Vale’s face went carefully blank, but Cyril caught the flash of hurt before it disappeared.“If that’s what you need,” he said quietly.
Cyril hated that he felt like that, torn between love and fear, between the man he’d chosen and Vale’s past.But until Vale was honest and told him what he was hiding—until he explained what had happened to Melissa Campbell—he didn’t think he could be comfortable with Vale.
He hoped Vale wasn’t hiding something as terrible as killing innocents, but considering what he’d witnessed in his dream, he couldn’t be sure anymore.That uncertainty felt like he was losing his boyfriend.
Maybe he already had.
Chapter Four
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CYRIL WAS AVOIDINGVale.It wouldn’t have been obvious to anyone who didn’t know him since the two of them shared an apartment, but it was obvious to Vale.Things had been that way since they’d woken up—hell, they’d been like that since Cyril had his nightmare last night.Vale had wanted to comfort him, but Cyril had pushed him away using Oscar as an excuse.
Vale had let it go because it had been the middle of the night and he’d understood that Cyril was still shaken.Oscar also hadn’t been behaving normally, which had added to Cyril’s stress, but now that Vale was sure something was up with his boyfriend, he felt like the situation was slipping out of his control.
He looked at Cyril, who was at the stove cooking breakfast.When Vale had tried to kiss him good morning earlier, Cyril had turned his head so that Vale’s lips had landed on his cheek.When Vale had tried to pull Cyril into his arms, Cyril had used the excuse of breakfast to slip out of the bedroom.
Vale didn’t know what he was supposed to do.There was something wrong with Cyril, but if he didn’t want to talk to Vale, how was Vale supposed to help him?How was he supposed to fix what he’d broken?
Because he was sure that whatever had happened with Cyril had to do with him.There was no other reason for Cyril to avoid even looking his way.Vale suspected it had to do with him not yet telling Cyril about the Organization, but Cyril’s reaction seemed like an overreaction.
Maybe Vale was making this all about himself when it wasn’t.Maybe after whatever Cyril had seen last night in his dream, he needed some space.If he was living the moment people died, it couldn’t be easy to deal with.He was a necromancer, but his gift had never been like that.He’d never had to relive someone’s death and be in their body when it happened.
Vale hated feeling useless.He wanted to help, but without knowing what was going on and what he could do, there was no way for him to.If Cyril didn’t tell him anything, he’d eventually ask, but for now, maybe it was better to give Cyril some space.He might need time to wrap his mind around whatever dream he’d had last night.They’d have to talk about it because they had to talk about how his ability was changing, but it didn’t have to happen now.
Even though Vale wished it did.He hated not knowing.
“What did you do to him?”John asked in a whisper.
Vale glared at him.“Who said I did anything?”
“Well, look at him.He’s not even looking your way.”
From the rigid line of Cyril’s back, Vale was pretty sure that he could hear what John was saying.He didn’t know if John didn’t realize it or if he didn’t care, but he didn’t like it.He didn’t like making Cyril feel awkward.
Vale grabbed John’s arm and pulled him out of his chair in front of the kitchen table.John yelled, but Vale wasn’t holding his wounded arm, so he didn’t slow down.He pulled John out of the kitchen, ignoring his protests.He didn’t really care what John wanted.He only cared what Cyril wanted, and right now, he looked like he wanted to be alone.
“What did you do that for?”John complained when Vale let him go.
“You were making Cyril uncomfortable.”
“He didn’t say anything.”
“You opened your big mouth, and that was enough.Sit down.”
John frowned.“What are you going to do to me?”
Vale was tempted to strangle him, but unfortunately, Cyril liked the guy.Vale didn’t understand why, but the why didn’t matter.It didn’t change the fact that Cyril had insisted on John sleeping on their couch while he healed.
Vale could wait until he finally did.
“Let me see your wounds,” he ordered as he turned to grab the first aid kit that Cyril had left on the coffee table.
“I don’t know if I want you to see my wounds,” John grumbled, but he obeyed, so Vale didn’t say anything.He didn’t care what John thought of him or his orders.He just cared that he did as asked.
John unbuttoned his borrowed shirt—it was easier for him to pull a shirt on and off than a t-shirt would be—and pulled it open so that Vale could see the wounds.Well, he could see the gauze.He’d have to peel it off to see what was underneath.
He took out what he’d need from the first aid kit and set to do just that.He didn’t say anything, and thankfully, John kept his mouth shut, at least initially.Vale knew it wouldn’t last, though.It wasn’t the kind of person John was.
