Page 31 of Fool Me Twice

“Have you heard anything else from Cane?”

“No,” Hart snapped defensively. “Why would I?”

Fix frowned and said slowly, “For the case?”

“Oh, right.” Hart cleared his throat and adjusted his tie again. Why did it feel like it was strangling him all of a sudden? “No, he hasn’t informed me of any other case-related details. Since that’s the only reason he and I would be communicating.”

Fix leaned against the doorframe and observed him for a moment. “Do you need to talk?”

“Absolutely not,” Hart said, sending him a practiced smile and getting up from behind his desk. “Actually I just remembered that I need to go talk to Taylor about something.”

Fix stopped him from passing him with a hand on his arm. “You’ve been out of sorts ever since this case landed in our laps.”

“It’s a confusing case.”

“I don’t think it’s the case,” Fix said pointedly.

“What else would it be?” Hart asked, holding his gaze and refusing to fold.

Fix sighed. “You can take your own advice sometimes, you know. ‘Emotional well-being is just as important as breathing.’ You literally sent that out today.”

“My emotional well-being is perfectly centered,” Hart said, skirting around Fix. “But thank you for the concern.”

He escaped down the corridor before Fix could stage an intervention for him. He passed by the open door to Wren’s office and paused. His little brother was sitting at his desk using his new pet as a foot warmer while he mixed some kind of pet food in bags. His bare toes were wiggling happily on top of the jaguar’s back.

Two yellow eyes glared at Hart from the darkness.

“Wren,” Hart said.

Wren blinked up and Blu suddenly flapped over and landed on his head, chirping in answer too.

“How did you slip him past Taylor?” he asked, pointing at Sable.

“I didn’t sneak him in, he followed me. He’s lonely. I told you.” Wren shrugged innocently, and it was hard not to cave to those bright blue eyes.

“There are rules for the workplace,” Hart said. “You already have Mary as an uninvited guest. If the officials suddenly drop by the office—”

The jaguar grumbled at his stern tone, and Hart took a halting step back. “Well…we’ll discuss this at home, I suppose.”

“Okay,” Wren said pleasantly, chomping down on a piece of the food he was supposed to be dividing up. It was better not to ask what it was.

Hart hurried away from the door and shook his head, massaging his temple for good measure. The desire for relief was almost too much to bear. His cravings always worsened when he was stressed.

“Hart! Hart!” Ash called, poking his head out of the office Hart had just passed. “You got a sec?”

He wanted so badly to say no and just disappear, but the core of who he was as a person wouldn’t allow that.

“Sure,” he said, stopping in the hallway and turning to look at Ash.

“Come on in,” Ash said, and Hart dragged his feet into his office, barely avoiding tripping over the flamethrower that was being used as a doorstop. The lovingly painted ‘Betty’ across the side was chipping a little.

The rest of the office was just as messy and chaotic, and Hart tried not to let it get to him. As long as it didn’t overspill it was fine. It was fine. It was fine.

He settled down in a large chair next to Ash’s desk with caution, spotting a framed picture of Morgan’s ass lovingly placed on the corner. The frame read ‘To Ash’ at the top.

Morgan was certainly…unique. And perfectly suited for his brother.

“What can I do for you?” Hart asked as Ash settled into his own chair.

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