Chapter 15 Reece
Reece
My partner shuffles into the kitchen in yesterday’s rumpled clothes, hair a mess, eyes heavy-lidded, head down. He smothers a yawn with his fist and pours a cup of coffee.
From the breakfast table, I clear my throat. “They, ah, don’t have a coffeemaker over there?”
He takes a massive gulp of caffeine before collapsing into the seat opposite me. “Didn’t want to wake them.” Eyelids nothing but slits, his body slumped, he sips his coffee.
A wide grin spreads across my face. “I’ve never seen you do the walk of shame. Did they get you drunk and kidnap you?”
“No alcohol. Not a walk of shame. We were up late playing video games.”
“Oh…okay.” I bite my lips and nod, feigning contemplation. “So, was one of the characters a vampire? And did he climb out of the TV and maul your neck?”
His eyes widen, and his hand flies to his throat in a clumsy attempt to cover the bites and hickeys left behind. “Shit! I have a meeting with Bennett this morning.” He drops his hand and stretches his neck. “Is it bad?”
“It’s…a threat. Luckily, it’s December, and you can wear a turtleneck or something.”
Leaning in, he hammers his fists on the table, his face flushed.
“I don’t own a turtleneck. Do you own a turtleneck?
No one owns a turtleneck. They went out of style with low-rise jeans.
Fuckity-fuck-fucking shit on a waffle. How will I explain this to Bennett?
I’m a horrible liar. I’m getting hives just thinking about it. ”
A chuckle rises in my throat, but I hold it in. “I think you have bigger problems than hickeys and love bites. I wouldn’t mess with those two psychos, but hey,” I relax into the seat, “at least you’ll always be protected…and thoroughly fucked by the looks of it.”
His face reddens further. “It was only one night,” he mumbles into his mug.
One night, my ass. “You might wanna tell that to whichever twin—or both—marked you, claiming their territory.”
He tries to hide a smile behind his coffee cup. “He was just being passionate.”
I bark out a laugh, delighted my partner is finally finding his own happiness. “Yeah, passionately possessive. I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but it runs in the family. No one gets out of here sane.”
“You’re here. It’s your family.”
“Exactly. Have you seen how jealous Aurora is? I’m stuck. She’d hunt me down.”
He shakes his head and rolls his eyes. “Says the guy who assaulted a team of nurses after being shot to reach her.”
My insides stir with agitation, a lingering effect from the fragmented visions. I vaguely remember being gripped with panic, believing she and our family were in danger, a mix of reality, dreams, and trauma.
It happens in a flash. My mind plays tricks on me, blending past and present events, skimming through memories as if they were pictures in a flip book. A sharp, phantom pain slices through my thigh where I was shot, point-blank, in another life, and my thoughts threaten to turn dark.
My mood plummets. Guilt strikes me, a tug of war between Aurora and my career. Can I truly step away from the intensity, the adrenaline, the reward of taking down bad guys? A part of me recoils at the thought.
Another thought stands out, though, greater than the guilt of not saving lives: I wish I were here when they broke in. “I should’ve been here—with her.” I failed, and failure is deadly.
Fingers snap repeatedly in my face, the sound jolting me back to existence. “I was here. I’m not going anywhere.”
I release a heavy breath. The tension in my chest and shoulders ease. Resolve spreads through me. I need to step away. I need peace. “I’m not returning—after medical leave. I’m not taking another case.”
He forces a tight, awkward smile, the corners of his mouth twitching. “I figured as much. It was difficult to accept at first, but I understand.”
My heart hurts. We’ve been together since Charlie was eighteen and thrown into a life he wasn’t prepared for—no one is prepared for a life of violence and death. We’ve only been separated briefly while transitioning to the agency.
“Jax asked if you’d stay on as security. Said he’d expand the pool house for you.”
He stares blankly, and then his gaze shifts to the patio, to the pool house, to the twins. “What about them?”
“I’m sure they’ll return to New York soon. There’s nothing here for them.”
He winces, and I feel like an ass. “I mean—you know what I mean,” I backtrack. “My brain is a mess lately.”
His Adam’s apple bobs, and he hangs his head. “Yeah. No, you’re right.”
I mentally punch myself for my poor choice of words. “Don’t do that. You’re worth it. Whatever you choose—whatever they choose—we’ll work it out.”
He doesn’t seem convinced. “Yeah, okay.” He rises and brings his mug to the sink. “I’m taking off. I need to shower and figure out…” He gestures to the warning sign marking his skin.
“Hey,” I jut my chin, “wear a quarter-zip or a hoodie and get your ass back here after. That’s an order. We have plans to make.”
His face brightens before he stands at attention and salutes. “Aye, aye, Captain.”
He’s a damn good guy. Desi and Dante better not fuck this up.
It’s not fifteen minutes before a set of pissed off and shirtless twins storm into the house.
“Where’s Lucas?” Dante demands, as curt as ever.
I tilt my head. “Charlie?” I know very well who he means. I know my partner’s full name.
“Stop calling him that.” He balls his fists. “He shouldn’t constantly be reminded of what he’s been through. Maybe that’s why he hasn’t moved on. Maybe you don’t want him to move on.”
Today is not my fucking day. “Okay, Dr. Phil. Calm down.”
Desi extends his hands in front of him, palms out. “Did he leave?”
Stalling, I take a generous sip of lukewarm coffee. “What about it?”
Dante’s dark, bloodthirsty eyes stare me down. “Where’d he go?”
“Meeting someone.” I give a half-assed shrug, feigning nonchalance for the hell of it—and maybe because Dante’s comment stirred up more guilt and agitation. “Might be gone for a few days. I’m sure you’ll be in New York before he gets back.”
Desi rakes his fingers through his hair. “No, we won’t.”
“Why not? They released Charlie—I’m sorry, Lucas—from monitoring you. You’re free to go wherever you please.” They haven’t released Lucas yet, but I’m certain that’s what his meeting is about.
They exchange a look, a silent plea in Desi’s eyes.
“We’re waiting on Ethan. We’ll discuss it with him,” Dante reassures him. “Let’s get our stuff from the condo.”
They turn to leave, and just to be an ass, I call out, “Jax wants to know if you three need a bigger place or a bigger bed.”