“The fuck!” one of the others sputtered, but all Tolly saw was prey.
He growled as his fangs extended, eyes sharpening as they darkened to their true color, scales freckling across his cheekbones and down his neck, but his legs remained strong and stable to carry him across the room where the others backpedaled to escape him.
“What—!” one tried but was cut short by Tolly slicing his throat and ramming a knee up into his stomach. He was lucky Tolly had not punctured more deeply, but still he coughed and gasped as he bled onto the floor where he fell.
The final man, the one who had come in from outside, was mute and trembling, too terrified by what he saw of Tolly to do anything but flounder.
“Only Leigh is allowed to touch me,” Tolly growled with an inhuman resonance as he reached out with both hands, deep red and further spattered with blood on his claws, to grab him by the front of his shirt and haul him closer.
“Please…,” the man said, soiling himself—Tolly could smell it—but it was the other voices drifting in from the main room that stopped him from sinking his teeth into the man’s throat with a bite.
“Liar!” Rosa screamed. “I didn’t kill Vinny! It was you!”
Leigh. He was out there alone going forward with the plan. Tolly had to reel in his true form. He had to calm down.
“P-please,” the man said again, while Rosa kept shouting. Leigh spoke calmly but loudly back at her, and Leo said nothing, which meant he was not sure what to believe.
Tolly had to do his part. He had to act. Now.
Glancing back at the men on the floor, one missing a hand, Tolly felt the nausea of what they had injected him with surge up in his throat again for how easily he had fallen to his nature and what his kin were capable of.
So he opened his mouth and sang because it was something he could use his powers for that was not monstrous. It was supposed to be soft and subtle like his humming, but he was too far away from Leigh now and had to project as far as possible.
Tell the truth, he sent through the song.
The men on the floor were out, but the one at the end of Tolly’s claws fell to the song with startling clarity.
“I killed my cousin, took out teenagers before, dozens of ’em, beat my girl within an inch of her life. Am I dead? Is this hell? Coz I’d rather be skinned alive than face whatever pit you crawled out of.”
Tolly threw the man into the wall, slamming his head hard to knock him out with the others. That was hardly a truth that surprised him, because he still had claws and fangs. He could not let Leigh see him like this. With every ounce of power left in him, he willed his body to be human. He had to be human.
Before it was too late.
LEIGH HAD known the moment he heard Tolly sing to cover his ears. Rosa and Leo weren’t as lucky. They turned at the mournful sound, craning to hear better, until their eyes turned glassy.
“I shot him,” Rosa said. Then, more passionately, “I shot Vinny. And so what if I did?” She spun toward Leo, already on her feet. “You planted that bomb! You could have killed me!”
“I should have been targeting you!” Leo jumped up. “I planted that bomb to get back at Sweeney for killing my brother! I blamed him and Hurley, and it was you?”
“You hated your brother!”
“That doesn’t mean anyone else gets to kill him! I did all the dirty work for years. I was the one manning the protection money and setting up the drug drops and gun trafficking at the docks. I planned everything around taking these streets from Sweeney. We were going to slaughter all of them piece by piece, and Vinny did nothing, just sat back and reaped the rewards.”
Wow. Leigh hadn’t expected that much. Rosa for killing Vincent, one of them for the bomb, hopefully something on Leo if he hadn’t set it, but Horowitz was getting fed everything the CCPD needed to clean out the Moretti family completely, and Rosa had only incriminated herself. Sweeney would be safe, which meant Alvin would be safe, and Leigh could finally be free.
Speaking of, once Rosa and Leo stopped screaming and remembered the guns not far away, Leigh bolted. He didn’t want to get caught in the cross fire or for either of them to remember he was there.
“Now would be a good time to raid the place,” he hissed into his mic, rushing for the back, grateful that Tolly had come to his rescue but worried now that he hadn’t reappeared.
