You Can See Me (27 page)

Four years later.

“Atlanta PD! I said freeze! Don’t you fucking make me chase you,” Day yelled as he pushed his legs to move faster. He shrugged out of his leather coat and easily hopped the car in the intersection while keeping his weapon trained on the man that was currently thirty feet in front of him.

“
Stop
,” he yelled again.

His suspect turned to see how close he was, and Day took the opportunity to leap, successfully knocking the large man to the ground and rolling with him. Day immediately scrambled to get on top and kneed the man as hard as he could in his kidneys, immensely satisfied at the loud wail that burst out of him. Day looked around first before dropping another knee onto the man’s other kidney. “That’s for making me run, asshole. I just had a bean burrito. You do not want to know what’s going on in my fucking stomach right now.” Day removed his set of handcuffs from his back pocket. He looked up and saw Cash smiling down at him from the driver’s side of his truck.

“Are you gonna fuck him or arrest him, Day?” Cash smirked at him.

“Fuck you, Cash.” Day grunted as he pulled his suspect up off the ground. “Why do I always have to chase the runner?” He huffed, and threw their suspect non-to-gently into the police cruiser that’d pulled up too.

“My suspects are always too scared to run,” Cash said with a shrug.

“I can’t wait to get back to the station. I’m going to kick James’ ass. There were twice as many guys in that drug house as he said there’d be.”

Day took his leather coat the uniformed officer picked up for him and jumped up into the big F350’s passenger seat.

“Yeah, I definitely think we need a new snitch,” Cash responded while pulling smoothly into traffic and then flooring it down the boulevard.

“So, good cop bad cop?” Cash smiled at Day.

“We’re both bad cops, Cash.” Day smiled back.

“This is true, but you’re more convincing as good cop.” Cash stroked his goatee. “Hey, uh. You know Cap is gonna chew our asses out for not calling in back up.”

“Which is whose fault? I told you to call it in, Cash, but no, you gotta be Billy Badass and kick the door in before we even got the plan down good,” Day argued. He tried to stretch his legs in the huge truck and hissed at the pain in his knees. “Cash, I swear you’re chasing the next one. Man, my knees are killing me.”

“If you stopped dropping down on them in back alleys, they’d be fine when you’re at work,” Cash replied easily, taking the toothpick from his mouth and flicking it out the window.

“Oh wow, aren’t you just full of shits and giggles today.” Day pulled one of his 9mm handguns from his holster and checked the safety before locking it back in place and putting his leather coat back on. He held on to the “oh-shit bar” as Cash made a hard right turn into the station’s parking lot. They saw the squad cars pulling into the underground tunnel with their four new arrests and the evidence van backing in to unload the fifty pounds of marijuana they’d just secured from their raid.

Day dropped down to the pavement and winced again at his knees.

“There’s no way those idiots we just busted could bring that kind of weight into the city on their own, Cash. We’re getting closer to the kingpin. I can feel it.”

“Well, let someone else feel it, princess. Long as we get the drugs off the streets, I’m good,” Cash replied and turned the key fob toward his truck, activating the alarm.

Cashel Godfrey was primarily known as God on the streets, but Day and most of the officers liked to call him, Cash. His partner fell in line with him and strolled through the precinct’s bull pen like they hadn’t a care in the world. But Day knew they’d fucked up. They should’ve had back up with them when going to make that kind of an arrest, but their snitch had lied to them about how many dealers worked out of that house. Although he and Cash were able to get four of them into custody, three of the men had gotten away…and there was also a little gunfire in there too.

Cash’s tight black T-shirt clung to his body while his gold detective’s badge that hung from a sterling silver link chain around his neck swayed methodically as he walked. His dark denim jeans fit snuggly but comfortably. His gun holster held his Desert Eagle on one side and his 9mm handgun on the other. His thigh length black leather coat barley concealed the large firearms or the six inch serrated blade with pearl handle grip he kept secured under his left arm.

Day was about five inches shorter than him, but they complimented each other perfectly. Day was quick, witty, smart, skilled, and very dangerous. He’d graduated at the top of his class in the academy and already had accommodations for marksmanship. It’d only taken four years for the two of them to make detective and get promoted to the Tactical Narcotics Team after overseeing several of the city’s most successful drug bust. Cash and Day were known on the street. They were respected, revered even. When drug kings saw the two of them bursting through their front door, they knew their reign was over.

