Payne flopped on the damp grass. He was breathing hard, but he grinned when Greg sat next to him. He raised his fist, and Greg bumped his against it.
“Great job,” Greg said.
“You, too.”
They were used to training together, which meant today wasn’t the first time they had to fight each other. When they did it at home, the assassins usually took bets on who would win. They were evenly matched when it came to strength, and while Greg was larger, Payne was faster. Sometimes Greg won, and other times Payne did.
Payne had won today.
He rolled to his side and grabbed his backpack, dragging his water bottle out of it. He sat up and took a drink, and as he did so, his phone caught his attention. The screen had lit up with a text message, and it allowed him to see that Jasper had called him three times and texted him twice.
Payne frowned and took out his phone. They weren’t supposed to look at their phones while they were training, but since they weren’t children, no one took them away. Most of the others left her phone in their dorm rooms, but since Greg and Payne didn’t live here, they kept theirs in their backpacks.
“Payne!” Jamison thundered. “What are you doing with that phone?”
In any other circumstance, Payne would have put it away and apologized, but he was reading Jasper’s text, and as he did so, he got to his feet.
“Payne!” Jamison said again. He stormed toward Payne, and Payne finally turned his attention to him. “I apologize,” he said before Jamison could start yelling at him. “It’s an emergency.”
That gave Jamison pause. “Is it?”
Payne turned his phone so Jamison could see the text Jasper had sent him. “Jasper’s a friend. Rob is my mate.”
The text was short and straightforward, but it still terrified Payne.
Rob got a call about his mother taking a fall and had to rush to her. Call him.
Payne swallowed. “My mate’s mother has dementia.”
Jamison’s expression softened. “And you need to go to him.”
“I can stay if I have to, but I’d rather be with him and his mother, at least for today. I need to know what happened to her.”
“I don’t expect you to stay when you have a family emergency. Go.”
Payne put his phone into his pocket and grabbed his backpack. Greg patted his shoulder, silently telling him that he was there if he needed anything. Payne nodded, relieved as always to have his friend, but when he moved toward building E, he realized he hadn’t called Dasha.
“Seymour will take you,” Jamison declared loud enough that Payne saw Seymour turn their way.
Payne wasn’t sure it was a good idea, but he didn’t want to waste time, so he nodded.
Seymour looked way too excited to be able to leave, even if only for a moment. He was sweating, and his face was tomato red. He bounced toward Payne, but his expression changed when he realized something had happened.
“Everything okay?” he asked.
“I don’t know yet. My mate’s mother fell, and she has dementia.”
“So that’s why Jamison wants me to take you wherever you need to go.”
Payne nodded. “I’m sorry to take you away from training. I could call someone else.”
“It’s fine. Vivian was kicking my ass, anyway.”
They had to walk to building E, since the rest of the facility was shielded against unwanted shimmerings. As soon as they were inside, Payne grabbed Seymour’s hand. Seymour squeezed it, still looking worried. “All right?” he asked.
“I’ll feel better once I’m with my mate.”
“Just focus on him, all right?”
Payne closed his eyes and thought of Rob. It was easy, especially now that they’d become closer. He was surprised Rob hadn’t tried calling him, but he also understood. Rob had been alone for so long, and he was used to taking care of his mother on his own. It probably hadn’t occurred to him that Payne would want to know that something had happened so he could be there for Rob and help him. They’d have to talk about that, but not right now.
When Payne opened his eyes, they were in a room that was nothing like the one they’d just left. The walls were painted a light blue, and some of the tiles on the floor were chipped. It was empty, but several chairs lined the walls, telling him it was a waiting area. The door stood open, and he could see they were in what looked like a hospital.
“I didn’t want to shimmer you directly to him in case we interrupted something,” Seymour explained. “But he’s in the next room.”
