by Jaime Reese
Jessie glanced over to the man in the suit as he stood alongside the shorter, stockier maintenance man. "And you are?"
"I'm the building manager, and I asked Mr. Gonzalez to call me when you returned. You have a safety hazard clause in your lease agreement that has been violated so we executed remedies we've been granted in such instances."
"The board is kicking me out?" Jessie absently asked, trying to mentally recall the term from his lease. "Safety hazard?"
"We haven't had a break-in or crime reported in this building. Your…situation has caused a great deal of safety concerns among the other tenants. And to be quite candid, they voiced their opinions during our last meeting. We were left with no choice but to remedy the situation."
"You think the person who did this to me is going to wreak havoc on all your tenants or suddenly lead to a rise in your precious building crime statistics? That's ridiculous. Your elevator is broken, and I had to climb up the stairs and risk falling. Now that's a safety hazard that can affect your tenants!" He clenched his fists and instantly winced at the spark of pain in his hand.
"Sir," the suited man said, not caring to hide his distaste. "The board met this month and formally made the decision. I instructed Mr. Gonzalez to change the locks and to contact me when you arrived. I did not, however, ask him to put your items in a box." He turned to the smaller man and delivered a chastising look.
The shorter man reddened.
Jessie closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He could legally fight this, but that wouldn't resolve the problem right now. Besides, he certainly didn't want to live where he wasn't wanted. He had already done that in life and it never ended well.
"What's going on?"
Jessie turned at the familiar voice, trying to avoid making eye contact with Aidan as he walked up the stairs, but nothing could keep his focus from shifting back to those piercing hazel eyes.
Aidan reached the top of the stairs and stood next to Jessie. "Are you okay? You should have called me," he whispered.
He should have. He'd wanted to. But he was trying to respect the distance Aidan obviously needed. He looked into his box and his breath hitched when he saw the photo of them with the glass cracked. He closed his eyes as the tightness in his throat suffocated him. "I'm sorry," he whispered. I'm sorry I didn't call you. I'm sorry I couldn't take care of this on my own. I'm sorry—
"Don't apologize. None of this is your fault."
In the midst of the pleading expression in Aidan's hazel eyes, there was regret, frustration and…a slight openness that hadn't been there in the last two weeks.
"Tell me what's going on," Aidan said.
"They're evicting me."
Aidan's focus snapped to the two men. "If you want to evict him, you need to follow the law."
The suited man straightened. "The board agreed—"
Aidan took a step closer to the building manager. "I don't care what the board agreed to. You can't strong-arm him out onto the street. He's been paying his rent so—"
Jessie reached out and placed his hand on Aidan's arm. "I'm not staying."
Aidan turned to Jessie, the questioning expression in his eyes transitioned to understanding. No doubt Aidan would suspect he wouldn't want to be where he wasn't welcomed. "Do you have a place to go?"
Did he? Not really, he hadn't thought that far ahead yet. Maybe Cole would take him in, but he wasn't sure being in Cole's domain was a good decision. Who knew what Cole with his beanie and superhero undies, or lack thereof, would do under his own roof.
He turned to the two men. "Is my car still in the parking garage?"
Mr. Gonzalez winced. "It was impounded after the board decision."
"Jess?" Aidan prompted.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Screw it. He'd call another cab. He couldn't let all this beat him down. "I'll call the hotel on—"
"You're staying with me."
"I can't," he whispered. If Aidan wanted distance between them, there was no way this would work. Aidan was a protector by nature. He'd offer his home even if that meant pitching a cot at the precinct to avoid him.
Aidan leaned in and forced Jessie to make eye contact. "Please."
Now he understood the power of that little word. Dammit. It was no wonder Aidan always caved when he used it. There was nothing he wanted more than to be near Aidan, in his personal space, to hear his voice and see that rare smile that brightened his entire being. He met Aidan's gaze. He would never deny Aidan anything. Ever. He cocked his head slightly. He could swear the openness had returned and stared back at him, not the coldness that had recently dulled the life in Aidan's eyes. If that slight gap was in his iron wall, then dammit, Jessie was going to take that chance and squeeze through that tiny opening.