Everyone also knew Day was gay and out, but ever since that first day in the conference room when Cash choked Ronowski without a second thought, no one bothered Day about it, because no one wanted to face Cash about it.

“So we hear you two busted up that cartel over on thirty-third street.” Detective Seasel strolled up beside Cash as he sat at his desk with his boots propped up on the edge. Day was perched on the corner looking down at Cash silently communicating with him like always.

“That’s right, sweetheart, another righteous bust for us,” Day bragged. He looked around Seasel to her partner whose electrifying blue eyes were shooting daggers at both of them. “You got a problem with that, Ronowski? You look like you’re dying to get something off your chest.”

“I don’t have a goddamn word to say to you, Day. Come on, Vikki. Let’s get out of here. We have a planning session to get to. Unlike you fuck-ups, there are some of us that believe in working together as a team to get the job done right.”

“Tsk,tsk,tsk.” Day shook his head sadly and sucked his teeth at the angry man. “Mad ’cause we didn’t invite you to come along, Ronowski?”

Ronowski gritted his teeth. “What-the-fuck-ever. This unit is about working as a team. Every time you jackasses go off half-cocked, someone has to come behind you and clean up your fucking mess.”

Cash just shook his head watching the angry exchange. There was no love lost between Day and Ronowski, obviously. Ronowski’s partner, Vikki Seasel, was cool though. She was a pretty woman with an even hotter body. She had plump lips and long sandy brown hair she kept pulled into a tight ponytail at the base of her neck. Her warm brown eyes were beautiful, and although she was tough as nails, she knew how to bat her eyes to throw a suspect off during an interrogation. Her hips were nicely proportioned with her small waistline, and Day didn’t miss Cash’s lustful stare whenever she approached.

“Alright, let’s go, Ro. I’ll see you guys later.” She gave Cash an extra long stare before turning and following her partner through the bull pen.

Day waited until they were almost to the other side of the room before standing up.

“So, Ronowski, same time as last night…my place, right? I bought the extra large condoms this time, so we don’t have that little problem again.” Day yelled for all to hear.

Ronowski spun around, his face a bright shade of red, and Day thought the man was going to burst a blood vessel in his neck.

“Fuck you, Day,” Ronowski yelled back at him, his fist clenched at his side.

“So you want to do me this time. That’s cool. I’ll let that tight ass of yours have a break tonight.” Day feigned a confused look on his face before adding, “I guess we won’t need those extra-large condoms after all, huh?”

The room was buzzing, and many of the officers had turned their attention on a livid Ronowski laughing hysterically. Even Cash had a hard time concealing his smile.

Ronowski looked like he was about to charge back across the floor until Cash stood slowly.

“Alright, knock it off out here! Get back to fucking work,” the Captain bellowed out into the office from his open door. He turned his sharp eyes on them.

Cash looked at Day and shook his head. “You just can’t get enough, can you?”

“That’s the same thing Ronowski said last night.” Day winked.

You sonofabitch,” Ronowki growled as he was dragged out of the bullpen by Vikki, while the other officers laughed at Day’s last jib.

“I said knock it off!” Their Captain looked around the large office, daring anyone else to keep laughing. “Day, God. In my office now.”

They got the scolding of their life and a threat of demotion if they ever pulled a stunt like that again. Day gripped his coat in his hand and exited the Captain’s office thirty minutes later.

“Thanks a lot, Cash. I really enjoyed that.” Day shoved his partner hard in his arm, barely moving him at all. “Just because the Captain was best friends with my dad doesn’t mean he’s going to go easy on us.”

“Alright, sissy-queen, you don’t have to be so dramatic,” Cash teased.

Day didn’t care about Cash calling him names because he knew the big man was crazy about him and would kill anyone else that insulted him for real.

“I don’t like getting my ass chewed out, man.” Day plopped back down in his chair at his desk and let out a long sigh.

