Blind Spot Read Free Page B

was finally happening. He had told himself he would deal with it, but it was easier to be brave when contemplating hypotheticals. “What’s the case?” he asked, trying for nonchalant as the blood drained out of his face. So this was what it felt like to be yanked out of complacency.
    “I don’t know many details yet, but there’s a ‘gentlemen only’ pop-up club in southern Jersey, and the local cops suspect illegal activity. Probably prostitution, but more than likely underage sex. Don’t know if it’s child trafficking, but they want me to scope it out.” He paused and swallowed. “With a partner.”
    For a crazy moment, Sam wondered if Nathan was going to ask him, and his heart leapt with relief and excitement. But the grim set of Nathan’s mouth stopped the thought in its tracks.
    “I see.” Sam gripped the counter with both hands, digging his fingers into the sharp corner to stop himself from thinking. A partner. Nathan touching someone else. Doing the things Sam and Nathan did together—the things that were theirs .
    “Aren’t you going to say anything?”
    “What is there to say?” Sam’s mouth was dry and sickly sweet from the pastry. “You’ve got a job to do.” It wouldn’t matter. It couldn’t matter. Nathan loved him. Nothing would change it, not even sex with someone else. He gritted his teeth at the lie while his gut threatened to regurgitate the now-hated croissant.
    “And you’re not angry?” Nathan arched a skeptical brow.
    “I knew this might happen when we got started.” And it had been titillating at first, when Nathan told Sam all about his undercover work. How he learned to dominate his partners. Hearing about his training with a dominatrix on the West Coast. Imagining all the people Nathan had slept with in order to get deeper into the organization and discover the rotten secret at its core. Children. Children who were stolen from—and sometimes even sold by—their families, forced into sex work with little chance of escape.
    How could Sam tell Nathan no, he couldn’t do his job?
    “Who’s the partner?” he asked instead.
    “Name’s Eric. I’ve known him for years, but he usually works in the Midwest. He’s a character. Not my type, by the way.”
    “Huh.” Sam didn’t know how he felt hearing Nathan would be working with a man, rather than a woman. Then again, it was a “gentlemen only” club.
    “Sam, talk to me. Tell me you’re angry. Tell me to go fuck myself.”
    “Do you want to do it?” Sam tried to keep his voice neutral. Half of him wanted to tell Nathan to fuck himself, but the other half was scared of losing him for good—which was exactly what would happen if he gave Nathan an ultimatum. Months before, Nathan risked his job to trust Sam’s instincts. He told Sam he was more important than his position at the FBI. But there were children involved. He knew Nathan wouldn’t back down from his duty if it meant saving innocent lives.
    “Of course not. You know I don’t.” Nathan grabbed Sam’s arms, not quite pulling him into an embrace.
    Sam resisted. “Do I?”
    “God, I hope so.” And even though he was gratified to see the truth in Nathan’s eyes, Sam had to look away. He was afraid of what he’d see if he searched deeper.
    “All right. Well. I don’t want to hear about it. Any of the details. Okay?” He pushed off the counter and sidestepped Nathan. “You do what you need to do, but I don’t want to know.”
     
     
    SAM POUNDED the pavement as the music boomed in his ears. Sweat ran in his eyes, but he didn’t bother to swipe it away while he focused on the uneven sidewalk under his feet. Occasionally he dodged a pile of dog shit or piece of garbage. But even with all the distractions, he couldn’t escape his thoughts.
    It had been over a week since Nathan got word about his new case, and it would be another before Eric arrived and the two of them headed for New Jersey. Seven days, and Nathan would be gone. Sam meant what