MIGUEL“I told you I’m fine,” I grumbled, but the words were weak even to my ears as Salvatore tore open the drawer.He wasn’t listening to me, and I didn’t blame him. The fear I’d seen in his eyes in that warehouse was real. He grabbed antiseptic, bandages, ointments, and every other thing he needed to treat my cut. His jaw was clenched, his shoulders rigid. We were finally back at the warehouse, and the men were celebrating their victory, but the bustle outside was barely audible through the thick walls.My name was on the lips of the men. They were surprised that I did that. Hell, someone even said he was surprised I’d been able to hold a gun properly. What a joke.He placed the supplies on the desk and turned toward me, the muscle in his jaw twitching. “Sit,” he said. It was a command.I opened my mouth to argue, but his hand was already on my arm, guiding me toward the bed. His touch was gentle, almost reverent, but I could feel his barely restrained fear.“I don’t care what yo
SALVATOREMorning light filtered through the office window, soft and golden, slipping across the sheets in slow-moving bands. I was still wrapped around Miguel, my chest pressed to his back, my arm resting over his waist. His skin was warm beneath my palm, golden from the sun and slightly damp from sleep. I leaned in and brushed my lips against his bare shoulder, tasting the remnants of last night’s closeness. My hand drifted across the smooth line of his stomach, memorizing every dip and ridge.His hair was messy, curling slightly at the ends, and it smelled sweet, like rest and shampoo, like something I never wanted to stop breathing in. The scent of him clung to me and the sheets, and it made something soft unfold in my chest. This didn’t feel real. The feeling of him close to me, and how easy it had been, finally, to hold him like this. After everything. After all the blood and fire and doubt. Now he was here, asleep in my arms, peaceful in a way I’d never seen.I smiled witho
MIGUELIt was annoying watching her being clingy to my man. Yes, you heard that right. He's mine. I had to stand back when the doctor stepped in, causing her to let go of Salvatore.“She is lucky her lungs weren’t punctured,” the doctor was saying, his voice touched with relief as he adjusted his glasses. He stood at the foot of her hospital bed with a clipboard in hand, his gaze flicking between her monitors and Salvatore’s bulky frame.The cause of the accident was annoying. It was clear from Salvatore’s expression that he didn’t want to be here, but, well, he was the one that was called. Salvatore turned to her, his arms crossed tightly, his jaw clenched. “Why would you get in a car with your friends when you were all drunk?” His eyes narrowed.Emily shrank back against the pillows, her face pale and blotchy from tears. Her fingers clutched at the blanket, twisting it between them as she mumbled something I couldn’t hear. Her voice was soft and cracked.She should have just died.
MIGUELI stormed into my room and walked over to my window, where I stood, with my arms folded tightly across my chest and my jaw locked as I stared down at the street below. My thoughts were a mess, circling the same memory on repeat: Paul’s face, the sharp crack of Salvatore’s fist, and the way I had to step in before it got worse. The anger was still fresh, crawling under my skin, making my body feel like a live wire.I couldn’t tell exactly why I was pissed, but one thing was sure, I wasn’t happy with what Salvatore did. I heard Salvatore come in but didn’t look away from the window. The quiet brush of his footsteps on the floor moved closer, then I felt the sudden warmth of his arms slide around me from behind. His chest pressed gently against my back, his breath soft when it touched the side of my neck. I couldn’t take comfort in it. I pulled away and shrugged off his arms without a word. He didn’t push. His hands fell to his sides, his voice turning softly. “I’m sorry,” he
SALVATORETight heat enveloped me as I pressed into him, the sensation flooding every nerve with fire. I grunted into his mouth. The feeling was almost too much.His hole gripped my cock with a perfect blend of heat and pressure that made my breath hitch and my thoughts blur. Miguel let out a sound of his own, deep and broken, as his nails dragged across my back and shoulders, carving lines of raw need into my skin. I trembled as I sank deeper, my hands gripping his hips like I was afraid he’d vanish if I let go. His legs locked around my waist, pulling me even closer until there was no space left between us. Our chests collided, slick with sweat, and our breath mingled in the heavy quiet of the room.“Salvatore…”I kissed him harder, desperate to taste every inch of him. And I did.I didn’t rush. I took my time, letting each movement speak for me, making every thrust deliberate. Miguel matched me without hesitation. His hips lifted to meet mine, our rhythm syncing with a kind of f
