Noah blinked at him. “Stupid?”
“I feel like I don’t know anything. People look at me like I’m a freak because I’ve never had pancakes or my own shampoo or because I’d never heard of Spotify or Netflix. I feel like an alien. I feel…stupid.”
Noah scooted closer without thought then stopped short, like he didn’t want to startle Ever. “You’re not stupid,” he said sternly. “None of this is your fault. Nothing that happened to you is your fault.”
“That doesn’t make me any less stupid,” Ever said. “I never went to school. I don’t know my real name. I don’t even know where I came from. I don’t remember if I had a mom and dad. If I did, where are they? Are they still looking for me? I don’t even know math.”
Noah waved a hand. “Nobody knows math. It might as well be witchcraft.”
Ever giggled then slapped a hand over his mouth.
Noah smiled. “I can see why Arsen thinks you’re cute.”
“What?” Ever asked.
Noah shook his head. “Nothing.”
Nothing?“Arsen thinks I’m cute?”
Noah shifted in his seat, peering down into the bay below. Ever did the same, looking just in time to see Arsen quickly turn back to the car in front of him, like he hadn’t been staring up at them.
Once Arsen went back to his task, Noah leaned in, his tone almost conspiratorial. “Between you and me? Arsen thinks you’re adorable.”
Ever’s heart sank. “Like a kitten?”
Noah’s look was lecherous. “No. Definitely not.”
“I don’t know what you mean,” Ever said, frustration leaching into his voice. “He treats me like I’m a kid.”
Noah once more glanced down at Arsen, like he worried he was eavesdropping somehow. Once he seemed assured, he said, “He would kill me if I told you this, but when it comes to him,youhave all the power. It’s been a week and he would kill for you. He’s…so into you.”
“Into me?” Ever repeated.
Noah nodded emphatically. “Mm, beyond. He’s just freaking out over the kiss.”
Ever could feel himself growing hot all over. “You know about the kiss?”
Noah winced. “He was live streaming, remember? About five hundred people witnessed that kiss.”
“Oh, my God.”
Noah waved his hand. “It's no big deal. Trust me, there are entire accounts that live stream way dirtier stuff than that—You know what? Forget I said that.” Almost as an afterthought, he said, “But, if it’s any consolation, you do have quite a few fans of your own now.”
“I do?” Ever asked, bewildered.
“My point is, Arsen doesn’t want you to think that you owe him sexual favors in exchange for food or clothing or shelter. He doesn’t want you to feel obligated to…‘earn your keep.’ He just really likes you. And from what I know about Arsen, he doesn’t really ever like anyone in that way.”
“That way…”
“Like a boyfriend way. Like a dating way. Arsen’s never had a serious boyfriend, but I definitely think he wants that with you.”
Ever shook his head. Arsen liked him? Arsen would kill or die…for Ever? Arsen liked him in a boyfriend way? That made no sense. Arsen didn’t even know him, couldn’t know how completely unworthy he was. He probably just felt sorry for Ever.
He said as much to Noah.
Noah gave him this soft look. “He is sorry for what happened to you. That’s true. We all are. But Arsen is the polar opposite of my husband. Arsen feels everything. He wants nothing more than to make the world safer for people like you and me. He will never stop worrying about you or your feelings. Not because he pities you but because he wants you to be safe. That’s just who he is as a person. Don’t you want the same for him?”
Ever blinked at Noah. Would he be crazy for saying yes? They’d literally known each other a week. “We barely know each other.”
