Read Online Needing by Sarah Masters - Free Book Online

wrong way.”
    “I sincerely hope not…”
    “Oh, shut the hell up and clean out your filthy mind. Pervert.”
    They journeyed in silence after that, Oliver thinking on why Langham had got so upset over what Shields knew. Did that mean Langham cared for Oliver more than he’d thought? Were they headed towards more than just a hot and hard fuck, as Langham had put it earlier?
    He hoped so, but if he were honest, he’d take whatever Langham gave.
    In no time at all, they were driving down Saltwater Street, and the heavy feeling of foreboding made itself known inside Oliver. He tensed—it seemed every muscle in his body hardened. Taking a deep breath, he glanced across at Langham, who frowned at the dilapidated building Mark had described.
    “Looks like no one’s lived there for years, although there’s a light on.”
    Oliver stared at the house. It was similar to the pub in the hamlet, all wonky walls and concave roof, and he was surprised it still stood, what with the state it was in. It must have been here for over a century—the facade showed serious signs of wear and tear, and the brickwork was rough, not as uniform as the more recently built houses around it. He sighed, trying to shake off the air of oppression in the car, and moved to get out.
    Langham grimaced. “If Shields does something about what he’s been told… If he makes it known… I’ll leave the fucking force before they tell me I can’t work with you or try and force me out just because my cock doesn’t go in some woman’s cunt.”
    Oliver stared at him, shocked at the vehemence in his words. Langham wasn’t against women—far from it, he was polite and respectful—but his word choice in expressing his sexual preferences was so unlike him that Oliver was at a loss for words. How did he answer that?
    “I’m sorry,” Langham said. “It just makes me see red, that’s all. I can fuck a woman, work with her as well at a push, but fuck a man and work with him? Hell no. It’s seen as different. Fucked if I know why, fucked if I understand why where I put my dick has any bearing on how I do my job, but there you go. The world is one messed-up place and I’m sick of it.”
    “It’s all right. I understand.”
    Langham sighed, keeping his gaze ahead. “I won’t let them prevent me from having a relationship with you. Not when it’s only just started. Before… Shit, it was just a waiting game, a hoping game, you know?”
    Oliver did know.
    “But now?” Langham went on. “No, no bastard’s pissing about with my happiness. I’ll have it out with that Shields wanker later, but for now we have work to do. Got to focus, because if Alex is in there and he turns nasty?” He paused, then, “We should have back-up, really.”
    “But we’re only asking him where his brother is. We can feel him out and return with extra cops later.” Oliver had answered like an automaton—his real thoughts centred on what Langham had just revealed. He wanted to revel in the words, to roll them around in his head and inspect them one by one, but once again this wasn’t the time or the place.
    “Yeah, but didn’t Mark say his brother had turned nasty in a second? That he’d crept up on him or whatever?”
    Oliver nodded. “Look, there’s two of us. We can question the old lady if you think it would look better, make Alex think we’re not there for him in any way. Let’s just see how it goes, and if he turns on us…well, we’ll deal with it then.”
    Langham fumbled with his seatbelt, cutting the engine once he’d freed himself. “Fucking mental becoming a cop. Dad always said that. Too much of a risk. Unpredictable people. Yet here I am, walking into something that could be the end of me, taking a damn civilian in with me. Maybe you ought to stay—”
    “Fuck you. I am not staying in the car. We go in together. Besides, you might need me. I might pick up on something in there.”
    The detective sighed. “What-fucking-ever. Useless arguing