He nodded.
"Good," Aidan said. He pointed to the box on the floor between them. "What about the rest of your stuff?"
Jessie faced the building manager again. "What did you do with my clothes?"
The building manager turned to Mr. Gonzalez.
"I left them there." The paunchy man shrugged.
Aidan took a deep breath, obviously trying to control his temper. He turned to Jessie. "What about furniture, appliances, anything else?"
Jessie shook his head. "The apartment was furnished, so that stays. The bedroom set was mine but…I don't want it anymore after what happened. I've only got the microwave and my office desk, but I don't care. Leave it. I want my clothes. In my closet and in the dresser drawers. I just…want to go," he finished quietly, looking down, hoping to avoid Aidan's piercing gaze.
"You're going to open that door and let me in there to grab anything that he's mentioned is his property. You'll pitch whatever the hell Jessie didn't want to keep considering you've already taken certain liberties. And you're going to refund the rent he's paid since he's left."
"We're not refunding the rent. We haven't been able to rent the apartment and he's still committed to the term of his lease."
Jessie took a deep breath trying to calm his frustration.
Aidan reached into his jacket and withdrew his badge, holding it up to the suited man's face. "Care to repeat that?"
The man's Adam's apple bobbed. "I…" He cleared his throat and tugged his suit jacket. "I can ensure the last payment is refunded considering that's when the board reached their decision. And…and we can officially release Mr. Vega from the financial responsibility for the remaining months."
"And you're going to prepare a letter to that effect officially terminating the lease. You're also going to include the parking and maintenance fees he's paid from the date the board reached their decision. And you're going to pay the fees from impounding his vehicle. Now nod your head in agreement before I haul you and your sidekick in for unlawful eviction, harassment, breaking and entering, and anything else I can think of on the way to the precinct."
The building manager nodded and withdrew his phone from his suit pocket to make a call. Mr. Gonzalez jerked forward, his hands shaking as he unlocked the door.
Jessie loved this side of Aidan, the protective, caring one, the layer that peeked through when he wasn't so preoccupied with maintaining his hard-shelled facade.
Aidan entered the apartment and returned a few moments later with a duffle in hand and a stack of suits folded over his arm. "I found the duffle in your closet. What about any client stuff in your office?"
Jessie shook his head and hooked his thumb in his backpack's shoulder strap. "It's all digital. I've got it with my drive and laptop."
"Are we done here?" Aidan asked, staring down the man in the suit.
"Yes. I'm having the letter prepared and can have a cashier's check issued."
"Have them sent to the precinct to my attention." Aidan withdrew a card from his jacket and handed it over to the man. "I expect to have them by the end of day. And add on to the cashier's check the cost of a new picture frame to replace the one you broke when you carelessly tossed his items in the box."
; The man nodded and Mr. Gonzalez locked the apartment again, both competing to see who could escape the fastest.
Aidan turned to Jessie and sighed. "I'm sorry you had to go through that."
"I'm…used to it."
"That stops today."
Jessie's pulse sped at the intensity staring back at him. Another drop into his love bucket for Aidan.
"My truck's parked out front. I need a minute to put these things away then I'll come back to help you down the stairs." Aidan picked up the box from the floor and balanced all the items in his arms, sprinting down the stairs. He returned a few moments later and stood by Jessie with a mix of emotions in his expression. "How bad does the leg and arm hurt after dealing with the stairs?"
He could lie to Aidan and say it was fine, but going down the same two flights of stairs and risking tumbling definitely wasn't on his bucket list. "Kinda bad," he whispered. "I can walk, but the crutch hurts."
