Point Blank

Chapter Six

Chapter 6

Hayes placed a cup of coffee on the table next to Felix before moving back to the kitchen and leant on the island next to his brother, taking a sip of his own drink.

"She's good with him," Ryan mentioned, turning from where his son was to his brother.

Hayes flicked his eyes back to his partner, who was playing with his nephew, his small giggle filling the apartment. "She's good with kids."

"Mama was telling me about her recent attempt with the grandchild conversation." Ryan laughed as his younger brother tipped his head back and groaned softly.

"She will be the death of me and my partnership if she says that to me while Felix is around again," Hayes muttered.

Ryan's smile faded as he looked back to his son then to his brother. "Xavier I need to ask you something and please don't shut me out here."

By the tone, Hayes straightened his shoulders and nodded at Ryan.

"What are you doing to yourself?" Ryan sipped his drink while Hayes stared blankly at him.

"I don't know what your—"

"Cut the bullshit, you're in love with her and before you protest anything, you look at her playing with Leo the same way I look at Parker."

Hayes went silent, looking to the lounge where Leo sat on Felix's stomach as she laid on the floor with her knees raised to support the boys back, holding his stuffed animal in front of him and telling a story. Feeling his throat tighten, he coughed to clear it away, but it didn't work.

"It doesn't matter Ryan, whatever I feel? It's not going to happen so please do me a favour and don't bring it up again." Hayes' voice went firm, he picked up his mug and strode into the lounge and sat on the floor.

Ryan didn't move from his spot as his brother sat down, watching as tapped Felix on the face and without words she moves to hold onto Leo and raised herself, so her head was rested on his brother's leg's, both of them now entertaining the two-year-old. A family is what they looked like; Ryan could only hope his brother didn't intend to miss it.

∞

Hayes pulled a pillow over his face, yelling into it quietly. What a fucking mess he was in Hayes thought. He couldn't quite get the image of Felix playing with his nephew out of his head to the point he couldn't sleep without drifting into a dreamland of a future he knew wouldn't happen.

In a fit of ignorance, Hayes rolled out of bed and pulled on his clothes from the day. Picking up his keys and wallet from the bench as he moved to the front door. In the process of doing so, he sent out a text to a female friend who he had a mutually beneficial set up with. He hadn't told Felix about her.

Calling a cab to the curb of his block, Hayes rattled out the address of this friend and didn't look back at his building. Blissfully ignoring anything to do with his partner.

∞

Hayes stumbled into the main office, hair dishevelled and tie askew. He awkwardly ignored the looks of co-workers and hauled himself to his office, shutting the door in a less than desperate attempt to stop the odd looks he was getting. It wasn't often he stumbled into the office as he did today, and whenever he didn't, Felix had a habit of ignoring his presence unless necessary.

Said partner was scribbling on the whiteboard, coffee cup in her hand as she wrote. Without so much as a glance in his direction, Felix stopped writing to point at another cup on his desk before continuing her work. Not a word was spoken as he sheepishly took a sip of the scalding beverage. He watched his partner, not so innocently admiring her figure and the way her brows closed inwards as she focused.

Almost inhaling the drink as he realised he was staring, Hayes quickly picked up the open file and read through it without actually retaining any of the words he was reading. The atmosphere was so awkward even work wasn't enough of a distraction. As if the Gods above didn't hate him enough, they decided to do their worst today because his phone beeped. A message from Amanda.

Felix heard the phone beep and gripped the marker with all of her might, urging herself to bite her tongue for once, but unfortunately, the sight of Hayes turning his lips into a soft smile and responding to the text removed any sense of self-control she had left this morning.

"Being late after a midnight fuck is one thing Hayes but responding to the morning after text at work is a new level of low." Felix spat out her words, keeping her body faced away from Hayes, who was staring at her with a mixture of hurt and confusion.

However, Hayes quickly dropped that expression, "I don't know how that's your business Felix when you keep your own door unlocked."

Throwing the marker onto the table, Felix slammed her cup down, coffee spilling over and burning her hand but she didn't pay any mind to it. "Fuck you, Xavier Hayes, at least I have the decency to let someone know when they're a quick fuck and I have dicks on the side." Felix kept her voice low to avoid the office hearing their business.

"I call bullshit on that Felix, the number of times you don't rock up to work because you're too busy having your way with half the building I'm surprised—"

"Stop right there."

The two stared at each other in dead silence, Hayes' eyes widened a smidge when he realised what he had insinuated when he bit out his last sentence. He'd basically called his partner a slut by modern terms. Something his mother would've had a heart attack overhearing. One thing we have raised to do was to respect people.

The silence continued as Felix collected her bag and jacket, holding her burnt hand tightly but let it go to shut the door behind her, not even sparing a glance at Hayes. It would've hurt less had she slammed the door, but the soft click of the door is what made him lean back in his chair and curse loudly to the sky.

Felix, however, let her boss know she had a personal issue to attend to and quickly signed out of work. Cradling her hand until she made it to her car. The drive home was almost dangerous from the clouding in her eyes as she bit back tears.

It was safe to assume that Hayes wouldn't be rocking up for dinner this evening and Felix resigned to avoiding take out. Deciding to eat leftovers from her fridge and triple-checking her door was locked.