Levi’s ringing cell phone woke him in the morning. He slapped at it blindly, his muddled brain thinking it was his alarm before he remembered he hadn’t set one—not only was it Saturday, he’d also been suspended.
Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, he peered at the screen to see it was Natasha calling. It was a little after eight thirty, which was practically sleeping in for him, but he was surprised she’d call him so early on a weekend.
He answered the call and rolled out of bed. “Hey, hold on a second,” he whispered as he padded toward the door. Dominic was out cold and didn’t even stir, and Rebel only pricked her ears halfheartedly as she watched him go.
“Is everything okay?” Natasha asked. “I’m sorry, I know it’s early.”
Out in the kitchen, Levi could speak at a normal volume. “It’s fine. It’s just that Dominic is still sleeping.”
“Ooh.”
“Shut up,” he said amiably. He started warming up his Breville espresso maker, which had been a birthday gift from Stanton and was the most expensive thing he owned besides his car.
She laughed, but when she spoke again, her tone was more somber. “I heard about the suspension. How are you doing?”
“It’s not the end of the world.”
“I had no idea you were still investigating the Seven of Spades.”
“Well, it’s not something I was spreading around.” He dumped dark roast coffee beans into his grinder, set it to French press, and stepped away so the noise wouldn’t drown out their conversation. “I know everybody thinks I’m crazy.”
“You’re not crazy, Levi; you’re passionate,” she said.
He glanced at the dark armoire against the wall, shut up tight to hide the evidence of his obsession within. “I guess that’s a matter of opinion,” he said. “Did you call to check up on me?”
“Actually, no. I was calling about Adriana.”
“Is something wrong?”
“I’m having more trouble finding her a place here than I anticipated,” Natasha said with a sigh. “The group home she’s staying in temporarily is already stretched past capacity, and she’s not even supposed to be in our system—she’s in Reno’s.”
“I thought you were trying to find her a foster family.” Returning to the kitchen, he poured the coarsely ground beans into his French press.
She was silent for a moment. “Here’s the thing. A lot of foster families are hesitant to take in a teenager with a history of running away, not to mention a history of abuse allegations.”
“Abuse allegations?” Levi said, pausing in the act of filling a carafe with hot water from the espresso machine. “What the fuck does that mean?”
“In Reno, Adriana reported that her foster father had been physically rough and sexually inappropriate with her. Her caseworker investigated and judged the claim to be false.”
He set the carafe down hard on the counter. “It wasn’t, Natasha. If anything, ‘physically rough and sexually inappropriate’ undersold what happened to her. I know an abused kid when I see one—”
“So do I,” she said grimly. “I don’t know the specifics of what happened, but now Adriana’s file has a note that she made an unsubstantiated abuse claim.”
“Did they leave her there?” he said, his stomach churning with the beginnings of an acidic rage he knew all too well. “After they decided the allegations were false, did they leave her in that same house with that same man?”
“Yes.”
He had to put the phone down to keep from throwing it. Gripping the countertop, he hung his head between his arms and breathed in through his nose and out through his mouth. It didn’t help.
Adriana’s foster father was probably the man Dominic had reminded her of. He’d be a big guy, and strong, but that wouldn’t matter. The only reason Dominic was an even match for Levi was because he was a highly trained veteran Army Ranger. Chances were this other man was just a bully used to getting his way because of his size, but a bulky frame and simple strength alone wouldn’t be enough to protect him from Levi.
He could imagine it in vivid detail; he knew exactly what it would feel and sound like. The thudding impact of flesh on flesh, the crunch of bone, the spurt of blood from a busted nose . . . He’d break the man’s face, kick him in the ribs, choke him out, and let him see how he liked being the one who was helpless and afraid—
Through the haze of his violent fantasy, Levi became aware of a tinny shouting coming from his phone—Natasha urgently repeating his name. He picked it back up and said, “I’m here. I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine,” she said. “I know you, Levi. Right now, the only thing you can think about is tracking that guy down in Reno and tearing him apart.”
“You’re half right. I’d like to do the same thing to the caseworker.”
“Levi—”
“I won’t actually do anything. You know that. Doesn’t mean I can’t imagine it.”
The water had cooled off too much, so he emptied out the carafe and refilled it. He let the necessity of pouring the water into the French press at a slow, steady rate keep him calm and focused.
