Cade
CADE
He’d slept like absolute shit, and he knew he looked like it too. At least twice, a passing nurse had asked him if he was feeling well. Both times, had flashed them what he hoped was a winning smile and told them he was fine, just hungover. One had scowled and told him to be more responsible and not to make too much noise in the ward, and the other had smiled knowingly before walking off. Different reactions, but at least they’d both left him alone.
had been sitting in the small waiting room since about six in the morning. After leaving Elias’ room the night before, returned to his apartment and tried to get some sleep. He should have known better and had spent most of the night staring at his ceiling.
Elias’ words still bounced around in his head, crowding together before ricocheting elsewhere. In some ways, he wasn’t surprised that Elias was so calm about the entire thing. The man was unflappable, though it wasn’t usually so unnerving. For someone who’d spent their whole life as a straight man, Elias was ready to take the leap into...into what?
What the hell could even call what Elias was feeling, what he was feeling? Did share Elias’ feelings? Yeah, okay, he did. But how did that make any sense? Neither of them had any right to feel anything sexual or romantic toward one another.
Yet just as Elias had said, and couldn’t deny it, he’d liked what had happened. And now he was wondering not only what it meant but Elias’ words about more. More what? Kissing, groping, fondling...fucking?
’s stomach clenched as his mind ran away with that thought—images of Elias’ hard, naked body hovering above him. Elias’ mouth against his neck, kissing and licking, throwing in a playful nip here and there. And the feel of Elias inside him, or him inside Elias.
The thoughts were not making it easier, especially because they affected the front of his pants. He didn’t need that in public.
He got up to get more coffee. As he passed Elias’ room, he glanced in and found the man still sleeping. lingered in the doorway for a moment, watching. He knew from one of the nurses that Elias had got up a few times in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, and despite a little bit of wincing, he professed that he was fine. wasn’t so sure, but he also knew there was no point arguing with Elias when he got that stony look on his face.
“What am I going to do with you?” asked softly before walking off.
He came back with a fresh cup of coffee. If he wasn’t careful, he would end up an addict, just like Elias. Then again, maybe Elias drank it because he was so damn tired all the time. could finally sympathize. His sleep the past week had been absolute shit.
slumped back in his seat, wondering if he might try for a nap. That changed immediately as he heard his mother's oh so familiar, and not so dulcet tones. shot forward, looking into the hallway where the nurses’ station sat. Sure enough, Pamela Masters, in her standard pantsuit and a large hat, stood talking to one of the nurses.
“Mother?” asked, bewildered.
“Oh, there’s my son. Never mind, dear, you’ve been no help anyway,” Pamela told the disgruntled-looking nurse behind the counter.
shot her an apologetic look. He hadn’t caught the conversation, but considering his mother, he was sure it hadn’t been fun. Great, just what he needed, for him to be associated with his mother by the nurses, putting Elias in a bad light.
Pamela hustled into the waiting room. “I have honestly been run all over this hospital hoping to find you. Not one person had any idea what they were talking about. I’ve been here for over an hour.”
raised a brow and repressed the urge to snort. Somehow, he got the feeling the people his mother had spoken to had known precisely what they were doing when they led her astray. Now and then, his mother ran into a problem, usually at a store, where she was led on a wild goose chase. It had yet to occur to her that it wasn’t due to incompetence but the petty revenge of people in customer service who had to tolerate pushy, condescending people like Pamela Masters every day.
“Okay, that answers what you’re doing, but not why. Why are you here?” asked.
“Well, I need a reason to look for my son?” she asked.
“You shouldn’t even know I’m here,” pointed out.
“Of course you’re here, that man, Elliot, is here.”
narrowed his eyes. “Elias.”
“Yes, him. So, of course, you’re here. Now, come along. We had a tea scheduled for today.”
groaned. “Mother, today is not a good day. This week is not a good week. I can do it next weekend.”
“Next weekend simply will not do. I have a luncheon with William and a cocktail party with the Cyders.”
“Then the weekend after that.”
“Kaidan Masters, you can pull yourself away from...here for a couple of hours.”
took another step back, heat rising to his face. “Don’t say ‘here’ when you mean ‘him.’ And no, I’m not pulling myself away from Elias. I’m all he’s got right now, and he’s not in the hospital because he stubbed his toe. He almost got blown up.”
“And yet, clearly, if he’s in this ward, he’ll be fine,” Pamela added with a light huff.
gripped the cup of coffee in his hand, telling himself repeatedly that he should not lose his temper. The past week had been the roughest, most confusing one he could remember, culminating in the scare of his life. If he wanted to sit around the hospital like a creep, making sure his best friend was okay and had someone by his side, then by God, he was going to do it.
took a deep breath. “As I said, his family isn’t here, and I’m all he has at the moment. I’m not leaving him alone.”
“Is he even awake?”
“No, but he might be soon.”
“Might.”
“Yes, Mother, might. And when he does, I want him to see a face he recognizes and cares about.”
Her eyes narrowed. “So it’s true.”
’s heart skipped. “What?”
“I didn’t want to believe it. When Stephan tried to tell me, I told him that my Kaidan would never enter into a...a relationship with another man,” Pamela said, her voice rising ever so slightly from her outrage.
“Stephan?” What the hell would the guy who collected cars and women like trading cards know about ’s social life?
