by Sue Brown
Keenan licked his lips. “You don’t have to take me home.”
Nate gave a curt nod. “It’s nonnegotiable. Hurry up.”
“Okay.” Keenan strode off to get his jacket and wallet. He’d just shrugged it on when Eddie appeared with a scowl on his face. Keenan’s heart sank.
“Are you an idiot, or are you an idiot, boy?”
Keenan stiffened at the “boy.” He wasn’t a boy by any means. He was more annoyed at being called that than being called an idiot. But Eddie hadn’t finished.
“Why the hell didn’t you tell me this was Liam’s fault?”
“Who told you?”
“Dan. Who should have told me earlier. You should have told me earlier.”
“I didn’t want to cause any trouble,” Keenan said. “I didn’t mind cleaning the line.”
Eddie rolled his eyes. “But you don’t like cleaning the johns.”
Keenan bit his lip against the angry words threatening to spill over. “No one likes cleaning the restrooms.”
“I was a prick to you this evening,” Eddie said unexpectedly. “I had a fight with my wife, and I took it out on you. I’m sorry.”
“Yeah, you were,” Keenan said. He was too tired and pissed off to be diplomatic, and he just wanted to go home with Nate.
“Get lost before the big cop who’s waiting outside goes through with his threat to tear me limb from limb.”
Keenan stared at him. “Nate said that?”
Eddie gave a derisive laugh. “He didn’t need to.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Keenan said.
“Liam will be on piss and vomit duty.” Eddie smiled in grim satisfaction.
“He’d better be,” Keenan said. “He owes me.”
“Next time, speak up, son. You don’t need to cover for his sorry ass.”
Eddie followed Nate out of the back room. Nate was waiting, and his posture changed as he saw Eddie with Keenan. Eddie was right. Nate did look as protective as all hell.
Keenan smiled wearily at Nate. “Let’s go home.”
Nate slung an arm around Keenan and guided them through the remaining patrons and to the door. Keenan yawned as soon as they stepped into the chill night air.
“Tired?” Nate asked as they walked toward his vehicle.
“Wanting to forget this day ever existed,” Keenan said.
“Come back to my place?”
Keenan blinked. “Your place?” He’d never been to Nate’s home. Nate had never said it specifically, but reading between the lines, Keenan had understood that Nate never brought hookups back to his home. “Are you sure?
“Yes, I’m sure. I have to start early, but you can sleep in.”
“I’m not up to anything,” Keenan said as they reached Nate’s car.
Nate grinned at him across the roof of the vehicle. “Dude, even I can see you’re tired, pissed off, and smell of… I really don’t want to think about what you smell of. Shower and bed. You can sleep in my spare room if you want.”
“I’d rather sleep with you.”
“Me too. Let’s get you home.”
Keenan slid into the passenger seat and closed his eyes. Tomorrow was another day, and at least he got to sleep with Nate tonight—an unexpected bonus he wouldn’t turn away. Nate settled his hand on Keenan’s thigh.
“Go to sleep,” Nate murmured, and Keenan did as he was told.
Chapter 20
WHEN NATE had suggested they visit the zoo, Keenan had not been surprised. He’d quickly come to realize Nate loved being outside whether it was walking the dog or picnics in the park. Now he watched Nate staring out at the lake at the Prospect Park Zoo, giving Keenan an opportunity to study him. People milled around him, but Nate seemed focused inward, not aware of anyone else, including Keenan. Wrapped in faded tight jeans that framed his taut ass and a Wyoming Cowboys shirt his mom had sent him in case he was homesick, Nate was everything Keenan wanted. Keenan couldn’t tear his eyes away as he admired the muscular length of him, and he shivered as he imagined all those muscles being pressed against him in less than an hour. He didn’t know how many not-dates they’d had now, but more and more were ending up in bed. Keenan laughed to himself. Knowing them, it would be the sofa. Or the wall. They rarely got as far as the bed.
