Cut and Run 3 - Fish and Chips

something behind it. Something to do with Ty not being Del and Zane not being Corbin. Something about what would happen to either of them if the other were gone and how that made Zane’s chest hurt even without throwing the word “love” around, which truly scared the shit out of him.
    That was what bugged Zane about Ty’s claim that Armen had come to a conclusion while looking at the Porters. He hadn’t been looking at Del and Corbin. He’d been looking at Ty and Zane. And Ty had looked like he was in love….
    Zane shook his head and drew a settling breath, because he was on edge now, and he wasn’t quite sure how to fix it. “So Del has outlived his usefulness.”
    Ty thumped down heavily beside him with his shoulders slumped and a dejected feel about him. “I’m not worried about Del. He’s safely in jail,” he murmured. He glanced at Zane, one eyebrow raised. “But the Bianchis?”
    Zane lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “He doesn’t seem too hardcore. More like a European high roller who dabbles in crime on the side.”
    Ty sat forward and turned so he could look at Zane more closely. “Zane,” he said impatiently. “I meant what if they’ve outlived their usefulness too? They’re mixed up with bad people, but they don’t deserve to die for it.”
    “No, they don’t.” It was obvious, seeing Lorenzo and Norina together, how very much in love they were. Either that or they both deserved Oscars — or whatever the Italian equivalent was. “So you think Armen wants the entire ring,” Zane posed. “And he’s orchestrated this trip tomorrow to clean out his partners and meet the buyers at the same time.”
    “I do.” Ty was silent, continuing to peer at Zane with a thoughtful frown. “Where’s your head right now?” he finally asked. It wasn’t the caustic tone he would usually have used when he suspected Zane’s mind wasn’t where he wanted it to be. It was a gentle inquiry, which in itself was odd enough to make Zane answer honestly.
    “I was… thinking about what Armen must have seen,” Zane said somewhat reluctantly, plucking at the belt of his robe.
    “Seen where?” Ty asked in earnest confusion.
    “Watching us.”
    Ty snorted. Neither his face nor his normally expressive eyes betrayed a thing before he looked away and stood up. “Well, clearly, he saw that I’m a better actor than you are,” he said haughtily as he stepped away.
    Zane didn’t know how to interpret that response. It wasn’t often that Ty stonewalled him anymore, which meant his partner was hiding something. “I thought you said you didn’t think you were acting anymore.”
    “That was in reference to being flamingly gay,” Ty answered wryly. His back was still turned to Zane. His hands were on his hips, and his head was cocked just a bit as he looked out the balcony doors.
    Zane pushed himself off the couch to his feet and walked up behind Ty. He knew Ty could hear him moving, so he didn’t worry about getting smacked. He also knew that Ty was deflecting like crazy. And Zane thought he might know why. He slid his arms around Ty’s waist and loosely clasped his hands. “No, it wasn’t.”
    Ty tensed ever so slightly, and he turned his head toward Zane. He seemed surprised that, for once, Zane had called him on his smoke and mirrors act. “What was it, then?” he asked evenly.
    “You want me,” Zane murmured, feeling remarkably secure about it. That was the reason Ty had looked so convincing to Armen. This wasn’t “want” as in wanting to fuck explosively every half hour, although that was certainly part of it. And it wasn’t quite “want” as in being lonely in the evenings. It was more . Zane smiled slightly as he pressed a tiny kiss to Ty’s ear.
    Ty snorted loudly and turned his head away, and Zane knew instinctively that Ty was rolling his eyes and probably trying not to smile. “And what is that, a crime now?” Ty asked in a low voice.
    Zane chuckled. “I couldn’t care less if it is.” He tightened his arms, not wanting Ty to move away. “It’s more than just fucking around now,” he said. “Isn’t it?” He made sure the tone of his voice emphasized that it wasn’t really a question.
    Ty was motionless in response. He didn’t even seem to be breathing. The silence stretched on, edging toward tension. Finally, he let out his breath quietly and lowered his head. “No,” he lied blithely, just as he’d done in a hotel in New York City over a year ago.
    Zane