by T. M. Smith
Chapter 9
Blair
Mannie soaked up the bright outline of downtown Dallas as it flew by, his eyes wide. “It’s so loud here…like, all the time. I think it would drive me crazy.”
“Yes,” Blair agreed. “It does take some getting used to. I mean, Seattle isn’t any less crowded or busy, but Dallas is a different kind of chaos, sort of like New York, but the people aren’t quite as rude here.”
Concentrating on the road, he did allow himself a moment to study the younger man while stopped at a red light. Leg bouncing, fingers grasping the handle of the ratty backpack in his lap, Mannie was obviously feeling anxious again. Perhaps it was the mention of Seattle? Blair didn’t know, because this man was a stranger to him. Well, that wasn’t entirely accurate. Over the past several years he’d become quite familiar with Howard Manning Tullor Junior, a vibrant but troubled teenager that had gotten into more trouble than Grandad could get him out of. After meeting Mannie and seeing just a glimpse of his life through the memories he had shared with them earlier in the evening, Blair now saw a terrified young man that had somehow managed to survive not only his ordeal with the attorney from hell, but fought past that darkness and found a new life of hope and a little bit of peace in Arizona.
A horn sounded behind him and Blair stepped on the gas, blinking as he focused on the road instead of the awkwardly adorable man sitting beside him. “So, you’re from Seattle?” He could hear the tremble in Mannie’s voice.
“Yeah, born and raised. My family is still there, and I’m sure I’ll end up there eventually.”
Mannie sat stiffly, hands now grasping the tattered threads holding the bag in his lap together. “I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to go back there again, to Seattle. Too many…” His voice trailed off, tongue darting out to wet his lips. The awkward silence stretched, and Blair watched Mannie’s grip on the straps tighten until his knuckle went white. “Too much anger tied to that damn city, too much…just…too much.” Mannie’s voice was a barely audible whisper.
Blair tried to think of something to say, but nothing came to mind. The strained quiet seemed oddly calming though, Mannie’s stiff shoulders relaxing a little more with each passing second. All too soon, they were pulling up to the curbside checkin at Dallas Love Field. Mannie turned to him with a soft smile that made his vibrant blue eyes sparkle in the dark like two lightning bugs in the dimming light of dusk. “Thank you, Agent…sorry, Blair.” Was that a blush he saw on the blond’s cheeks?
“Of course, it was my pleasure. I just wish we had more time.…I feel like it would be great to get to know you, Mannie.” Unsure of what to do, Blair stuck his hand out. Mannie’s grip was firm and steady, his hand soft, and Blair had to make himself let go.
Mannie pushed the door open and paused briefly to look over his shoulder. “It was nice to meet you, Agent Cummings.” With a wink, he stood and closed the door behind him, tossing the backpack around his shoulders, wrapping his thumbs in the straps.
Blair rolled the window down and called out to him just before Mannie passed through the double doors. “Hey, Junior, you call me if you need anything, okay?”
Narrowed eyes stared at him, and it was hard not to laugh at the indignant look on Mannie’s face. Shaking his head and snorting, Mannie chuckled as he turned and walked into the meandering crowd inside the building. Blair followed Mannie’s tall, lanky frame through the throngs of people until he couldn’t see past the parkas and beanies everyone seemed to be wearing. A loud rap on his window made him jump. “What the fuck?” He pushed the button to lower the window and glared at the man waving him away from the building.
“Can’t park here, sir. Move along, please.” For a split second, Blair considered waving back with his badge, but that was immature. So he started the car and slowly drove away, eyes in the rearview mirror, hoping against hope to catch another glance of the awkward, adorable blond with blazing blue eyes that made him feel things he’d never felt before. Sure, he’d messed around with girls and guys in high school and college, even had a long-term relationship with a fellow agent that turned out to be nothing more than friends with benefits, for him at least. But he could take it or leave it—the sex, that was. It was nice and it felt good when he had an orgasm, but if he didn’t have one, it was no skin off his back. After spending just a few hours with Mannie though, Blair thought that if Blondie were in his bed, he’d definitely be interested.
