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  I put a hand on Nico’s shoulder, stopping him from bombarding Seth with any more questions. “That’s fine, Seth. You don’t have to talk about it right now.”

  Nico got the message and relaxed, nodding. “Yeah. Oh, yeah, Isaac got you something to eat.”

  I smiled at Nico’s enthusiasm. I hadn’t seen him this upbeat in a while. Seth nodded gratefully as he took the sandwich from my hands. His fingers, shaking, accidentally brushed mine, and he flinched back. “Sorry,” he murmured, reaching out more carefully.

  “It’s alright,” I promised, but I felt a pang of sympathy. What had happened to him to make him so flighty?

  “Getting busy out here,” Phoenix said. “If you guys wanna chat, you should head to the office. Kid needs some space, I think.”

  “I’m not a kid,” Seth protested. “I’m twenty-one years old.”

  Phoenix smirked. “Still a kid to me.”

  Nico rolled his eyes. “Kids aren’t allowed in bars, old man.”

  Before Phoenix and Nico started one of their playful tiffs, I decided to take the advice and leave the dance floor. I put my hand gently on Seth’s back, making sure he saw me reach out for him first so he didn’t wince away this time “Let’s go.”

  The office was a small room hidden away on the second floor. Nico flopped down on the sofa and Seth sat next to him, still nibbling away at his sandwich like a rabbit. I sighed and closed the door to block off the throbbing noise. I’d grown used to it and most of the time it didn’t bother me anymore, but tonight it was getting to me. Too loud, too overwhelming.

  “So,” I began, sitting across from the two of them. “How do you know each other?”

  “We were friends in high school,” Nico began. “God, that feels so long ago now. Has it really been that many years since I’ve seen you?”

  Seth nodded, although his mouth was too full to speak. He was apparently much hungrier than he thought. The color was finally returning to his cheeks.

  “What happened, dude?” Nico asked, his voice softer now. “Where’d you go?”

  Seth swallowed, then stared at the floor.

  “Don’t push him, Nico,” I said gently.

  “No, it’s alright,” Seth said. “He has a right to know.”

  But as he spoke, dread crawled across his face. His eyes turned wide and fearful, and I instantly knew recounting this story was difficult for him. I barely knew him – knew him even less than Nico did – but I had to push down the urge to reach over and hold him, to reassure him everything was alright now.

  “It’s a long story, but the gist of it is I got into a, um, weird relationship after high school,” Seth began. His fingers had tightened around the sandwich, and I noticed his leg was bumping up and down. “And it took me a long time to realize something wasn’t quite right.” He laughed softly, but the laugh had no humor. “I just realized it tonight, actually.”

  Nico and I listened carefully and quietly, but inside, anger was building in my stomach. That man, Adrian – he was responsible for this.

  “I’m sorry,” Seth mumbled, rubbing his arm. “I don’t really want to talk about it anymore.”

  “That’s absolutely fine,” I said. “You don’t have to.”

  “Yeah, I’m just glad you’re safe now,” Nico said. “You are, right? I mean, you have a place to stay?”

  Seth turned pale again. He shook his head slightly. “I was staying at Adrian’s, and, um… well, that’s not a thing anymore.”

  Nico turned frantically to me, his dark eyes wide and pleading. I knew exactly what he was thinking: he wanted to offer his old friend a place to stay, but couldn’t admit that his home life was a disaster right now. Nico could barely handle living there, and bringing home a guest – one who had already been through some kind of obvious trauma – was completely out of the question.

  “Seth,” I began. “My apartment is nearby, and I have a spare room. I know we only just met, and I understand if you wouldn’t want to stay with a stranger, but my door is always open.”

  Seth’s eyes flitted upwards to meet mine. He seemed on the precipice of a decision, but unable to take the plunge. He fidgeted in his seat, his hands fumbling together.

  “That’s a very nice offer,” he said, looking away now and sighing. “I don't know. I just don’t want to be a burden to anyone anymore.”

  “You’re not a burden,” I promised. “You need help. We all need help once in a while. It’s not a crime to ask for it.”

