Here Comes Trouble (Nothing Special #3)(66)

Curtis looked down at his brand new shoes. “I’m sorry.”

“You should be,” Ruxs said sternly, his voice hard. Ruxs put both hands on Curtis’ shoulders. “Look, buddy. No one is saying you have to sit in your room and cry for your mom all day. But staying busy isn’t going to make your situation disappear.”

Curtis sighed sadly. “I can’t believe I treated him like that.”

Ruxs patted Curtis on his slumped shoulders. “You’re upset, it’s understandable. But don’t push your only support away.”

“That’s the thing. I’m not upset.”

Ruxs pulled back and looked into those expressive blue eyes. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t want to talk to anyone. I’m so… so. I’m so ashamed because the only thing I could think about when they took me to that group place was how sad I’d be to be away from you guys. I wasn’t sad about… about my mom just dying.”

Ruxs pulled Curtis over to the breakfast bar and sat him down. He went into the kitchen and made him a plate of pancakes and set it in front of him. Green’s mom always told him being served comfort food was like a hug from someone that loved you. Curtis grinned at him and dug into the food. He fixed himself another cup of coffee and sat beside him to listen.

“So you’re not upset about your mom dying and you were afraid to tell us.”

“No. I’m a little upset, but most of all I’m relieved. She’s been in so much pain. She was on dialysis for years, her body rejected transplant after transplant, and then she had to wait in a hospital to die slowly. She’s finally resting peacefully and she’s with her mom now. I know she’s with grandma, cause when I saw her body in the morgue…” Curtis paused looking off like he was bringing the image up in his mind. “Her mouth was curved in a little smile.”

Ruxs nodded his head that he understood.

“I think she was happy to go too. So many don’t get to say goodbye before someone passes. I did. She knew I’d be taken care of. She loved you guys ever since she met you. She knew I’d be with you all. So that’s what I’m saying. I don’t need to grieve. I want to celebrate. My mom is finally happy.”

Ruxs hugged Curtis to him. “There’s absolutely nothing wrong about that. And I understand.” Ruxs held Curtis at arm’s length, his gaze serious. “Someone else would understand that too.”

Curtis squeezed his eyes shut. “I can’t believe I yelled at him.”

“Me either,” Ruxs said sternly, pulling Curtis into a headlock. “Now get your ass up there and apologize to my boyfriend.”

Curtis chuckled. “I knew you guys were boyfriends.”

“No you didn’t.”

“You guys have been boyfriends for years,” Curtis said, laughing on his way up the stairs. “You just hadn’t admitted it until now.”



Ruxs pulled off his bulletproof vest and tossed it in the pile with the others. He was so ready to get home. The bust was a huge success; there were no casualties on either side. Not even any gunfire. They’d taken out the snipers on the roof first with rubber bullets, their team swooping in fast and quietly to restrain them. Then they’d breached the warehouse, moving in through every exit, blocking them in just as the deal was completed. It would’ve been suicidal for Chainz or his crew to try to run or even draw their weapons. God was the best at planning raids and seizures. He always went for the strategy that minimized threat and kept his team out of danger as much as possible.

Ruxs did have the good luck to bust a French bastard in his jaw with the butt of his shotgun when he got loose from the SWAT member who was restraining him and reached for his secondary weapon. That was fun. Green would’ve loved to have seen that. His mind went back to Green and Curtis for the hundredth time today. He was only able to get in a brief phone call before they’d left the precinct and sent him a quick text when it was over. He knew he’d be worrying.

Syn was standing at the front of the conference going over the final details for their report while God and Day were in the captain’s office.

“Okay. Just twenty more minutes guys and then you can get out of here,” Syn said loudly.

Ruxs looked at his watch. It was almost midnight. He pulled out his cell and sent another text.

I love you

He vaguely listened to his sergeant has he waited for his phone to vibrate with a return text. A second later his screen illuminated.

I love you back. Come home.

Ruxs smiled and typed back. Hour tops.

He put his phone back in the side pocket of his black cargo pants and finished signing off on his own paperwork. Syn dismissed all them with a final, “I expect everyone to be at the graveside no later than eight tomorrow. Also please, all of you try to be available to come to the funeral repast tomorrow afternoon at God and Day’s house. We want to support Curtis as much as possible.”

“He’s not having a wake or church service?” Charles, one of their demolitions experts asked.

“No,” Vickie answered for Syn. “In her will she asked for a small graveside service and a repast so Curtis could be with his friends. Since she had no other family and her body was withered and worn by the end, she didn’t want a viewing. So we’re honoring her wishes.”