Page 72 of Sticks and Stones (FBI Romance/Thriller #65)

Condo

Fifteen Minutes

Later

W hen the Fed got out of the shower, and found his lover gone, at first, Gene was worried about him. It wasn’t until he went out to the living room and found a note on the coffee table next to their work laptops.

As soon as he read it, honestly, Gene wasn’t surprised that his man was out doing something for Corbin.

Ethan might be quiet, and seem aloof, but he had an amazing heart, and a great capacity to love.

Knowing where he was helped him calm the hell down.

As for him going out alone…

It was normal for Ethan to run out on a Sunday morning and get them breakfast. Before coming to Philadelphia , he did it all of the time.

Only, when he got back from this little trip, they were going to have to talk about that.

With Javier Hughes likely getting out on bail tomorrow, the last place he wanted Ethan was wandering the streets.

They were back to locking down to stay safe, until the man went to court to be convicted of the LONG list of charges against him.

So, as he waited for Ethan to return, he started making notes, and plotting out their day. It was going to be about re-tracing Corbin’s steps with the homicide case.

While months had gone by, and the trail was likely cold, what they needed was just one little thread to tug.

If they found it, that could catch a killer.

Because what this person was doing was homicide. He was sending men out, drugged, abused, and filled with a narcotic that was lethal.

Taking away their control, and their ability to make decisions was disgusting, and after last night, with just a micro-dose of Snow, he saw how dangerous it would be having that here.

Hopefully, they got this stopped, and it was finished on its very short run here in America.

They were going to talk to all three witnesses who lived with the men, or near them. Since it was a Sunday morning, and relatively early, they likely would still be home.

It was door knocking time.

When he heard their door opening, he knew who it would be.

His sexy man was back.

“EJ?” he called, needing to make sure he was safe, and he hadn’t been worked over by Will. He was pretty sure they were public enemy one in his book.

Hearing his name, Blackhawk peeked out from around the corner.

That’s when he warned his man.

“Don’t be angry with me,” he said, catching Gene off guard.

He lifted a brow.

“Uh, why would I get angry with you? Did you get me low-fat cream cheese on my bagel?” he asked, not quite sure where this was going.

Ethan stared at him like he was insane. That was his first thought?

A bagel topping?

“First, why would I do that? I don’t want you losing weight. I like you big and bulky. In fact, I got extra, extra, extra cream cheese, and second, with this city, that’s where your head went first? Breakfast?”

Gene couldn’t imagine what the problem was then. While Philly was a minefield, how much trouble could Ethan get into with Javier Hughes still locked away?

“Okay, I’ll bite. Why am I going to be…?” he began, and stopped when Ethan stepped out with Will.

Well, that answered that.

He knew he was going there, but he had no clue he was going to bring him back.

“Oh, boy,” he said, getting it now. Someone was trying to get in trouble.

The whole time, Ethan kept his arm around Will’s shoulders.

“Hear me out,” he said. “Corbin isn’t thinking straight, and you’ve always told me that when someone is on a collision course with a wall, sometimes, it’s best to intervene so they don’t knock themselves out.

You’ve also told me love heals everything, and that it can work miracles.

I’ve seen it do that with me, and I want to make sure we make up for our mistake of letting the baby detective out of our sights. ”

He lifted a brow.

“And that’s our mistake?”

Ethan went there because they’d made a few since coming here. First was not babysitting, and the other dealt with the man’s relationship.

“We told Corbin not to get married for a while, and that threw off the balance of fate. So, I’m making that right, and not really interfering now.

It’s more like…getting things back on track by bringing Will here.

Also, Will is going to watch him while we’re out.

Greyson isn’t around right now, and he needs company. ”

Gene explained.

“Greyson has to clean up something at the office. He’s not available unless we’re not able to handle something. He’s likely updated Gabe, and is running interference for us.”

Blackhawk suspected as much. As for interviews, they could handle that part alone.

Only now, Ethan had to know.

“How pissed is Corbin going to be, and are you angry with me for getting involved?”

Yeah, his man had a huge heart. Honestly, when he was showering, he’d been thinking about a way to get Corbin to stop hiding and talk to Will.

His partner just beat him to it.

He smiled.

“EJ, I’m not upset. The ‘oh, boy’ was more because Corbin is going to be pissed that we interfered. He told us not to, so buckle up for that.”

Ethan would take the anger if that was what happened. This felt right.

