Page 60 of Gentleman Sadist

Will watched him head off toward his bedroom. Moments later he was back with a black notebook and pen. He sat back down in his chair, opened the book, and began writing.

“Full name?” Robert asked.

“Tristan Davis.”

“Middle name?” Will shook his head and Robert continued. “I want you to tell me everything you know about him, Will. Even if you think it’s nothing, chances are it could be, even if it’s mundane.”

Will hesitated. He had no interest in telling his current lover, intimate details about a past lover. It wasn’t something he was comfortable in doing. Unfortunately, he didn’t have a choice, especially if Tristan was involved in the stolen art. “Wouldn’t it be better if Agent Wilcox interviewed me instead of you?”

A look he couldn’t place rolled over Robert’s features. “I’m a professional. An agent for the FBI, Will. I love my job and I believe in what I do. I can assure you my feelings about you won’t cloud or impede my judgment.”

Will rubbed his sweaty palms down his thighs. “That wasn’t my concern.”

“Then explain what is,” Robert said.

“It’s more than a little awkward to speak to you, in detail about a past lover,” he admitted.

“I knew going into this, you weren’t a virgin, Will.”

Will laughed, he couldn’t help. “True.”

“Your past is your past. Everyone has one. Sometimes our past is good, and sometimes it isn’t. But the past, it’s what brought you to me. I’m grateful for every ex-boyfriend you’ve ever had. It’s what makes you my Will.” Robert paused. “That being said, in this, I don’t want you to feel uneasy and I can call Benjamin to come by and take your statement. But I will be here while he interviews you.”

At any other time, Will might have melted with those words, but his mind was a hot jumbled mess of crazy emotions and confusion, so he couldn't comprehend everything Robert said. Will asked the one burning question he had because he needed the truth. "How will our relationship affect your job?"

Robert frowned. “I’m not sure what you’re asking, Will. Explain what you’re worried about.”

“I’m a suspect, aren’t I?” It made sense to him. Tristan was his boyfriend. He did talk about the museum with his ex and, well, they were stolen from.

Robert laughed. “Fuck no, Will. You, along with your museum are victims, just like the other museums who were broken into.”

“How can you be sure?”

"Because I'm damn good at my job. I've become proficient at reading people, and I trust my gut." Robert leaned forward. "I'd stake my reputation, and my badge on a few truths I know about you. If I had to guess, the last time you stole something you were a tween. A candy bar or a pack of crayons, or something you wanted, from one of those big box stores. The guilt of doing so ate at you until you finally confessed your sins to your parents. They in turn made you crack open your piggy bank and pay the store back while promising to never do it again. And, you haven't. You've been on the straight and narrow since then and have been honest with everyone you've come in contact with, never wanting to feel the ounce of guilt you did the day you stole the item in question. I'll even go as far as to say, if you ever got change back you weren't supposed to, or for something you didn't pay for, you'd speak up, letting them know their mistake."

Will jerked back a bit. Robert was deadly accurate. “Jesus. You’re good.”

Robert winked, dropping the agent persona. “In more ways than one, beautiful boy. You’re a good person, Will, and if Tristan is involved in this, in any way, he isn’t a good person. He put you in this spot today, not you. Got it?”

Will remained silent. Even if Robert’s assessment was spot on, admitting it to himself was harder.

“Will?” Robert’s voice was firm and demanding. He wondered if it was bad form to get a hard-on while being interviewed by an FBI Agent. More importantly, would it be considered bad form to admit it to said agent? Taking in Robert’s very serious face, he’d say yes, it was. He needed to focus on Robert and not his dick. “Got it?”

“Yes.”

Robert huffed as though he didn’t believe Will. The man gave him a look and he knew he’d be paying for his guilt later.

“Where should I start?” Will pushed everything aside for the moment and decided to get back on track with the interview.

“The beginning is always a good place. I’ll ask questions if I think I need more information. If you don’t know, tell me and we’ll move on.”

Seemed simple enough.

Five hours later, Will shifted on the couch yet again. His ass had fallen asleep hours ago. His back was stiff, and he’d crossed and uncrossed his legs about a thousand times. Dio had come and gone from the house several times, stopping occasionally to check on Will before scampering off to find a place where he could snooze without interruption.

Robert on the other hand had barely moved a muscle, only getting up once to contact his partner to begin to run a background on Tristan. With each question he asked, he wrote down everything Will said, filling page after page of his book.

Will was exhausted. Both mentally and physically. Vomiting everything he knew about Tristan took a toll on him, yet when he glanced up at Robert, the man didn’t appear affected by the time passage or how long they’d sat there.

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