Page 178 of Gunner

The only better death he could have faced was him being able to regenerate so he could feel the same pain every day. There was no fancy burial for Thoms. Questions had already begun to surface about his whereabouts. They could ask for him all they wanted, but he wasn’t going to show up. Not when his body was already burned to a crisp by Mort, the mortician of the Grimm Reapers.

Next to me, Zeus sat quietly as I stopped in front of the grave, his head tilted slightly and his eyes fixed on my face as if asking what now. I patted his head, his warm presence a small comfort against the chill of the night.

The headstone was simple yet elegant, carved from marble that glimmered faintly under the moonlight. I read the inscription. “In honor of Chief Mason Dehaney, a dedicated and brave officer of the Smoky Vale Police Department.”

I inhaled deeply and let out a long sigh. “Mason,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper, as if I were afraid to disturb the serenity of the place. “I guess you can say everything’s worked out somehow. I was so fucking pissed the way you died, and I carried so much anger, especially toward Ben, but that’s in the past now.”

Zeus’s ears flicked at the name of his owner, but he remained by my side.

“I get it. Why you couldn’t let him go. And I know what he read in your journal about choosing me, but I know you all too well. You would’ve changed your mind because Ben is the best of both of us.”

I kneeled. “You fucked us both over, Mase. I’ll never understand why you did it, but I don’t want to be angry all the time anymore. I want to take care of Ben for as long as I can. I’m gonna make him happy. He deserves it more than anyone else I know.”

Zeus moved closer and rested his head on my knee, offering silent support. “You don’t have to worry about him. I’ll take good care of him...”

Finally, I rose to my feet and left, Zeus at my heels, the moonlight guiding our way to Ben’s truck. I held the door open for Zeus and helped him into the back seat. When I was strapped in, I started the engine and began the journey back home. As the wheels hummed along the asphalt, thoughts of Ben filled mymind. Was he home already? Dove and Saint had dropped by earlier with food for us, but Ben had thought it better to take the food to his brother-in-law so they’d all left while I went to my AA meeting with Zeus.

It’d been a busy day setting plans into motion to target the men involved in the baby farm business. We’d already disposed of the dirty cop, but before he’d met his death, he’d confirmed Thoms’s story about the people related to the case, thinking he could trade the information for his life.

He had been wrong.

I stopped outside Ben’s home. What mood would he be in? He’d seemed to improve since the mayor’s assets had been frozen and his home raided. They’d found an underground bunker where he had held three relatively newborn babies who were thought to be of the last victims. Apparently, he thought the last place anyone would suspect them to be was in his home. The fathers left behind were anxious to find out if one of the babies was theirs.

Zeus waited for me to open the door and help him out. His nails clicked softly on the pavement as we walked to the front door. Inside, I cleaned Zeus’s paws, the way Ben always did. I smiled. Was this what my life was about to become? A carbon copy of Ben’s? I’d even started throwing my clothes into the hamper after one side-eye too many from him. He never complained but always made a grand show of picking them up, folding them, and placing them in the hamper.

Once his paws were clean, I filled Zeus’s water bowl. I ensured he lapped it all up, then slipped him a treat—a chewy beef stick that should keep him entertained for a while.

I climbed the stairs quietly and entered our bedroom. The bathroom door was ajar, steam billowing out. I shrugged off my cut and tossed it into the hamper, satisfied when half of the material hung out over the edge.

I don’t plan to be a hundred percent domesticated.

Ben stood in front of the mirror, wiping the fog away. He was clad only in a towel wrapped around his waist, his hair damp and tousled.

“Hey.” I leaned against the doorframe. “Looking good.”

Ben chuckled. “Horny bastard.”

“Weeeell, I didn’t want to say anything, but it’s been quite a while.”

“It’s been less than a week.”

“Do you hear yourself?”

I was teasing him, but seeing him smile made it worth it.

“Can’t help it. I’m a little hung up on you, Ben. In fact, I’m a lot hung up on you.”

I walked up behind him, placed my arms around him, and kissed the back of his neck. He pressed his ass into my crotch.

Seems I’m not the only one who missed this.

“How are Jasper and the baby?” I asked.

“I’m glad we dropped in on him. He was having a tough day. We arranged everything for the funeral. I left, but Saint and Dove were watching the baby while he took a nap.”

“That’s good.”

“Yeah, Saint was really good with the baby. What about you?”

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