Demon's Trust (The Chronicles of Arcayos #1) - Raven Dark Page 0,74

to take the men for booking, the other to get the woman’s statement. As soon as they’re gone, we make our way down the alley, back toward the bank.

“Well, that was a hell of a first day,” Arcayos says in a laid-back voice I will never get used to. His face is lit up with an ear-to-ear grin. “How’d I do for my first arrest?”

“Not bad, Rookie,” I tell him, clapping him on the back. “Don’t get a swollen head, though. It’s only your first day.”

“Ha. Don’t try so hard not to sound impressed, Cassidy.”

Leading the way back to the Junk Pile, I shake my head. I’d been so worried that he’d make a terrible cop. Now I see I have a whole other problem. Haakon Gunderson is going to make a hell of a cop, which means not only am I stuck with him, but he’s not going anywhere any time soon.

We return to the station after our shift, close to six that evening. It’s been a long day, and my feet are aching so badly they feel like they’re going to fall off if I take one more step.

We spent two hours waiting for a witness in the Mancini case, Rafael Fernando, who never showed, but that’s where the easy part ended. Four hours of canvassing door to door in Ho Dan followed, looking for witnesses in a rape and murder, coming up empty. At least we didn’t run into anything dangerous. Well, no more dangerous than an old lady who threatened to sic her dog on us. Still, by the time we show up at the stationhouse, I’m beat. Arcayos, no surprise, is smiling his big, charming smile, not a platinum hair out of place.

God, he smells good, like fresh coffee and spice and male.

We walk in to cheers and pats on the back and congratulations from the squad, shoulder shaking and backslapping for the kidnapping we stopped.

Jesus, they’re treating him as if he just stopped the end of the world.

“Good job, Hawk,” Colburn says, coming down the hall from his office and standing at my desk, coffee in hand. “The woman you guys rescued already told us to thank you two.”

“Thank you, Captain,” Arcayos says, setting the case files we took with us on the desk.

“She acted like you’re the second coming,” Julie says with a smile from the coffee area. “Cass, you lucked out, getting paired with him.”

The way she winks tells me she’s referring to more than just how good he is at taking down bad guys.

“Thanks.” I can’t keep the flatness from my voice. She scrunches her brows, but I ignore it.

The captain gives me a nod and heads back down the hall. “Don’t use this as an excuse to slack off, kids. And keep it down in here. I’m trying to work.” He shuts his office door.

“She said you took those two guys down almost single-handedly,” Ryan says from beside Louie, grinning. I notice he’s talking more to Arcayos than me.

“Better watch it. You’re making the rest of us look bad, buddy,” Louie adds teasingly.

Arcayos gives him a smile that, on Hawk’s face, manages to look embarrassed and boyish despite his hard features and size. He says nothing and gets himself a coffee. I join him.

“That’s not hard,” Max adds, looking over at Louie. “I’m guessing you don’t move like you used to with those extra pounds.”

Julie whips a crumpled-up case sheet at his head with a livid glare.

Louie says zilch, ignoring Max but focusing too hard on typing up a report. Ryan gives him a reassuring look and shoots a death stare at Max.

“I notice you never say shit like that when the boss is around, Max,” I point out, stirring cream and sugar into my coffee.

“Guys, don’t make a fuss out of it. It’s no big deal,” Louie grumbles.

Arcayos had opened his mouth, but he snaps it shut when Louie speaks, his jaw tight enough to crush stone with his teeth. The cheap cup in his grip crunches, spilling hot coffee all over the back of his hand.

Julie gasps and starts to get up. “Oh, Hawk, you okay?”

I tense. His hand isn’t red. The hot liquid left not a mark. Arcayos hisses and shakes his hand. He sucks the coffee off his skin, giving me the barest glance of warning.

“I’m fine,” he tells Julie, grabbing a napkin and dabbing his hand. “Hardly felt it.”

I let out a silent sigh of relief. Only I would know he was telling the truth,