I felt like a mac truck had slammed against the side of my head about five times, maybe more. Tyler swung the door open and the investigator nodded. He looked exhausted just like us. “You need coffee as much as I do.”

“That would be great,” he said and stepped inside.

We all walked into the kitchen together. Tyler and the detective sat down at the kitchen table. I started to busy myself by grabbing the coffee from the cabinet. As I poured the grounds into the filter, I listened to Tyler tell the detective what had happened. I couldn’t believe Stephen had his phone.

Once the coffee was done, I carried three mugs and the coffee pot over to the table. “Cream and sugar?”

“Black is fine.” The detective reached for his mug.

“Sir, I’m confused.”

“You can call me, Alan.”

“Alan. Why would Stephen still have his phone? That seems sloppy on the suspect’s part.” I poured coffee for Tyler and me and sat down.

“The suspect seems desperate from what we can tell, but we’re not sure why,” Alan said and took a drink. “It is sloppy. I have seen this before and there is always a reason. We just need to find his reason.” Just as I was about to say something else, the doorbell rang. “That may be my team. We need to use your phone and try to locate where Stephen is being held.”

We all walked together to the front room. When I opened the door, we were greeted with a crowd of people. Tyler’s family was off to the side, and the detective’s team had arrived. Tyler guided the detectives into the front sitting room. There were ten people total. One of the workers started setting up a few computers on the coffee table.

I crossed my arms over my chest and leaned against the doorway. My life had not been great before, but I was content. There was this back and forth with Tyler that I had grown tired of after two years. My rematch fight had been canceled, and then a new date created a few days later. That had happened twice already. So things were up and down, which caused my emotions to feel like a black hole after a while.

This. Stephen. What was happening now made all my past complaints seem so minuscule.

Someone touched my arm, and I spun around to come face to face with Tyler’s mom. “Oh, hi, Mrs. Moore.”

“Call me, Anna.” She pulled me in and gave me the biggest hug. I didn’t realize the affection was exactly what I needed. As her arms tightened around my body, I relaxed and the tears started to fall one after another. She pulled back slightly to look at my face and then pulled me in tighter when she noticed I was crying. “Oh, sweetheart.”

“I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize, honey. This man they’re looking for must be very special to you.”

I knew what she meant. She thought Stephen and I were together. This wasn’t my story to tell, so I nodded. “He is. Very much.”

“Zoe,” Tyler said and waved for me.

I ran over to where the woman was typing away on the computer. “What’s going on?”

“This is a technical analyst. She has Stephen’s phone located.”

His words caused more tears to fall. “How is his battery?”

“I don’t know. He hasn’t messaged in a while,” Ty said.

The woman quickly followed with, “But I have a location, so we have cell service at the moment.”

Detective Alan walked over to us. “My team is going now. We’ll let you know as soon as we locate him.”

“Can we go?” I said and already knew the answer.

“You’re safer here.” He touched my arm. “We’re going to find him.”

I wrapped my arms around Tyler’s chest. It felt like we both needed each other at the moment to keep us standing. “I’m scared, Ty.”

“I know.” He kissed the top of my head. “Somehow we were lucky.”

“Lucky?”

“Stephen loves those damn dressy cargo pants. I told the detective he probably had his phone in that hidden pocket.”

I lightly laughed. “I plan to buy him ten pairs now.”

“All different colors.” We were still laughing when Anna walked in front of us. Tyler stopped laughing. “Mom.”

“Can you come into the kitchen for a moment?” She smiled. “The both of you.”

She seemed kind with her soft-spoken voice. It was the way she asked us to go into the kitchen that felt off. Something wasn’t right. I wrapped my arms around Tyler’s one arm and followed beside him.

When we stepped into the kitchen, Julian and Lily were sitting on the barstools at the island. Brooks and Charlie were leaning against the counter by the stove. Ty’s parents were sitting at the kitchen table.

“Sit for a moment, honey,” Anna said and pointed to the chairs.

“Why?” Tyler freed himself from my arms and stepped back.

Todd, Tyler’s father, spoke up. “Just sit, son.”

Julian stood and walked toward us. “Why are we here, Ty? Why am I worried about this man?”

I backed up into the wall next to the doorway we had just entered. This wasn’t already happening. Were they having a “come to Jesus” meeting now? I glanced at Tyler who stood locked in place. Could they have maybe waited until Stephen was found? Why did they choose now to grill him?

I inhaled and let it out slowly. “Why are you worried about that now?” Everyone looked my way. “You can see we’re upset.”

“I think we just want to know why we had to get up in the middle of the night.” Anna paused and held up her hand. “I would do anything for you, son. This seems off. My mom radar is flashing red.”

“Is red bad?” I said and shook my head. “Not that it matters, just wondering.”

“Yeah, it is.”

“Ah, okay.” I stepped closer to Tyler but didn’t dare touch him. His body language felt… I don’t know…it was hard to tell if he was angry or scared. I looked up at Tyler and saw tears welling up. “Fuck.”