“True, but the problem with you is that whenever you have that kind of retribution fantasy—which every human being has to some extent, by the way—you always feel ashamed afterward.”
He shrugged irritably even though she couldn’t see him. “I’ll deal with it. It’s just . . . what kind of fucked-up system do we have where a vulnerable child is put in a situation so horrible she thinks it’s a better option to run away and live on the streets of Las Vegas, combing through Dumpsters for food? God knows what else happened to her here. Even if they thought she was making everything up, why take the chance and leave her with him? Why didn’t they move her anyway?”
“You’re asking me questions I don’t have answers to,” Natasha said quietly. “The system is broken in more than one way. We just have to do the best we can with what we’re given.”
He put the top on the French press and left it alone to steep, then reset the grinder with a smaller batch of beans on the espresso setting. “And what is the best we can do?” he asked.
“I’m not sure. I pulled every string and called in every favor I could to keep Adriana in Vegas this long. If I don’t find a more permanent solution soon, they’ll send her back to Reno. There’ll be nothing I can do.”
He closed his eyes and exhaled. “All right. I’ll see if I can figure out any way to help. I do suddenly have a lot of free time on my hands, after all.”
Chuckling weakly, she said, “Thanks. I’ll keep trying and call you with any updates.”
“Okay. Talk to you later.”
“Levi,” she said, just as he was about to hang up.
“Mm?”
“It’s okay for you to want to hurt Adriana’s foster father for what he did to her. It’s a completely natural emotional reaction, especially to child abuse. Most people would feel something similar. You don’t have to be ashamed of it.”
“I know,” Levi said. “Thanks, Natasha.”
They ended the call, and he put down the phone. Natasha was right, in a way, but Levi wasn’t most people. For most people, revenge fantasies were idle ones, events that couldn’t realistically come to pass.
If Levi decided to hurt that man, he easily could. He could hurt him badly, quite possibly kill him, and there were very few people who would be able to stop him if he tried.
He cracked his neck from side to side, pushed those morbid thoughts to the back of his mind, and returned to one of his favorite rituals—making coffee.
He finished up the French press, then warmed two mugs with hot water while the espresso machine pumped out a perfectly infused double shot. After he filled both mugs with strong, fragrant coffee, he poured the espresso into one and steamed milk for the other. The final step was to grab some supplies from the pantry that he’d bought with Dominic in mind—raw sugar and vanilla-flavored coffee syrup. He mixed the syrup, steamed milk, and sugar into the second mug, then tasted it and almost gagged.
It was disgusting—Dominic would love it.
Carrying both mugs, Levi went back to the bedroom and nudged the door open with his foot. Dominic was still asleep, but he grunted and shifted around beneath the covers when the smell of coffee hit the air. Even Rebel perked up.
“Hey,” Levi said, settling on the bed. He put his mug on his nightstand and waved the other above Dominic’s face.
“It’s too early,” Dominic said without opening his eyes.
“You have no idea what time it is.”
“I know what too early feels like.” Dominic cracked one eye open. “What’s that?”
“An abomination I refuse to dignify with the title of coffee.”
Dominic pushed himself upright, accepted the mug, and inhaled deeply. “This smells great,” he said. He took a sip, and a smile of pure delight broke across his face like a child on Christmas morning. “You made this for me?”
“Yeah,” Levi said, suddenly embarrassed. Was it too much? He picked up his own coffee to hide his discomfiture.
Brushing his fingers against Levi’s jaw, Dominic said, “You’re sweet.”
Levi snorted. “I can say with confidence that you’re the only person who’s ever thought that.”
Dominic smiled, but as his eyes traveled over Levi’s body, his gaze sharpened and became assessing. “Something’s wrong. What happened?”
Damn his observational skills. “I don’t want to talk about it,” Levi said. Then, because he also didn’t want to hold Dominic at an arm’s length the way he had too frequently with Stanton, he added, “I’ll tell you later, though.”
“Okay,” Dominic said. He arranged his pillow behind his back and whistled for Rebel, who shimmied up the bed for a belly scratch. “You know, we don’t have to leave for the Andersons’ until two. That’s hours from now.”
Levi shifted closer with a small smile. “How ever will we pass the time?”
The Andersons lived in the eastern outskirts of Henderson, on three desert acres in the foothills of the River Mountains. As Dominic turned onto the street where their property line began, Levi gazed out the window at a group of horses gathered beneath a wooden shelter to enjoy the effects of a cool water mister.
