Armed & Dangerous (Cut & Run 5)

“Fine, you’ve never done it. I’ll believe that out of someone like you. But have you ever lied to someone you loved because you were following orders, Special Agent Grady?”

Ty didn’t flinch, didn’t react in any way other than a jump in the muscles of his jaw. “No.” His voice had dropped dangerously.

The hair on the back of Zane’s neck began to prickle because he knew damn well that was a lie, and Ty had managed it seamlessly.

Julian narrowed his eyes. They stood toe to toe, glaring evilly at each other, neither willing to cross that line and attack, whether verbally or physically. Zane stood back, watching them through wide eyes. He had no desire whatsoever to mix it up with Julian Cross, but if this continued he’d be happy to sit the man down.

“You’re an excellent liar, Agent Grady,” Julian whispered, his voice deceptively calm and borderline seductive. He leaned just a little closer, close enough he could have touched their noses together. He cocked his head. “You think I don’t recognize you? My memory is not as selective as yours.”

Zane straightened as Julian’s words registered. He looked back and forth between the two men. They knew each other? What the hell?

“Julian, what are you talking about?” Cameron asked.

Looking at Ty, Zane could see that he had stopped breathing and gone still, like a snake about to strike.

Julian continued, his voice disturbingly intimate. “When last I saw you, you were speaking flawless French, plying a wealthy Parisian with drinks, and selling… antiques. Do you remember me now?”

Outwardly Ty didn’t react. His face remained impassive and stony, revealing nothing. That alone was enough to tell Zane that what Julian said was the truth. But Zane hadn’t picked up on the fact that Ty knew Julian. It must have been at least a few years ago, or Ty would have remembered. And Ty hadn’t been to Paris since Zane had known him.

Unless Ty had been to Paris, and did remember, but hadn’t let on that he did. A heavy ball of doubt settled in Zane’s gut.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Ty finally said.

Julian continued to stare at him, and Ty still hadn’t moved. Julian raised his chin, snorting. “What sort of man must it take to make even his eyes lie?” he asked, the words dripping with disdain and scorn. As far as he’d experienced, Zane knew Julian got a good read on people. But what had he seen in Ty to make him say something that cruel?

Ty continued to look at Julian, the anger and combativeness leaching out of his expression to leave him staring impassively. Not only had he gotten control of his temper, it had disappeared. Zane had never seen his partner like this.

“You call me a monster,” Julian said, voice low. “At least I know what I am.”

“I know what you are you too,” Ty whispered back, not acknowledging the hit in any way.

The room fell into tense silence. Zane shifted his eyes toward Ty and waited. But Ty stood staring at Julian, face expressionless and body relaxed. He neither looked Zane’s way nor even acknowledged that he and Cameron were there. It was like waiting for two dogs to fight, sensing that they were about to lunge and being helpless to stop it. Zane walked in a half circle to put himself in Ty’s line of sight, perhaps six feet away. Until Ty came out of whatever headspace this was, it was better not to get too close.

Julian sensed him moving, and he gave Ty one last disdainful look and moved to sit beside Cameron on the end of the king-size bed.

All three of them watched Ty expectantly, and Ty stood glaring at them all. It was time for some kind of explanation. Zane could imagine Julian making something like that up; it would serve the purpose of driving a wedge of suspicion between Ty and Zane if they began fighting over it. It was a classic psychological technique. But Zane’s gut told him that it felt like the truth.

Ty’s eyes moved to meet his. His jaw tightened and he squared his shoulders, as if expecting Zane to launch his own attack. Instead, Zane slid one hand into a pocket and held out the other, palm up. He didn’t want to fight about it. He just wanted to know; to know if Ty was in danger, to know if they were in danger because of this. As much as being kept in the dark pissed him off, Zane knew better than to demand answers from his lover and partner, especially in front of Julian and Cameron. That was a quick trip to an ass-kicking. Or worse, a stonewalling.

“Go ahead,” Ty said, his voice grim.

Zane tried to keep his voice calm. “Do you want to fight? Because I don’t. But there’s a lot of numbers not adding up, and you know me and numbers.”

“I don’t want to fight,” Ty answered. His eyes shifted to Julian again, a spark of anger in them.

“Then forget about him and focus on me,” Zane said, letting his hand start to lower.

Ty looked back and raised his chin. “I swear to you, Zane, I’d never seen him before this case.”

“You’re a bloody liar,” Julian muttered.

When Zane met those hazel eyes, he tried to see what Julian must have seen, but he just didn’t. All he saw was the man he knew and loved telling him the truth. Everything in Zane confirmed it. “Then that means he’s seen you. In Paris?”

“I’ve never been to Paris.”

“Don’t let him lie to you, Agent Garrett,” Julian said.

“Shut up,” Zane snapped.

Ty lowered his head, but his eyes remained on Zane’s. It gave him a predatory look.

Zane knew that Ty was wound up too tight about this for it to be a simple matter. “This is one of those things you can’t tell me about. That’s crystal clear.”

Ty exhaled sharply and turned away, running his hand through his hair as he headed for the door. Ty always aimed for open space when he was agitated, windows and doors and balconies. Like he was making certain he had an escape route. Only now it struck Zane as Ty wanting to get away from him.

Zane took a step to go after him.

Ty swept his hand out and grabbed the lamp off the dresser, then turned, ripping the cord from the base, and threw it against the nearest wall with a wordless shout of frustration that was lost in the shattering of the ceramic.

Zane flinched but didn’t move. Julian stood but remained by the bed, where Cameron sat cringing away from the debris. Zane took a step toward them. It registered with him that he was afraid of what Ty was going to do, because Zane couldn’t tell, and he’d gotten pretty adept at that. This was just one of so many unspoken truths between them. Maybe Ty feared them as much as Zane did.