Payne nodded and left the room. He peeked into the next one, and it couldn’t have been any different. It was cozy and almost looked like a normal bedroom you’d find in an apartment. A few things pointed to the fact that it wasn’t, including medical equipment, like the bed on which a woman was stretched out. Rob was sitting next to her, talking, but he looked up when he heard Payne.
His eyes widened, and he shot to his feet. “What are you doing here?” he asked as he rushed to Payne’s side.
“Jasper texted me that they called you about your mother. How is she?”
Rob looked back at her. She was staring at the TV now, not one bit interested in what was happening between them. Her gray hair was neatly combed, and she was wearing a white sweater. She’d stretched out on top of the covers, so Payne could see she was also wearing black pants and white socks. She looked fine, but what did Payne know?
“She’s okay,” Rob whispered.
“Are you sure?”
Rob nodded, and he looked like he wanted to say more, but just then, a doctor arrived. She looked from Rob to Payne, clearly curious, but now wasn’t the time to explain who Payne was. He quickly squeezed Rob’s hand, then gently pushed him toward the doctor. “It looks like she’s here for your mother.”
“You’re leaving?” Rob sounded like he wasn’t happy about that.
“Not if you don’t want me to.”
“I don’t.”
“Then I’ll stay. You go and talk to the doctor, and I’ll be right outside the room.”
Rob stared for a moment before nodding. Payne kissed him, unable to stay away, then quickly stepped out. The doctor walked in, thankfully not saying anything.
When Payne turned, it was to find Seymour staring at him. He hadn’t even realized Seymour had stuck around, but he should have. What kind of council assassin would he be if he wasn’t even aware of his surroundings?
“So that’s your mate,” Seymour said.
Payne nodded. He was glad Seymour had stayed. If he hadn’t, Payne would be pacing the hallway, and he doubted anyone would be happy with him.
“I’ll admit I thought he was closer to your age,” Seymour continued.
Payne glared at him. “If you’re going to criticize my mate, you can leave.”
Seymour grinned. “Sorry. It was just an observation, not a critique. I should probably go anyway, but I wanted to make sure everything was okay and that you were all right first.”
Seymour had been teasing. Payne should have realized that, and he would have if he hadn’t been so overwhelmed and worried. He might not have known Seymour long, but the Nix was a friend, and Payne was grateful that he’d brought him here.
“Sorry,” he murmured.
“Don’t worry about it. Let me know if you need me to come and pick you up. I’ll take you wherever you have to go, including home.”
“I’ll let you know if I need help, but I don’t think I will. I think I’ll take Rob straight home once we’re done here. He won’t want to meet anyone new, or I’d have introduced you.”
“I didn’t expect to be introduced to him when his mother is hurt. We can do it some other day.”
And they would. Payne had been wary initially because he hadn’t known the other trainees, but he trusted them. He wanted both sides of his life to mix and become one, and that meant introducing the trainees to the assassins and Rob. He’d have to ask Win, and he was ready to do that, but not right now.
Right now, he needed to focus on Rob and his mother.
* * * *
“How are we doing?” the doctor asked as she stopped beside Rob’s mother’s bed.
Rob’s mother didn’t give her any attention. She kept staring at the screen, and while Rob really wanted to talk to the doctor, he didn’t want to leave his mother alone. She didn’t like doctors, and he didn’t blame her for that. “She’s fine, as far as I can see,” he said.
The doctor smiled. She was young and not someone Rob had dealt with before. She’d taken care of his mother when she’d fallen, and he was grateful for it, even though it was her job. “That’s good. Do you think we could talk for a moment?”
“I don’t want to leave her alone.”
“I can stay with her,” a familiar voice said from the open door.
Rob turned to look at Payne. He was alone now, which hopefully meant his friend was gone. It wasn’t that Rob didn’t want to meet Payne’s friends or that he wasn’t happy that Payne had them. This just wasn’t the right moment for him to be distracted from his mom.
“I can’t ask that of you,” Rob said.
