Chapter Nine
“YOU’RE STILL SMILING,”
Austin accused. “It’s getting creepy.”
West resisted the urge to stick his tongue out because he was an adult, but he was tempted. “What do you want me to do? Cry in the locker room?”
“You could stop smiling so much. Not all of us are dating a beautiful, sweet man,”
Austin grumbled.
That caused West to smile even wider. “You’re right. I am dating a beautiful, sweet man.”
Austin looked like he wanted to throw his phone at West’s head. Instead, he flopped down on the couch next to West and stretched out his legs. West leaned against Austin’s side and let the familiar sounds of the fire station comfort him. He could hear Taylor and Lisa talking in the kitchen and the sound of Jeremy working out in the gym. More people were chatting down the hallway, and Rebecca was singing badly in the shower.
The station was where he worked, but in a way, it was also his home, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. He cared about every single person who worked with him, even those he didn’t know as well as he did Austin, Jeremy, Lisa, and Taylor.
“Seriously, though,”
Austin said. “I’m happy for you. Both you and Jonathan deserve this.”
“He certainly does after what happened with his ex.”
Austin frowned. “What do you mean?”
Jonathan and West had been talking every day, and they hadn’t avoided any topic of conversation. That included Sal, even though it was clear that Jonathan wished he never had to talk about him again. He’d agreed that it would be better if Austin knew what was going on, though. He wasn’t the one dating Jonathan, but he was a dragon shifter and West’s best friend. West wouldn’t be surprised if Sal tried something with Austin, and he wanted his friend to be prepared.
“Jonathan’s ex was abusive, and he’s a dragon shifter. He found us the other day when we went on our first date. He didn’t hurt either of us, but he was threatening, and Jonathan’s still freaked out,”
West explained.
Sal was the reason they’d spent their second and third date at West’s apartment. It helped Jonathan feel more comfortable and safe, and West was fine with anything as long as he did it with Jonathan. Take-out and a movie was as great as their meal at the food trucks had been. Hell, it was even better because when he was at West’s place, Jonathan was relaxed and didn’t have to fear Sal popping up from behind a potted plant.
“Shit,”
Austin murmured. “I get why he was so wary of you initially. He got over it?”
“I think he finally allowed himself to believe that I’m nothing like Sal.”
“Wait. Sal?”
“Yeah, that’s the asshole’s name.”
“As in Sal, the son of the leader of the local dragon clan?”
“Yeah, that’s him. You know him?”
“Shit. They’re dangerous, West.”
“I’ve never heard anything.”
“I’m sure you have heard about Sal, although maybe not by name. He’s a brat, but unfortunately, he’s a dangerous brat. He uses his father’s wealth and power to control people. People are afraid of him. I definitely wouldn’t want to be in the same room as him. You’re saying he’s Jonathan’s ex-boyfriend?”
“He is, and he’s a dick.”
“I don’t deny that. I’m just saying he’s dangerous and that you need to be careful.”
Austin looked around, but no one was anywhere near them. He still leaned closer to West. “I’ve met him. I was only marginally involved with people who were close to him, but it was enough for me to know that I never wanted anything to do with him. He’s spoiled and arrogant. He doesn’t think anything of hurting people, and I don’t think he’s ever loved anyone but himself.”
“That’s the impression I got of him. I’m not sure he ever cared about Jonathan.”
“I’ve heard about Jonathan, too.”
“You knew him before we met him?”
“No, I’d only heard of him. Mostly, it was people mentioning how badly Sal was treating him and what they’d seen Sal do to him. Shit. Jonathan’s fucking brave, West. I don’t know how he managed to get away from Sal, but not a lot of people would’ve managed.”
West liked Sal less and less with every new bit of information he heard about him. Someone needed to kick him down off the pedestal he’d placed himself on, and while West wanted to be the one to do it so he could avenge Jonathan, he wasn’t about to seek out Sal. He’d promised Jonathan that he wouldn’t, and he kept his promises.
All bets were off if Sal found them again, though.
West would protect Jonathan, and he didn’t care what he had to do to make sure that Jonathan was safe and happy. If he had to kick Sal's ass, he would. Hell, he’d even kick the clan leader’s ass. That man needed to control his son, but unfortunately, West knew that often, when someone was an abuser, they’d learned it at home.
“He’s not going to let Jonathan go,”
Austin said. “I’d tell you to stay away from Sal, but he won’t let you. From what I know about him, he has to hate the fact that Jonathan got away from him, and now, Jonathan’s dating another dragon shifter. He needs to prove that he’s better than you.”
West snorted. “That’s going to be impossible because he’s not.”
“Most people know that, but even though he’s not better, he is dangerous. He has his father’s support, and that’s not a good thing. The man’s rich and powerful, West.”
He might be, but he was also a dragon shifter and a leader. He wouldn’t allow his son to out them to the world, which meant he’d try to keep him under control. That didn’t mean Sal wouldn’t do something stupid, but West was a dragon shifter, too. He could defend Jonathan in whatever form he needed to. He was sure he’d win. He was strong because of his job, and it would come in handy if Sal did anything stupid.
And West suspected that he would.
JONATHAN COULDN’T STOP smiling. Was he worried about Sal and his threats? Yes, of course he was. He’d spent too much time with Sal not to be worried about whatever the man was up to. It was hard to focus on that when everything else was going so well, though.
West was a dream come true, a dream that Jonathan hadn’t known he could have. The perfect man didn’t exist, but if Jonathan had to think of one, he’d say that West came pretty close.
West never pushed. He understood what Jonathan had gone through with Sal, and he always gave him the time and space he needed. He didn’t insist on them going out when it was clear that Jonathan was more comfortable staying in. Jonathan had thought it might be awkward, especially because he wasn’t ready for West to see his apartment yet, but West had taken it in stride, and they’d spent their last few dates on West’s couch.
