CHAPTER FOUR
Torin dished up the breakfast he'd pulled together with what he had in the fridge. He could hear the water running in the bathroom, and he found himself looking forward to Shae joining him. He poured himself another cup of coffee and sat down to wait while scrolling through his phone.
Killian had sent him a message to lie low until contacted again.
Massey was alive, unfortunately, but he'd taken the attack very personally and was searching for the source.
The disappearance of his inner circle did not escape his notice, and apparently, he was handling the situation personally.
That was good, a man losing control was a man who demanded all control; he would get frantic and sloppy.
He closed his phone and set it on the counter when Shae walked out of the bathroom looking fresh and beautiful. Torin’s t-shirt and sweatpants looked good on him. "Come and take a seat, breakfast is ready."
Shae thanked him and took a seat across from Torin.
The table was small, but he seemed very far away.
He wanted to ask him to sit closer, but that would probably seem odd.
Torin poured him another cup of coffee, complete with milk and sugar.
Torin handed the sugar bowl over to him in case he needed more which he did.
“How long do I have to stay here?” Shae asked while reaching for another slice of toast.
“Until I get the all clear." It was nearly the truth. Shae nodded absently and then added a follow-up question.
“Why did you take me with you? You don’t appear to be the type to concern yourself with the affairs of others.” That was a brave question.
“They would have killed you if I had left you there.”
“Why? I didn’t do anything.” His tone inched up an octave.
“They don’t know that. You would have been a problem, a problem easily solved with a bullet.”
“I would have told them what happened. I would have told them the truth.” His beloved was indeed a pure innocent.
"It would have been the quickest and easiest solution, and men like Massey always take the route of quick and easy, regardless of who gets hurt.
They don't have time to talk. You would die for the simple fact that you were there.
" Torin explained and watched the realization spread across Shae's face.
He lived a normal life under laws and constraints, but not all did. Jarod Massey did not live that way.
"Mr. Massey does a lot of charity work around the city, and he has a reputation for being generous and supportive.
His behavior really shocked me. I never expected to be assaulted.
I thought the massage scheduled for 9 at night was a bit sketchy, but Margaret said he wanted one at the end of the day to unwind.
I figured it sort of made sense." He finished his bacon and eggs, and Torin refilled his plate.
“Who is Margaret?”
"She owns the spa where I work, the Blessed Willow Spa," Shae smirked at the name.
“Is it blessed?” Torin teased.
"Not even on a good day." Shae laughed. That laugh was pleasing. Torin liked how it danced so delicately in the air. He could listen to that laugh all day long. He caught Shae watching him earlier, and if he was not mistaken, there was appreciation in his gaze and maybe even a touch of lust.
The bond, their connection, was affecting him.
People called it the pull, and Torin could see it in Shae's attention and his relaxed demeanor.
Not many were ever relaxed in his presence.
He had a dark, dangerous aura that made people back away and avoid eye contact, but Shae was seeking a connection, even if he wasn't fully aware of it. He was uncertain, but he wasn't afraid.
Shae was about to say something when his phone went off.
It had been in his pocket, and Torin had set it on the bedside table.
He got up and walked over, sitting on the edge of the bed before picking it up off the side table.
"It's my friend Lauren, we work together at the spa.
" He announced, even though Torin hadn't asked.
"Don't answer it," Torin told him, and Shae looked up, surprised.
“Why?”
"What are you going to say to her? Anything you tell her could put her in danger, too."
"She'll worry I was supposed to meet her at her place last night after I finished with Massey."
"I have associates handling these details. She'll be alright. They have a way of altering memories; she may not remember anything about yesterday." Shae raised his hand and looked away, and Torin stopped his explanation.
“I don’t want to know as long as she’s not being hurt.”
“She’s not being hurt.” Torin smiled. Shea turned his phone over in his hands several times and then placed it back on the side table.
The declaration that he didn't want to know anything lasted for about thirty seconds, and then he asked very forcefully, "Who is Jarod Massey and why does he have the power to screw up my life, and why were you trying to kill him?