Aidan gave him a quick nod of acknowledgement and eased the backpack off his shoulders. "Lean on me as we step down. Forget the crutch. It's probably bruised your arm already after coming up."
Aidan fished his hand through the prescription bag handle and grabbed the crutch, wrapping his other arm around Jessie's waist. "C'mon. I'm taking you home."
His lips parted on a breath when their eyes met. There, clear as day, a crack in Aidan's iron wall made an appearance. He reached up and wrapped his arm around Aidan's neck for balance, closing his eyes for a moment and reveling in the welcoming warmth and comfort that supported him.
This was right. This was the way a home should feel. He let Aidan lead him slowly down the stairs and didn't bother looking back again.
Aidan turned into his driveway and parked his SUV before switching off the engine. Bull pulled up behind them just as Aidan stole a glance out the corner of his eye at Jessie unlocking the passenger side door and exiting the truck. They'd driven for thirty minutes in traffic and hadn't spoken a word. Jessie was familiar with Aidan's home after working together there so many weekends. He hoped the familiarity might make Jessie feel welcomed and at home. But he wasn't kidding himself. He was to blame for the silence. He'd put enough distance between them these last two weeks, so he had to be the one to take the initiative and break the tension.
He exited his truck and unlocked his home. "Here we are," Aidan said, opening the door and switching off the alarm. "You know where the second bedroom is."
Jessie carefully took each step into the living room. He nodded then hobbled his way down the hallway without a word.
Aidan fought every urge in his body to stalk up to Jessie and carry him into the bedroom. The crutch must have bruised Jessie's arm by now, but he was too damn stubborn to mutter a complaint.
He jogged back to Bull's truck. "Can you stay?" he asked his friend as soon as he lowered the driver's side window.
"Yeah. You want me out here or in there?"
Aidan sighed, struggling between making sure Jessie was safe while also granting him some form of privacy. He tapped his thumb on the driver's side door as he raced through a few variables. "Inside until I get back, but give him his space."
His friend switched off the engine and exited the truck. "He won't even know I'm there."
Aidan huffed out a laugh. Bull couldn't hide if he tried. "We'll figure out what he's most comfortable with. Then we'll go from there."
"I'm going to sweep the perimeter, then I'll head inside before you leave."
Aidan nodded then returned to his SUV. He grabbed the stack of suits and flung them over his arm, finally reaching for the box of belongings. He scowled and made a mental note to buy a replacement frame for the broken glass sometime today. The one personal item from Jessie's apartment and it had gotten damaged by those careless, heartless bastards. He might suck at decoding all of Jessie's moods, but it was clear how upset Jessie was when he'd seen the discarded photo. He made his way back into the house and headed toward Jessie's new room.
"I'm coming in," he announced through the slightly ajar door before pushing it open with his foot. He entered and found Jessie sitting on the bed with his head down, taking a few deep breaths, wiping his brow of the beads of sweat that shimmered in the light. He looked flustered and downright exhausted.
Aidan set the box on the dresser and walked over to the closet to hang the armful of suits. He turned and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Are you hungry?"
Jessie shook his head.
Fuck, he hated this. "Talk to me. I'm not a mind reader."
Jessie shifted his leg and winced.
"When was the last time you took your pain meds?"
"Yesterday. The hospital pharmacy filled the prescription for me. That's the small bag you had with the crutch."
"Okay. Stay here," he said, making his way toward the kitchen. He grabbed the bag of bread and sniffed the contents to make sure it was still good. He didn't know how to cook much, but he could toast bread and butter it to make sure Jessie had something in his stomach with the strong meds.
He returned to the room a few minutes later with semi-decent buttered toast and a glass of water instead of the long-expired juice that had somehow taken residence at the back corner of his fridge.
Jessie reached into the prescription bag and pulled out a bottle of pills. He held the bottle in one hand but couldn't undo the top.
Aidan set the plate aside and reached for the bottle to open it. "One or two?"