Payne looked from Rob to the doctor, then stepped into the room. “You’re not asking. I’m offering. I realize this isn’t the nicest way for me to meet your mom, but it’ll be fine.”
Rob was still hesitating, but his mother seemed so focused on the TV that she probably wouldn’t even notice he was gone, let alone that she’d never met Payne. Even if she did, she’d probably think she’d met him and forgotten.
He got to his feet. “Thank you,” he murmured.
Payne’s smile was gentle. “Don’t worry about it. Go with the doctor and hear what she has to say. Your mother and I will be here when you get back.”
That much was true. Rob’s mother wasn’t going anywhere, especially after she’d fallen.
Thankfully, the fall had only resulted in a few bruises and scratches. She hadn’t hit her head or broken anything, which was a relief. When Rob had gotten the phone call from the home, he’d expected the worst.
He followed the doctor outside the door. They stopped just outside of the room, where Rob was able to see Payne sit in the chair he’d just vacated. The doctor cleared her throat, getting his attention, so he turned to look at her. “I apologize,” he said.
She smiled. “It’s quite all right. I understand you’re worried about your mother. Is it the first time she’s met your partner?”
“He’s my mate, but yes.”
“Oh. Congratulations.”
He could see she was curious, probably because of the difference in age between him and Payne, but thankfully, she didn’t ask questions. He wouldn’t have been sure how to answer, and he wouldn’t have wanted to try, anyway. What was between him and Payne was only their business and no one else’s.
“Thank you. I assume you’re here to tell me that my mother will be fine?”
The doctor straightened. Rob was sure she’d told him her name, but he’d been focused on his mom, and he couldn’t remember it. “Yes. The last test results came back, and she’s okay. As you noticed, she has a few bruises, but nothing worse.”
Rob finally allowed himself to relax. “What happened?”
“From what I was told, they were walking in the garden when another patient needed help. The nurse who was walking with your mother went there for a moment, and your mother stumbled. A root, probably.”
Rob’s instinct was to rage. He’d selected this place because he’d thought his mother would be protected, yet she hadn’t been. But he realized that unless he hired a personal nurse for his mother, he’d have to learn to deal with this. These people did their best to keep their patients safe and happy, and Rob knew how hard that was. He’d had a hard time dealing with his mother, and there was only one of her. He couldn’t imagine what it was like to have to deal with so many patients.
He remembered when he’d wanted to keep her at home with him. She’d been the one who convinced him she needed a place like this one for the times when she wasn’t lucid. She’d begged him to let her go, and eventually, he had. He hadn’t had a choice, no matter how much he wished he had. She’d needed more help than he could give her. He’d been afraid that she’d manage to sneak out when he was at work, even though he’d hired a nurse. This was the best outcome for both of them, but sometimes he still wondered.
“We apologize for what happened,” the doctor said.
“It’s all right. I know how hard the nurses work.”
“I’ll make sure your mother’s regular doctor has all the information about what happened today.”
Rob was glad to be able to step away. Now that he was reassured and knew his mom would be fine, he wanted to spend time with her. He wasn’t sure it would be possible today because she was a bit shaken, but he could sit next to her bed and just be there.
He said goodbye to the doctor but hesitated before going in. He had no idea what he’d find when he went into the room, and it was honestly terrifying. His mom was probably still watching TV, so he sucked in a breath and walked into the room, closing the door behind himself before turning around.
He’d chosen this place for a reason. He earned more than enough money thanks to his research and the fact that the council was paying him handsomely to help Jasper. He was also lucky that his parents had been wealthy, so he’d been able to pick a facility that would allow his mother to have a personal bedroom that looked more like her room at home than a hospital room. There were signs that this was a care facility, but he thought his mother was happy here. She wasn’t always easy to understand, so he hoped he was right. He also hoped his mother was comfortable and that he wouldn’t have to move her. Finding this place had been a hassle. Most of these facilities had a waiting list as long as Rob’s arm.