MIGUEL“Salvatore?”The evening light dyed the room in deep ember, glowing on the walls like a slow‑burning fire. I stretched under the sheets and called again, “Salvatore?”Every inch of my body stung with fatigue and satisfaction. Memories surfaced in small, delicious flashes. I could still feel Salvatore’s mouth on my skin and hear his gravel‑rough whisper of my name.I was about to call his name again when I saw it: a single sheet of thick ivory paper perched on the nightstand. I reached for it, squinting my brows, though I already knew who had left it.‘Gone to the warehouse to make sure things are in order. Be back soon.’Just seeing his pen strokes made me excited. It was like he was still here with his hand curved at my waist. I traced one dark slash of ink with my thumb, then grabbed my phone.“Hey, baby,” Salvatore answered after a single ring. His voice filled the quiet like velvet over stone. “You’re up.”“I woke up to you missing,” I admitted, shifting so the covers po
MIGUELShe should have just died in that accident. It would have been better for everyone if she did.I stood by the window of my room with my arms folded tightly across my chest as I stared into the deepening twilight. The sky outside had bled into a bruised purple, shadows stretching long across the neighbourhood rooftops, but I hardly noticed any of it. My focus was locked inward on the boiling resentment twisting through me like smoke. From downstairs, Emily’s cries pierced the stillness reminding me of the storm that had moved back into this house.She was back. The bitch.Her return felt like a noose tightening around my throat. She was already taking up too much space, her voice dragging down every breath I tried to take. Every moan, every whimper from the living room tore at the fragile peace I’d been clinging to since Salvatore entered my life. She was shattering everything, as usual.Emily had always made things worse. Her brand of love had always come with strings, with
SALVATOREI blinked at Miguel, confused for a second.I knew something was off. He’d been quiet the entire ride, and his mood was sour even before we even left the house, but he hadn’t said a word about it.So I thought it was Emily weighing on him. I thought the heaviness in his chest belonged to her.But then he had suddenly snapped.“What the fuck is that?” he demanded, his finger stabbing toward the warehouse entrance where Karl had just disappeared with my coat. The fire in his eyes startled me. He had the kind of anger that was spontaneous and confusing. My heart jumped, my brow furrowing as I turned to him.“What’s wrong?” I asked, my voice low but laced with concern. I stepped in closer, lifting my hands, instinct pushing me to touch him, but he swatted my hand away.His movements were sharp, his glare like a strike. He pointed again, the fury in him shaking loose. “When did you two get so damn close?” he bit out. “Why was he grinning at you like a sheep in heat, Sal? What th
MIGUELAnother day of healing, learning to smile warmly at customers, and enjoying the peace of my surroundings. When I clocked out, John was there again, waiting under that flickering lamp outside the store. His car was in the lot, the headlights cutting across the cracked pavement.He seemed to have mastered my schedule even better than me. He had a way of showing up right on time, already knowing that I had nothing to keep me back when I closed.He leaned against the hood with his arms folded, a soft grin tugging at his face when he saw me coming.“You are going to spoil me,” I said, jogging up with a tired smile. “Keep this up and I’ll start expecting dinner too.”He opened the passenger door, dipping his head in a mock bow. “Maybe I’m just making sure you don’t starve.”I climbed in and let the door thunk shut behind me. I could get used to this. The familiar scent of old leather and lingering coffee greeted me. No Salvatore scent. Good.John settled behind the wheel, and we pu
SALVATOREI slammed the front door so hard it nearly cracked in the frame. The echo thundered through the house like a gunshot. “Emily!” I roared. My shoes pounded the hardwood floor as I barreled into the living room. The scent of lavender candles choked the air. It clung to everything like a lie pretending to be peace. Miguel was gone. Not for hours. Not even a day. But for Days. Three fucking days now without a fucking word! And it was driving me out of my goddamn mind.Emily appeared at the top of the stairs, her silk robe clinging to her as she hurried down, her eyes wide and frightened. “Salvatore, what happened?” she gasped. “What’s wrong?”Her voice grated on me. She was too calm. How the fuck didn’t she even have an idea. She reached for me like her touch might soothe the chaos inside me, but I jerked away, smacking her hands off me.“You haven’t seen Miguel in days and you didn’t think to say anything?”Her face fell, confusion flickering across her features. “I thought h
MIGUEL“Your total is one hundred and twenty-three, and some cents,” I said, flashing a warm smile at the customer, an older woman with a cart brimming with canned goods and fresh produce. Her glasses slipped down her nose as she fumbled with a wad of crumpled bills, and I punched the numbers into the register. The air carried the comforting scent of warm bread from the bakery aisle, mingling with the sharp tang of citrus from a nearby display. I handed her the change, and she thanked me with a nod before wheeling her cart away.The next customer in line was a teenager with headphones dangling around his neck and a six-pack of soda in his arms. I rang him up, made a joke about the caffeine rush, and he gave a small laugh before heading out. Each interaction was a brief and pleasant flicker. Out here, in this sleepy corner of the world, everything was a little slower, a little softer.This place—this small, unassuming store tucked on the edge of town—had become something I hadn’t r