Exhausted but starving, he pulled into Whataburger and ordered a number three, parking so that he could inhale the burger and fries, washing it down with a large Dr Pepper. His phone danced around in the console so he grabbed it, not recognizing the number at first. “Wait, no…” Sliding his finger over the screen, he smiled as he spoke into his cell. “Agent Cummings.”
“So, Agent, did you mean it when you said to call you if I needed anything?” Mannie’s voice was both hopeful and a little bit frightened, and Blair was determined to find out why.
“Yes I did, what’s up? Miss me already, or just bored waiting for your flight?” Blair knew the answer he wanted, but would Mannie give it to him? The line went silent for so long, Blair had to look at the screen to see if the call dropped. “Mannie, you still there?”
“Yeah…uh…” The man cleared his throat, and for the first time in Blair’s life, a sound made his dick twitch. Oh lord, he was in so much trouble. “Yeah, I’m still here. So, apparently there’s bad weather in New Mexico, and my flight has been delayed until tomorrow. I don’t think I could find my way to a hotel, much less actually get my feet to move in that direction. This place is insane and—”
“Say no more, I’m on my way.” Blair cut him off as he turned the key in the ignition and sped out of the parking lot, heading back toward the airport.
Chapter 10
Mannie
Getting out of the car proved to be harder than he thought it would be. Seriously, he didn’t know Agent Blair Cummings from Adam. Why did he make Mannie’s heart flutter when he smiled at him? Putting one foot in front of the other, he pushed his way through the crowd of people, anxiety wrapping around his stomach, invisible claws of fear ripping through his muscles, climbing up his windpipe, threatening to scream. “In, out, in, out.” He whispered the words softly as he slowly made his way toward the ticket counter to check in. Once he was through security and on the way to his gate, Mannie relaxed a little and stopped to grab a latte from Starbucks. He replayed Blair’s words in his head over and over again. “Call me if you need anything.” What if he needed to be kissed? Touched and held by someone that smiled when they looked at him, the smile genuine and gleaming in his eyes. How the hell did Blair get under his skin so quickly? He didn’t trust anyone, ever, especially with his body, but thoughts of Agent Cummings reaching for him, caressing his face as he leaned in…
“If I could have your attention, please. If you’re booked on flight 481 to Phoenix, Sky Harbor International Airport, that flight has been canceled due to inclement weather.” The lady with the bubbly personality behind the checkin desk smiled as she told the sixty or so people waiting on their plane that they would not be heading home tonight. A tingling sensation thrummed in Mannie’s chest, equal parts exhilaration, exhaustion, and hope.
“Well, here goes nothing.” Pulling up Blair’s number, he pressed Call, waiting just a few seconds for an answer. By the time he disconnected the call and made his way to the sliding glass doors he’d entered not even an hour before, his heart was about to beat right out of his goddamn chest. What was it with sliding doors? Was there some life-affirming metaphor or some such shit? The night he damn near died had started this exact same way—Bruce and Tuan on the other side, waiting for him to make his escape. His steps faltered, hands shaking as he took one step, then another, the fear washing over him like a waterfall of doubt and indecision. Just when Mannie thought he might pass out or hyperventilate, he looked up, and there he was. Black sedan parked in the exact same spot with the gorgeous brunet leaning again
st the hood of the car, arms crossed over his chest as he grinned at Mannie. Holy fucking hell, that is so sexy!
“Welcome back, Junior.” Blair opened the car door theatrically. “Your chariot awaits.”
Pleased with the genuine excitement he saw in the smile on Blair’s face, Mannie stepped through the doors, leaving as much of the tension and worry he could shake off on the ugly gray mat that read, “Welcome to Dallas Love Field.” He slid into the car, laughing at Blair as he closed his door and all but sprinted around to the driver’s side, ducked in, and starting the engine. “Can I be honest with you without freaking you out?” Blair glanced at him.
Mannie turned as much as he could when restrained by a seat belt. “Of course.”
Before Blair could say whatever it was that was on his mind, his phone rang. “Hang on a second, it’s Garcia.” Mannie thought back.…Garcia was the female agent, one of Blair’s FBI partners. “Hey, Con.…What?…Slow down. Dammit, woman, you know I don’t speak Spanish.”