“Horses?” he said.
Sitting on the bench seat between them, Rebel snapped to attention, leaning over Levi and putting her front paws on his door so she could look out the window too. She went nuts for horses; the word alone was enough to rile her up.
“Yeah, Jasmine’s parents run a small horse farm—boarding and breeding, plus an equine therapy program.” Dominic slowed down on the approach to the main gate. Rebel huffed and dropped back into her seat when the horses faded from sight. “Her mom’s a big animal vet, and her dad teaches animal physiology and behavior at UNLV.”
The gate stood open, and the winding, dusty drive was lined with cars. Dominic parked in the first available space, hopped out, and patted his thigh to signal Rebel to follow. Only when he went to close the door did he realize Levi was still sitting in the passenger seat, his seatbelt buckled and his eyes unfocused.
“What’s wrong?” Dominic asked. Levi hadn’t yet shared what had happened this morning to upset him, and Dominic hadn’t pushed—neither of them were the type of person to easily talk about what was bothering them. They’d managed to have a fun morning regardless; Levi had seemed fine until right this minute.
“People don’t like me,” said Levi.
Dominic blinked, wondering if Levi was fucking with him.
“I don’t mean that to sound self-pitying. It doesn’t matter to me if people like me or not. I don’t care what most people think at all. But you do.”
“Thanks,” Dominic said, a little stung.
Levi unbuckled his seatbelt and turned to face him. “In a good way. Being liked is important to you; you want to make the people around you happy and for everyone to get along. You’re a naturally nice person, and people gravitate toward that. But me . . . even when I try to be nice, it comes out wrong. I can’t even explain this to you right now without offending you.”
Shaking his head, Dominic said, “I’m not offended, Levi, I just don’t understand what you’re getting at. Especially at this particular place and time.”
“I . . .” Levi dropped his eyes to his hands. “I don’t want to embarrass you.”
Oh. Dominic rocked back on his heels, astonished. He knew that Levi was uncomfortable around strangers, but he’d never expected Levi’s anxieties to take this form. “You couldn’t embarrass me.”
“No?” Levi said, looking up again. “These people know you well, and I’m sure they love you as much as everyone else does. They’re going to think it’s weird that someone like you is with someone like me.”
“No, they—”
“Carlos and Jasmine do. Please don’t deny it. I’m not the kind of guy they imagined you being with.”
“Carlos and Jasmine couldn’t give two flying fucks who I’m with as long as I’m happy,” Dominic said, exasperated. He leaned forward into the truck. “You make me happy, Levi. I won’t pretend it’s not important to me for my friends and family to like you, because it is. But I’m not worried about it. They’ll see the same things in you that I do.”
“You didn’t like me until we started sleeping together,” Levi said.
“Whoa, hey,” Dominic snapped. “That’s not true and you know it. I liked you as soon as I started getting to know the real you instead of the assumptions I’d made about you. That was before sex ever entered into it. Don’t cheapen that.”
Levi yielded immediately. “You’re right, I’m sorry. Don’t you see this is exactly what I mean, though?”
Dominic climbed back into the truck, leaving Rebel watching him quizzically from the ground. He took both Levi’s hands in his.
“You’re prickly and uptight and a little caustic sometimes,” he said. “But I like those things about you because they make you who you are. You also care deeply about the people close to you. You’re fiercely committed to your job. You’re heartbreakingly compassionate. And even when you’re kind of a dick, you ultimately treat people with respect unless they start shit with you first. I’m not looking for a nice guy, Levi. I want a good guy. That’s way more important.”
Levi stared at him, his eyes wide with more astonishment than Dominic thought was warranted by what he’d said.
“What?” Dominic asked.
With a sound that was half laugh, half surprised exhalation, Levi said, “Believe it or not, you’re not the first person to tell me something like that.”
“Because it’s true.” Dominic kissed him briefly, careful of his bruised lip. “Now have a little faith in me and help me get this crap out of the back of my truck.”
Levi smiled and nodded. They got out of the cab, and Dominic opened up the truck bed, where he’d strapped down two three-gallon beverage dispensers full of homemade sangria as well as Levi’s contribution, a cooler packed with bottles of Blue Moon. Drinks in hand, they walked the rest of the way up to the house, a pale stucco Southwestern ranch that sprawled out in an upside-down U shape.
