Divide & Conquer (Cut & Run #4)(6)
Author: Abigail Roux

He stared at McCoy listlessly as his mind began to wander again. He tapped out his response to Zane slowly, trying to get the message out and pay attention at the same time.

If a hunter can shoot a deer with either hand does that make him bambidextrous?

Have you seen eagles catch their prey? They’re really talonted. Ty closed his eyes. The puns were too much. They were just too stupid for his brain to deal with at the end of a long day. He decided to raise the white flag and live to think another day, so he eased back in his chair and slowly punched in the last message.

You win. Ill do anything please make it stop.

It took a minute, but Zanes answer finally popped up. Promise you’ll scream for me tonight.

Ty stared at the phone for just a moment too long. When he cleared his throat and looked up, McCoy was watching him expectantly.

Ty smiled at him widely, the smile that said he knew hed been caught and wasnt McCoy glad he was so good at his job so he didnt have to punish him?

“Care to share?” McCoy asked drily. Ty looked around at the other people around the table and sighed heavily. Perrimore reached into his lap and grabbed the phone from him. Ty didnt try to resist; that would just have made them even more curious. Hed never been more thankful that he rarely put real names into his contacts list, though.

Perrimore read the last message from Zane out loud, eyebrows raised. “Whos Lone Star?” he asked with a grin as he looked at the name Ty had stored in his phone. “And does she carry a whip?”

“Everyone get out before my eyeballs explode,” McCoy ordered as he sat rubbing his temples with the heels of his hands. Ty snatched his phone from Perrimore and whapped him in the head as they stood to leave. Alston trailed behind them, laughing the entire way.

Z ANE looked up from the files he was stacking when he heard Tys voice, low and wry and borderline aggrieved. A smile pulled at Zanes lips. There hadnt been a reply to his last message of a little less than ten minutes ago.

“Hey, Garrett, have you met Gradys latest fling? She sounds like a real piece of work,” Alston said as they arrived, chuckling. “Probably has the key to his handcuffs pierced through her tongue.”

That certainly wasnt what Zane expected to hear when they came back from the meeting. So that probably meant Ty had been caught. He didnt appear to have that “just outed by his co-workers” look about him, though, and Zane knew Ty nicknamed all his phone contacts, so he was relatively certain they were okay.

“Getting texts at work again, partner?” Zane drawled as he looked over to see Ty. “Well, you know my type,” Ty responded with a saccharine smile as he passed Zanes desk. “No self-control and loads of mental issues.” He did sound exasperated, though.

“Thats never seemed to bother you,” Zane answered as he stood up and lifted his suit jacket off the back of his chair. Alston laughed and took off with a wave, not bothering to stick around to hear the banter the whole team had become used to. Clancy and Lassiter had departed half an hour ago, and Zane had seen Perrimore detour toward the elevators as the group came back from the meeting. So once Alston disappeared down the hall, it was just Zane and Ty as Ty locked up his desk drawers.

Ty glanced up at him darkly, and Zane grinned. Oh, he was so going to pay for his mischief tonight. The look in Tys eyes promised as much.

Ty looked around the nearly empty floor as he moved closer to Zane. He held his phone in his hand, overcoat draped over his arm. He stepped closer to Zane, his knuckles brushing against Zanes stomach as he held the coat between them.

“Me scream for you, huh?” he asked in a low voice, his nearly green eyes raking across Zanes features.

“Since you cant take the punishment,” Zane said, feeling himself warm a little under Tys scrutiny.

“One more, Garrett,” Ty warned as he raised one finger. “One more and well see who can go the longest in a cold bed.”

Zane frowned and huffed quietly. “Fine. You, screaming,” he reminded. “I did offer to bring you dinner.” “Dinner later. My house. Bring clothes for the weekend, cause you wont be making it home.” Ty didnt say another word, just turned and headed for the elevator at a stroll, shrugging into his overcoat as he went.

Zane watched him go, enjoying the sight. “Score,” he said under his breath before he grabbed his phone and keys and hurried to follow.

Chapter Two

IT TOOK skill to juggle a small duffel bag, a suit jacket, a large sack of hot food, and a key, especially when standing on a small concrete stoop. But Zane succeeded and pushed the door open with his foot.

“No friendly fire, please,” he called out as he crossed the threshold. The main floor was silent and somewhat dark. Only one light was on downstairs, in the kitchen at the back of Tys row house. Light streamed down from the upstairs, though, and Zane could hear Ty up there, talking with someone.

“Hold on!” Ty shouted. Then his voice dropped back to a low murmur. Zane kicked the door shut behind him and flipped on a light switch with his elbow. He walked through the narrow living room and tiny dining area beside the stairs to the kitchen bar, where he dropped his burdens. Hot food on the counter, bag next to it by the wall, suit jacket on the back of a chair, keys in a pocket. Wondering idly who Ty was talking to, Zane moved around the bar into the kitchen to pull plates and glasses out of the cabinet.

He heard Tys heavy footsteps on the stairs behind him. Not a good sign. The only time he could ever hear Ty moving was when Ty sulked and threw his weight around. Otherwise, Ty was scarily silent.

“No, thatll be just fine,” Ty was saying as he came down the stairs, his voice a slightly more professional one than he normally utilized on the phone. “Thank you, sir, well be in touch,” he said quickly. Then he snapped his phone shut as he reached the bottom step. He spread his arms wide and gave Zane an incredulous look. “What, no blinking neon sex sign to alert the neighbors? Incriminating videos to send to my mother?”

Zane glanced at him sideways as he pulled toasted deli sandwiches and sides out of the bag. “Youve gotten caught doing a hell of a lot worse than getting a text message in a meeting,” he answered mildly.

“Ill have to stop calling you Lone Star out loud,” Ty grumbled as he tossed his phone over his shoulder into the living room. It landed on the couch with a single bounce. “Whats for dinner?”

Zane didnt try to hide his smile. Ty sulking could be pretty entertaining if you didnt let him lay a guilt trip on you. “Italian subs. I promised you salami.”