Dimitri’s brows went up. “Oh. He did?”
Arlo nodded. Lake was currently working part-time doing security in their building to earn extra money for Christmas. He was also hoping to get a better place himself soon. Like all of Jericho’s boys, he babied Arlo. Once they’d met and realized they all pretty much went to school together, they’d grown closer. Though they wereall pursuing different career paths they had one thing in common. A secret they couldn’t tell civilians.
And that was the problem. They all knew Arlo’s past. They knew about his PTSD and his past abuse. Like Dimitri, they all tended to baby him. They were always overly considerate of his feelings, they never hovered too close, never came over if Dimitri wasn’t home. It was a little silly, but they meant well.
Noah, Zane and Felix had said he’d adjust to it eventually. That it was just how certain types of people showed their affection, even if it bordered on crazy. Once Ever and Shiloh came along and he saw how the others treated them just as gently, he realized it was just who they were as people. They just wanted to make sure he never felt uncomfortable or pressured or afraid. It was very sweet. They were all unbearably sweet to him.
More than he deserved.
Nobody was sweeter to him than Dimitri though. But that didn’t mean he was getting off totally free.
“Besides,someonesaid he’d be home an hour ago…” he reminded, trailing off with intention.
“And I would have been, but I had to drop something at Mom and Lola’s. And I got sucked into a conversation about what you wanted for Christmas. And nothing I said was good enough for their baby. You’d think they wereyourparents, not mine. They always look so bummed when I’m the one who shows up and not you.”
Arlo bit back a smile. He’d lucked out so much in the future in-law department. Calliope was determined tosomehow make up for Arlo’s shitty parents no matter how much he protested. Now with Lola there, he had two women trying to mom him to death. And he loved it. He loved them. But he didn’t like taking things from them. He wasn’t worthy of all the fuss they made.
But Arlo would never say any of that. He would never be ungrateful like that.
“That’s because you’re always in a rush to leave,” Arlo said. “I hope you told them I don’t need anything for Christmas.”
Dimitri scoffed. “As if they’d ever let me get away with saying that. They love spoiling you.”
Arlo leaned in with a sigh, getting close enough that only the left half of his face appeared on the screen. “That’s the problem. They spoil me way too much. It’s not necessary. I have everything I need.”
Dimitri gave him a goofy smile, then poked his screen. “And some you don’t.”
Arlo frowned. “Huh?”
“You’ve got suds on your nose.”
Arlo brushed at the offensive bubbles with the back of his gloved wrist. “When are you coming home?” he asked, hating the whine that crept into his voice. “You’re already so late.”
His dopey smile morphed into a cocky grin that had him twitching. “Why? You miss me?”
“Duh,” Arlo pouted, gesturing with his gloved hand.
His eyes went wide, gasping as the glass slipped from his grasp, splashing back into the soapy water. His heart pounded as he stared down at his bright yellow gloves, panic thudding in his veins.
“You okay?” Dimitri asked, sharply.
It’s fine. You’re fine. It didn’t break. Calm down.
Something inside him died a little as his pulse rabbeted hard and heavy in his throat like he was some kind of prey animal. Nothing was even happening. He wasn’t in any danger. He was so fucking stupid. He fought the urge to slink off into their bedroom and just hide under the covers until the disgusting, dirty feeling went away.
Java whined, inching closer to Arlo.
“I’m okay, boy,” he whispered.
Was he though? Every time he thought he was doing better—that maybe he wouldn’t need weekly therapy sessions for the rest of his life—something happened and bam, he was right back in it.
Dimitri never made him feel bad about it. If anything, he was always the first to praise how much progress he’d made, even if it was just because his mother told him that was what good boyfriends did.
“Hey.” Arlo’s gaze jerked back to his phone screen forcing himself to meet Dimitri’s piercing gaze. “Don’t make that face. You look so tense. I told you I’d take care of everything when I got home. Just let me do the dishes.”
That pit in his belly became a black hole, frustration spilling out at the tears threatening to form. “I’m an adult,” he said tightly. “I should be able to do the dishes without curling into the fetal position over a broken glass.”
Dimitri shook his head. “You’re more than capable of doing just about anything you want. Nobody doubts that. But after yesterday, maybe just let me handle it for a fewdays. Just until you get your bearings back.”