Cash leaned against the desk and starred at him. “I thought you did like getting your ass chewed. Umm, what do ya’ll call it?” Cash snapped his fingers. “Oh yeah…tossing salad.”

“Fuck you.” Day laughed.

“Not even on your best day.” Cash winked and removed his large frame from leaning on Day’s desk and sat back in his own chair facing him.

Day picked up his favorite coffee mug and told Cash he’d be back.

“Yeah, yeah, I know. You’re a damn addict, dude. What would you do if there was ever a shortage of coffee beans in the United States?” Cash shook his head at him.

“What do you think I’d do? I’d move to a country that didn’t have a shortage, dumbass. I swear, Cash, to be as smart as you are, you sure do ask some stupid shit.” Day dodged the paperclip Cash threw at him and started toward the station’s kitchen.

Day made quick work of starting his expensive Keurig coffee maker. It was the best one on the market, and he had multiple carousels with a variety of coffee flavors. The kitchen had other coffee makers too, industrial size ones, but Day had to have a freshly brewed cup each time. Cash was right about Day being addicted to coffee. He drank at least ten to twelve cups per day. Although he griped about his lack of sleep at night, he refused to sacrifice his coffee, or switch to godforsaken decaf.

Day hummed while he took inventory of what was left and saw that someone had brought in Vanilla Biscotti flavored cups.
Yes, been meaning to get some of those.
Everyone knew the elaborate coffee machine was his. Other officers were more than welcome to use it as long as they kept it clean and made contributions to the stash.

“Well hello there, handsome,” a richly deep voice crawled up Day’s spine.
Great…of all the precinct kitchens in the world…he had to walk into mine.

Day turned around slowly with his steaming cup of coffee held right under his nose letting the bold aroma calm him.

“Detective Johnson, it’s such a pleasu— It’s nice to—” Day stuttered sarcastically “Well, let me just say hi.”

“Ouch. You hurt my heart when you say things like that.” The tall detective rubbed his hand over his ample chest, like he really felt an ache. “You’re way too beautiful to act like that.”

Who said I’m acting?”

Day watched him crowd into his space, using his height to try to smother him, but all he was doing was overpowering the smell of his coffee with all the cologne the man had on. Day refused to look up into the detectives eyes. The man was an arrogant prick, and he didn’t deserve Day’s respect.

Just because the detective was out and proud too, he somehow thought that made them a great couple. But Detective Johnson was a spoiled rich kid. His father was the police commissioner, and what made that irritating was the man wasn’t ashamed to throw big daddy’s weight around, and Day and Cash hated that. There was no way in hell Day would ever consider dating him, no matter how handsome the bastard was.

“Where you been hiding yourself, Day? I called that number you gave me, but it was to an adult video shop. I really didn’t like that. It was rude and childish, don’t you think? If you didn’t want me to have your number, all you had to do was say so.”

I did, shit-dick, but someone can’t take no for an answer.

Day didn’t bother voicing his response as he took a long sip of his hot coffee, refusing to let this man ruin his zin feeling. Detective Johnson by far wasn’t an ugly man. Actually, he was fucking stunning, but he was also pompous and not Day’s type. The man really thought he could have whatever he wanted because he had a substantial trust fund.

“You gave me that number and said you didn’t mind me calling you.” He propped one arm up on the cabinet next to Day’s head. His cinnamon breath wafted down on top of him…and into Day’s motherfucking cup of coffee.

“I know I said you could call me, but there are two explanations for that. Now either I was lying, or I was wrong about the number of explanations.” Day smirked and took another sip.

“That slick mouth of yours is going to get you in trouble.” Detective Johnson turned his lip up at him. The man really couldn’t take a damn hint.

He had Day up against the counter with only an ounce of breathing room between them. Day could’ve easily gotten out of the corner, but he personally liked fucking with the smug detective. Detective Johnson was a ballistics expert, and he went from precinct to precinct assisting with cases. Obviously, Cap called him in to assist with the guns that were recovered from their recent bust.

“Well umm, I got to get back to the grind. Wouldn’t want you to tell Daddy I’m slacking off.” Day gently set his cup of coffee on the counter, spun, and ducked under the detective’s arm before the man could blink twice. Day grabbed his mug and made his way to the other side of the room.