LOGINThis was beyond absurd. Beyond what Nathan could comprehend. Beyond anything he could have ever imagined. Valentino?In a maid's costume?His hand fell—much like his lower jaw did—from the door handle as his gaze swept over the outfit repeatedly."I'll be over there, sir," Andrew said from behind him, his voice low, breaking him from his trance. He gasped once and stepped into the apartment fully, before slamming the door shut. Then, his eyes sliced back towards Valentino. The man was red from the folds on his forehead to the hairy skin of his legs. His eyes were shut from what could only be perceived as both regret and mortification. "Valik..." His voice was barely above a whisper."Theo," Valentino whimpered, almost, his hands clenching into fists by his side. His lids flicked open and he bit his lower lip. The words just weren't coming. If they could even be called words. Just a lump of uhs and whys stuck in his throat. "T-take a seat."Nathan barely registered what he had sa
"So what's going on between you two?" Celyn whispered as she dropped onto the chair beside Valentino at the dining table. The man shot her a look, before his gaze darted to the living room at Nathan's approaching footsteps. "You did something wrong, right?"Valentino paid her no mind. His expression fell as he watched Nathan walk around to chair across from them and sat down."I knew it." Celyn chuckled low, a mocking rumble that made his jaw tighten. He let out a sigh and leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed. Had it been it were around 5–6 months ago, he wouldn't have cared less if the boy was throwing a tantrum.Now...Another sigh slipped past his lips.Now, it was different. Something about that poker-face, those cold shoulders, those blue eyes that once shimmered when they looked up at me but now avoided his...Something about them made his chest tighten.Cheryl soon walked in with the meals and served them each, casting Valentino the same what-did-you-do glance she
"I see Mikey's brother is veryy protective," Elena purred, her wine eyeshadow striking as she locked eyes with Nathan. Mikhail huffed beside her, clearly upset about the pet name. He nudged her side, drawing forth a cackle from her.Nathan sighed, glancing over at Andrew and Lucas. The two men were standing by the door to the cafe, their ridiculous sunglasses glued to their faces and their hands clasped behind their backs. He turned towards Elena and Mikhail sitting across the table and flashed them a nervous smile. "How have you been?" Mikhail asked, reaching for the coffee. His eyes never left Nathan as he took a long, slow sip. "Great, um... you?" The boy's hand flew to his nape, fingernails grazing the skin gently as he glinted at Elena.The girl stared back at him, her arms crossed and her expression blank. She reached for her coffee on the table and took a quick sip before setting it down. His fingernails dug deeper into his nape as shivers ran down his spine. He darted his
"What the hell's your problem?"Valentino's eyes flicked wide. He'd never seen Nathan this bold, nor had he seen him so visibly upset. The boy's legs wrapped around him like a vice, tight-much like his arms around his neck, trapping him dangerously between his thighs. His heart picked up, thumping in his ears, drowning out the sound of the TV in the background.Something hot and intense rushing violently to his crotch. Any more friction and he would lose control.He couldn't lose control. Nathan's brows were furrowed atop his glaring blue eyes. A sight he'd never thought would be such a turn on right now. His heart thumped. This was bad. This was dangerous. Too close. His member was directly against his, throbbing with need, savouring the heat coursing through the boy's pant.Warmth crept to his nape."Let me go," he managed amidst shaky breaths, unable to fully dart his thoughts away from non-existent distance between their cocks. Nathan huffed."No."Valentino let out a sigh
"Is this your idea of a date?" Valentino mumbled, his gaze sweeping over the carton of pizza and wine bottles. Nathan chuckled, his cheeks warm. "Yes, sir fancypants." Resting an elbow on the center table, he reached for the remote and turned towards him with a smile. "It might be a bit unimpressive, but you'll have to manage with me this once."Valentino's sigh cut through the air. The man ran a hand through his hair and chuckled, a low rumble that filled the living room. A place Nathan never remembered to be this small."It's better than nothing."The boy nodded, his heart fluttering. He turned the TV on and switched it to an ongoing animated movie.Then he winced internally and shook his head. If he'd let Valentino choose a date spot, he knew for sure he'd have taken them to some ridiculously expensive restaurant.There was no way he'd allow that. He already had trouble with the bodyguards.He'd die from sheer nervousness.His eyes darted towards the man, tracing his side pr
Valentino glanced over at Nathan, his chest tightening. He sighed once and dropped the pen, then rose to his feet and rounded the desk.The boy lay on the recliner, on his side, with his back facing him. "Theo."The flinch in his posture was almost palpable."What's wrong?" asked Valentino as he strode up to him and crouched down beside him slowly.Silence."Theo," Valentino purred again, this time, trying to hold back the laughter threatening to crawl out his throat. How cute!What could possibly be the problem?He definitely wasn't asleep."Did I do something wrong?" His hand reached for the boy's shoulder and he squeezed it gently. Nathan shifted and shook it off almost immediately. The man's brows arched. Maybe he had done something wrong. "I'm sorry, Theo," he murmured, sliding a hand round his waist. Nathan flinched, his skin twitching slightly. But he didn't shake him off. A sigh escaped Valentino. Thank God. "You're not gonna tell me what I did wrong? I wouldn't wanna
"What type of salt did you cook today?" Valentino asked, as his eyes swept across the plates, earning a fond glare from Nathan. The boy stifled a scoff, lowering himself on the seat across from him. "None," he replied, glancing up at the man. A small smile crossed his lips when their eyes, before
One. Two. Three.The pictures came off the wall one after the other, except one. The one which Nathan and Mikhail had taken in front of their university.It would remain there—a tribute to his first love.He gathered the pictures he'd peeled off and placed them in the wooden basket, then he placed
The sun had risen when Valentino finally woke up. His eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the sunlight pouring in from the window beside him.He furrowed his brows as he sat upright, wincing at the pang in his head. His eyes darted to his hand, widening slightly at the sight of Nathan's around it. T
The wind blew, sweeping along dried leaves and dust as it whistled through the trees. It was peaceful. Calm. Cool. A sharp contrast to the turmoil within him.Valentino sat before his mother's gravestone, clutching a bouquet of her favourite flowers in his hand. Celyn's words swirled in his head—co







