Page 16 of Comforting the Grump

“Yeah, he…” My throat was so tight I could barely get the words out. “I haven’t made an exact calculation yet, but I think maybe twenty-seven thousand dollars.”

“I’m so sorry to be the bearer of bad news, Mr. Frant, but it’s highly unlikely you’ll be able to recover any funds transferred to his control.”

The room spun, and I gripped the edge of the kitchen counter for support. The money was gone? All of it? “Are you sure?”

“I’m afraid so,” the agent replied, a note of sympathy threading through his professional detachment. “Mr. Catanzaro has drained all accounts he managed and fled the country. I understand this is difficult news. We’re doing everything we can. I’d like your contact information, please, so an agent can set up an interview with you and gather information on your case. We can add it to the others.”

I gave him my full name and phone number, feeling like a robot. “Thank you,” I managed to say, though the words tasted like ash. I ended the call, my hand dropping to my side, the phone slipping from my grasp and landing on the kitchen floor.

Gone.

The money was gone. My life savings were gone, vanished. Everything I had worked for since I was eighteen had been stolen from me.

Tears stung the corners of my eyes, betrayal leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. The room seemed to contract around me as I struggled to breathe through the heavy weight on my chest. With each labored breath, reality sank its claws deeper into my heart. How could I have been so gullible? So trusting? Rudy had seemed so…sincere.

But had he? Or had I ignored warning signs and red flags, like with Declan? Had I wanted it to be real so badly that I’d turned a blind eye toward any evidence to the contrary?

I clutched the counter, the cool granite grounding me as I fought back the sobs clawing their way up my throat. But then the first tear broke free, carving a hot path down my cheek. More followed until it turned into a deluge like an autumn storm. I slid down to the floor, cradling my head in my hands. How could I have let this happen?

I didn’t know how long I sat there, time slipping away as easily as my dreams had. Eventually, the torrent of tears subsided to quiet whimpers, my body spent from the emotional upheaval. I was left hollow, a shell of the man who had woken up that morning with hope in his heart.

Rudy had assured me investing was a smart move and he’d take care of everything. How could I have been so foolish? Auden, with his measured decisions and insight into people’s true intentions, would’ve seen through Rudy Catanzaro. He would’ve questioned the promises Rudy made and would’ve immediately dismissed them for being unrealistic. The comparison was a blade twisting in my gut, sharpened by years of feeling like I was forever playing catch-up to my brother’s shadow.

I sank into the couch, a well-loved piece that had survived multiple redecorations, the fabric beneath my fingers grounding me to the moment. I’d invested in my house, so I had that—but I’d have to sell it to get access to that money. Without my savings, what was next? Starting over at thirty-six wasn’t just daunting. It was horrifying.

The devastation was complete, and in its wake, only one thing remained certain: I had to find a way to rebuild. Even if I didn’t see a tunnel right now, let alone the light at the end of it.

7

MARNIN

Saturday mornings were usually my favorite—a chance to sleep in a little, get a workout in, and then get to work at a slower pace than usual. But I’d woken up at six this morning, courtesy of an inconsiderate neighbor who’d slammed his door at that ungodly hour. People like that should be evicted. And, of course, I’d been so pissed off that I’d woken up completely and going back to sleep had been impossible.

Then again, it fit the theme of my whole week, which had been…off. No major problems, nothing specific I could pinpoint, but I’d been off my game. Even my secretary commented on my fuse being shorter than usual, and that woman was immune to my attitude after working for me for six years.

I had no clue what the issue was other than I had this itch inside me, this restlessness like something had crawled under my skin. And even stranger, I wanted to go back home to Forestville. Why, I had no clue, but the urge was all but impossible to ignore. Staying in Seattle was a tribute to my willpower.

I’d checked in with Ennio to make sure he was okay after what happened last weekend. It hadn’t been traumatizing—atleast, I didn’t think so—but Ennio was sensitive and more fragile than I was. He’d appreciated it, I think, and we’d exchanged some text messages throughout the week. Were we becoming friends? Maybe, and funny enough, I didn’t hate the idea.

But what to do about my mood this morning? With each passing second, the silence of the condo clawed at me, demanding I fill it with something, anything, to drown out the restlessness inside me. With a disgruntled huff, I snatched up my phone and flicked through the apps with practiced ease until the familiar glow of Grindr illuminated my face—a beacon for the emotionally shipwrecked.

“Distraction,” I muttered, scrolling through the grid of eager faces and sculpted bodies, searching for someone to unleash my temper on. A profile snagged my attention—not because it was different, but because it was disconcertingly familiar.

SkyBlueHair93. The thumbnail showed a young guy, probably late twenties, lounging against a graffiti-laden wall, his electric-blue hair a stark contrast to the gray skies above Seattle. He had that lean, wiry build that somehow reminded me of Ennio. His makeup was more outspoken than Ennio’s and he had bright-pink nail polish, but he had that edge that spoke of a kindred spirit to Ennio’s brand of defiance.

When I flipped through his pics, a phenomenal picture of his ass stopped me in my tracks. If that was truly him, I was sold. Plus, his profile said he was a strict bottom who liked it hard. How much more perfect could I get it?

Hey

Brevity was best here. I wasn’t out to romance anyone, just to get laid.

Hey yourself ;)

The response came back almost instantly, followed by:

Like what you see?

I sure do.

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