Shatter (Unbreakable Bonds 2)

Hollis jerked around to face the table again, his eyes narrowed on Snow. “What nurse?”

“That one.” Snow pointed at the tall, dark-haired man who’d come into the restaurant and walked up to frown at the empty wheelchair. He picked it up, showing off nice arm muscles, and moved it out of the walkway, then disappeared into the kitchen.

Snow wondered if the cop realized his hands were clenched into tight fists as he kept staring in that direction.

“Maybe we should move Ian into the Ascent until we figure out what’s going on?” Snow said. “With me there, it’ll be like a slumber party.”

Lucas smirked. “I already tried to talk him into that. The kid is independent as hell. Andrei decided Sven would be perfect for Ian.” His amused gaze locked with Snow’s as he mouthed the word “straight” at him, while Hollis continue to stare at the kitchen door. “Nothing like a gorgeous Swede to take a man’s mind off things.”

Hollis was halfway to the kitchen entrance when Sven came back through, carrying Ian, who had a shy smile on his face as the bodyguard spoke softly to him. He set Ian back into his wheelchair, turned it and brought him smoothly back to the table.

“With this cast sticking out everywhere and his massive bulk, we got in the way instantly. Plus, he made my sous chefs nervous.” He glanced at Hollis and a hint of red filled his still too pale cheeks. “I had them prepare something for you as well. I know you like the food here because they said you’ve been here a lot this past week.”

Hollis cleared his throat, narrowed his eyes at Sven and sat back in his seat. “Foods good here,” he mumbled.

Snow narrowed his eyes. Yeah, the food was good, but several times a week on a cop’s salary? He wasn’t coming here for the food.

Ian directed the bodyguard to push him back to where he’d been sitting before. “I’m sorry I took off. Let’s discuss what we’re going to do now.” He picked up his fork and pointed it at Snow. “And don’t think you’re off the hook for not calling. And not telling me about Jude. When do we get to meet him?”

“Why do you need to meet him? It was a one-night st—”

“One night?” Lucas’s laugh echoed through the restaurant. “I seem to remember him showing up at my place, then going out with us last night. And don’t you have a date tonight?” Lucas grinned.

“Ass,” Snow snapped. He snatched up a hunk of bread and threw it at his friend. “He just came to your place to find out if I was okay.”

“It sounded like he made real sure of that,” Andrei said, grinning. “Thoroughly.”

“Don’t you start that again,” Snow warned.

“Hell yeah, start it again. I missed the first round,” Ian said, glaring at Snow. He turned to Andrei. “Do share. I need to hear about anything other than Dwight Gratton.”

Snow growled. “No, we aren’t talking about that.”

Lucas laughed again. “Tell Ian about your date tonight.”

Snow’s mouth fell open as he pointed his own fork at Lucas. “When the hell did you get such a big fucking mouth?”

“The moment you learned to blush.”

“Traitor. You’re supposed to be my best friend.”

“I am. And what I saw earlier let me know I’m only doing you a favor if I encourage this relationship.”

“Earlier?” Ian’s head was starting to resemble a ping pong ball with how much he kept looking back and forth. “Weren’t you at the hospital today?”

Snow wanted to nip the Jude conversation in the bud right then. “Yes, I was. And I was put on leave because someone was murdered in my home and until the murderer is caught, I’m still their number one suspect.” He looked at Hollis. “Am I right?”

“Unfortunately you aren’t off the hook yet. Not even with Jude’s statement.”

They all went quiet with that and thankfully, the food arrived.

Ian directed the setting of the plates. “I know Lucas and Andrei love the gnocchi, so they get to try a new recipe. I spent the last few days at home perfecting the sauce. Snow gets acqua pazza—fish because he’s watching the carbs.”

Snow breathed the steam from his dish and shot Ian a smile. The kid knew what he liked down to the smallest details. “With olives and mushroom. Good.”

Ian nodded absent-mindedly. He never wavered when it came to food. He tilted his head, stared at the detective until the man finally met his gaze again. “Are you watching your carbs, cop?”

Hollis laughed. “I watch them all the way to my mouth.”

Lucky for Hollis, Snow’s mouth was full of perfectly cooked fish or he would have made a comment about watching things come at his mouth.

“Good,” Ian said. “You got carbonara.”

Lucas’s head snapped up. “He got bacon? How come he gets bacon?”