Page 310 of Good Boys Don’t Bite

“I know.”

“I might still tell Vance.”

A pause. Then:

“I know.”

Ronan studied him.

“You mean that?”

“No.”

The answer surprised him. Elliot swallowed.

“I mean I know you might. I’m not okay with it.”

“Better.”

“I’d probably beg.”

“You already told me.”

“I’d be good at it.”

Ronan snorted.

“I seriously doubt that.”

“You underestimate me.”

“Unfortunately, I think I’ve been doing that for a while.”

Elliot’s smile faded. Ronan immediately regretted the sentence. Not because it was false. Because everything truthful hurt now. Elliot moved closer. Stopped.

“Can I?”

Ronan looked at the space between them. Then opened his arm. Elliot came immediately. Head against Ronan’s chest. Arm around his waist. Careful of the stitches. Ronan rested his hand in Elliot’s hair. This position. The photograph. Someone had watched them like this. Listened to them. Catalogued them. Turned private moments into evidence. Ronan’s jaw tightened. Elliot felt it.

“What?”

“Saint.”

Elliot went still.

“He heard us.”

“Yes.”

“Maybe watched.”

“Yes.”

Ronan looked toward the smoke detector now sitting dismantled inside an evidence bag downstairs.

“I want him gone.”

Elliot lifted his head. The look in his eyes made Ronan immediately realize how that sounded.