“What are we missing?” Julian said and took another step closer.

I was prepared for Tyler to turn and bolt out of the room. He didn’t, though. Instead he just continued to have his eyes facing the floor and his body still as a statue.

Julian was about to step closer, but Tyler lifted his hand demanding the distance.

“Ty, talk to us. We love you and want to be there for you.” Anna sighed. “I can’t, though, if I don’t know how to help or support you.”

Tyler surprised us all when he lifted his hands to cover his face. “I love him.” He just said the words. They flowed out so easily. “But not just him.”

I stumbled back. If he was going to say he loved me, too, I wasn’t sure how to process that piece of information. My eyes were locked onto him as he found the words. His mouth would open and then close so many times.

“He’s been in my life for almost a year.” Finally he lifted his head and looked at everyone in the room. “I’m bi-sexual, okay. Are you happy now?”

“Wait,” I heard Julian say.

“Hush, Julian,” Anna said and stepped closer to Tyler. “Is this a secret you have had for a long time, honey?”

He stepped away from his mom. “Please don’t, Mom. I know what everyone is thinking. It’s fine. Just say what you really feel. Since we’re all here getting our true feelings out.”

“I don’t think anything.” Anna shrugged. “Well, I feel sad we couldn’t talk about this sooner. You’re my son and I love you no matter what.”

Finally, a lonely tear fell down Tyler’s cheek. I wanted to run to him, hold him, and let him know how much I cared. Instead, I waited.

“I’m a fighter. Was a fighter.”

Brooks pushed off the counter. “Was? Are you retiring?”

“I fight men. Once this leaks out I’m finished.”

“Wrong,” Julian said. “This conversation does not leave the room.”

Tyler lifted his head. “What?”

“This is not anyone’s business. No one needs to know.” Julian wrapped his hand around Ty’s bicep. “And you have the gym.”

Tyler shook his head. “I’m tired of hiding my relationship.”

“What about continuing to train female fighters at the gym?” Charlie said and leaned her hands on the counter.

He closed his eyes and dropped his head. “I need—” Without finishing his words, he turned and left the room.

I watched as Tyler walked up the stairs. A part of me wanted to follow him; the other part knew to let him be for a little while. His secret was out.

Right as I about to say something, Detective Alan walked into the kitchen. “Stephen’s cell phone must’ve died. We lost the signal.”

I stood up tall and wiped a tear away. “What happens now?” I said and placed my hand on the countertop for support. “Can you still locate him?”

“We have a radius of where his phone was throwing off a signal. We’re looking for all the cars that match the suspects in that area. We only have a make and model of the car right now. We couldn’t see the license plate in the security video from the bar. Our media liaison also put a message out on the news earlier hoping it would bring a few leads.

“I need to go tell Tyler.” I ran out of the room. When I reached the top step, I fell to my knees. Tyler was sitting on the floor with his back against the wall and his hands covering his face, sobbing. “Ty.” I crawled over and sat down beside him. “Talk to me.”

He was struggling to get the words out. “I’m done.”

“No, you’re not.”

“I am”—he paused—“because loving you both means more to me than my career.”

His words made my head spin. I didn’t know what to say. When I left my home several years ago, I never imagined finding peace again. I was resigned to the fact that fighting was my life and sleeping alone with my animals was my new norm. It was easier.

Fuck easy.

“Ty, what are you saying?”

He lifted his head. “I’m willing to sell my portion of the gym and move.”

“What will that do?”

“No one will know me. No one will judge. I can love who I want.”

“You can now.” Julian knelt down beside his brother. “You’re not selling shit.”

I could tell Tyler was struggling to hold in his tears. He sat up straighter. “Why?”

Julian leaned his back against the wall beside Tyler. “Why what? Why do I care? Why do I want you to keep your part of the business?” He shook his head. “You’re dumb if you don’t know the answers already.” Julian placed his hand on Tyler’s knee. “You’re my brother. We’re family. We support each other.”

“I—”

Julian stood up. “The detective needs you down stairs.” He took a step down and stopped. “We’re not going anywhere until he’s home.”

Tyler just sat there looking stunned.

“Your family is pretty fucking amazing.” I hopped up. “Stephen’s phone died, but they have some other possible leads. Let’s help bring Stephen home.” I reached out my hand, hoping he would accept the offer. He did.

When we both were standing, he cupped his hand around the back of my neck. “I dropped a bombshell on you. I’m sorry.”

“What bombshell?”

“I said the L word. You don’t have to yet. I get it.”

I placed my hands on his chest. “Just give me a little more time.” I leaned up on my tip-toes. “But I promise you won’t have to wait for too long.”

Saying I love you seemed too soon. Yet, here we were going through something no one should ever have to experience. My feelings for Tyler and Stephen were stronger than I ever expected. I thought about that night at the nightclub. The way Stephen and Tyler looked as I drove away. Then the vision of Stephen at his house and how he was determined to show his darker side.

It all felt so long ago now.