Rock music could be heard blasting from the backyard, along with a hubbub of laughter, shrieking kids, and the sound of dozens of voices raised in conversation. The front door stood ajar, only the screened storm door in place. Dominic opened it with his elbow and stepped into the house with Levi and Rebel right behind him.
“Dom, Levi!” Jasmine broke away from a group in the kitchen and hurried over to greet them. She looked radiant in a sundress that displayed her tattoos beautifully, her rainbow braids flowing loose down her back. “Oh yum, you made sangria.”
Carlos came up behind her, relaxed and smiling, a pair of sunglasses perched on top of his head. Dominic handed him one of the beverage dispensers.
“We’ve got a classic red and my own mango-peach recipe,” he said. “Levi taste-tested them both. Actually, if I hadn’t stopped him, there might not have been any left.”
Levi rolled his eyes and hefted the cooler he was carrying. “I’m more of a shopper than a cook myself.”
“Any alcoholic beverage will be a hit with this crowd, believe me,” said Jasmine. “Come on, let’s go out back. I’ll introduce you around.”
As Jasmine and Levi headed for the backyard, Dominic hung back to speak to Carlos privately. “You seem calmer today. Everything set for the proposal?”
“Yeah. We’re gonna do it during dessert.”
Dominic slapped Carlos’s back with his free hand and walked out into the large backyard. A variety of folding tables had been set up for a casual buffet; scattered seating arrangements were shaded by canvas awnings and cooled down by huge industrial fans. Dominic and Carlos set the sangria up where Jasmine directed, and Levi set his cooler down beside a few others.
After Jasmine excused herself to fetch her parents, a group of elementary school-aged children ran past with a couple of happily barking dogs. Rebel whined, stamping her feet in place as she watched. “Go ahead,” Dominic said, and she was off like a shot.
Levi was surveying the backyard with an expression of slight surprise, and Dominic knew he was struck by the incredible diversity of the people milling around, the same way he’d been himself the first time he came here.
“These are all Jasmine’s relatives?” Levi said.
“Well, you know Jasmine is multiracial herself, but the Andersons have also been foster parents for decades. A lot of those kids come back to these reunions as adults with their own spouses and children.”
Levi turned to Dominic, his eyes sharp with sudden interest. “The Andersons are foster parents? Do they still take kids?”
“Yeah,” Carlos said, “they’ve got two right now.”
That obviously held meaning for Levi that Dominic didn’t understand, but just then, Jasmine approached with her parents Marcus and Wendy in tow. There was a strong resemblance between parents and daughter, though Marcus’s skin was much darker than Jasmine’s and Wendy’s a few shades lighter. Both were athletic, outdoorsy people, as well as the most welcoming individuals Dominic had ever had the pleasure of meeting.
“Dominic, it’s great to see you,” Wendy exclaimed, as he kissed her cheek and shook Marcus’s hand. “And this must be your new boyfriend?”
Levi went still. Dominic met his eyes, thought sure, what the hell, and said, “Yeah, this is my boyfriend Levi Abrams. Levi, this is Marcus and Wendy Anderson.”
Levi shook their hands and pleasantries were exchanged all around. Wendy’s gaze lingered on his injured mouth, but she was too polite to mention it. Levi must have noticed, though, because he brushed his fingers against the bruise and said, “I was in a physical altercation with a suspect the other night. It looks worse than it is.”
“Levi is a homicide detective with the LVMPD,” Jasmine put in.
“That must be an intense job,” said Marcus. “Are you from Las Vegas originally, Levi?”
“New Jersey, actually.”
Dominic slipped an arm around Levi’s waist as he and Marcus continued talking. Levi looked up at him with a smile and returned the gesture, pulling him even closer.
They passed a couple of pleasant hours under the hot sun and clear sky, gorging themselves on barbeque and chatting with Jasmine’s various relatives. Dominic stuck by Levi’s side, knowing he wouldn’t want to be left alone among strangers, but multiple glasses of sangria eventually had their expected effect. He murmured an apology as he excused himself to the bathroom; Levi just waved him off impatiently.
When Dominic returned, he found Levi deep in conversation with the Andersons’ two current foster kids, Josh and Rima. Both teenagers were smiling and gesturing effusively with their hands while Levi listened in contemplative silence.
Curious, Dominic stayed back, but it was impossible to watch Levi for long without him noticing. He twisted around in his chair a few seconds later, waved at Dominic, and said something to the kids. Then he pushed away from the table and came to stand by Dominic’s side.
