Page 8 of Brokered Betrayals

Once Lola left, Royce leaned closer to him. “I could’ve really used a cookie.” He sounded frazzled, and Sawyer turned to him in concern. The short drive from the precinct hadn’t allowed much time for conversation, but Royce had seemed to be in a great mood.

“Rough day?”

“Nah,” Royce replied. “I just like to rile you up.”

Andrew flopped down into a chair and crossed his beefy arms over his chest like an overgrown toddler. “I wanted a cookie.” The amount of petulance he injected into his voice made them laugh, and Sawyer’s anxiety lessened even more. “I’m a big boy now. I can eat a cookie before dinner.”

“And I’m a hundred months pregnant with your baby,” Kelsey told Sawyer. “I wanted two cookies.”

The relief Sawyer felt moments before dissipated, and his knot of tension tightened again. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to act as the group representative. Maybe I’m more nervous than I realized.”

He liked to think he was in control of his own destiny, but this process reminded Sawyer that he was often just a passenger in his own damn life. But not a princess kind of passenger. He was more of a backseat driver. Royce’s hand found his under the table and squeezed. Such a slight gesture shouldn’t have a large impact on his mood, but it did. No matter what they faced, Sawyer wouldn’t do it alone. He met Kelsey’s soulful brown eyes, and her expression said, “I’ve got you.” As he exhaled, Sawyer pictured his negative thoughts leaving his body along with his breath.

“I’ll go ask Lola for some cookies,” he said.

Kelsey reached across the table and took his hand. “Honey, I was just teasing. Sugar is the last thing I need right now. I had two cupcakes this afternoon.”

Royce sat up straighter. “At work? Did someone bring in cupcakes?”

Shrugging, Kelsey said, “I think it was someone’s birthday because there were dozens of cupcakes in the break room.”

Royce looked at Sawyer with an outraged expression. “They forget about us basement dwellers at the precinct. No one thinksof calling downstairs to let us know there are sugary confections available.”

Sawyer worked his bottom lip between his teeth. “Ummm.”

Royce gasped as dramatically as a telenovela actress.

“Escandalosa,” Kelsey declared as Andrew laughed.

“The betrayal,” Royce agreed. “You knew there were cupcakes upstairs and didn’t tell me.” Royce narrowed his eyes and studied Sawyer’s expression as he tried not to give in to the laughter building inside him. Then Royce leaned forward and sniffed Sawyer before widening his eyes. “You ate cupcakes without me?”

Sawyer slumped his shoulders and gave Royce his best sad puppy expression. He’d seen the gesture work for Dolly a hundred times. “I assumed you’d already ferreted out the sugar and carbs by the time I stumbled onto them,” Sawyer replied. “And you were busy training the substitute instructors who are filling in for you during paternity leave.”

Royce’s brow shot up. He was not about to let this go. “You don’t think Blue, Katie, and Diego would’ve enjoyed a cupcake?”

“That you have to train three people to fill your shoes says it all,” Sawyer replied. “No time for cupcake breaks.”

Kelsey gave the response a slow clap. “That’s a Royce Locke level of bullshit right there.”

Sawyer puffed out his chest and gave a mock bow. “Thank you. I have a dedicated instructor who is thorough and sexy as hell.”

Narrowing his eyes, Royce said, “I’m not sure if I’m proud or disturbed. You didn’t blink or even pause before you uttered such tripe. It just rolled off your tongue so easily.”

“Imagine the habits he’ll pick up from you after twelve weeks of paternity leave,” Andrew said. “You’ll barely leave the house for the first six weeks. So much togetherness.”

Kelsey snorted and pointed across the table at Royce. “You think he’ll stick out the full twelve weeks?”

“Hey!” Royce protested.

Kelsey shifted her finger to Sawyer. “And you think he’ll allow it?”

“Hey!” Royce repeated.

Andrew and Kelsey locked gazes and conducted an entire silent conversation in a matter of seconds before bursting into laughter.

“I give it eight weeks before Royce climbs the walls,” Andrew said.

Kelsey shook her head. “Nope, he’ll paint them or tear them down in the name of renovation by the end of six weeks, and Sawyer will give him the boot.”