Page 24

Chapter 23

G ordon hadn’t been sure about what to do after they’d visited Dr. Jackson’s home. He’d just seen her, had grown to like her professionalism and skill, and now she was… He didn’t dare think it. She’s fine. She will be fine. We’ll find her.

It had still been early in the day after their crime scene walk, early for Gordon at least, and Maxim had sent them to 43 Ruthaven on some vague Heath will take care of you business.

Adler parked in the no parking zone in front of the building like the badass detective Gordon was beginning to think he was.

“Power of the badge, huh?” Gordon asked as they got out of the car.

Adler shrugged. “I know the guy who owns the place. Don’t imagine me parking here will bother him much.”

“Right.” Gordon looked up at the tall skyscraper. “We met here.”

“You ran away from me here,” Adler countered, following Gordon toward the doors and through them.

Just like the last time Gordon had been here, the foyer was cool despite the sunlight coming in through the glass facade. He admired the plants with their lush, dark green leaves all over again, though a part of him had to wonder if he, too, would own a whole-ass building if and when he grew to Maxim’s age.

“I won’t run today. But you need to teach me about going undercover.”

Adler chuckled as he followed Gordon toward the front desk, the werewolf’s hand warm on Gordon’s back. “We’re not really going undercover. We’ll just go to that club and observe, maybe see if Maxim’s presence shakes anything loose.”

“Oh. Okay. Well, that works. I can shake stuff loose.”

Adler gave him a slow once-over. “Hmm. You sure can.”

As they approached, Gordon recognized the man behind the lobby desk. He was in the same green blazer—the same uniform—he’d worn back that day, and he smiled the same pleasant smile.

The elevator further back in the lobby opened, and a tall man stepped out, walking toward them with purpose. Heath had light brown hair he kept perfectly coiffed, short though mussy. His eyes were blue rather than green, but he shared his father’s determination, the set of the shoulders maybe. Unlike Maxim, he wore a fancy business suit that fit him like a second skin.

“Detective, doctor,” Heath said. “Welcome back. Maxim said he was, and I quote, ‘going to indulge your shenanigans at that club’ before showing everyone his nice sword, which he means literally, thank fuck.”

“Right,” Adler grumbled.

“We just want to help,” Gordon said.

Heath shrugged. “You probably will. The old bat is many things, but—not sure whether you could tell or not, subtle isn’t one of them.”

“Maxim can be subtle,” Green Blazer said. Gordon had clear forgotten his name.

Heath blew a raspberry.

Gordon noticed Adler frowning at Heath, and the werewolf’s hand tensed at Gordon’s back. Why does it feel so normal to have him touch me like that?

“You only ever dress up if you want to cosplay, right?” Heath asked Gordon.

If Gordon were human, he might have blushed. “I don’t really cosplay. I just go to thrift stores and see if there’s anything that fits, and I got a really nice wig online for my Mini Huntress outfit, so—”

“Mmm-hmm.” Heath narrowed his eyes, looking and sounding more judgmental than any fan judges Gordon had ever encountered at a con. “That’s the problem. You cosplay. Bryan?”

“The twenty-first floor is where we store clothes for when they are needed. There are a few things there I think might suit. Will the detective need a shirt?”

Heath tapped a long finger against his chin as he looked Adler up and down. “Maybe he’s less distracting with one on. If we want him less distracting that is. Not sure we do.”

“Uh,” Gordon said.

Adler cleared his throat. “Excuse me, but what kind of club are we going to?”

Gordon elbowed him. “You do look good without a shirt. Or with one. Whichever. You look good.”

Adler’s eyes flicked to Gordon, a near feral expression on his face.

Heath tapped his foot before grinning at the two of them. “Fuck me, but the old bat got it right this time around. Can you believe that, Bryan?”

“Personally, I think if you’re selflessly aiming to set someone up with someone else, good things will come of it. It’s like clearing the sidewalk in front of a neighbor’s house from snow during winter. Kindness that births kindness.”

