Page 54 of Mitchell
"Yeah."
"I know someone who's looking for a doctor."
Evan smirked. "Some of your criminal friends?"
"Yeah. But they'll pay you well. Better than at a hospital."
Evan nodded. "I'll think about it."
Seryn got out of the car and went around to Mitchell's side, grabbing his hand after he exited. He pulled him toward the front door. "I can't wait to show you my collections." To Todd and Evan, he called over his shoulder, "I'll show you the guest house and the east wing soon. Just…explore, for now."
Mitchell chuckled. "Slow down, sweetheart."
Seryn punched in the code for the front door so fast he almost missed a number. "I'll share everything with you. I promise."
"Collection of what, baby?"
"Weapons and bikes." It was what he loved the most, save for Mitchell. "I have a bike that would make you look so sexy."
"More like I'd make the bike look sexy." Mitchell wiggled his eyebrows.
Seryn chuckled. "I stand corrected."
"I can't wait to see your toys, baby."
Seryn hadn't ever had anyone to show his collections to before. He never thought he'd be willing to share them, but he wanted to share everything with Mitchell.
Seryn pulled Mitchell through the house to their wing, where he had his weapon collection. Along the way, Mitchell said stuff like "Holy shit, your house is huge" and "I've never been inside a mansion where I didn't plan on stealing something."
Seryn stopped on the stair above where Mitchell was, which made them eye level. "Do you like it?"
Seryn would sell it and buy something else if Mitchell wanted that. It was just a house. Adding security to another place was the only headache.
"What's not to like?" Mitchell eyed the painting on the wall as they went up the stairs. Seryn had bought it years ago after a job he'd done in New York City. The dark moodiness showed in the swirling black and white lines. A big arm with its hand fisted came out of nowhere. It reminded Seryn of his childhood and getting hit simply because he expressed his feelings. Every timehe saw the painting, he told himself not to let anyone in, to keep his distance from people.
Seryn wrapped his arms around Mitchell and hugged him. "I think I want to take that down."
"If you like it, keep it. It's just intense, I guess." Mitchell returned the hug, rubbing his back.
"It's no longer relevant." He had let someone into his little bubble and his world didn't explode. That was something he hadn't expected.
Chapter Twenty
For Mitchell, the best thing about Seryn's collections was watching Seryn turn into a little kid as he showed Mitchell his favorites. The sheer joy on his face was spectacular. For some people, that level of emotion might be normal, but for Seryn, the joy was abnormal. It spoke volumes of how far he'd come in such a short time.
"You have a thing for knives, baby." Mitchell put the one he held on to the tray where Seryn had gotten it before handing it back. It had a shiny metal blade with a deadly curve in it. The handle was made of a milky blue stone. It was beautiful and dangerous, just like Seryn.
Seryn ran a finger along the flat side of a blade. "It was the first weapon I learned how to use."
"Who taught you?" Mitchell wasn't sure he wanted to know. Mitchell only knew a sliver of Seryn's story. Despite their internal link, Seryn hadn't let Mitchell into that part of himself.
Seryn didn't answer right away. He was miles away inside his own mind. He mumbled something that sounded like "needDaddy for this". Sometimes Mitchell couldn't tell if Seryn talked to himself or if a vision was too loud.
Mitchell drew him closer. Seryn went into his arms, hugging him around the waist. It was then that Mitchell felt him shudder as if he were cold.
"Are you okay, sweetheart?"
Seryn shook his head. He didn't speak aloud, but an image popped into Mitchell's mind. It was as though a movie played in his mind. It wasn't his own experience, but it was a memory. It was a horrific story, if Seryn's reaction was any indication.
