Page 65 of Free Me

“You think?” Miko pouted at his reflection, annoyed with himself but it wasn’t as if he could drop five pounds overnight.

“It’s worth calling around.” Linus reached out and rubbed his back. “The last thing I want is for you to be self-conscious and uncomfortable all evening.”

Good point. Miko went into the kitchen for a phone book. If no one could do it, he’d just suck in his gut and deal. Thankfully, a tailor not too far from his neighborhood could fit him in, so Miko dropped the pants off on their way to Linus’s house with takeout and their scrapbook project. They had a bigger dining table there to spread everything out on.

Isa was in the living room doing a puzzle on his folding table, with some midday program on in the background. They ate onthe couch and watched TV like they’d done a hundred other times, but this felt different for Miko. This time, he and Linus were a committed couple who’d shared their love in the most intimate way possible. They were different.

And he loved every second of it.

After cleaning up, they started on the scrapbook, which mostly turned into them studying each picture, reminiscing on exactly what they’d been doing or saying in the moment, and (for Miko) wishing they were still there. Isa came in twice just to take a peek, and they promised an official unveiling when the project was finished.

Around four, just as Miko’s mind began wandering in the direction of dinner and where he was eating tonight, a car engine rumbled into the driveway. He didn’t pay much attention to the front door opening and closing, assuming it was Liam coming home, until Isa’s deep voice boomed, “Demir. Don’t usually see you in the middle of a work day.”

Linus let out a sharp squawk of surprise. But his raised eyebrows immediately dipped into annoyance. Unsure how to interpret that, Miko stayed quiet and took his cues from Linus.

After four amazing days with Miko, Linus was on a high he hadn’t felt since his last soccer game. He’d adored going through their trip pictures, remembering all those fantastic moments, eager for his next dose of fantastic, when Dad’s voice popped that high like a helium balloon.

He’d barely given Demir any thought in days, and now he was here? Interrupting Linus’s great mood? In the middle of a work day, when he never got off work before six o’clock? His immediate concern for bad news disappeared as quickly as it hit him. Demir didn’t hide his emotions all that well, especially not when upset, and no way would he have had the capacity to driveover here if something had happened to Brandt, Oliver, Eriq or Gaige. And Dad hadn’t said anyone else’s name, just Demir’s.

Annoyance filled his brain with static, and Linus tried to stand, forgetting for a split second that he had a prosthetic. The attempt had him slamming back into the chair and feeling like an idiot.

“It’s okay, I’ll help,” Miko said quietly. He stood and pulled Linus’s chair back from the table, so Linus could stand. By the time he was situated with a hand on the back of his chair for balance, Demir was standing in the dining room’s archway, smiling.

“What are you doing here?” Linus blurted out.

Demir’s right eyebrow quirked up but he didn’t lose his smile. “I came to see my family. I had vacation time that was about to expire and, believe it or not, my supervisor basically forced me to take a week off, starting today.”

“What about your important protocols?”

The smile slipped at Linus’s belligerent tone. “I passed them off to other researchers to manage while I’m on leave. There isn’t anything hyper-critical that will be negatively affected by me being gone for a week, and if something happens, they can call me. It’s not as if I’m leaving Sansbury.” He glanced at the table. “Are those photos of your trip?”

Linus closed the album cover without thinking. Demir’s eyebrows furrowed. His eyes shined with confusion and hurt, but Linus wasn’t taking pity. Not when he’d barely seen his brother these last two months.

“Hey, I am going to take a bathroom break,” Miko said. “You guys, um, talk.” He pressed a kiss to Linus’s cheek before leaving the dining room.

Demir stepped to the other side of the table, directly opposite Linus, hands in his pockets, trying to look unthreatening and casual, but his attention was directly on Linus. “I wasn’texpecting a ticker-tape parade,” Demir said, “but what’s with the hostility? Are you and Miko doing okay?”

“We’re amazing, actually. The best we’ve ever been, and I cannot wait to dance with him tomorrow night at the gala. Miko is everything.”

“Okay. Then what’s up, buddy? You’re acting like you’re mad at me.”

Demir’s familiar use of that nickname made Linus want to both smile and scream. “Don’t worry about it. You never have before.”

“What? What are you talking about? You’re my little brother, I worry about you all the time.”

“Yeah, okay.” The longer Demir stood there stewing in utter confusion, like he had no idea why Linus was irritated, the angrier Linus became. Months of pent-up frustration and resentment boiled to the surface, and Linus was helpless to keep it inside. His face heated and his skin crawled with the need to physically lash out. Even for a young alpha, he rarely lost his temper, and right now, it was hitting critical mass.

He didn’t want to yell at his brother. Didn’t want to scream or start a fight, so Linus fumbled for his crutches instead. He got one, but the other slid down the wall and clattered to the floor, out of reach. “Fuck.”

Demir rounded the table and picked up the crutch. When he tried handing it to him, Linus recoiled. That final, tenuous hold he had on his temper snapped. “I don’t want your fucking help anymore!”

Demir took two full steps backward, and the fact that Dad didn’t come racing in to see what was going on told Linus that Miko was running interference. Miko knew this conversation was long overdue.

“Linus, I know I work a lot, that’s always been who I am, but you know I love you,” Demir said, hurt dripping off his words.“All I’ve ever wanted is for you to be happy and safe, since the day you were born.”

“Safe, maybe, but you have a fucking funny way of showing you give a shit about my happiness. Where were you, huh? Where?”

“When? The night of the accident?”

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