Glenn-Stormy-Love-&-Spaghetti-on-Aisle-Eight (7 page)

scooted back down the seat and climbed from the ambulance. He

waited while the EMT climbed back in, watching as the man went

back to work on Seth.

46

Stormy Glenn

It was all Frank could do not to follow after the ambulance as it

pulled away. The only reason he stayed was because he wanted to

know who had tried to hurt them man he was falling for, and then he

wanted to do the same to them.

“Are you about ready to get to work, Frankie,” Nick asked as he

walked up, “or do you plan to stand around with your thumb up your

ass for the rest of the night?”

“Our victim is Seth.”

“Your Seth?” Nick asked, serious all of a sudden.

“Yes.” Frank drew in a fortifying breath, knowing he was going to

need it. “The man injured in the explosion was my Seth.” A lump the

size of Rhode Island formed in his throat as he turned to look at Nick.

“And someone is trying to kill him.”

Love & Spaghetti on Aisle Eight

47

Seth plucked at the bleached white blanket covering him, so

nervous his stomach was in knots. He wasn’t sure what scared him

more, the fact that Frank could show up at any moment, or that

someone was trying to kill him.

He inhaled a shaky breath. Someone tried to kill him. Seth had

heard the police officers talking while the paramedics looked him

over. He had seen the suspicious glances aimed in his direction. His

house hadn’t spontaneously combusted. It had exploded.

He just couldn’t understand why.

Seth jumped when the door pushed open and a large figure filled

the doorway. He didn’t start to relax until the overhead light was

flipped on and he realized the humongous man standing there was

Gideon.

“Seth!” Micah cried out as he shoved past Gideon and raced to

Seth’s bedside. “I wanted to come sooner, but Gideon wouldn’t let me

leave the house until Ivan arranged extra bodyguards.”

Seth smiled because he had known all along that was what was

going on. No one had said a word, but Gideon wouldn’t allow Micah

to leave the house unless there was no less than an entire unit of men

watching over him. Gideon’s security was better than the Secret

Service.

“Gideon loves you.”

“Gideon loves me for my ties.” Micah flashed his husband a big

grin.

Gideon’s lips curved up, a dimple appearing in one cheek. “True.”

48

Stormy Glenn

“See, told ya.” Micah laughed as he climbed up onto the bed and

stretched out beside Seth, plucking the cup of red Jell-O off the

rolling tray beside the bed, taking a bite. “Damn, this is good. We

should get some of these for the house, Gideon.”

Gideon moved over to stand beside Micah, leaning his large frame

down to press a kiss to the top of Micah’s head. “If that is your wish,

libeling
.”

Micah grinned and went back to polishing off the Jell-O.

Seth knew his best friend was trying everything possible to

alleviate the tension in the room, but he could see the redness around

Micah’s eyes that said he had been in tears not long ago.

“You do know I just survived an explosion, right?”

“Yeah.” Micah frowned with the spoon halfway to his mouth.

“What’s with that anyway? Who did you piss off?”

“That’s something I’d like to know as well,” said a deep voice

from the doorway, one that made Seth’s pulse beat a little faster.

“Frank,” Seth breathed. Frank actually came.

“Hey, babe.”

Seth’s chest tightened as Frank crossed the room to stand on the

opposite of the bed from Gideon and Micah. Seth reached a hand out

for him, smiling when Frank took it and brought it to his lips.

“How are you feeling?” Frank asked.

“Surprisingly, pretty good. I’d like to go home except…” Seth

frowned, a deep sadness filling him, along with a healthy dose of fear.

His house was gone. “I don’t seem to have one anymore.”

“You can stay with us,” Micah said immediately, as Seth knew he

would. They had been watching each other’s backs longer than Seth

could remember. “We have more than enough room for you.”

“And you are?” Frank asked.

“His friend!” Micah snapped as lightening flashed in his eyes.

“Who the hell are you?”

“His boyfriend.”

Seth’s jaw dropped.

Love & Spaghetti on Aisle Eight

49

“Does he know that?” Micah snickered.

Frank’s eyes were speculative as he looked back at Seth. “He

knows. He’s just getting used to it.”

There was the understatement of the year.

Maybe
.

Today, odder things had happened.

“I’d like a few minutes alone with Seth,” Frank said. “I need to

ask him a few questions.”

That confused Seth. “What do you need to ask me?” The grimace

that covered Frank’s face was not what Seth had been hoping for.

“Frank?”

“These were not the circumstances under which I wanted this to

come out.” Frank dug something out of his suit pocket then held it out

to Seth. “I’m a detective with the East 34th Street Precinct. I was

called in to investigate the explosion at your house.”

“You’re a cop?” Micah whispered scooting back off the bed to

Gideon’s waiting arms.

“Yes.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Seth asked.

“In my experience, once someone finds out that I’m a detective,

they either want to pretend I’m not and never bring it up again or they

want to know all of the gory details of what I do, and I do mean all of

the gory details. I was kind of hoping to get to know you a little better

before telling you.”

Frank must have seen the hesitation in Seth’s eyes. He sighed as

he shoved his badge back into his pocket. “You’d rather pretend I’m

not a detective.”

“It’s not that.” Seth glanced at Micah for a moment then lifted his

eyes up to Gideon’s. “We don’t…” Seth licked his dry lips before

looking back at Frank. “We’re a little hesitant because our experience

with the police hasn’t been what you would call stellar.”

Frank’s eyes flickered up to Gideon, becoming guarded. “You are

involved with the police a lot?”

50

Stormy Glenn

“No, not really,” Seth replied, “but the times that we have been

involved with the police haven’t given us a good opinion of them.”

Frank frowned as he looked back at Seth. “What many people fail

to realize is that policeman are people, too. While we should hold

ourselves to a higher standard because of the work we do, we have

our good officers and bad officers, just like any other profession.”

