Desirable (mxm)

thirty-nine; distract me

I finish the rest of my meal as Everett collects the plates and Reign gets dressed for their walk around the house.

I need to see you. Nate's voice floats into my head.

His tone makes my throat clench. Is everything okay?

No.

Are you hurt?

No. I'm– he cuts himself off for a moment. I'm furious and confused.

Come over.

Can I?

Always.

I can practically hear a sigh of relief. Thank you. I'm on my way.

As soon as the mindlink closes, I head upstairs and take a quick shower. He should be here in twenty minutes or less. It depends how desperate he is to see me. I hope he's okay. My heart twinges in my chest but I tell myself not to jump to conclusions. He's already said he's not hurt but there can be a thousand other things wrong.

When the guard informs me that Nate is at the gate, I tell them to let him inside. I hurry down the steps as I see him walk through the door. It's obvious he's stressed because his hair is tied back into a tiny bun at the back of his head, his fingers probably been running through it because he doesn't know what else to do. So he puts it up to stop himself.

I've noticed him do it before.

As soon as our eyes clock on one another, I hurry towards him. He collapses into my arms and I cradle the back of his head gently. I inhale his scent, Nate doing the same. My heart rate remains fast but the bond between us makes me calm down.

"Are you okay?" I murmur into his shoulder, clutching him tighter.

He sighs and shakes his head. "I've been better."

I reluctantly pull away from his embrace and press a delicate kiss to his plump lips. Then I take his hand and guide us outside to sit on the stairs facing the clearing. The sun shines down on us and I don't let go of his hand. I scoot closer until our knees are brushing.

"Tell me everything," I say slowly.

Nate nods, looking out at the trees swaying in the gentle breeze. He doesn't speak immediately but I give him the time, despite my anxiety rocketing through me. He's here in one piece, that's the most important thing to me right now.

I run my thumb across his knuckles. God, I'm doing an Everett. Reminding me that he's here and he's okay. I'm obsessed with this man.

At first he explains Viola's mate visiting their territory. Stalking more like. Then he explains telling him to leave and never come back. But then Viola turned up and said she wanted to speak with him.

He's trying to be a brother. Protecting her at all costs.

"She thinks I'm rubbing our happiness in her face," he grumbles. "Said that I can get my happily ever after but she can't get her own. She wanted to speak with him alone. He hurt her, he tried to take her away. I love Viola but she can be very naive at times."

I nod slowly. "I wouldn't want her talking to him either, not anywhere near him. You don't trust him, how could you when he was so careless with her before? Like you said, he tried to take her away."

Nate's expression widens. "Exactly!" He says loudly. "I'm only trying to look out for her but for some reason she thinks I'm trying to take away her happiness. She can do what she wants but I'm trying to talk some sense into her first. If he hurts her–" he cuts himself off and clenches his eyes shut. "God, I'll never forgive myself."