Chapter 9

Nathan's hand trembled as Valentino's engulfed his, calloused, with rough tips like sand paper.

He shifted where he sat on the ground, his fingers curling and uncurling. The chill of the tiles bit at his skin, but he had no other choice.

Valentino's breath filled the air, anything but soft. Each inhale and exhale exuded a pressure that tightened around Nathan's neck like a noose.

He was in the man's room, but it felt like a den. A chamber. A territory. And he was a trespassing prey.

The man's scent was at its most intense here, heady, yet... strangely tranquilizing.

Nathan's eyelids fluttered slowly, threatening to be claimed by exhaustion.

He flicked them open, his hand absentmindedly tightening around Valentino's huge one.

He froze when the man's fingers twitched, snapping his eyes to his head, but he was still asleep.

Thank God.

This was a bad idea.

A word slipped through his lips. A whisper. A curse.

Why had Celyn done this to him?

He heaved a sigh, mind wandering to how Valentino had reacted to the idea of them sleeping while holding hands.

It was the angriest he'd seen him.

A pressure had filled the air. Pressing. Enraged. Celyn shot up to her feet and backed away, as Valentino's breath slowed.

Nathan stilled beside him, a knot of anxiety forming in his chest. He could almost taste the man's annoyance.

"If you don't, you won't be able to sleep and he'll pass out," Celyn explained rapidly, a nervous smile playing on her lips.

Valentino didn't speak, but his silence was enough to make knees buckle and hearts tighten with fear.

And Nathan was his first victim.

The boy's shoulders pulled inward, his head lowering.

His heart ached, self-pity filling his emotions.

Was he that bad?

It wasn't like he asked to be tied to Valentino, but each look of annoyance and pure contempt drove him farther into an abyss of insecurity.

He felt more depressed than he was when Mikhail introduced his mate.

But, with it all... he was somewhat grateful.

It was a twisted emotion that only he could understand.

More than he liked to admit, the ongoing drama had saved him hours of bed rotting and constant wailing.

If it weren't for the string, he'd have shut himself off completely.

He almost scoffed at the absurdity.

"Celyn." Valentino's voice was like steel, sharp and laced with venom.

It cut through the tension filled air, forcing the hair on Nathan's body to rise.

The woman chuckled nervously, grabbing her bag off the table. She backed away, clasping her hands.

"Three hours while sleeping and that's it!"

Then, she left.

Nathan shook his head, fingers brushing Valentino's palm subconsciously. He still could not believe she left him like that.

He glanced up at Valentino, taking in his sleeping form. Save for the permanent frown, the man almost looked soft.

His eyes traced the thick lashes pressing against the rough skin of his cheeks, the thick eyebrows furrowed above, and his firmly carved lips.

Now that Nathan was really looking at him, he could see some resemblance between the man and Mikhail.

They had the same nose—high bridged, Roman-like, and similar ears.

For the first time, he dared to think Valentino looked handsome.

He shook his head, shuddering, before glancing at the countdown clock on the bedside table.

An hour and twenty-four minutes remaining.

Valentino had abhorred the idea.

So much so that he had ordered Nathan to sit on the floor and watch him sleep instead. Once three hours was up, the boy would go to another room until it was morning and then, he'd leave.

Nathan dared not sleep.

He doubted he'd still be alive to see the light of day if he mistakenly fell asleep.

His eyes were glued to the clock, staring weakly as each minute counted down, but...

The air in the room was cool. Too cool, but it was comfortable enough for him to drift off to sleep.

Nathan's eyes fluttered shot and this time they didn't flick back open.

By the time he woke up, almost three hours had gone by and the night sky was starting to brighten up.

And even worse.

Valentino wasn't in the bed.

The sound of running water reached his ears, alongside soft footsteps from within the bathroom.

His eyes snapped to the direction, half expecting to see raging Valentino emerge from there.

But, he didn't.

One minute.

Two.

Three.

The bathroom door remained shut.

Nathan shot to his feet.

He hurried silently to the door and slipped out into the hallway.

His heart thumped with dread as he walked back to his room, feeling cold sweat seeping out of the palm of his hands.

Had Valentino not notice him?

Why had he not woken him up?

Would he survive until the crack of drawn?

A question mark loomed over his head as he entered his room and slid into the bed.

He curled beneath the cotton blankets, unable to fall asleep despite feeling incredibly exhausted.

Perhaps he could guard his door.

Just in case.

But the idea was even more exhausting.

As more thoughts swirled in his head, he found his eyelids weighing heavier and heavier with each second until he drifted to sleep.

Whatever consequences awaited him, he'd face them in the morning.

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"The next time you fall asleep like that, I'm cutting your ears."