Kneel

Case 4

  Slicking my wet hair back, I leaned into the spray of water to wash my face while I was rather lost in my head. I was still pretty tired with how early it was, but I had to get ready for work. I still needed to get dressed, eat breakfast, and feed the cat.

  I paused as my hand went over the scar on my face, and my mind immediately jumped to that night. Being blinded by blood while trying to keep my partner alive. Lucifer, the gunshots, the screaming.

  Sighing, I put a hand against the shower wall while dropping my head to let the water hit the back of my skull. I still couldn't figure out how Lucifer came out of that unharmed- Jimmy was shooting point-blank. Not to mention how frantic Jimmy had been at the institute.

  And what about the incident with Nick and Josh? Or how he caused Joe to go flying with only one hand? Was he on drugs? Steroids?

  My head jerked up when I heard something clattering. I listened for a second to be sure it wasn't just the cat, but the noise came again, and it was too loud for that feline. Shutting the water off, I cautiously stepped out of the shower and grabbed my towel before ducking into my room for my gun.

  Going toward the living room with my firearm raised, I saw nothing there but heard something in the kitchen. I could smell....food? I hadn't cooked anything yet, I was sure of it, so why was I smelling bacon and eggs?

  I heard a thud and jolted as I turned toward the dining table and grabbed my gun with both hands now. I'd rather shoot straight and not die than worry about my modesty if someone had broken in to kill me.

  "Lucifer?!" I was in shock at seeing the tall man as my towel pooled around my ankles.

  "Well, good morning, Detective." He smiled while looking me up and down as he walked away from the table. Quickly bending over, I covered myself up and turned back to Lucifer as he was sliding his hands into his pockets.

  "What the fuck are you doing here?"

  "Setting the table." He waved his hand and spoke as if the answer were obvious.

  "So you broke into my house? How do you even know where I live?"

  "Detective Decker actually told me! And I hope you don't mind, but I made a little brekkie." Lucifer nonchalantly went to the stove and pulled some bacon out of a pan. "You were taking forever in the shower. What do you do in there?"

  "You're unbelievable." I set my gun down, and Lucifer turned to the pan with the omelette in it.

  "Oh, thank you, but it's you who should take the compliment. How often do you work out? Are you prepping for when you go on your skull-crushing spree?"

  "I will shoot you."

  "Tease. Do it. I'm immortal, remember?" Lucifer just went on cooking, and I looked at him like he was an idiot. "Uh, do you have any truffle oil?"

  "Get the fuck out of my house."

  "We haven't eaten yet." He turned to the coffee pot and filled up a mug.

  "Out. Now."

  "Well, don't we need to discuss the next case?"

  "There is no 'next case'. Get out." I went to grab him and physically drag him out, but of course, the cat chose now to come out and circle around Lucifer's legs.

  "Oh, hello! I took you more for a dog person, to be honest. Now I see you're actually just a crazy cat person."

  "I don't have enough time for a dog, and piss off."