“Sammy needs a job!” I blurt.
If this independence thing means so much to him, there has to be better ways of doing it.
Jade’s eyebrows rise. “I can put a word in with my boss?”
“No thanks,” says Sammy as he glares at me.
“Why? You’d be great at the call center. The customers would love you,” Jade says.
Sammy’s unhappy look intensifies. “It’s fine.”
“It’s not a problem,” says Jade with a look of confusion on his face. It seems I’m not the only one bewildered by Sammy’s resistance.
“I can barely read, alright!” exclaims Sammy suddenly. “And I’ve got a criminal record longer than my arm.”
A heavy silence falls. A gentle breeze stirs the leaves of trees at the end of the garden and sends ripples lapping at the edge of the pool.
“Sorry for snapping,” says Sammy. His shoulders are slumped in a picture of dejection. It’s breaking my heart.
“It’s okay,” I reassure him earnestly.
When he was drunk, he was terrified of being asked to leave. I suspect that fear lurks within him always and the alcohol merely brought it to the surface.
He needs to understand that he is allowed to have outbursts. We aren’t going to make him homeless because he has emotions.
“It’s fine,” confirms Jade, and he reaches out and puts a hand on Sammy’s knee.
My focus zeros in on their touch. I wish I could be so free and easy with my touches. Jade makes it look so effortless. But I don’t think it is only jealousy of his ability to comfort, that is making my heartbeat faster. I think my mate bond doesn’t like it.
Stupid mate bond. There is nothing wrong with Jade touching Sammy’s naked knee. It’s nothing to get upset about.
“Can’t imagine you as the criminal type,” teases Jade in a clear effort to distract Sammy.
A hiss nearly escapes my throat. Argh! This mate bond is ridiculous. Someone comforting my mate is surely a good thing? He deserves all the comfort in the world.
Sammy smiles softly. “A boy has to eat.”
Jade stares at him.
“It’s mostly prostitution charges,” adds Sammy.
That’s so unfair. Not only did he have to survive by selling his body, he has also been penalized for it. In a way that makes it difficult for him to find other ways to survive. He has been trapped into selling himself. Human society is really awful sometimes.
He is safe now. I will take care of him. Provide for him.
Angrily, I shake my head to clear the stupid mate bond out of it. Dammit. Those weren’t my thoughts at all. Sammy isn’t really my mate. It was just a silly accident. He wouldn’t want to be mated to me, and he wouldn’t want someone to provide for him. Even though I’m more than happy to do so, just as friends. But that won’t work. He wants independence. He said so.
He needs a way of making money that doesn’t involve selling his body. That is how I help him.
“Do you want to learn to read?” I ask.
Jade nods in agreement. “We can teach you?”
The urge to grab his leg and pull him under is strong. But I grind my teeth instead. I wanted to teach Sammy. By myself. So we could spend lots of time together. But that’s probably the stupid mate bond speaking. In reality, Jade helping Sammy is great. Sammy needs all the friends he can get.
Sammy’s gaze is flicking between me and Jade. He looks utterly dumbfounded and taken aback.
“That’s so sweet of you guys,” he says eventually. “Why are you all so damn nice? Is it because you’re not human?”
