Christ.
“You’re just screwing up every which way.”
Steele turned around to watch his lieutenant approach. Day hadn’t said much to him since he’d arrived. The guy always seemed to be lost in thought; either that or he was fine with letting God take the lead in everything. Maybe he was experiencing some post-traumatic stress – he was just in a deadly shootout a few weeks ago. So Steele had given the guy a wide berth. But he’d heard good things.
“Not sure what you mean,” Steele said when Day stood in front of him. He watched Steele with pretty hazel eyes like he could read a person on the spot. Looking him up and down, Day reminded Steele of an underdressed Simon Baker.
Day sat on top of the table at the other end, propping one heavy Timberland boot up on the seat. “I think you do know. We’re a family here, Steele. Tech is a brother to all of us.”
Steele looked over and frowned, flicking his ashes in the other direction. “And I’m not?”
“No.” Day balked, throwing his hands up in the air in exasperation. “You’re like a third cousin, twice removed right now. You have to earn that respect, man. But you keep hurting Tech and you’re gonna be downgraded to a redheaded stepchild.”
Steele pulled on his cigar to hide his smile.
“None of us are stupid. We can see there’s some weird power-play-tease-me-love-me-hate-me shit going on between you two, and God and I aren’t exactly against you trying to develop something, but we won’t have it become a disruption. We need Tech focused on his job. We need you one hundred percent out there on the streets. You feel me?”
“Yeah, lieutenant. I feel you.” Steele couldn’t argue.
“Alright. Go home. We’re done for today.”
Day walked away, having put on his boss hat and issued his warning. Steele already knew God wasn’t a man to be trifled with, but behind those sharp eyes of Day’s, he had a feeling he wasn’t either. His lieutenant had a very valid point. Tech was family to them, and blood was thicker than water. There was no way they were gonna all sit around and let Steele call Tech names and hurt him like he’d done. He’d gotten a pass that first day, now it was as if he hadn’t learned his lesson the first time.
Fuck. He had to fix this. All Tech said was he didn’t have time for a relationship… he never said he didn’t want one.
Steele took another amazing shower in Ruxs and Green’s guest bathroom and changed into a pair of gray sweats and a short-sleeved USMC t-shirt. He sat at the breakfast bar watching Green move around in his kitchen preparing a meal that looked rather complicated. Steele took a gulp of his longneck Stella, savoring the refreshing brew after a trying day. Ruxs was in the living area with his bare feet propped up on one of the most comfortable recliners he’d ever seen, taking a nap with his mouth wide open while he waited for dinner.
“Do you cook every day?” Steele asked him when Green poured a box of crazy-shaped pasta into a pot of boiling water.
“I try to. And I know what you’re thinking. But it’s not like that. This is a stress reliever for me. I enjoy it a lot. When I’m cooking, I don’t think about the scum I arrested that day or any bull that I had to endure. It’s just me and my kitchen.” Green stirred his sauce while he looked back at Steele. “What do you do to relieve stress?”
Steele took another drink and popped another olive from those that Green had set in the middle of the bar with cheese and crackers. “Nothing, really.”
“Well, you need something. That’s why you’re sitting there driving yourself crazy over what to do about Tech and how to fix it.” Green’s look dared him to deny it.
“I’ll handle it,” Steele said drily. He was thinking about how to approach Tech again, or how to apologize yet again, but nothing was coming to mind.
“I’m sure you will.” Green reached under the island and pulled out a cutting board, placing it in front of Steele. He placed three different color gutted peppers and a chef’s knife in front of him.
“What the hell do you want me to do with that? Throw the knife at you and toss these peppers across the room to see if I can get them in Ruxs’ mouth?”
“No, smart ass I want—” Green stopped midsentence.
Steele and Green shared a quick look of mischievousness at the exact same time their mouths curved into matching devious grins.
“Think you could get it in there?” Green struggled to whisper in between his hushed laughter.
“Hell yeah. Cut a piece.” Steele turned and looked at Ruxs across the room, laughing already at the thought of him leaping up, confused, spitting out whatever was in his mouth.