Loaded: Loaded, #1

1

Denver

He's going for the fire escape on the south side!" Eugenio's urgent voice blasted through Denver's walkie- talkie .

Denver snapped his notepad shut as a jolt tore through him. He had been questioning the doorman outside of the apartment building when his partner's warning came through. Eugenio had gone upstairs with a couple of uniforms to question a burglary suspect. Although Denver had insisted he'd be there with Eugenio, the doorman had stopped him. They had been there before and it was only now that the doorman was remembering the answers to earlier questions. It happened that way—sometimes the human mind froze up when put on the spot.

Denver abandoned the conversation as he pocketed his notebook and pushed by the doorman. Eugenio was alone and chasing down a potentially dangerous suspect. This was when a partner was the most vulnerable. Denver had to get to him to help keep him safe.

He burst out into the rainy streets. Manhattan was rainy this summer, which made the locals gloomy and Denver's job that much more difficult.

His leather shoes pounded the pavement, his hand sliding to his side to his service weapon—a SIG Sauer. His heart pounded as he snapped his head up toward the first fire escape he came across. A man in a black coat was taking the stairs in leaps and bounds, the harsh clang of the metal ringing in Denver's ears. No matter how hard the rain fell around him, the metal clang couldn't be silenced.

NYPD! Freeze! Denver shouted as he whipped out his gun, catching the suspect in his sight.

This was the moment—this was when the suspect would decide to stop or go all in. If he was armed, now was the moment that every cop dreaded.

The man paused midway down the fire escape, staring down at Denver. Above the man, Eugenio was already clattering after him, shouting his commands to stop as well, poised with his own handgun. Denver didn't have time to dwell on the relief of his partner being okay.

Even from two stories down, Denver and the man's eyes connected. Put your hands where I can see them! Denver demanded, echoing the words of his partner, although Eugenio's voice was more booming than his ever could be.

Denver's finger caressed the trigger, the rain pelting his body. He tried his best to keep from blinking the water from his eyes. He couldn't afford to lose sight for even a second in this critical moment.

The ordeal felt like forever but it was all over in a matter of seconds as the man raised his arms. Eugenio closed the gap between them, pulling their suspect's hands behind his back and cuffing him as he read out his rights.

Denver breathed a sigh of relief as he lowered and holstered his weapon, swiping a hand over his face to calm himself down and wipe the rain off his skin.

You all right, man? Eugenio called down.

Yeah, I'm fine, Denver assured Eugenio without missing a beat. Even if he hadn't been, there was no way in hell he'd ever give their suspect the satisfaction. What was more important to him in that moment was that Eugenio was all right, which he was. Let's drag his ass in.

It was going to be a long night of questioning and paperwork.

Detective Denver Hayes loved his job. Ever since he could remember, he had always wanted to be a cop. Sure, he had his periods where he thought he'd be a famous actor but it somehow always came back to this.

He had been with the NYPD for ten years now—five as a uniform, two working street crimes, and three with robbery cases, where he was still stationed. The first few years of being a cop working the streets had been the roughest. Everything he had encountered was brand new and unspeakable. No amount of police training completely prepared anyone for the horrors of the job. You read all about it, trained for it, but there was nothing like your first altercation.

Or your first dead body.

As a rookie patrolman, Denver had been keeping a scene secure for CSU that contained the body of an old woman who died next to a heater. Even now, waves of nausea still hit Denver as he remembered the stench. It wasn't like the state of the body was going to be wiped clean from his memory either. Television always made the bodies out to be much neater than in real life.

Still, he had stuck through it all, proud of the work he did for the city. The day he became a detective was the proudest day of his life—aside from the birth of his daughter, Pepper. Not long after that, Eugenio Mendes had been assigned to him as his new partner.

Denver glanced around the dark bull pen at the other detectives' empty desks. It was quieter now since almost everyone had gone home for the day. It was just him and Eugenio filling out their paperwork. Denver didn't know about Eugenio but all he wanted was to go home and crash in bed.

I'm calling it a night, Eugenio grunted from his desk a few feet away from Denver's. He swiveled around in his chair after closing his folders and shutting down his computer. You stayin'?

Denver shook his head as he finished his work as well. Nah, I'm not going to get much more done with this growing headache. He grabbed his grey twill jacket off the back of his chair and threw it over his shoulders.

Well, tomorrow's a day off, so take it easy. Eugenio put away his files while Denver did the same.

It's Pepper's birthday tomorrow, so I'll be going to her party, Denver said with a nod. He couldn't believe his little girl was already turning six.

That'll be a nice distraction. Not going to do anything for that headache, though. Eugenio grinned.

A bunch of screaming six-year olds? I don't stand a chance.

Eugenio laughed and clapped Denver squarely on the shoulder. Just enjoy yourself. Do it for your little girl. I wish I could join you but it's my Uncle Dimas' birthday and, well, you know how important that is.

Denver's heart tightened as he nodded. Hey, man, don't worry about it.

Eugenio opened one of the drawers to his desk and took out a pink party bag that was overflowing with sparkling paper. Here. Make sure you get this to her.

Denver's heart fluttered as he accepted the gift and moved with Eugenio to the elevator. The fact that Eugenio still thought to give Pepper a gift made him smile. It would've been easy to forget in light of his other obligations. Still, this was the Eugenio Denver knew: a man who always thought of others.