The office door was still closed. The lounge? He reached to push open the door—
But Tolly pushed out first, looking sweaty and haggard like Leigh had never seen before.
“You okay?” He reached for Tolly’s face, only to notice the ugly needle mark in his neck.
“They tried to p-poison me, but I will be all right. Are you okay?”
Gunshots rang out, and Leigh instinctively pulled Tolly to him, ready to rush into the lounge for cover, but an announcement of police followed and the rush of boots, so he held steady.
“Horowitz, Perez, we’re in back. Moretti’s men are….” Leigh peered around Tolly into the lounge where the door still swung, revealing the bodies on the floor.
“Alive, but no longer a threat,” Tolly said.
Leigh wondered what Perez had heard listening to Tolly’s wire compared to Horowitz listening to his, but Tolly said nothing more. He was winded yet obviously healing. By the time the police swarmed them, both their hands raised to play it safe, the mark on Tolly’s neck was nearly gone and his eyes were clear.
Whatever Perez had heard, he didn’t betray a word of it when he and Horowitz pushed through the uniformed officers to reach them. They had entered from the back, so they’d seen whatever carnage Tolly left behind. Tolly wouldn’t meet Perez’s eyes.
“Something wrong, detectives?” Leigh tried to play it cool. “You got what you wanted.”
Horowitz looked green. “One of them was missing a hand,” he said.
“What?”
“I told him only you were allowed to touch me,” Tolly said quietly, “but he would not listen.”
If the way Tolly said that meant the goon had tried to touch him more than roughing him up, he’d gotten what he deserved, but Leigh didn’t want to imagine how Tolly had removed a hand.
“Hear that?” Leigh turned to the detectives. “Sounds like self-defense to me.”
“Sure was,” Perez said, calmer than usual as if finally appeased. “Don’t know who this guy is to you, Hurley, but I’m glad he’s on our side.”
Tolly glanced up with unsure eyes, and he and Perez shared a look of understanding.
The goon without a hand was still unconscious, as well as another being taken by ambulance, but a third, one Leigh hadn’t seen, so he must have come in later, was led from the back through the club to the waiting police outside. When he passed Tolly, his eyes went wide and he scrambled to get closer to the officer holding him.
“I’m telling you, man, he’s not human.”
“Tell it to your cellmates, Russo.”
There would be stories about Tolly and what had happened here, regardless of who believed what.
Rosa and Leo were broken from their siren trance, but they still spat insults at each other as they were questioned across the room, soon to be led away as well. All that remained was to talk to Sweeney.
“We might need more of a statement down at the station later,” Horowitz said.
“And you better stay outta trouble,” Perez added. “Still not sure why those two grew such loose tongues. Better not find anything in their systems to compromise this bust.”
“You won’t,” Leigh said. “They’ll come out clean. Maybe their consciences finally caught up to them. We free to go?”
“Yeah, get outta here. But I mean it. Stay outta trouble, you hear me?” He said the last with a touch of softness he hadn’t used in years.
Leigh couldn’t express how much it meant to him, meager as it was. He hoped he never let Perez down again, hoped Sweeney let him out of the life, and that somehow, he found another way to get by.
With Tolly beside him.
TOLLY STILL seemed timid, slowed by whatever they had dosed him with, but Leigh couldn’t immediately tend to him. It was too dangerous to go straight to Sweeney. Someone could be following if there were Moretti loyalists—or if there were opportunistic cops about—so he texted Alvin along the path home that all was well and that they could plan for a time to meet Sweeney tomorrow.
Then he called Tabitha.
“Hey, Beckett. Before any cops knock on your door, I wanted you to know what happened.”
After hearing the story, Tabitha chided him for doing something so rash and dangerous, but still she said, “I’m proud of you, William. Now we just need those pay stubs.”
“One milestone at a time.” He chuckled. “I’m working on it.”
Phone calls and text messages done, he wanted only to talk to Tolly and understand what had happened while they were separated, so as soon as they entered the apartment, he caught him by the wrist.
