Page 45 of Fire and Smoke (Nothing Special #9)

Ramon Vasquez

Vasquez parked his battered sedan behind the precinct and went inside as inconspicuously as he could.

Once he finished in the locker room, he realized his uniform shirt was wrinkled and his pants could use a good wash.

His eyes felt grainy, lids heavy, his head aching.

He sat at the check-in desk, punching the same ten keys on the computer over and over, trying not to imagine God lurking around every corner.

Did he kill Day? Did he get arrested?

He jolted when a soft but deep voice spoke above him.

“Hey, handsome.”

He glanced up. And for a second, the gray precinct seemed to lighten.

Joshi stood there, leaning on the edge of Vasquez’s desk, grinning.

His dark hair was slicked back, perfectly in place. His shirt was crisp white with thin stripes of sky blue, and his blazer probably cost a month of Vasquez’s salary.

But his favorite was that Joshi smelled like clean soap and a spicy cologne that made him dizzy.

Vasquez felt a grin try to sneak across his face before he smothered it.

“Joshi. Uh. Hey.”

“You can call me Kiran if you want.”

“Okay, my name is Ramon.”

“I know.” Joshi smiled.

Vasquez felt like an idiot.

“So did you think any more about my offer?” Joshi asked, eyebrows lifted.

He frowned. “Offer?”

Joshi leaned closer, voice low. “Dinner, beers, conversation…alone.”

His face flushed, and he was sure it glowed red under the harsh lighting.

Joshi’s smile turned wicked. “You’re sexy when you blush like that.”

Vasquez scrubbed a hand over his jaw, mumbling, “I’m not blushing.”

Joshi licked his lips and Vasquez found he couldn’t turn away.

“You are, and I like it.”

He ducked his head like a shy man-child.

He didn’t understand. He’d always been able to shoot his shot when he saw someone he wanted. Regardless, he was typically shot down… But he’d never been afraid of chasing a hot ass.

But with Joshi, he became a fucking forty-two-year-old virgin.

“So, I can’t stay long and probably won’t even get a chance to grab a bite in the breakroom. I’ve got a crazy night ahead. A desk full of paperwork and bureaucracy bullshit.”

Vasquez cleared his throat. “What department are you in, anyway?”

Joshi stood straighter. “Auditor. Commissioner’s office.”

Vasquez’s heart hiccupped.

An auditor. Christ.

Joshi’s grin softened. “Relax. It has nothing to do with your department.”

He figured as much. Admin staff wasn’t shit and too low on the totem pole to worry about.

Joshi reached into his satchel and pulled out a small plastic Tupperware.

“Here,” he said. “I made this. Italian hoagie, extra meat. I like that you like my food…no one else does.”

Vasquez was stunned. His stomach let out a monstrous, echoing growl that had Joshi’s eyes widening.

Joshi laughed gently. “You may need to take a couple of bites of that now.”

Vasquez lowered his eyes. “I, uh…I overslept, so I missed dinner.”

“I put my number in your phone,” Joshi said. “Now the ball’s in your court.”

Dammit.

Vasquez no longer had a phone. God had smashed it. And since he didn’t have insurance, he wouldn’t be able to replace it anytime soon.

“Can I get it again? My screen got cracked, and I gotta get it fixed.”

Joshi pulled a business card from his wallet and scribbled a number on the back.

Vasquez took it as if it was a priceless relic. There was nothing on the front of the card except Joshi’s name.

No department, title, email, or office phone.

Joshi leaned forward, mouth near Vasquez’s ear. “I really hope you’ll say yes to that dinner.”

Vasquez could only nod, throat too tight for words.

They both jumped at the same time when a loud, anger-laced voice hollered his name.

“Vasquez! You fuckin’ piece of shit!”

He saw Day first, eyes brimming with fury. Behind him, Ruxs and Green fanned out on either side, tall, broad, and radiating menace like the hired muscle they were.

Oh no.

Before he could react or bolt, Ruxs launched at him, hooking his arm, grabbing his collar, and yanking him over the front of his desk.

It was so fast and violent that Vasquez hit both knees on the edge of the counter, making it feel like they’d been dislocated.