“Do you know where either of the Andersons are?” he asked. “I need to speak with them about something important.”
“I think Wendy’s in the kitchen,” Dominic said, even more intrigued now.
Levi headed back into the house, Dominic trailing behind. Wendy was indeed in the kitchen, emptying fresh bags of chips into big serving bowls.
“Dr. Anderson,” Levi said.
“You can call me Wendy, hon.” She stuffed the chip bags into the garbage can. “What’s up?”
“I’ve been talking to your foster kids all afternoon. They were all happy here, even when things got off to a rough start. You and your husband made a real difference to them, changed their lives for the better.”
“Well, sadly it doesn’t always work out that way, but we do try our best with every kid who comes through our door.”
“I believe that,” Levi said. “And I know a young woman who could really use your help. Would you possibly have room for one more?”
“So what do you think?” Levi asked, after he finished his story about how he’d met Adriana and the dilemma she was facing. He, Marcus, and Wendy had retreated to Marcus’s home office for privacy.
“Sounds like she’s been through hell,” Marcus said.
“She has. I don’t even know the full extent of it.”
The Andersons exchanged a glance, and then Wendy nodded. “Why don’t you give us this Natasha’s phone number, and we’ll see if we can set up a meeting with Adriana tomorrow? If everything goes well, we’d be happy to take her.”
“Thank you,” Levi said, light-headed with relief. He fished his phone out of his pocket. “You have no idea how much this means to me.”
“It’s very sweet of you to take such a personal interest in her welfare.”
That was the second time Levi had been called sweet today, when he couldn’t remember having ever heard himself described that way before in his life. He didn’t know how to accept that kind of compliment, so he just smiled awkwardly and read Natasha’s number out so Marcus could jot it down.
Shortly afterward, they returned to the party, where various members of the extended Anderson clan were clearing up the remains of lunch and putting out a bountiful dessert spread that was sure to have Dominic’s sweet tooth itching. Unlike the lazy summer mood of earlier, the crowd in the backyard was buzzing with a strange nervous energy that put Levi’s senses on high alert.
It took him a minute to find Dominic, standing off to the side and whispering to Carlos, who was a little pale. Dominic stopped and smiled when Levi joined them. “How’d everything go?”
“Good, I think. What’s—”
Carlos signaled to someone behind Levi, and seconds later, Marcus called out, “Jasmine, can you please help me in the kitchen?”
Seeming puzzled, Jasmine put down her drink and disappeared into the house. The moment the back door shut behind her, the rest of the party burst into frantic activity like a kicked anthill.
Tarps were thrown off a cluster of crates that had been stacked in one corner, and Wendy dug through them, handing out objects to the family members who rushed up to her—picture frames, Levi saw upon closer inspection. Carlos gave Dominic a fist bump and moved to stand about thirty feet from the back door, fiddling with something in his pocket. The people with frames raced to line up on either side of him in a wide V formation while the rest of the family amassed around them.
“Oh my God,” Levi said. “Is he proposing?”
“Yep.” Dominic grinned, kissed Levi’s cheek, and strode away to collect his own frame and take position in the line to Carlos’s immediate right.
Levi drew closer with everyone else. The framed pictures were all of Carlos and Jasmine, and he could tell from the changes in their appearances that they extended throughout many years, with the oldest at the front of the two lines and the most recent in the back. Standing to Carlos’s left, Wendy held an empty frame with today’s date engraved on it.
The music from the speakers cut off abruptly. When the back door opened, a new song started up, a quiet arrangement of strings and piano that sounded oddly familiar. It wasn’t until a few bars in that Levi realized it was a version of “All I Ask of You” from Phantom of the Opera.
As Jasmine emerged into the backyard with Marcus, she stared in open-mouthed confusion at the spectacle before her. Her father gently encouraged her to keep moving, and she glanced from side to side while she walked, taking in the photographs. Levi saw the exact moment she understood what was happening.
Already misty-eyed, she proceeded down the aisle of pictures to where Carlos was waiting for her. He’d looked nervous earlier, but now he was beaming, watching her like she was the only person in the entire backyard.
A hush fell over those assembled, so the only sound was the song playing softly in the background. Even the dogs were quiet.
