Page 39 of Moonstruck
One look at August’s frigid expression and Asa knew they knew who Zane really was. Which was going to make this a thousand times more confrontational. Fucking gossipy killers indeed. Before Asa could get a word out, Lucas’s gaze narrowed in on the obvious bruises and marks on Zane’s neck and forearms.
“Jesus, Asa. Did you do that to him?” he asked.
Asa crossed his arms over his chest. “What? He likes it. Tell them.”
Zane flushed crimson, closing his eyes for a long moment before saying, “It’s fine.”
“Fine?” Asa echoed, tone testy. “That wasn’t what you said last night.”
“Oh, my God. It was consensual, okay?” Zane muttered.
Asa smirked, then said, “Zane, this is my brother, August, and his husband—”
“The psychic,” Zane murmured seemingly without thought.
“Most people just call me Lucas,” he said, his amusement clear.
Zane dipped his head. “Sorry. Nice to meet you.”
“Is it?” August asked. “I hear you’re a reporter.” His gaze flicked to Asa. “A reporter who knows our secret. What do you plan on doing with that knowledge?”
Asa sighed. He’d been expecting this. He leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms over his chest. Time to see how Zane handled himself under pressure.
Asa’s brows shot up as Zane sat in a seat across from the two other men, leaning forward until his elbows were on his knees. “I have no idea what I plan on doing with that knowledge. But your husband was an FBI agent when you met, no? Did he know your secret before you started seeing each other?”
Lucas grinned. “Yes. He broke into my house, told me he was Batman, and then stabbed himself.”
Zane blinked at Lucas as he attempted to process August’s bizarre courting rituals. “A reporter like me couldn’t be more dangerous than an actual federal agent, right?”
August frowned like somebody had just beat him in a chess match, then turned to his husband, poking him in the ribs. “Why would you tell him that?”
Lucas batted his hand away. “A: because it’s true. And B: because he’s right. Just because he’s a reporter doesn’t mean he’s out to screw the family.” He then looked Zane directly in the eye. “I highly encourage you to not screw our family.”
Asa’s gaze slid to Zane, watching his cheeks flush as his posture straightened.Feeling a little guilty, Lois?“We need to ask you some questions.”
“So Calliope said. About what, exactly?” August asked, his gaze still on Zane.
“Do you know anything about a string of suicides that occurred on campus? Would have been around four years ago?” Zane asked, then captured his bottom lip between his teeth, worrying it until Asa had to fight the urge to free it.
August shrugged. “I may have vaguely heard about that, but I’m not one for gossip.”
Lucas snorted. “What he means is, he rarely knows what day it is, much less what the rest of the world is up to. Half the time, he forgets to eat.”
“And you weren’t here back then, right?” Zane asked Lucas.
“Afraid not.”
“So, you haven’t heard anything about a game some of the kids might have been playing on campus back then?”
“Game?” August echoed.
Before Zane could answer, the door burst open, and Cricket was standing there in her black polka-dot romper and cherry red heels. “I know this one,” she shouted.
August sighed. “How many times have I told you not to eavesdrop on our private conversations?”
She gave him a look, waving a hand. “None. You told me to stop listening when you and Lucas were boning in your office. There’s no boning happening here. Besides, don’t you want to know what I know about those ‘suicides’?” she air-quoted. Then looked hard at Zane’s neck then gave Asa a knowing smirk. “Nice.”
August sighed heavily, but Lucas said, “What do you know, Cricket?”