“Pretty words,” Gideon said as he held Micah tight in his arms.

“I’ve heard them before, we all have, and from people who thought

they were doing the right thing when they weren’t. How are your

words any different?”

“I’m not sure I can rightly answer that,” Frank replied.

This wasn’t looking good.

“All I have is my word,” Frank said, “and until you know me

better, my word isn’t going to mean a lot to you.”

Seth was surprised when a smile spread across Gideon’s lips.

“That’s a start in the right direction,” the larger man said.

Seth was confused as hell. “Uh, guys, a little clarification to the

innuendo impaired.”

“Your detective understands that trust has to be earned.” Gideon

seemed to actually be happy about that.

“Then why in the hell didn’t he just say that?” Seth asked.

“He did, Seth,” Gideon replied. “He was speaking in code.”

“Wish someone would share the code with me,” Seth grumbled. “I

never know what’s going on.”

Frank’s inquisitive gaze pinned Seth to the bed. “Does that mean

you don’t know how your house blew up?”

Seth’s stomach clenched. “It’s really gone? The entire building?”

“I’m afraid so, Seth.” Frank nodded. “There’s nothing left.”

“But how?” Seth cried out. “Why?”

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out, Seth,” Frank replied. “Is

there anyone that you can think of that would do something like this?”

Seth gaped. “Are you serious?”

“I have to ask, Seth.”

Love & Spaghetti on Aisle Eight

51

“No,” Seth said through clenched teeth, fuming. “I don’t know

anyone that would blow up my house. I don’t even know anyone that

would know how to blow up my house.”

“Ivan,” Gideon said, “but he likes you so…”

Micah sighed and looked at his husband like he had just hung the

moon when the man shrugged. Seth tucked his lips to keep from

teasing his friend. He had never seen anyone so enamored with his

partner as Micah was, except maybe Gideon.

He turned his attention back to Frank, wondering if the detective

would ever look at him like Gideon and Micah looked at each other.

“Ivan?” Frank asked.

“Ivan Federov,” Gideon supplied. “The head of my security.”

“We’ve met.”

“I’d know that look anywhere.” Seth snickered when Frank’s face

soured. “You
have
met Ivan.”

“You know this Ivan?” Frank asked.

“Um, yeah.” Seth could feel his face flame as he shot Micah a

glare. The little shit was laughing at him. “We dated for a while.”

Frank pulled a notepad out of his jacket pocket and started writing

something. “How long did you date?”

Seth blinked. “Um, a couple of months maybe?”

“Is there any reason this Ivan might be coming after you?” Frank

asked. “Was your breakup amicable?”

“There was no breakup.”

Frank’s eyes narrowed. “You’re still seeing each other?”

“No!” Seth snapped. “But it’s kind of hard to break up when there

was nothing really to break up. We dated for a while, and then we

both decided that we were better off friends. End of story.”

“Are you sure that’s the way Ivan felt?” Frank asked, “Or was he

just telling you that to get your guard down?”

Seth’s stomach started to feel queasy. “You really do live in a

gory world, don’t you?”

Frank’s jaw clenched. “Seth, this is serious.”

52

Stormy Glenn

“No, Frank, this is ridiculous.” Seth curled his fingers around the

blankets. He was seconds away from smacking Frank. “Ivan would

never hurt me. In fact, if I was in danger, he would be one of the first

people I would go to for help.”

“I do appreciate the sentiment,
lyubimaya,”
said a deeply accented

voice from the doorway, “But I would be questioning me as well. I

am most dangerous.”

“Ivan.” Seth smiled as he held out a hand. He really did like Ivan,

just not romantically. At least, not anymore. The guy was a pretty

damn good lover. That hadn’t been their problem. Ivan was a little too

mysterious for Seth. He needed someone that was more open and

willing to commit to a relationship.

“I am not happy to find you in a hospital bed, Seth,” Ivan said as

he moved up beside Gideon and took Seth’s hand, bringing it to his

lips. “This is too sad of a place for such a handsome face.”

Frank scowled as he pulled Seth’s hand away from Ivan and

tucked it into his chest.

Wow, this was awkward. “Uh, Frank, this is Ivan Federov. Ivan,

this is Frank De Luca.” Big round sucking hole in the ground…that

was what he needed.

“We’ve met,” Frank growled.

“De Luca.” Ivan nodded. It was pretty much the only

acknowledgment he gave Frank. Seth had known Ivan long enough to

know he was playing the detective. He just couldn’t figure out why.

“I’m his boyfriend,” Frank stated sharply.

“Hmm,” Ivan mused, raising his eyebrow. “Is that so?”

Seth rolled his eyes. Ivan was putting it on rather thick. “Ivan.”

“I merely wish to insure that he is the best choice for you,

lyubimaya
.”

“Hey!” Frank snapped.

Seth quickly reached up and grabbed Frank’s hand before the man

could go after Ivan with it. The pinched look to his lips said he

Love & Spaghetti on Aisle Eight

53

wanted to punch Ivan. “While I appreciate your concern, Ivan, I get to

decide if Frank is the right man for me, not you.”

“I am,” Frank growled through clenched teeth.

“Well.” Ivan’s lips twisted into a wry grin. “We’ll see.”

Seth rolled his eyes. “Ivan.”

“In the meantime, we need to discover who has destroyed Seth’s

house,” Ivan said as he pulled a small notepad and stack of palm-sized

disks out of his pocket. He held the disks out to Frank. “These are the

surveillance tapes from Seth’s street for the last twenty-four hours. I

haven’t had time to go over them, but I assume whoever set the bomb

is on them.

“You have my house under surveillance?”

“Of course.” Ivan nodded. “We’ve had your house under