Page 12 of At The End Of The Day

My world was shrinking by the minute, and it was depressing as hell. I had a feeling by the time this was over, all I’d have left was my daughter.

I shoved off the island and snatched open the refrigerator, searching for food. So be it. I was always a good father, I’d just get even better. There were worse things in the world I could be than an overly dedicated single parent. At least Piera would grow up happy, safe, and secure. What else could I ask for?

Chapter 7

Vincent da Silva

Since it had been nearly a full twenty-four hours since Dash left this room, I was a little surprised when I spotted him on the camera headed back upstairs after only forty-five minutes. My muscles tensing, I cursed under my breath and snatched my cigarettes, lighting one right as the door creaked open.

I refused to turn and look his way, but I could sense him standing there, staring. After nearly thirty seconds, he finally shut the door, but I didn’t hear any footsteps on the carpet.

“Ahem. Everything okay out there?”

Skimming the screens, I nodded stiffly. “Yup. No sign of nothing.”

“Ahem. Good, good. Um. Well, you can go on and do whatever. I got this.”

I rolled my eyes and slouched lower, taking a drag. “Forget it, Dash—”

“It’s okay, really—”

“Look.” I threw my head back to blink at the ceiling, shrugging my hands out. “We cannot afford even the tiniest of mistakes. Now you’ve been in here by yourself for over a day with very little food. I got this. Just…take a nap, or something.”

When he still didn’t move, I sat up and swirled the chair to face him. His hands were in the pockets of his sweats, his weight to one leg. His chin bowed, he was staring at the floor. For a moment, I studied him, amazed I was suddenly attracted to him after all these years.

Maybe there was something out there other than William Christopher Wagner.

My brows lifted at that inner monologue. Of course, I always knew there was, but not for me. Could there be someone else for me? Obviously, it wouldn’t be Dash, a homophobic man who had been my friend for nearly fifteen years, but the mere fact I was even entertaining the notion of something, someone, outside of what I’d committed myself to when I was fifteen was encouraging. Where I once thought I’d never be happy without Billy and never get over him if I ever lost him, knowing my heart was willing to find excitement in something new was promising. It was a relief, actually.

Coughing, I averted my gaze to clear my thoughts. “If what happened last night hadn’t happened, would you be standing there, nervous being around me?”

His arms crossed, uncrossed, and then crossed again, his palms cupping his elbows. “I mean, no,” he grumbled.

“Then what’s the deal? I’m still me and you’re still you. Ain’t nothing that happened in this room going nowhere outside here,” I stated, pointing to the floor. “It happened, it won’t happen again, let’s move on. We really got more important things to worry about, anyhow.”

His chest puffed out with a deep breath, his sight flitting to me through his lashes.

“Look, Dash, my head is all fucked up right now because of Jackyl. I am really not okay that we’re about to lose him.” My heart sinking and my stomach twisting, I muttered, “I cannot lose you, too.”

He huffed and deflated, raking his hand through his hair. “You ain’t losing nothing, brother.”

“Then let this go and let’s move on,” I snapped, spinning to face the monitors again.

At last, he moved, crossing the floor to the bed. A moment later, the springs creaked under his weight as he moved about to get comfortable. Since the lights were off but the bathroom was on, there was a glare in a few of the screens, so I adjusted my sight to watch his reflection. He was lying on his stomach, his arms crossed under a pillow, facing me.

Again, my sight trailed over his figure, lingering on the roundness of his ass. Recalling how smooth his skin had been when I tucked my hand into his pants, my blood thickened with lust and my pulse raced. His cock was a little thick but average in length, the perfect size to fill me completely. The way our bodies lined up like he was designed specifically to fit against me, his husky moans so deep, his chest vibrating against mine was intoxicating. Not for the first time since last night, I couldn’t help but wonder what he tasted like. His precum had been delicious.

Christ, what the hell was it with these unexpected, intrusive thoughts? Out of all the men in the world, why Dario “Dash” Mangiacavallo, why now?

I cleared my throat again and concentrated on the screens, skimming over the property. It didn’t matter, nothing would happen because Dash didn’t like gay people. It was one reason I’d always kept my secrets from the Serpents. Einstein was bi, but never fucked a man without a woman involved, so no one ever said anything. I had never had sex with a woman, I’d never had sex with anyone but Billy. Never wanted to, until now.

My focus shifted to see his reflection. He was sitting up on his elbows, staring at me.

My heart skipping a beat, I coughed and took a drag before smashing out the cigarette. Exhaling through my nose, I rolled my shoulders and stared at the screen directly in front of me.

“You gay, Vin?”

Everything inside plummeted and my eyelids closed with a silent curse. Here we go. Heaving an exasperated sigh, I swung the chair around to face him. “Why would you ask me that?”