“You know me, and I know you. I couldn’t get you out of my mind last night, and I think you might have had the same problem." He decided to play around the edges of Myles' attraction. To his surprise, Myles did not hide and hit him with complete honesty.
“You never left my mind. I've never fixated on anyone before, but your handsome face would not leave my head, noteven when I slept. You filled every dream. I have the version of you in my head that my reckless emotions described, but I don’t know who you really are.” That was deep and well stated.
“Fair enough.” He agreed and then went on. “I work security for the Hadden Corporation, and I reside on the twenty-second floor of the Hadden Center. Most security resides at the Hadden Center with some still stationed at the Imperial Club, which is still a very important part of Hadden's holdings." He wanted to share, but also needed to keep it non-paranormal.
"I have been assigned to Pittsburgh East for the next few weeks. We do patrols, keeping watch on Hadden’s other holdings. He owns much in this city.” Myles nodded, well aware of Nikolas Hadden's influence and reach.
“I have no family and have been on my own since a very young age. I do have friends and mentors who I value and respect." He paused and looked down at his beloved, who was quiet. "Anything you want to know, just ask."
“Are you single?”
“Yes, are you?” Flint returned the question.
“Yes, it's just my parents from hell and me." He chuckled, but there was no mirth in the sound. "I have no siblings, and in my uncle's defense, they tell him lies, and he believes them."
Myles was opening up, so Flint listened and held him with no force and no pressure. Myles laid his hand on Flint’s thigh, an intimate gesture that was pleasing.
"I shouldn't say that, but I’m just tired. I’m tired of having to give everything I have. I'm tired of being made to feel both useless and indispensable at the same time. I’m just fucking tired.” He glanced away toward the trees and closed his eyes fora moment. "I'm sorry this isn't your problem, and I have no right to be whining.”
“You’re not whining, and I asked you to tell me," Flint stated bluntly. "Based on your uncle's words, I take it you didn't give them what they wanted this month." He waited, and Myles nodded. “They’re trying to break you down?” Again, he nodded.
"They want eight hundred, and I don't have that much. I offered what I had, and they exploded. I can’t do any more than that.” His tone was tight and conflicted.
“Are they destitute?” Flint knew they weren’t, but he needed Myles to tell him.
"No, not by far, but they never seem to have enough to cover their bills." Flint was also aware that they both had sizable bank accounts and did not need to browbeat their son.
“How long have they been using you?” He picked his words deliberately.
"It started out small at first, right after I got my first job, but after I moved out at eighteen, it started to escalate. It was small loans, money for groceries, nothing major. Then it grew, and they needed bill money and then help with rent, and then it wasn't them asking anymore, it was them demanding." Myles stopped abruptly. “I shouldn’t be talking about them like this.”
Flint wanted to know everything and deal with these parents permanently. His anger over their behavior was mounting as Myles shared more. He was trying to be cautious with his words, so whatever was going on was probably much worse than he was describing. He knew one way to open his beloved’s eyes and give him a clear understanding of what they were doing to him.
He pulled out his phone and brought up the information Zac had forwarded to him. The proof of their income and the size of their bank accounts. He passed his phone to Myles and let him look. He didn't say anything; he just let him scroll through his parents' financial records.
“Where did you get this?” Myles sounded shocked and interested. “Is this real?”
"It's real," Flint told him. "I work security for a powerful company. I have access to many resources.”
“This says they’re rich.” His tone was sharp and accusatory. “They’ve been bleeding me while banking their own money.”
“It would appear that way.”
"I don't feel bad about telling them no." He announced, still staring at the screen. It was hard for him to believe his own eyes. He kept going over the information.
“You told them no?” Flint felt a stab of pride.
“I realized that no amount was ever going to be enough, and eventually they were going to destroy me. I had to try and pull back." He explained, but he didn't have to.
"Good for you, Myles." He squeezed his shoulder and pressed him to his side.
“I feel awful for telling them no, but I also feel like an idiot for not knowing they had the means and didn’t need my money. They took it all because they could. I don't know how I'm going to deal with this, how I'm ever going to be able to look at them again." He started to spiral.
"You don't have to do anything right now. You know their game now, so don't feel bad telling them no. Practice it over and over again. Every time they ask, tell them no and stick withit.” Flint saw it as a fairly easy process, but he understood the emotional component involved.
"If you get weak, remember the accounts and the numbers involved; they don't need your help." Myles was nodding and listening, and that was all Flint could ask for at this point.
“Boundaries, I’ll try to establish boundaries.” He said and then shook his head. “Not boundaries, I just want to cut them off for a while. I need space and distance. Would it be horrible of me to just avoid them? I'm so scattered right now, and I don’t want to risk falling for more of their lies.”