When he turned to face his mother and Payne, he was stunned to see that his mother wasn’t watching TV anymore. Payne had moved the chair closer to her bed, and they were talking, their heads close together. It was almost as if they’d known each other for years, and Rob couldn’t look away.
His mother was smiling.
He couldn’t remember the last time she’d smiled like that. She looked like her old self, and the sight made his chest feel tight. He wasn’t jealous that Payne had been able to do it. He was just happy that his mom was okay.
Payne looked up when he heard Rob move closer. He grinned, then turned back to Rob’s mother. “I told you that you didn’t have to worry about us becoming friends,” he said.
“Why on earth were you worried about me meeting this nice young man?” Rob’s mother asked.
Rob stared, wondering if she was lucid. It looked like it, but he didn’t want to hope, just in case. “Well, you just took a fall,” he explained.
His mother waved his words away. “I’m fine. It was just a tumble.”
“I’m glad to hear that. So, Payne, have you explained who you are and why you’re here to meet my mom?”
Payne’s cheeks flushed. “Not really. I told her I was a friend of yours. I wasn’t sure what you’d want me to tell her.”
“The truth.” Rob moved to the other side of the bed and took one of his mother’s hands. “Mom, this is Payne. He’s my mate. Payne, this is my mother, Hyacinth.”
“That’s a beautiful name,” Payne said.
Rob’s mother giggled.
Rob stared at her, unable to wrap his mind around what was happening.
“Thank you,” she said. “So you’re my son’s mate?”
Her words startled Rob. She knew he was her son, then. He hadn’t been sure, and it was good to find out that even though she might not remember this, she was meeting Payne as herself. There was no way to know how long it would last, but that was fine. Rob would deal with it when it ended.
Payne and Rob’s mother continued talking, but Rob stayed out of the conversation. It felt good to listen to them, and he was perfectly fine doing so however long they wanted to talk.
* * * *
Payne liked Rob’s mother. Sometimes, he could see moments when she wasn’t entirely there and was confused, but it didn’t last long. At least for today, it gave Rob and his mother the opportunity to be together, which was all Payne wanted.
When a nurse knocked on the door, the three of them looked up. She smiled. “Hyacinth, I heard you took a fall?”
“She’s fine,” Rob said.
“I am fine and able to answer for myself,” his mother snarked.
Instead of getting angry, Rob grinned. “I apologize.”
“It’s fine, but why don’t you go with Angela to get some tea? I’m quite thirsty, and I’m sure Payne could do with a few cookies.” She leaned closer to Payne. “I’d offer you coffee, but they won’t let me have it.”
Luckily, the nurse laughed. “That’s right. The last thing we need is the bunch of you hyped up on caffeine. Rob, do you want to come with me? I can give you a tray.”
Payne got to his feet, too. He wanted a few moments alone with Rob to check if he was okay, but he wasn’t sure they should leave Rob’s mother on her own. When he looked at her, she waved him away. “I’ll be fine for a few minutes.”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course. Go with my son.” She leaned closer. “I was fine before, too. I just didn’t want to talk to the doctor, so I stared at the TV.” Payne grinned. Rob was already by the door talking to the nurse, but Payne still hesitated. To his surprise, Rob’s mother grabbed his hand. “Be there for my son, please. I know that most of the time when he comes to visit me, I’m not myself. I try my best to be there for him when I am, but he needs more people. I won’t be here forever.”
“Of course you will,” Payne murmured.
She laughed. “I wish I could be, but it’s fine. I lived my life, and it was a happy one. I always worry about Rob, so I’m glad he found you.”
“I’m glad I found him, too.”
“The two of you needed each other. That’s why you met.”
Payne suspected she was right. Some people thought there was a reason why mates met when they did, but Payne had never given it much thought. Maybe there was something to it, but in the end, it didn’t matter when he and Rob had met. It just mattered that they had.
