nodded, blushing. “I’m sure. You get a free slave in return for a round of drinks at Pete’s. Maybe two rounds. Or three.”
I scrolled through my phone, checking if I had new texts from Vic.
“One drink,” I said finally, frowning when Shelly squealed with delight.
“Got it,” she said sternly, saluting me. “Sir, yes, sir!”
I hoped I wouldn’t regret it.
Which was stupid.
Of course, I regretted it.
Well, not immediately. Not as I strolled down the rain-washed street with Shelly, chatting about inconsequential things. Not when we entered Pete’s, and I saw only the old crowd there: Bruce, Adam, Ruth, and a few younger cops in uniforms. The absence of a Hawaiian shirt made me feel both relaxed and annoyed as we ordered drinks at the bar, ignoring the others yelling at us to join their table.
“Aren’t you glad I talked you into it?” Shelly said before downing her drink.
“It’s still undecided,” I grumbled.
“You’re not nearly as grouchy as you pretend to be, you know?” she said as I took a sip of tequila. “And this brooding thing—”
“Hah, I knew you would come!”
Just as I heard the familiar voice, a large, heavy arm landed on my shoulders and pulled me into a side hug. Instantly, all my senses went awry. That intoxicating scent filled my nostrils, making me draw one breath more than my lungs needed. A strange, heady heat swept over me, like a dust storm in the desert. I could feel the huge biceps flexing against me until goosebumps broke out all over my body. It all… repulsed me, almost. What else to call this crawling sensation under my skin, this strange emotion bubbling in my core?
“There you are,” Thorsen said, looping his other arm around Shelly. “My two favorite people in the whole wide world.”
I suffered through his hot, minty breath brushing my neck before pushing his arm away and finishing my drink.
“We’re ordering beers,” he said, unperturbed by my reaction. “Are you in?”
“Damn straight,” Shelly replied, wrapping her arm around mine and dragging me with her. “Come on, Carter. Let’s sit with the others, and then we can get wasted.”
And I thought, why not? Why shouldn’t I get drunk and put this entire shitty day behind me? For once, I wouldn’t think about Sophie Malik and her lifeless body that nobody mourned. I would forget that I was fighting a losing battle in this damn snake pit of a town. But most of all, I would ignore the person in a garish shirt sitting across from me.
For most of the evening, I was successful at it. I mostly chatted with Shelly and Bruce, who both drank too much. I texted Vic to check up on her as always. Still, I could feel blue eyes on me all the time. They watched me type into my phone. They followed my hand as I brought the glass to my mouth. They remained on my throat as I drank. No one else noticed it because that damn stalker conversed with everyone, laughed at every joke, and even told a few. He drank but didn’t look drunk or even tipsy. He flirted with Ruth, who was hitting on him, and it annoyed the shit out of me. I asked her out years ago, but she refused me, telling me I was too pretty and that I would break her heart. And now she was flirting with that blue-eyed prick.
After Bruce went to the toilet, Thorsen stood up and sat in Bruce's seat next to me. He resumed his conversation with Adam as if nothing out of the ordinary happened, making my blood boil. My hopes for a peaceful resolution lingered until Bruce returned, but he sat in Thorsen’s chair, too wasted to notice or care.
When I felt a leg pressing against mine, I gritted my teeth, suppressing the need to punch something. The man attached to it looked at me with a smirk, almost as if to say, What? Do I bother you so much? If so, move my damn leg yourself.
Yeah, not happening. He was provoking me, and I wasn’t biting. Instead, I turned toward Shelly, who looked wasted.
“Hey, Shel,” I said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Do you want to go home?”
Her lips curled into a wide smile as she caressed my cheek, slurring, “Your eyes are so pretty.”
“And you’re drunk,” I retorted, pushing the glass away from her.
“Aww, what a gentleman,” Thorsen said, making everyone laugh, but I ignored him.
“That’s why the ladies love him,” Bruce joked, munching on the potato chips. “His pretty mug doesn’t hurt either.”
“My partner, a ladies’ man. Aren’t I lucky?”
The teasing baritone made my blood boil.
“You’re lucky if you leave with your face intact,” I growled. “Let’s go, Shel.”
“Yeah, that’s our Trigger,” Adam sneered. “A man of contradictions. Pretty face, but an ugly soul. Isn’t that right… killer?”
