Page 80 of The Freshman

“You shouldn’t have donethat—”

“I know that! But theymade me feel cared for, and I didn’t want to destroy them,permanently delete them from my life, and now because of them I’velost everything. My home, my possessions, my job, my best friend.My future is gone.”

“You still have me, butI’m not going to force you to come with me. If you want to handyourself in and do the time, or go it alone, it’s fine, but Ireally want you to come with me, Alfie.”

His eyes slid shut at the sound of hisname, and he gasped softly. Gravelly footsteps came closer, and thepresence of Nate made him shiver. Alfie opened his eyes and staredinto Nate’s blues ones. For the first time, they lacked confidence,and there was no predatory expression creasing his eyes and liftinghis lips. He looked worried as he waited for Alfie toanswer.

“I hate you,” Alfiewhispered.

Nate shook his head. “No, youdon’t.”

Those were the words he’d beendesperate to hear, and his skin tingled. The suffocating feel inhis head lessened. The numbness he protected himself withdispersed, and he could feel the wind through his hair, the tearson his cheeks, and the smell of earth around him. He lowered hishead. “I want to hate you.”

Nate snorted softly. “Now that, I dobelieve, but you don’t, you won’t, you can’t.”

Alfie closed his eyes at the feel ofsoft fingers on his face. Nate lifted his chin, and the ghost ofhis breath tickled Alfie’s lips. His heart fluttered back to lifeafter lying dormant for months, and his head grew dizzy in his needfor Nate, and only him.

“Say you choose me, andwe’ll go, right now.”

Alfie licked his lips but kept hiseyes firmly shut. “Where would we go?”

“Anywhere.”

Alfie frowned and tried to shake hishead, but Nate gripped him with both hands and stoppedhim.

“How?” Alfiemurmured.

“I have money, andanything is possible with a lot of money when people fear yourname.”

“What if we getcaught?”

“Not going to happen. Iwant you, Alfie. Say you want me too.”

Alfie opened his eyes and locked gazeswith Nate. There was still uncertainty swirling in his irises, anda line dented the skin at the top of his nose. Alfie noticed Nate’shands were twitching slightly, and his breath was leaving his nosein short, sharp pants. He seemed afraid, and Nate’s throat flexedwith an uncomfortable swallow.

“I hate you, but I wantyou more.”

Nate snorted, then leaned forward andtouched his blood coated lips to Alfie’s. He pulled away and restedtheir foreheads together. His arms circled Alfie’s back and coaxedhim into a hug.

Alfie moved stiffly at first, thenmelted into the embrace with his bound hands sandwiched betweenthem. He closed his eyes, and breathed hard though his nose, pastthe smell of blood, to Nate. The warm protective scent ofNate.

“Now, we’ve got to go,”Nate said, taking a step back.

Alfie nodded and lifted his cuffedhands. “You think you could remove these?”

Nate hummed, the crude murmur he madewhen thinking of sex. “I can. Later, but once we get to my place, Iwant to have a little fun with you cuffed up like that. Is thatokay?”

Alfie nodded, then hooked his handsover Nate’s head and around his neck. “More than okay.”

Nate’s arms circled around his backagain. “I’ve got you, Freshman, and I’m not letting yougo.”

Alfie kissed past the taste of blood,until the intoxicating cocktail of Nate made him buzz. He stood onhis tiptoes to prolong the kiss, and Nate seemed just as desperateto continue. Their tongue’s brushed, and Alfie’s surrendering moansescaped him. Nate drew back and turned his attention to Alfie’sneck. He bared it and shivered at each light pinch of teeth. Theybroke apart at the sound of a horn and Nate glared at thevan.

There were two seats next to thedriver in the front, but Nate led him to the back and they bothclimbed inside.

“I want you, Alfie, and Ineed to have you now,” Nate said bluntly, and they were thesweetest words Alfie had ever heard.

The End

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