  “Yeah, Seth,” Nico said, putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “Isaac’s one of the nicest guys I know, and he sucks at lying, so he really does mean it when he offers. Plus, if you stay with him, we can hang out ‘cause this time I’ll know where you are!”

  “That’s true,” Seth said. He rubbed his arm. “But I don’t have any money to pay you.”

  “Oh, no,” I said sharply, waving a hand. “Don’t worry about money. I don't want to hear about it.”

  “But – ”

  “You better stop talking before Isaac gets mad,” Nico said with a grin. He leaned in and muttered in Seth’s ear, “Dude’s loaded, don’t worry.”

  I sighed as Seth looked up at me for confirmation. “As much as I dislike the term loaded, Nico is right. You won’t have to worry about money as long as you stay with me, however long that may be.”

  Relief spread over Seth’s face as he finally let the situation sink in. Finally he nodded. “Okay. Um. Thank you, Mr. Isaac.”

  Nico burst out laughing, throwing himself back on the couch and slapping his knee. I must have turned beet red. “Just Isaac is fine,” I said.

  “Mr. Isaac,” Nico muttered. “I’m never letting that one go.”

  I shot him a dry glance. “Didn’t your shift start twenty minutes ago, Nico?”

  “It sure did,” he said, rising from the couch. “Guess I better get going before the boss man fires me.”

  I watched him head out the door. “I guess you’d better.”

  “See you later, Seth!” Nico called. A moment later he popped his head back in the door. “And you better take good care of him, Isaac.”

  “I promise I will.” I gazed back at the blond young man on the couch. The weight of exhaustion must have caught up with him by now, judging by the way he was nodding off. “Now, let’s get you a soft place to sleep, shall we?”

  Chapter Two

  Seth

  Everything felt like a dream. Being personally protected by the huge intimidating Phoenix, meeting up with my old friend Nico, and being offered a free place to say by the disgustingly handsome and kind Isaac – this was the kind of stuff that happened to people in movies. Not to me. Never to me.

  Now, in a half haze of fatigue, I watched Isaac pack up his belongings as he got ready to take me home. To his home, I corrected myself. I didn’t have a home anymore.

  Isaac dressed, slipping on a beautiful black jacket that accentuated the paleness of his complexion. He picked up a briefcase – I almost laughed, because what kind of gay bar owner brings a briefcase to work? – and snapped on a pair of leather gloves before he turned to me. “Are you ready to go?”

  “Um. Yeah.”

  Isaac frowned. “You’re not dressed.”

  “I came in like this, remember?” I said with a sheepish grin.

  Isaac clucked his tongue and shook his head. “That won’t do.”

  To my horror, he began to slip out of his jacket.

  “What are you doing?” I stammered, although I knew fully well what he was doing. He handed the jacket to me expectantly. “I can’t take it,” I said. “You’ll get wet. Besides, it doesn’t even fit me.”

  Even frowning, Isaac’s face was unbelievably handsome. I couldn’t stop staring at his clear complexion, the gentle angle of his nose, the slight part of his lips. I watched, stunned with the horror of his generosity, as he came towards me with the jacket, waiting for my permission to touch me. I sighed and nodded. I could tell by the sharp look in those light green eyes
that he wasn’t going to give up until I was bundled up like a baby.

  The jacket dwarfed me, and I knew I looked ridiculous – Isaac’s arms and body were longer than mine, and I was suddenly hyperaware of how fucking short I was – but he looked pleased with his accomplishment of dressing me. I couldn’t help but blush under his keen gaze.

  “Can we go?” I mumbled.

  “Oh, yes, of course.”

  “Is it really okay for you to leave the club like this?” I asked as he locked up the office. “I mean, it’s still so early.”

  “It’s absolutely fine,” he said. “I trust Nico and Phoenix to run the place in my absence. Besides, there’s not much to do. People come, they dance, they drink, they leave.”

  We took the narrow stairs down to the main floor, where the ground shook with the impact of the bass. Strobe lights illuminated the of the dance floor. It was too much for me to take in right now. I was totally exhausted. I clung close to Isaac’s side as he lead towards the door. I shut my eyes, wanting to block out the noise and light.