“Jasmine,” Carlos said, “when we first met, I was afraid to be the person I knew I was supposed to be. You were the one who taught me how to embrace the parts of myself I’d tried to ignore, who showed me that I didn’t have to hide or be ashamed of who I was. You’ve always been my strength, my solace, my safe place.”
He choked up then and had to pause to clear his throat. Jasmine was crying silently, tears sliding down her cheeks. Levi looked at Dominic, who had a soft smile on his face.
“I learned about unconditional love from you,” Carlos went on. “And when my family rejected me, yours didn’t hesitate for a moment to welcome me with open arms and open hearts. That’s why I wanted to do this here, in one of the few places I’ve ever felt truly safe and loved, surrounded by the people who have become my family too.”
Wendy reached out to squeeze his shoulder from behind. He flashed her a quick smile, then lowered himself to one knee. Jasmine cupped her face with both hands.
“I love you, Jasmine.” He pulled a ring box out of his pocket. “I want us to be family forever. Will you marry me?”
He opened the box. Levi couldn’t see the ring well from where he stood, but Jasmine gasped aloud, her hands dropping in shock. She nodded, murmuring, “Of course,” through her tears, and Carlos slipped the ring on her finger before rising to pull her into a kiss.
The crowd exploded with whoops and cheers, closing in around the happy couple in a deluge of hugs, kisses, and congratulations. Levi slipped through the exuberant mass of people until he reached Dominic.
“That was beautiful,” he said, looking up at Dominic’s suspiciously bright eyes. He’d found the proposal incredibly moving himself, and he didn’t even know Carlos and Jasmine that well; he could only imagine how Dominic was feeling. “Did you know about it in advance?”
“I helped Carlos plan it,” said Dominic.
Levi pulled him down into a kiss. They couldn’t go for long because his lip still hurt, but he pressed their foreheads together for an extended moment once they’d separated and just breathed Dominic in.
Everyone at the party wanted a few minutes to speak with Carlos and Jasmine and snap some pictures, but eventually Levi and Dominic made it to the front of the line. “Mazel tov,” Levi said, smiling, while Dominic hugged them both.
Jasmine threw her arms around Levi, wrapping him up in a tight embrace. He was startled but recovered quickly, returning the hug. Once she let go, he shook Carlos’s hand.
“Look, isn’t it gorgeous?” Jasmine said, showing them her ring, which consisted of a large solitaire diamond framed by platinum filigreed in an elaborate geometric pattern. “It was my great-grandmother’s in the 1920s—perfect vintage Art Deco.”
Levi glanced at Dominic and could tell he had no idea what that meant either. “It’s really pretty,” Dominic said.
With everyone in giddy spirits, the party revved into a higher gear after that. Marcus cued up a more energetic playlist over the speakers, and some people started dancing while others put together an impromptu flag football game. One of Jasmine’s aunts broke out sparklers for the kids, who ran screaming and giggling around the backyard.
After an hour or so of that, Levi needed a break from the socialization. He excused himself and retired to a relatively quiet corner, sipping a cup of coffee and watching Dominic wrestle around in the patchy grass with Rebel and the other dogs.
“Hey,” Carlos said, approaching from the side with a bottle of beer in one hand. “Mind if I sit?”
“Sure.”
Carlos settled in the chair next to Levi, and they drank in companionable silence for a while.
“That was a really thoughtful surprise you put together for Jasmine,” Levi said eventually.
“Thanks. She deserved it.” Carlos glanced toward the main hub of the party, where Jasmine was surrounded by relatives oohing and aahing over the ring, before turning back to Levi. “So, um, I need to talk to you about something, and it’s a little awkward.”
Levi arched an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue.
“Dominic was acting weird earlier this week. Tense and anxious, not like himself at all. At first, I thought it might have something to do with this whole serial killer thing—and yes, I know about that. Dom kind of had to clue me in when he found a bug in my smoke detector.”
“You and Jasmine aren’t in danger,” Levi said, feeling guilty that they’d been dragged into this mess. “The Seven of Spades wouldn’t harm you.”
Carlos waved a hand. “It’s okay. Dom broke it down for me, and I trust him to keep us safe if anything changes.” He looked down to where his thumbnail was worrying the label on his bottle. “After he told me about the Seven of Spades, I wondered if that was why he’d been nervous before. But the thing is, Dom doesn’t get nervous, at least not about normal things like serial killers and life-threatening danger. There’s really only one thing in the world that puts him on edge.”
