Chapter 16
Dante
Barely contained fury propels me through the door, the force of it slamming against the wall and rattling on its hinges.
What fucking right does he think he has to be here? To come to Theo’s home like this? I should have gutted the bastard when I had the chance.
Theo is curled against an older woman who works in the building, that fragile air clinging to him once again. Her hand moves gently over his shoulders while he hunches forward, staring at the floor. She’s always been kind, stopping to chat with him every time I’ve come through with him.
The moment his eyes find mine, his face crumples, and the raw fear in them strikes me straight in the gut. He pushes off her and runs to me, crashing into my chest as my arms close around him.
“Why is this happening to me?” he whimpers against my shirt.
I rake my fingers through his hair and hold him tighter. “I don’t know, but we’re going to fix it. You trust me to protect you, right?”
He nods, his cheek rubbing against me as he sniffles.
“Good, sunshine. That’s good.” I scan the lobby while my nose presses into his hair, breathing in that sweet scent that’s become so familiar. It takes everything in me not to let the rage take over, but I ground myself in his touch, knowing I have to stay in control.
This is something I can handle.
I draw in a breath until my lungs burn, then slowly release it, counting to ten before I let the rest of the air leave my body. My mind clears. I glance down at the thick mop of brown hair pressed against my shoulder.
“Here’s what we’re going to do,” I say near his ear. “We’ll go upstairs together, and I’ll check your apartment to make sure there’s nothing to worry about—”
“Do you think he could be up there?” he interrupts.
Fuck, I hate how small his voice sounds.
“No, I don’t. But when it comes to my favorite person, I’m not willing to take any chances. We’ll pack you a bag, and you’ll stay with me until we figure this out.”
“You don’t have to do that,” he whispers, voice shaky.
My fingers thread deeper into his hair and give a gentle tug, tilting his face up to mine. “Nothing is going to happen to you, okay? We’ll have a sleepover for a few nights, go to the police station and file a restraining order, and from there… we’ll play it by ear.”
“Can we wear cute pajamas and have a pillow fight at this sleepover?” he asks with a weak smile.
I return it, trying to keep the anxiety from showing in my eyes so he’ll feel safe. “Sure. You can even paint my nails.”
His smile spreads, more genuine this time. “Any color?”
“Whatever you want.”
“Neon pink?”
I chuckle softly. “Absolutely.”
“Glitter rainbows?”
“All the glitter,” I promise. His smile softens as I run my hands slowly over his back. “You ready to go up?”
He pulls back just enough to slide his hand into mine, lacing our fingers together. “As ready as I’m going to be.”
We head upstairs to his apartment, and when we step inside, the delicious smell of his dinner comes from the pan sitting on the stovetop. Everything is quiet.
“My poor chicken,” he says with a pout.
I bolt the door behind us. “You have time to eat. Can you think of any way he could’ve gotten in here?”
He chews on his fingernails as he considers the question. “I have a spare key hidden outside, but I haven’t used it in months. I doubt he could’ve found it.”
“Eat your dinner,” I tell him as I move through the room, twisting the blinds shut and pulling the curtains closed with a soft swish.
Theo already seems calmer as he plates his food and settles at the small dining table.
After checking the closet, I gesture toward the hallway.
“I’ll close the windows and clear the rest of the rooms.”
“God, listen to you playing sexy detective,” Theo says with a shaky smile. “Are you going to pull out your baton now, officer? Threaten to beat someone with your nightstick?”
I raise a brow and let a slow smirk slide across my face, dropping my voice low. “Do you want me to pull my baton out? Because the only one at risk of being beaten with my nightstick tonight is you, pretty boy.”
His fork clatters against the plate. He stares at me for a beat, then thrusts both wrists out like he’s waiting for the cuffs. “Oh my fucking yes. I’ve been such a bad boy, officer. Take me downtown.”
I tilt my head, fighting the laugh that wants to escape. “Apologies—did I hear you say ‘take you to pound town’?”
Theo lets out a full-on, delighted squeal that could wake the neighbors three floors up. His legs kick under the table hard enough to rattle the chairs. “Yes, yes, that’s exactly what I said. Read me my rights and then violate every single one of them. I waive them. Enthusiastically.”
I chuckle, shaking my head. “You’re getting way too excited about being locked up.”
“Truly,” he agrees, scooping up another bite like nothing happened. “I’ve already forgotten what I was so upset about. Stalkers? Never heard of her. I’m thriving in custody.”