  The smooth, soft sensation of leather touched my wrist. I opened my eyes and looked down to find Isaac gently holding my forearm. Gratitude and affection welled up inside me. I shut my eyes again and trusted him to lead me out of here.

  Once outside in the again and away from the pounding bass of the bar, I opened my eyes again. I took a deep drag of the cool night air. The rain had passed, leaving behind a glistening cold expanse of concrete jungle. Only an hour ago I’d been out here, soaking wet and freezing and running for my life. Now I was protected from the elements by Isaac’s jacket and had his firm but gentle hand guiding me.

  But I still couldn’t help the paranoia bubbling up in my chest. I warily glanced around, as if Adrian was lurking around every corner. I pressed closer to Isaac.

  “Cold?” he asked.

  “No, I’m fine,” I said. “Thanks to you.”

  Suddenly I realized I’d taken his only outdoor clothing. He only had a white button-up shirt to keep him warm. “Oh my god, I’m so sorry, you must be freezing,” I cried. “Please take your jacket back.”

  He looked shocked that I would even offer. “Nonsense. Come now, the car isn’t far.”

  The car? “We're not taking a cab?” I asked.

  His face was even more handsome with a smile lighting it up. “Well, we could, if you really wanted to. But then my car would get lonely staying here overnight, don’t you think?”

  We rounded a corner to an underground parking lot, where a sleek black car awaited us. “This is yours?” I muttered in awe. “It’s beautiful.”

  “Thank you,” he said, opening the passenger door for me. “She’s no taxi, but hopefully she’ll be to your liking.”

  I sat carefully down on the leather seat, afraid to ruin such a nice – and probably expensive as hell – car. When Isaac had taken the driver’s seat, he smoothly drove out of the parking lot and towards his apartment.

  I watched as the city around us gradually evolved from the downtown club scene to a different, notably richer area. Buildings became newer, fancier – more high class. I was way out of my element. I shrank in the seat.

  Finally Isaac pulled into another parking garage. This one was fancier – it lacked that grimy flair the club’s garage had. There were security guards posted outside this one. I felt like they would stop us and ask if I was even allowed here, but that didn’t happen.

  “Here we are,” Isaac said, parking in a comfortably sized spot that stated proudly that it was reserved. As I glanced around, I realized most of the other spots were also reserved.

  “This is, um, a nice place,” I said, then mentally kicked myself for saying something so stupid.

  But Isaac only smiled. “I’ve never thought about it like that. It is nice for a parking garage, isn’t it?”

  Isaac lead me through a door that required a key card, then onto a lavish elevator. I’d never felt so out of place in my life. Mirrors decorated the elevator walls, making my hyperaware of myself. The only part of me that looked like it belonged here was Isaac’s nice jacket, and it wasn’t even mine.

  We arrived at our floor and I sheepishly followed Isaac down the vast hallway. I was almost afraid to look at anything except the floor, but even the carpet was probably worth more than I was.

  “Just inside here, Seth,” Isaac said gently. He could probably tell I was disoriented as fuck. Tonight had been a long night. Too long. At this point I just wanted to pass out and wake up from this nightmare/dream.

  I entered his apartment, and when he flicked the lights on, I wanted to melt into the floor. Everything was way too nice. The fancy architecture, the minimalist décor, the expensive flat screen TV mounted to the wall, the stainless steel fridge that glinted spotlessly from the kitchen – it was like I’d stepped into some model home, not an actual place someone lived.

  “Seth?” Isaac prompted when I didn’t move or speak.

  “Oh. Yeah, it’s um, really nice,” I said.

  He chuckled. “I wasn’t asking if you like my apartment, although I appreciate it. I meant, are you feeling alright?”

  I exhaled. “Yeah. Just a little overwhelmed.”

  He nodded. “I understand. You’ve had a long night. I understand if you want to be shown to your bed right away.”

  “No, it’s not that – well, I mean, that’d be great but, that’s not what I meant.” I felt like an idiot, constantly fumbling over my words. “I mean, this place – your apartment – is just so nice, I feel like I don’t belong here.”

