Page 20 of High Stakes and Soulmates
I know I need to get back before my brother questions if I died in that house with that man. But I find that I don’t want to move.
“I mean… a bit odd but it’s definitely not the oddest thing I’ve seen,” he jokes. “I’ve also been known to stare off into the abyss like ‘Did I start a fire in the fireplace on the far side of the house? Because I really don’t feel like walking all the way over there.’”
“Your thoughts are definitely more important than whatever I’m thinking about,” I assure him.
Arturo laughs. “Very important. I need to pick up a package and don’t want to be too late. You could walk with me if you’d like to? I mean… you don’t have to; I’m not doing much of interest.”
Everything he does is more interesting than what I have waiting for me.
“I would like that,” I say.
He stands up and holds a hand out to me. I take it, hoping there are no traces of blood on me, but I was careful… I’ve had practice. But the moment his calloused fingers slide across mine, I find my attention on them instead.
When I’m on my feet, he releases my hand, and I find myself missing the warmth. It’s not exactly easy to find men who share my same… interests without my unit knowing. And in bigger cities, when my unit wanders off to find brothels, I’m too nervous to seek the comfort of another man and end up holing up in my room instead.
But he makes me yearn for something I’ve always wanted. Hell, I yearn for everything but this life I’ve been locked into.
“How long are you here for?”
“Not very long. I assume we’ll be moving out shortly,” I say.
“That’s disappointing. Maybe we can meet tomorrow? If you’re still here, that is. I have to ride out to a town about three hours from here. I’ll have you back before midnight. It’d be fun to have someone accompany me.”
“If we haven’t moved on, I would enjoy that. Where should I meet you?”
“How about back at that tree at noon?” he suggests.
“Okay.”
“It’ll be our secret meeting spot,” Arturo says with a grin.
And while the memory of the child’s cries try to tear me down, his smile tries to pull me back up. I didn’t even realize how much I was drowning until he offered his hand to me.
“You okay?” he asks.
I nod. “Yeah. I want to be.”
“Come with me tomorrow and just push your worries back, even if it’s for a moment.”
And I will hang on to that moment as desperately as I can because I’m not sure how much longer I can keep going like this.
CHAPTER SIX
EZIO
Present
Julian warned me to play it cool. He said that leaping out of my chair with enough force to fling it back just because Cyrus wanted me to pick him up wasnotplaying it cool.
Clearly, Julian doesn’t understand the excitement that is rippling through my body when I hurry toward the door.
“You don’t even have pants on!” Julian yells.
“Shit, you’re right.”
“Why the fuck isn’t Ezio wearing pants?” Casimir asks as he walks into the dining room where I’ve been sitting and helping Julian with schoolwork to distract me from my woes.
I figured that since he allowed me to grade stuff the other day, I might as well help him again today.