Ruxs flung him sideways right into Green, who drove a vicious punch into his gut.

Vasquez folded over with a choked gasp, arms clutched around his middle as the air whooshed out of his lungs.

“What the hell are you doing, lieutenant?” Joshi hollered.

He hoped Joshi didn’t jump into this. He didn’t want him hurt. Ruxs and Green worked together like a professional wrestling tag team. Most didn’t stand a chance against them.

Green twisted his arms behind his back in a hammerlock and pivoted, slamming him face-first into the side of the desk so hard he saw flashes of bright lights behinds his lids.

“Fuck!” He gasped, eyes watering.

“Hey! Get me some help over here!” Joshi yelled.

Nobody moved. Cops and admin staff stood frozen, eyes wide, some half-heartedly lifting phones to record and probably show to the ones who’d missed it.

Ruxs dipped low and surged forward, shoulder-checking him square in the ribs.

The last of his air exploded from his lungs as he was slammed to the floor, arching the moment his back connected.

Ruxs yanked Vasquez off his feet and flung him toward his partner as if he was throwing a bag of garbage down a chute.

As if Green had been tagged in. He planted his feet and landed a vicious backhand across his mouth, snapping his head to the side, making a fine mist of blood spray from his mouth.

Before Vasquez could even drop, Ruxs grabbed a fistful of his uniform and hauled him back upright.

Green grinned coldly, shifted his weight, and hit him with a savage uppercut that cracked his chin and almost lifted him off the floor.

Vasquez collapsed in a boneless heap, eyes glassy, blood dripping from his lip and eye onto his uniform.

“Back off! Or I’ll have your goddamn badges!”

Joshi was standing close as if trying to protect him, but there was no stopping the freight train that was God and Day’s enforcers.

Day stepped forward, looming over Vasquez like a judge in a courtroom. He grabbed a handful of his hair and yanked his head back until their noses were inches apart.

Day’s voice was grated and lethal. “Stay the fuck outta my department. And the fuck outta of my marriage . You hear me?”

Vasquez tried to speak, but nothing came out.

Day’s grip tightened as if he could rip him bald if he wanted.

“It won’t be long before I nail your snitchin’ ass to the fuckin’ wall. I know you’re dirty. And I’m gonna make it my life’s sole purpose to prove it.”

Day flung him back to the floor, as if he was offended he’d even had to touch him before he walked away.

“Don’t move.” Joshi squatted near his head.

Vasquez stayed limp, dazed, staring past him.

Joshi pulled out his cell phone. “I’m calling their captain. You’re pressing charges on those assholes.”

“No,” Vasquez grunted as he struggled to get up.

When he stumbled, Joshi put his arm under him and helped him stand.

Joshi glanced around with an enraged expression. “You all witnessed that, right? I’m gonna need you all to make statements.”

The crowd of officers dissipated. Some murmured awkwardly as others just drifted away as if they’d wanted no part of him.

Nobody would make a statement, just as they hadn’t lifted a finger to help.

Vasquez wasn’t surprised. He was alone and always would be.

Joshi’s voice trembled. “Ramon… Are you okay? You really should press charges. That was assault—”

Vasquez wiped the blood from his split lip, and flexed his jaw, hoping it wasn’t broken.

Maybe Day had intended to have it wired shut.

“’M fine,” he mumbled.

He rotated his arm, wincing. Thankfully, nothing felt broken. His ribs were probably bruised all to hell, but he’d heal.

Then he saw it, Joshi’s Tupperware open on the floor.

Meat and lettuce were scattered across the dirty tiles. Oil and vinegar seeping into the gray cracks.

For a moment, that sight hurt worse than the punches.

That had been made especially for him. Not to mention he’d needed that meal.

Joshi slammed his hand on the top of the desk.

“Fuck that. I’m going to their captain right now.”

He turned and strode away too fast for Vasquez to stop him.

He stood in place for a long time, staring at his ruined sandwich.

Finally, he swiped a few paper towels from his desk and began quietly cleaning the mess.

Not a word escaped his lips.

I have to get my dad and me as far away from here as possible.