Chapter Six #2
The enforcers went to work. There was nothing more Matthew could do, and sticking around wouldn’t help, so Alan stepped away.
When Matthew tried to pull him back, Alan grabbed his hand and dragged him out of the coffee shop.
He made sure to pause and grab his coffee from the table since it had miraculously survived. He wasn’t wasting good coffee.
Teddy was waiting for them outside. He hadn’t come into the coffee shop, but he hadn’t been needed. He’d been here for backup, in case someone needed healing or to be shimmered away. The only one who’d gotten hurt was Victor, and Teddy seemed content to ignore him.
“You’re okay?” he asked Alan.
He sounded actually worried, which was a surprise, but maybe it shouldn’t be.
Matthew’s family had been showing Alan that he was important to them since he’d arrived at the village and they’d found out who he was to Matthew.
They might only like him because he was Matthew’s mate, but that would change in time.
It was good to know that people cared about him, though.
Victor certainly never had.
“I’m fine.”
“I can’t believe I missed all the fun,” someone grumbled.
Alan turned to see Nysys standing on the sidewalk next to them, his arms crossed over his chest, pouting as he stared at the coffee shop.
Mason and Logan were dragging Victor out the door.
It looked like Victor’s legs didn’t work quite right because no matter how many times he attempted to get them under him, he couldn’t.
Matthew really had done a number on him.
“There’s a reason we didn’t call you,” Teddy pointed out.
Nysys’s pout was still present. “That reason is that no one here is any fun. It’s not like I would’ve done anything stupid.”
Teddy looked like he didn’t believe that. Alan was tempted to ask, but at the same time, he was afraid to find out.
“Actually, at least one person is fun,” Nysys continued. “What happened to the guy? Why’s he twitching like that? Who did that? Because I want to shake their hand.”
Matthew didn’t let go of Alan, for which Alan was grateful, but he did hold his hand out to Nysys. “I did it.”
Nysys beamed. “That looks great. How did you do it? “
“I have a little ability with electricity.”
Nysys’s eyes went wide. “Oh, that sounds like so much fun. Can you show me?”
Alan expected Matthew to say that he couldn’t, but instead, Matthew grinned and wiggled his fingers in Victor’s direction.
Alan winced when Victor screamed. Mason and Logan dropped him like he was on fire and looked around frantically. They only relaxed when they saw Matthew waving at them.
“Was that really necessary?” Teddy asked as he glared at Matthew.
“He was going to hurt my mate,” Matthew said. “I think it was very necessary.”
“And even if it hadn’t been, it was fun,” Nysys added.
They had very different ideas of what was fun and what wasn’t, clearly.
“Do you want me to shimmer you home?” Teddy asked.
“Please,” Alan answered, even though he was pretty sure Teddy had been talking to Matthew. He couldn’t wait to get out of there.
Teddy’s expression softened. “I’ll take you right back.”
“Thank you.” Alan held out his hand.
As entertaining as it had been to see his mate shock Victor a few times, Alan couldn’t wait to get out of here.
He knew that it would take a long time to find all the people Victor had been working with and stop them, but this part was over.
Alan would never have to worry about Victor again.
Victor was off the streets, and he was going to be stuck in a cell for a long time.
He wouldn’t have the opportunity to hurt anyone else, which was what Alan had wanted when he’d agreed to do this.
Victor had thought he would hurt Alan, but instead, Alan had hurt Victor.
Well, Matthew had, but it was the same thing since they were mates.
Alan could still feel Matthew’s satisfaction coming through the bond, and while he was attempting to look like he disapproved of what Matthew had done, he really didn’t.
Matthew grabbed Teddy’s hand, too, and within seconds, the two of them were back in Rikar’s office. Rikar was waiting for them, along with a bunch of people Alan barely knew. They weren’t really there for him, and that was okay.
“What happened?” Rikar asked.
Alan opened his mouth to answer, but Nysys beat him to it, even though he hadn’t been in the coffee shop. Alan wondered how long he’d been there. When had he found out they were doing this today?
“It was so much fun,” Nysys said as he gestured with his hands. “Matthew used his ability to fry the bad guy. You should’ve seen him twitching on the ground. I’m pretty sure he peed himself.”
Rikar looked alarmed. “Matthew?”
Matthew shrugged. “Victor grabbed Alan and tried using him as a hostage.”
“That explains why you shocked him. Are you okay, Alan?”
