“Jesus, Eli,” Cooper said, spinning, clenching his hands at first defensively, then even harder to try to force the sudden trembling in his arms away before it could spread through his body. “I’m really not in the mood for being snuck up on.”

Fuck, too late. The tremor had made its way into his voice. He took a deep, calming breath through his nose and out his mouth while Eli eyed him speculatively, sitting in fur in the open bedroom door.

“What do you want? I poured you a bowl downstairs,” Cooper said.

Eli very distinctly rolled his eyes, and then jerked his head to indicate Cooper should come with him. Cooper frowned but did, following him down the stairs and to the front door, where Eli sat patiently.

“How’d you let yourself back in if you can’t let yourself out?” Cooper asked, annoyed, and pulled open the door, faux-irritated but also somewhat relieved not to be staring at his reflection anymore.

Beginning to walk up the house path was Neil. Just as startled as Cooper was, he froze and stared, lips slightly parted, as if Cooper were some spirit manifested to haunt him.

“Boo,” Cooper said, and heard Eli huff as he padded away.

Neil’s face turned angry. “Where the hell were you this afternoon?” he demanded.

“Where was I? Where were you?” Cooper asked. “You didn’t show.”

“I had to—Genevieve needed me to take care of something. You couldn’t wait ten minutes?”

“Take care of something?” Cooper repeated. He almost added he had been waiting until someone jumped him, but stopped himself. When had Neil gotten there exactly? While Cooper was wandering around in the back? While he was unconscious? Surely any later than that, he would have heard Cooper banging on the walls. And earlier than that...?

Cooper studied Neil, then dismissed the notion. No. The man he knew could be a real bastard, certainly, but he wouldn’t attack Cooper and leave him in a potentially life-threatening situation. For what possible reason?

“What are you looking at me like that for?” Neil asked.

“How do you know where I live?”

“You used to be a federal agent, once upon a time. Surely you don’t have any illusions of privacy. Now, I told you I need to speak to you. Are you letting me in or not?”

Cooper hesitated, then stepped to the side, letting Neil into the house. “I don’t have long,” he warned. “We need to leave for the gala soon.”

“You think ‘J.T.’ isn’t working that entire shit show?” Neil retorted, striding into the living room as Cooper followed. “I have less time for this than you do.” He came to a sudden stop. “Is that a dog?”