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asphaltcowgrrlTitle: Cops and Rubies Chapter 8 (Epilogue)
Fandom: Romani Detective Original Fiction
Pairing: Andrej Zeklos + Zayne Reyes
Rating: NC-17 for a bit of mind-wandering.
Word Count: 4,260
Summary: Now that the case is closed and the bad guys are locked away, Reyes and Zeklos must find a way to get back to normal.
Author’s Note: Well, here we are, Pismo Beach and… wait, no. Wrong story. Anyway, we’ve reached the end of what constitutes my first mystery/police procedural. I hope you’ve enjoyed. And, if you have, there is a sequel in the works (one I promise to get back to as soon as I finish my bingo card).
Continued from here.
A handsome, dark-haired man lay at his side, one large hand splayed across Zek’s middle, the other tucked under his perfect, sleeping face. Andrej allowed his fingers to trace the curve of the strong jaw, dappled with a light covering of midnight stubble, contrasting sharply with the smooth, caramel colored skin below. His slumbering lover’s breathing was easy, the steady up and down of his chest lulling Andrej into his own dreamland. But no, he wanted to watch for just a little while longer, to absorb every last detail of the moment and etch it permanently into his memory.
The loud knock startled Andrej out of a half-sleep he hadn’t remembered falling into. Disoriented, he fought to sit up, the last vestiges of the dream skittering away into the ether. Hating whoever had disrupted his sleep, he took several long, deep breaths, trying to adjust to the sudden waking state.
More than anything, he fought to push the lingering dream inspired feelings of joy aside, to forget they had ever existed. Although Zeklos refused to admit it, even he knew that the mysterious dream man strongly resembled another good looking, raven haired man he knew all too well.
Zayne.
Struggling to his feet, Andrej staggered to the door and peered through the peephole, spying his partner pacing on the other side. Reyes was dressed in work clothes, so he must’ve come directly from the precinct, but the reasons for the visit were unknowable. Zeklos did not like it when he didn’t know what he was up against.
“What on earth does he want,” Andrej muttered to the empty room. Running a hand through his hair, he pulled the door open and forced a smile to his face. As much as he wanted to see his partner, he wasn’t sure he was ready for it now, so soon after the dream he’d woken from. It was all too surreal. “Reyes. To say this is a surprise would be an understatement.”
“Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence there, Zek,” Zayne teased, pushing past the Romani body blocking the entrance. “I came by to see how you were doing and to take you to lunch. If you’re up for some food.”
“Come on in,” Andrej muttered, looking down at his rumpled pajama pants and bare feet. An old and worn rugby tee he’d had since before he’d arrived in the states was covering his top half. He needed to get rid of it, but it was one of the few pieces of home he still possessed and tossing the shirt out had been harder than he’d expected. Although he had no idea regarding the state of his hair, Zek knew it wasn’t pretty and that he was in absolutely no shape to leave the house. Trish would have labeled him a ‘hot mess’ at this point and she’d have been right.
He was also slightly humiliated by the fact Zayne was even seeing him looking so… rumpled.
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” Zeklos hedged, trying to come up with a believable excuse, something other than ‘I look like hell’ and ‘please don’t look at me’.
“Aw, come on,” Reyes sighed, plopping his rear onto Zeklos’ couch, making himself at home. He crossed one long leg over the other and relaxed back into the cushion. “It’s been four days, the drugs have to be out of your system by now, even if the department is making you take more time off. I’m here to save you from yourself.”
“Do I look like I’m presentable enough to be seen in public,” Andrej tried a second time. He gave his clothing a vague wave for emphasis.
Zayne narrowed his eyes and gave Zek a lingering appraisal that heated the Romanian’s insides near to boiling. “Not really, but it’s nothing that a shower and clean clothes won’t fix. Now scoot.”
The lazy shooing motion Reyes was making with a hand was beginning to frazzle Zeklos’ last nerve. He didn’t like being stranded at home – unable to work, incapable of even driving to the store until the doctor gave his okay – and it was about to send him over the deep end. Desperately, he wanted to get out of the damn house and have an actual conversation with someone not in the medical field, but was this the best option? Probably not, but currently it was his only opportunity.
Scratch that, Zeklos knew it was the worst possible choice considering what he’d said while under the guidance of Antonio Simon’s drugged wine. All the feelings he’d managed to keep under wraps for years had gushed right the hell out of his double-crossing mouth and into the open. Not just for Reyes to hear either, but also for the ears of Maxwell and Rollins and god only knew how many others. Everything he’d ever felt for Zayne over the years had spilled out of him into that room full of cops. It was not his proudest moment, high as Mt. Everest or not.
However, Zek knew Reyes to be a stubborn ass when he set his mind to something and that left him without any recourse. Either he got in the shower and prettied himself up enough to fit in at the diner around the corner or he spent the afternoon with Reyes lounging on his couch. Under different circumstances, having Reyes – flat on his back and naked – anywhere in his home would be appealing. But not today. He looked towards the couch and got a pair of green puppy dog eyes in return. “I give up, you win. Give me twenty minutes to clean up.”
“Make it snappy, baby, I’m starving,” Zayne called after Andrej’s retreating form.
Zeklos didn’t let his guard down until he was locked behind his bathroom door. He’d secured the door to the master bedroom as well, just in case Reyes decided to hurry the process along by harassing Andrej while he was in the shower. He wouldn’t put it past Zayne to come storming into the bathroom, knocking on the glass door and yelling at him to get a move on.