He stopped there, leaving his true question unspoken. Levi drank more coffee while he stalled for time.
How much was acceptable for him to share? Carlos was clearly concerned, and he was looking for either reassurance or confirmation of his fears. It wouldn’t do anyone good for Levi to brush him off.
“He hasn’t been gambling,” Levi said. “He just had a close call this week, and it threw him a little bit. He’ll be okay.”
Carlos nodded. Out in the yard, Dominic was flat on his back, laughing as he warded off the dogs’ enthusiastic tongues. Levi couldn’t help smiling at the sight.
“Look, Levi, you didn’t really know Dominic back when he was gambling,” said Carlos. “But Jasmine and I were there for the entire thing, the whole terrible downward spiral. Gambling turns Dominic into a different person. It makes him irresponsible and even more reckless than he is naturally. And he gets . . . mean.”
“Mean?” Levi said, shaking his head in bemusement. He could barely imagine it. “I’m almost curious about what that would look like.”
“Don’t be,” Carlos said flatly. “It’s scary as fuck. I’m ashamed to admit this, but Jasmine and I weren’t as close to him then as we are now, and it got so bad we almost gave up on him. If Rebel hadn’t gotten sick, I don’t know where Dom would be today. Maybe in jail—you know what happens to gamblers who can’t stop.”
Frowning, Levi asked, “Why are you telling me all this?”
“Because I think he’s falling in love with you, and I want you to promise that if he does start gambling again, you won’t give up on him. That you’ll remember that the person he becomes when he gambles isn’t the real him, and you’ll help him find his way back no matter how difficult it gets.”
Levi stared at him, speechless. Carlos gave a self-conscious shrug.
“I understand that’s a lot to ask someone who’s only been dating him three months. And I know you guys aren’t at the point in your relationship where you’re ready to make promises like that. Dominic is my best friend, though, and you—you seem like the kind of person who never gives up on anything. I just need to hear you say it.”
Levi looked across the yard again. Dominic was sitting up now, scruffing Rebel’s ears and kissing the tip of her nose. A sharp, tender pain lanced through Levi’s core as he watched.
“I wouldn’t let anyone hurt Dominic,” he said to Carlos. “That includes Dominic himself. You have my word.”
“Thank you.” Carlos clinked his bottle against Levi’s mug.
Dominic stood up, brushed the dirt off his jeans, and headed in their direction with Rebel at his heels. “Hey, guys,” he said, circling around behind Levi’s chair. He draped his arms over Levi’s shoulders and bent to kiss the side of Levi’s neck.
Back when the Seven of Spades had just been getting started, Martine and Levi had wondered how the killer had been able to get behind Phillip Dreyer to slit his throat when he’d been seated in a wide-open office. How many people do you trust to stand behind you while you’re sitting down? Martine had asked.
Levi’s response had been Enough to count on one hand and have fingers left over, because that list had been limited to his parents and Martine herself. He wouldn’t even have felt comfortable with Stanton in that position.
Right now, he didn’t feel an ounce of anxiety. He put a hand on Dominic’s arm and rested his head against Dominic’s stomach, warm with contentment.
“What were you guys talking about?” Dominic asked.
“Nothing important, just taking a break from all the excitement,” Carlos said.
“Mmm.” Dominic nuzzled Levi’s neck. “It is a lot. Do you want to go home?”
“I’m fine. We don’t have to leave early on my account.”
“My reasons are totally selfish, trust me.” Dominic nipped at Levi’s ear, and his voice dropped to a lower register. “I want to take my boyfriend home and do nasty, unspeakable things to him.”
“Dominic, for fuck’s sake,” Levi said, both embarrassed and a little turned on.
Carlos grinned. “Right, I’ll take that as my cue to be elsewhere.” He winked at Levi before returning to the party.
Dominic’s attentions to Levi’s neck became more aggressive, and he slid his hands over Levi’s chest in a way that hinted at delicious things that lay in store. “Come on, baby. Let’s go.”
A full-body shudder ran through Levi at the husked endearment.
“God, I’m never going to get over how hot that is,” said Dominic. He moved to the front of Levi’s chair to pull him to his feet. “It’s gonna take us a while to say goodbye to everyone. Let’s get started before I have to drag you into the bathroom and suck your cock up against the wall.”
“You say that like it’s supposed to be some kind of disincentive,” Levi said, and laughed as Dominic playfully shoved him back toward the crowd.