Page 5 of F Is for Honey Bee

“Come after my mate again and I’ll show you who’s truly savage,” Deputy Tenshi snarled, his voice dripping with menace and warning.

Jonah stared shockingly at the deputy’s broad shoulders. His snarl sounded so realistic and deadly. This was definitely more than a spark of emotion. He should have been terrified, but Deputy Tenshi was defending him.

But what was with the “mate” reference? They weren’t friends. They’d barely spoken the entire time the deputies were there.

Deputy Kingsman yanked Flint away from the wall and shoved him toward the front door, throwing over his shoulder, “Congrats, Kijani.”

“You’re gonna pay for this, Jonah!” Flint shouted as he was hauled outside.

As badly as Jonah had wanted Flint out of his house, this was not the way he had envisioned it happening. Hopefully, it was the last time Jonah ever saw him.

Chapter Two

“I’m sorry.” Kijani—as Deputy Kingsman had called him—sighed as the two stood alone in Jonah’s living room. “I shouldn’t have gotten so upset. That was unprofessional and inconsiderate of me considering your situation.”

“Honestly, he deserved it.” Jonah wasn’t going to allow the guy to feel bad about giving Flint a taste of his own medicine. “You don’t have to apologize for defending me.”

Kijani had apologized, but he was still lingering. Not that Jonah minded. Having someone else there made him feel a little safer. It was getting dark outside, and for some ridiculous reason, Jonah couldn’t stop imagining Flint escaping and coming after him. He didn’t think it was an irrational fear.

People escaped while in police custody or prison. While Flint was far from a genius, they were dealing with a small-town jail where one mistake or slip-up could give Flint the opportunity to make good on his promise to make Jonah pay.

“Are you okay?” Kijani’s voice was deep and full of concern.

“Okay packed up and left hours ago.” Jonah held up a finger. “Actually, it left the day I met Arlo.”

“The ex-boyfriend before this current ex-boyfriend.”

“Are you insinuating that I go from one guy to the next like a bee pollinating flowers?” Jonah raised an eyebrow. Completely untrue. In his thirty-one years, he had only been in a handful of relationships, though it seemed lately he was looking for love in all the wrong places.

Maybe it was time to invest in a Magic 8 Ball for relationship advice or stick to his plan of getting a dog.

“I’m not judging you. How you dated in the past is your business, honey bee.” He shrugged his enormous shoulders, a hint of a roguish smile on his lips.

“How I dated in the past? Are you saying my dating license has been revoked because of the wreck I was just in?” Oh hell no. Jonah was not being so effortlessly charmed by this guy. His now-ex-boyfriend had just been hauled off in handcuffs. Jesus, what was wrong with him? He’d been single for two months before he began seeing Flint.

Not that Jonah was even considering dating Kijani. He just couldn’t understand what was with the fluttering in his stomach.

Why did he feel such an intense attraction toward the cop? This was out of character for him.

Kijani’s hearty, booming laughter startled Jonah. He hadn’t expected it, but the radiant sound filled the room, obliterating the menacing cobwebs Flint had left behind.

“I like your sense of humor.” Kijani smiled. “The wreck is now gone, honey bee.”

Jonah mentally face-palmed himself for being such a hot mess. He seriously needed to get Kijani out of there before another wreck happened. “Even though you were just doing your job, thank you for helping me with Flint.”

“To serve and protect.” Kijani’s russet eyes grew soft and warm. Jonah’s emotions parroted them.

“You probably have to get back to work.” Jonah cleared his throat and averted his gaze, refusing to let things go any further than they already had.

Spending time and talking to Kijani had been a welcomed distraction from the inevitable freak-out that was sure to hit Jonah later. But he needed time to process everything, and he didn’t want anyone witnessing his meltdown.

Kijani hesitated, as if unsure whether to stay or go. “I want you to have my cell phone number.” He pulled out his notepad and pen and scribbled on the bottom sheet of paper. “Everything is going to hit you later, and you might need someone to talk to, honey bee.”

Goose bumps slid along Jonah’s body at the fact Kijani had read his mind.

“I’ve dealt with a lot of disturbance calls related to intimate partner violence.” Kijani tore the paper free and handed it to him. Jonah’s lips trembled as he accepted the phone number, and then he closed his eyes to hide the tears threatening to spill over from Kijani.

“Jonah?”

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