Page 6 of Benicio

“There’s that weird look again,” David said. He was now resting his chin on his bent knees. “What’s got you looking so constipated?”

Benicio scoffed. “You lack refinement.”

“You lack a sense of humor.”

“Get out.”

“I’m going.” David unfolded himself and stood. Benicio didn’t want him to leave for some irrational reason. He’d never needed anyone, yet the thought of David walking out bothered him. “A little honey goes a long way,” David said. “You don’t have to be an asshole all the time.”

Benicio snarled.

David shrugged. “I can’t help it you don’t like the truth. For a handsome guy, you frown way too much. I’d work on that if I were you.”

“You don’t have to say everything that comes to mind,” Benicio countered.

“I am who I am,” David replied. “I don’t believe in holding back.”

Benicio stood, and his knees nearly gave out. He gripped one of the posts to steady himself, and damn it, the pain returned with a vengeance. Benicio ground his teeth, gripping the bed so hard the antique wood cracked slightly under his fingers.

“You should sit down before you fall down.” David came over, and as much as Benicio wanted to snarl at the guy, he was grateful for the assistance.

Until David nearly crumpled under Benicio’s arm, which he’d draped across the guy’s shoulders.

“What are you made of?” David grunted. “You’re heavy as hell.”

“You’re just small,” Benicio pointed out.

David glared at him as helped Benicio sit. “I’m well aware of my short stature. Trust me when I tell you that plenty of people remind me of it.”

Benicio stood at six feet five inches, and the top of David’s dark hair only reached Benicio’s pecs.

He had a strange urge to apologize, which was something Benicio never did. Borrowing from David statement, Benicio was who he was, an arrogant prick who could normally kill with a single thought. Right now the only thing his brain wanted to do was throb from pain and exertion.

Benicio had never felt this weak and vulnerable, and he didn’t like it. But he also didn’t like the hurt look on David’s face.

The weakening of his body was corroding Benicio’s mind. Since when did he care about hurting someone’s feelings? He was merciless, feared by many. An ancient being who brought down judgment on the heads of those who had done wrong. He was judge, jury, and executioner.

Yet an apology was sitting on the tip of his tongue. “Didn’t I tell you to get out?” Benicio snapped. “Go find your own room. Come tomorrow, you will be paid, and then you will give me what I want.”

David headed toward the door, his ragged shoes silent on the carpet. When he walked out, he softly closed the door behind him. Benicio thought for sure he would slam it.

Benicio didn’t need anyone, let alone an unrefined hustler.

* * * *

Screw Benicio. He could go to hell for all David cared. He’d tried to be nice, tried to extend an olive branch, but the grumpy bastard had only snapped that branch in half. As soon as he was done here, David was going to bounce. He hadn’t taken this kind of crap from his father, so he wasn’t going to take it from a complete stranger.

When he spotted Matteo in the hallway, David kept going. He didn’t bother to stop and tell the guy about Benicio passing out. He didn’t want to talk to anyone right now. As soon as David found a room—three doors down from Benicio—he closed the door behind him and dropped onto the bed. This truly sucked. He was in a gorgeous mansion, yet he didn’t want to explore. He didn’t want to take the chance of running into Benicio. Not that he thought he would, considering how the ancient vampire was feeling at the moment.

Now his mind was turning over possible reasons why Benicio had passed out and why he looked to be in so much pain. David shouldn’t care. He didn’t know the guy, and Benicio had treated him like garbage from the moment they’d met.

But David wasn’t heartless, contrary to what some thought. He genuinely cared about people, but that caring always backfired on him. Vampires and wolf shifters looked at him as if he were the lowest sort of scum, so he’d started emanating that persona.

That wasn’t him, though. He craved what everyone else wanted. To feel as if he belonged. He didn’t think that was too much to ask. To feel like he mattered to at least one person. Life was hard enough, but to go it alone was even harder.

He didn’t really think Benicio could be that person for him, but the guy could have at least been civil to him since it was Benicio who wanted something from David, not the other way around.

Technically, David did want something, but money for his time and information was fair in his opinion. Especially if he was going to open his mouth about Eleazar. He wasn’t sure who scared him more, Eleazar or Benicio.

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