"Two," Jessie quietly responded. He took the pills from Aidan's hand and accepted the glass of water.
Jessie looked up and those clear blue eyes stared back at him as if reading every private entry he'd ever thought of in his twisted, fucked-up mental journal. Shit. He picked up the plate and placed it on Jessie's lap. "Eat. I slaved over lunch, so you need to eat."
A small smile tugged at the corners of Jessie's lips. "Thank you." He took a bite of the toast.
"I need to go back to the precinct for a while. Bull will be here until I get back. Then we'll all talk about what works best and what you're comfortable with. I don't want him suffocating you, but I want to make sure you're safe. I'll pick up some Chinese food on the way back. I'll get you a chicken lo mein, unless you want to change it up."
Jessie looked up at him. "You remember what I like?" Jessie stared, blinking.
He shrugged. "You like chicken lo mein, anything Italian, you don't like pickles, you hate zucchini or peppers in your salads." Aidan could easily rattle off a list of preferences, quirks, and habits. He finally sat next to him, carefully trying not to move the bed. "A few conditions."
"Conditions?" Jessie asked, still looking at him with a puzzled expression.
"Of living together."
"Okay," Jessie said, absently nodding and taking another bite of the toast.
"First. Don't push yourself too much and don't be shy if you need some help with anything. As far as you staying here…" He paused, unsure of how exactly to finish his thought. He rubbed his palms against his thighs, trying to think of the best way to get the words just right. "You're here because I asked you to be here and I want you to be here. I'm not going to apologize for that. Understand?"
Jessie nodded and took another bite of the toast.
He turned to face Jessie. "Second. While you're here, this is your home. You can do whatever you want, whenever you want, and however you want. Understand?"
Jessie nodded again and took the last bite of the toast. He pressed his lips tightly together as if trying to hide the smile that clearly played across his face as he watched Aidan in that I-know-what-you're-doing sorta way.
He was so fucked.
"Good. Any questions? I think you know where everything is. I didn't really move anything from when you were here the last time."
"Last time? You haven't changed anything at all since you moved in," Jessie said, taking a sip of water.
"Yeah. Decorating's not my forte. I figured I'd leave it alone rather than fuck it up. You can change anything if you'd like."
Jessie nodded. "Thanks."
"You're welcome."
Jessie turned slightly to face Aidan. "I have conditions, too."
"Shoot."
"I'm helping. I know I can't do much right now, but we'll have to figure something out. I can do the cooking."
"I won't fight you there. I'm surprised I was able to handle the toast without burning the house down."
Jessie smiled again.
That smile. Fuck. He'd do anything to just have Jessie smiling all the time again.
"And when I start taking clients again, I'll cover half the expenses—"
"It's not a problem—"
"You have your conditions, Aidan. I have mine. It seems silly, but it's important to me."
Aidan clasped his hands in his lap. "It's not silly. You need to be independent. I get it. I know what that means to you."
"You're taking that check you're getting today from those assholes and you're applying it to my half of things."
"It's too much. I already know what you paid in rent."
"Then apply it to the following months as well."
Aidan nodded. He'd learned to not stand in Jessie's way when he was this determined about something. "I'm here and will help you with anything. I need you to know that."
"I do know that." Jessie nodded and lowered his head again. "I will need something from you, after I'm healed up." He fidgeted with his sling, before continuing. "I want you to show me how to fight."
"There are some self-defense basics we can run through. But you need full medical clearance before we even think about that."
"And shoot a gun."
Aidan straightened.
"Don't flip out and go all mother hen on me. I just want to be able to defend myself. I don't plan on going out there and becoming a vigilante. I just…I don't want to be a victim."
"I'd say you did a damn good job at fighting him off."
Jessie smiled. "Thanks."
"I'm not a mother hen," Aidan said with a frown.
"You so are." Jessie looked up and smiled again. That smile was going to kill him. "One more thing."
"Anything," Aidan said. And isn't that the truth.