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“More than most.”
“Do I want to know how you two know each other?” He arched a brow at me, the corner of his mouth ticked up in a smirk.
“Down killer. I used him on a few cases. That’s all.” And he saidIwas jealous. Jeez. Now that I was mostly feeling better, we were back to that whole pot/kettle thing.
Kai opened the door with a dazzling smile. Wearing a formal black-and-white ensemble, topped off by black headphones, he either looked like he was a waiter or going to prom. The black cat ears and fingerless gloves really pulled the whole thing together. “Bennett! I can’t believe it. I got your message and I said to myself ‘Kai, darling, I told you not to worry. He would never cast you aside and find someone new. See? Good things come to those who wait.’ So where have you been? It’s been ages. Don’t tell me you went straight.”
“I’ve been busy,” I replied flatly. Normally I didn’t mind his faux-English accent or his cattiness — no pun intended — but my head was throbbing. I blamed the rapid pressure changes thanks to the flight.
Kai’s almond eyes narrowed as he took a step closer, zeroing in on my face. I mean, it was pretty hard to miss. The bruises were obvious, as were the scabbed-over cuts. “Oh, yes, I can see. Did you forget your safe word?” He turned to Leander, giving him a sweeping look. “You look like you can wield a paddle with some authority. Who might you be, handsome?”
“None of your business,” I interjected. “All you need to know is he’s not interested. Besides, crowbars are more his thing.”
Leander’s lips twitched, ever so slightly, when he slid his gaze in my direction.
Kai clutched the black collar on his throat, the tiny silver bell jingling. “Oh, my. I havesomany questions now.” I didn’t appreciate the repeated once-overs he was giving my husband, but before I could say anything, he refocused his attention on me. “Are they dead? The people who...?” He pointed at my face, waving his finger in random zigzag motions.
“Two of them are. I need to know who’s pulling the strings.” I slipped the burner phone out of my pocket and held it up. “Can you do anything with this?”
Snatching it out of my hands, he turned it over and over like it was a rare treasure. “Only one way to find out.” He pirouetted before slinking off back into the apartment.
I fished Leander’s hand out from where it was folded against his chest and held it, leading him into the apartment. I knew he constantly questioned himself, trying to decide when to show scraps of public affection and when to be wholly reserved. If he couldn’t tell by now, Kai was the absolute least of our concerns when it came to judging sexuality.
Leander pulled away regardless and started nosing through Kai’s haphazard bookcase. It was crammed with as many books as it was notebooks and random computer parts. “How, exactly, did you two meet?”
“The asshole hacked my bank account.”
Leander shot me a curious look, his brows lifted.
“I know. It surprised me too.” I chuckled, holding my hands up in defense. “But I figured a guy like that was someone I should play nice with. Once we came to an understanding, we’ve had a very pleasant working relationship.”
Kai returned with an armful of gadgets. Sweeping a pile of graphic novels out of the way, he dumped the electronics onto the coffee table. He’d lost the headphones, but the cat ears were still firmly in place. “If, by ‘understanding,’ you mean you threatened to cut my balls off, then yeah. It’s been great, bruh. Really appreciate the Christmas gifts every year.”
Leander raised his brows at me again.
I shrugged and smiled innocently, easing into the oversized chair across from Kai. When Leander walked by, I grabbed him by the hips and pulled him down onto my lap. He shot a look over his shoulder, which I promptly ignored. Even though he didn’t relax,at all, I kept my hands on his hips.
“How long is this going to take?” I asked, shifting to one side so I could see what Kai was up to. “I’ve got a masseuse scheduled at five.”
“Shit, darling, bring her here.” Kai wired up the phone to a small box, which he then hooked into his laptop. “I could use with a little relaxation.”
“Mexico wasn’t refreshing enough?”
Kai looked up, eyes wide. “How do you know about Mexico?”
“The tequila on the counter,” I replied, cocking my head. God only knew what nefarious activities he’d been up to. Judging from his reaction, I probably didn’twantto know — from a legal standpoint. “It’s from that from that little place outside Guadalajara, right?”
A throaty laugh escaped him while he shook his head, literally waving away whatever concern he’d had. “You always did know your alcohol.”
“It’s one of my many talents.”
Leander snorted, but refrained from commenting.
“Something to add, husband?” To punctuate my question, I squeezed his hip bone. He squirmed and elbowed me in return, still keeping his remarks to himself.
Kai’s attention snapped up again, a smile stretching across his face. “Husband? You guys are married? Aw, that’s awesome!” He threw the laptop to the side and darted across the loft to the kitchen, snagging the bottle of reposado. “We’re definitely having some now.”
“It’s really not necessary,” Leander demurred.
