“I think they want us to either park or get out.” Alfie looked over at the uniformed man standing just outside the hotel’s double doors.
Chi looked over and nodded. “We should definitely park. I don’t know why I stopped at the front of the hotel. This one doesn’t have valet parking.”
“It looks really nice, though.” Alfie’s eyes took in the hotel, which was very smart. It looked super new too. It wasn’t as fancy as some of the places he’d stayed with Rupert—not that he cared, but it was really pretty.
Malachi parked—in a proper spot this time—and then turned to ask him, “Ready?”
Alfie nodded and opened the passenger door, but Malachi was at his side before he could even close it. Gosh, the man moved fast.
Malachi closed the door for him, and Alfie slipped his hand into Malachi’s. It just felt right. “We’ll check in, and then go pick up some stuff for you at the shopping centre.” Malachi stopped right outside the door. “I know we’ve not talked about it, but we could go up to London and pick up your stuff.”
Alfie shook his head, “No, he made me get rid of my own stuff and replaced it all with ‘appropriate’ clothes.”
When those words came out of his mouth, Alfie couldn’t understand how he’d even let that happen. He’d always been the loudest of his siblings, especially being the youngest. Spending time with Malachi had him questioning what the fuck drew him to Rupert in the first place.
He felt Malachi’s body tense. Alfie had noted it each time he mentioned Rupert’s name.
Alfie moved so he was standing in front of Malachi. “You know I’m not going back to him… You don’t have to worry about that, ever.” Maybe he needed to stop mentioning Rupert. He didn’t want his past to destroy the future he could possibly have.
Malachi’s lips tilted up at the side. “I believe you, love. And even though this may be too soon to say, I’m not worried about that.” Malachi breathed in deeply. “I just get so angry when I think about everything you went through.”
“It was only the one time he hit me, and I left,” Alfie reassured Chi.
“Abuse doesn’t have to be physical, and from everything you’ve been telling me, he was an arsehole before he hit you. No one should make you feel bad about yourself, love. Not even me.Especiallynot me. Promise me, if I ever get too much, if I ever try and change you… you have permission to pour cold water all on me. Literally.”
Even though he was smiling, there was a serious look in his eyes. That told Alfie everything he needed to know. Chi would hurt himself before he hurt his mate.
“Somehow I have a feeling that will never happen, and if it does, I will definitely take you up on your offer.” Alfie closed the space between him and Malachi, and put his arms around his mate’s waist.
It was getting easier to think of Malachi like that… as his mate. It was getting even easier to see a future with this man. He was also having a harder time not touching Malachi. It was like he needed to touch the man to remind himself he was real. Alfie couldn’t explain how it was like he needed to be physically near Malachi, but maybe he didn’t need to understand. Maybe he needed to trust himself.
A small voice reminded him he’d trusted himself before and that hadn’t ended well.
Or, at least Axel, since his own judgment hadn’t proven great.
Yeah, he could trust Axel until he could trust himself.
He took a step back and put both hands on his mate’s waist while smiling up at him. “Well… thisisa holiday. You promised to take me shopping. What are we waiting for?”
Malachi chuckled and picked him up with one arm, making Alfie giggle.
“Let’s get this holiday on the road.” Malachi held him to his chest and walked to the check-in desk. No matter how much he asked to be put on his feet, Malachi didn’t listen, and he was glad because the truth was Alfie really liked where he was.
Twenty-Four
Malachi
They didn’t even bother going up to the room. They simply checked in, got back in the car, and went over to the Houndshill Shopping Centre. His mate had walked straight into Primark and picked out three t-shirts and two pairs of shorts—one chino and one denim—and a pack of boxers.
“Done.” Alfie held the mesh basket up to him.
“I think we can do better than that, love. You don’t have anything with you,” Malachi pointed out.
Alfie looked at the basket then up at him. “But I don’t need more than this. I can wash the t-shirts and wear them again if I have to.”
Malachi sighed. He didn’t know if he should say anything. His mate clearly wasn’t comfortable spending Chi’s money, but he was a big believer in start as you mean to continue.
He lowered his voice even though there was no one in their immediate vicinity. “Remember the part about being very well preserved? Well, it’s given us a lot of time to save… well, quite a bit. In case you haven’t figured it out, love, we are quite well off.”
