Chapter One #2
He missed his best friend. One of the reasons he’d agreed to open the agency was that he enjoyed working with Remi.
Unfortunately, that was something they seldom did these days, and it had taken some of the shine out of the job.
Maybe Braden could move to Rosewood, too.
It might complicate things for a little while, but he could have someone in charge here at the office so he could focus on more serious clients.
After what he’d seen when they’d rescued Pembroke, he was sure there were plenty of people out there who needed to be rescued from similar situations.
That was something he wanted to focus on.
That was something he wanted to be a part of.
He’d need to talk to Remi. He didn’t think his friend would have anything to say against it, but they still needed to plan. It might take a while, but by the end of it, he’d be much happier than he was now.
He liked working with the pack. He felt more useful and like he was doing something important than he did babysitting barely grown teenagers with too much money in their bank accounts.
He suspected that Remi would understand that.
Considering he now lived with the pack and the way they’d rescued his boyfriend—his mate—from a dangerous situation, how could he not?
Braden’s phone vibrated on the desk. He picked it up, grateful for the distraction, and squinted at the screen. It hurt his eyes, but he ignored the pain when he saw he had a text from Remi.
Are you coming over tomorrow?
Braden was quick to answer. You know that I don’t have to visit every time we need to make the point of the situation, right?
Braden wanted to visit the pack, but he needed Remi to know that.
He missed his best friend, and he enjoyed spending time with the pack and the people who lived there.
Everyone had always been nice to him, and Pembroke was a very sweet person who loved Remi.
Braden was happy for them, almost as happy as he was jealous.
He was human. He knew he didn’t have a mate, but was it too much to ask for him to find a partner?
He doubted he’d ever be as lucky as Remi had been.
He was human, too, but he’d been lucky being Pembroke’s mate.
He hadn’t expected it—no one had—he was happier than Braden had ever seen him.
That was what Braden wanted, too. He suspected that was what most people wanted.
Braden would settle for a relationship with another human. He didn’t need a fated mate, although he would love to have one. No, he just needed a partner, but he couldn’t remember the last time he’d dated someone.
Part of that was on him. He spent most of his days working, so the only people he had contact with were coworkers, which meant people he paid to work for him.
He couldn’t date any of them, even if he were so inclined.
It wouldn’t be right. Thankfully, he didn’t feel any kind of way toward any of those people, but that worried him a little, too.
If he really thought about it, the last time he’d been in a real relationship had to be almost ten years ago.
He’d still been young back then. Did he know how to be with someone after so long?
Would he ever get the opportunity to find out?
His phone vibrated again. Sue me for missing one of my best friends. Are you coming or not? Remi had written.
Of course I’m coming, Braden answered. I miss Pembroke.
Anyone would miss Pembroke, Remi answered. He’s perfect.
Braden snorted. What could he say to that? Remi was smitten with the man. They were so in love that watching them together hurt, but Braden was happy for them. They both deserved it, especially Pembroke after everything he’d been through.
That we can agree on, he answered. And I’ll definitely see you tomorrow.
He knew he was lucky, definitely luckier than most. He might not have a partner, but he had a good job that he mostly enjoyed and that earned him quite a bit of money.
His business was successful, and he had friends who cared about him.
Now that he was doing meaningful work with the pack, he liked his life and his work even more.
He might feel like there was something missing in his life, but was it indispensable?
He’d been alone for a long time. He could continue being alone for a while longer, or even forever.
It wouldn’t be his preference, but he’d survive it.
Remi didn’t answer, which probably meant he was distracted by Pembroke.
That was okay. Braden still had work to do before he could go home, and he groaned when he saw the time.
He wasn’t going to get a lot of sleep tonight.
Maybe tomorrow, if he was lucky. He was pretty sure that Remi would know that he wasn’t taking care of himself as soon as they were in the same room, and he’d have something to say about it.
He’d become even more protective of the people he cared about since he’d met Pembroke, which wasn’t a bad thing, but it could be a lot considering that Braden was an adult man who hadn’t been told to go to bed early since he was twelve.
