Evan
Evan glanced at the clock again, frowning a little at the time. James had texted that he was on his way home from the restaurant nearly half an hour ago. It took twenty minutes to drive home if the traffic was light, or if you took the back ways that James knew like the back of his hand.
The fact that he was taking longer told Evan that he was thinking too much, and not paying attention. Not good.
He forced his attention to return to his computer, reviewing his course load for the coming semester. Easy enough; mostly extracurriculars for "enrichment" credits and one or two business courses. He'd already finished all his degree courses, and was dragging his feet on these last few classes that would give him enough credits to graduate.
It was worth it to make sure that James wasn't alone at the school, vulnerable to his father and anything that he decided that he wanted to do with James' life.
A car pulling into the driveway pulled Evan's attention, and he closed the laptop, setting it aside as he waited for James to appear in the doorway. It took a moment longer than he expected, and Evan furrowed his brow as the front door finally opened, revealing James' tense figure as he entered the home.
James nodded curtly at Evan before turning towards the stairs, clearly intending to avoid the entire conversation and go to bed, but Evan clicked his tongue to get James' attention. "Hey."
James stopped, one foot already on the stairs, and he didn't say anything. His blonde hair was mussed at the top, as if he'd been running his hands through it and grabbing at the strands during dinner, and Evan frowned further. "Come here."
It wasn't a question, and after a moment James turned and made his way over to the couch with short, stilted steps. He sat next to Evan, avoiding his gaze, and Evan rolled his eyes a little as he wrapped his arm around Evan. "What happened?"
James didn't look at him, his hands twisting in his lap. "He tried to pull me out of school again," he mumbled. "Said that there's already a position available for me, and that I'll be working under him until I can run my own team,of course." He spit out the last words with disgust, and his entire frame shuddered as he shook his head. "Asshole."
The venom in his voice didn't deter Evan, but the pain that underscored every word did. He frowned further, reaching over and grasping James' chin, forcing him to look up and meet Evan’s gaze. "Will you please let me help you? For the love of God, James, you don't have to keep doing this."
James expression shuttered a little, and his gray eyes glinted the way they did every time Evan brought up the subject. Evan's trust fund meant that he had more than enough money for himself and anything that he wanted for the rest of his life, even if he never wanted to work a day after he graduated. He had triedto get James to accept his help multiple times over the years, assuring him that it wasn't a loan or a grant or anything that he needed to pay back.
Evan just hated to see what James went through with his dad, and the financial means to stay in school was the whip that he kept using to hurt James over and over again through the years.
James shook his head. "I can't ask you to do that, Ev. You know that." His voice broke a little, and he closed his eyes. He didn't try to pull away from Evan's grip, though. "I bought a little bit of time. I'll figure something out."
Evan cocked his head to the side, stroking his thumb over James’ jaw and watching the man's shoulders slump a little at the soothing touch. "What did you do?"
A smile touched the corners of James' mouth for a moment. "Told him I would be a lazy asshole who shamed him and the family with my lack of work ethic if he forced me to go work for his assassins now."
A hint of pride swelled in Evan's chest, and he shook his head, chuckling. "I'm surprised he didn't shoot you right then and there."
"Probably was a close call," James agreed. His voice was softer, and his face leaned a little more heavily into Evan's hand. He let out a shuddering breath, and Evan turned him, just enough that he could lean their forehead's together.
"What do you need?" he asked softly. "Talk to me."
For a moment, James didn't say anything. His gray eyes were squeezed shut again, and he finally let out a low, desperate sound as he said softly, "Too many thoughts, Ev. Please..."
Evan nodded, his grip on James' chin tightening. He didn't need to say more for Evan to know exactly what he needed. "On the floor. Kneel for me."
James shuddered, and he slid off the couch before he turned to kneel between Evan's spread knees. He ducked his head, andEvan smiled a little at the way his shoulders relaxed a little with the lack of control.
They didn't put a label on what it was that they had. Friends, always. Almost closer than brothers.
Lovers, occasionally. They both had such strong Alpha tendencies that when they fucked, it was usually hard and fast and gave them both a visceral satisfaction that they couldn't find with others.
But then there were times like this, times when James was wound so tight and his emotions had nowhere to go. And times like this is when he needed Evan the most; needed him to take control, to take him out of his head.
So Evan clicked his tongue softly again, reaching down and smoothing his hands over James' shoulders. "Let's get some of these clothes off you. Be a good boy for me."
James made a soft sound as Evan pushed his suit jacket off his shoulders, then slowly undid his dress shirt, one button at a time.
"Shh," Evan hushed him when James made a quiet, impatient sound. He brushed a thumb over one nipple, feeling it harden under his touch, and he smiled at the glare that James sent his way from underneath his pale eyelashes. "Let's get you out of your head."
He pushed the shirt off James' shoulders too, then slid one hand into his hair. He gripped the soft strands and tilted his head up, leaning down for a kiss that made Evan's cock twitch at the gasp that James let out.
Evan kissed him slowly, surely; far more slowly than James likely wanted him to, but James wasn't in charge right now. The swell of power that Evan felt in his chest at having this man, this angry, powerful man willingly kneel for him...
