“Your logic doesn’t make sense.” Ant shook his head. “I don’t want to see Carmine Doukas. Once was enough for me. I want lunch. I’ve told you where we’ll be this afternoon. I can’t be fairer than that. In the meantime, hand over your knife.”
“My knife?” Giorgio slapped his hand over his pocket.
“Yes, your knife.” Ant clicked his fingers, and the blade appeared in his hand. “The one you stabbed my mate with.”
Ant threw it into the air. Able started to growl as a glow appeared around the blade. Even Viktor’s eyes widened slightly as the knife started to change, morphing into a metallic blob that spread out and swirled in the air, before forming a ball which dropped into Ant’s waiting hand. “Here,” he said, throwing itback. “The next time you pull a knife anywhere near my mate, I’ll take that ball and shove it so far up your butt, you’ll choke on it. Viktor, I’m ready for lunch now.”
“So am I.” Viktor wrapped his arm around Ant’s shoulder. “I believe you said the Mandalin?”
“Yes. What did you do with Able’s leash? Did you lose it? He won’t be allowed in there without it, and I’m not sure I have a spare.”
“I didn’t lose it. I’ve got it in my pocket.” Viktor pulled it out, and dropping his arm from Ant’s shoulder, he called to Able and quickly clipped it into the dog’s collar before handing the end to his mate.
“I didn’t want Able to trip on the end of the lead as he was running up the stairs,” he explained as he draped his arm over Ant’s shoulder again and led him out of the alley. “Taking the leash off seemed like a good idea.”
“It was a better idea than the one where you decided to run six blocks in a blink and got met by a knife,” Ant agreed.
Viktor chuckled softly. “How long are you going to be annoyed with me about that? I didn’t know that was going to happen.”
“You’re paying for my lunch and a full meal for Able,” Ant said firmly.
“Definitely.”
Ant’s affection swept across their bond like a warm breeze – something Viktor was grateful for. He just hoped Carmine Doukas didn’t interrupt their lunch. For all Giorgio’s posturing, Carmine wanted something, and Viktor knew he would show up at some point to ruin their afternoon.
Chapter Three
Still shaken by the events of the morning, Ant managed to make casual conversation until they had finished eating. But when Viktor pushed his empty plate aside, Ant was compelled to at least try to have the conversation he’d been avoiding. He was aware enough to know the conversation might not go well, but he owed it to Viktor and their mating to try.
“I know we both agreed we weren’t good at talking about our feelings, do you remember?” he asked, looking up into Viktor’s eyes. His mate was looking particularly smart, especially now Ant had fixed his shirt. His dark hair was combed back and tied at the nape of his neck, which seemed to be Viktor’s preferred style, and he looked as though he could easily break someone in two or stride down a fashion catwalk. Viktor seemed to have a knack of always looking as though he was in control.
Which makes him the perfect mate for me.Ant wasn’t the type to ever compare himself to anyone else. If he did, being with Viktor might make him feel inadequate – especially in the looks department. But Ant already knew that Viktor was so much deeper and complex than he appeared.
“You’ve been edgy since I resigned from the police force,” he explained bluntly. “I know you didn’t plan to get a text today from an old colleague. I believe you when you said you wanted to take Able out for a walk, that was your only goal at the time. The knife incident wasn’t planned – I believe that as well. But aside from the events of the morning, I still get the idea you’re not happy, and because I’m your mate, that worries me.”
“I never meant to worry you,” Viktor said. “By the same token, I believe happiness is a relative term. I’m extremely content with you in my life. I am beyond glad that I have found my fated one. You mean more to me than anything. My stress, my angst,whatever it is that you’re feeling, and not able to put into words, well…I’m not sure I have words for those feelings, either.”
That wasn’t helpful. “Can you at least give me an idea of what we’re dealing with?” Ant used “we” deliberately. He needed Viktor to understand that if his mate had a problem, he would do everything in his power to help.
Viktor must’ve picked that up through their bond. “I know how supportive you are of me,” he said quietly. “You don’t have to put that into words. As to what this other business is…” Viktor let out a long breath. “I’m not sure I can explain because I’ve not been conscious of feeling like this before. I’ve lived a very long and busy life. I’ve always had something to do, and I find our periods of inactivity more difficult to deal with than I’d assumed I would.”
“I remember when we were lying out in the yard,” Ant reminded his mate. “That was only a couple of weeks ago. You said you were happy with the peace and not having anything to do, just spending time with me and Able. I’m not silly enough to think for a second that a mate can become the whole focus of somebody’s world. What concerns me about this…this…” Ant struggled to find the word he needed. “This disconnect,” he said at last, “is that even though you knew I was aware of your rising agitation, because of who I am and what I do, you still didn’t talk to me about it.”
“That’s what bothered you?” Viktor didn’t seem upset, more curious.
“When I don’t know the facts of a situation, it’s easy for me to imagine the worst - that perhaps your agitation is because of me and something I’m doing. I know people are often uncomfortable around me, and I’m sure I’ve read a paper somewhere where feeling like that is considered human nature.”
Viktor chuckled. “You’re not strictly human, precious, and I’m definitely not. I understand that from an academic perspective, it would be simple to assume that any agitation or ill feeling I had could be directed at you. I hope that there’s nothing in my actions that have indicated it’s actually you I’ve been upset with, because nothing’s further from the truth.”
“That was one of the things that made it so difficult to work out,” Ant admitted. “You know you’re my first and only relationship, and I don’t always know if I’m doing or not doing something wrong. I knew you weren’t angry with me. But when you carry so much tension almost all the time, I’m not sure what I’m expected to do about it. That’s why I had hoped you would talk to me.”
Viktor nodded. “That makes sense.”
“Today was a good example,” Ant said, quietly relieved that Viktor wasn’t just dismissing his concerns. “You seemed relieved when I said we were going to the office, and I can understand you wanting to get out of the house for a while. But do you miss your life with Tony that much? Is that why you rushed off to answer a text from one of his henchmen?”
“I answered the text because I was curious,” Viktor said. “He told me where to meet him, and we were in the area. I’m not sure if he knew we were in town or assumed I’d travel to meet him. You’d know more about whether we had a stalker or not.”
Ant grinned because that was true.
