Kaj knew Mads was trying to alleviate his anxiety, but knowing the guys were a few steps away from his door, that in a few minutes he was going to be dropping a nuclear bomb on their laps, there was nothing he could do.
“This is just temporary, until that asshole is behind bars again.”
Yesterday, after coming back from his appointment, Kaj had convinced Noah to move in with him until things calmed down. If Jesper had found Kaj in the past, it was more than likely he already knew where Noah lived, too.
Kaj had the impression the vocalist had agreed because he was more worried about him than his own safety, but whatever. He got away with it.
“We’re officially together, but we’re still trying to figure things out. We both have a lot of baggage, so it’s not gonna be all rainbows and butterflies from the start.”
“Well, isn’t that lovely?” Mads gazed toward the door as Xander’s voice filled the room. “You two may have emotional shit to deal with, but you have someone to share the burden with.”
“I guess.”
“Also, butterflies are disgusting winged worms. Don’t include them in your erotic fairytale.”
Kaj chuckled and shook his head, standing up as the bassist, Aksel, and Niels approached them.
“This better not be about you dying, you asshole,” Xander said as he pulled Kaj into a bear type of hug that nearly crushed his ribs.
“You’re not gonna get that lucky,” Kaj retorted.
“Stop being dramatic,” Aksel chimed in, pulling Kaj into a hug, the tension in his body fading as they patted each other’s backs. The guitarist’s cologne—that expensive sandalwood one he’d been wearing since their first tour—filled Kaj’s nostrils, familiar and comforting. “Though you do look like shit.”
“Thanks, man.” Kaj managed a weak chuckle.
Niels was up next. His embrace was reserved but no less sincere. “How are you feeling?”
“Been better.”
“You had us all worried the other day,” Xander said, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Yeah, and your cryptic as fuck text didn’t help—‘we gotta talk. My place at 6 p.m.’” Aksel mocked. “Are you breaking up with us or what?” He chuckled as he walked toward Mads and gave him a quick hug, too.
As they settled into the living room, the city skyline across the river stretched beyond the panoramic glass wall, and Kaj’s heart hammered against his ribs.
Flanked by Mads on one side and Noah on the other, Kaj plopped onto the couch. His thigh touched his boyfriend’s, feeling like a lifeline in the storm that was about to break. Xander sprawled in the armchair to the left while Aksel sat on the floor and Niels on the chaise lounge.
After a brief exchange of silly jokes and whatnot, the room fell silent. The uneasiness in the air was only cut by the muffled sounds of the city on the other side of the window and the fizz of their drinks. They were all waiting for Kaj to speak up, but he didn’t know where to start. Would it be better if he’d warmed them up a little, or should he just pull the bandage off fast and tell them what was going on?
Niels cleared his throat. His expression was gentler than the musicians were used to, but then his brows slightly knitted together and his gaze pierced through Kaj’s skull like it’d done a million times in the past to call him on his bullshit, silently demanding answers.
“So…” Kaj began, running a hand through his hair, white strands falling over his forehead. “I know who’s been stalking Noah.”
The room seemed to hold its breath. Even Mads and Noah, who already knew, sat up straighter.
“It’s the same guy that also fucked with me in the past. My stepbrother.”
“What? How do you know it’s the same person?” The confusion on Niels’s face was a fucking poem, almost as loud as the one painted across Aksel and Xander’s. “Also, your stepbrother?”
“There are several things, but the one that made my alarms ring was the messages. I don’t know why I didn’t see it before. I guess I was too in my head to notice or even think he’d still be obsessed with me after so many years,” Kaj babbled, relaxing a little when the ring on Noah’s thumb clanked against his as he threaded their fingers. “There is the timing. The person who stalked me started doing it a little after my stepmother’s death and stopped when he went to jail for driving under the influence and killing someone in the process. We assumed it must have been a crazy fan, but it’s too much of a coincidence. And while he was supposed to be in jail for another two years, I’m guessing he got parole or something. There’s no other explanation as to how he’s been getting so many burner numbers, fake email accounts, and access to the internet. Oh, and fun fact? He has a degree in computer science.”
“No shit.” Aksel scoffed.
“But… as scary as all these coincidences are, it could be anyone else, no?” Xander said, brows furrowed in concern.
Kaj nodded, staring at Noah’s hand wrapped protectively around his. “Yeah, but then… there’s the things he said, especially the other day during the interview. He…” Kaj inhaled, letting it all out slowly. “He used to say those things to me.”
The words lingered above their heads, slowly falling like snowflakes in the middle of summer. Unexpected. Unwanted. Cold.