  Isaac frowned. “Seth,” he said softly. “This is my home, and I invited you inside. Of course you belong here.”

  How the fuck was someone so rich also so damn nice?

  “Um. Thanks,” I said, averting my eyes.

  His still-gloved hand came forward and touched beneath my chin, lifting it up. He made me look at him – his sharp, pale green eyes capturing mine.

  “You absolutely belong here,” he repeated. He let those words hang in the air for a moment before asking, “Alright?”

  I exhaled. “Right.”

  Isaac

  He was uncomfortable. That much was clear. His posture was stiff, and he’d barely moved from his spot standing in the front foyer.

  I let my hand fall away from his face, not wanting to make him even more uncomfortable than he already was. He probably didn’t appreciate a near-stranger being so physically close to him. I would have to remind myself of that, no matter how strong the urge was to embrace him and reassure him everything was alright now.

  “The guest room is just down this hall,” I said, opening my arms to gesture. “The bathroom is the very last door.”

  He shuffled towards me like a lost duckling, looking even more like one with his dark blond hair mussed up from the rain and wind. I resisted the urge to reach over and groom him.

  He followed me like a shadow to the guest room. I cursed myself for not having it tidied up and laundered fresh, but I also didn’t know I would have an unexpected guest tonight.

  “Please don’t hesitate to let me know if there’s anything you need,” I said.

  He paused before sitting on the edge of the bed. It was only a double – hopefully still comfortable enough for him.

  I only realized now he was still wearing my jacket.

  “I’ll take that for you,” I said.

  But his hand instantly gripped the sleeve. “Um – it’s okay, I’d like to wear it for now. If that’s okay, I mean.”

  “Ah,” I said. “Certainly.” There was a pause. I turned to leave. “Good night, then.”

  “Good night,” Seth said.

  A noise woke me in the night – a long, drawn out whimpering, almost like a crying crated puppy. Except I didn’t have a dog.

  I shot out of bed, automatically heading to the guest room. My heart raced. My mind automatically went to the worst case scenarios – that Seth had gotten sick, or been hurt, or hurt himself. I knocked quickly before I heard
the pained moan on the other side of the door, and figured he was in no state to give me consent to enter, and I would have to take matters into my own hands.

  “Seth?” I gasped. He was tossing and turning in bed, his fists gripping the comforter so hard I thought it would rip. I rushed over to his side, and only then did I realize he was still asleep. He was having a nightmare.

  I put my hands on his shoulders, gently holding him down to prevent him from lurching around. His brows were pinched together and his skin glinted with sweat in the darkness.

  “Seth,” I called softly, tightening my grip. “It’s alright. You’re having a bad dream.”

  Eventually the tension in his face eased and his breathing slowed. I stayed with him like that until his frame had relaxed under my hands and his breathing rhythm returned to normal. Only then was I satisfied, and able to leave his side without guilt.

  I slipped back into my own bed, which was now cold. Perhaps I should have done more for Seth, I thought as I closed my eyes. Maybe brought him a glass of water, an extra blanket… something. I found it difficult to get back to sleep. I turned over, staring at the wall. How would I sleep knowing someone in the room next to me was going through so much trouble?

  I laid there with nagging anxiety, as if the moment I drifted off Seth would fall into another nightmare, except this time I would be too deep into sleep to wake up and help him.

  You're being ridiculous, Isaac.

  I knew I was being ridiculous.

  But there was something about Seth that made it difficult not to be.

  Chapter Three

  Isaac

  The next morning, I spread out a light breakfast and made coffee. I wasn’t sure how long Seth would be asleep – he definitely had a rough night and I would expect him to have a lot of sleep debt – but either way, I needed to head to work soon. I half-hoped he woke up before I left so I could make sure he was alright. The nightmare he experienced last night had me concerned.

  I was doing last minute preparations, checking to see if the stove was turned off and such, when I heard the soft patter of bare footsteps against the hardwood. Seth stood in the hallway, pressed to the wall like a mouse in an open field. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes.