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This morning, I trailed behind him as he paid for an Uber with the rest of the money I gave him the day before, which gave me extreme satisfaction in knowing that I took care of his needs. I easily kept up with the car, and while it was parking, I slipped in through a back door, made it to my office, and now waited for his arrival.
Being unbonded and apart was a pain like I’d never known. Unlike any physical affliction, it didn’t heal quickly; it burned and ached in every cell of my body.
My heart sped up when I heard the sound of Dalton’s footsteps coming down the hall. I’d already learned and memorized his sound, and his smell that wafted through the air. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, and my fangs tingled.
When Dalton walked through the threshold, I jumped from my chair to stand to greet him respectfully. His steps faltered for a moment as he took in my actions, but then his lips twitched in the closest thing I’d seen to a smile, warming my heart before he made it to his chair, where he paused.
“Please, sit,” I said, and Dalton took his seat as I did the same. Before I spoke again, I took a moment to study his face. How was it possible that he’d grown even more beautiful? I gazed over his body and remembered how it felt against me when I hugged him.
The hug itself was so important, because I felt it was exactly what he needed at the time; a moment of support and compassion I doubted he’d ever felt. Based on his skittish response, I also doubted he’d ever been touched by a man. While his past love life didn’t matter to me, as it was only our connection I cared about, I also couldn’t help but be grateful to be the first and last man to show him affection.
I would be perfectly happy to stare at Dalton all day, but I still had a job to do. It was part of my duty to ensure that my parolees had safe housing, and although I’d been to Dalton’s building, I hadn’t been inside his apartment, so I cleared my throat and instructed him, “Tell me about where you live.”
Dalton appeared a little uncomfortable as he replied, “I live in a small apartment in town. I used to share it with Andrew before he moved in with his boyfriend.”
His use of the word told me that Dalton probably didn’t know the full details of Andy’s relationship with Tage, or even Tage’s vampire identity. I didn’t want to divulge too much, so I kept to the script. “So it is a two bedroom apartment, then?”
Dalton shook his head no. “It’s just one bedroom. I used to sleep on the couch when Andrew was around.”
My heart swelled. Even though this man went about most things the wrong way, it was clear that he cared for his brother. He sacrificed his own comfort for Andy’s. He was misguided because he never had good role models, but he had a good soul.
“And what is your income?” I needed to know by law, but also to gauge how I could help him the best.
Dalton’s eyes left mine when he answered, “I don’t have a job right now. I lost it when I went into prison, and I haven’t been able to find anything since I got out.”
It could be tough for people with a criminal record to find employment. But I was concerned, “How do you afford your rent?”
He picked at his jeans and said, “Andrew’s boyfriend Tage pays for my place.”
I bit back a growl. While I was sure Tage had pure intentions, I was livid at the thought of another man providing for my mate. My voice was tight when I replied, “I’ll call him this afternoon and tell him to stop immediately.”
Dalton’s eyes were full of panic and desperation when they met mine again. “No, please; I’ll lose my apartment. I’ll be homeless! Please, Hutch-”
“Easy,” I interrupted, making sure my tone was gentler. I reached across my desk and placed my hand on his, and Dalton instantly calmed. He put his other hand on top of mine, but pulled it away just as quickly. “I didn’t mean to scare you, and I promise, I’m not going to let you be homeless. I’m going to tell Tage to pull his support because I will be covering your expenses until you find employment.”
After centuries of working and also sharing the wealth of the coven, I had more money than Dalton could need in a hundred lifetimes. I’d gladly hand over every penny, and provide him with everything he could ever want or need, but I had the feeling that holding down a job would help give him purpose and fulfillment. I wanted him to be proud of himself, the way I was already proud of him.
