Page 43 of My Hunger, Your Soul

“Look at you, taking this in your stride.”

“I’m not taking anything in my stride, I’m just getting better at not showing my horror on the outside. I don't agree with what you do, Ivan. Or your family.”

“I don't care if you do. But it can't bother you that much, you still slept with me. And gave me a blow job.”

“You’re an asshole.”

I turn and smile at him.

“I did warn you, sweetheart, now there’s nowhere to go.”

He sighs and rests his head back on the headrest as I continue to drive us home. All jokes aside, I need to find out who that guy is that has Tyler worried. It may turn out as paranoia, but I’m not taking any risks with this man.

We arrive back at the house and something smells good in the kitchen as we walk inside.

“Are you hungry?” I ask Ty.

“Yeah, I could eat.”

I take his hand and pull him toward the kitchen, where we see Kai cooking, Jules hovering close behind him, and Dima and Seb at the table, eating what looks like tacos. Fuck yes.

“Any extra for us?” I say as we walk in, and I guide Tyler over to the table and sit him next to Seb. He looks a world away from comfortable, but he’ll adjust.

“Yeah, I made enough for everyone, come help yourself,” Kai says, gesturing to the plates on the countertops. I go over and make up two plates for me and Ty and walk back to the table, where I sit across from him.

“Hey, Tyler. Glad you’re here. Are you staying?” Seb asks him in between mouthfuls. Dima just watches Ty, looking for possible problems.

“He is,” I say before taking a large bite. Kai is an amazing cook, this tastes fucking delicious.

“Can Tyler not speak for himself?” Seb asks.

“I can and yes, Ivan asked me to stay,” Tyler confirms before taking a bite of his own food. From the way he’s eating, the guy was obviously hungry, as I’m not convinced he's even chewing the food.

“I need a knife for Ty. He thinks someone is following him,” I say to Dima.

“I said I might be paranoid. It could just be a coincidence.”

“There are no such things as coincidences, not in this world,” Dima says to him.

“Take one from the holding pen, we have enough,” Dima says.

“The holding pen? What's that?” Ty asks.

Seb continues to eat, avoiding the question, and Dima looks at me with a hint of a smug smile.

“It's a room in the basement. We use it for interrogations,” I say. God this taco is gooood.

“Interrogations? In the house?”

I look up and Tyler's eyes are wide, and his skin pale. Great.

“Nothing to worry about. You wouldn’t know it was there if we hadn't told you.”

“I find it better to pretend it doesn’t exist,” Kai says, and Tyer looks over at him with an almost pleading look, and a look of relief.

“You don’t go down there?” Tyler asks.

“Not my thing. Neither does Seb. The guys don't flaunt it in our faces, Tyler. Believe me when I say, just ignore it,” Kai says.

---