Page 23 of Sinful Crimes for the Artistically Inclined
Percy couldn’t have a boyfriend.
But he wasn’t about to tell Joe that.
He had to say something, nevertheless, and though saying it was akin to forcing himself to stick his hand in boiling water, he came out with, “I have to go away.”
Joe stilled, then shifted his head up to look at Percy, his hair falling across Percy’s shoulder in a singular caress.
That look again. That lost, deer-like look. “For how long?”
That crushing guilt. “Maybe a while. You see, most of my work is overseas, in Europe. But I do want to do this. The boyfriend thing. Believe me. I usually come and go fairly frequently, but in this case…” He might not come back. Not ever. And not just because he hadn’t planned to.
The silence was stretching, and with every second, he could see the light in Joe’s eyes fade.
“The job I do is…”Highly illegal? Dangerous?“Slightly unpredictable. And if I could take you with me, I would love to invite you, but I know you have priest things that keep you here?—”
“Do you mean that? Or are you just saying it?” Joe had been frowning hard, thinking it through, but with these words, he levelled a disconcertingly serious look at Percy.
Percy’s pulse spasmed in alarm. “Hmm?”
Joe spoke slowly, nervously, and his caution went straight to Percy’s overexcited, boyfriend-inclined heart. “Because I haven’t taken holiday leave in, well, ever. Um. And I have a lot of leave accrued. But if you’re just saying that, that you’d like me to come…”
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.“No, I’m not just saying it. Of course I’d love for you to come. It’s just?—”
“Really? Would you?” That kid at Christmas thing again.
No!screamed the logical part of Percy’s brain. But the romantic half could already see Joe’s sleepy head on the pillow next to his. Could already see the smile on his face when he spoiled him with nice hotels and expensive dinners. Could feel the warmth of coming back to Joe, after a long day of fist fights and murder, instead of coming back to a cold and empty hotel room. And that vision was enough to bring forth the fatal words. “Yes. Yes, I’d love you to come.”
That laugh again. That sweet, alarming laugh. “Okay. This was unexpected. But, why not?”
“Why not?” Only the theft and violence… But Percy could keep a secret as well as anyone else. Better. There was no need for Joe to ever find out what he got up to at work. He’d simply lie. Every day of their vacation. So what harm could possibly come of a little jaunt through Europe?
Closing in on the idea, Percy said, “I need to be there one week from today. Is that enough time for you?”
“Sure. Yeah. Where are we going, by the way?”
“Kraków.”
“Poland? I’ve never been.” Joe’s mind reeled at the thought of it. The price of the flight. Where they’d stay. How toapproach any of it with Percy, who was clearly some kind of wealthy. “Is it expensive there?”
No way would Percy let Joe spend a cent on this ridiculous idea, especially because he might fuck up at any point and make him regret the lot. “It’s business, so it’s all going on the expense account. You don’t need to worry about a thing.”
“Just the flights?” Joe probed.
“Not a thing,” Percy insisted.
“Percy—”
“Don’t worry. There’s always a loophole for these things.”
“Okay.” Joe mulled the idea over in silence, then, “And who do you actually work for? A museum or a university or something?”
“Yes. Anyway, there’s one more thing I should probably mention before we set out.” Percy’s tone had the quality of ripping a bandaid off, so Joe rolled onto his arm to listen.
Percy’s eyes flitted across to Joe’s, then back to the ceiling. “Uh… I will be meeting with some people… who… You see…” Percy also rolled over, elbow to elbow with Joe, letting his fingers land on Joe’s ribs, where they drew meandering swirls on his skin, and he watched the movement intently. “In this business, sometimes we need to re-acquire stolen works.”
“Re-acquire?”
“Some might say ‘traffic’.” Percy raced over the word to get to the main point. “And sometimes that means doing business with slightly… immoral people.”
