Chapter 12
Vlash was not surprised that Mason's home was bigger and nicer than his. And he really tried not to be bitter about it.
Mason was human. Of course, he was going to have a nice place in a nice area.
They were upstairs in Mason’s bed, not watching whatever movie was on the TV.
Mason was becoming a drug that he found impossible to resist. The moment Vlash had walked through the door, nearly tripping over the boxes and other clutter. He’d wanted him. Lust swept through his veins and lodged in his balls as if he was fifty and had no care about tomorrow.
They had planned to watch a movie downstairs, but the sofa was so fucking uncomfortable they’d gone back up to the bedroom so they could loll in bed.
Not that he usually lay in bed in the middle of the day. But when Mason had messaged, and Lekso had been free to run the store—Lekso had almost pushed him out the door—Vlash hadn’t had a good excuse not to come around.
“Did you want to stay for dinner, or do you need to go home?”
The automatic response that formed on his tongue was that he should go.
But he held it in. He didn’t need to go home.
Lekso could sort his own dinner out, assuming he was going to be at home and not out with that human girl.
He needed to use her name—Katie. Because Lekso called Mason ‘that human boy’ every time Vlash referred to Katie as ‘that human girl’.
He was proud that he’d raised such an independent young man, but he wished Lekso wouldn’t fight with him at every turn.
Maybe he could stay the night. They both had work tomorrow, so they needed to wake up early.
But at the same time, if he stayed the night, then it changed the rules, and the rules were they texted and hooked up about once a week.
They weren’t hooking up, though, because they didn’t have sex and then leave.
They had sex, and they talked, and they had more sex and sometimes more talking in the shower, and sometimes it was midnight before Mason left.
This was the first time Vlash had been at Mason’s. Every other time, he’d waited for Lekso to go out before inviting Mason over.
“I can stay.” He wanted to, even though he wasn’t sure what it meant. At some point, they needed to talk about what they were doing, but he didn’t think either of them was ready for that conversation.
He didn’t want to examine what he felt because if he liked Mason, he was more likely to get hurt when Mason wanted something or someone else.
Not that either of them was actually out there looking for anything else. Which had been agreed they should, in the spirit of making different choices and being better people.
He wasn’t sure that was working.
“You’re looking very thoughtful. Should I be worried?” Mason asked. His words whispered over Vlash’s lips, they were so close.
“Just wondering what we’re going to have for dinner.” He lied too easily.
“I can cook pasta. Is there anything you can’t eat?”
“No.” But he had enjoyed having his tongue in Mason’s ass not that long ago.
“I’ll put on some pants and go and start dinner. Maybe we should start the movie again afterwards.”
“Do you think we will be more successful watching it?” He ran his hand over Mason’s hip.
“Maybe if I tie your hands behind your back?”
“I’d like to see you try.”
“Is that a challenge?”
“No, because seriously, you’ll lose, so unless you want to end up with your hands tied behind your back at my mercy.” And that was something Vlash did want to see. “And begging—"
Mason’s fingers swept along the length of Vlash’s cock. “You like that idea.”
Vlash couldn’t deny it. But he didn’t have to act on it.
“I’ve never done anything like that.” Mason glanced away. “I wouldn’t know where to start.”
“Why don’t you start with dinner? And not making threats you can’t follow through on.”
“I didn’t say I wouldn’t follow through, just that I’m not sure where to start. There are clubs for that kind of thing.”
“There was on Tariko, too. Here, I doubt they’d let me play.”
“Is that something you’re into?”
Mason hadn’t pulled away yet.
“I don’t know anymore. It was a long time ago before I was married.
” And if being married felt as if it had happened to someone else, the life he’d lived before that belonged to yet another man.
One who’d been full of life and laughter and keen to experience everything life had to offer.
“Do you ever wonder which choice it was that led you down the path to who you are now?”
“I don’t think it’s just one choice. They pile up like a dam forming and redirecting a river.” Mason kissed him and sat up. “And some choices are thrust onto us.”
“But we choose how to respond.” He had retreated into being the soldier because if everything had rules and structure, he didn’t need to think. He was sure that, at times, he’d been more head archer than father to Lekso.
“True…” He glanced over his shoulder at Vlash. “Are you making better choices this year?”
Vlash sat up and considered Mason. He liked the man he was around him. The edges were duller, and he smiled more. “I believe I am.”
The doorbell rang, and Mason frowned. “Good thing I was about to put pants on and start dinner.”
Vlash also got up and pulled on his pants. He added a T-shirt for good measure. It was bright pink with a unicorn on the front and said ‘be careful what you wish for’. Which was very true around unicorns.
Mason padded barefoot down the stairs, and Vlash followed. The doorbell rang again, twice.
