At the knock on the front door, they looked at each other, Piper as on edge as he. It was anyone’s guess as to which of their current mistakes had stopped by. Piper rolled her eyes at the both of them and they moved to the living room and opened the door.

It was CJ, and Piper visibly sagged with relief. If Gavin hadn’t been suddenly so tense he’d lost the ability to breathe, he might’ve laughed at the stay-of-execution expression on her face as she vanished to leave them alone.

Gavin was having trouble drawing in air as he took in the sight of CJ standing there looking like the best thing he’d ever screwed up. “You come to twist the knife deeper?” he asked, with a calm he didn’t feel.

CJ shut the door behind him and came closer, but didn’t touch Gavin. Instead, he looked him in the eyes and said, “So Axel showed up at the station today.”

This shocked Gavin. Axel hated cops, and probably especially hated CJ, but he’d never say so. “Why would he do that?”

“He wanted to tell me that you’d told him I didn’t trust you, but that I should trust you because you’ve got your shit together. He said he’s a great sponsor, that he takes pride in it. He also said that you don’t really need him, and yet you still make sure to see him every week. Said it was important to you to stay on top of things. For the people you love.”

“He shouldn’t have done that. He probably got hives just walking into the station.”

CJ grimaced and ran a hand over his unshaved scruff that looked far sexier than it had a right to. “He said that he thought it was noble of you to not break confidences, but in this case, also misguided.”

Gavin crossed his arms over his chest. “Did he say anything else?”

“That he was flattered I was jealous, but he’d have to be more than a bipolar addict to date you because you’re too much for him to handle.”

Gavin snorted because that sounded like Axel, but his amusement faded quickly and he looked away. “Yeah, well, most people feel that way about me.”

“Not me.” CJ came close. “And I’m about as far from perfect as you can get.”

“You seem pretty perfect to me.”

CJ held his gaze, his own softer now as he shook his head. “You look at me with rose-colored glasses, you always have.”

“Maybe that’s because I have no idea what attracts you to me.” Gavin spread his arms. “I’ve got literally nothing to offer you. I feel like I get so much from you, and I can’t begin to return the favor.”