Rob had already disappeared through the door, so Payne hurried to catch up with him. When he did, it was to find Rob at the nurses’ station, still talking to Angela.
“She’s been herself since this morning when she woke up,” the nurse was saying. “I was going to call you anyway because I know you like to come when she’s lucid. She wanted to see you, too, but we have everyone take a walk after breakfast, as you know.”
“It’s good for them to get some fresh air.”
“Exactly.” The nurse smiled when she noticed Payne. “Well, your partner is here. I’m sure he can help you carry everything back to the room. As long as you don’t need anything else, I’ll check on my other patients.”
“We’ll be fine, thank you,” Rob reassured her.
Payne took the tray from him when he tried to move toward his mother’s room. It was heavy with cups, a teapot, and a plate of cookies. Payne was surprised to see the cups looked old and were decorated with flowers rather than being cheap plastic cups, but he supposed it matched the general feeling of this place. It was a medical facility, but it was also home for many people.
“You don’t have to stay,” Rob said as they walked back to his mother’s room. “I know you were training.”
“I was, but I’m done for the day. You don’t have to worry.”
Rob didn’t look convinced. “You don’t have to deal with her.”
“Don’t I? I mean, it’s great to meet her, and she’s nice, but beyond that, she’s your mother, and you’re my mate. It’s kind of my job to make sure she’s okay, too.”
“You might be my mate, but she’s my mother.”
“Exactly. When we bond, she’ll be my mother-in-law.” Payne already considered her his mother-in-law, but he didn’t know if saying it would send Rob running. They’d been taking things slow, and while the relationship was solid, sometimes, one or both of them was still hesitant. Considering their pasts, it wasn’t a surprise, but they were working through it.
Rob slowly nodded. “In that case, thank you.”
Payne shook his head. “You don’t have to thank me. I realize she’s sick, and I’ve been reading up on dementia.”
Robert blinked. “You have?”
“I wanted to know what to expect. I’m not an expert, but I have a vague idea of what’s going on and what will happen in the future. I want to be there for you both.” Because it wouldn’t be easy. Rob’s mother wouldn’t get better. She’d decline, and there was no avoiding that.
Payne hoped he was doing everything right. He had no idea what he was doing, and no amount of reading would help him understand better. But he knew what to do to be there for Rob, and that was what he planned to do. Rob had been shouldering all of this on his own until now. It was time for him to have help, and who better than Payne to provide it?
They got back to Hyacinth’s room to find her still watching TV. She smiled when she heard them, and they sat down with her to get tea. Payne let Rob take care of his mother because he had no idea how she liked her tea, and he smiled when she snatched a cookie from the plate on the tray.
“If I can’t have coffee, at least I can have cookies,” she said.
“Too many cookies won’t do you any good,” Rob pointed out.
“Who cares? I’m old. I won’t last forever, anyway. I might as well enjoy my last years on this earth.”
Rob paled, and Payne was glad he’d moved both the chairs to the same side of the bed so they could be closer. He quickly squeezed Rob’s knee, and Rob smiled gratefully at him.
“You two are adorable together,” Rob’s mother said.
“I’m thirty-eight, Mom. I’m not adorable,” Rob protested.
“You’ll always be adorable to me, because you’ll always be my baby, no matter how old you are.”
Payne had no experience with mothers. He didn’t think he’d ever met a mother, now that he thought about it. It was nice to watch Rob with his, and he took advantage of the time he had with them. He hoped he’d be allowed to come back and visit, but even if he wasn’t, the sight of Rob with his mom warmed his chest. Even though she was ill, she loved her son with all she had. He loved her, too. It was clear in every move he made.
It wasn’t fair. There were so many people out there who were abusive and hateful. Yet they had their families, and they were thriving. Then there was Rob and his mother, who loved each other but were losing the other a little more every day.
Rob knocked his shoulder against Payne’s. “Everything all right?”