Another filthy visual rose unbidden at the thought of Reyes watching him through steam fogged glass, naked and dripping wet. Zek would be honor bound to invite his partner inside, to join him under the hot, damp spray. Andrej blushed fiercely at the intensity of his physical reaction and prayed for strength. There wasn’t any getting over that asshole, it seemed.
Sighing, Andrej looked into the mirror and grimaced. Wild corkscrews stood out all over his head and his face was pale from lack of sleep. Purple smudges rested under his eyes, which seemed a lighter shade of their usual blue. He’d had more than a few late nights since the case had wrapped.
“God, you’re a mess, pull it together,” he scolded himself. “He’s not worth all this unhappiness.”
Discarding his sleepwear in the hamper, Zeklos climbed under the warm water, tilting his head forward and soaking his unruly hair. Nothing short of a haircut was going to make any real difference, but this wouldn’t hurt either. The last four days had been a misadventure, between doctor’s appointments and visits from the girls – each taking longer than necessary to tease him about being separated from his one true love – and he wasn’t sure how much of this isolation he could take.
It had been the longest four days in his life, or so it had felt. Andrej wanted nothing more than to be able to get back to work and do something. The doctors and the department be damned.
Then there was Zayne. Handsome, unobtainable, pigheaded Zayne. Andrej still had no idea how he was going to broach the subject of the things he’d said and done while on the Heartbreaker case with his partner. The smartest thing to do would be to ignore it, but Zeklos didn’t want his situation to come between them. Allowing it to fester and build so that it could explode when he least expected it wasn’t an attractive proposition. He’d rather carry a private misery than allow his affection to split up the best team the city had.
Once he’d washed his body and tamed his hair as best as he was able, he threw on a clean pair of jeans and a sky blue button up, opting, for the first time in his life, to not tuck in his shirttails. Reyes would be scandalized and more than likely would also tease him, but Andrej couldn’t be bothered to care. Even though the drugs were out of his system and the effects had passed, he still possessed a lingering fatigue that he was having trouble shaking. The doctor said it was normal and to give a few days and he’d be fine. But so far, he hadn’t seen any improvement. Giving the mirror one last glance, he pronounced himself as presentable as he was going to get.
Reyes pulled into the diner and looked over at Zeklos. “You gonna make it through lunch, buddy? You’re looking awfully pale.”
“I’ll be fine,” Andrej said, trying to play off his exhaustion as being less than it was. “The doctor said I’d have some lasting tiredness for a few days, after having been hit with such a large dose of that stuff. It’s still bad, but better than those first couple days.”
His partner was giving him a look that said Reyes didn’t believe him, and Andrej couldn’t blame him for doubting. The weariness was only part of his unwillingness to do this right now. Why couldn’t Reyes have given him a week or two to get a game plan together? Or even a few days to get his damn head on straight would have been nice.
“I worry about you,” Zayne said, voice quiet and eerily serious.
“I’m fine, you don’t have to worry,” Andrej replied, wary of his partner’s sudden concern and a little unnerved by his caring tone.
Sighing, Reyes climbed out of the car. “Maybe, but I still do. You’re my partner and my friend and… never mind. Let’s go eat.”
Andrej watched Zayne through the windshield, wondering if he should stay in the car or follow. Curiosity won out and he pulled himself from the passenger seat and trailed his partner into the restaurant.
“And what,” Zeklos asked, taking a seat across from his partner, not ready to let this go quite yet.
“And nothing,” Reyes said, pushing the conversation aside.
“But it isn’t nothing,” Andrej insisted. “Is it?” It wasn’t like Reyes to skirt any issue and that he was doing so now put Zeklos on edge.
“No,” Zayne admitted. “But it doesn’t matter either because it doesn’t change anything. It never will.”
Shit. Andrej knew what ‘it’ was because ‘it’ happened to be his big, stupid, idiotic mouth. “Look, about that, I –”
“You were under the influence,” Reyes said, picking up his menu and studying it like it held the answers to life, the universe, and everything. “I get it. And I said it wasn’t going to change anything and it won’t.” He lowered his menu enough to look over the top of it and catch Zeklos’ gaze. “Not unless you let it.”
Zeklos’ heart stuck in his throat. He’d been worried all along about how Zayne was going to react to the things he’d said while he’d been drugged. Anger, wariness, even disgust were all expected, but this? This wasn’t. Acceptance was not something he thought Reyes had to give, not after the aftermath of that last dinner with Antonio Simon. Although Zek never thought his partner would ever hate on him for being who he was, it also didn’t mean Zayne would like it, either.
“I don’t want it to come between us,” Andrej confessed, “but I’m terrified that it will always be at the back of your mind. I’m afraid that if I look at you wrong or touch your arm for longer than I should that you’re automatically going to assume I’m hitting on you. It’s making me a little crazy thinking about it.”
“Stop worrying so much, Zek,” Reyes said, kicking his foot under the table. “We’re good together, have the best solve rate in the city even. I’m not letting a handful of innocent, heartfelt words come between us. You’ve never crossed the line with me or anyone as far as that goes and I don’t expect you to start now. Okay?” He looked up at the waitress who’d appeared by his side and turned on the patented Reyes charm. “Can you give us another couple minutes, sweetheart? We got to gabbing and haven’t had a minute to look.” She nodded, giving Zayne a warm smile, and left to check another table nearby.
