Page 41 of Saint

“Mother.”

“It’s got to be that Monroe person. He’s clearly a bad influence. If Lake has decided to take him as a life partner, that’s his decision. Poor boy doesn’t have parents to help steer him in the right direction. But like hell will I sit back and allow some nobody from the backwoods part of the planet come in—”

“That is enough,” Yejun’s anger slipped past his defenses, causing his mom to sputter to a stop and stare at him. “You can shit-talk me all you like—even West and Lake are used to your judgmental nature—but I won’t allow you to speak ill about Nix. That’s where I draw the line, Mother.”

When she didn’t immediately respond, he continued.

“None of this is even his fault,” he said. “We dragged him into this and he was the one who ended up humiliated, not me. The Sang name?” He snorted. “No one cares that I painted my boyfriend in an indecent position except for Nix himself.”

Sayda’s palm struck him across the cheek, and Yejun clenched his fists tightly but didn’t react otherwise. She’d hit him before, and aside from a slight sting, the hit wouldn’t even leave a mark.

“I see we’ve given you far too much leeway,” her voice was like ice. “He’s your boyfriend now?”

“He’s been my boyfriend for months, Mom,” he corrected. “You’ve just been too self-absorbed to notice. But then again, what’s new?” Yejun took a single step back and bowed to her. “I’ll take my leave now.”

“Yejun Sang don’t you dare walk away from me.”

“It’s either that or we cause a scene,” he replied. “I doubt you want that?”

She seemed to recall they were standing in one of the open areas of the hospital in broad daylight. “This discussion isn’t over.”

“I’ll see you at Demons Passing.” Yejun turned on his heels, coming up short when his eyes immediately landed on Nix standing at the end of a hallway only twenty or so feet away. He looked over his shoulder, but his mother was fortunately already storming off in the opposite direction and hadn’t noticed their audience.

“That seemed…intense.” Nix was standing in front of him when he spun back around, though he was careful to keep some distance.

That cut Yejun to the core. He’d hoped there’d been progress after what he’d done with Lake, but apparently it hadn’t been enough. Logically, he’d known it wouldn’t be, but a guy could foolishly hope, right?

“My mother is a personality, that’s for sure.” Yejun glanced past Nix, noting he was alone. “I thought you were seeing your cousin off?”

The cousin Yejun had terrified and beaten to the point he’d ended up in the hospital.

“I didn’t follow you here,” he added, worried Nix would get the wrong idea. “My mother insisted I bring some of my work after one of the volunteer artists dropped out of the event she’s hosting.”

“Juri is taking my cousin to the bus station,” Nix replied. “Weren’t you supposed to be with West? Did you skip out on the match because your mom’s request?”

He chuckled humorlessly. “Request. Right. I wouldn’t call it that, personally. I’m still going to the match, I’ll just have to drive myself. Figured so long as I leave within an hour, I’ll make it in time. What about you? Decide you want to come after all?”

“No. I have other plans.” Nix didn’t offer what those plans were, and Yejun didn’t ask.

Even though he really, really wanted to.

It wasn’t hard to guess it had something to do with Lake though.

“Do you want to grab a coffee quick?” Yejun pointed toward the elevator that headed down to the first level. “The cafeteria here is actually pretty good.”

Nix hesitated but then nodded. However, he motioned toward the stairs instead. “Let’s go this way.”

Yejun fell into step at his side, quiet for a moment before he couldn’t keep it in any longer. “How are you? Has…what happened in the car on the way to Demitrious’s happened again?”

Nix shook his head.

“That was because of me, wasn’t it?”

“We don’t have to talk about this.”

“Yes, I think we do.” Yejun reached out and gently touched Nix’s arm, pulling back and holding up both hands when Nix jerked away as though electrocuted. “Sorry. Sorry, I…Firebird, I meant what I said the other day at the office. I’ll do whatever you want me to do. Whatever you need. I just…want to make this right between us.”

“I told you I’d forgive you that day.”

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