Page 35 of Thomas
“I have not!” Cameron protested, fuming and mortified. His neck and face felt as if they were on fire. “I have done no such thing!”
“And then you secretly arrange a hasty bonding contract with some pale, stony-faced and emaciated Eden purebred because, what? He has a proper inheritance and not a hoard of dusty old books? He’ll do whatever you say and abide by your uptight rules? You—you control freak.”
Cameron gasped as if he’d been physically slapped across the face. It felt as if reality was shifting all around him. Morphing into something strange and unrecognizable—overlaid with the wrong colors, patterns and sounds.
Who was this man standing across from him? They’d been friends, he’d thought, for the past fifteen years. Devon would deliver his books (always unannounced) and they’d have cappuccinos in his study and talk about the book business. It was amicable, interesting and harmless.
Who was this embittered, name-calling vampire? Cameron had no idea, but he’d had enough of him. “You may leave, sir.”
A profound silence fell between them as the words hung in the air like a glob of wet tissue.
Devon straightened and lifted his chin. “Congratulations on your arrangement.”
“I don’t think you mean that.”
He shrugged a shoulder. “Whatever.” Devon turned and stalked toward the door. He lifted the book in the air as he moved. “This was supposed to be a gift, but I think I’ll cut my losses and find a buyer for it instead. I won’t be arranging deals for you going forward.”
“That’s petty,” Cameron said. “This is—You’re unbelievable.”
“And you’re a bloody cock tease,” Devon returned. He flung the door open, then disappeared around the corner.
Cameron put his palm over his heart, closed his eyes and inhaled and exhaled several deep breaths. What the hell had just happened? Emotionally, it was as if Devon had come to Cameron’s home, detonated a bomb and then fled in the wake of his destruction.
After taking a moment to gather himself, Cameron went to the lower library. Thomas was there, a book in his hands, reading with one long leg crossed over the other. The fireplace was lit and the air was warm.
“I sincerely apologize for Devon’s unacceptable behavior,” Cameron began, walking over to him. “I could not have predicted such an obscene reaction from him. He’s never behaved that way in the past.”
Thomas closed the book and lifted his chin. Devon had rudely called Thomas “emaciated.” Cameron thought that was unfair, without question. Although… he did seem gaunter today, as if his condition was worsening. But when Cameron had inquired, Thomas had said he was perfectly fine. What choice did Cameron have but to believe him?
“He has strong romantic feelings for you,” Thomas observed simply. “You didn’t know?”
“No, I… Wait. How did you know?”
“His intense reaction toward me made it fairly plain. The man practically lost his marbles when you disclosed that I was your bonding partner.”
“I had no idea!” Cameron said. “I thought we were friends. He’s never expressed any romantic inclination toward me. Only once, when we were much younger, he asked how I felt about bonding. That’s it.”
Thomas nodded. “You expressed your feelings about bonding—did you also disclose your social anxiety?”
“I did.”
“Hm. If you don’t mind my saying so, his showing up here unannounced and according to his own whimsies is quite inconsiderate of you and the boundaries you’ve set. Lennon is right to be cross.”
Cameron exhaled a weighted sigh and rubbed the back of his neck. “Lennon has expressed the same sentiments—but I thought, ‘This is just Devon.’ Spontaneous and impulsive. I never felt there was any malice behind it.”
“You go to great lengths to protect your mental and emotional health and keep your environment comfortable. It’s obvious to me, even after being here just under a month, that you like to exert a certain control over your physical space and body.”
Control freak.Devon’s antagonism rushed back to the surface like another slap across the face. “I promise that I am not a control freak. I simply?—”
Thomas held up his palms. “No, no—I didn’t mean anything of the sort. When I say ‘control,’ I mean more along the lines of stability and consistency. Safety? You were left to fend for yourself and your household at a fairly young age. Mostvampires at nineteen are courting, exploring themselves and making regretful choices. At least, I was? Along with my peers. But I imagine for you, your world was shaken, and you were suddenly tasked with very serious responsibilities, least of all raising and looking after your baby sister.”
Cameron took a breath as the tension in his chest eased. “I was, that’s true. Lennon helped a lot, but I… I’ve never had anyone neatly summarize my circumstance. I appreciate that you understand me. Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome.” Thomas smiled. It was just a small upturn of his mouth at the corners—no teeth—but the simple gesture reached his eyes and warmed his countenance. “I think you’re capable of finding friends who respect your boundaries instead of trying to make you bend to their own will.”
“Perhaps,” Cameron said, dropping his shoulders and his palm. “Ugh, what a disaster. Now I am minus a friend and a book dealer. What a shit day this is turning out to be.”
Thomas folded his palms in his lap. “Shall we try to turn it around? If your schedule is free for the rest of the afternoon, we could have our chess game? Maybe some accompanying muffins and tea?”
