Chapter 12 #2
Saint raises an eyebrow. “That simple, huh?”
“I didn’t say it would be simple.”
The tension between them crackles with mutual suspicion and grudging respect.
“Speaking of finding him,” Saint breaks the standoff by reaching into his back pocket. “I got the lab results.” He unfolds a paper and hands it to me. “The DNA from the underwear matches Travis Thornhill.”
My fingers curl around the edges of the report. “He was in the system?”
“He’s a registered sex offender.” Saint’s expression turns murderous. “Two prior convictions for public indecency, both involving Omegas. Served eight months the first time, fourteen for the second.”
Sebastian leans closer to read over my shoulder. “Explains the escalation pattern.”
Saint opens the pastry bag, the paper crinkling as he extracts a flaky danish pastry and offers it to me, our traditional peace offering.
I accept it, the sweet cherry filling sticking to my fingers as I take a bite.
“I’ll break into every apartment across the street until I find this guy,” Saint announces, as if discussing weekend plans.
“No!” I choke on the frosting and cough to clear my throat. “That’s how you end up arrested.”
“Please,” Saint scoffs. “No one ever catches me.”
Sebastian raises an eyebrow but doesn’t comment on this admission.
“Sebastian is helping track him down,” I explain. “Through less illegal methods.”
Saint turns his attention to Sebastian. “What kind of resources do you have for this sort of thing?”
“The kind that gets results without prison time.” Sebastian remains calm. “I have connections with private investigators who specialize in these cases.”
“And what’s your angle?” Saint’s expression hardens. “Why go through all this for someone you met online?”
“Saint,” I warn.
“No, it’s a fair question.” Sebastian shifts to face Saint. “Micah is special to me, and I protect what I care about.”
The sincerity in his voice silences even Saint, who studies him before he says, “Fair enough.”
An awkward silence follows, broken only when Sebastian’s phone chimes with a text. He checks it and stands. “I should go now. My brother needs me for a family matter.”
I walk him to the door, aware of Saint tracking our every move.
At the threshold, Sebastian cups my face with one hand, his thumb tracing my cheekbone. “Call me if anything happens. Anything at all.”
“I will.”
He gives me a chaste kiss. “Saint’s a good friend. Overprotective, but good.”
“The best,” I agree.
With a final nod to Saint, Sebastian leaves, the door closing behind him with a soft click. I turn to find Saint with my phone in his hand.
I cross my arms. “Are you changing my security password again?”
“No, I’m adding myself to the new system.” Saint pulls out his phone to download the app.
I return to the couch, curling my legs beneath me. “Just be aware that you check those cameras at your own risk.”
He snorts. “Like I haven’t seen your everything already.”
“Stay out when Sebastian’s over. You haven’t seen our everything.”
Saint tosses my phone onto the cushion next to me. “So, that face…”
I scowl at him. “Mock him, and you can leave.”
He holds up his hands. “I wasn’t going to. But I understand now why he was so hesitant to show it to you. You’re hot. Way out of his league.”
He wouldn’t say that if I told him who Sebastian is, but I’m not willing to share the information with Saint until Sebastian opens up about his family to me first.
Saint reaches for a cheese danish. “Car accident?”
“When he was sixteen.”
Saint chews thoughtfully. “So you really like this guy, huh?”
The question hangs between us, weighted with all our shared history and Saint’s fierce protectiveness.
“More than like,” I admit. “And before you start lecturing me about moving too fast or being na?ve—”
“I wasn’t going to.” Saint interrupts, surprising me. “You’re not stupid, Micah. You never have been. If you trust him, you have a reason.”
Relief floods through me. “Thank you.”
“But,” he holds up a finger, “if I find out he’s subscribing to other cam boys on the side—”
“He’s not.” I cut him off. “I checked when I looked into him.”
Saint’s eyebrows shoot up. “You did your homework? The real kind, not just googling his name?”
“Full background check. His company, his family connections, everything.” I shrug at his surprised expression. “What? You think I’d let a complete stranger into my life without vetting him first?”
A slow smile spreads across Saint’s face. “That’s my boy.” He gestures around at the cameras. “The security setup is impressive. Professional grade.”
“He knows what he’s doing.”
“Clearly.” Saint stretches his legs out. “So when are you going to tell me who he really is? Because ‘security consultant’ is vague as hell.”
I pick at a loose thread on my sleeve. “Soon. But I want to keep him to myself for now.”
“Fair enough.” Saint reaches for the TV remote and tosses it to me. “Your pick. I’m staying over tonight.”
“You don’t have to.”
“Yes, I do.” He kicks off his boots. “Fancy cameras or not, I’m not leaving you alone until this guy is caught.”
The declaration warms me from the inside out. We might fight, we might disagree on my choices, but Saint has never once abandoned me when I needed him.
“Thanks for coming over.” I fidget with the hem of my shirt. “I’ve missed you.”
Saint reaches over to ruffle my hair, the gesture familiar and comforting. “Yeah, well. Someone has to keep your ass alive long enough for you to realize you could do better than a guy who hid his face from the camera for a year.”
I throw a pillow at him, which he catches with a laugh. “Shut up and watch the movie.”
As the opening credits roll, I steal glances at Saint, relief filling me as the tension in his shoulders melts away. Whatever concerns he still harbors about Sebastian, he’s setting them aside for now, trusting my judgment enough to give him a chance.
It’s all I can ask for from the person who’s been my only family for so long.