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No.

No, he couldn’t⁠—

The pipe overhead banged.

“Leo?”

He shook his head. Then nodded, because he did remember, he knew exactly what Nate was asking, and he’d asked Nate something too. In the kitchen. He’d gone into the kitchen because⁠—

Nate shifted his grip.

“Don’t!”

The word tore out of him. His arms spread wider against the stones.

Nate went still.

Good. Stay still. Put it down.

No. Pick it up. Keep swinging.

“Please,” Leo said again, though he wasn’t sure anymore what he was asking for. “Please, I… You…”

He couldn’t get the rest out.

Nate’s gaze stayed on his face.

Leo looked at Nate too. Just at him. Not at his hands, not at the hammer. Nate had kissed him. Hadn’t he? Just a few minutes ago. He’d tasted⁠—

A little more mortar trickled onto the sheet, and Leo lost the thought as his hand flew to cover the crack.

Too wide. It was getting too wide.

“Get out!”

“Leo.”

“GET OUT!” Leo screamed and then he pressed his hand over his mouth. This needed to happen. It needed to.

No, it couldn’t.

Nate watched him for another moment. Then his hands tightened around the handle of his hammer.

Leo’s hand fell from his mouth.

“No,” he said immediately. “No, don’t⁠—”

The hammer came up.

Leo threw both arms out to block it.

And Nate swung.

Chapter

Forty-One

The hammer went through Leo’s chest without harming him, but he still flinched as the tool hit the wall behind him.