Would they really be satisfied with seeing his blood spilled? Was that what they wanted? An eye for an eye? Did it matter that someone else had died at Ruiz’s hands? That another Therian was in the hospital fighting for her life, that several more were badly injured? All they saw was a monster who’d taken a life and not the man who’d saved seven others. Calvin wasn’t looking for praise. Hell, he wasn’t even looking to be acknowledged. He wished there wasn’t a need for his position, but the sad truth was that there was a need.

  Someone would come and calm her. Or at least attempt it. He couldn’t speak to her. That would only fuel her anger. There was nothing he could say that she’d want to hear. Another Therian woman appeared with a little Therian girl and passed her off to Mrs. Ruiz, who held her up to Calvin.

  “Look at her! You took her father away! Murdered him like an animal.”

  Mrs. Ruiz’s grief had consumed her. Understandably so. Calvin wished he could do or say something to help, but he was well aware there was nothing. Her rage and anguish wouldn’t allow anything else in. He was a heartless asshole hiding behind a badge.

  The little girl’s wailing was like knives in his ears. She was clearly terrified and didn’t understand what was happening around her. Was she screaming because her mother was yelling at the man who’d taken her daddy away? Did she understand why her father was never coming home? Had it been explained to her? Had she been told about the monster playing good guy?

  Calvin cracked. “I’m sorry.”

  “You’re sorry? Pendejo!”

  She placed the little girl on her feet, holding onto her while punching Calvin in the shoulder with her free hand. His teammates made to move forward, but he held up a hand. If they restrained her, she’d struggle, and her little girl might get hurt. All it would do was escalate the situation and possibly cause more harm.

  “Hijo de puta! Sorry won’t change what you did!”

  He was doing his job, trying to keep the citizens of his city safe. This was his city as much as theirs. He’d been born here, grown up in a neighborhood where being out at sundown meant risking his life. Where refusing to be swept into gang life had left him in the hospital more times than he could count. Where being friends with a Therian had left him with permanent scars. He’d bled for this goddamn city, and yet he loved it. They wouldn’t take that away from him.

  Ethan suddenly appeared beside them, and Calvin swallowed hard. His expression was stern yet pensive. Ethan? Ethan put a hand up in front of Mrs. Ruiz, who remarkably stopped short. She glared up at him and opened her mouth, when Ethan pulled down the throat guard of his tactical vest. He pointed to his classification.

  “So what? You’re a traitor to your kind, standing up for this Therian hater!”

  Ethan grabbed Calvin’s arm, and before he knew what was going on, Ethan unclipped Calvin’s helmet and pulled it off.

  “Ethan, what are you doing?” Calvin gasped. He was turned around and froze when he felt Ethan’s fingers on the back of his head. There was another gasp, and he was stunned to discover it had come from Mrs. Ruiz. Calvin turned and took his helmet from Ethan to swiftly secure it on his head.

  “What is that?” Mrs. Ruiz asked Ethan.

  “He can’t talk,” Calvin replied so only Mrs. Ruiz could hear him. “He has selective mutism. Ethan and I grew up together. That was the result of real Therian haters. In high school, I was jumped by a bunch of senior kids. They carved the tiger Therian classification into the back of my head because I wouldn’t stop being friends with Ethan.” A lump formed in Calvin’s throat, but he pushed through. “We’ve been fighting for our friendship since we were kids, and now we’re fighting for more. I love him. And I would give my life for him. So you have to believe me when I say I didn’t do what I did because I hate Therians. I did it to protect the citizens of this city. Whether they deserve it or not, I couldn’t let anyone else die. When I say I’m sorry for your loss, I’m not quoting some procedural manual. I say it because I understand your pain, and I am sorry for what you’ve lost.”

  Mrs. Ruiz swallowed hard, tears in her eyes. She nodded. A tall, broad-shouldered young Therian pushed through the crowd, cursing at Calvin in Spanish. The venom rolled off his tongue as he called Calvin every filthy name in the book.

  “Ya cállate, Hector,” Mrs. Ruiz ordered. “Basta.”

  “Pero, tía—”

  “Vamos. Ahora.”