" Torin stood and walked over to take a seat next to Shae, their thighs touching.
He reached over and laid his hand on top of Shae's.
He did not pull away, and Torin could feel his body relax.
"Jarod Massey is a crime boss, not particularly smart or creative, and normally, he wouldn't have risen to such a position, but he inherited the position from his father after his death.
He's primarily held up by the interests around him and by those who find value in his ineptitude.
They let him have a long lead, which allows him to do what he does.
He watched Shae roll his head back and forth on his shoulders.
His eyes were closed, and his face was tense. He was beginning to understand.
"They don't care about him as long as he does what they tell him and continues to facilitate their wealth and business concerns," Torin explained flatly.
Massey was the face of what they presented as legitimate business.
He was powerful in his own right, but only as powerful as they allowed him to be.
"The reason I was sent to kill him is unknown to me. I was hired for the job." He finished, and Shae turned, a bit stricken.
“You don’t know why?”
"I know he's a bad man and a part of bad things. The specifics are not my concern. I wasn't murdering a choir boy, Shae. This is a dark side of life where dark things happen."
"He was a criminal," Shae stated, and Torin nodded.
"There are many in this town, it's a fact of life in society at large, and I think you know that." It was Shae's turn to nod.
“Massey is looking weak at the moment with his under bosses lying dead and his own life nearly ended, so he's going to act out. That is why you are here under my protection. You're an easy target, sweetheart, and Massey would try to use you as an example to his enemies and his supporters."
“But I didn’t do anything.”
"You were there," Torin repeated and held Shae's hand and felt the moment that his control began to slip.
He'd held himself together admirably, but the weight of all that was coming at him finally broke him.
His body began to tremble, the quiet sobs were barely audible, and emotion was thick in the air.
Torin put his arm around Shae's shoulders and pulled him into his side. Shae turned and pressed his face into Torin's shoulder and melted into his embrace. Torin wrapped him in his arms and held him as he fell apart.
***
It came on him in a rush, and he couldn’t stop the panic and tears that overtook him.
Torin was there comforting him, and Shae took what he was offering.
It wasn't the manliest act, but the emotion he was feeling would not be contained.
Torin held him and didn't act at all uncomfortable by Shae's outburst. He felt his hand gently caressing his back and soothing him in a way that he hadn't felt since he was a child.
The embrace was consoling but also seemed to reassure him that he was not alone in this.
Torin had no reason to help him or keep him close, but he was, and Shae was grateful.
His warmth and his strength gave Shae what he needed in that moment.
He pressed his face into the crisp fabric of Torin's black shirt and tried to compose himself. "I'm sorry." He said his voice was raw.
“You’re fine. I’m here.” He kissed the side of Shae’s head by his ear. It was light, but the contact was real, and it felt so good. Shae put his arms around Torin, held tight, and let go. Everything came out, all the fear and shock spewed out recklessly.
He felt as if the kiss had given him permission to savor this man and take pleasure in his embrace and compassion.
The tears subsided, but he did not want to let him go.
The contact soothed Shae's fear and eased the rawness of his nerves.
Then he felt it, Torin's hand slipping beneath his t-shirt and lightly skimming up and down his naked back, stimulating the sensitive flesh.
His other hand was buried in Shae's hair, gently massaging his scalp.
The sensations were amazing, and Shae was enjoying every second of his unexpected tenderness.
It wasn't that he was overly harsh or cold; it was just that he was rational, practical, and to the point with little emotion poking through.
Now Torin was showing something different, something interesting and exciting.
Shae got bold and began his own exploration, running the palms of his hands over Torin's back. The muscles and hardness were a definite turn on, and he felt his breath catch in his throat when Torin flexed, responding to the contact.
Shae turned with his head still pressed against Torin's shoulder and looked up at him, their eyes connecting, and they just held that for several seconds.
The air was charged, and the tension was delicious, and then Torin kissed him.
It wasn't a tentative or friendly kiss; it was a scorcher, a kiss that claimed and bruised and demanded.