Page 7 of Agony

If Fisher decided he didn’t want to partner with him, then he would cross that bridge when he came to it.

He still needed to figure out where Fisher kept disappearing to at night. He’d only recently discovered that Fisher left his shitty apartment most evenings. The only reason he knew this was that he’d done a drive-by one night.

When Fisher had slipped from his apartment dressed in black, Justice had tried to follow.

It had been impossible. When Fisher wanted to disappear, there was no stopping the man.

Justice opened the office door and waved a hand at Fisher to go first. Rather than glare at him, Fisher walked out and kept walking. Justice hurried to catch up, but only managed it when Fisher shoved the outside door open and stepped out into the parking lot.

Justice glanced around for his dog. Axel, his three-year-old Belgian Malinois, had been resting beneath a shade tree but upon spotting him, the dog leaped to his feet.

Axel was rocket-fast. Racing like a flying missile—a black and brown bullet streaking over the asphalt toward him.

With outstretched arms, he caught the dog’s leap and rubbed him before letting him go. Axel landed on his feet and sniffed at Fisher’s pant leg as the man headed toward a nondescript blue four-door. Out of the two weeks they’d been working together, Fisher had not warmed up to his dog.

It was early days, so he had hope. Axel wasn’t difficult per se, but he wasn’t overly friendly either.

Justice walked close enough to bump the man’s shoulder and Fisher gave him a slight shove. Justice grinned.

He was basically ignored when Fisher got into the passenger seat and closed the door, but Justice knew it was a self-protection method Fisher often used.

Justice loaded up Axel in the back seat and slid behind the wheel before speaking.

“Did you get the next assignment?”

He expected a flippant reply, but instead, Fisher shrugged.

That would not do. He wanted them communicating, not at a silent standoff that pushed them further apart.

“Fisher…” he murmured and reached across the distance to lightly grip the back of the man’s nape beneath that thick hair Fisher had tossed up into a half-bun.

Squinting at him with distrust, Fisher tensed beneath his touch.

“Do you really want to call us quits?” he asked, purposely suggesting more than just work partners.

The man’s pupils expanded before he grew wary and pulled away from him like a wild thing. The move sent his pulse humming and he wanted to give chase. It was instinctual.

“Not if you keep your promise.” Fisher turned his face away and gazed out the window.

Axel took that moment to place his paws on the center console and nuzzle at his arm. Justice gave the dog a scratch and started the car.

“I’ll keep my promise.” Pulling out of the parking lot, he headed toward the nearest intersection.

If it took everything he had, he would try like hell to work at not leading. It was going to be hard because he lived by the mantra of lead or get out of the fucking way. Did he trust Fisher to lead? Maybe it was he who had the trust issues and not the other way around.

That was eye-opening, because out of the two of them, he’d been sure that Fisher won in the distrust category.

“Go South, we’re heading to Palm Desert,” Fisher said, cutting into his thoughts.

That drive was a good four hours away or more depending on traffic. They’d need to get a motel for the night. He smiled at the thought and knew he’d never make it there without eating something.

“Food first.”

“Food first,” Fisher agreed and Justice heard the banked laughter.

“You want bacon and eggs?”

“How about burgers.”

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