All the color drained from Blair’s face, his smile quite literally falling. “Blair, what’s wrong?”
White-knuckling the wheel, Blair pressed the gas pedal to the floor, the engine protesting the sudden lurch in speed. “What hospital?…Okay, I’m on the way.” Tossing his phone across the dash, Blair cursed, beating the steering wheel with the palm of the hand he wasn’t controlling it with.
“Hey.” Mannie reached over, taking his hand. “Don’t hurt yourself. Tell me what’s wrong, Blair. What happened?”
“Rory’s been shot. He’s at Baylor Dallas and they’re taking him into surgery now.”
“Wait, what?” Mannie looked at his watch. “We were just with him a few hours ago.” And then it hit him—like a fucking avalanche, it hit him. “Tuan?” Jesus, his voice sounded weak and terrified to his own ears. What must he sound like to the man currently doing a ninety-mile-an-hour slide and glide down the highway, angry drivers honking as he passed them in the emergency lane? “It’s Tuan, isn’t it?” he shouted, unable to control the fear flooding his veins. “Take me to the airport, Blair, now! I don’t want to see him, I can’t. Blair, take me back.” His movements mechanical and engrained, Mannie reached for the steering wheel, determined to get as far away from the man that had tried to kill him as possible.
“Dammit, Mannie!” Blair shouted, jerking the car onto the side of the road and slamming on the brakes, the seat belt the only thing keeping him from flying through the window.
“No! You told me I was safe with you, and you’re taking me to where that fucking maniac is?” His throat felt raw and bruised, memories of Tuan’s knife in his flesh making him gag and cough.
“Hey, take it easy, come here.” Blair’s voice was faint and hollow to his ears as he clawed at the scarf around his neck. The click of his seat belt being released sounded like a gun going off, and he tried to pull away from the hands reaching for him. “Mannie, listen to me, just breathe. In, out, in, out.”
Ears ringing, vision blurring, Mannie fought to control his emotions. “I…can’t do this, Blair.” Tears streamed down his cheeks and every bone in his body rattled, to the point that his teeth were chattering.
Strong arms enveloped him, whispering promises in his ear. “It’s okay, Mannie. You’re safe. He’s gone.” Instinct had him wanting to cower in the corner, to pull away from Blair’s touch. The only other man to ever touch him so intimately betrayed the blind trust Mannie had given him. He knew deep down that Blair was not Bruce, but his body was trained to fold in on itself, and he was having a hard time trying to fight against the necessity to curl up and pretend he was invisible.
Blair’s words seemed to float into his mind like a feather in a dust storm. Wait, he’s gone? “Who’s gone?” Sniffling, he angrily wiped his tear-stained cheeks.
“Tuan is dead, Mannie. You never have to worry about that monster again.” Blair tried to pull him into his arms, and as badly as he wanted to collapse and just let someone else take care of him, if only for a few minutes, Mannie’s brain was working in slow motion.
“Dead? What? I mean, how?”
“Con put a bullet in his brain, and he’s not getting up from that.” Blair’s eyes never left his, the agent’s attention solely on him, and it was a little unnerving.
Sitting back in his seat, Mannie stared out the window, watching the lights of the cars on the highway zip by. He’d dreamed about Tuan’s death on more than one occasion. Hell, he’d thought up outlandish, painful ways to kill the man so many times. He never had the nerve to actually do any of the things he’d come up with, though. He was a kind soul and could never seem to actually pour the antifreeze into the pitcher of lemonade before putting it in the fridge. “He’s dead. Tuan is dead and Bruce is in jail. They can’t hurt me anymore.” He repeated those words again and again, each time a little more enthusiastic than the previous.
Blair didn’t seem to share his joy, though. He was a little preoccupied, eyes darting from the road to his cell, then over to Mannie. “Oh my God, your partner.” Grabbing the seat belt with shaking hands, Mannie managed to get it buckled on the third try. “Drive, Blair. Dammit, you can coddle me later.”
“Coddling wasn’t exactly what I had in mind,” Blair muttered, rocks and smoke flying as he gunned it and shot out in front of a truck, the driver laying on his horn for several seconds.
