“You shouldn’t be here,” Abel says.
“We were kind of naughty,” I say. “We shifted and climbed up the building. We just wanted to make sure you were okay. You were pretty upset when you left and?—”
Abel bursts into laughter. I can’t tell if it’s joyous or angry.
“Sorry. I’m just imagining you both scurrying up the building and peeking through the windows.” He makes circles with his fingers and puts them to his eyes like glasses.
“Well, our hands are too tiny to do that, but… yeah that’s pretty much what we did,” I say.
His bottom lip trembles and he blinks. “I thought Anya was different. She’d always treated me nicely, but apparently she’s been disgusted by me all this time.”
“Screw her,” Buckle says. He opens his arms and Abel kind of just drops in, laying his head on Buckle’s chest. Buckle gives me a look as he closes Abel in.
I want to be touching my mates too and cup the scruff of Abel’s nape, hoping my touch can help too. He looks up at me with a small smile.
“Let us help you,” I say.
“How?”
“I don’t know yet,” I say. “But there’s got to be something we can do. We can at least help you relax instead of drowning in your anxiety.”
“Like your pheromones?”
“Yeah,” Buckle says.
“Okay.”
Buckle and I both sigh in relief.
“But I need to get to work.”
“Babe, Riley won’t care if you get in late.”
“Icare.”
“Oh.” I hadn’t thought of that. “Okay, we won’t make you too late.”
“Okay. Let me get dressed first.”
“Something comfortable, then you can change into your work clothes,” I say.
He chews on his bottom lip before nodding and strolling from the living room.
“I want to rip that Anya lady’s eyes out,” Buckle says as he paces the floor. “The Kettle doesn’t deserve him.”
I drop a hand to his forearm. “We can’t help him if you’re all worked up.”
He stops and closes his eyes. “I know you’re right.” He lets out a breath. “Pax used to be the only one to calm me down. He’d just start rambling on about something and I usually stopped just to listen to his voice.”
“It’s a good strategy.”
“He got me through the worst years of my life.”
“He’s a good guy.” I’ve never seen him be cruel to anyone. Not that I’ve had much interaction with Pax or his partner, Aaron. They both come into Pleasures either alone or together for various reasons. I’ve always liked Aaron and the Risings. They just want everyone to get along and be happy. It’s much better than Opossum Nook or Hawk Ridge I imagine.
“I had a best friend like that when I was back home. She’d usually sing to me. We got each other through a lot.”
“Anya used to tell me bedtime stories of hawk princelings. But I guess I never lived up to what she dreamed I could be.” Abel slumps, trying to make himself smaller. He took our advice and only wears a t-shirt and a pair of loose sweatpants.