Reyes was pointedly ignoring the fact that more than a few ‘heartfelt words’ had passed between them. It was curious that he wasn’t even going to address the kisses, despite his assurance that Zek hadn’t ever ‘crossed a line’. As far as Andrej could guess, tonguing your partner’s tonsils crossed at least a few lines. Those of propriety and personal space came readily to mind. A change of subject was in order if he were to make it through lunch without having a breakdown. “How deep did you have to dig for that southern boy act there,” Zeklos teased, having loved every lazy, drawn out syllable.
“Not far,” Zayne laughed. “Honestly, it’s rather hard to hold it down most of the time.”
Relieved that Reyes accepted the sudden change of subject, Andrej relaxed a little. “So why do you bother?”
Reyes gave a half shrug. “Unlike you, people hear my accent and they automatically deduct IQ points. It’s hard to be taken seriously when people think of you as a redneck.”
He could understand that. “That’s one of the biggest reasons I left my homeland.” It wasn’t something that was easy to talk about, but it seemed like it needed to be said all the same. Rebuilding broken bonds or something like that. “My people aren’t very well liked anywhere in Europe and we’re treated worse than most minorities here in the US. But Americans are fascinated by the Romani so they’re more curious than suspicious.”
“I had no idea,” Zayne said, thoughtful.
“Read a book sometime, Reyes,” Zeklos said, finally picking up his menu for the first time since sitting down. “Or a newspaper. And don’t feel bad, most people don’t have a clue.” Looking to change the subject yet again, he shook his menu. “Anything good here?”
“The burgers,” he responded, as expected. “But also the chicken noodle soup. It’s the best I’ve ever had. Oh, and you’ve gotta try the Dutch apple pie, it’s to die for.”
Of course it was the burgers that drew him to this place. And the pie. It’s always the pie with this one.
It had taken a couple months, but the girls had finally stopped referring to Reyes as his boyfriend. Zeklos had to admit, he had mixed feelings about the entire situation. While, on the one hand, he’d loved the thrill of hearing that word in reference to his partnership with the tall Texan, but on the other, he knew it was a sham and that stung. Having known all along that Reyes’ tastes fell firmly in the other direction, it left him in a sort of limbo that he wasn’t sure how to cope with.
The faux boyfriend in question sat at the desk across from him, head down, studying a case file. Zayne was as handsome as ever and it stung to look at him. And yet, Zek couldn’t stop himself from sneaking a glance every chance he got. Dark brows over bright green eyes. That obstinate cowlick that Reyes couldn’t ever quite tame. Coffee colored skin that only got darker as the summer moved on.
Andrej’s mother had told him many times during his youth that he was a masochist – that he’d stick with something until he either fixed it or it destroyed him. Zek hadn’t ever quite grasped what she’d meant until he’d met Zayne and now, he understood it all too well. Painfully so.
“You swore an oath that you weren’t really in love with me,” Reyes said, without taking his eyes off the file on his desk. “But if you continue to stare at me like that, I’m going to drag you out back for a secondary interrogation. I can break you, you know.”
He did know because Reyes was one of the best interrogators Zeklos had ever worked with. It made Andrej wonder if it was wrong that his cock got hard at the thought of Zayne questioning him. One on one in interview room three, the one at the back of the hall with the broken camera would be ideal. Those strong hands slamming on the table in front of Zeklos, that honeyed, Texas drawl clawing at his insides as Reyes demanded the truth…
Maybe it wasn’t so bad to be turned on by the idea, but having made a detailed action plan for it wasn’t exactly good either.
Andrej shifted in his seat and caught Reyes smirking at him as he did. Zayne had shown incredible restraint in regards to teasing him since Zek had returned to work, but sometimes, like now, a simple look said it all. Zayne knew exactly what kind of power he held over Zeklos and he was saving it for a time when he needed to cash it in. And that was the thing that worried Andrej late at night. Because Reyes would not hesitate one second.
“How many times do I have to tell you that it was the drugs?” Zek pushed his hair back off his face. It was getting to a point where he was going to need yet another haircut, even though Trish had complimented him on the mess earlier and begged him to let it grow. She said it was sexy and he thought she was nuts. He’d have to ask Hilary her opinion later.
“Until we begin to believe you, Andy baby,” Hilary said, sliding her rear onto the edge of his desk.
“Is there a reason you’ve parked yourself on my work,” Zeklos asked, looking up into her cheerful face. As much as she still loved to poke fun at him, Hilary was one of the brightest spots in his days.
“Yes, so Trish can sit on Zayne’s.” She thrust a thumb over her shoulder indicating her partner taking a seat.
“What I think he meant was, is there a reason why you two are here disrupting our discussion?” The women glared at him and he grinned back, unafraid of their combined ire.
“Discussion?” Trish’s eyes flared wide. “Sounds more like you two were planning a very kinky date. I heard ‘interrogation’ in there somewhere. Also something about breaking Zek in? Tsk, tsk. Cops really are the freaks of the sexual world, aren’t they?”