“I know you’re in there. I can see your car in the driveway,” the man on the other side of the door called out.
Mason froze. “Fuck. It’s Bud.”
Vlash’s smile thinned. The ex had returned.
Mason’s gaze raked over him, his eyes wide, and then he glanced toward the front door, and Vlash could see the fear forming on Mason’s face.
“Would you rather I stay upstairs?” He’d rather banish himself.
Mason stared at him, his mouth open and shut. Then he sighed and shook his head. “Last year, I would’ve said yes, so this year, I’m saying no.”
“Why would you have said yes?”
“Because I’d be worried about what he thought, and I wouldn’t want to push his buttons and get into an argument.”
Vlash inclined his head. That was a good enough reason to make different choices. And if Bud did want an argument, he’d find that he was fucking with the wrong man. Because Vlash wasn’t going to let Bud cause Mason any more grief.
He didn’t like people making his friends miserable.
Mason pulled on a gray hoodie that had been draped over a dining chair and opened the front door. “Hey.”
“I called twice today to say I was coming around, and you didn’t reply, so I thought I’d come by. I’m hoping we can talk and work things out.”
Vlash stood around the corner, out of sight, as there was no need for him to create extra trouble, yet.
“I don’t have anything to say to you.” Mason’s voice was cool.
“I gave you Christmas to cool off.” Bud’s voice dropped as though he were trying to seduce Mason. “We can sort this out.”
Vlash clamped his teeth together to keep from speaking.
“We never sorted anything out by talking, Bud. That’s why the problems grew bigger with each year. But sure, come in.”
Vlash didn’t want Bud coming in. He needed to back Mason up while not riling Bud up.
If he went out there as head archer, there’d be more than an argument.
He gave a grim smile, knowing exactly how he looked with his long hair and wearing the bright T-shirt—it was a look that usually made humans overlook him, which is what he liked.
So he drew in a breath, checked that his hair covered the points of his ears, and then sauntered down the corridor, swaying his hips as if he didn’t know what was going on. “Is there a problem, babe?”
Bud was a little taller than Mason, about the same height as Vlash. But Bud was not built like an elf. He was built like an ogre.
“What the fuck is going on?” Bud demanded. “Have you been whoring your ass out this whole time?”
Mason’s jaw tightened.
Vlash put his hand on Mason’s lower back. “I’m not interested in his ass. Riding his dick is a dream.” Too much? If it was, he didn’t care.
That his ex didn’t see Mason as more than a bit of ass, that was his problem.
Bud’s eyes narrowed as he glared at Vlash. Vlash held his stare without flinching. “And who are you?”
“He’s the ex I told you about,” Mason said as if Vlash wasn’t already aware. His voice was level, but tension vibrated through his body.
“Ex? Is that all I am? You agreed to marry me in front of all our friends. You broke it off over the phone. For that…” He sneered at Vlash.
“Have you come to collect your things or argue?” Mason asked. His knuckles were white as he gripped the door.
“I deserve a chance. We deserve a chance.”
Mason nodded. “And what difference do you think another chance would make? Do you think if you come in, I’ll fall into bed with you?”
“I’m the man you need. His skinny ass can’t give you—"
“What I need?” Mason snapped. “When was the last time you listened to me? Or asked what I wanted? Even now, you’re trying to change my mind. I don’t love you.” He took a breath. “You deserve someone who does.”
That was very generous; Vlash was feeling far less charitable. If he opened his mouth, he’d be giving Mason an example of elf magic.
“I love you.” But there was no kindness in Bud’s words.
“No. You love me when I agree with you. When I give in and push aside my feelings.”
Bud jabbed his finger at Mason. “This is because of your mytho fucker friend.”
Mason shook his head. “Take your things.”
Bud took a step forward, and so did Vlash. Mason wasn’t a soldier; he wasn’t used to standing up to men like Bud—and men like Bud never knew when to lay down arms. “You don’t bring the fight home. You leave your weapons by the door.”
Bud glared at him. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”
“It means you’ve been told to collect your belongings and move on, soldier.” There was more than a little magic behind his words. Not enough that Bud couldn’t shake it off, but enough to be a warning.
“And who the fuck do you think you are?”
“The piece of ass who’s waiting for you to take your shit so we can go back to making dinner.” His words were a growl.
Mason put his hand on Vlash’s arm, and he realized that he’d taken another step forward. “Why don’t you check on dinner?”
There was no dinner to check on, but he inclined his head at Mason. “Sure.”
As he turned and walked away, Bud began wheedling.
“Come on, Mase. We’re good together. I’ve been away a lot, but that’ll change. I’ll forget you cheated this time.”
“I’m not cheating because it’s over. For once in your fucking life, listen to me.”
“Listen to him,” Vlash echoed under his breath, not holding back any magic.