in his drawings to remind himself to never trust anybody. Someone else told me it was because Will’s best friend had put a knife to his neck and almost slit his throat.” I didn’t know how legitimate it was, but it would kind of explain why he’d been so fucking edgy all the time.
Ry leaned his hip against the desk and scribbled something onto the notepad. “Were you friends?”
“With Will? Absolutely not. I was into art and super impressed with his work, so I talked to him a lot. But he creeped me out, and he never taught me anything, no matter how often I asked.”
“What else can you remember about him?” He looked at me with so much hope in his eyes, and I hated to disappointment him but there really wasn’t much more.
“Franklin Park… Ugly goatee. Scar.” I pursed my lips and tried to dig up any other memories. “He said he hated modern art but everyone says the same thing at some time in their career.”
Ry chuckled and set down the pen and paper.
“Any other associates? Anyone one else you can name who had anything to do with him?”
“Sorry. That’s all I can remember.” A surge of guilt pulsed in my guts. I remembered so much about my time on the streets, I could recall the faces of every kid I’d done it rough with, but I genuinely couldn’t remember a single name. I’d left them behind when I’d gotten swept up into the good life by Matt. Got lucky. Got out. It was unfair and I knew it.
And I felt bad I couldn’t help him more, but Ry swept me up into a tight hug and kissed me firmly on the mouth. My knees threatened to buckle but it didn’t matter—he held me tightly. I kissed him back as I swooned and he moaned into it, then pulled back and beamed at me.
“Thank you.”
There was so much gratitude in his voice I felt strangely embarrassed.
“Of course. I wish I could help more.” I smiled but couldn’t meet his eye, so I watched my fingers as I ran them through his chest hair instead.
He tilted my chin with a firm finger and looked deep into my eyes. “I have to call my superior. But thank you. So much.”
“You’re thanking me for snooping now?” I smirked cheekily and got a chuckle out of him before he kissed me again, grabbed his recording, and fished a phone out of his desk.
“Yes, you now have a free pass to snoop all you like.” He grinned as he held the phone to his ear. “This won’t take long. Stay?”
I glanced at the door but my heart was already thumping out a hard ‘yes’. Of course I’d stay. As if there was anywhere else I’d rather be than right where he was.
18
Ryland
I paused at the threshold between the hallway and the living area and watched Brax in wonder. It was two hours after I’d asked him to stay—talking to my supervisor had spilled into a series of calls to the entire team. It hadn’t exactly been the quick call I’d promised, but he was still here. Making sandwiches with his headphones on. Shimmying to the beat. Looking gorgeous with his hair up and in his outfit from the night before.
Hunter had been particularly shocked to learn it was Brax who had given me the lead, and I’d caught the pinch in his voice when he’d told me to thank his brother for the information. He didn’t sound happy. Not pissed, but certainly not his usual chill attitude, either.
Ah, well, he’d have to deal with it. I was too ecstatic about the break in the case—and the man who had led me there—to care much about cushioning my partner’s feelings. Brax had given us more in one day than we had found in four months of chasing Monet. It made me a touch embarrassed about my investigative abilities, but most of all it gave me a little thrill of confirmation—like the universe was saying yes, Brax was in my life for a reason.
He bent down to scavenge through the condiments at the bottom shelf of my fridge, and I watched as his ass stretched his tight pants. Sure, he was fucking hot. But the way I’d woken up … I’d been tingling all over and feeling amazing until I realized he wasn’t in bed. I’d assumed he’d left already and while I was hurt, I knew I had no right to feel disappointed.