Payne forced himself to smile. “I’m perfect.” And at that moment, he was. He wished this would never end and that Rob could have his mother back. Unfortunately, things didn’t work that way, and an hour later, they had to leave. Rob’s mother needed a nap, and even though she tried resisting the urge to sleep, it was time for Payne and Rob to go.
Payne stepped away from the bed to give Rob and his mother a moment on their own. He could hear them whispering to each other, and when he looked up, he noticed they were holding hands. It was sweet, and his heart ached for both of them.
Rob’s mother waved Payne close again, and he went. He’d do pretty much anything she asked of him.
“It was so good to meet you,” she said with a smile.
“It was. I hope you’ll allow me to visit you again.”
“You can come anytime you want. Rob, can you add him to the list of allowed visitors?”
“I’ll do it as we leave.”
“And don’t feel you have to wait for Rob to visit me. You can come anytime.” She hesitated. “I can’t promise you’ll find me like this every time you come. In fact, I can promise you that won’t be the case.”
“It’s fine. I’ll be happy to visit you.”
And Payne really would be.
* * * *
Rob was exhausted emotionally. His day had been emotionally heavy, but he’d have been in worse shape if he hadn’t had Payne by his side. He was still surprised that Payne had come all the way here just to be with him, but as soon as they left his mother’s room, he turned to Payne and threw himself at him. Payne stumbled, trying to hold both of them up, but he squeezed his arms around Rob, and Rob allowed him to take his weight, if only for a moment.
He needed it. He’d always faced these situations on his own, and it was odd not to have to. It was good, too. Rob felt just a little bit less alone, and it wasn’t something he was used to. Sometimes, he still wondered what Payne saw in him and if he would stay or go, but he was starting to be convinced more and more that Payne was here to stay. It would be so much easier for him to leave and never look back. Instead, he supported Rob in a way no one ever had.
“Thank you,” Rob whispered.
Payne rubbed Rob’s back. “You’re welcome, but you have nothing to thank me for.”
Rob wanted to stay in Payne’s arms forever, but they were in the hallway, and people were walking around them. They needed to get home, where they could be together. So he stepped away and walked toward the nurses’ station again so he could add Payne to the list of visitors who could come in any time to see his mother. It was painfully short, with only two names as of now.
But as he did so, he couldn’t help but wonder what Payne expected from him. They were going home, and they’d apparently spend the rest of the day together, but Rob wasn’t up for anything physical. He wanted to have sex with Payne—in fact, he wanted to have sex with his mate all the time—but not today. Emotionally, he wasn’t up for it, but Payne was young, and he hadn’t had the same reaction as Rob to what had happened today. What if he got angry because Rob didn’t want to have sex with him? Rob didn’t want to disappoint him, but he also didn’t want to do something he wasn’t fully into.
“You’re thinking too hard,” Payne said as he grabbed Rob’s hand on their way to the shimmering room.
“When have I not thought too hard?” Rob teased.
But Payne didn’t smile. Instead, he shook his head. “Something’s bothering you. What is it? I don’t think it’s your mother, but I can’t quite place it.”
“How do you do that?”
Payne chuckled. “Do what? Read you so well?”
“Yes.”
“You’re not that hard to read, Rob. You have worry written over your face.”
Rob rubbed his face. He hadn’t realized he was so easy to read, although he supposed if it was Payne who read him, he didn’t care. They’d promised they’d try to be honest with each other, and that was what he should do. There was no use obsessing over what Payne would or wouldn’t want. “I just can’t wait to get home and cuddle.” Because that was what Rob needed.
To his relief, Payne nodded. “We can do that. I’m not going back to training today, so I’m yours for the rest of the day.”
“That’s good. I just don’t think I’m up for anything physical.”
Payne blinked. “You mean sex?”
Rob looked around, but no one had heard them. Still, he moved closer. “Yes. Honestly, I’m still freaking out over what happened, although it’s not as much the fall as it is everything else. It was good to be able to talk to my mom the way we did, and I hate that I might not get this the next time I see her. I hate her illness, and I wish there was something I could do to help her through it.”