Unfortunately, conversations like this hadn’t ceased once he and Reyes had made their peace. The girls weren’t nearly as willing to let go as Zayne had been, the jokes were too good and plentiful. Considering neither had as much time or energy invested in the boys’ continued partnership, it was only natural that Trish and Hilary would be more willing to drag out Zeklos’ humiliation a bit longer. Andrej made a point to be very careful of what he said around them, although Reyes wasn’t nearly as concerned with his phrasing. “Please, just get to the point,” Zeklos begged.
“Hookay,” Hilary said. “So, just heard back from the prosecutor on our robbery case and they managed to connect Simon and LaRoux to at least fifteen other cases of larceny at the Heartbreaker.”
“That’s amazing news,” Reyes said, grinning broadly. “They won’t be seeing the light of day for a long time to come.” He lifted a hand up for a high five.
Zeklos looked at the hand for a moment before indulging his partner in a little celebratory antics. It was good news, despite all of the foul ups and missteps along the way, because they’d done their jobs and now the bad guys were going to go to jail. “Thanks for the update, Maxwell. Feels good to know we’ve done something good for a change,” Andrej said.
“Aw, isn’t he cute with his idealism. You’d think he was fresh out of the academy with an attitude like that.” Trish blew him a kiss and took off for the break room.
“Speaking of cute,” Hil said, throwing a paperclip at Reyes. “You owe me something from last week. It’s time to pay up, Cowboy.”
Reyes blinked before his eyes lit with remembrance. “I do, don’t I? Same time and place?”
“You bet,” she said before slipping off Andrej’s desk and strutting off to find her partner. “See ya, lover boy.”
“Well, that was cryptic,” Zeklos muttered, feeling a mite uncomfortable. “And yet, so very obvious at the same time. How do you two do it?”
Leaning across his desk, Zayne grinned. “We made a bet and I lost. Now I owe her… a favor.” He chuckled, low and deep. “And she’s hinting that it’s time to own up, too.”
Zeklos’ gut twisted. There was only one thing Zayne could possibly mean by that – sex. As much as Andrej adored Hilary, having her and Reyes together again was a messy prospect, and not just because of his own jealous heart. Zayne had a tendency to overshare in all of his personal relationships and Zek was far from ready for another round of ‘Friday Night Recap’ every Monday morning. “Really, Reyes, you can keep that kind of thing to yourself. I do not need all the details. Or any of the details, really.”
A throaty rumble of laughter fraught with deeper meaning filled the air. “Oh admit it, you love hearing about my plans,” Reyes teased, punctuating the joke with a wink. “You just wish you were part of them.”
Zeklos muttered in his native tongue, swearing he’d never fall for another smart mouthed, handsome cowboy ever. Maybe, just maybe, if he said it often enough, he’d start to believe it himself. It was doubtful, but a boy could dream.
“You might want to check yourself, gypsy boy,” Zayne said, drawing the file back into his line of vision. “That new girl down in forensics, the cute one with the freckles? She speaks your language. And I’ve told her about you.”
Zek snapped his mouth shut at this news. “Well, I suppose I need to find this young thing and introduce myself to her. It’s been a very long time since I’ve spoken with anyone in anything other than English. Well,” he said, flicking a glance at Zayne. “At least, no one that’s understood me, that is.” And that in itself was a blessing. He had a bad habit of saying in Romanian all the things he couldn’t ever utter in English. Andrej was going to have to be more careful in the future.
“You are something else, Zeklos. Now, you want to hear about this new case or not?” Reyes’ green eyes landed on Zek, capturing him for the duration.
“Depends,” Andrej said, tapping his fingers on his desk, watching the fluorescent lights reflect in Reyes’ deep green eyes. “Does this one have anything to do with sketchy hotels that cater to an even sketchier clientele?”
“Nope, just a dead body found out near the lake,” Zayne confirmed. “Pretty standard.”
“Any drugged wine or annoying perky blondes?”
“Negative,” Reyes said, waiting for the inevitable acceptance. “At least, so far. No promises on the future.”
“Count me in,” Zeklos said, holding out his hand for the file. “Give me the details.”
“Don’t know much so far, just a body pulled out of Lake Mead early this morning by some idiot fisherman. Thought he’d hooked a big one, I guess. Corpse had one GSW to the head and hands tied behind his back. No wallet, no distinguishing marks.”
As per usual, there wasn’t much to go on. Just once, he’d love a criminal to leave a fingerprint or some clue to send them in the right direction. “Any leads or theories,” Zeklos queried, scanning the information in the file the captain had left.
“Just that there’s a possible drug connection, judging by the manner of death. I’ve sent a request down to narcotics for some additional information on known dealers from the small time to the bigger fish.”
That wasn’t good. Drug related cases were the worst and often the most dangerous. “We’ll have to be on our toes until we know what we’re dealing with,” Andrej reminded his partner. “So, what next? The marina?”
Reyes nodded. “To the marina. Bring a loaf of bread, I hear the ducks out there are cray-zay.”
“I hear they’re partial to cheese popcorn,” Zeklos laughed, grabbing his suit jacket and slipping it on. “But some stale bread might do nicely.”
“Will you quit planning lunch for the ducks and carp and get a move on?” Reyes stood, tapping his foot impatiently. “We’ve got work to do.”
Holstering his gun and checking for his badge, Zeklos shook his head. One thing was for certain: things were as good as they ever were between himself and Reyes. It made him wonder why he’d ever worried that anything as strong and stable as their partnership might change because of a few words.
