Scott turned and took a casual stroll back to the house.
The black door at the top of the spiral staircase had been propped open.
Scott wondered whether Thomas would ever give him a key, then immediately scowled at himself for the thought. Thomas had given him a month, and it was a day away from being over, but he hadn’t dared to ask what happened next, and Thomashadn’t brought it up either. They were in a stalemate neither one of them had the courage to break.
Thomas stood waiting for him in the corridor.
“That’s not creepy at all,” Scott muttered, letting the door latch behind him. He remembered to wipe his shoes on the mat.
“I saw you coming,” Thomas replied. “Cameras… Scott, we need to talk.”
Thomas had found his courage first, kick-starting Scott’s own into making an appearance.
“I know.” He scratched the back of his head as he eased out a breath. One slow breath wasn’t enough; he exhaled again while his gut tied itself in a knot. He wasn’t experienced at being internally strangled by his emotions, but he’d promised himself the night before that he’d tell Thomas how he felt, lay all his cards down on the table and pray Thomas didn’t flip them over in a rejection.
“In here,” Thomas said, gesturing to the kitchen. His voice gave nothing away.
Scott hurried inside before he lost his nerve. There were two glasses of water on the table, and Thomas had already pulled Scott’s preferred chair out for him to sit down. It gave Scott business meeting vibes, not that he’d ever been in one.
Scott sat down, but Thomas didn’t. He braced his hands on the table, closing his eyes as he breathed out, and the nerves inside Scott skyrocketed. They were no longer tinged with hope, but dread. Scott hid his hands beneath the table, trying to stay calm, while internally mapping his bedroom, remembering where all his things were for a quick getaway.
If this was a business meeting, it was one where the boss was about to fire an employee, tell him to pack his stuff and leave immediately.
The cards Scott had been willing to lay down on the table glued themselves to his chest, hidden from view.
Thomas didn’t want him to stay.
Thomas had saidthosewords in the heat of the moment, or to please their audience.
It was nothing to do with emotion.
Stupid, Scott hissed in his head. He’d done it again. But this time it wasn’t the idea, he’d actually done it, he’d fallen for someone who didn’t feel the same.
“I called The Priory.”
The words hung in the air. It took Scott a long minute before he understood what Thomas had said. His brain had tried to twist and merge it into a rejection before deciding it couldn’t; Thomas had definitely said something else.
“What?”
“The Priory,” Thomas repeated.
Scott frowned, rubbing his brow. “Why…why would you call The Priory?”
“Gut feeling.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I had a feeling that this guy you owe money to is the same one that was at The Frog & Toad, the one who frightened you.” Thomas bit his lip. “I think he’s the same man you told me about, the one client you said scared you when we were in the café.”
Scott’s heart pounded. It felt dangerously close to coming out of his body.
“And I think he’s the same person making those sick requests on our page.”
Scott pressed his lips in a firm line.
“Is he?” Thomas asked.
Scott knew he wouldn’t be able to speak, so he nodded instead.
