Free Fish & Chips by Madeleine Urban, Abigail Roux Page B

contents onto the bed. There was an iPod, a set of headphones, a few puzzle books, two ear wigs, and three wireless listening devices. Ty looked up at Zane and shrugged.
    “My question would be „are they theirs or ours?",” Zane said as he opened a small drawstring bag and looked down into it. After a moment, he simply pulled the strings to close it and dropped it on the bed. The fabric didn"t muffle the soft clinking noise.
    “What"s that?” Ty asked as he nodded at the bag.
    Zane picked the bag back up and pulled out a set of heavy-duty handcuffs. “These may be useful if I can"t get you to sit still,” he said, dangling them on one finger.
    Ty shook his head and pointed one long finger at Zane warningly.
    “You try it and I"ll freak out,” he said seriously.
    “Freak out?” Zane asked, brow furrowing. “Why?” He didn"t think he"d ever seen Ty tied up, except for when Zane had found him in that dark catacomb in New York City, almost suffocated…. “Oh.
    Okay.” He dropped the cuffs back into the bag and tossed it aside.

    54 | Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux

    Ty pressed his lips tightly together and looked down at the bag again. “Maybe we can use them if we make an arrest,” he finally decided wryly before pulling more clothing out of the suitcase. There was a small stack of briefs and soft T-shirts, and he set them aside, in front of Zane. They"d been allowed to bring their own underwear, at least.
    “I"ve not really thought about buying stuff like this,” Zane said slowly, dropping another small box labeled Vacheron Constantin after opening it and finding a very expensive watch. Other boxes held cuff links, old-fashioned tie clips, and various other high-dollar accouterments.
    “On our salary, you can"t afford to look at stuff like this.” Ty licked his lips and looked over at Zane with a frown. “These guys are way out of my league,” he declared as he looked back down at everything they"d spread across the bed.
    Zane turned and sat down on the edge of the thick mattress so he could look at Ty. Money wasn"t something they"d ever talked about, and considering how Ty was reacting to their pricey surroundings, Zane wasn"t sure if now was a good time to broach the subject, even in jest.
    “It"s just for show. Having expensive things doesn"t determine who you are.”
    Ty shrugged. “Not unless you"re an ass,” he answered carelessly.
    He looked around the luxuriously appointed cabin. “I"ve just never known anyone who lived like this. Not sure if I can pull it off.”
    Zane looked around and shrugged. He"d had pricey clothes with designer labels once upon a time, and he"d lived in ritzy places before.
    He preferred his ratty sweats and apartment, or better, Ty"s row house.
    “It"s no big deal. Just window dressing. Nobody needs to live like this.
    They just want to be pampered. Money makes it easy to be lazy.” Ty looked at him with a tiny frown, and Zane sighed inwardly and shrugged. “Personal experience,” he murmured, leaning back on one elbow.
    “With being lazy?” Ty asked with a slight smile.
    Zane shook his head slowly. “You know me better than that.”

    Fish & Chips | 55

    Ty smiled wider, but then it faded back into a confused frown. He clearly wanted to inquire further, but they were still at a stage where asking about each other"s pasts was an uncomfortable venture. Zane watched the emotions cross Ty"s face and decided an answer was in order. “My family has money,” he admitted. “Ranching operations for several generations now.”
    Ty"s only reaction was to arch an eyebrow. Zane knew his normally expressive partner well enough to know that an expression of so little emotion was hiding a more natural response. Ty"s poker face was impressive unless you knew him well. “How much?” Ty finally asked, exposing his curiosity.
    “In my opinion, they"ve got more money than sense,” Zane said with a small shrug. “I don"t really know.”
    “That"s probably a lot then,” Ty