by Jessie G
“Well over.”
“I hope that counts you, Detective, you were the one that brought us together.”
“Oh, it does. I’d hate to shortchange your accomplishments.”
“Good. You should know we had some pretty wild sex reminiscing about that night. We just had to do it again, it was that good for us.”
“So, what, you’re just laying around in post orgasmic bliss and—”
“Oh, nothing so cliché. I had him tied spread eagle to a bed frame. Pounding him so hard the legs of the frame left gashes in the floor and he begged me to let him have another one. How could I refuse?”
“Indeed.” Davin tapped his fingers on the table, appearing thoughtful. “Considering the depth of your relationship, I’m shocked that you allowed his partnership with Simon Ferris.”
“Ferris Wheel? Please, he was no threat to me, just a two-bit thug who kept Terence amused. Sometimes you need to blow off a little steam, cause a little mischief, and if you could make a couple of bucks doing it, even better.”
“You know, Billy, I expected you to be a more worthy opponent.”
“You can lock me up for the rest of my life, Detective, but I’ll still find a way to kill Elias.”
“Shit, with a parting shot like that, I doubt even a public defender would take the case.” Rising, he left Cray with the pictures and print-outs and followed Sully to the door. Hurley had her confession and there was no doubt the techs would find what they needed to back it up.
“Just out of curiosity, Detective, what ever happened to Terence’s brother?”
At the door, Davin turned. He wouldn’t give this bastard the same upper hand that Elias gained, but he was curious. “What did Terence tell you happened to him?”
“He said we ruined him, that he had nothing.”
“The side of Terence you knew might have even believed that, but then I haven’t even mentioned the second diary. The one where Terence pleads for help to stop what you were doing together.” Davin smiled slowly as the blood drained from Billy’s face. “Terence begged his big brother for help because he was the only one Terence believed was strong enough to stop you.”
“No one could have stopped me.”
“Except we did and while you’re all alone in your cell tonight, I’ll be in the arms of Terence’s brother. Ruined him?” Davin laughed at the absurdity. “Not even fucking close.”
Only the Captain was standing in observation when he trudged in. “I asked everyone to give us a minute.”
“Okay.” Davin knew James had been sitting on his hands since they started this investigation. The least he could do was give him his moment to vent.
“What you did in there…” For a moment, words seemed to fail him. “I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.”
“It was the only way he would give us what we needed. Hurley should be pleased.”
“Beyond pleased, once she wiped away the tears.”
That had Davin straightening, but he bit back the automatic ‘don’t pity me’ retort. “I didn’t know she had it in her.”
“I was pretty surprised myself. Sully and Juan are writing up the report and they’ll pass it by you before they turn it in. Hurley will roast this guy on a spit, I can promise you that.”
“Then my job is done.” All he wanted to do now was find Alaric and make sure they were good.
“Yeah, about that.” James folded his arms and leveled him with a knowing stare. “Are you going to tell me now or make me wait?”
The quiet understanding on his Captain’s face said it all. “How did you know?”
“You are an excellent cop and you have a lot to be proud of, but I didn’t get to be Captain by not seeing the signs. There’s a better life waiting for you, one that doesn’t include getting lost in the worst this city has to offer.”
Davin pulled the badge off his belt and held it between them. “It’s been an honor working with you, sir.”
“The honor has definitely been mine.” Handing over his shield and gun felt bittersweet. It wasn’t the life he’d wanted, but it had consumed the better part of eight years, and he was proud of the cases he was able to close. “Now go before I ask you to stay.”
Everyone in the pit was standing when he entered—there was some clapping, some hand shaking, some accolades he didn’t need. Sully and Juan were last in the group and walked with him to where Alaric was waiting by the elevator.
“Seriously, Monroe, where am I gonna find a partner who figures shit out the way you do?” Sully groused without any real heat. “I’ve been riding your theories for too long. I think I’ve gone soft.”
“Don’t listen to him, Davin, he’ll be fine.” Juan shook his head at Sully before turning to offer him an encouraging smile. “We’ll all be fine. It’s time for you to be happy.”
“Yes, it’s way past time, but I’ll be in touch.” If there was anyone he might call friend, these two would be at the top of the list.