Alan knew he was going to get that question many times over the next few hours. He wished he didn’t have to stick around, but he was sure that people would have questions.
“I’m fine, not even a scratch.” Alan took a sip of his coffee. It wasn’t as hot as he would’ve liked, but it was good anyway. “Got a coffee out of it.”
Rikar’s lips twitched as if he were trying not to smile. “I can see that.”
“Anyway, the enforcers have Victor,” Matthew interjected. “I’m sure they’re going to try to talk to him and get answers out of him once he’s done twitching, so they don’t need Alan anymore, do they?”
“You can take Alan home. If anyone needs anything from either of you, I know where to find you.” He paused. “I’ll call instead of coming over.”
Alan frowned, but Matthew didn’t hesitate. He was still holding Alan’s hand, and he pulled him toward the door. Alan was confused because he was convinced he’d have to debrief or whatever Dante and his team would call it, but instead, it looked like he was being allowed to leave.
There was no way he was that lucky, was there?
But no one tried to stop them when they left the office, then the house.
Alan relaxed more as they left the house behind.
It felt like leaving Victor behind, too.
Alan didn’t think he’d ever have to deal with his ex-boss again, and if he did, it would only be to make sure that Victor paid for what he’d done.
Alan had been proud when Victor had hired him. He’d thought he’d be able to make a difference, and in a way, he had. It wasn’t what Alan had hoped for, but that only made it more satisfying.
Victor had tried to stop Alan, but instead, Alan had stopped Victor.
* * * *
MATTHEW KNEW THAT ALAN was okay. He’d been present for the whole mess.
He’d seen what had happened, so he knew that Victor hadn’t hurt Alan.
Matthew had made sure of that. Still, as soon as they reached his home, he dragged Alan into the living room and pushed him onto the couch.
Alan seemed amused, but he went without arguing, watching as Matthew crouched in front of him.
Matthew ran his hands over Alan’s thighs. “Are you okay?”
Alan nodded. “I’m fine. You know that. You saw everything.”
“He didn’t hurt you? Even when he grabbed you or when I shocked him?”
“There’s not even a scratch on me.” Alan’s expression went soft, and he reached for Matthew. “I swear I’m fine, and it’s finally over. You don’t have to worry about me anymore.”
“I’m pretty sure I’ll always worry about you.”
“I guess that’s fair since I’ll always worry about you. I really am fine, though. Victor’s finally a thing of the past, and now, I can start looking forward.”
Matthew went cold. He and Alan still hadn’t talked about what came next for them. They should have, but they hadn’t had the time yet. They were bonded now, though. That meant that where one of them went, so did the other.
The problem was that Matthew didn’t know who would go where. He couldn’t leave the village, so it depended on what Alan decided to do, and Matthew had no idea what that would be.
He swallowed and got to his feet. Alan frowned and reached for him, moving hesitantly as if he expected Matthew to push him away. Matthew hated that he was making his mate feel that. How could he ever push Alan away?
He allowed Alan to take his hand and pull him down onto the couch. He was tense, and he knew that Alan could feel it. Alan had to know something was wrong.
“What’s going on?” he asked.
Matthew didn’t want Alan to worry today of all days.
He’d been through a lot. He’d had to confront his boss after the man had tried to kill him and had revealed himself to be a monster.
He’d been grabbed and used as a shield. He didn’t have a scratch on him that Matthew could see, but emotionally, anyone would be a mess in his place.
But instead of being curled up on the couch crying, Alan was worrying about Matthew. It wasn’t fair.
“I’m fine,” Matthew promised.
“You’re not behaving like you’re fine.”
“But I am. I was worried about you, but you’re okay. Victor is out of the way, and he won’t hurt anyone else. That’s all we wanted, isn’t it?”
Alan was still watching Matthew with shrewd eyes. Matthew felt like he could see through him, and in a way, he could. Alan could feel that Matthew wasn’t okay.
That would take some time getting used to. Matthew didn’t want to hide things from his mate, but sometimes, he would also not want Alan to feel what he was feeling. Today was one of these times.
“You don’t need to worry about me,” he told Alan.
“Do you worry about me?”
“You’re my mate. Of course I worry about you.”
“The same goes for me, doesn’t it? You’re my mate. Of course I worry about you.”
He had Matthew there. Besides, this was a conversation they needed to have. Alan was free to leave now. He could go back to his apartment, find another job, and do everything he’d hoped he would do while working with Victor.