Page 3 of Obsessed

But living with Gage wasnota contingency plan.

1

RAIN

SIX WEEKS LATER

Inthebeginning,itwas easy to avoid Gage. Rain worked a late schedule and when he got home Gage was usually in bed, sometimes loudly fucking Eve, but Rain had learned to block out that kind of stuff when he was in preschool.

Prioritizing his safety, Rain had beefed up the security from his old place, quickly adding a new doorknob to his new bedroom that looked the same but had a different key. He also bought a doorstopper, a series of portable locks that people used in hotels, and two cameras he’d picked up cheap online. One had been placed prominently as a decoy while the other stayed hidden near the window since it was solar powered.

Nothing had happened yet, but Gage was stalking him like a tiger with its prey, waiting for the perfect moment to strike, and the suspense left Rain in a constant state of dread. His best and only option was working his ass off, which took him out of Gage’s hands and padded his escape account; plus, if he hooked up then he didn’t have to come back for days. As long as he answered his mother’s texts and calls, which were rare, then she didn’t care what he did.

It had always been like that. She’d told Rain that she had him so she’d always have a friend, but he wasn’t her friend; he was her son, and a lot of the time he was her therapist, her verbal punching bag, and her errand boy. Thankfully, once they’d moved in with Tristan his childhood had somewhat stabilized. He’d even gotten a best friend his own age but since Gage’s house was over an hour away, using Tommy as a potential roommate was starting to look worse and worse.

“I’m giving you one more chance to move in with me,” Rain stated, staring into his phone, but he already knew what the answer would be.

Desperate to get out as soon as possible, he’d visited a shoddy apartment complex before work. The units were disgusting but they were also the only thing in his price range. If he wanted something better, then he had to stay at Gage’s a little while longer. Sharing a place with Tommy had been his last great hope and he’d called him as soon as he’d stepped out of the dingy building, heading to work on foot.

Sighing, Tommy pinched his lips together, stressed out, his blonde curls messy as he looked at Rain from the screen. “I wish I could but Ollie just went into treatment. I can’t leave my parents now. My mom’s climbing the walls and my dad’s been crying every day.”

“No, no, I get it.”

“And I have finals next month. And Amanda’s been talking about living together.” Tommy ran a hand through his hair, plopping down in his desk chair, and the room spun around him as he got comfortable.

“It’s fine.” Rain tried to look chipper.

“It’s not fine.” Tommy leaned in. “Is Gage still being a dick?” Tommy thought they didn’t get along, which was technically the truth, and that’s how Rain wanted it because Tommy Clark and his welcoming family were an escape. Besides, he’d learned as a child that his problems were best handled on his own.

“Kind of. I don’t see him a lot, which is good.” Turning left, Rain approached the center of town. “But that’s not a solution. I need to leave.”

“Sorry again, Rain. I wish I could help.”

“Shutup, Tommy. You have to be there for your family and I get that. I’m worried about Ollie too.” Over the past few years, Tommy’s brother had transformed from a caterpillar into a butterfly. Part of that transformation had included weight loss that had spiraled into an eating disorder and he’d gotten himself into a scary state. Thankfully, his family and Finn - the love of his life - had stepped in, getting Ollie the help that he needed.

“We can visit him once he’s more stabilized.” Tommy gave him a wan smile.

“I’d love that. I bet there are some hot doctors there.” Waggling his eyebrows, Rain made a pouty face.

“One track mind.” Tommy’s smile became real and Rain returned it.

“Always. I want to thank Ollie in person anyway because I loooove working at The Pointe.” Even though his home life was a shitshow, at least he’d gotten a fantastic job at the wedding hall where Ollie worked. The hiring process had been a whirlwind; Ollie had given him a number and he’d made a call, met their maître d’ Marci, and started his first serving shift in under forty-eight hours.

“Yeah?” Tommy’s smile widened.

“Yeah. I’ve waited at a few places but this pays thebest, probably because I deal with drunks all night.” Rain weaved through people on the sidewalk, noting the ones who stared at him in interest or admiration.

“How many of them have you bagged?Hmmm?” Pulling the phone close, Tommy filled the screen with his eye and Rain started to laugh. While Tommy wasn’t gay, he was a wonderful ally who enthusiastically cheered on Rain’s conquests. He was the opposite of a slut shamer; he was a slut supporter, and Rain considered him a platonic life partner. A lot of people thought the two of them had slept together but they’d known each other since they were ten. Tommy was sexless to Rain but he’d never say that to his face.

“Nope, I can’t touch the guests,” Rain sighed, walking across The Pointe’s parking lot. “Marci saw me eyeballing this smokeshow of a groomsman the first night I was there and tore me a new asshole about it. She said that I can fuck any of the staff but the guests are off limits, and I’m not about to argue because she’s cool but also a little scary.”

Tommy raised both eyebrows. “That’s what Ollie says.”

“I’m not upset about it though. There’s enough staff to keep me busy for months.” Rain pulled the phone to his mouth, waggling his tongue at the camera.

“Ew!” Tommy declared. “And I’m sure you already started.”

Pulling the phone back, Rain smirked at the screen. “Of course I have.”

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