“Yeah, I struggle to believe it myself.” Heath snapped his fingers. “You two, follow me. We’re getting you ready to explore the Red Clover.”

“I still want to know what kind of club that is,” Gordon asked.

“Doesn’t matter, sweetheart. I’ll take care of you wherever we end up.”

Adler’s arm went around Gordon’s waist on the way to the elevator, and once they got in there with Heath, the werewolf had Gordon pressed close against his side.

Gordon stepped around the room divider wearing the pants and shirt Heath had handed him with instructions to put them on.

“You know, I don’t really tell people I cosplay, and I don’t really consider myself a cosplayer,” Gordon said, fidgeting with a button on the lacy black shirt.

Adler growled at him, and Gordon flinched. He almost stumbled forward into the standing mirror that dominated the small and overstuffed room in what looked like a normal apartment in terms of layout. The place was just storage though.

Adler’s hand came around Gordon’s forearm to steady him. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I love that you cosplay. You have to show me. You can wear that wig for me sometime.” Adler winked at Gordon. “But you can’t go to a club wearing this.”

“Huh?”

Heath came back into the room with two more clothes bags over his arm and one in his hand.

“He’s afraid of how good you look. You’re tapping into your twink energy, and Mr. Mighty Werewolf can’t handle the stranglehold that look has on his balls.”

Adler growled again, this time at Heath.

“My twink…his balls?”

Heath nodded. “Common issue with werewolves. They’re powerless to twinks.”

“I am not,” Adler grumbled, crossing his arms and looking contrary.

Heath gestured, tossing the clothing bags over the room divider and unzipping one. “Take your pants off, detective.”

“I really don’t think I qualify as a twink. I own more than one bone saw.”

Heath chuckled, pulling something that looked suspiciously like a corset from the depths of that bag. “Did you hear that, detective? He has teeth.”

“He’s smart. And beautiful,” Adler said, looked at Gordon, and licked his lips. “Sweetheart, please understand. I would never order you to wear anything or not to wear anything. But, uh. This is very, very sexy on you, and—well, it’s only just past the full moon, and my alpha would want me to explain to you that this still makes me a touch possessive, that I don’t mean to use possessiveness as a weapon, but given the time of the moon, it’s an instinctual reaction to not want other people to see you like this. Looking all sexy and soft and…uh.” His nostrils flared. “My balls are fine. And all yours.”

“Why in the fucking hells do you have to say that while I’m still standing here?” Heath asked. “So cheesy. Makes me want to pour acid down my ear canals.”

Gordon smiled. “I don’t think it’s cheesy at all. Heath, do you have a sweater or something I can wear over this?”

Heath looked at him aghast while Adler visibly relaxed. “A sweater ? You’re not going undercover at a fucking golf club, Gordon.” He held out the corset thing to Adler, who didn’t move an inch to take it. Heath sighed. “Fine. I’ll go find you something. And the next time Maxim orders a makeover, he can damn well do it himself, see how he likes dealing with tense werewolf balls. I’m not your fairy godmother, godsdamnit.”

Adler took the offered change of clothes, and Heath headed back to the other room.

Adler drew Gordon into a hug. “Thank you. And I mean it. It’s a moon thing. But you are really, really beautiful. And if you want to, I can help you cosplay. Not just in the bedroom.”

“I have vampire hearing, you two kinky assholes!” Heath hollered from the next room.

“You know, you do have the right build for Kawaii Demon Hunter.” Gordon pressed his forehead against Adler’s. “And cosplaying is serious. We can’t do that in bed.”

“Lalalala!” Heath blared.

Adler grinned down at Gordon. “Fine with me. I can think of so many other things to do with you. Just, let’s get this day over with first, okay?”

“Let’s find Dr. Jackson,” Gordon agreed, letting go of Adler so he could change as well.