Page 3 of Kill Me Sweetly

JJ, my delicate little venomous viper, was holding hands with a guy who looked like Hell had spit him out and the devil himself had stamped No Refunds on his face.

“Whatcha got there, babe?” There was no hiding theWhat the fuck?in my voice.

He guided the man to the small table in the corner. The stranger appeared so lost but was fine with JJ dragging him wherever.

“Take a seat; I’ll get you something to eat.” He removed his hand, and that was the moment I noticed it was bloody.

“What the hell?” I grabbed his wrist and swiftly moved him away from the threat. I flipped his hand over, searching for the cut.

“It’s not mine,” he whispered.

“His?”

JJ shrugged. “I don’t know. He’s dirty, but I can’t tell if he’s hurt. He hasn’t said two words to me. I found him in the alley, gawking at a dumpster.”

“You didn’t think to call 9-1-1?”

He pursed his lip and quirked a brow. “When have we ever thought 9-1-1 was a good idea, Shep?”

He had a point. We tended to deal with our own problems. Those who were supposed to be out in the world protecting us never served us any good.

I peered at the guy. He was still as a mannequin, transfixed with the tabletop.

“Let’s get him some water and a muffin.”

JJ smiled, lifted on his toes, and pressed a kiss to my lips. I lived for those kisses; I’d give everything up just to stay lip-locked with my JJ.

“You’re the best, Shep.” He rushed over to where the muffins were cooling, dropped one on a plate, and got a bottle of water out of the fridge.

“Hold up.” I stopped him on his way to the table. “Those are still hot. Give him a cupcake instead until they cool.” I took the plate with the steaming muffin and put it on the counter.

The lemon bar cupcakes were cooled and iced, so I handed one to JJ instead.

“Thanks.” He placed the cupcake and the bottle of water on the table and stepped away.

“You gonna stare at him?” I asked as I moved beside him.

“I don’t know what else to do with him.”

“Keep your distance. Angel is gone with the twins, so we don’t have any medical help. If he’s really hurt, as much as I’m loath to do it, we’ll have to drop him off at the hospital.”

JJ sighed but nodded. “If he’d eat or snap out of it, we could maybe wash him and see if he’s hurt.”

JJ helped people. It was what he did and why I loved him. Before everything had gone down a couple of years ago, he’d been studying to be a lawyer so he could assist people who couldn’t afford representation. He’d passionately explained that there were too many families out there who were losing food stamps, rental assistance, and medical care and being forced to accept what the government told them because they couldn’t pay a lawyer to fight them. That’s where JJ would come in. He wanted to go face to face with these assholes and make the world a better place. He was kind, selfless, and all mine. I hoped one day he’d go back to it and fulfill his dreams.

JJ looked at me and was about to speak, when a soft voice said, “These are good.”

We jerked our heads in the man’s direction. He was holding the cupcake as if it were a little chick. He licked the frosting and took the tiniest bites.

“I’m glad you like them,” I answered.

The guy nodded and chomped on the cupcake.

JJ darted over to him faster than I could grab him. “Hi, I’m JJ.”

“I know. You said.” The guy wasn’t rude, just matter of fact.

“Oh good, you heard me.” JJ chuckled. “I wasn’t sure you did. What’s your name?”

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