Free Fearless Leader (Juxtapose City) by Tricia Owens Page A

confusion lifted into an expression of shocked hilarity. "Oh, Jesus. You don't mean Jake do you?"
    "You'd better not let him hear you say that," Bee warned, glancing anxiously up the stairs.
    "Why not? It's what he is, isn't he? I'll bet he trails after Black wherever he goes." When the other two men looked at each other uncomfortably, Calyx laughed. "I hope he's housetrained. Now that I'm here he may try to mark his territory."
    Bee groaned, throwing a hand across his eyes. Haney just stared at him in morbid fascination.
    "You're gonna be trouble," Bee declared. "Thank God we're in the other house, Haney."
    "There are two houses?" Calyx asked.
    "Yes. The other place is called the Dugout. It's me, Haney and Jake. This house is the Clubhouse. You're with Sola and Black."
    So Darkness would be sleeping in the same house as him. Interesting. Calyx leaned back against the wall as the door to the computer room opened and the psycho and Black came out. The empath smiled in delighted surprise at the peace in his mind.
    "Thank you for putting an end to all of that," he said to Black, tapping his head meaningfully. "You're the only one I enjoy 'feeling' that way."
    Black barely glanced at him, making Calyx's lips curve wider. Like the other members of his team Black was dressed casually in jeans and a sweater. The teal blue color of his sweater set off his dusky skin. In the light of day he looked younger. But the firm set of his expression showed that he was determined not to act like it. Calyx watched him walk past to the stairs. He wished the other man's jeans were a little tighter. Black had a nice ass.
    Black had already shown him and Sola the downstairs level. Besides the tactics and computer rooms there was a small kitchen and more interestingly a door that opened into a long room that had been converted into the team's training room. Thick mats covered the floor and walls and various training dummies were lined up against one wall.
    Upstairs, the house looked more normal. A small common area with a small brown loveseat and a coffee table sat beside the top of the stairs. A short hallway led to three doors.
    "Sergeant Sola, this will be your room," Black said, indicating the door nearest the stairs. "Store your weapons in the downstairs gun locker."
    After the grim man had disappeared inside the room, Calyx turned to Black. "Do I get to stay with you?" he drawled, propping a hand on his hip suggestively.
    Haney laughed nervously.
    "You two head on down," Black told Bee and Haney, his eyes on Starr.
    When the sound of footsteps had faded Black leaned back against the opposite side of the hallway. "We need to get some things straight between us," he said calmly.
    Calyx mimicked his position against the facing wall, hooking his thumbs into the top of his pants. "Do tell."
    "I can guess what your relationship with Captain Dickerson was," Black began. "It won't be like that here. I don't sleep with subordinates."
    "Not even your lapdog?"
    Black frowned. Calyx felt the man's surprise like a splash of cold water.
    Calyx laughed quietly. "Your boy has teeth and he isn't afraid to bare them when a new dog shows up."
    "Sergeant Cole and I don’t have that kind of relationship."
    Calyx said nothing, still smiling.
    "And neither will you and I." Though Black's face remained impassive a rush of irritation blended with frustration swept through the empath. "You don't need to provide 'favors' to any member of this team. If anyone approaches you inappropriately I want you to tell me immediately and I will deal with him."
    "But what if it's something that I want too?" Calyx straightened away from the wall and stood before Black. Wary brown eyes stared up at him, their thick lashes lowering slightly in annoyance. The empath felt anger seeping past Black's tight control along with a faint trace of unease. This last made Calyx place his palm against the wall beside Black's head and lean forward. "What if I want to give you one of my