Mannie grinned sheepishly. The connotation of Blair’s words was unmistakable; the sexy agent was definitely interested, but in what, exactly? Before he could overthink the situation and entertain the dark thoughts in the back of his mind, he took a deep, calming breath and focused on the here and now. He was stuck in Texas, yes, but he was with a man that seemed to genuinely like him, and come hell or high water, he was going to make the most of the time he had with Blair Cummings.
Chapter 11
Blair
“Will you be okay in the waiting room at the hospital?” Blair was anxious to get to Baylor Dallas to check on his partner, but he didn’t want to put Mannie in an uncomfortable situation.
Shrugging his shoulders, Mannie mumbled his response. “Not like I have much of a choice, do I?”
“Of course you do, Mannie. I can park in a secure location that isn’t open to the general public and you can wait in the car. Or, my apartment is on the way—I can take you there.” Jittery by nature, Mannie’s leg bounced up and down, his eyebrows scrunched up in concentration. The man was fucking adorable and completely unaware; it was very appealing.
Mannie’s fingers twitched as he pulled the backpack in his lap close to his chest and glanced at Blair briefly. “If you…think it’s safe, your apartment…I guess…yeah.”
Relieved, Blair took the next exit off the freeway. Knowing Bruce Pearson was locked up in Seattle and Tuan Nguyen was no longer breathing didn’t mean Mannie would be able to let go of all the pain, anger, and confusion associated with the two men in five minutes. There would likely be lifelong anxiety attached to his memories. Right now all Blair wanted was to stash Mannie at his apartment, where he knew the young man would be safe and, more importantly, comfortable, and get to the hospital. He parked in front of the building, climbed out of the car, and walked around to open Mannie’s door. Blue eyes clouded with hesitation blinked rapidly as Mannie took in his surroundings, hugging the worn-out bag in his arms as if it were a security blanket. “I’m on the second floor.” Keeping his voice low and steady, Blair stepped aside, motioning Mannie toward the stairs.
“Thank you,” Mannie mumbled when Blair unlocked the door, holding it open for him to go in first. Posture stiff, steps hesitant, deliberate, Mannie moved through the living room like a soldier walking through a minefield. Blair gave him the five-cent tour as quickly as possible.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked Mannie for the third time, having already shown him where everything was in the apartment. “I’m confident that you’ll be more at ease here, but if you would be more comfortable going to the hospital with me…it’s up to
you, Mannie.”
There was a flash of uncertainty in the easily excitable man’s gaze. “No, you’re right. It’s unfamiliar, I’ll give you that, but I’ll take the quiet solitude of these four walls over the hectic insanity of a hospital any day.” Running his long, nimble fingers through his disheveled blond hair, Mannie laughed, the sound quiet, likely stemming from nerves or embarrassment.
“All right, you have my number. Call or text me if you need anything, okay?” Blair waited for Mannie to respond, getting nothing more than a jerky head nod. On his way down the stairs, he quickly texted a message to Con, telling her he was on the way.
Thankful his apartment wasn’t far from Baylor Dallas, Blair was in the elevator and heading up to Rory’s room in fifteen minutes. He knocked softly and pushed the door open, a lump in his throat as he moved closer to the bed. Damn, his partner looked like hell, his black hair and pale complexion completely washed-out and sallow under the harsh institutional lighting. A doctor came and talked to Shannon and Rand, asking everyone else to please go home so that Rory could rest. With a promise from Shannon, Rory’s boyfriend, to keep him informed of any changes in Rory’s condition, and a slight shove toward the door, he left the hospital around two a.m. and drove home in a daze.
Blair dragged his numb body up the stairs to his apartment, opened the door, tossed his keys on the side table, and quietly walked toward Rory’s bedroom. The door was already cracked, so he pushed it open, careful not to make any noise. Mannie lay on his back, one arm above his head and the other resting on his stomach. Lord, but the man was beautiful, completely relaxed and at ease. It was a stark contrast to the scowl and uncertainty that marred Mannie’s features when he was awake. Close the door and go to bed, you perv! Blair obeyed the voice in his mind, heading into his bedroom, quickly undressing and falling into bed. But sleep eluded him, his mind going in fifty different directions; he was restless and confused for a long while before he finally nodded off.
