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Undeterred, Frank rubbed his stubbled jaw in mock thought. “Would you consider that confirmation?” he asked Zoe.
“Oh, yeah,” she replied. “Definitely hit a nerve.”
“And she’s ghosting you?” Seth asked, face impassive as always.
Frank huffed. “Been there. Don’t worry, kid. Plenty of easy tail around here, especially this time of year. You’ll be fine.”
“Ugh, you’re such a pig,” Zoe remarked.
“Take a good look outside, Zo.” Frank pointed with his thumb. “There’s a myriad of golden gods showing off their six packs for you too.”
“None of whom I would touch with a ten-foot pole, because I know they’re all just as immature and shallow as you.”
Frank touched his heart. “Ouch! Put those claws away, girl.”
As laughter erupted around him, Nico’s hands moved to his hips, and he considered going full apeshit on them all for being so disobedient and rowdy. Then he reminded himself—one brick at a time. Was this not what he’d wanted? To knit himself into the fabric of this place? To belong? This crew—his crew—had already proved themselves capable of following orders and respecting his authority when it mattered. Right now, it didn’t.
“Alright, fine,” he said when the ruckus had died down. “Yes, I’m waiting for a call back from Lexie. But keep it to yourselves. She’s got enough to deal with right now without the whole town gossiping about her.”
A few hoots and cheers rang out at Nico’s expense before Seth said, “Damn, you move fast.”
“It’s not like that,” Nico replied.
“What’s it like then?” Frank asked.
“It’s”—Nico lifted a shoulder and shook his head—“it’s nothing.”
Frank took an audible slurp of coffee. “I find your commitment issues charming.”
“I just mean it’s new. Nothing to tell, so keep a lid on it.”
“Isn’t that a conflict of interest?” Zoe asked uncertainly.
Nico blinked. He hadn’t considered that.
He supposed, if the arresting officer of a murder suspect was having a romantic relationship with said suspect’s wife, it could be considered inappropriate, even a conflict, but for all intents and purposes, Kyle Garrett was now a free man, no longer under official suspicion. Unofficial suspicion? Loads. Not to mention, Nico couldn’t be sure whatever was going on between he and Lexie was, indeed, romantic, so as far as the law and his conscience were concerned, they were in the clear. For now.
“Don’t you all have work to do?” West’s voice startled the lot of them and threw a cold, wet blanket over the mood.
A few throats cleared, postures were straightened, and the room went silent save for the shuffling of paper and the tapping of keyboards.
Apparently satisfied with the response, West shifted his gaze to Nico. “A word, Lieutenant?”
Nico followed him into his office and waited while he shut the door behind them. He didn’t move to his side of the desk, just stood with his hand resting on the knob, like he meant for the conversation to be brief.
“Was that true, what I just heard out there?”
“Which part?”
“Don’t play coy, Nico. Are you, or are you not, sleeping with Alexis Bowen?”
“That’s none of your damn business.”
West sighed and moved around his desk to sit. “You know, I’m getting real tired of you making me out to be some kind of villain in all this, especially considering your recent indiscretions.”
He was referring to the broken nose Nico had given Garrett during his arrest, for which he was thoroughly raked over the coals and could still smell his singed ass burning yet couldn’t bring himself to regret it. Surprisingly, West had backed up his claim that it was an accident and saved him a black mark on his record. Nico was still figuring out why he lied for him, but knowing he owed the man big, he licked his lips and looked away. “I like her, okay? Why is that a problem?”
“Is it a problem?”
