Arsen was really handsome. No, that wasn’t the right word. Arsen was…hot. With his aqua hair and aqua eyes and that square jaw that always had just the barest hint of scruff on it at all times. His nose was just the slightest bit crooked, like it had once been broken, and his rough, calloused hands were permanently stained around his nails, but that did nothing to detract from how much Ever wanted him.
But, unfortunately, he wasn’t the only one.
There was a parade of girls—and guys—who seemed to stop by the garage for the sole purpose of flirting with Arsen. The girls would wiggle and squirm and put their half-naked bodies in his way as much as possible. The men were even more forward, asking for his number or hinting they’d be interested in…something more.
It grated Ever’s nerves. People complimented Arsen on his long lashes, his full lips, even his perfect teeth. To his credit, Arsen took it all in stride, smiling politely but always brushing them off. If he even noticed them at all.
But Ever noticed. He couldn’t not notice. They were so bold, far bolder than Ever could ever dream of being. And he did dream. Dreamed of more than just barely-there kisses and being held all night while he slept. Not that he didn’t like being held at night. He loved it. Too much. He was starting to think he’d never be able to sleep again without the weight of Arsen’s body pressing against him, his arms snug around him.
But that was all it was. Sleep. So, Ever just watched from the loft, like Rapunzel in her tower, letting his eyes linger on the way Arsen’s muscles flexed with every movement, wanting to know how they would feel flexing beneath his fingers.
There was nothing wrong with looking, right?
Ever flopped back onto the couch with a huff. He wanted to do more than look. He itched to touch Arsen like he wanted to. To trace his tattoos with his fingers, to know what his skin tasted like, to know what that scruff felt like scratching its way across his body.
Ever wanted to try the things he’d only read about in books, wanted to try them the way they were supposed to happen. Sex, not assault. He wanted to know what those things felt like with someone he wanted, with someone who wanted him in a way that didn’t hurt. But after the way Arsen had reacted to their kiss, Ever was pretty sure that would never happen.
Ever was too broken, too damaged. Arsen deserved better than a boy who couldn’t leave the house without a chaperone.
Ever’s pulse raced as the door to the apartment opened. He expected to hear Arsen’s voice telling him it was time to leave, but when he looked up, it wasn’t Arsen standing there but the guy who had been talking to Arsen just moments ago.
“Hi, I’m Noah. You’re Ever, right?”
Ever frowned at him but nodded, then pulled himself into an upright position. “Yeah,” he managed.
Noah gave a little wave and a warm smile. Ever couldn’t help but notice his freckles. He seemed friendly. But Ever knew looks could be deceiving. “I’m one of Arsen’s friends.” Ever must have looked skeptical because Noah continued, “Jericho is married to my husband’s brother. I thought I’d come say hi.”
Ever pulled his knees to his chest. “Hi.”
“Can I sit with you for a few minutes?” Noah asked, pointing to the opposite end of the couch.
Ever nodded but still kept a close eye on him.
Noah sat, giving him another reassuring smile. “Arsen tells me you're seeing Dr. Charon today?”
Ever gave a lop-sided shrug, unwilling to give away any information until he knew what Noah wanted from him.
Again, Noah gave him that encouraging smile. Like Ever was a child. They all treated him like that. He might as well be.
He forced himself to focus on Noah as he said, “She’s really nice.”
Ever’s eyes went wide. “She?”
Noah nodded. “Yeah. She’s a friend of my father-in-law. She takes care of all of us when we need non-emergent care. She’s kind of like our family physician.”
Ever frowned. Why did they need an outsider? “Don’t you have an actual family physician? Isn’t Atticus a doctor?”
Noah gave a little laugh. Ever liked the way it sounded. Almost like music. “Yeah, he is. But he likes to spend his time in the lab looking at slides under a microscope more than he likes giving yearly physicals or running labs and doling out prescriptions. He’ll do it, but he’ll complain about it. And nobody wants to listen to Atticus complain. Well, except Jericho. He loves it. Dr. Charon likes what she does and she’s willing to keep our secrets and keep her questions to a minimum.”
“Secrets?” Ever echoed.
Was Noah threatening him? Letting him know that if he told the doctor what he knew about them killing people, she wouldn’t do anything about it? Ever would never tell. They saved him. The least he could do was keep that secret for them. Besides, he didn’t really understand how any of it worked, but Jericho said they only killed bad people and he believed Jericho to be good. He believed that in his soul.
“Mm,” Noah said. “Secrets like how you got here. How you have no name, no insurance. She understands the true meaning of patient confidentiality. You’re safe with her.”
Safe? Noah was trying to make him feel better, not threaten him. “Oh.”
Noah gave him a sad smile, like he knew his tragic backstory. “It’s okay if you don’t believe me.”