Keenan had wanted ice cream and Nate agreed. Keenan had said he’d be right back. That had been ten minutes ago. He flicked a glance at the line. It hadn’t moved since he’d joined it. Oh well, more chance to stare at Nate. Just then a little girl approached him. She was a pretty thing with dark curls tied up in a pink ribbon and wearing a light pink flowered dress. Nate obviously knew her, because his face lit up and he held out his arms to swing the little girl up and give her a kiss on the cheek. Then, still holding the child, he leaned forward to kiss a woman on the cheek. Even from this distance, Keenan could see how alike the woman and child were. They had to be related—mom and daughter, or older sister, perhaps? More likely the former.
The child carried on an animated conversation, waving her arms around and nearly hitting Nate once or twice. He put her down on the ground, obviously deeming it safer. The girl pouted but then carried on talking. Nate and the woman smiled and nodded their heads at the kid.
He wondered who the child and woman were. From their body language, they seemed to know Nate, and he radiated a relaxed contentment Keenan had only seen Nate exhibit after playing with Keenan’s niece and nephew. Keenan wished he saw that look on Nate’s face more often. He watched them closely. They looked good together—a proper family. Despite knowing it was ridiculous, a niggle of doubt crept into Keenan’s mind. He was also conscious that Nate hadn’t once looked his way, not even to check he was okay.
What should he do? Go over and introduce himself? Stay here and wait for Nate to acknowledge his existence? How did you introduce your permanent hookup? “Hey, this is Keenan. I fuck him, but we don’t date. Well, we kind of date, but I refuse to call it dating. Heck no, it’s not a relationship.” Did he even want to know who the woman and child were and their connection to Nate? Maybe he just wanted to be acknowledged as Nate’s… what? Not lover. Definitely not boyfriend. But was friend enough?
The guy behind him huffed, and Keenan looked up to see the line had shuffled up a couple of steps. As Keenan moved, he finished the imaginary conversation. He turned to look at Nate and caught him staring at Keenan. Nate smiled, that rare smile Keenan rarely saw aimed at him. Keenan tentatively smiled back, still not sure of his reception.
Nate seemed about to say something when he jerked back. Keenan took a step toward him as he watched the color drain out of Nate’s face, and Nate staggered forward, holding an arm out. The woman frowned and lunged at him, but she obviously wasn’t strong enough to hold him up, because he slid down her as though someone had cut the strings to his legs.
“Nate?” Keenan said, taking another step.
The woman tried to hold Nate up, but his weight threatened to topple them both over. Two men ran over and eased Nate to the ground. She knelt beside him calling his name, and now Keenan could hear her, panic clear in her voice.
“Buddy, are you still in the line?”
Keenan ignored the irritated voice of the man behind him and ran over to Nate, dodging strollers and small children. He pushed through the crowd gathering around them and skidded to a halt, almost knocking over the little girl.
He threw himself down at Nate’s side, took Nate’s hand, and ignored the woman and child at his side. “Nate? Nate? What’s happened?”
“I don’t know. He just collapsed,” the woman said.
The little girl started to cry and call Nate’s name.
Keenan ignored her, his whole attention on Nate. “Nate, where are you hurt?”
Nate stared up at him, his eyes wide and shocked. He gasped in a breath, and it seemed to hurt. Keenan looked down his body to where Nate had a hand pressed to his left side. A red stain spread under his fingers in ghastly slow motion.
“He’s bleedi
ng,” one of the men who had helped Nate said. They were still waiting, obviously unsure what to do. “Has anyone called 9-1-1?”
Keenan tuned them out, his attention on Nate. “Let me look,” he said and pulled Nate’s hand away. His stomach gave a lurch as he saw the blood.
“Shot. Felt it go through. Okay. Just need to stem bleeding,” Nate managed, his voice slow and hoarse, as though every word was an effort. “Roll me onto my side and push on the wounds.”
Keenan stripped off his shirt, carefully rolled Nate onto his side, and used the shirt to try and slow the bleeding. He looked at the woman on the other side of Nate. “Call 9-1-1. He’s been shot. Tell them he’s a cop.”
The woman paled, but to his relief, she didn’t panic, and she immediately pulled out her phone. Keenan tuned out her conversation and looked at the little girl, who was sobbing.
“Hi, my name’s Keenan. What’s your name?”
“Am… Amelia,” she sobbed. “What’s wrong with Uncle Nate?”
“Can you hold Uncle Nate’s hand and talk to him?”
She nodded and took Nate’s unbloodied hand. She looked at Keenan and bit her lip. “What should I say?”
“Tell… me… about your best friend, sweetheart,” Nate managed, although it was clearly an effort.
That was enough to get Amelia going on a long and elaborate tale of how her best friend, Maxie, had a puppy called Buster, and she wanted a puppy but Mommy wouldn’t let her. Nate did his best to listen to her while Keenan pressed his shirt into the wound. Nate gasped in pain, but he tried to stay focused on the story.
The woman finished the call and looked at Keenan. “They’re on their way. How is he?”
Nate gasped out, “Wondering… why you… don’t get your kid a puppy.”
She rolled her eyes and said, “We’ve got Tucker. He’s more than enough. Who are you?” The question was aimed at Keenan.
Nate answered for him. “Keenan… Day. Friend.”
Keenan tried not to let the friend disappoint him. “Quit talking,” he told Nate. “Listen to Amelia.”
Despite the worry in her eyes, Keenan caught her speculative look. “Pleased to meet you, Keenan. I’m Roxy…. Roxanne. Nate’s big sister.”
“I’ve met your dog.”
She smirked. “I’ll say sorry now for whatever he did.”
Then the grin fell away as she glanced down at her brother.
Keenan sought for something to say to ease her panic. “So you’re the one I have to ask for all the dirt on Nate.”
“No… stories,” Nate gasped.
Roxy smiled, the panic easing a fraction. “I’ve got plenty of gossip about my little brother.”
“No!”
They both ignored Nate.
“I’d shake hands,” Keenan said, “but they’re kind of occupied at the moment.”
Her bottom lip quivered, and Keenan tried to look as reassuring as he could, but in truth, he was frightened by the amount of blood soaking into the shirt.
Amelia paused for breath, and Nate looked at Keenan.
“Guess… we won’t be… getting Chinese food.”
Keenan managed a smirk. “You’ll be lucky if they give you lime Jello.”
Nate made a face. “I hate… lime… Jello.” His breathing was getting harder.
“You’ll eat what you’re given,” Roxy snapped, although the quaver in her voice mitigated the scold. She looked over her shoulder. “Where the hell is that ambulance?”
“I’ll look for it.” One of the two men still waiting by them said.
Keenan looked up and saw a crowd of curious faces. He wanted to yell at them to go away, but just then he heard sirens.
“Oh, thank God,” Roxy said, and Keenan agreed.
Nate was ashen now, and Keenan knew he was hanging on to consciousness by sheer willpower. He’d stopped listening to Amelia, and his eyes were fixed on Keenan’s.
“You stay with me,” Keenan hissed under his breath.
Nate managed a laugh. “I’m not going anywhere.” His hand, still covered in his blood, pressed over Keenan’s, and Keenan held on to him and prayed to God that was true.
After a few minutes two blue-clad female EMTs ran toward them, police officers hard on their heels. They knelt beside Keenan, and once they’d ascertained the situation, Keenan found himself pushed to one side. He didn’t want to leave Nate, but there was no room for him, and he got to his feet to let them work.
“Keenan?” a female voice asked.
He blinked at his sister, not even realizing Ramon and Karen were by his side.
His sister looked concerned, and Ramon had a gentle smile Keenan hadn’t seen before.
“What happened?” Ramon asked. He curled his hand around Keenan’s upper arm, steadying him.
“I don’t know,” Keenan admitted. “I was getting ice cream at the shack. The line took forever.” He looked over and pointed at the long line, which didn’t seem to have diminished.
“Where was Gordon?” Karen’s voice was a peculiar mixture of efficient and gentle, as though she needed to do her job but she wanted to protect her brother at the same time.
“He was right here, leaning on the railing. Then Roxy and Amelia turned up. Roxy’s his sister.” Keenan looked around. “Where are they?”
“They’re talking to uniformed cops,” Ramon said. “What happened next?”
“Nate looked at me, and then he seemed to stagger and collapse.” Keenan gasped as he remembered that moment.
“Easy, Kee,” Karen said. “Just tell us what happened next.”
“I ran over. He’d been shot, ‘through and through,’ he said. He’s lost a lot of blood. I got Amelia to talk to him while I pressed on the wound.” Keenan held up his bloodied shirt.
Ramon nodded. “Well done. Did you see where the shot came from?”
Keenan shook his head. “I have no idea. It was crowded, but I didn’t even look. I didn’t even hear the gunshot… I didn’t think….” His teeth chattered, shock setting in now that he didn’t have anything to do. He wrapped his arms around his body and tried to keep it together. “I should be with him.”
“Let the EMTs do their job,” Karen said soothingly. “They’re not going to let you go with them, and his sister’s there.”
“But—” He should be there. He should be the one looking after Nate. But Roxy was family, and he was… what? A nothing.
Even as he was going to take a step to be by Nate’s side, Ramon laid a hand on his shoulder. “Let’s take you home. You need to wash up, and Karen’s not gonna be happy until you’re tucked up in bed. You’re going to need to answer more questions.”
Both Keenan and Karen glared at him, but Keenan knew he had no choice. He wasn’t Nate’s boyfriend or even his emergency contact.
“I’ve told you everything I know.” Keenan licked his lips. “You’ll tell me how he is?”
Karen nodded. “I promise to keep you posted on his condition. Come on.”
But Keenan wouldn’t go until Nate was being wheeled away on a gurney. He stood, Karen’s arm around his shoulder, and watched the man he loved vanish in the crowds of people.
Roxy came over to him, holding Amelia’s hand. For the first time, Keenan noticed the blood down her dress where she’d tried to hold on to him. “Give me your phone number… no, there’s no time. I’ll get it from Nate and call you when I know what’s happening and make sure you have permission to visit.”
Keenan blinked away the tears. “Thank you. You’d better go with him.”
“I will. He’ll be all right, Keenan. I promise.” She jogged after her brother, and Amelia ran with her.
“You don’t know that,” Keenan whispered.
They’d said that to him after he was injured, and it was never all right. Nothing was the same again.
Karen held him closer. She was almost his height in her heels. “Come on, baby brother. Let’s get you home.”
“We’re the same damn age,” Keenan grumbled
as he leaned against her.
“Five minutes older is older.”
“Wait,” Keenan said. “I want to thank those guys who helped Nate.”
“Who?” Karen asked.
Keenan looked around but they had gone.
“Come on,” Karen said.
He went with her because he wasn’t sure what else he could do.
They did have more questions—a lot more questions—and Keenan got it, although it was hard. His memory had never fully recovered from the fall, and it took more time for him to process events than most people. He knew Ramon and Karen were handling him with kid gloves, but what more could he tell them?
“I didn’t see anyone with a gun. I didn’t even know Nate had been shot until I saw the blood,” he said for what felt like the hundredth time.
He’d been fully focused on Nate, and having a jealousy fit over the woman. But he wasn’t going to admit that. He sat on his sofa, hands wrapped around a mug of coffee. He’d showered away Nate’s blood and dressed in sweats and a hoodie, but he still felt frozen to the bone. Keenan had watched the blood swirl into the plug, feeling it was Nate’s life draining away.
Karen tapped on her notebook to attract his attention. “Did you see anyone acting suspiciously?”
“I wasn’t looking at anyone else.” He blushed.
Karen’s lips twitched. Why did he have to be confessing this to his sister? It would be all around the family before the day was out.
“I keep telling you, I don’t know where the shot was fired from. I was watching him. He staggered, Roxy caught him, then he collapsed.”
“Did he stagger forward or backward?” Ramon asked.
Keenan furrowed his brow, trying to remember. It was a good question. What had he done? Nate had staggered forward into Roxy’s arms. “Forward. I think he took a few steps forward, away from the railings.”
Ramon nodded. “Good. So the shot came from behind him.”
“If you say so.”
“Did you hear another shot?”
Keenan shook his head. “No, but I wasn’t paying attention. I ran over to Nate to see what was wrong. As I keep saying, I didn’t realize he’d been shot until he told me.” His whole focus had been on Nate. Nothing else had been important. He hadn’t even thought of the danger to himself or anyone else. He looked up. “I didn’t hear the first shot fired either.”