Stacking the Deck - Charlie Cochet Page 0,71
even reached the door. It swung open, and a bed-rumpled Joker with hair sticking up all over stood in a faded AC/DC T-shirt and black boxer-briefs.
“What happened?”
Jack grunted as he stepped around him and headed straight for Sacha’s bed, falling face-first onto the warm sheets. The door to the bedroom closed and a cold nose pushed against the hand Jack left dangling over the side.
“Jack?”
“Someone set fire to Fitz’s salon.”
“What? Is Fitz okay? Shit, no, of course he’s not. Where is he?”
“He went to stay with Laz and Red.”
Silence.
The bed dipped and a hand landed on his head, followed by a knowing sigh. “I’m sorry, man.”
“He needs time to process all this. Poor guy’s been through more shit in the last month than most go through in a lifetime, and all because he made the stupid mistake of being my boyfriend.”
“I’m all out of cake.”
Jack frowned. “What?”
“For that pity party you’re throwing.”
“Fuck off,” Jack said with a chuckle as he petted Chip. “I’m tired, Sacha.”
“Get some sleep, then.”
“You know what I mean.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean. You were in a car accident tonight—”
“Technically yesterday.”
The bed shifted and the lamp turned off. “Don’t make me tell Chip to sit on you.”
“Might help loosen some of the knots in my back.”
Joker chuckled, the bed moving as he settled in next to Jack. They’d been sharing beds since they were in high school, so Jack didn’t so much as blink when Sacha lay down next to him.
“Val working on it?”
“Yeah. He called Fitz, and I spoke to him. He was there when we arrived, and we filled him in on what’s going on. I know it’s them. I just don’t get why all the cloak-and-dagger bullshit.” Jack rolled over to face Joker. “If this person is obsessed with me, why not approach me? Since when is attempted murder and arson a better option?”
“You’re thinking about what a rational person would do, and we’re not talking about a rational person here. To them, this behavior makes perfect sense. They wanted your attention and they got it. My guess is they were hoping Fitz would be out of the picture by now.”
“They might just get their wish.”
“You really think so?” Jack couldn’t see Joker’s eyes, but he heard the concern in his best friend’s his voice.
“Wouldn’t you?”
“I wouldn’t, but that’s me. If I loved the guy, nothing would stop me from being with him.”
Chip whined and Jack huffed.
“No. You do not get a snack just because you’re awake. Go to sleep. Ooh, look at him giving me the stink-eye.”
Jack chuckled. He patted the bed and smiled when Chip jumped up and lay on Jack’s feet. He wrinkled his nose and squirmed when Chip licked the bottom of his foot. “Your dog has a foot fetish,” Jack teased.
“My dog is a dog. Licking things is what dogs do.”
“Chip, go give daddy a kiss.”
The bed shook as Chip scrambled on top of Joker, who tried to stop Chip from licking his face.
“Oh my God, no! Gross! Chip, no!”
Jack chuckled and fell asleep to the comforting sounds of Sacha cursing him and arguing with his furry friend.
Nine
Four weeks.
It took four weeks for Fitz’s salon to be released back to him, and only because King put in several calls to the insurance company. Val’s investigation confirmed arson. Someone had launched a Molotov cocktail through Fitz’s salon window. The breaking glass had set off the alarm, but the sprinklers had been disabled.
For days after the salon was released, Fitz stayed away from it. He couldn’t stand to go in and see the charred remains of his blood, sweat, and tears. It could have been so much worse, but that didn’t mean the damage hadn’t hurt his soul, especially knowing it was because some sick bastard had taken offense to his being with Jack.
Jack…
Fuck, he missed him, which was ridiculous because he talked to Jack almost every day, but he hadn’t seen Jack in days, hadn’t kissed him, touched him. Jack was determined to find whoever was responsible, and to make matters worse, they had a tropical storm moving in. Ah, the joys of Florida in the summer.
“It’s going to be okay,” Laz promised him, handing him a cup of chamomile tea.
“Thanks.” Fitz’s phone rang, and he picked up, his heart skipping a beat at Jack’s smiling face popping up on his caller ID. “Hi, Jack.”
“Hey, sweetheart. How are you?”
“Okay. One sec.” Fitz motioned to Laz that he was going outside to talk. Sliding open the condo’s glass door, Fitz