I felt a wave of scorching heat rushing through me as my vision filled with red. I hurled myself at the table to reach the scarred bastard when powerful arms wrapped around my chest, holding me in place. I tried to free myself, but they held me with surprising ease and almost… gently. Then I felt the soft lips brushing against my earlobe, followed by a whisper and a dash of mint.
“Not worth it.”
It was probably the sheer size of the massive body behind mine that gave me pause. It may have shocked me, even. Then I felt a thumb on my chest moving in slow, steady circles—round and round and round. Unexpectedly, it made some of my rage go away. Usually, a few guys were needed to subdue me, but this time, the soothing movements of a thumb sufficed. My vision was still tinted with red, but at least I could breathe again.
“Let’s go, Shel,” I said through my teeth, pushing Thorsen away. “I need some fresh air.”
Thorsen pulled a crumpled bill out of his pocket and stood up. “I’ll take you. My car’s outside.”
I laughed. “Sure you are.”
That guy was hilarious; I had to give him that.
“You don’t have a functioning car,” he said, tossing a piece of gum into his mouth. “Shelly is drunk. I’m taking you home.”
“You have been drinking, too, brainiac.”
“I’ve had one beer and too many lemonades. My bladder is suffering, but I can drive just fine.”
So, he wasn’t drunk, just as I suspected. It was just another facade.
“We’ll take an Uber,” I said, refusing to back down.
“Christ don’t be such an idiot!” he snapped, making everyone look at him.
His unexpected outburst made my ears burn because he was usually a chill guy. Fuck.
“I like him,” Shelly slurred, swaying on her feet. “Your partner. I like him.”
“You like everyone, Shel,” I said with a sigh.
“But I like you more. You know that, right?”
“As I said, you like everyone. Let’s go home.”
In the end, I gave in. What else was I supposed to do with everyone at the table staring at us and enjoying the show?
“Come here, sweetheart,” Thorsen said, wrapping his arm around Shelly’s waist. “It’s better if I help you. I don’t have a jealous girlfriend.”
And there it was, that regret. Why did I even come here? So he could make fun of me? So Adam could provoke me? So everyone could stare at me, waiting for me to lose it?
Nah, I was done with that.
I was done.
After we dropped Shelly at her place, Thorsen drove me to mine. I gave him my address reluctantly, but I was so damn exhausted that I just wanted this evening to end.
“Why is Adam goading you?” Thorsen asked me, keeping his eyes on the road.
I barked a harsh laugh. “I’m easy to goad if you haven’t noticed.”
He shook his head. “No, there’s more to it than that.”
I closed my eyes, suppressing the need to slam my head against the headrest.
“Look, I don’t know, okay?” I exclaimed. “The fucker won’t say. And honestly, I don’t care.”
“Still… you shouldn’t let him get to you.”
“Easier said than done. And I don’t need your advice.”
Once again, he seemed unperturbed by my brusque tone. Nothing could faze him; nothing unnerved him. Unlike me, he was always poised. It vexed me. It intrigued me—and I hated it.
“Well, partner, I think we’re here,” he murmured, parking in front of my building and surveying the area. “Which apartment is yours?”
“The one with a balcony on the third floor. It’s a rental.” Against my better judgment, I asked him. “Where do you live?”
He smiled widely.
“This is my crib,” he said, pointing his hand in our general direction. “Fancy, huh?”
I blinked. “You live in your car?”
“Yup.”
“Why?”
He shrugged his shoulders. “I haven’t found a place yet. I heard about my transfer only recently, thanks to my dick of a chief.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “He hates you, too, huh?”
For a few moments, he regarded me steadily. His eyes, now midnight blue, seemed puzzled and vague. Did I offend him?
“You know, this is the first time I saw you smile,” he said thoughtfully. “Huh!”
And just like that, my smile disappeared.
“Don’t get used to it,” I murmured, opening the car door.
“Partner?”
I rolled my eyes and turned to look at him. “What?”
“Can I, by any chance, shower at your place? It’s been a few days, and this car isn’t exactly a five-star accommodation.”
I snorted. “No.”
“Are you sure?”
“Goodbye, Thorsen.”
“You will regret it. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon.”
I slammed the door behind me instead of replying.