killer, gbd (EDITING)

26

The morning had been surprisingly slow. We didn't wake to an alarm or any rouge attacker. We woke from the sun. It was peaceful, but my mind had a hard time relaxing.

We changed out of our pajamas and decided to check out the cafeteria. It was naturally lit, so we sat beside the biggest window in a booth. We ate baked oatmeal and drank strong coffee.

Even with our closeness and vulnerability, Grayson still wasn't his normal self. I didn't know what to expect of breakfast, but it wasn't silence and brief, longing looks across the table that felt miles long.

The silence broke when Joey showed up, grinning as if he'd just successfully stolen candy from a baby. I swallowed the food in my mouth and shrugged. His hands went to his hips. The silence ensued and my eyes rolled.

"What Joey?" I finally ask. He slides into the my side of the booth and his body flushes against mine. Arms, hips, and legs. I watches Grayson's brows shoot up, the muscles in his jaw flexing.

I sigh and move away from him. "The boy gave us an address, the last place he could remember being before he was sent out." Joey grins at Grayson, but it given a glare in return, so he turns to me instead.

I nod, my mouth turning up into a smile. "That's great, when do we ship out?" I ask, setting my spoon down. Joey let's out quick laughing breath.

"And give you right to them? In your dreams, darling." He shakes his head, as if I had suggested that pigs could fly.

"No, I want in. You know that I'm qualified," I roll my eyes. Joey catches his bottom lip between his teeth, holding it there for a moment. His eyes study my face as he thinks.

His lip is released with a sigh. "I guess it's not the worst idea, I already have a few others selected," He nods rubbing his blonde brow.

"Did you have a departure date set?" I ask, taking another sip from my near black coffee.

"As soon as possible, obviously." His eyes glance to my lips. "I just came from the interrogation so nothing is officially set." He reaches over to my plate, plucking a raspberry from my fruit cup.

"Well then lets organize a small team and set a date," I finish my cup of coffee, glancing to Grayson over the brim of my cup. His eyes are digging daggers into Joey, but he purposely ignores his stare.

"Meet me in my office," He leaves quickly, pulling out his phone. When he leaves I move back into my space and let out a sigh.

Grayson finishes his coffee and looks out the window. "You've got ever guy tucked into your pocket," A small grin pokes at his dimple. My eyes roll again, but I smile and nudge his leg under the table.

"Lies," I shake my head. "Even if I did, there's only one that I really care about." It takes him a moment to realize, but when he does he smiles fully for the first time in what feels like a long while. Then he nods to the end of the booth.

We organize our plates on the table to make the jobs of the clean up staff easier, then head to Joey's office.

It's just as glorious as the first time I'd seen it, very early this morning. The deep wooden wall that is the left side of his office has a floor to ceiling pull out shelf. Joey digs through the shelves of files as Grayson and I settle into his wonderfully padded chairs.