And speaking of camera…he looked up and at first didn’t spot any, but a small thrill of success shot through him when he spotted the half-hidden lenses. He pointed. “Looks like they might have video.”
Hollis stood with a creak of leather and walked to stand beside him. “I’ve investigated Dwight Gratton and he’s not stupid enough to have parked this vehicle where cameras could see him. This had to have been moved already.” He walked around to look at the pavement. “Yeah, I can tell from the snow that it has been.”
“He is smart. I’ve had dealings with him. But he might not have noticed that camera across the street at that mom and pop store. I bet they wouldn’t mind letting a cop take a look.”
Banner had a wicked laugh. “I’d bet you’re right. I’m going inside this place to tell them not to touch this truck and to call my people out.” Banner started to walk away and stopped, swinging back to Snow. “Thanks for calling me. We’re going to get this fucker. I swear it.”
There was no denying the warmth that spread through Snow at Hollis’s heartfelt words. Snow and his friends had incredibly personal reasons for wanting to get Gratton, but seeing the fierceness in Banner’s eyes, Snow had to admit that the case had become incredibly personal for him as well.###
Snow was due to meet Jude in fifteen minutes, but here he sat, naked, on Lucas’s guest bed. He still had to shower, pick out something to wear for his date, but all he could do was stare at Rowe’s face on his phone. Months ago, Rowe had passed out on Lucas’s couch with Ian’s sock-clad foot on his face. Snow had snapped the shot of him drooling and set it as his contact photo. Cracked him up every time Rowe called.
But Rowe no longer called.
He didn’t answer his goddamned phone whenever his friends called either. It had been only days, but it felt like months.
Snow flipped over to Jude so he could text him that he was running late and his shoulders jerked in surprise when he saw a picture came up. He hadn’t assigned one. Jude, his hair a mess, with the sexiest, sleepiest grin stretching those pretty lips stared up at him from the screen. And next to him, Snow, with his face buried in Jude’s neck. Sleeping. Actually snuggling. He didn’t remember plastering himself to the man like that.
From the look on his face, Jude liked it. He liked it a lot.
Something stirred in Snow’s chest. There was a level of trust in the image that didn’t compute with a first night together. He stared at the way Jude cupped the back of his neck with his free hand. Possession. There was so much proprietorship in that hold, like the man was claiming him and taking pictorial proof of the moment. Heart beating hard, Snow narrowed his eyes, unable to remove his gaze from that hand in the picture. He faintly remembered Jude’s fingers stroking over his skin there. He hadn’t been all the way asleep.
He suddenly wanted to take this as far as it would go. He wanted it—wanted Jude. Needed to see if this wild electricity between them could translate into something bigger. It made his palms sweat and made his heart beat with something more than lust—something a lot like terror and excitement. He also knew what he wanted to give the man that night—again—so he hurriedly typed out the late text and took a very thorough shower. He was going to be ready for anything this time.
When he came out, he wrapped a towel around his waist, sat on the bed, and dialed Rowe.
“Hey,” he said softly into the phone. “I miss you.” He paused, took a deep breath. “I know you need this time and I understand. I can’t even imagine losing Lucas, Ian or you but to lose a…mate. I’m so sorry, Rowe. Sorry I wasn’t there. At UC.” His voice broke this time. He stopped to clear his throat and try to stop the tears burning his eyes.
“Remember that time I went home with that guy and misjudged what he wanted. Got my ass beaten pretty badly. I knew Lucas would be livid, so I called you. You scraped me up off the sidewalk and took care of me, then proceeded to fuck that guy’s life up. He couldn’t get a loan for a damn couch when you were done with him.” He laughed. “I didn’t ask you to do that, but you know what it told me? You love me. Like Lucas does. The four of us and maybe more now…we’re family. So, I want you to forgive me for not being at the hospital that night. I need you to forgive me. I’m not going to be needing you to scrape me off anyone’s sidewalk again.” He lowered his voice because it was shaking. “Do you understand what I’m saying?”