Read Online Heated Beat 02 - Lucky Man by Garrett Leigh - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Garrett Leigh
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recognized the lyrics. Fats Domino. “Ain’t That a Shame.” Danny’s father had played it every Sunday when they’d lived in the old house in Swansea, but he hadn’t heard it in years, and Finn’s grungy twist on the old jazz classic was something else.
The gig wrapped up. Finn set his guitar down and Danny found himself out of his seat and pushing through the crowd before he knew what he was doing. He reached the front as Finn stepped offstage and was rewarded with the brightest grin he’d ever seen. The connection was instant. Finn stepped right into Danny’s personal space, and Danny stared, transfixed. Gone were the dead, shadowed eyes of just a few days before. Finn was back and more beautiful than ever.
Danny swallowed hard, mindful of the people around them. He hadn’t spotted anyone who looked like a copper, but why would he? His squad was small, and they kept to themselves as much as possible. There were few beat coppers Danny would recognize out of uniform.
Maybe sensing Danny’s dilemma, or perhaps wanting to avoid the crowd for his own reasons, Finn grabbed Danny’s arm and yanked him into a deserted back room. Danny went willingly and spun them around, pressing Finn back against the closed door. “All right, mate?”
“I am now. Wasn’t sure you’d come.”
“I was.” Danny tucked a stray lock of Finn’s shaggy hair behind his ear, then put his palms flat on the grimy door. “Good gig?”
Finn shrugged, a tiny frown creasing his forehead. “Yeah, I guess. I play here a lot. I like the vibe. Wasn’t sure you would, though. Thought it might be too boring for you.”
“You’re joking, right? I love this shit. I’d watch someone play in their nan’s living room if they were any good.”
Finn smiled and leaned forward, his face inches from Danny’s. He took a breath, but instead of words came a kiss that made Danny sway on his feet.
Danny forgot himself. He pushed Finn back against the door and kissed the shit out of him. Absorbed him. Touched his heated skin and scratched the rough scruff on his jaw. Finn moaned and dug his nails into Danny’s chest. The touch lit Danny on fire. He pulled away. Snogging in the backroom of a workingmen’s pub was a bad idea at the best of times. They needed to leave. Now. “Are you done for the night?”
“Ten minutes.” Finn let his hands drop. “I need to pack up my gear. Meet you at the bar?”
Danny tilted his head, listening to the hum of the crowded pub. The place was packed shoulder to shoulder. “Sure? I can wait here? Give you a hand?”
“Don’t indulge the monster in my brain.” Finn tapped his temple. “I’ll find you.”
Danny left him to it. Finn didn’t seem the type to like being coddled, and though Danny felt relatively comfortable with Finn’s condition, he still didn’t know what the fuck to say when Finn said shit like that.
He made his way back to the bar. Finn’s kiss had turned him inside out and he felt like a pint, but the hot cider in his belly and his car parked outside put paid to that. Instead he loitered close to the fire, people watching and eavesdropping on the rave reviews of Finn’s set. Despite the bleak exterior, the pub was warm and welcoming, and Danny felt half-asleep when his phone rang in his pocket.
He pulled it out with a mind to rejecting the call and turning his phone off. The number on the screen stopped him. The DCI. Shit. His calls were never good news.
Danny answered the call and stepped outside. “Guv?”
“Evening, Danny. Sorry to bother you on your night off. Where are you at? Can you talk?”
“I’m out, but I’m good. What’s up?”
“We’ve got a body out by the A52. IC1 female, early twenties. Uniform reckons it could be a tom.”
Danny glanced over his shoulder, but no one had followed him out of the pub. “What makes them think it’s a tom?”
“Track marks. Clothes. No ID. They’re bringing her into Queen’s. I want you to get over there and take a
The gig wrapped up. Finn set his guitar down and Danny found himself out of his seat and pushing through the crowd before he knew what he was doing. He reached the front as Finn stepped offstage and was rewarded with the brightest grin he’d ever seen. The connection was instant. Finn stepped right into Danny’s personal space, and Danny stared, transfixed. Gone were the dead, shadowed eyes of just a few days before. Finn was back and more beautiful than ever.
Danny swallowed hard, mindful of the people around them. He hadn’t spotted anyone who looked like a copper, but why would he? His squad was small, and they kept to themselves as much as possible. There were few beat coppers Danny would recognize out of uniform.
Maybe sensing Danny’s dilemma, or perhaps wanting to avoid the crowd for his own reasons, Finn grabbed Danny’s arm and yanked him into a deserted back room. Danny went willingly and spun them around, pressing Finn back against the closed door. “All right, mate?”
“I am now. Wasn’t sure you’d come.”
“I was.” Danny tucked a stray lock of Finn’s shaggy hair behind his ear, then put his palms flat on the grimy door. “Good gig?”
Finn shrugged, a tiny frown creasing his forehead. “Yeah, I guess. I play here a lot. I like the vibe. Wasn’t sure you would, though. Thought it might be too boring for you.”
“You’re joking, right? I love this shit. I’d watch someone play in their nan’s living room if they were any good.”
Finn smiled and leaned forward, his face inches from Danny’s. He took a breath, but instead of words came a kiss that made Danny sway on his feet.
Danny forgot himself. He pushed Finn back against the door and kissed the shit out of him. Absorbed him. Touched his heated skin and scratched the rough scruff on his jaw. Finn moaned and dug his nails into Danny’s chest. The touch lit Danny on fire. He pulled away. Snogging in the backroom of a workingmen’s pub was a bad idea at the best of times. They needed to leave. Now. “Are you done for the night?”
“Ten minutes.” Finn let his hands drop. “I need to pack up my gear. Meet you at the bar?”
Danny tilted his head, listening to the hum of the crowded pub. The place was packed shoulder to shoulder. “Sure? I can wait here? Give you a hand?”
“Don’t indulge the monster in my brain.” Finn tapped his temple. “I’ll find you.”
Danny left him to it. Finn didn’t seem the type to like being coddled, and though Danny felt relatively comfortable with Finn’s condition, he still didn’t know what the fuck to say when Finn said shit like that.
He made his way back to the bar. Finn’s kiss had turned him inside out and he felt like a pint, but the hot cider in his belly and his car parked outside put paid to that. Instead he loitered close to the fire, people watching and eavesdropping on the rave reviews of Finn’s set. Despite the bleak exterior, the pub was warm and welcoming, and Danny felt half-asleep when his phone rang in his pocket.
He pulled it out with a mind to rejecting the call and turning his phone off. The number on the screen stopped him. The DCI. Shit. His calls were never good news.
Danny answered the call and stepped outside. “Guv?”
“Evening, Danny. Sorry to bother you on your night off. Where are you at? Can you talk?”
“I’m out, but I’m good. What’s up?”
“We’ve got a body out by the A52. IC1 female, early twenties. Uniform reckons it could be a tom.”
Danny glanced over his shoulder, but no one had followed him out of the pub. “What makes them think it’s a tom?”
“Track marks. Clothes. No ID. They’re bringing her into Queen’s. I want you to get over there and take a
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