Somebody to Hold (Tyler Jamison #2) - April Wilson Page 0,26

be his new plaything.

Honestly, I’d rather die than let him touch me. But it’s not that simple. Tyler’s freedom is at stake.

My phone rings, and I glance at the screen. It’s Brad again. This time, I pick up. “Stop calling me.” And then I end the call.

Immediately, my phone rings again. Jesus, he doesn’t know when to quit. I answer the call. “I mean it. Stop calling me.”

“Or what? Are you going to call the police?” He laughs. “Why don’t you just tell your boyfriend, Ian?”

When I don’t reply, he scoffs. “You’re not going to tell him, and we both know it. No, you’re going to do whatever the fuck I tell you, and you’re going to enjoy it. Aren’t you? Because if you don’t, I’ll file a police brutality report against your cop. Is that what you want?”

I don’t answer him because it’s pointless. He’s never going to back off.

“Do you want him to go to prison, Ian? Is that it? Surely you know what happens to cops in the prison system—he’ll have a target painted on his ass. A gay cop? He’ll end up being someone’s bitch. So look at it this way… he’s going to end up fucking around on you. So you might as well beat him to it. Meet me at your boat this afternoon. If you don’t show, I’m going straight to the police station to file a complaint. This is your last warning.”

As the line goes dead, I drop down onto the sofa, feeling sick to my stomach. I can’t bring myself to give in to Brad’s demands. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself, and it would break Tyler’s heart if he found out. And he would find out. He’s so perceptive, he’d realize something was wrong.

It’s almost noon, and I know I can’t sit at home all afternoon and worry about whether or not Brad will follow through on his threat.

I call my sister, who picks up right away. It’s her early day. She should be done with classes by now.

“Hey, Ian.” She sounds breathless. “What’s up?”

“Why do you sound so winded?”

She laughs. “I just jogged down three flights of stairs. I’m at school.”

“Will you be done soon?”

“I just finished my last class for the day. Why?”

“Do you wanna go see a movie with me?”

“Right now?” She sounds both surprised and excited. “Sure! I’d love to. I’m heading home now. I’ll meet you there.”

Yes, I’m a coward.

I’m going into hiding—at a movie theater. Someplace where Brad won’t find me.

I grab my keys and wallet and head out to the carriage house.

* * *

Layla and I decide on a rom-com because we’re both suckers for romance movies with happy endings. I drive us to the theater in my Porsche, and we make Sean sit in the cramped rear seat.

We park and enter the movie theater, a disgruntled Sean trailing behind us. I think he resents the fact that I insisted on driving, but there was no way I’d ride in the Fiat with Sean behind the wheel.

Before we reach the ticket counter, I tell Sean he doesn’t have to come in with us if he doesn’t want to. “You can sit in the lobby if you want or see a different movie.”

“No way,” he says. “I’m sticking with Layla.”

“Suit yourself.”

I purchase our tickets and we walk into the auditorium. As it’s still early afternoon, there aren’t a lot of people here, so we find great seats.

Sean parks himself in the next row back, directly behind Layla. Then he ignores us while he plays games on his phone.

Normally, I’d applaud him for his professional dedication—for refusing to leave Layla—but the truth is, I’m not impressed. And neither is my sister.

While we’re waiting for the movie to start, Layla catches me up on the latest in her classes. One o’clock is fast approaching, and my phone continues to vibrate with reminders from Brad.

Brad: You’d better be here

Brad: I’m at the marina. Where r u?

The messages keep coming.

Even with my phone silenced, Layla can hear the vibrations. “Who keeps texting you?”

I shrug. “Nobody important.”

Just as the movie is about to begin, I turn off my phone and stick it in my pocket. For the next two hours at least, I can try to forget about Brad.

Chapter 10

Tyler Jamison

After spending the entire morning working on the Jenkins case, I return to the office to write up my notes and see if anything new has come back from forensics. They did get a partial set of