Page 21 of Phantom Faceoff
It rings five or six times, and when I’m sure it’s going to go to voicemail, a tired voice comes through. “Zander? It’s like five in the morning. What the hell?”
“Um, hey Micky. It’s Malachi.”
“Malachi? Did Z pass out with you and Julian? Need me to come drag him back?”
He doesn’t sound surprised. How often does Hale act out like this?
“Yes to him needing a ride. No to the location. We’re at The Den.”
“Of all places?”
“Ask your friend once he can think straight. He’s fucking wasted.”
Micky groans, and I can hear him shuffling around while cursing under his breath.
“Shit. I can be there in five minutes. You okay to stay with him until I do?”
“Yeah, I’ve got him.”
As soon as the words pass my lips, Zander’s eyes land on me. He droops a bit to the side, but the wall catches him, and now his chest brushes my arm as he watches me.
“I don’t promise he’ll be in once piece, though,” I say, but even I can tell the threat falls flat.
Micky hangs up so he can drive, and when I hand the phone back, Zander wordlessly slips it back into his pocket.
We both watch each other in the darkness, Zander’s eyes hazy and unfocused. He frowns and wets his lips, dragging the bottom one between his teeth.
“If you’ve got something to say, just say it.”
His eyes drift away from my face, seeming to gaze off into his own thoughts.
“Thank you,” he says after a few minutes of struggling to find his words. “I’m sorry.”
I shake my head, unable a draw up any anger or frustration.
“Don’t worry about it.” I look up, and even though Zander is barely a couple inches taller than me, I’m slouched, so he seems bigger than normal.
“Can I be in on the joke?”
The words throw me off hard. “Huh?”
“Julian. He said the Daddy thing is an inside joke.” A little half smile spreads across his lips. “Can I call you Daddy too?”
Absolutely the fuck not.
My heart nearly pounds out of my chest, and for what reason?
When Julian says it, it’s sweet. When Zander says it …
Fuck. It turns me on.
I fix him with a glare and curb us in another direction. This conversation is getting red taped.
“Why did you call me and not Micky in the first place?”
He doesn’t seem phased about the change in topic, just leans forward until I grip onto his bicep afraid he’ll fall.
“Julian said that you’re safe,” he whispers the words across the top of my head. “I needed that.”
