I had so many friends’ numbers on my old phone.Then Bernard broke it.I don’t even remember why he was angry that day.
Not two minutes after Theo had texted Mike, Peter stuck his head around the door.
“Theodore, ready to go?”
Theo put his phone in his bag and nodded.“Sure.Uh, thanks, Mike.Sorry about lunch.”
The siren lawyer smiled at him.“Pleasure to have you, and we’ll definitely catch up.Bye, Peter.”
“My best to Corvin, Michael.”
Peter held the door for Theo.As Theo walked out past him, he couldn’t help but feel self-conscious with Peter’s attention on him.They headed down the hallway side by side, Peter matching Theo’s stride.
Exhaustion hit Theo once the elevator doors closed, and he might have fallen asleep on the drive back to Peter’s place if it hadn’t been for what Peter had said about Bernard watching them.
“You think he’s following us now?”Theo asked, scanning pedestrians as they stopped at a red light.
“Probably.Or he asked someone to do so for him.”
Theo looked over at the vampire, who sat there behind the wheel, cool as a handsome, platinum blond cucumber.“Why aren’t you worried about that?”
Peter glanced over as he sped the car back up.“Because I’m waiting for him to actually make his move, but I’m beginning to think he might need more encouragement to do that.He enjoys this psychological warfare a bit too much in my opinion, and he is getting too creative with it.It’s like he has no hobbies.Hobbies are ever so important.”
“What does that mean?”
“Hobbies distract us from this, our mortal coil.”
Theo groaned.“Not that.Plus, you’re not really mortal.”
“Fair enough.I’ll tell you while you eat, Theodore.You shouldn’t miss too many meals.That kind of stress cannot be healthy.”
Theo wasn’t having any of that.“You’ll fucking tell me now, or I swear I’m getting out of this car.Think what that would do to my health.”
“I compelled you, and you can’t,” Peter said.
“Oh, fuck you, Peter.Just tell me.”
Peter sighed.“Very well.I wanted to talk to you about whether you could see yourself being bait.Just temporarily, of course—no one should be bait for prolonged periods.I would be there, and you wouldn’t be in danger, however, I understand that witnessing violence is quite unpleasant for some people.If you don’t feel up to it, I’ll work out something else.”
Theo balled his fists.“I’ll do it.”
Peter looked over at him.“You didn’t even wait to hear the specifics.”
Theo shook his head.“Don’t care.I want this over.I don’t want you hurt, and I want you to promise me that you’ll run if…if—”
Peter reached over and linked his fingers with Theo’s.Their hands fit perfectly.“I’d never leave you, Theodore.I give you my word.”
“No.I’m not fucking around, Peter.This isn’t some stupid romance, and I don’t want you to get hurt because you’re trying to be chivalrous or something.Don’t give me that evasive shit.You promise me that you will keep yourself safe first.Promise me.”
Peter looked at him for so long that Theo was about to tell him to watch the goddamn road, but Peter didn’t seem to have issues with the multitasking.
“I promise you, Theodore, but after this, you will never ask me to leave you alone in the face of danger ever again.Can you promise me that in turn?”
A week ago, Theo wouldn’t have wasted a thought on a stupid hypothetical like that.He’d have told Peter to go fuck himself.Today, his response was vastly different.“Promise.Cross my heart and hope to die.”
“Best hope you never die, my precious one,” Peter said.“I’d have to venture to the underworld and bargain with Hel to return you to me.”
For some reason Theo couldn’t name, those words made his heart beat faster.
