Page 82 of Agony

“I haven’t seen you since the streets!” Azrael said on the verge of tears.

“I’m fine.” Boston wiped at his own nose with his long sleeve.

The two boys hugged each other tightly.

Dave turned toward him when the boys were led out of the room by the butler.

Fisher gave a small shrug. It was one of those moves that denied knowing anything, but he didn’t think for one minute that Dave bought into his bullshit.

“You’re just the man I want to see,” Dave said.

“Oh?” Surprise widened his eyes.

“Yes, stay for dinner tonight.”

“I’m pretty busy,” Fisher said, tucking his hands into the front pockets of his pants.

“Spare some time. Now, sit down, Fisher, and talk to me,” the SecDef ordered.

On the verge of telling the man to fuck off, Fisher rethought that idea. He didn’t want to piss him off.

Fisher shot a look toward Stone. The big hulk of a man stood nearby and gave him the stink eye.

Stone Michelson needed no introduction because they’d met before. Stone’s reputation of being a badass, take zero shit type of guy proceeded him.

Fisher sank into one of the chairs in Dave’s library that also served as the man’s office. The view from his chair faced a lavish garden and he tapped his fingers restlessly on his thighs.

He was hungry, so he’d take up Dave’s offer and stay just long enough to eat.

“So, what do you want to know?” Fisher asked.

The SecDef’s phone buzzed and Dave held up a finger to answer.

“Yes. I will. Thanks.” Dave hung up the phone and tapped on the screen for a few seconds and then placed it on a nearby table.

“Now, where were we?”

“We weren’t.”

“Right.” Dave drew a breath. “I know what happened between you and Justice. It was bad. But I want you know that he was given an order and he took action. The problem is that anyone called in to detain you might have done the same thing.”

“You think? Lock me in a cage?” Fisher glanced at the tranquil scene out the window.

“Maybe not exactly. Perhaps they would have just cuffed you to the water heater and left you. While Justice, on the other hand, placed you in a safe enclosure.”

Fisher squeezed the arms of the chair.

Safe enclosure. Was that what they were calling it nowadays? The fucker had locked him up like an animal. Granted, the place was a far cry from Solomon’s warehouse, but still.

“Justice didn’t know, Fisher,” Dave broke into his thoughts. “He honest to God didn’t know about your past.”

He knew that!

Out of all the fucked-up shit that had gone down, that was the only thing that had kept him sane. Justice had innocently done what he’d done and it hadn’t been to purposely torture him. He was smart enough to think about the circumstances.

It didn’t mean he wasn’t still pissed.

“So, I hope in time you can forgive him. If not, I’ll move him.”

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