With Caution

soon as he got the door unlocked it slammed open, nearly hitting Remi in the face, but he jumped to get out of its way.
    Dirk barged in and shut the door behind him, looking like he could spit nails. “What in the holy hell are you doing, boy?”
    Oh shit. Familiar fear flared to life. Out of instinct Remi backed up further, putting himself out of reach. “What do you mean, Dirk? I haven’t done anything.” What in the world did he think Remi had done? He had done many things lately that Dirk loathed, but Dirk didn’t actually know about them. Did he? Darting his attention around, Remi looked for an escape route while still trying to keep Dirk in his vision.
    “Look at me when I talk to you.” Dirk stepped closer. His breath smelled like cheap whiskey. Which was pretty much the norm. He wore plain clothes, so he’d either had the day off or hadn’t gone to work yet. Whichever, it meant he didn’t have a gun or nightstick with him now and that was what interested Remi.
    Remi stepped backward, his stomach tying in knots. Please, don’t do this. Meeting Dirk’s gaze, he tried not to seem defiant or scared. Either appearance would piss Dirk off.
    Then again, you couldn’t predict what would set the old man off and make him detonate.
    Remi tensed. God, it was hot in here all of a sudden.
    “What is this I hear about you hanging out with a bunch of bikers? What the hell do you think you’re doing going to a dive like Hell’s Kitchen? No son of mine is going to hang out with a bunch of criminals.”
    “I—I went there with Jake. It was only the one time.” Remi shook his head and glanced at Dirk’s hands. They weren’t fisted yet. Remi’s own hands felt sticky, and he wiped them on his jeans.
    “Why did you hire a detective to follow me, Remington? What are you trying to find?” Spit flew from Dirk’s mouth, landing on Remi’s cheek. He didn’t dare acknowledge it, knowing it would get him backhanded.
    Dirk kept coming closer.
    “Nothing, Dirk.” Remi raised his hands in front of his face.
    172
    www.samhainpublishing.com

    With Caution
    “Get your hands down, boy.” Flinging his arm up, Dirk knocked Remi’s hands away and caught Remi across the cheek with his knuckles. “Goddamnit, boy. Don’t you lie to me. What are you looking for?”
    Remi stumbled backward, bumping into the wall. Please, just go away. What if he saw the EMT application? “Nothing, I promise. Jake is my friend, we hang out sometimes. You told me not to hang out with Chay anym—”
    Dirk’s eyes blazed, his face got redder and his voice lowered. “What did you say? I told you not to hang out with that fag? Are you saying you want to hang out wi—”
    Oh shit. “No, no, I didn’t mean it. I was only saying I have new friends.”
    Backpedaling, Remi tried to get himself out of range. How could he have screwed up this badly? Fuck , Dirk got him so flustered he couldn’t think. “I—” As Dirk stepped closer to him, Remi cringed away, which was a huge mistake. It only made Dirk madder and gave him space to get in a good hit.
    Pain slashed through Remi’s face and his eyes blurred with tears. “Uh.” Blood poured out of his nose onto his shirt and the gray carpet. Trying to see through watery eyes, he grabbed his nose.
    “I swear to God you’re as dumb as your fucking mother. When are you going to learn not to cross me, boy?” A slap followed the hateful voice. “Huh?”
    Remi’s head jerked to the side and blood flew, hitting the white wall next to the front door. It hurt like a son of a bitch. Before he could recover, Dirk struck him in the stomach and swept his feet out from under him. Remi didn’t have time to brace for the fall, and he hit the floor with a loud thud. Pain shot through his leg and spine from the jolt with the floor. His face throbbed.
    “And what the hell did your worthless bitch of a mother say to you? What did she tell your detective friend at the store?” Not giving Remi a chance to get to his feet, Dirk advanced. “Answer me, Remington.”
    Curling into a ball out of habit, Remi protected himself as best he could with his back against the bar overlooking the kitchen and the living room. How had they gotten this far into the apartment?

    www.samhainpublishing.com 173
    J.L. Langley
    Dirk gave him a kick to the ribs and pain sliced through them where Dirk’s boot landed again and again.

    * * *

    Matt leaned back in his chair, looking into Jake’s office. “Jake, do you know a