Page 15 of Coffee, Cops, and Tattoos

“How?” He cleared his throat. “How did you…”

“Know how to help you?” Lucas supplied with a small smile.

“Yeah.”

“Trick,” Lucas said.

Adam had met Trick numerous times as the tattoo crew now visited the shop every day. Trick was quiet with something in his eyes that spoke of a horror he’d survived. Trick’s boyfriend was even more protective than Lincoln, who shielded Caden against everything. Trick was funny though and he and Adam had hit it off from the start.

“Oh.” Adam swallowed hard.

“I’ll be right back, baby.”

Baby. Adam loved hearing that word coming from Lucas. Even though it wasn’t the time to think about his dynamic with Lucas with Nash out hurt away from them, Adam couldn’t help but want to bask in the way that Lucas took care of everything.

It didn’t take long for Lucas to return and bundle Adam into one of his pullover hoodies.

He got a sweet kiss on his nose before Lucas pulled the hood up.

“It’s still raining. I don’t want you to get any more drenched.”

Yeah, Adam was cold, but he hadn’t noticed his clothes were wet until Lucas pointed it out. Lucas urged Adam across the shop and through the door marked Employees Only.

“Where are we going?” Adam asked.

“My truck is parked in the side alley. Right by the door.”

Oh yeah, that made sense.

Lucas pointed to a set of stairs as they passed. “My apartment is up there.”

Adam hadn’t been inside Lucas’s apartment or Nash’s house, for that matter. Since the first night they’d taken him home after the cartel leader had attacked Adam, Sam, and Caden, Lucas and Nash always went to Adam’s place.

Luckily, Adam’s two roommates were easygoing guys. They didn’t care if Adam had guests. Even better, Adam was ninety nine percent sure that they were in some sort of relationship. Adam didn’t know why they were keeping it so quiet, but it didn’t seem that Dustin at least was out in his sexuality.

Adam was not one to judge how anyone lived their life. He’d had roommates in the past that had been assholes or messy or rude, but Dustin and Scott were good guys.

His mind wandering again, Adam was surprised to find the passenger door open for him. Lucas even helped Adam up into the lifted vehicle.

The inside of the truck was spacious, clean, and well maintained.

Lucas placed the safety belt around him, and Adam blushed.

“I can do that,” he said, trying to help.

“Hey, baby.” Lucas cupped his face. “I want to take care of you. Please let me?”

“Sure. Okay.”

The seatbelt clicked into place. Lucas leaned forward to brush his lips over Adam’s. “Thank you.”

“I should be thanking you.” Adam was certain about that.

“You can thank me later after what we find out about Nash.”

Adam found himself smiling. “If Nash was the one to say that to me…”

Lucas barked out a laugh. “Then you’d know it would be a dirty thank you. But I was thinking more of probably helping me take care of Nash. Depending on how badly he’s hurt, I plan on bringing him back so I can keep an eye on him. You could stay too. I have three bedrooms.”

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