The elevator opened behind them and he followed Alaric inside. As the doors closed, blocking his view of the department for the last time, he knew they would be all right. Every time he ever thought about leaving the force, he let fear of the unknown stop him. He still didn’t know what tomorrow held for them, but he knew they would face it together and that was all he needed to take the leap.
“Shall we go home, Detective?”
But maybe he’d let Alaric call him that one more time while he was stripping out of his dress blues.
Epilogue
Alaric
Alaric pulled up in front of the address Davin texted him and then sat looking at the dilapidated building. The three-story structure might have been an apartment building at one point, or possibly offices. It had zero Miami charm, but sat on one of the nicer, quieter downtown streets and was dwarfed by the high-rise offices on either side. As he continued to examine the building, Davin appeared in the doorway and leaned on the opening, watching him observe.
In the three months since his early retirement from the MPD, Davin had shed all the burdens that he carried for far too long. In their wake was a man who smiled and laughed and loved and lived without inhibition. It wasn’t uncommon to come home on a Friday night and find he’d packed them a bag, destination unknown. Though Delia would never admit it, because like everyone else she’d come to adore his lover, Alaric was pretty sure she was copying his calendar to Davin. For ‘spur of the moment’ getaways, there was never a conflict, never a moment where he was forced to choose between the work he loved and the man he loved.
They regularly saw Sully and Juan socially, and Davin even agreed to dinner with Doc Everly and his wife. Some days Davin did nothing but putter around the house, cleaning or cooking or reading or sunning himself by the pool. Other days, he’d meet Claire or Beth for lunch. He also signed up for a class online but had asked if he could keep it a surprise for a while and Alaric was happy to agree if only because Davin was at peace.
As much as he filled his time with something or nothing, Alaric knew Davin was nearing the point where he’d want to know what was next. That ‘go with the flow’ lifestyle wasn’t structured enough for Davin. He would need something to sink his teeth into, something he could build a schedule around and be proud of.
Stepping from the car, Alaric looked across the hood and smirked. “You didn’t tell me I needed to bring my hard hat.”
Leaning into the building where Alaric couldn’t see, Davin reappeared with two hard hats. “Already got that covered.”
They met on the sidewalk and Davin turned so they were both looking up at the building. “What do you see?”
“I see your outreach center.” When Davin shot him a goofy grin, he had to laugh. It was the perfect location, perfect size, and it was an old building to restore. It practically had Davin’s name written on it. “Take me on a tour.”
Davin handed him one of the hard hats. “No joke. I got nailed with a piece of drop ceiling when I did the first walk through.”
A
s they entered the structure, Alaric frowned at the lack of walls in the front area. “What was here before?”
“It was supposed to be medical offices until the developer ran away with the funds. The project sat while the medical group that had commissioned the building tried to get new funding and then the area around it changed. They abandoned the project and here it sits.”
“So, it’s a totally clean slate?”
“And a pretty good shell…minus the failing drop ceiling which I would rip out anyway. I’ve been through a couple of times, pulled the original plans, and any inspections that were actually done. Of course, I won’t know until I start getting in the walls, but it seems like a good start.”
“Okay, so walk me through your plans.” Alaric held out his hand and laughed again when Davin snatched it up and started dragging him back out the door.
“Let’s start out here. I want to pull down the front wall on the first floor, bring it in about ten feet, and put on a porch. I don’t want it to look like a professional building—it needs to be more welcoming than that. Then add a wide double door entry with screens so we can leave them open in the cooler months.” In Miami, that could be a day, a week, or the whole month of January. But it was a nice idea. “Big paddle ceiling fans on the porch, seating all around, a small corner for the smokers and the rest for those who just need a breath of fresh air.”
“I can see that, and it would bring some Miami charm to an otherwise nondescript building.”
“Will take a bit of doing to stabilize the second and third floor, but it’s doable.” Davin tugged him back into the main part of the first floor and looked around. “I haven’t figured out exactly how it will look, but I want a non-imposing reception area. Not a big, wide desk or reception stand that makes you think you’re walking into a doctor’s office, but something more inviting that will put people at ease. There will be color and living things, plants and big fish tanks, comfortable seating area to give people places to gather or get a little distance while they wait.”
“I love it already.”
Beaming, Davin pulled him toward the back where the studs had already been placed for several offices. “This hallway goes straight out to a parking lot in the back.”