He’d probably resist if Remi said it, but Pembroke?
No one could say no to that man. No one wanted to say no to that man.
Maybe Braden would stay in Rosewood for a few days.
It wouldn’t be a vacation, but it would give him a few more hours of sleep.
Just like he didn’t need to go there to make the point of the situation, he also didn’t need to be here at the office to do most of his work.
Cell phones were a great invention, and he never hesitated to use them.
Braden straightened in his chair and squared his shoulders.
If he wanted to stay with the pack for a few more days than he’d initially planned to, he really needed to finish his work.
He also needed to do a few more things so that he wouldn’t have his secretary calling him in a panic because something was off.
He’d need to suffer for a few more hours tonight, but it would be worth it if he could relax for a few more days after that.
Sleep? Who needed sleep?
* * * *
PETER DIDN’T KNOW HOW long he lay there. Minutes? Hours? Eventually, the pain dulled enough that he could think past it. He pushed himself up carefully, gasping at the pain that shot through his ribs. They might be broken, or at least cracked.
He had to move.
Stumbling to the bedroom, Peter grabbed his duffel bag from the closet and started shoving things inside. Clothes. His phone charger. A few pictures. His hands shook so badly he dropped things twice.
In the bathroom, he caught sight of his reflection in the mirror and froze. His left eye was already swelling shut, and his cheek was turning purple. Blood was crusted at the corner of his mouth. His shirt was torn, exposing skin.
Peter knew that if he stayed, Lou would eventually hurt him so badly that he wouldn’t heal from it.
He might be sturdier than humans since he was a shifter, but there was only so much damage he could take before something in him broke.
He didn’t want that to happen. He didn’t want Lou to hurt him more than he already had, to become a permanent part of his life through the scars he’d leave.
If he allowed that to happen, he’d always remember Lou, and that wasn’t something he wanted.
He grabbed his toiletries and went back to the bedroom. He needed his keys and his wallet. The apartment felt different. It didn’t feel like home. Maybe it hadn’t since Lou had walked into his life.
Peter hauled his bag on his shoulder. Pain tore through his body, but he could move.
He paused at the door, looking back at the wilting roses. He thought of Vincent, safe and happy with Ronan. He thought of the Rosewood pack, which welcomed rare shifters.
Maybe they’d welcome one more.
Peter opened the door and stepped into the hallway. Every step hurt, but he kept moving. He had to.
He was going to Vincent. He was going to tell him everything.
And maybe he’d finally be free. It didn’t feel real.
After Lou had revealed himself for who he was, Peter had believed he’d never be free of him.
Some days, when things were particularly bad, he thought that the only way to be free of Lou was to die, and he’d yearned for that.
He hated that Lou could make him feel that way.
He hated what he’d let happen for way too long.
That was over, wasn’t it? Peter was finally leaving.
He knew it wouldn’t be as easy as walking out the door.
When Lou found out, he was going to be pissed.
He would make sure that Peter knew, and if he got his hands on him, he would hurt him.
There was nothing Peter could do to stop that.
Hopefully, leaving would show Lou that Peter didn’t want anything to do with him anymore, but Lou viewed Peter as his.
He’d been clear about that. He wasn’t going to let something he felt he possessed leave him.
But Peter still had to try. He still had to hope that he’d be safe in Rosewood. He wasn’t sure what he’d do if he wasn’t, but it wasn’t something he could focus on right now. He couldn’t afford to.
He was careful as he left the building, just in case Lou was hanging around, waiting for him to do just that.
It wouldn’t be the first time it happened, and if Lou was there and saw Peter leave, Peter might not survive the night.
He didn’t think that Lou wanted to kill him—in fact, he was pretty sure that Lou didn’t want that.
He’d lose Peter if he killed him, and he wouldn’t have anyone left to manipulate and hurt.
No, that wasn’t what Lou wanted. He wanted Peter terrified because he enjoyed it.
He wanted control, and he would have none of that without Peter.