  Hector glared daggers at Calvin before thrusting a finger in his direction. “This isn’t over.” He marched off after his aunt, and it wasn’t until they’d disappeared in the crowd that Calvin let out a huge sigh of relief. With Mrs. Ruiz’s departure, soon the rest of the mob began to move along. Whether she’d said something to the protestors or not, Calvin was grateful everyone was leaving without incident. Not one arrest had been made. Once the crowd was gone, with only a few stragglers left, the teams broke up and gathered near their respective trucks. Calvin waited for Sloane to give the order before following the rest of his team into their BearCat. Everyone was silent, and Calvin subtly squeezed Ethan’s hand. Ethan was about to step into the cabin when Maddock called out to him.

  “Hobbs, take a seat on the bench. Ash, drive us back to HQ.”

  This couldn’t be good.

  Ash silently and quickly made his way into the front cabin while everyone buckled up on the bench. Maddock sat across from them. He was pissed.

  “What the hell did you two think you were doing?”

  Ethan held a hand up, and Maddock pinned him with a stare.

  “No, this is on both of you, but what the hell got into you to make you think it was okay to remove your partner’s helmet? We’re in the middle of a possibly explosive situation, and you paint a target on your partner’s head? For all we know, someone out there could have had a loaded weapon. You know better than that, Hobbs. Hell, rookies know better than that.”

  “He got through to her,” Calvin said, hoping to take some of the heat off Ethan.

  “And a bullet could have got through you,” Maddock snapped, fuming. “You were strictly ordered not to engage. And with the widow no less? How did you expect that to go? Tell me. I really want to know what the hell was going through your heads.”

  “I know, but that crowd was on the verge of rioting. They were waiting on a signal from Mrs. Ruiz. She’d already made physical contact.”

  “And you two decided to take it upon yourselves to break protocol on the chance she would listen?”

  “The media’s making it out like I killed her husband because I hate Therians. The fact I’m Human and had possibly killed him out of hate made me a monster. Monsters are easy to target. Ethan showed her she was wrong.” He looked up at Ethan, who gave him a somber nod. There was only one way he could make his sergeant understand. “Okay, you might as well all know. Chances are it’ll end up on the fucking news.” He was pretty sure he’d seen a couple of cell phones out, probably recording him in the hopes of making him look like even more of a dick. Everything always seemed to end up on the Internet one way or another.

  Calvin told his teammates about his scars and how he’d gotten them, sparing them the grisly details. They didn’t need to know about the blood or stitches or the nightmares he had for months after it happened. “That night, I thought I was going to die. The cops would have written me off as another victim of gang violence. It wasn’t uncommon in our neighborhood, and considering my record for ending up in the principal’s office for fighting, they might have even alleged I was part of a gang.”

  “Jesus, Cal.”

  Dex shook his head, and Calvin looked away from his team’s horrified expressions. Even Maddock looked like he might be sick to his stomach. Calvin wasn’t ashamed of his childhood, but he wanted to keep the ugly parts of his past where they belonged. He’d done what he had to for his mom and Ethan, for himself, including things he wasn’t proud of, but his only thoughts during those times were on making it through another day because it meant he was another day closer to getting out of that shithole.

  “Mrs. Ruiz needed to know her husband hadn’t been killed out of hate,” Calvin said. “That he mattered. From what she’d said to me earlier, it’s clear her family had faced hate and prejudice before. My being Human hasn’t spared me from the same pain she’s experienced, but this was about her and her pain. Ethan saw an opportunity to bring this to an end, and he took it. That’s our job, isn’t it? Find a way to get through to people, connect, show them we’re here for all our futures, not just one species?”

  The truck was silent, with everyone lost in their own thoughts. Calvin had never meant for anyone outside of his mom to know what had happened, but if it helped ease some of the pain Mrs. Ruiz was feeling, then it was worth it. He held his breath as Maddock looked from Calvin to Ethan and back.

  “Next time, stick to protocol, or I swear I will suspend you both so fast you won’t know what hit you. Got it? That goes for the rest of you.”

