Page 57 of Leo, My Partner

“I’m putting in my two weeks’ notice tomorrow and using the rest of my paid time off to cover it. We can check your site tomorrow to find someone else. I know you said we were partners, but I don’t want to take away from your business.”

I’ve already told Ty I have enough money that I don’t have to work as a hired killer anymore, but he needs the money. He said he wants to get his bakery sooner rather than later, and I want to help him with that. Though I do have a plan that I have to work out with June that might solve that problem for him, and he can keep the money he makes with me. A win-win.

Grabbing his washcloth and body wash, I clean the blood and gore off Ty, watching the water change from pink to clear. I quickly do the same to myself before shutting off the water. I dry Ty off, scoop him up in my arms, and walk him to the bedroom.

I pull the covers back with one hand and lie in bed, arranging Ty on top of me. “Sleep, kotenok. I’ll hold you till morning.”

Ty sighs, kisses my cheek, and settles in. He’s fast asleep before we can exchange more words. Feeling content, I’m right behind him.

CHAPTER 19

TYSHAWN

Our date with Blu and June is nice. We go to a French restaurant that June said Blu took him to on their first date, since June grew up in France.

“My creeper of a boyfriend,” June says, glancing at Blu with love shining from his eyes, “did a background check on me and saw where I lived. He figured I’d like this place.”

“Was I wrong?” Blu asks matter-of-factly, gazing at June with the same emotion.

Leo was right, Blu is completely different than him. Where you would think Leo was a regular guy who had normal feelings and emotions, it’s hard to tell with Blu unless he’s gazing at June. While he’s devilishly good-looking, his blank stare would give me the creeps if I didn’t know he was a psychopath, too. He tries to pass off emotion, but it’s like he gives up after a few minutes, not worried if anyone buys his act or not. I find it hard to believe this is the person Leo said tried to teach him how to fake emotions to trick people. Blu isn’t fooling me.

It could have more to do with me knowing what he is than being able to spot a psychopath in a crowd. There’s no look to a psychopath. Leo looks like a surfer guy or boy-next-door type, but I know his mind.

June grins, resting a hand over Blu’s. “No. But you have to admit, it’s creepy.”

“Not to me,” he says plainly, sliding food into his mouth.

After giving Blu a long, curious look, I turn to June and lower my voice so no one around us can hear. “Leo drugged and kidnapped me. So I think their line for acceptable is not ours.”

June’s eyes twinkle. “Blu did the same. Except he put me to bed instead of taking me to his condo. Then he told me ‘I can help you with your trauma.’ Like he wasn’t the cause of my trauma.”

I’m not sure why, but that cracks me and June up. I can understand where he’s coming from. Seeing Leo standing over that body will probably play on a constant loop in my mind, all kinds of traumatic. The only thing that makes it better is knowing he’d murdered a child molester.

Leo drapes an arm around my shoulder. “Yeah, now look where you are. In love with a psychopath.”

Rolling my eyes, I look up at him with a small smile. “I don’t think I had a choice. You did kidnap me.”

Leo kisses me gently, nipping at my bottom lip before he pulls away.

When I glance over at Blu and June, I find Blu studying me, his eyes intense as he looks back and forth between the two of us. I raise an eyebrow at him. He smiles, and it’s almost identical to Leo’s when he’s cutting off appendages from one of his victims. It’s unhinged, but—call me fucking crazy—it makes him look more handsome than he usually is.

“Does this scare you?” he asks. “Being with someone like Leo?”

Instead of answering offhandedly, I ponder on it. I’m not going to lie, finding out Leo was a killer was the scariest thing I’ve ever learned. I was afraid of him, but I also wasn’t? When I woke up in his bed—in different clothes, no less—in the back of my mind, I knew he wasn’t going to harm me. Seeing him covered in blood didn’t help my initial thoughts, but talking to June, knowing he had a friend at all, definitely helped.

Thinking about all that, I shake my head. “No. I’ll never be safer than when I’m with Leo. How I found out what he really is, that was scary. But he’s made me feel taken care of.”

“And you’ve joined in?”

I don’t have to ask Blu what he means. “Yes. Twice now. He’s my partner, and I’m his.” I peer over at Leo, who’s already smiling down at me. Those dimples will get me every time.

“Partners,” he whispers before kissing my nose.

June has his hands clasped to his chest, his eyes suspiciously shiny. “God, this is adorable. After I met Blu, I’ve wanted Leo to find his person.” He gives Leo a look when Leo scoffs. “I have. Besides Blu, you’re my best friend. I’ve wanted you to be happy in any way you can be.” June glances back at me. “I’m glad you could make that happen. You two are cute together. And I love your makeup.”

I grin at him. “And I love your hair. Hair paint?”

He touches the blue strip in his curly ponytail and smiles. “Blue is my favorite color.”

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