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"There's something else you need to know, Detective," Alejandro said. "One of the reasons my family hates me is because I am gay. Delancy and I were only married a week ago. In their eyes, that brings shame to the Díaz name. After years of listening to them call me everything from abomination to a pervert for preferring men, I believe they are a threat to my husband."
"I see." The detective wrote something down on his note pad. "I'll certainly mention that in my report. If he attacked your husband because you are gay, he can be charged with a hate crime along with his other charges."
"If it will keep my husband safe, by all means, do whatever you have to. Keeping Delancy safe is the most important thing here."
"Is that why he has a bodyguard?"
"There are two reasons for that," Alejandro replied. "Yes, I was worried about what my family might do, but I never expected Dante to show up here. I figured they would just hire some thugs to take us both out."
Detective Waterston gave us both a critical eye. "That's a mighty big accusation, Mr. Díaz."
"I've had years of experience dealing with these people. If you don't do what they want, they either blackmail it out of you or beat it out of you, and they do not like to lose."
"And the other reason?" the detective asked.
"I have a lot of money, Detective, as does Delancy's grandfather. That puts a target on his back for kidnappers, and I'm not going to allow anyone to take my husband from me."
"Understandable, but—"
"Alejandro!" someone shouted from the crowd on the other side of the police tape.
I didn't recognize him or the man standing next to him, but Alejandro seemed to. He waved his hand to the police officer standing by the tape. "Let them through."
"You know Mr. D'Amato and Mr. Cranston?" the detective asked.
"Yes," Alejandro said. "We frat brothers. We attended the university together."
The detective sighed as if someone had just stolen his puppy and then snapped his note pad closed, sticking it back in his pocket. "Of course you did."
"Jake, Miles, sorry about the bad timing. Our meeting is going to have to be put off a little. Someone attacked Delancy."
"Oh, jeez," the black-haired man asked as he looked at me. "Are you okay?"
"I am," I replied. "Thank you for asking."
"Miles," Alejandro said to the other man, "maybe you can help us out here. The man that attacked Delancy is my half-brother Dante."
"Dante?" Miles asked.
Alejandro nodded.
"I didn't even know he was in the city," Miles said. "Why would he be coming to your house? Dante hates you."
I loved the way the man's words were backing up the story Alejandro was spinning. He must have called them before he arrived and let them know what was going on.
"You've seen this?" the detective asked.
Miles nodded. "Dante was with his grandfather when they paid a surprise visit back in our university days. They caught Alejandro in an uh...compromising position with another guy. It didn't end well."
The detective glanced at Alejandro. "Might I ask what happened?"
"My grandfather yanked me out of the university and took me home. After having a few of his guys beat the crap out of me, he put me to work as a bodyguard, which is why I am in New York City now. I'm opening my own security firm."
I gasped. "He beat you?"
Alejandro grimaced as if he had a bad taste in his mouth. "My family is not real understanding about alternate lifestyles."
"I think I want to take them off the Christmas card list."