  Calvin confirmed his understanding, and Ethan nodded. He patted Ethan’s knee and settled back against the truck’s padded wall. The truck was quiet on the way back to HQ. They’d averted a potentially explosive situation, but Maddock was right. They knew better than anyone how difficult it could be to get through to people when they were hurt and angry. It was their job to listen and do what they could, but in the end when the talking stopped and the violence started, they had to do their duties and protect the innocent. Sometimes it seemed like the world was making progress, heading toward a future where Humans and Therians were treated as equals, but then his team would get called out, and Calvin would see how far they still had to go, and at times it even felt like they were going backward.

  It occurred to him then that things were about to change for him and Ethan outside of work. At the THIRDS their relationship wasn’t a big deal. No one cared that Calvin was Human and that his boyfriend was a Therian. They’d have to be prepared for what they’d face out there. Dex was already experiencing it, and Calvin could see how it affected his friend. It was one of the few things that truly angered Dex, and usually Sloane was the one having to calm his partner. Sloane was used to it. He’d experienced hate and prejudice for being a Therian his whole life, and although it still stung, Sloane had learned how to deal with it.

  For Dex it was harder. He’d dealt with it on a different level, sticking up for his little brother, but this was something else altogether. Dex had never had anyone verbally assault him for kissing his boyfriend out in public or for holding his hand. He’d never had someone threaten him for showing his boyfriend how much he loved him. Calvin did his best to help Dex work through his anger when Dex didn’t want to worry Sloane. When he needed to let off some steam with someone who understood what it felt like. Calvin understood, and he was ready to face anything. He’d been doing it for years. This time it was a little different, but Calvin wasn’t about to back down. He would always be at Ethan’s side. Always.

  NINE

  “Wow. This is amazing.”

  Ethan nodded his agreement. Calvin was right. The place looked incredible. He was glad the team had been asked to come in early before the rest of the guests showed up. Once the lights dimmed and Dekatria filled up, Ethan was less likely to get a good look at the place. He’d be too busy trying to find somewhere he could feel comfortable for at least a little while. He hated that he couldn’t enjoy parties like everyone else, because he really did want to, but he tried his best. The only time he even made the attempt to attend a big party was if he knew a good number of the people who’d be there. It meant stepping out of his comfort zone, but if he was having a good day and Calvin was with him, he could manage it.

  When Cael told them his and Nina’s birthday party was themed, stating they should all dress up in 1920s glamour, Ethan had no idea what to expect. He figured some party favors, a few banners, balloons, and the usual party decorations. This was something else altogether. It was like they’d walked into some Hollywood club from yesteryear, from the white and gold gossamer curtains draped between white pillars—brought in for tonight—to the elegant table settings with extravagant centerpieces. Everything from the bar to the stage had been transformed in a bold art-deco style with a black, gold, and white color scheme. The speakers played modern tunes with vintage twists.

  “What do you think?” Cael asked as he approached, dressed in a very Gatsby-inspired outfit, from his white shoes and white slacks to his red-striped jacket and boater hat angled on his head.

  “Looking smooth, birthday boy,” Calvin said. “The place looks amazing.”

  “Doesn’t it,” Cael said excitedly. “We hired Lou to do it. The guy’s a party guru. Just don’t get in his way while he’s working. He will shank you with a toothpick. I’m serious. Ash nabbed a grape from one of the platters before I could warn him.” He shook his head sadly. “Lou’s still telling him off.” Just as he said the words, there was a loud crash from out back. Ash came bursting through the kitchen doors followed by the sound of Lou’s Spanish curses. He spun and thrust a finger at the swinging doors.

  “You’re fucking insane, you know that, Lou? It was one grape!” With a tug to his pinstriped vest, Ash headed in their direction. Ethan couldn’t help his chuckle. Ash looked right at home in his pinstriped suit, complete with red carnation in his lapel, two-tone shoes, and a white felt hat angled on his head. He threw his arm around Cael and looked them over with a grin. “You two are adorable.”

  Calvin looked down at himself with a frown. “Hey, Baby Face Nelson was shorter than me. You wouldn’t call him adorable.”

  “Probably because he was a cold-blooded murderer. You, on the other hand…”

  Ash leaned over to pinch Calvin’s cheek, and he swatted Ash’s hand away with a laugh.

