Page 3 of Zero Divergence

“Me next,” Brianna said, slipping into his arms. “You scared us to death.”

“I’m sorry,” Sawyer replied, patting her back.

Brianna stood back and looked up at him. “Don’t do it again.” She turned and pointed at Royce. “You either.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Royce said. Sawyer regretted not witnessing the waiting room introductions between Royce and the rest of his family.

“Everyone else is in the living room or on the back patio,” Mom said. “Go make yourself comfortable, and I’ll make a plate of your favorite foods for you.”

“Extra macaroni and cheese,” Sawyer said over his shoulder.

“There he is,” Dad said, rising to his feet. “How’s my favorite son?”

“Dad, I’m sitting right here,” Killian said dryly.

Baron Key squinted at his son. “What’s your name again?”

“Ha ha ha,” Killian retorted, ducking when their dad moved to scrub his knuckles over his brother’s head.

His mom’s heart was in the right place, but Sawyer felt awkward as hell. More than a few of their friends had shown up. All the detectives in their unit plus their spouses had stopped by to welcome Sawyer home and offer their support while he continued to recuperate, including Commissioner Rigby and Sherry. It meant the world to Sawyer that he worked with people who cared so much, but he was exhausted and incapable of making small talk by the time their guests started to leave.

Sawyer noticed Rigby lingering at the door having a private word with Royce before following her wife outside. Sawyer’s family, Holly, and Jace were the last to leave. Holly leaned down, kissing Sawyer gently on top of his head.

“You call me if you need anything, okay? That includes straightening this one out.” She pointed at Royce in case Sawyer needed clarification about who “this one” was.

“Sure thing, Holls,” Sawyer said, smiling up at her.

His father practically had to drag Sawyer’s mother and sister out of the house. “We’re just a call away, Son. Get some rest,” he called over his shoulder.

“Thanks, Dad.”

Then the front door shut, and silence descended on the house. Royce sat beside him on the couch, resting his head back against the cushion.

“How long before our boy comes out of hiding?” he asked.

“It could be five minutes, or it could be five hours, depending on his—”

Meow.

“Where’s my boy?” Sawyer cooed, which Bones hated more than strangers in his house. Sawyer couldn’t help it, though. He’d never been away from his cat for so long and had missed him like crazy.

Bones leaped onto the back of the couch and stalked across it to reach Sawyer, pausing to sniff his bandaged head. As if he sensed how badly Sawyer still hurt, the enormous feline didn’t climb onto his human servant’s chest like he usually would. As much as Sawyer would love to have the weight of Bones in his arms, feeling his purrs vibrating against his chest, he couldn’t risk a claw in his healing wounds. Bones rubbed his head against the uninjured side of Sawyer’s face, letting his human know he forgave his absence.

Beside Sawyer, Royce kept dodging Bones’s swishing, bushy tail. “Why is he sticking his ass in my face and pummeling my head with his tail?”

“He’s blaming you for the extra people in his space. The tail action is code for gird your loins, dickhead.”

“Great,” Royce said dramatically.

“What did Rigby want?” Sawyer asked, lacing his fingers through Royce’s.

“Franco Humphries is walking out of jail a free man on Monday morning at eleven o’clock.”

“Fuck,” Sawyer moaned. Royce had repeated the conversation he’d had with Rigby about Humphries’s pending release, Marcus and the confession tape Royce hadn’t yet listened to, and even the status of their partnership on the force going forward. “What did you tell her about us?”

Royce’s brow went up. “I didn’t confess the many ways I plan to defile you after you take a nap.”

“I don’t need a nap.” God, it sounded like heaven though. “You also know that isn’t what I meant. I told you it’s okay if you want a different partner. Maybe it’s healthier for our relationship if we—”