Page 87 of Soren

But the two of them had time—endless time, now—to figure it out. Soren squeezed Gabe’s hand in reassurance. “Go,” he told him. “I’ll be waiting here.”

He watched his mate leave with his brother.

And then it was Soren, Roman, and Jay. And an awkward silence, broken only by Ferdy sniffing around under the kitchen table. Jay looked down, smiling at the puppy. “Hello, dog,” he said. “Would you like me to take you out?”

Jay clearly hadn’t learned to talk to pets any more normally in the past week.

Roman glared at him, Jay blanching at the look. “Um…if that’s okay with you?” he asked timidly.

Roman eyed him warily, taking in the way Ferdy was gazing up at the little vampire in adoration, tail thumping.

“He’s taken him out before,” Soren reassured his friend. “Ferdy likes him. Your dog’s a bit of a slut, honestly.”

Roman turned his glare to Soren. Sotouchy. And okay, yeah, maybe he hadn’t fully forgiven Soren; that much was clear.

Jay fetched Ferdy’s leash, more than happy to leave the tense atmosphere of the kitchen.

And then there were two.

Soren and Roman sat in silence for a long moment. Soren took a sip of his cold tea, slurping obnoxiously, wondering if he could antagonize Roman out of his silence without saying the first words.

It worked beautifully. “You should have told me,” Roman accused, those bright-blue eyes locked unwaveringly on Soren’s.

The guy was not one to shy away from eye contact; that was for sure.

“It wasmypast,” Soren said mildly. “My decision.”

“Did you not trust me to help you?” Roman asked, more sadness than anger in his tone. “I trusted you to helpme. Many times.”

Soren ran a finger along the rim of his mug. “It wasn’t like that.”

“Explain.”

“Rome. What happened to you with Luc was…painful. I know that. I’m not minimizing it. But what happened to me was different. I was treated like—likeproperty. For centuries. It messes with your sense of self. To be told you exist at someone else’s pleasure. A plaything.”

Roman frowned but nodded at him to continue.

“I didn’t want you to get hurt helping me. Hendrick had…people. Other vampires who could have killed you.Wouldhave killed you. And I thought it was— I don’t know. I thought it was okay. To suffer periodically. If it meant living life the way I wanted. I thought I could wash away the bad with enough pleasure. With enough fun. I didn’t think I was worth taking a stand for.”

“Ah. Mon ami. No,” Roman protested. “You are worth—”

Soren held up a hand. “I knowlogicallythat was wrong. But it took something…big to wake me up to it.”

Roman raised a dark brow. “The brother.”

“I know you hold a grudge against him because of your precious Danny…”

“I do not think Gabe is a bad person,” Roman protested. “Just…stubborn. Pigheaded, if you will. But he has changed for you. Quite literally.”

Soren tried not to look smug. He really did.

Roman smiled sadly at him. “I am sorry I could not help you before. When you needed it.”

“Yeah, well.” Soren shrugged. “I just don’t want you thinking any differently about me. That I’m not a badass.”

“But I never thought you were a bad ass.” Roman said it like two distinct words.

“Liar! I’m intimidating as hell.”

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