  “Fuck off.”

  Ethan had to agree with Ash. Calvin was the most adorable mobster he’d ever seen. Of course, he wouldn’t tell Calvin that. The royal-blue three-piece suit brought out his eyes, and the newsboy cap looked too cute on him. Ethan had chosen the same style hat, but he’d gone with a more casual look, opting for a green shawl collar sweater with deep auburn buttons that matched his bow tie and shoes, and a pair of gray slacks. He looked more like some twenties collegiate than a dangerous mobster.

  This was so much fun! He couldn’t wait to see what the rest of his friends were wearing. Just as the thought crossed his mind, Dex emerged from the back entrance of Dekatria, which Bradley had left unlocked for them. The drums of some swinging tune kicked up as Dex sauntered over. Ethan had to give the guy a slow clap.

  “Aw, shit. Well, look at what we’ve got here,” Calvin said with a laugh. “It’s Public Enemy Number One.”

  “More like Public Pain in the Ass Number One,” Ash grumbled.

  “Thanks, Cal.”

  Dex bowed gracefully, and Ethan put his thumbs up. His friend looked good in his navy-blue three-piece suit and long black overcoat. He wore a black felt hat on his head with white spats over his shiny black shoes. Dex grinned widely and opened the sides of his coat to reveal the imitation Tommy gun hanging from his shoulder holster. He motioned over his shoulder.

  “My sugar daddy should be here any minute. He’s parking the Rolls Royce.”

  “So the delinquent falls for a class act. Not much playacting involved there,” Ash drawled.

  “Bite me, Capone.”

  The back door opened, and Ethan let out a whistle. Holy cow. Everyone broke into whoops and catcalls.

  “Yeah, yeah. It’s called a shave,” Sloane said with a smirk as he turned to show off his tuxedo with tails, white vest, and bow tie.

  His hair was slicked back and parted neatly to one side, and he held a top hat in one white-gloved hand. Ethan couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen Sloane without at least some stubble. Had his friend ever been clean-shaven? Come to think of it, he’d never seen Sloane in anything that resembled a suit either.

  Dex walked over to Sloane and kissed his cheek. “You clean up so pretty. Now how about wetting my whistle, handsome?”

  Sloane held his arm out, and Dex looped his through it.

  “Come on, kitten. Let’s get us some hooch.”

  “Just stay away from the grapes,” Ash warned.

  Dex cringed. “Ooh, you ate from the platter before he put it out? You’re lucky to be alive, man. Lou is scary when he’s working. Seriously. Like, we’re talking Temple of Doom, rip your heart out of your chest scary.”

  Ash threw his hands up. “It was one freakin’ grape.”

  Ethan chuckled and followed them to one of the larger tables. Letty arrived draped in a faux fur coat, her hair pinned up in curls, and a dazzling silver headpiece sparkling as she walked to the coatrack. She took off her coat, and everyone whistled.

  “Holy shit, Guerrera’s wearing a dress,” Ash teased. “Never thought I’d see the day.”

  Letty flipped Ash off as she hung up her coat and walked over, the fringes of her glittering gold flapper dress swishing as she moved. “Fucking heels. I already want to throw them at someone.”

  “Looking smoking hot,” Dex said, wriggling his eyebrows.

  “Shut up.” She tried to gather as much of her skirt fringe as possible in an attempt to sit, got frustrated, and plopped onto the empty chair beside Sloane.

  “No really, you look good.”

  Letty peered at him. “You saying I don’t always look good?”

  “Um…” Dex leaned into Sloane, whispering hoarsely, “Help me out here.”

  Sloane took Letty’s gloved hand and placed it to his lips for a kiss. “Letty, you always look beautiful.”

  “See?” Letty smiled sweetly. “That’s why he’s a gentleman, and you’re a hood.”

  Dex slapped his hand over his chest. “Ouch! Mi corazone.”

  “Corazón,” Letty corrected. “You’re lucky you’re cute, Daley.”

  “Now you sound like Sloane,” Dex muttered, placing his hat on the table. He ran his hands over his slicked-back hair, but a small section fell over his brow, adding to his notorious-mobster look.