Oh, and three passionate, glorious, unexpected kisses. But who’s counting?
Fandom: Romani Detective Original Fiction
Pairing: Andrej Zeklos + Zayne Reyes
Rating: NC-17 for a bit of mind-wandering.
Word Count: 4,260
Summary: Now that the case is closed and the bad guys are locked away, Reyes and Zeklos must find a way to get back to normal.
Author’s Note: Well, here we are, Pismo Beach and… wait, no. Wrong story. Anyway, we’ve reached the end of what constitutes my first mystery/police procedural. I hope you’ve enjoyed. And, if you have, there is a sequel in the works (one I promise to get back to as soon as I finish my bingo card).
Continued from here.
A handsome, dark-haired man lay at his side, one large hand splayed across Zek’s middle, the other tucked under his perfect, sleeping face. Andrej allowed his fingers to trace the curve of the strong jaw, dappled with a light covering of midnight stubble, contrasting sharply with the smooth, caramel colored skin below. His slumbering lover’s breathing was easy, the steady up and down of his chest lulling Andrej into his own dreamland. But no, he wanted to watch for just a little while longer, to absorb every last detail of the moment and etch it permanently into his memory.
The loud knock startled Andrej out of a half-sleep he hadn’t remembered falling into. Disoriented, he fought to sit up, the last vestiges of the dream skittering away into the ether. Hating whoever had disrupted his sleep, he took several long, deep breaths, trying to adjust to the sudden waking state.
More than anything, he fought to push the lingering dream inspired feelings of joy aside, to forget they had ever existed. Although Zeklos refused to admit it, even he knew that the mysterious dream man strongly resembled another good looking, raven haired man he knew all too well.
Zayne.
Struggling to his feet, Andrej staggered to the door and peered through the peephole, spying his partner pacing on the other side. Reyes was dressed in work clothes, so he must’ve come directly from the precinct, but the reasons for the visit were unknowable. Zeklos did not like it when he didn’t know what he was up against.
“What on earth does he want,” Andrej muttered to the empty room. Running a hand through his hair, he pulled the door open and forced a smile to his face. As much as he wanted to see his partner, he wasn’t sure he was ready for it now, so soon after the dream he’d woken from. It was all too surreal. “Reyes. To say this is a surprise would be an understatement.”
“Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence there, Zek,” Zayne teased, pushing past the Romani body blocking the entrance. “I came by to see how you were doing and to take you to lunch. If you’re up for some food.”
“Come on in,” Andrej muttered, looking down at his rumpled pajama pants and bare feet. An old and worn rugby tee he’d had since before he’d arrived in the states was covering his top half. He needed to get rid of it, but it was one of the few pieces of home he still possessed and tossing the shirt out had been harder than he’d expected. Although he had no idea regarding the state of his hair, Zek knew it wasn’t pretty and that he was in absolutely no shape to leave the house. Trish would have labeled him a ‘hot mess’ at this point and she’d have been right.
He was also slightly humiliated by the fact Zayne was even seeing him looking so… rumpled.
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” Zeklos hedged, trying to come up with a believable excuse, something other than ‘I look like hell’ and ‘please don’t look at me’.
“Aw, come on,” Reyes sighed, plopping his rear onto Zeklos’ couch, making himself at home. He crossed one long leg over the other and relaxed back into the cushion. “It’s been four days, the drugs have to be out of your system by now, even if the department is making you take more time off. I’m here to save you from yourself.”
“Do I look like I’m presentable enough to be seen in public,” Andrej tried a second time. He gave his clothing a vague wave for emphasis.
Zayne narrowed his eyes and gave Zek a lingering appraisal that heated the Romanian’s insides near to boiling. “Not really, but it’s nothing that a shower and clean clothes won’t fix. Now scoot.”
The lazy shooing motion Reyes was making with a hand was beginning to frazzle Zeklos’ last nerve. He didn’t like being stranded at home – unable to work, incapable of even driving to the store until the doctor gave his okay – and it was about to send him over the deep end. Desperately, he wanted to get out of the damn house and have an actual conversation with someone not in the medical field, but was this the best option? Probably not, but currently it was his only opportunity.
Scratch that, Zeklos knew it was the worst possible choice considering what he’d said while under the guidance of Antonio Simon’s drugged wine. All the feelings he’d managed to keep under wraps for years had gushed right the hell out of his double-crossing mouth and into the open. Not just for Reyes to hear either, but also for the ears of Maxwell and Rollins and god only knew how many others. Everything he’d ever felt for Zayne over the years had spilled out of him into that room full of cops. It was not his proudest moment, high as Mt. Everest or not.
However, Zek knew Reyes to be a stubborn ass when he set his mind to something and that left him without any recourse. Either he got in the shower and prettied himself up enough to fit in at the diner around the corner or he spent the afternoon with Reyes lounging on his couch. Under different circumstances, having Reyes – flat on his back and naked – anywhere in his home would be appealing. But not today. He looked towards the couch and got a pair of green puppy dog eyes in return. “I give up, you win. Give me twenty minutes to clean up.”
“Make it snappy, baby, I’m starving,” Zayne called after Andrej’s retreating form.
Zeklos didn’t let his guard down until he was locked behind his bathroom door. He’d secured the door to the master bedroom as well, just in case Reyes decided to hurry the process along by harassing Andrej while he was in the shower. He wouldn’t put it past Zayne to come storming into the bathroom, knocking on the glass door and yelling at him to get a move on.