Jonathan wanted more. He was terrified, and even though he and West were dating, he was keeping West at arm’s length. He couldn’t help it, but he wanted to change that. He wanted to let West in. He wanted them to grow closer and to kiss—and more. He wanted them to go on a date without having to fear that Sal would find them.
He wanted many things, and he thought he was ready for them. He hoped he was because he didn’t want to go back to what his life had been before West came into it.
He hummed as he got everything ready for his next appointment. He was a little early, but that was okay. It meant he would have time to draw a little, which was something he barely had time to do these days. Between the shop, spending time with West, and hiding from Sal, Jonathan hadn’t had time to focus.
When he heard the front door of the shop open, he didn’t think anything of it. It was early for his customer, but Daniela, Christy, and Ethan were working today, too. Whoever was there had to be in the shop for one of them.
Jonathan realized he was wrong when he heard raised voices.
It was like the air got punched out of his lungs. He heard that voice in his nightmares, and he always would. He wished he’d never had to hear it again, but unfortunately, Sal had taken it upon himself to make his life hell.
Jonathan wanted to ask why, but he knew. Sal was angry because Jonathan had left him. Nobody left him, but especially not a human Sal didn’t think much of. He might have wanted Jonathan in his bed, but he’d never had any intention of keeping Jonathan in his life. It had taken Jonathan way too long to accept that, but eventually, he had. Knowing that Sal didn’t care about him had given Jonathan the last push he’d needed to leave, and he truly thought he’d made it out.
He hadn’t. Sal was trying to drag him back down, and Jonathan didn’t know how to stop it from happening. He couldn’t run to West every time Sal tried something, but he desperately wanted to. West was a dragon shifter, and he would defend Jonathan.
But West was at work, and Jonathan needed to deal with this like he would with anything else.
Alone.
“I swear to God, if you take one more step toward that hallway, I’m calling the cops,”
Christy threatened.
Sal’s laughter wasn’t a nice sound. It seeped into Jonathan’s brain, making him want to run the other way. He might have if he’d been alone, but he didn’t want to leave Christy with Sal. He didn’t think Sal would hurt her, but he wouldn’t put it past him to do it, and he wasn’t willing to risk it.
“What are you doing here?”
he asked as he left his workroom before he could think better of it.
His hands shook, so he pushed them into his pockets. He didn’t want Sal to see how scared he was of him. He didn’t want Sal to know that every time he heard his voice, he still wanted to run away screaming.
Sal stood by the shop door. He looked good, as always, but now, Jonathan could see beneath the surface. Sal might be wearing an expensive suit and look like he just stepped off a runway, but inside, he was rotten. He was black and twisted, and that would never change. Sal didn’t want to change. He saw nothing wrong with who and what he was.
There was nothing good in him, unlike in West. Jonathan couldn’t believe how lucky he’d been to meet West, and he didn’t want Sal to ruin everything. He seemed bent on doing just that, though.
The smile he gave Jonathan when he saw him made Jonathan want to run away screaming. Fear prickled his skin, but he squared his shoulders and glared at his ex-boyfriend.
What had he ever seen in Sal? He supposed that initially, he’d been impressed by how handsome Sal was and maybe by how rich he was, too. It wasn’t every day that someone could take him on day trips wherever he wanted and buy him food he could only ever have dreamed of. It hadn’t only been the money, though. Sal had been smooth and sweet. He’d known exactly what to say. He’d been trapping Jonathan, and as soon as he had him, he’d closed his trap around him. He’d thought Jonathan would never be able to leave.
Jonathan was stronger than anyone thought, including himself and Sal. He’d made it out, and he was rebuilding his life. He wouldn’t allow Sal to burn it to the ground again.
“You heard her,”
he said. “If you don’t leave, we’ll call the cops.”
“I see you found your balls. Is it thanks to your new boyfriend?”
Fear sent Jonathan’s heart racing, but he wasn’t only protecting himself. He was protecting West, and it gave him the push he needed. He might not be able to stand up for himself, but he could do it for West.
“What do you want?”
“What, not even a hello? We shared so much, darling. I can’t imagine you’ve already forgotten it.”
“I wish I could.”
Jonathan glanced at Christy, who already had her phone in her hand. He nodded, and she grinned as she dialed 911.
“There’s no need to call the authorities,”
Sal said in a voice that told Jonathan that he wasn’t one bit worried.
Of course he wasn’t. His father was rich and influential. He’d have Sal out of jail faster than it would take Jonathan to call West to warn him about what happened.
“You need to leave,”
Jonathan said.
Sal raised his hands. “I’m going. I just wanted to warn you.”
There it was. Sal was here for a reason. Sal wouldn’t let it go until he had what he wanted. Jonathan wasn’t sure what that was, but he knew it included him being terrified and alone.
“I just wanted to warn you to stay away from your boyfriend,”
Sal continued. “You know my father wouldn’t be happy to find out who you’re dating.”
“West is none of your business.”
“Oh, I think he is,”
Sal said smoothly as he opened the door. “Or rather, he will be if you don’t dump him. You’re mine, Jonathan. That’s never going to change, no matter how far you try to run.”
Jonathan opened his mouth, even though he didn’t know what he’d say. Maybe he’d tell Sal to fuck off. It was time someone did.
Sal didn’t stop to listen to what he had to say. The door banged as it closed behind him, leaving the shop completely silent except for the buzzing and the soft voices coming from the back rooms.
“What was he talking about?”
Christy asked.
“He doesn’t want me to date West, and he’ll do everything he can to make sure I don’t.”
Sal wouldn’t stop until he knew that Jonathan wasn’t with West anymore. Jonathan didn’t know what would happen, but Sal usually got what he wanted.
And he wanted Jonathan.