Page 123 of Two for Joy

“You’re not.”

“I’m harboring a serial killer. One that most people think is dead. That’s not normal, not right…”

Romeo tugged Chad’s tie as he stared into his tired eyes. “Fuck normal, fuck right.”

“I want to catch killers, lock them up, but I’m living with one. I’m in love with one. That’s got to be the definition of insane.”

Romeo fixed Chad’s tie into position, but as soon as he let go, Chad went to redo it. Romeo gripped onto his hands, stopping him. He pulsed his fingers around Chad’s, and after a few deep breaths, he pulsed his back.

“No one in this world is a hundred percent sane.”

“They’ll see straight through me—”

“To the wall behind?”

“It’s not funny. This is important. I need this job. I need to catch killers to make up for…”

“For what?”

Chad looked up at him. “This. Me and you. You killed people. Innocent people.”

“Not all of them were.”

Chad sighed tiredly. “Four were innocent. Marc…”

“Crossed a line, and I had to correct it.”

“I’ve fallen for you, want a life with you, but what you did is not something I can just ignore, or forget about. I wish I could.”

“I know.”

Romeo saw the confliction in Chad, sometimes he’d give him odd looks, distanced himself, but he always came back, pressing tightly to Romeo. It was fascinating watching Chad yo-yo, between wrong and right, between what he wanted, and knew he shouldn’t have. Romeo knew he’d always win in Chad’s internal struggle, the same way Chad always won against the monster inside him.

“I can find killers, make sure they’re held accountable, punished. As Chad, I’m a lost cause, but as a detective I can still be a good person, I can right all the wrongs of Chad. But what if they see past the detective, and see…”

“See what?”

“Whatever I’ve turned into.”

“They won’t.”

“I could ruin this. I could ruin us.”

Chad gestured to the house, their house in the middle of nowhere, bought with the Canster Times’s compensation money. It was another farmhouse, but modern, surrounded by acres of land, with plenty of outbuildings for Romeo to hide in if he needed to. They had a long driveway, and sensors alerted Romeo to anyone driving their way, giving him plenty of time to make himself scarce. The last six months had been anything but easy, but they had found a place, and were determined to make a go of their unorthodox relationship.

“You’re not gonna ruin it.”

“They’ll know I’m messed up, they’ll come here, find you.”

“Stop.” Romeo said firmly. “You’re good at your job. The DI has vouched for you.”

“Out of guilt.”

“Either way, that’ll go in your favor. All you gotta do is go in there, and not blurt out I’m cooking dinner for you back at home.”

Chad was too nervous to laugh, but Romeo did. He pressed his forehead to Chad’s. “Tough crowd, okay, but I like a challenge.”

“It’s not gonna work...”

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