Once they were in the elevator, Eugenio punched the button for the ground floor. As the two stood back for the short ride down, Denver's mind wandered. Honestly, the last thing he wanted to do was go home to an empty apartment right now. Although Denver mostly enjoyed the solitude, there were some nights, like tonight, where the thought of sleeping alone killed him.

And since he hadn't gotten laid in a while, his mind was on the very gorgeous, buff, and unavailable man standing right next to him.

Denver was glad that the elevator ride was short and his thoughts were interrupted. He walked outside with Eugenio and nodded as they both parted ways to get to their own vehicles. Fortunately, the rain had stopped by then.

The way that Eugenio walked, with his head held high, his back straight, and posture squared off, screamed confidence. It also screamed military, which Denver knew he had served for, although he didn't talk about it much. Eugenio had once said he didn't feel comfortable glorifying it. As much as Denver was haunted by the horrors of being a cop, Eugenio had that plus the horrors of being a serviceman to deal with.

Denver caught himself and shook himself out of it. They were partners—best friends—but Denver couldn't help his admiration and attraction.

But now was not the time to dwell on that. There was never a right time to dwell on that. Eugenio was as straight as they came. Besides, the last thing Denver wanted was to say or do something and destroy what they had built up over three years of working together on burglary cases. Denver wouldn't trade that for the world. No, it was better to have Eugenio in his life as a best friend than not in it at all.

2

Denver

When left to his own devices, Denver was happy to sleep in. Although he did have a set work schedule, it wasn't like he could say no when he was called in on days off either. When there was work to be done, there was work to be done, and that was all there was to it. It was hell on his personal life and, like many other cops, his domestic life suffered .

Denver drove to Sunnyside where his ex-wife and daughter lived in their old house. He had met Madison when he was working his first year as a cop. He had thought the world of her and the two were married after a year. Life was good, although the demands of his job ensured that the honeymoon phase died off quickly. While they tried their hardest to make things work out between them, they realistically could only take so much.

Then Denver took his exam to be a detective and got it. He and Madison thought that the new position would give them a change of pace—maybe even allow for them to spend more time together—but they quickly learned this wasn't the case. Worse yet, the pay raise that Denver got didn't stretch as far as they thought it would.

They divorced three years ago but Denver still remembered that fateful night like it was yesterday. Madison had been the love of his life. Looking into her green eyes and seeing that the love was gone... It was a sensation that was impossible to describe.

Had she felt the same when she looked into his eyes?

When Denver rounded the corner and spotted balloons tied to the white fence, he smiled to himself. The driveway was already filled with cars, so he parked on the road. He grabbed the colorful gift bags off the passenger seat and climbed out of his sedan.

The yard was filled with boys and girls running around and playing. Balloons and party hats were everywhere. A handful of parents were seated at the food table, chatting amongst themselves while also minding the children.

As Denver stepped through the gate, he beamed when a beautiful blonde girl with a gummy smile like his own rushed him. She had one of those dollar store birthday badges pinned to her dress and wore it proudly. Daddy!

Hey! Denver gushed as he stooped down to hug his daughter, being mindful not to smack her with the birthday bags. Happy birthday! Are you having lots of fun?

I am! Pepper exclaimed as she squeezed Denver around the shoulders. Nothing beat a good hug from his daughter.

Great. Did you open up your gifts yet?

No. Mom says I have to wait until after cake, Pepper insisted. I wanted to wait until you got here first.

Denver's heart swelled. Ah, sorry for making you wait. I ran into some road construction. Go on and play with your friends now. I'm just going to put the gifts over there and say hi to Mom for a minute. Then we'll have cake, all right?

Okay! Pepper beamed and rushed off to rejoin her friends, who were exclaiming something about storming a castle.

Denver chuckled and walked to the snack table where the other parents had gathered, mostly the mothers. He was on good terms with everyone since he was still very much a part of Pepper's life. Even if he and Madison didn't make it as husband and wife, they still did their best as a mother and father team to ensure that their daughter had everything she needed and was happy.

Hey, Denver, one of the single mothers, Laurie, greeted him. She was a nice woman, although she had tried to flirt with Denver in the past without much success.

Hey, Denver greeted as he put the bags down onto the table. Is Madison around?

I'm right here, greeted a familiar voice. His ex closed the front door behind her while carrying some plates. Madison was a beautiful woman, inside and out, and there was a special place in Denver's heart for her as his first love and the mother of his child. Although breaking up with her had been awful at the time, he was in a much better place now—and he felt that she was as well. It was better this way for both of them.

Oh, I see you brought two gifts? Madison hummed as she set the plates down.

One's from Eugenio, of course, Denver said simply. Even though Pepper didn't live with Denver, he was still so involved in her life that Eugenio was as well. Even before they had divorced, Denver and Madison had invited him over plenty of times to join the family for various occasions. Eugenio didn't get to see Pepper too often nowadays but when he did, there was no denying the love Pepper had for him.

He couldn't make it?

No, he has his own thing today, Denver responded as he moved aside some of the presents for Madison to put the plate down.

Very sweet of him to still get a gift, though.

You know he's going to do at least that, Denver