He chuckled, but his good mood soured shortly after.
The Brumal were getting too close to this, and there was little doubt that Baikal would eventually find out what Berga was looking into for Bay as well. When that happened, Sila couldn’t be anywhere near it.
Baikal Void didn’t suffer from anti-social personality disorder as far as Bay could tell, but that didn’t mean he didn’t have certain attributes in common with Sila. They both liked being in charge, for one.
And they were both deadly.
Bay wasn’t sure which of them would survive in a head-to-head fight, but Baikal had an entire mafia army at his beck and call, whereas Sila was alone. If for any reason the Brumal looked unfavorably upon Sila, Varun wouldn’t just stand there and take it. He’d fight back, probably for the fun of it.
His multi-slate went off then and the devil in question’s name flashed over the screen.
Varun:Nila is dead.
Bay shot upright, his fingers swiftly clicking over the screen faster than his mind could process moving.
Professor Delmar:What?! Tell me everything.
He wanted to ask if Sila had done it, but knew better than to leave any physical evidence. When he tried to call, however, he was sent to voice mail.
Varun:Can’t talk now. Busy. Trying to figure out who’s behind it with my Shepard contact. That’s who told me about it. Then I’ve got something to do for my brother. Don’t worry about it. It won’t link back to you.
The Brumal were already looking into things and now there wasanotherShepard murder? If they heard about this while Sila was out actively investigating, they’d surely cross paths. Bay couldn’t allow that to happen. He needed to get the name of Sila’s contact and then take over himself. Berga could vouch for him, but his friend could say nothing in Sila’s defense that would appease Baikal. From the sounds of it, things were heating up between them and the gang, which meant tensions would be higher than usual. The Brumal had made more than one person disappear in the past, innocent or otherwise.
Sila already done everything he’d promised Bay he would do. He’d gotten him the answers he’d been wanting, and even if they didn’t have any physical evidence to back it, it was looking like that would never happen anyway. Which meant it was fine to tell him to stop searching and leave well enough alone.
He thought about the question Sila had asked him earlier again, about whether he wanted revenge or justice. He still couldn’t answer it, but what he did know was he wanted Sila to be safe.
He wanted him to be his.
The last time he’d gotten his grandmother involved with a dangerous person, it’d been accidental. If he’d known there was ever even the slightest chance Haroon would target her, he never would have befriended the guy. This was different. If Bay allowed Sila to get involved with the Brumal, that would be entirely on him.
He couldn’t lose Sila, and not just because there was a very real chance he’d die inside all over again, but because…Well. He just didn’t want to.
Before he could change his mind, he entered a reply and hit send.
Professor Delmar:Let’s stop here. I’ve got what I needed, so there’s no reason to continue.
Chapter 23:
Hadn’t he promised Bay he wouldn’t pull the disappearing act again?
He tried not to scowl as the class Sila should have been in came to an end with the younger man nowhere in sight. His friends stood quickly, as though in a rush, the two of them already deep in discussion the second the clock had struck the hour.
They seemed nervous.
Yesterday, Bay had waited for a reply from Sila but it had never come. He’d resisted the urge to call again, not wanting to turn into a clingy lover. He didn’t have the right to demand Sila’s location, and what’s more, he worried bringing something like that up would push him away.
Sila only did things he wanted to do and the second Bay was no longer interesting to him he’d leave. Maybe he’d kill Bay on his way out, maybe he wouldn’t, either way the ending would be the same.
Bay alone.
Again.
Bay didn’t want to be alone anymore.
Since he’d studied psychology so extensively, he was aware of what was happening to him, what must have been happening for some time now without his notice.
He’d started becoming reliant on Sila, on the things he could force Bay to feel. That rush, after so long dormant, was like a potent drug, and Bay wanted more of it. Before, he’d thought of the student fondly whenever he was alone, but now he was constantly on Bay’s mind. It was hard to focus on anything else in fact.
