Just to make sure he’s having fun and that Brendan is spoiling him like I ordered him to. I had to text him and tell him I wasn’t happy with the amount of money he was spending. I told him to get Rory everything, and I meant it. He needs to be spoiled.
When I open the account that their pictures are linked to, I gasp.
The smile on Rory’s face is radiant as he stands there next to a princess. He looks so soft and ethereal that even the perfectly made-up woman next to him can’t hold a candle to his beauty.
Now I’m getting all poetic and shit. What is it about this guy?
I grab my desk phone.
“Yeah, boss,” Liv answers right away.
“Get me all the footage of Rory and Dr. Byrnes’s visit.”
“Right away, boss.”
And then I hang up.
If she thinks my request is weird, she doesn’t say anything. Smart girl. I don’t like to explain myself.
And I don’t like to wait, so I continue to scroll through Rory’s pictures and smile when I see one of him making faces in front of what looks like a shooting range. I think the direction was “look like an angry gunslinger,” and Rory fails miserably. He’s too sweet even after what he’s been through.
I barely refrain from throwing my current tumbler at the wall but only because Liv sends me a notification.
“Here you go, boss.”
I quickly open the video and turn up the volume.
Rory’s mostly quiet, then they enter the building and ride up the elevator to the top floor. He’s nervous when Brendan leaves him, and somehow, Rory manages to get his whole body into a ball in his oversized hoodie.
He doesn’t notice my approach, but as I watch, my whole body freezes when I see him, and I don’t even hesitate to walk over to him.
Why didn’t I ignore him?
Hell, what was I even doing in lobby?
I usually take the side door to my office and bypass the lobby because I don’t want people to see me and try to talk to me. I’m too fucking busy for their shit, but Rory… He just looked so sad, I couldn’t stop myself.
He looks startled when he sees me, but he relaxes quickly.
Then I reach out and touch his cheek.
Why would I do that?
I don’t touch people unless it’s to beat the hell out of them, or to fuck them from behind.
Rory needed the comfort, and I realized that.
My mind drifts back to Mya. She was sweet like Rory, and delicate. She was far too young and so full of life and love. I wonder what she would think of the angry murderer I am today? She’d probably?—
“We’re what?!” Rory screeches, and I turn my attention back to the screen. He practically jumps into Brendan’s arms, and he laughs as he catches Rory. “OMG! This is so exciting. We haven’t been there since we were kids!” He pulls back and grins mischievously at Brendan. “And you were scared to go on all the rides.”
“I was not!” he gasps.
“Were too,” Rory teases.
“Keep teasing and there will be no ice cream.”
“You promised.” Rory pouts, and god damn those lips of his. I shift in my seat, trying to make sense of all this. I’ve been watching Rory pout on loop. He’s just so god damn… pretty.Pausing the video, I touch Rory’s lips on the screen. Would he smile for me like he does for Brendan?