Payne dragged Rob into the shimmering room. It was empty, and Rob started taking out his phone to get a Nix, but Payne stopped him when he grabbed his wrist.
“I’ve already texted one of the twins. Jolyn is coming to pick us up, so you don’t have to worry about that. I just wanted to take a moment to address what you just said.” He looked around, but the room was empty. That seemed to satisfy him because he nodded.
“What are you doing?” Rob asked.
“I don’t expect sex from you, Rob. I don’t expect it now, or ever. Sure, I want to have sex with you, but only if it’s something you want, too. Otherwise, what fun is it?”
Rob didn’t know how to answer, or even if he could. His throat felt tight, and he had trouble breathing. “Thank you,” he eventually croaked.
Payne cupped his cheek and gently kissed him. “Eventually, you’ll have to stop thanking me. What I’m doing is perfectly normal and nothing to thank me for. This is how every single one of your exes should have treated you.”
But none of them had. Rob had lucked out when it came to his mate, and he was very much aware of it.
“Oh, sorry,” a voice said behind Payne.
Rob looked around him to find Jolyn staring at them. “Thank you for picking us up,” he said.
“I can come back later.”
Rob shook his head. “No. I want to go home.”
Jolyn seemed worried, but he nodded. He took Rob’s hand while Payne clung to Rob, and the three of them shimmered back home. As soon as they arrived, Payne dragged Rob along. Rob had no idea where they were going, but he didn’t care. He wanted a bed, to be able to hide under the covers and never come out, or at the very least, not to come out for the rest of the day. He shouldn’t be so tired, because he hadn’t done much today, but he couldn’t deny how he felt.
He finally realized they weren’t going to his room when they entered Payne’s. Even though Payne had said he didn’t expect sex, the place gave Rob a moment of hesitation.
Thankfully, Payne mistook it for something else. He dropped Rob’s hand and grabbed a t-shirt that had been thrown on the chair by the desk. “Sorry for the mess,” he said.
Rob forced himself to relax. Payne was a straight shooter. He wouldn’t tell him anything he didn’t believe, which meant that when he’d said he didn’t expect sex, that was the truth.
Rob watched Payne run around his bedroom, picking up dirty clothes and pushing stuff into his closet. He straightened his bed, and by the time he was done, the room looked, well, not neat, but less messy.
That was when he turned his attention to Rob. He grabbed Rob’s hand and pulled him toward the bed, then pushed him onto it. He crouched in front of Rob and took off his shoes, even though Rob tried to push him away to do it himself. Payne seemed bent on protecting Rob and taking care of him, and eventually, Rob gave in. He wanted to be taken care of. He wanted someone to be here for him the way Payne was now and for him not to have to shoulder everything on his own. It didn’t matter that Payne was young and that they’d just recently met. Payne filled a hole in Rob’s life that Rob hadn’t been aware was there, and Rob prayed he would never leave him.
Payne pushed Rob back on the bed once he was done with Rob’s shoes and socks. Rob’s eyes widened when Payne quickly unbuttoned his pants and drew them down his legs, but he kept Rob’s underwear where it was. He wanted Rob to be comfortable, and that was it.
So Rob got comfortable. He took off his shirt, too, and buried himself under the blankets. He pulled them high over his head, only leaving a sliver of his face out so he could breathe. He cocooned himself in Payne’s scent and the knowledge that this was his bed, and he closed his eyes.
He could hear Payne move around the room, but he didn’t look to see what was happening. He wasn’t surprised when he felt the bed dip under Payne’s weight or when Payne slid under the blankets, too. He placed himself behind Rob and wrapped his arms around him, and Rob finally allowed himself to let go. He relaxed, secure in the knowledge that whatever happened, Payne would be there for him.
This was what being mates meant, after all.