I laugh. “Go ahead. I’ll even let you have the first shot.” I unclench my hands and grin.
“Just, tell them it’s not true. You need to keep that shit to yourself, Gavin! It’s not right to announce it everywhere.” He still has his hands up, but his resolve is wavering, I can see it.
“No. Now either hit me or get the fuck out of my house,” I snarl.
Slowly, his fists uncurl and fall to his sides. “You don’t know what you’re doing,” he hisses. “You have to stop.”
“I don’t care. I’m not living my life for you or anyone else.” I stride to the back door and open it. “My father is leaving,” I announce to the guard.
“B-but we’re not done here!” my dad stammers. “The stalker—”
“I believe you are done, sir,” the hulking bodyguard says. “I’ll walk you to your car.”
I nod and he takes my dad’s upper arm in his meaty paw, tugging him out the door. Before my dad can speak again, I slam it shut and lean back on the countertop.
Why does he give a shit about me being gay? His response, as fucked up as it was when I was a teenager, at least made some sense to me. I was a disappointment, not manly enough for my Air Force dad, a failure.
But now? I’m a grown adult who has no contact with him
so what the hell does it matter? And he’s honestly trying to convince me he’s worried about the stalker? What the fuck ever.
Something about the conversation nags at the back of my mind, but I push it away. Right now, I feel incredible. I finally stood up to Dennis Walker and won.
I pull out my phone to share my emotional high. The first person I want to call and tell is Mitch. Then I remember I broke up with him. My breath hitches and I stuff the phone back in my pocket, tears burning my eyes.
Emotional high destroyed.
Fuck.
***
“So, we’ve gotten quite a few leads with all of the combined information. The case is moving along smoothly.” Agent Halifax says grinning.
“Good, that’s good.” The man continues staring at me. Jesus, this fucker makes me uncomfortable. “Where’s Agent Van Zandt?”
“He’s following up on an interview. Sometimes we split up to cover more ground.” The man shrugs and gives me another one of his lecherous smiles.
I have to concentrate to keep from flinching in disgust. The weird tension is unbearable. “Drink?” I ask, pulling a couple of glasses out of the cabinet.
“Just water, please.”
I can feel his eyes on me as I turn away to fill the glass. Honestly, I want to smash the glass against the side of his head. The few times I’ve spent around the man included his partner. Alone, he gives off fucked-up vibes. Creepy.
“When do you think you’ll catch this guy?” I plunk the glass down and take a seat across the table from the agent, not wanting to be closer than necessary.
“Hard to say. Some of these cases go on for years.” He folds his hands on top of the paperwork.
“Jesus.” Of course, I already knew this. This guy has been at it for over a year. “And how many people did he kill?”
“Eleven,” Agent Halifax responds. “That we know of. All of them missing their left ring finger.”
The fucker is still looking at me. What an asshole.
My phone rings, breaking the bizarre staring contest we have going on. Grateful for the interruption, I answer. “Hello?”
“Gav! I’m going to Vegas, wanna come?” Hawke is practically shouting with excitement.
“Vegas?” I push back and stand up, walking to the next room for privacy. And to get that creepy fuck’s eyes off of me.