“Yes, apparently, he heard it over a few drinks with the Danvers. I have no idea where they heard it, and he didn’t know. I told him it was just gossip, but as I live and breathe, I find out it’s true…” Pamela continued, gripping her wrist as though to hold herself back.
“Mother,” began, trying to wrap his head around the fact that his mother knew about his and Elias’ little charade.
“And look at you, you’re not even trying to deny it!” she continued, eyes flashing.
Considering how quiet she had been, he probably should have suspected that this was her problem. Despite her apparent refusal to accept it when told, she’d still been avoiding . He couldn’t help but think of the parallel between that and what he’d been doing to Elias.
Pamela drew herself up stiffly at his silence. “And to make matters worse. You’re dating him ?”
straightened as well. “What, excuse me? What did you just say?”
Pamela whispered fiercely. “It’s one thing for you to sleep with all those women like some common man-whore. And I might have been able to tolerate some fling with another man. God knows it’s a different era. But to slum it as well? Kaidan, I raised you better than that.”
’s mouth fell open. “Slum it?”
“What else would you call this? I was against this so-called friendship from the very beginning, but I had hoped you’d have the sense to know when to cut your losses. Instead, you’re now...shacking up with him?” Pamela asked.
stared at her, barely able to keep up with her words as she spat them out. He’d always known she wasn’t the biggest fan of his friendship with Elias or Elias in general. Yet he’d never quite fathomed just how much she positively loathed the man, how much she seemed to hate him.
“Stop,” he whispered.
“No, Kaidan, I will not stop. I have had quite enough of all this. You are no longer dating that...man and you are done with all this nonsense. You have had your fun for years now, and it is high time you came back and behaved like a proper member of the Masters family!”
Enough.
“Shut your fucking mouth, Mother,” said, his voice filled with grim wonder.
Pamela jerked as though slapped. “What did you say?”
gave an ugly laugh. “I told you what I should have told you years ago. Shut your fucking mouth.”
“How dare you.”
cut across her with a sudden snarl. “No, how dare you . How dare you barge into my life and think you have any say in what I do or don’t do, who I’m friends with, and who I’m sleeping with. And how dare you think you have any right to say anything about someone I might or might not be dating.”
Pamela’s eyes brightened briefly. “So you’re not?—”
sneered at her. “And more importantly, how dare you talk about a man who is a better person than you could ever dream of being. How dare you talk about Elias as if you have the right. Elias is a good man, honest and tough, and he never forgets his heart. I know that’s hard for you to understand since you left yours half-rotted and buried in some ditch somewhere.”
Pamela’s eyes practically bulged. “Kaidan Masters! You will not speak to me?—”
He ignored her. “And before you even think about threatening me, take the allowance. Take the money. As a matter of fact, I don’t fucking want it anymore. I don’t want you anymore. I’m perfectly happy living off the money I make at the station. Working with the men who are like a family in their own way, and with Elias, who loves me and who I love more than my own goddamn family ever has.”
’s head spun angrily, with the words flying out of his mouth like flaming knives. The part of him that kept himself in check and his mouth in control while speaking to his mother was gone. It had burned up in the sudden rage at his mother’s insults, condescension, and every nasty little thing she had thrown at him to bring him down, to bring him to heel.
“And when I’m with him, I’ll think about the miserable life you had planned for me and that you’ve done to yourself. All those fake smiles, those little laughs, pretending you like all the snakes you stab in the back when they’re not looking. All those rich parties with awful people, pretending all the money in the world makes you all so great. Well, you know what, Pamela? I don’t want it and won’t have it. Write me out of the will, pretend you don’t have a son because, at this point, you might as well not!”
His voice had risen, echoing down the halls. People were peering out of their rooms, and even the nurses looked around the corner at them. Elias stood at the door to his room, standing strong, his eyes riveted on ’s face. looked at him, nodding his head in the hopes that it said he meant everything he said.
Pamela followed his gaze, and her eyes narrowed.
“Don’t you say a word to him. Get the fuck out of here, Pamela,” barked.
She turned to look at once more, her chin wobbling, but finally, she turned and marched out. Even insulted publicly and humiliated, she held her head high as she left. didn’t care if she believed she still held onto her dignity. He didn’t even care that he felt sick to his stomach. had finally let out everything he’d been holding in, and he wouldn’t regret it, no matter what his mother threw at him.
ignored the stares and walked to Elias. “What are you doing up?”
Elias smirked. “I have a bruised back, not a broken one. They’re letting me out today.”
“When?” asked.
“In a couple of hours. They’ve got paperwork to do,” Elias said.
“When did they tell you that?”
“You were sleeping in the waiting room.”
blinked. “Oh. I didn’t know that you?—”
Elias chuckled, wrapping an arm around ’s shoulders and pulling him in. “I knew you were here, keeping an eye on me.”
hugged him back, wishing he could hold him tight. Instead, he clung to the man who was his best friend, who understood and loved him for who he was. And hell, maybe the waters between them were muddied as hell, but he could deal with that.
Elias pressed a kiss to the top of ’s head. “Go.”
looked up. “What?”
“I know you need to breathe, to walk off what just happened.”
“I’m not…” began.
Elias smirked. “You wanna, and you know it. You’ve got a couple of hours. I’ll text you when they let me out, I promise. You can be my taxi.”
looked over him, frowning. “Promise?”
“I promise.”
backed away. “Okay, I’ll be back.”
And he meant it in every way he possibly could.