Free Cut & Run 05 - Armed & Dangerous by Abigail Roux

little ones.”
Smith and Wesson sat side by side, watching him in the way only a cat could watch an inferior being. Cameron figured he looked like he was watching Ty like the man was an idiot. He also wondered what cat the man could possibly have tangled with that was bigger than Smith or Wesson.
Zane gave an aggrieved sigh and walked a little further into the room, though Cameron noticed he kept both the front door and him in sight. “We’re not going to bite, Mr. Jacobs,” Zane said, trying to placate him, Cameron could tell. Zane’s lips twitched. “No more than the cats, anyway.”
“The last stranger who messed with them ended up with stitches from temple to lip,” Cameron mentioned to Ty.
    Ty merely made a clicking sound with his tongue, not moving as he continued to hold his hand out to the cats. Wesson began to move slowly, slinking toward him. “Come on, handsome,” Ty crooned to the cat. Smith lowered his head, his tail twitching as he watched, but Wesson continued to move toward him. He sat and graciously allowed the man to rub one finger under his chin.
    Cameron’s jaw dropped. Those stupid cats wouldn’t even let him touch them, and he’d been living with Julian for over a year now. He swallowed his feeling of dread. If this guy got hold of Wesson and hurt him, Julian would maim him, and that would be a mess. A moment later, Ty had gathered the big cat into his arms and was standing again, holding him over his shoulder, rubbing his ear gently. He turned to grin at his partner. “Like playing the bagpipes,” he joked about the large feline.
Cameron could hear Wesson purring from where he stood across the room.
    Zane shook his head, clearly exasperated. “Make yourself at home, Ty. Want to check the fridge, see if there’s any beer?”
Ty snorted loudly at him and shook his head. He bent and set the cat down carefully, giving his ear a last twirl with one long finger before standing back up and brushing at the cat hair on his shoulder, then looking at his watch. Wesson wound his large body around the agent’s ankles, still purring to the point he was almost vibrating. Cameron had never seen anyone besides Julian handle either cat like that.
Ty bent to pick the cat up again, turning him upside down and holding him like a baby in his arms as he rubbed him under the chin.
    Cameron’s jaw dropped.
“Come on, Zane, don’t be scared of a little pussy,” Ty told his partner with a sly grin. Zane circled one finger in the air, dismissing the… insult?
Cameron’s brows lifted about as far as they could go. “You two are supposed to be FBI agents?” he asked in disbelief.
    “And your guy is late,” Ty commented as he nodded. He watched out the balcony doors for a long moment before he set the cat down and calmly reached into his coat to pull his weapon. He glanced at Zane with narrowed eyes and then nodded toward the door as he checked the gun in the same manner Cameron had seen Julian check his, with utter calm and competence. Zane pulled a gun out from under his jacket, handling it capably.
    “Mr. Jacobs, will he come in firing, or will he be concerned for your safety?” Ty asked, without a hint of real worry that Cameron could detect. It seemed like both men were accustomed to the idea of imminent peril.
But they didn’t know Julian. He was a whole different level of danger.
    “Don’t worry about me,” Cameron murmured. He shook his head and crouched, calling for the dogs. He gathered them and put them into their playpen in the far corner of the room. His gaze settled on Smith and Wesson. While the two cats tolerated him because Julian kicked them out of bed if they didn’t, they didn’t like him that much. Cameron wasn’t too sure he could get them back into the bedroom without damage to himself. So they’d just have to take care of themselves.
    Ty and Zane moved together in the middle of the living room as if drawn by magnets, putting their backs to each other, standing maybe four