Cut and Run 4 - Divide and Conquer

raised their
    drinks in a toast to their fallen comrade.
    A few moments of expectant silence later, the hairs on Zane‟s
    arms rose as Ty began to sing the first few lines to “Amazing Grace.”
    When he reached the second verse, no one joined in with him, all of
    them either too stunned or too entranced by his voice to do anything but
    listen as they mourned.

    SUNLIGHT glowed buttery yellow as it beamed through the open
    curtains in Zane‟s bedroom. His eyes just barely open, he sleepily
    admired the light, soaking it in, a quiet joy filling him simply because
    he could see it. He lay still in the mussed bed for long minutes, waking
    up slowly and savoring it.
    Finally he yawned and shifted in the sheets, smiling despite the
    impressive array of aches and pains from the bruising all over his body.
    288 | Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux

    Ty hadn‟t added to the bruises last night. They‟d both been so tired that
    all they could do was strip and collapse into bed, where Ty had
    burrowed into Zane‟s arms, wrapped around him like a limpet, and
    kissed him gently over and over between their whispers of achingly
    tender words that were so difficult to say in the light of day, until
    they‟d drifted off to sleep.
    Zane hummed and rolled to his back, reaching out for Ty only to
    feel cool sheets. Frowning, Zane sat up, and as the sheet pooled across
    his lap, he heard a soft crinkle. He picked up the sheet of paper and
    unfolded it to read two short lines written in Ty‟s messy scrawl that
    brought Zane‟s happy morning crashing down around him.

    I’m sorry. Walls are closing in and I need to go.
    Love you.

    Armed & Dangerous |

    Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux

    Check out this exclusive sneak peek at the sequel to Divide & Conquer
    ARMED &
    DANGEROUS

    By Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux

    “WE SHOULD be getting close,” Zane said as the cab cut through the
    architectural jungle of downtown.
    “How do you want to play it? Go in soft or heavy? Good cop, bad
    cop? Shoot first and ask questions later?” Ty asked with a hint of
    sarcastic amusement.
    Zane shrugged. He slid his hand into his new jacket out of long
    habit to check his weapon. “Are you expecting trouble?”
    “From this guy? Almost certainly,” Ty confirmed. “I‟m also
    expecting him to not actually be at this address. If he was this easy to
    find, he wouldn‟t be Batman.”
    “If he‟s there, it would be novel for it to go so smoothly,” Zane
    agreed, pulling on his gloves as the cab came to a stop in front of an old
    building converted into condos.
    Ty checked his gun and got out as Zane paid the driver, who
    didn‟t even blink at the weapons, and he clucked his tongue, trying his
    best not to smile as Zane joined him. Ty‟d been told not long ago that
    he shouldn‟t enjoy the almost-getting-killed part of his job as much as
    he did. Zane didn‟t know who had said it, but Ty had been making a
    concerted effort ever since to hide his unholy glee during melees. It was
    still pretty clear to Zane, though.
    Armed & Dangerous |

    He surveyed the light traffic passing by on the side street. It was
    evening, and there weren‟t many people out and about. Hopefully that
    would work in their favor.
    “Ready?” he asked Ty.
    Ty glanced up and down the street, then nodded and stepped up to
    the double glass doors of the building. They would have to be buzzed
    in, which never helped the element of surprise. Ty stared at the panel
    for a moment, obviously contemplating how to go about it. He glanced
    back at Zane and shrugged one shoulder, then pushed the number
    they‟d been given.
    After a short pause, the small speaker clicked. “Hello?”
    “Hey, Jimbo!” Ty practically shouted, actually startling Zane.
    Ty‟s words slurred as he leaned toward the speaker. “Dude. You should
    not have left early tonight.”
    There was a short pause. “I think you have the wrong apartment.”
    “Come on, man, don‟t be like that! I swear I didn‟t know you
    were into her! I left my good pants on your couch. If I go in to work
    hungover in my boxers again, they‟ll can me for sure,” Ty whined.
    “Four strikes and you‟re out, brother!” He bit his lip to keep from
    laughing as he turned his head away from the speaker box. Zane
    grinned and shook his head, covering his mouth and reminding himself
    that they were trained federal agents. Professionals. In theory.
    “You‟ve got the wrong apartment. There‟s no Jimbo here.”
    “Oh,” Ty