Another filthy visual rose unbidden at the thought of Reyes watching him through steam fogged glass, naked and dripping wet. Zek would be honor bound to invite his partner inside, to join him under the hot, damp spray. Andrej blushed fiercely at the intensity of his physical reaction and prayed for strength. There wasn’t any getting over that asshole, it seemed.
Sighing, Andrej looked into the mirror and grimaced. Wild corkscrews stood out all over his head and his face was pale from lack of sleep. Purple smudges rested under his eyes, which seemed a lighter shade of their usual blue. He’d had more than a few late nights since the case had wrapped.
“God, you’re a mess, pull it together,” he scolded himself. “He’s not worth all this unhappiness.”
Discarding his sleepwear in the hamper, Zeklos climbed under the warm water, tilting his head forward and soaking his unruly hair. Nothing short of a haircut was going to make any real difference, but this wouldn’t hurt either. The last four days had been a misadventure, between doctor’s appointments and visits from the girls – each taking longer than necessary to tease him about being separated from his one true love – and he wasn’t sure how much of this isolation he could take.
It had been the longest four days in his life, or so it had felt. Andrej wanted nothing more than to be able to get back to work and do something. The doctors and the department be damned.
Then there was Zayne. Handsome, unobtainable, pigheaded Zayne. Andrej still had no idea how he was going to broach the subject of the things he’d said and done while on the Heartbreaker case with his partner. The smartest thing to do would be to ignore it, but Zeklos didn’t want his situation to come between them. Allowing it to fester and build so that it could explode when he least expected it wasn’t an attractive proposition. He’d rather carry a private misery than allow his affection to split up the best team the city had.
Once he’d washed his body and tamed his hair as best as he was able, he threw on a clean pair of jeans and a sky blue button up, opting, for the first time in his life, to not tuck in his shirttails. Reyes would be scandalized and more than likely would also tease him, but Andrej couldn’t be bothered to care. Even though the drugs were out of his system and the effects had passed, he still possessed a lingering fatigue that he was having trouble shaking. The doctor said it was normal and to give a few days and he’d be fine. But so far, he hadn’t seen any improvement. Giving the mirror one last glance, he pronounced himself as presentable as he was going to get.
Reyes pulled into the diner and looked over at Zeklos. “You gonna make it through lunch, buddy? You’re looking awfully pale.”
“I’ll be fine,” Andrej said, trying to play off his exhaustion as being less than it was. “The doctor said I’d have some lasting tiredness for a few days, after having been hit with such a large dose of that stuff. It’s still bad, but better than those first couple days.”
His partner was giving him a look that said Reyes didn’t believe him, and Andrej couldn’t blame him for doubting. The weariness was only part of his unwillingness to do this right now. Why couldn’t Reyes have given him a week or two to get a game plan together? Or even a few days to get his damn head on straight would have been nice.
“I worry about you,” Zayne said, voice quiet and eerily serious.
“I’m fine, you don’t have to worry,” Andrej replied, wary of his partner’s sudden concern and a little unnerved by his caring tone.
Sighing, Reyes climbed out of the car. “Maybe, but I still do. You’re my partner and my friend and… never mind. Let’s go eat.”
Andrej watched Zayne through the windshield, wondering if he should stay in the car or follow. Curiosity won out and he pulled himself from the passenger seat and trailed his partner into the restaurant.
“And what,” Zeklos asked, taking a seat across from his partner, not ready to let this go quite yet.
“And nothing,” Reyes said, pushing the conversation aside.
“But it isn’t nothing,” Andrej insisted. “Is it?” It wasn’t like Reyes to skirt any issue and that he was doing so now put Zeklos on edge.
“No,” Zayne admitted. “But it doesn’t matter either because it doesn’t change anything. It never will.”
Shit. Andrej knew what ‘it’ was because ‘it’ happened to be his big, stupid, idiotic mouth. “Look, about that, I –”
“You were under the influence,” Reyes said, picking up his menu and studying it like it held the answers to life, the universe, and everything. “I get it. And I said it wasn’t going to change anything and it won’t.” He lowered his menu enough to look over the top of it and catch Zeklos’ gaze. “Not unless you let it.”
Zeklos’ heart stuck in his throat. He’d been worried all along about how Zayne was going to react to the things he’d said while he’d been drugged. Anger, wariness, even disgust were all expected, but this? This wasn’t. Acceptance was not something he thought Reyes had to give, not after the aftermath of that last dinner with Antonio Simon. Although Zek never thought his partner would ever hate on him for being who he was, it also didn’t mean Zayne would like it, either.
“I don’t want it to come between us,” Andrej confessed, “but I’m terrified that it will always be at the back of your mind. I’m afraid that if I look at you wrong or touch your arm for longer than I should that you’re automatically going to assume I’m hitting on you. It’s making me a little crazy thinking about it.”
“Stop worrying so much, Zek,” Reyes said, kicking his foot under the table. “We’re good together, have the best solve rate in the city even. I’m not letting a handful of innocent, heartfelt words come between us. You’ve never crossed the line with me or anyone as far as that goes and I don’t expect you to start now. Okay?” He looked up at the waitress who’d appeared by his side and turned on the patented Reyes charm. “Can you give us another couple minutes, sweetheart? We got to gabbing and haven’t had a minute to look.” She nodded, giving Zayne a warm smile, and left to check another table nearby.
