“I’m sorry to call you on your day off, but something’s come up and I need you in the office.”
I frowned. “You said it yourself. You know it’s my day off, boss.” I was pushing my luck but I was irritated, wanting only to climb right back in bed with Cachi and pull him into my arms for round two.
“Yeah, I know it, Monroe, and if it wasn’t important, I wouldn’t be calling you.”
I sighed. “Is it a case?”
“No, it’s not a fucking case. It’s the fact that you were involved in a police incident last night and then didn’t think it was important enough to call me and tell me about it.”
Oh, shit. “Oh, shit,” I said.
“Oh, shit. Is that all you have to say about it? You know any interactions with law enforcement have to be reported to me as soon as they happen. If you recall, Patsy was kind enough to call me as soon as he was involved in a convenience store robbery three months ago. You couldn’t even give me a heads up with the LAPD? I hate being blindsided by bullshit like this.”
“But how did you—”
“How did I find out that you pulled your FBI creds to stop three guys from killing a civilian at Dance Hall Boys last night? Oh, let me see. When Cassidy Ryan and Mike Williams notified me that one of my Tac Team was involved in the incident which they just happened to learn about because of a police report, they called me.”
“Oh, shit.”
“Stop saying that and get your scrawny ass down here now.” Since he was two inches shorter than I was, I thought it was kind of funny. Laughing at him would’ve been a terrible mistake,though. He couldn’t have sounded more pissed. “I have to come down there? Cassidy and Mike already filled you in and—”
“Yes! I need you down here so I can look into your eyes when you explain exactly what happened in your own words. I want your explanation of the incident and I want it in person. Am I making myself crystal clear, Monroe?”
“Yes, boss.” I reached up and scrubbed a hand over my face as Cachi walked over to me with a worried expression on his face. I held out my hand and he moved into my personal space as I surrounded his shoulders and pulled him up against my chest. I kissed the top of his head as he slipped both arms around me. “I’ll see you in an hour.”
“I’ll see you in half an hour. Don’t be late.” The phone disconnected before I could say another thing.
“Fuck!” I shouted, setting the phone gently back down on the counter when all I wanted to do was throw it across the room as I hugged Cachi to me. I looked down at him.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, turning beautiful brown eyes up to me.
“That was my boss. He found out about what happened at the club last night and needs me to go into the office to explain it in person.” I cupped his face, glancing at his lips. “And I wanted to spend the rest of the day and night in bed with you.”
He smiled, reaching up to take my cheeks in both hands. He leaned up on tiptoes, and I lowered my head, meeting his lips halfway. We kissed for several seconds before he finally dropped back down. “I come with you.”
“You can’t do that. He’s really mad.”
“But you are hero. I tell him that and he no be mad at you anymore.”
I smiled at him. “That’s sweet, but it’s a really bad idea. I made a major mistake in not callin’ him as soon as it happened last night. Anytime an FBI agent is involved with the police, we’re required to tell our bosses about it. By forgettin’ to tell Candy what happened, I fucked up big time. You can wait here. It won’t take long. When I get back, we’ll pick up where we left off.”
He shook his head. “No, Rex. I need to work tonight. Remember? I tell you that you need to take me to my car and I must work tonight.”
“Fuck!” I stared at him, hating his job. The very idea that he’d be climbing back into his cage to dance mostly naked for other guys, was totally unacceptable. “I hate your job.”
He nodded. “Yes. You say that, but I need my job. I make good money at the club, better than Tio’s store. I help my mamá save money for our own apartamento someday.”
I could understand that, but it didn’t make me hate his job any less just because it was true. “Okay, I’ll take you to your car then after work, I’ll pick you up from your job. You’ll spend the night here.”
He just looked at me. “That’s no a good idea, Rex.” When I opened my mouth to argue with him, he laid a hand on my chest. “I want to see you again. I want to see you tonight, but I no can stay here. Mamá…she no approve.”
Fuck. He was right. “Okay, so you’ll call her and tell her that I’ll be pickin’ you up from work and havin’ dinner with you. That way, she won’t be upset if you come home late.”
He nodded slowly. “Okay, Rex. You can pick me.”
I chuckled. “Pick you up,” I corrected.
He smiled. “Si. You pick me up, Rex,” he enunciated.