His parents never followed up on the texts he ignored, and over time, Sage realized that it was because they’d forgotten he existed. The text was probably sent in a moment of, “oh shit, I need more money,” but then they didn’t even bother to follow up to see if he received it.
The need for cash at Christmas started about five years before and had gotten to the point where Sage truly hated the holiday season. His parents weren’t happy with twenty or thirty dollars. His parents wanted more. They needed help with rental arrears, they were due to be evicted, and it was Christmas. Sob, sob, sigh, sigh. The yelling and insults weren’t part of their manipulation tactics then. Against his better judgment, Sage had sent them a thousand dollars, and then immediately regretted it.
The following year, exactly the same thing happened, but this time his parents told him that the rent had been raised and now they were two thousand dollars in arrears. Sage had sent the money because he was still concerned his parents could end up homeless.
But he warned his mother that he wasn’t able to send any more and told her there was government assistance available for people who couldn’t afford their rent. He also suggested cheaper housing. His parents’ house wasn’t worth the rental his motherwas claiming they had to pay – it was considerably more than his mortgage payments, so Sage knew he was being lied to.
That’s when the texts changed to calls, and over three years, the tone shift and insults had gotten worse. Sage didn’t back down, refusing to send them anything except the details for their local assistance office. What was weird was that once the New Year rolled around, the calls and insults stopped.Maybe their drug dealer expects a bonus or something around the holiday period.Sage had no idea.
Marty’s mom made comments about them every now and again, but not often. She was absolutely disgusted with the way Sage had been treated when he was still a child, and she kept firmly advising Sage not to have anything more to do with them.
And now they want to visit.Sage looked around his comfortable living room again.There’s no chance they’ll find me,he decided.I lay low, I don’t draw attention to myself, and none of my research projects are newsworthy. Besides, if they do find me, that’s what the police are for.
Sage had come a long way from the scared young man he used to be – the one who used to jump every time he heard a loud noise.I have a job,he chuckled to himself as he glanced up at the clock.I currently have two jobs, and if I don’t get my butt in the shower I’m going to be late for one of them.
Heaving a sigh, Sage gave his knees one last squeeze, then hopped off the couch and headed upstairs. Only two more shifts and Marty would be back. Sage was really looking forward to talking to him and hearing about his friend’s New Year’s Eve. He was almost certain Marty’s mom would’ve sent gifts home for him, too – she never forgot him, especially over the holidays.Ah, if only I’d been born a paranormal – then I probably wouldn’t feel so tired.
Chapter Eight
Nic
By the time the sun had started sending light into their penthouse suite, Nic’s worry was morphing into full-blown panic. Luc hadn’t come back into the computer room – leaving Nic alone with his thoughts and those words that had a ring of finality about them - a dangerous place for Nic to be. From the way Luc had been talking –he’s putting this on me?
In fairness, Nic could see why Luc might be thinking that way. But as the hours of the night crawled toward dawn, Nic also wondered – worried – that Luc could be getting tired of him. Fifty years was a long time, and while Nic still craved his mate, probably more than he had when they first met, he couldn’t guarantee Luc felt the same way.
I still don’t think I was being unreasonable. I’ve put in the years. I deserve to have just one night of passion with my mate before we take a third – don’t I?
The issue is that you found fault with our third from first sight. Complaining about his glasses.Nic could feel his kraken’s disgust seep through their body.Great way to make you look like a “pick-me” when Luc’s arms have been around us for fifty years. Neither the Oracle nor the Fates makes mistakes.
I don’t understand what value a short-sighted human will bring to the great relationship I have with Luc.
It’s a shame you didn’t take the time to find out.
I’ve got a right to be cautious.
His kraken didn’t have a reply to that, but then his tentacled half didn’t want to leave the computer room either. Nic watched,alternating between fretting about Luc and seeing Sage go about his job.
About three in the morning, Nic noticed Sage took a break. Unlike other staff, he didn’t go to the restaurant –he brought his own sandwich.Nic glared as he noticed George being particularly attentive.
To his credit, Sage didn’t seem interested. He didn’t leave his chair behind the reception desk at all, yawning and nodding a few times at something George was saying, but it wasn’t like he was actively engaging in conversation.In contrast, Marty spent as little time behind that desk as possible.But all that proved was that Sage was different from Marty, and Nic already knew that because Marty was a shifter.
Nic kept watching, believing that any minute Luc would come back and they could talk. Just after seven in the morning, Barry came in to start his shift. Sage nodded, smiled, and picked up a backpack that had to have been stashed under the counter, and came out from behind the reception desk for the first time.
The first thing Nic noticed was that Sage wasn’t tall, but he did walk with a certain confidence.No, that’s not confidence,Nic decided, watching as Sage ducked his head and smiled as George held the door for him.He walks with purpose. How? Why?
Nic’s kraken wouldn’t settle, even after Sage was gone.I need to talk to Luc. We haven’t had an issue we couldn’t solve yet. I won’t let it happen this time either.But when he went to their bedroom, the room they had been sharing since they first took over the Regis Hotel, Luc wasn’t there.
Oh, no. He's sleeping in one of the spare rooms. He doesn’t want to be with me.The pit of despair in Nic’s stomach got bigger as he forced himself to lie down and get a couple of hours’ sleep. Hewas going to need his wits about him if he was going to get back in Luc’s favor.
Nic and Luc had argued before. They were two alpha-type personalities who both had very clear ideas on what they wanted in life and from each other. It was only natural for them to have disagreements at times. But from the day they met, they had always shared a bed. Tossing and turning, unused to having so much space to himself, Nic found he didn’t like sleeping on his own anymore. By nine o’clock, he was back out in the living area, wondering if Luc had ordered breakfast.
Luc was sitting at a table out by the pool, but his casual look from the previous three weeks was gone. He was wearing a suit, his jacket buttoned as if he were attending a business meeting.He’s even wearing shoes. For some reason, those shiny black loafers made Nic feel worse than ever.
Ducking back into the bedroom before he was seen, Nic pulled on a pair of pants and fluffed out his hair – that’s all he could be bothered with – before going through the living room and stepping out onto the patio. “Morning, hon. Did you already have breakfast?”
Luc barely looked up from his phone. “Yep. Yours is in the oven.”
No warm look. Not even a good morning. Nic realized that Luc was barely looking at him at all. Deciding coffee was more important than having anything to eat, Nic poured a mug for himself from the small trolley left by the staff, and then, to show he was thinking of his mate, poured a fresh one for Luc as well, setting them both on the patio table.