Reyes was pointedly ignoring the fact that more than a few ‘heartfelt words’ had passed between them. It was curious that he wasn’t even going to address the kisses, despite his assurance that Zek hadn’t ever ‘crossed a line’. As far as Andrej could guess, tonguing your partner’s tonsils crossed at least a few lines. Those of propriety and personal space came readily to mind. A change of subject was in order if he were to make it through lunch without having a breakdown. “How deep did you have to dig for that southern boy act there,” Zeklos teased, having loved every lazy, drawn out syllable.
“Not far,” Zayne laughed. “Honestly, it’s rather hard to hold it down most of the time.”
Relieved that Reyes accepted the sudden change of subject, Andrej relaxed a little. “So why do you bother?”
Reyes gave a half shrug. “Unlike you, people hear my accent and they automatically deduct IQ points. It’s hard to be taken seriously when people think of you as a redneck.”
He could understand that. “That’s one of the biggest reasons I left my homeland.” It wasn’t something that was easy to talk about, but it seemed like it needed to be said all the same. Rebuilding broken bonds or something like that. “My people aren’t very well liked anywhere in Europe and we’re treated worse than most minorities here in the US. But Americans are fascinated by the Romani so they’re more curious than suspicious.”
“I had no idea,” Zayne said, thoughtful.
“Read a book sometime, Reyes,” Zeklos said, finally picking up his menu for the first time since sitting down. “Or a newspaper. And don’t feel bad, most people don’t have a clue.” Looking to change the subject yet again, he shook his menu. “Anything good here?”
“The burgers,” he responded, as expected. “But also the chicken noodle soup. It’s the best I’ve ever had. Oh, and you’ve gotta try the Dutch apple pie, it’s to die for.”
Of course it was the burgers that drew him to this place. And the pie. It’s always the pie with this one.
It had taken a couple months, but the girls had finally stopped referring to Reyes as his boyfriend. Zeklos had to admit, he had mixed feelings about the entire situation. While, on the one hand, he’d loved the thrill of hearing that word in reference to his partnership with the tall Texan, but on the other, he knew it was a sham and that stung. Having known all along that Reyes’ tastes fell firmly in the other direction, it left him in a sort of limbo that he wasn’t sure how to cope with.
The faux boyfriend in question sat at the desk across from him, head down, studying a case file. Zayne was as handsome as ever and it stung to look at him. And yet, Zek couldn’t stop himself from sneaking a glance every chance he got. Dark brows over bright green eyes. That obstinate cowlick that Reyes couldn’t ever quite tame. Coffee colored skin that only got darker as the summer moved on.
Andrej’s mother had told him many times during his youth that he was a masochist – that he’d stick with something until he either fixed it or it destroyed him. Zek hadn’t ever quite grasped what she’d meant until he’d met Zayne and now, he understood it all too well. Painfully so.
“You swore an oath that you weren’t really in love with me,” Reyes said, without taking his eyes off the file on his desk. “But if you continue to stare at me like that, I’m going to drag you out back for a secondary interrogation. I can break you, you know.”
He did know because Reyes was one of the best interrogators Zeklos had ever worked with. It made Andrej wonder if it was wrong that his cock got hard at the thought of Zayne questioning him. One on one in interview room three, the one at the back of the hall with the broken camera would be ideal. Those strong hands slamming on the table in front of Zeklos, that honeyed, Texas drawl clawing at his insides as Reyes demanded the truth…
Maybe it wasn’t so bad to be turned on by the idea, but having made a detailed action plan for it wasn’t exactly good either.
Andrej shifted in his seat and caught Reyes smirking at him as he did. Zayne had shown incredible restraint in regards to teasing him since Zek had returned to work, but sometimes, like now, a simple look said it all. Zayne knew exactly what kind of power he held over Zeklos and he was saving it for a time when he needed to cash it in. And that was the thing that worried Andrej late at night. Because Reyes would not hesitate one second.
“How many times do I have to tell you that it was the drugs?” Zek pushed his hair back off his face. It was getting to a point where he was going to need yet another haircut, even though Trish had complimented him on the mess earlier and begged him to let it grow. She said it was sexy and he thought she was nuts. He’d have to ask Hilary her opinion later.
“Until we begin to believe you, Andy baby,” Hilary said, sliding her rear onto the edge of his desk.
“Is there a reason you’ve parked yourself on my work,” Zeklos asked, looking up into her cheerful face. As much as she still loved to poke fun at him, Hilary was one of the brightest spots in his days.
“Yes, so Trish can sit on Zayne’s.” She thrust a thumb over her shoulder indicating her partner taking a seat.
“What I think he meant was, is there a reason why you two are here disrupting our discussion?” The women glared at him and he grinned back, unafraid of their combined ire.
“Discussion?” Trish’s eyes flared wide. “Sounds more like you two were planning a very kinky date. I heard ‘interrogation’ in there somewhere. Also something about breaking Zek in? Tsk, tsk. Cops really are the freaks of the sexual world, aren’t they?”
