Monk (K19 Security Solutions 7)

“No offense, Steph, but I’m not gonna miss this place.”

“No offense taken. We all wish you the absolute best.”

Hospital policy was that patients were to be taken to the front door in a wheelchair, but as hard as Onyx had worked in the last four months to walk again, no one mentioned policy. Monk arranged for a driver to transport them to his loft, where Onyx would be living for the time being. At least until he got cleared to fly again.

“NICE PLACE,” he said when Monk unlocked the door. “Surprised you didn’t spend more time here.”

Monk walked over to the refrigerator and got out two beers. He opened one and handed it to his friend. It wasn’t like he hadn’t sneaked plenty into the hospital, but Monk guessed it felt a hell of a lot different to be able to have one without anyone watching, anyone caring, or anyone looking the other way.

“This is you,” Monk said, showing Onyx to the master bedroom.

“I’m not taking your room, son.”

“I don’t sleep in here.”

“Why not?”

“Just don’t.”

Onyx threw his bag on the bed and kicked off his shoes. “Goddamn, it’s gonna feel good not to have someone waking me up all the fucking time to take my blood pressure.” He looked up at Monk. “You aren’t gonna do that, are you?”

Monk shook his head, walked back out to the kitchen, and pulled out a box of pre-packaged meal kits. He’d gotten so sick of eating out, but most days, he and Onyx worked so hard, he was too tired to cook anything the way he was used to—with fresh ingredients.

Between eating healthier and working out with Onyx every day, Monk had gotten bigger and leaner. He felt like his skin fit better. He wished it was as easy to work the shit out of his brain as it was his body. He still thought about Saylor all day and night. Everything, even things that had no logical reason for reminding him of her, did.

“All right, son, why the hell does that big ol’ bed in there sit empty every night?”

“It just does.”

“What happened between you and Saylor?”

“Didn’t work out.”

“Tell you what. I’ll make a deal with you.”

“Not interested.”

“You don’t know what I’m going to say.”

Monk shook his head. Whatever it was, he was certain it involved telling Onyx about Saylor, and that wasn’t something he was willing to do.

“I’m gonna tell you anyway, cuz we aren’t gonna do this tonight.”

Monk got a skillet out of the cupboard and unwrapped two pieces of salmon.

“I can hear your agreement from across the room.”

Monk laughed and shook his head. “As I said, not interested.”

“I’m gonna tell you what happened with Corazón, and you’re gonna tell me what happened with Sa

ylor, and if you don’t agree to this, there ain’t anybody ever gonna know what happened in that fuckin’ cockpit.”

Monk turned the fire off on the stove, got two more beers out of the fridge, and walked over to where Onyx stood on the patio he’d never gone out on.

“There’s nothing to tell. It just didn’t work out.”

“Not what Razor said.”