Page 154 of Trigger

I turned off the stove and filled three plates with eggs, bacon,and sausages.

“When did you have time to prepare all this?” Carter asked me,sitting at the table and digging in.

“While you showered.”

He caressed my cheek. “Thank you. You’re the best.”

I leaned in and kissed his lips because I gave up on stopping.“Everything for you, baby. By the way… are you okay?”

When I subtly pointed my chin at his behind, he noddedenthusiastically. “Oh, yeah, yeah. I guess my ass got used to being pummeled byyou.”

I rubbed the bridge of my nose, trying hard not to laugh, as Luzjoined the discussion.

“I take back everything I said,” he mumbled with his mouth full,pointing a fork at me. “You’re cool, big dude.”

“Redirect that fork, or I will do it for you.” I gave him a fairwarning.

“Enough,” Carter cut in. “Eat your food, boys, and play nice.”

“No, I mean it,” Luz said, biting off a big chunk of sausage.“Listen to me, Carter, because I know my shit. Mount Everest here is a keeper.He’s an excellent cook, he likes a rough fuck, and he’s bigger than my highschool building.”

“I know he’s a keeper,” Carter said, making me smile.

“Aww, thank you, babe.” I gave him a kiss before looking at Luz.“You’re a walking, talking trouble, aren’t you, you little shit?”

“Of the best kind,” Luz replied with a smirk. “Speaking oftrouble, what’s the plan?”

“I have one,” Carter mused, staring into the distance. “But I’mnot sure I like it.”

“Let’s hear it,” I said, looking at him questioningly.

“Tonight, Luz goes to Allure and makes his presence known. Wefollow him from a distance. And then we wait.”

Luz blinked. “Hold on... you want to use me as bait?”

When Carter didn’t reply, Luz rolled his eyes. “Just great. And Iput my life in your hands. I’m such an idiot.”

“I never said my plan is perfect,” Carter said, looking grim. “Butthe killer knows you saw his face, and now, thanks to our chief, he probablythinks you’re our informant. He won’t stop until he finds you. Like it or not,you’re the last thing left for him to clean up.”

“Perfection,” Luz said, pushing away his plate with a grimace ofdistaste. “I just lost my appetite.”

“What do you think, Tye?” Carter asked me. “Do you have a betteridea?”

I made a face. “It’s not ideal. But I don’t have a better idea,no.”

For a few moments, nobody spoke. We all had something to ruminateon.

“Chief Bibb will never approve of this.” I told Carter what healready knew.

He nodded. “I know. That’s why it has to be off-the-books.”

I looked at Luz. “What do you say? Hypothetically, are you in orwhat?”

Luz shook his head in frustration. “I don’t know where I am, okay?I don’t know if I’m in or out or… In fact, you know what? Let’s just do it.Fuck it! If I die, I’ll die young and be a good-looking corpse, as the immortalJim Morrison would say.”

“We’ll need backup,” Carter said. “But Shelly has enough on herplate, and I don’t trust Adam.”

It got me thinking.

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