“Do you need anything? What did that guy do to you? The one who can’t use a full pair of gloves from now on.”
Tolly ducked his head. “I need only water and I will be fine. A drink will do.” He avoided the other questions by escaping into the kitchen.
“Tolly.” Leigh followed him. “Please. What did he do?”
A glass of water drained down Tolly’s throat before he answered. “He only tried. He did not succeed. But he looked at me like a thing to be used and assumed you looked at me the same. Then he tried to touch me. I do not like anyone to touch me without permission.”
“I know. But even when we’d only just met, you made an exception for me.”
“You have permission.” Tolly looked at him devotedly. “Always. Anytime. I am yours. But that does not mean I am a slave or a thing. I know you do not see it that way, but I did not like for him to assume otherwise.”
“So you cut off his hand?”
“I did not mean to.” Tolly glanced away again. “I was angry and weakened, not thinking clearly.”
“I’m not saying you should have done differently, just making sure you’re okay. You’re allowed to be dangerous. You saved me—again. You can defend yourself, defend me, and not be like the others.” Leigh pulled Tolly against him, embracing him before he could pull away.
“But what if I am like the others?” Tolly said as a breathless whisper. “Would you still want me if I was?”
Leigh knew what it felt like to believe he wasn’t worth anyone caring about him, so he held Tolly tighter. “I can’t imagine anything you could do or be that would make me stop wanting you.”
“Leigh, I….”
Leigh tensed, expecting those words again, the ones he didn’t want to hear—not because he didn’t feel them, but because he couldn’t say them back. Not when his father had tainted them, drilling into his head again and again that love could get him killed, that it was weak and dangerous, something bad, and to this day, he could never shake the feeling that maybe that was true.
It wasn’t. But he couldn’t say those words without feeling burdened by them. Tolly deserved better than that.
He didn’t say what Leigh expected, though.
“Thank you,” he said.
Leigh should have been relieved, but that wasn’t what he felt. “You’re welcome, Tolly.”
DESPITE THE trials of the day, they made love that night like their first time, with Tolly sitting on Leigh’s hips, clawing at the sheets.
Clawing literally, he discovered in the morning, finding parts of the sheets normally hidden by pillows shredded. Tolly had barely over a week left and it was showing. He knew it had been best to not confess his love once more, but when the time was right, he had to try again.
There was no fanfare when they arrived at Sweeney’s the next day, not at a club this time, but at his home, a lavish one that made Tolly unsure where to look or step, for it was quite colorful and oddly decorated. Sweeney was there, a bodyguard, and Alvin.
“So you didn’t shoot Vinny?”
“Nope.”
“Didn’t shoot Leo either, just got him and Rosa locked up and looking at hard time?”
“Yep.”
“You basically, nearly single-handedly, got rid of all my competition without killing a soul?”
“Basically,” Leigh said as though he had planned it that way from the beginning.
“You sure I can’t convince you to stay? I know you’ll be around to watch out for my boy, but you’re good people, William. Good at what you do. Good at things I didn’t know you could do. And I am hurting for recruits.”
“Sorry, boss. I won’t go far, but I don’t want this life anymore.”
Tolly worried Sweeney might recant, but he took one look at Alvin and sighed dramatically.
“Friends?” He extended his hand.
Leigh took it—only to jump as if he’d been shocked. “Funny,” he huffed, pulling back to reveal that Sweeney wore a small device on his hand that had zapped him.
Sweeney and Alvin both laughed like an echo of each other. Since nothing had been said against Sweeney over the wires, he was safe. Tolly wondered about Alvin sticking to a criminal’s life, but then he remembered that Cary was part of that life too.
“Perhaps we can get together soon,” Tolly said when Alvin walked them to the door, a sense of finality following them like they had to make plans or they might lose touch, though there was no threat of that when Leigh and Alvin were as brothers. “I would like to spend more time with Cary and see how your signing is progressing.”