Unfortunately, conversations like this hadn’t ceased once he and Reyes had made their peace. The girls weren’t nearly as willing to let go as Zayne had been, the jokes were too good and plentiful. Considering neither had as much time or energy invested in the boys’ continued partnership, it was only natural that Trish and Hilary would be more willing to drag out Zeklos’ humiliation a bit longer. Andrej made a point to be very careful of what he said around them, although Reyes wasn’t nearly as concerned with his phrasing. “Please, just get to the point,” Zeklos begged.
“Hookay,” Hilary said. “So, just heard back from the prosecutor on our robbery case and they managed to connect Simon and LaRoux to at least fifteen other cases of larceny at the Heartbreaker.”
“That’s amazing news,” Reyes said, grinning broadly. “They won’t be seeing the light of day for a long time to come.” He lifted a hand up for a high five.
Zeklos looked at the hand for a moment before indulging his partner in a little celebratory antics. It was good news, despite all of the foul ups and missteps along the way, because they’d done their jobs and now the bad guys were going to go to jail. “Thanks for the update, Maxwell. Feels good to know we’ve done something good for a change,” Andrej said.
“Aw, isn’t he cute with his idealism. You’d think he was fresh out of the academy with an attitude like that.” Trish blew him a kiss and took off for the break room.
“Speaking of cute,” Hil said, throwing a paperclip at Reyes. “You owe me something from last week. It’s time to pay up, Cowboy.”
Reyes blinked before his eyes lit with remembrance. “I do, don’t I? Same time and place?”
“You bet,” she said before slipping off Andrej’s desk and strutting off to find her partner. “See ya, lover boy.”
“Well, that was cryptic,” Zeklos muttered, feeling a mite uncomfortable. “And yet, so very obvious at the same time. How do you two do it?”
Leaning across his desk, Zayne grinned. “We made a bet and I lost. Now I owe her… a favor.” He chuckled, low and deep. “And she’s hinting that it’s time to own up, too.”
Zeklos’ gut twisted. There was only one thing Zayne could possibly mean by that – sex. As much as Andrej adored Hilary, having her and Reyes together again was a messy prospect, and not just because of his own jealous heart. Zayne had a tendency to overshare in all of his personal relationships and Zek was far from ready for another round of ‘Friday Night Recap’ every Monday morning. “Really, Reyes, you can keep that kind of thing to yourself. I do not need all the details. Or any of the details, really.”
A throaty rumble of laughter fraught with deeper meaning filled the air. “Oh admit it, you love hearing about my plans,” Reyes teased, punctuating the joke with a wink. “You just wish you were part of them.”
Zeklos muttered in his native tongue, swearing he’d never fall for another smart mouthed, handsome cowboy ever. Maybe, just maybe, if he said it often enough, he’d start to believe it himself. It was doubtful, but a boy could dream.
“You might want to check yourself, gypsy boy,” Zayne said, drawing the file back into his line of vision. “That new girl down in forensics, the cute one with the freckles? She speaks your language. And I’ve told her about you.”
Zek snapped his mouth shut at this news. “Well, I suppose I need to find this young thing and introduce myself to her. It’s been a very long time since I’ve spoken with anyone in anything other than English. Well,” he said, flicking a glance at Zayne. “At least, no one that’s understood me, that is.” And that in itself was a blessing. He had a bad habit of saying in Romanian all the things he couldn’t ever utter in English. Andrej was going to have to be more careful in the future.
“You are something else, Zeklos. Now, you want to hear about this new case or not?” Reyes’ green eyes landed on Zek, capturing him for the duration.
“Depends,” Andrej said, tapping his fingers on his desk, watching the fluorescent lights reflect in Reyes’ deep green eyes. “Does this one have anything to do with sketchy hotels that cater to an even sketchier clientele?”
“Nope, just a dead body found out near the lake,” Zayne confirmed. “Pretty standard.”
“Any drugged wine or annoying perky blondes?”
“Negative,” Reyes said, waiting for the inevitable acceptance. “At least, so far. No promises on the future.”
“Count me in,” Zeklos said, holding out his hand for the file. “Give me the details.”
“Don’t know much so far, just a body pulled out of Lake Mead early this morning by some idiot fisherman. Thought he’d hooked a big one, I guess. Corpse had one GSW to the head and hands tied behind his back. No wallet, no distinguishing marks.”
As per usual, there wasn’t much to go on. Just once, he’d love a criminal to leave a fingerprint or some clue to send them in the right direction. “Any leads or theories,” Zeklos queried, scanning the information in the file the captain had left.
“Just that there’s a possible drug connection, judging by the manner of death. I’ve sent a request down to narcotics for some additional information on known dealers from the small time to the bigger fish.”
That wasn’t good. Drug related cases were the worst and often the most dangerous. “We’ll have to be on our toes until we know what we’re dealing with,” Andrej reminded his partner. “So, what next? The marina?”
Reyes nodded. “To the marina. Bring a loaf of bread, I hear the ducks out there are cray-zay.”
“I hear they’re partial to cheese popcorn,” Zeklos laughed, grabbing his suit jacket and slipping it on. “But some stale bread might do nicely.”
“Will you quit planning lunch for the ducks and carp and get a move on?” Reyes stood, tapping his foot impatiently. “We’ve got work to do.”
Holstering his gun and checking for his badge, Zeklos shook his head. One thing was for certain: things were as good as they ever were between himself and Reyes. It made him wonder why he’d ever worried that anything as strong and stable as their partnership might change because of a few words.
Oh, and three passionate, glorious, unexpected kisses. But who’s counting?