“As for you telling Will, and bringing him here, I planned on going to his place and giving him my key to the condo when we headed out. How can I blame you for interfering when that was my intent?”

Both men relaxed.

“He needs you, Will,” Gene admitted. “The bottom line is he’s stupid in love with you, and mourning having to set you free so that you can have a chance in life. He was trying to put you first, so don’t be angry with him.”

Will would do what it took, and knowing why he did it helped him not be angry.

“I love him, and I’m not letting him break up with me,” he stated. “My mind is made up. I won’t let him shove me out of his life.”

That’s what they needed to hear.

“Can you handle him while we work his original case?” he asked. “We handled the people who hurt him. Now, it’s about the ones who were found dead.”

Will nodded.

“I won’t ask how they were handled, but I hope to God that it was painful, bloody, and you left pieces of their dicks all over the goddamn place. Better yet, I hope you cut them off and fed them to them.”

Gene stared at him.

“Counselor, that was…something.”

He laughed.

“I can’t help it. I’m particularly bitchy when someone hurts the man I love. Oh, and by the way, he can’t propose to me,” he stated.

They stared at him.

“Why?” Ethan asked.

To show them, Will reached into his pocket and pulled out a little black box.

Oh, they all knew what that was.

When he flipped it open, inside were two rings. Both were gold, and in the metal, there were two stones embedded for each of their birthstones.

It looked like Corbin wasn’t the only one who moved fast, and knew it had been love at first sight.

He explained.

“Because I planned on proposing to him. I bought these a week after we started dating. On New Years, I made my resolution. It was to be married to Corbin by Christmas.”

Gene grinned.

“Do it,” he said. “You two are meant to be. You’re both thinking about the same thing.”

Yeah, he planned on it—once he got Corbin to understand that they were meant to be.

Will tucked them away.

“I’ll keep asking,” he said. “Even if he tells me no, I’ll keep asking him every day until I wear him down. I won’t give up.”

That was the best thing they’d heard all day.

“Well, he’ll wander out of his room a little later. There’s aspirin on the counter, food in the fridge, and if he needs to eat, cut it up for him. He’s awkward with a broken arm. His jaw is sore, and his teeth…”

Will stopped him to clue him in.

“I’m taking time off this next week. I’ll get him to the dentist, and I’ll make sure he gets to any doctor’s appointments he needs. You guys do your thing, and now, I’ll do mine. I’m on soon-to-be husband duty,” he said with so much determination that both men believed him.

Oh, and hoped he pulled it off.

Will was curious.

“Can I stay here with him?” he asked. “If no, that’s okay. I can be here each morning.”

Ethan stopped him.

“You may have to sleep on the couch. He might not want you in bed with him yet. He reacts differently each time he falls asleep. Like now, he’s alone and hiding to regroup.”

Will reassured them.

“I’ll sleep on the floor in a corner on rocks that were just on fire for him. I can sleep anywhere as long as I get to be with him.”

Then, that was what they needed to hear.

“Our casa is your casa,” Gene said, gathering up his things. “Oh, and if he gets bitchy and asks how you got here, don’t tell him us. He’s spicy when he’s in a mood,” he joked. “You broke in,” he added. “In fact, you scaled the building, or used your superpowers to fly in.”

Will winked at him.

“Don’t worry. I’m a master burglar. I broke in.”

They knew he wouldn’t believe that, but it would be funny to hear Will tell him that.

Since it was time to get ready, Gene pulled on his jacket, tucked his gun and badge onto his hip, and put one of the Glocks on the table. It was the unregistered gun that they’d been given last night. Since they didn’t use them, they didn’t have to lose them.

Yet.

Who knew when they’d come in handy?

“Do you know how to use a gun?” he asked.

Will nodded.

“I do. I’m not a good shot, but I can hit something coming at me.”

That’s all they needed. While Corbin should be safe, since the bikers were contained, they didn’t have a clue who was behind this.

“Keep the door locked, and if Alice and John show up, DO NOT let them in. Corbin doesn’t want to be clucked over by his mother hen. That will make him REALLY bitchy.”

He got it.

Pills.

Food.

Babysitting.

Check, check, and check.

“I got it,” he said.

When the two men headed out. Will sat down on the couch, and waited while he drank his coffee.

There was a ‘come to Jesus talk’ on the schedule, and it was going to be one where Corbin realized the biggest lesson of his life.

Will was never leaving him alone.

Again.

Oh, and that they should start planning a wedding sooner, rather than later.

* * * Blackhawk & Cantrell * * *

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