“And on that note,” I say, still grinning despite myself, “let me finish checking the apartment. I’ll be right back.”
He points his fork at me, eyes filled with their usual fire. “Bring the nightstick. For… evidence collection.”
I turn toward the hallway before he can see how badly I’m losing the battle not to laugh. “Eat your dinner, trouble.”
“Don’t forget to frisk me!” he calls after me.
I make quick work of the two bedrooms and bathroom, pulling every window covering shut and checking inside closets and under the beds. When I return to the living area, Theo is at the sink washing dishes.
“All clear?”
“Nothing out of place,” I assure him.
He nods and follows me back into his bedroom. I drop onto the edge of the mattress while he drags a suitcase from the closet and begins packing.
“Are you sure you don’t mind me staying with you?” he asks. “As long as I lock the doors, it’s probably safe for me to stay here.” Even as he says it, his fingers drift toward his lips and he starts biting at his nails again.
“Come here,” I say softly.
He walks over until he’s standing between my knees. I reach up, gently pulling his hand away from his mouth. “Of course I don’t mind. Nothing would make me happier than you letting me take care of you.”
“Careful,” he mumbles, licking his lips as his gaze drops to mine. “I can be high-maintenance.”
“Then I’ll just have to make sure I meet your standards,” I reply.
A tiny smile flickers across his face before he steps back and returns to the packing. He gathers enough clothes for a few days, then grabs his laptop and a couple of books. He fills his suitcase, then he grabs a smaller bag and disappears into the bathroom to pack it, too.
After he has everything he needs, I wheel the suitcase while he carries the small pack. We lock his door behind us and head through the lobby, pausing at the concierge desk where Brenda waits.
“Thank you for helping him,” I say as Theo tucks himself under my arm. “We’re going to file a restraining order against the guy who’s been bothering him. Once we have it, I’ll bring a copy by for you to keep on file.”
“I won’t be here for a few days,” Theo adds, pressing closer to my side. “But you have my number if you need me for anything.”
Brenda’s smile is warm, her eyes flicking back and forth between us until they settle on me. “Theo is lucky to have someone who loves him so much. Take care of my sweet boy.”
My arm tightens around him instinctively. He tips his head back to look up at me, eyes shining like I hung the damn moon.
Take care of him?
The idea that anyone would have to ask feels almost comical. What am I supposed to say? On my honor, like some medieval knight? I’ll protect him with my last dying breath, because that’s not dramatic as fuck?
They’re both watching me expectantly. I force my lips into a tense smile. “Of course,” I say, then take his hand and lead him out to my SUV.
Theo stares out the window as we drive, clearly lost in his thoughts. “We’ll pick up your car tomorrow,” I say quietly. “It’s late, and I can drive you anywhere you need to go.”
What I don’t say is that I’m quietly terrified Jesse might have slapped a tracking device somewhere on Theo’s car.
It sounds paranoid, but modern technology has turned stalking into an Prime two-day-delivery hobby.
A small magnetic GPS tracker costs less than a decent pizza and sticks under a wheel well in seconds.
Gone are the days when following someone required actual effort or binoculars. One click, one package, and suddenly you’re playing amateur law enforcement.
And Jesse? He’s long past Creeper 101.
If he’s done even basic homework, he might know where I live, though it’s unlikely.
As close as Theo and I are, we’ve always kept our homes mostly off-limits to each other.
Being alone together in private has always felt like standing too close to an open flame.
One wrong breath and everything catches.
I glance down at our entwined hands resting on the console. Now there’s only a wall and a hallway separating us, and the thought alone makes my pulse kick harder.
I take a few extra turns, eyes flicking to the rearview mirror every few seconds, cataloging headlights and license plates. “My god,” Theo teases softly, watching me with a small, crooked smile. “It really is a police fantasy coming to life. Anyone tailing us, officer?”
“Would you like someone to be tailing you, young man?” I shoot back, letting a matching grin tug at my mouth. “I’m just being cautious. No reason to be alarmed.”
After a handful more evasive turns with no suspicious shadows trailing behind us, I swing into the driveway of my townhouse and hit the garage opener. We wait in silence while the door rolls down and seals shut behind the SUV.
I kill the engine. “When we get your car tomorrow, we’ll park it in here and I’ll leave mine outside. That way, on the off chance he knows where I live, he won’t see your car sitting in the driveway.”