“Double date? You’re on, Shark Bait. I’ll drag Cary over tomorrow. We can do dinner and movies or whatever.”
“Deal,” Leigh said, smiling at Tolly for the suggestion, then tapping Alvin’s chest. “Be good. Or as good as you ever get.”
“Please, don’t say it like goodbye. You’re never getting rid of me.”
There was a lightness that followed them like it had before, which made Tolly feel foolish for worrying he would lose Leigh or control over himself. Leigh would love him. Leigh would tell him. Another day or two and all would be well.
The next night, Alvin and Cary arrived together. Cary seemed awkward and unsure of himself, so Tolly endeavored to ease his mind and signed to him silently.
You are welcome here. If you need anything, even if just this so they do not know what we are saying, I am at your service.
You’re a strange guy, Cary signed back, but I like you.
“Secrets are lies!” Alvin teased, then grinned as he clung to Cary’s arm. “I can’t wait to know everything you say to each other.”
They decided to walk to the corner store to pick up supplies to make dinner rather than order it, which Tolly was excited about regardless of what they cooked. On their way back, however, they ran into Ralph just inside the building, pacing and looking spooked.
“Hurley.” Ralph rushed up to them. “I was waiting for you. I heard someone pounding on your door. I think they broke in.”
“What?” Leigh immediately passed his bag to Alvin, looking ready to storm up to the apartment.
“The boss isn’t planning any double crosses,” Cary assured them. “Has to be Moretti stragglers. They still have loyal people.”
Tolly passed his bag to Cary in kind and pushed ahead of the others.
“Wait.” Leigh stopped him. “I want to check too, but going up there now might be just what they want. We should sneak out the back, go up the fire escape to see inside.”
Tolly agreed, while Alvin and Cary set the overload of bags on the floor in front of the super’s door.
“We’ll come back for them,” Alvin said. “You don’t think we’ll let you do this alone?”
Despite Tolly’s fondness for Cary, he was surprised the man stood firm with Alvin to offer his aid as well.
“I’m coming too!” Ralph said.
“Oh no you’re not.” Leigh whirled on him. “You are going straight home.”
“You mean upstairs to the sa
me floor as whoever broke into your apartment?” Ralph challenged.
“Fine,” Leigh said, “but you stay behind us, and once we’re in the alley, you stay put. You’re not coming up the fire escape with us.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”
Together the five of them moved through the first floor to the back exit that led into the alley. The others being with them made things difficult, but still Tolly saw the sense in using his abilities.
“Leigh,” he whispered.
Leigh let Tolly go ahead and caught the others’ attention, saying something about making sure they were careful, for no one to play hero, a simple pep talk long enough to avert their eyes from Tolly so he could pulse his powers outside and see if anyone was there.
After he nodded to Leigh that the way was clear, they pushed outside. Tolly’s abilities had been right, of course, there was no one in the alley, but he had not thought to look up.
There was a click, then everything happened in slow motion—the turn of their heads to look toward the second floor, where a figure stood on the fire escape waiting.
It was the man who had led others to Leigh’s apartment once. He must have heard what happened, heard something about Tolly that triggered him to remember the events in the apartment that day when he saw hints of Tolly’s true face.
He looked wildly at Tolly now, at Ralph and the others with a sneer, but it was Leigh he looked at with wrath as he aimed his gun.
And shot Leigh in the chest.
Chapter 13
THE MAN was rash but not a fool. The silencer on his gun made the noise muffled, muted through the alleyway, but still just as shocking to Tolly.
And to Leigh, who looked down in disbelief at the dark spot blossoming from his chest for a solid ten seconds before he crumbled.
“Hurley!” Ralph and Cary’s voices overlapped, while Tolly and Alvin stood stunned, Tolly certain it must be a dream—a shot like that, in the chest, that could kill Leigh, and he was already gasping as he collapsed back onto the pavement.
Coming Up for Air Page 17