“A parking lot in Miami. Is that part of the sale?” When Davin nodded, Alaric worried his head was going to fall off from the enthusiasm and laughed again. “Tell me more.”
“I was thinking one side could be an auditorium to have seminars and the other side could be setup for self-defense classes. Bathrooms on both sides, and an office for the director would round out the first floor. Second and third floors would be offices for counselors, and I’d like to have a medical doctor or at least a couple of physician’s assistants on staff. We’d need experienced counselors and people who can identify the right fit for each visitor. Maybe six offices, more bathrooms, a server and file room, and a place to hold support groups. There is plenty of space if we carve it up right.”
“So, nothing’s been done up there at all?”
“Nothing at all.”
“Have you been working on the plans?”
“Actually, that’s one of the classes I’ve been taking. It’s been too long since I left school. Then I realized I remembered more than I thought, but it was a good refresher.” Davin flushed and tugged him back toward a small folding table that was covered with papers. “They aren’t great right now, but yeah, I just printed them off so you could see them.”
Just the quick glance made him excited to see it come to life. “So, how much did you pay for the building?”
“I haven’t purchased the building yet.”
“Why not? It’s perfect in every way.”
“Because we haven’t discussed it.” Davin watched him steadily and there was no mistaking the look in those dark eyes. This was the line they hadn’t crossed.
“Are there any other offers on the building?”
“Not right now. There were two that fell through because neither party could get the funding. I won’t have that problem. Between the sale of Dad’s house and all the money he was hiding, plus all I saved up over the years, I can almost buy it for the asking price. But between that and renovations, my own accounts would be depleted and that would leave the burden of supporting us on you. There’s no money to be made with a center like this.”
“Buying it outright has its advantages.”
“I thought so. There would be government money to run it, but if the center fails, I could turn it into offices or flip it.”
It was a solid plan. If Davin owned the building, the center would pay him rent, making it income producing, even if it was a nominal amount. It would be a project and an investment, while still doing something worthwhile for the community. More importantly, it would give Davin a place to rewrite his own past hurts.
Still, Davin continued to look directly at him, not hiding, not flushing in embarrassment—just standing there splayed wide open. This moment, right here between them, had nothing to do with good causes and great real estate prospects. This was Davin offering up his independence, agreeing to be fully dependent on him for everything.
“Say it or tell me I’m misreading you.”
Slashing a line across the dusty floor with his foot, Davin pointed at it. “That line has been holding us back and I hate it. I want it gone. I’m giving it all to you, everything. Love me, care for me, support me, give me structure and guidance, tell me yes or no and always have my best interest at heart. I’m asking for this, head and heart the clearest it’s been in too fucking long. Own me completely, do not let me falter in my gift of submission to you, and do not falter in your gift of control to me.”
With his heart about to burst out of his chest, Alaric looked down at the line and said, “Now that you’ve made it a physical thing, you need to cross it.”
Davin not only crossed it, he rubbed it away with his shoe. “Done. Gone.”
“Now ask me.”
“I want this, Ric.” He held his arms out to encompass the space they were in and the life he was asking for. “Can I have it?”
Alaric stepped into him, gripped his chin and kissed him until they were breathless. “This you can have.”
“And the other, Ric?”
“You’ll have to convince me it’s a good investment. I’m sure you’ve spent hours researching and preparing your pitch.”
“I made a presentation.”
“Yes, but did you make dinner?” The idea of Davin sitting at a computer, hunting and pecking his way across the keyboard, was just too much.
Davin grinned slowly. “I placed an order for take-out and used your credit card.”
“Kiss me.” It was impossible not to match that grin. Confident Davin was sexy as sin.
“Yes, Ric.”
Author’s Note
Thank you for reading Past Hurts, my debut novel that kicked off the Sizzling Miami series. After a lifetime of dreaming of being a published author, the idea for this story woke me in the middle of the night and wouldn’t let go. I wrote it in 30 days, typed the end, and promptly had a panic attack. That was in 2014 and I’m still not sure where I got the nerve to hit publish, nor was I prepared for the journey it kicked off. Now, six years later, I’ve rewritten every word and filled in all the gaps, and had the wonderful Jessica McKenna take her red pen to it (twice!).
Whether you’ve read the original or are just starting the series, I hope you love Ric and Davin as much as I do and that you’ll take the time to leave a review.
- Jessie G
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