ODDS OF LOVE - SEASON 14

Episode 41

The aging hybrid wolf dog Rafe watched as Rebel bounced up and down on his tiptoes as he exercised along with his favorite YouTube jazzercise video on the enormous wall mounted flat screen television in his and Dom's all white plant filled living room. Rafe snorted once and went back to sleep just as the front door opened swiftly startling Rebel who stopped in mid bounce to turn towards the sound.

Rebel called out in a slightly nervous voice," Dom , is that you? If you are a Roman like serial killer I'm too beautiful to die. "

It was not a serial killer thankfully that entered the living room from the foyer but an exhausted looking Dom who looked like he had just been wandering through the pits of hell.

Rebel widened his eyes and went to his husband to give him a firm hug and a loving kiss. " Dommy , are you okay? You look awful. Did..... did anything happen...... " Dom didn't really tell him about the assignments that he took on primarily because he didn't want to worry him. Except Rebel tended to worry anyway especially when the man wasn't home for hours and occasionally days on out of town assignments. He wished Dom would begin to delegate more and stick to strictly office work but he knew that would most likely never happen in their lifetime. So Rebel just found numerous ways to distract himself from the possibility that one day he would become Reese. A grieving widower who was still lost in memories of what once was and the thought of what would never be.

Dom didn't answer at first. He just clung to his husband's shorter slim to the point of being terminally frail body as though he was a lifeline to him. He buried his head in Rebel's long thick flowing blond hair. Then after a long pause he said quietly," I just got done being grilled by the cops because I rescued a kidnapping victim and killed her kidnapper. "

Rebel squeezed his arms around the man tighter. " What? They don't suspect you of anything ! They can't ! Unless they're idiots. "

Dom said softly," I'm fine, Rock God. It's just paperwork and shit. Self defense. But I did take a life tonight. Of course I also saved one as well. " He stopped talking for a long moment. Then he spoke again. " I saved Ariel Kendall. But I couldn't save my fucking partner and best friend Eric. I wasn't even there for Eric. "

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Maxim Volkouv stopped in the doorway of Ariel's private hospital room at St. Paul's. He stared at the hospital bed where she lay sleeping in a thin hospital gown , surrounded by her sons Alan and Jeff ........ and his own father Nicholas.

His green eyes focused upon his father's hand gripping Ariel's so tightly like the man never wanted to let go again. Then they went up to Nicholas' face. The man looked like he was..... in love.......

Max swallowed harshly and watched it all unseen briefly before turning on his heel with the dozen roses he held in his hands. Before he got on the elevator he dropped the flowers carelessly into a nearby trash can.

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Nita looked over at her partner Wally Williams in the homicide unit. " I love a nice closed case that falls into our laps but I got questions. "

Wally took a big gulp of semi hot black coffee. " You mean that the victim and kidnapper Andrey Sokolov had a passport , basic entry visa and no driver's license? "

Nita leaned back in her chair and closed her weary eyes. " That. And, the fact even with all that documentation the man in his thirties literally didn't exist. Not according to our database anyway. Who the hell was Andrey Sokolov and why did he decide to kidnap Ariel Kendall? "

Wally shook his head. " Who cares about that worthless thug? He's dead and nobody cares. The real victim Ariel Kendall is safe and sound although missing a finger. And , nobody is charging Dom Gaines because it's straight out self defense according to the victim after she stopped screaming. And, also because he is the husband of Rebel. Now on to more important issues. You get an invite to the wedding of the century from Faith Lane? I kinda miss her. "