Page 14 of Tied Over

“Excellent,” Becker said, and I understood right then that it was Becker who’d made the call on the change. “And I put Fullerton on leave until we can determine if any other equipment in his care was not tested.”

Since I never wanted anyone to get in trouble for something I did, I said, “Oh, I’m sure the earpiece was just a one-off and that—”

“You could have been killed,” Becker said flatly. “Had your regular partner not been able to back you up, without even knowing precisely where you were, our boss would probably be having a horrible conversation with your sister instead of standing with you now.”

I glanced at Kage, who arched an eyebrow, then back at Becker, who was shaking his head. They both looked less than impressed with me trying to make excuses for Adam Fullerton. And of course they both knew about my little sister, who had taken over my late aunt’s ranch and turned it into an animal sanctuary. It hurt for a second, thinking of Lisa getting that call about me in her farmhouse kitchen, with her husband and boys all around her. It would break her to lose me, and I never wanted to do that to her.

“Yessir,” I agreed with Becker.

“So yes, the person in charge of overseeing the equipment that all our people depend on to keep them safe will, in fact, be investigated for negligence.” His dark eyes, which I’d never really noticed could bore into my soul, were on me. It seemed like he was expecting a response.

“Yessir,” I repeated.

“And Callahan, who saved your life today, will be reinstated as your partner.”

Saved my life was laying it on a bit thick.

“That’s all,” Kage grumbled and then left us, striding back down the hall with Becker on his right.

“Gee, that was fun,” I groused at Ian.

“Never talk,” he told me. “Really. Whenever Kage says something, just agree. Your life will go so much smoother.”

Once Ian was gone, Bodhi smacked me hard in the gut.

“The fuck,” I whined, bending over a bit because that shit really hurt.

“You never go anywhere without me,” he stated firmly, making sure we were both clear.

“Yeah, well,” I said with a sigh, “I was thinking you might wanna stay with Yamane in case you don’t come back.”

“What?”

In his defense, I hadn’t said everything at an audible level. Everything after the well had been whispered under my breath. “Nothing.”

“Come back from what?”

Unfortunately, the man had ears like a bat.

“Jed?”

I exhaled sharply. “I just thought maybe you might not come back after you got married, and if that were the case, then it wouldn’t make sense to switch back when it was all so close to happening.”

His brows, more ash blond than dirty blond like the rest of his hair, furrowed slowly. What was interesting was that his lashes were gold. Lots of beautiful shades going on with him that always caught the sun.

“Have you lost your fuckin’ mind?” he yelled.

Not exactly what I was expecting.

“You always think for some stupid-ass reason that because I minored in art in college, that somehow, I’m not as invested as you.”

“I—”

“You would think after five years you’d get that being a marshal is my calling and that I’m not giving it up for anything, no matter what anyone says!”

I had a feeling we were no longer talking about just me.

“I need some support from you here, yeah? I need my partner to have my back in all things,” he said firmly. “In. All. Things.”