SALVATORE I paced the office with the phone pressed to my ear, my voice sharp as I barked into it. “John, get to my office. Now.” I hung up before he could reply, raking a hand through my hair as frustration crackled under my skin. The air felt thick, too quiet, too still, like it was waiting for the next blow.John stepped in a few minutes later, his eyes flicking over me. “What’s going on?”“I fucked up,” I said. “Miguel has refused to pick up my calls. I don’t even know if he will see me at this point.”John’s jaw ticked. “What do you need?”“I need you to go to Paul’s. Miguel’s probably with him.” I stepped closer. “Tell Miguel that I’m sorry. I’m coming to make it right. Get some flowers, I don’t know, maybe roses, lilies, or something that says, ‘I’m a jackass, but I love you.’ Got it?”John hesitated. “You think that’s gonna do anything? Flowers?”“I don’t care if it doesn’t. Just do it.” I pointed toward the door. “Now.”He gave a short nod and left, and I sank into my chair
MIGUELPaul helped me load my duffel bag into the trunk of his car without saying much. There wasn’t much to say anyway. The early afternoon sun warmed the pavement, and the quiet between us was comfortable. He glanced at me once before sliding into the driver’s seat, waiting until I was buckled before starting the engine.He started driving, but the hesitation was obvious in him.“Are you sure this is what you want?” he asked again for what seemed like the nth time.I nodded and watched the buildings blur past. “Yeah. I need a reset.”Paul kept one hand on the wheel, the other tapping lightly against his thigh. “John seems decent. I still don’t know him, though.”“He’s credible,” I said. “He’s not like Salvatore. He listens.”Paul snorted. “That alone puts him ahead.”We fell into silence again. The roads stretched out, the houses thinning as we left the city behind. By the time we reached the outskirts of town, we were surrounded by open fields and the occasional worn-down shop or
MIGUELSunlight cut through Paul’s curtains, landing across my face and dragging me out of sleep. My body ached, heavy with the weight of everything that happened the previous day. It was too early to start brooding over what put me in this position in Paul’s house, so I pushed all thoughts to the back of my mind. The smell of bacon hit me next. I sat up slowly and allowed the familiar quiet of Paul’s apartment to settle around me. The floor was cold beneath my feet as I pushed off the sheets and made my way toward the kitchen.Paul stood at the stove, barefoot, flipping bacon with a spatula. He didn’t look surprised to see me.“Morning,” I said, my voice scratchy and hoarse.He glanced over his shoulder and smiled. “Look who’s alive. Coffee is on the table. Plates will be set in two minutes.”I gave a quiet nod and sat down at the table, wrapping my hands around the warm mug. The silence wasn’t awkward. It never was with Paul. Something was calming about the way he moved, in the wa
KARLThe job wasn’t nearly as brutal as they made it out to be. Moving crates, stacking boxes, and pretending to care. It was all mechanical. The hard part wasn’t the labour, it was the act. Every day, I pulled on the same mask: Karl, the dependable guy. A boy with a quiet smile, a solid work ethic, no opinions, no complications. A man who blended in just enough to be forgotten.But that wasn’t me, not really.I slipped into the back corner of the warehouse, where the shadows bled into the cracks of the cinderblock walls and the air smelled like old oil and rusted steel. The buzz of forklifts and clanging metal softened to a low murmur. This was where the real work happened. The person who made the architectural structure of the warehouse did a really good job. Apart from the fact that it had lots of hidden areas, it allowed the public just enough to see the lies put out, but not enough to see too much. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the burner phone. The cheap phone was p
SALVATOREI dragged my hands through my hair, tugging on the strands hard enough to sting. “Fuck!” The word ricocheted off the concrete walls of the office and I tugged harder on my hair. My chest rose and fell in ragged bursts.He always had to make everything a damn scene. He always had to perform.The door creaked behind me, followed by heavy footsteps and the scrape of boots against the floor. John stepped inside, taking one look at me and raising a brow like he already knew too much. “Boss,” he said cautiously, “what just went down? Miguel tore out of here like someone lit a fire under him.”I slumped into the chair behind my desk. The leather let out a weary groan beneath my weight. I stared at the dusty window. “He saw something and blew it out of proportion. Like always.” There was no need to say too much. I rubbed my temples. “You know how he is. Always assuming, never asking.”John leaned against the edge of the desk, folding his arms across his chest. “Did he see you an
MIGUELWhat in the actual fuck?Shock rooted me to the doorway, my breath catching like a blade in my throat. Salvatore’s lips were on Karl’s. Their bodies were too close, locked in an intimacy that wasn’t mine. My heart slammed against my ribs, echoing louder than my thoughts. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t blink. My eyes burned, cemented to the scene I was never meant to see.Salvatore. My Salvatore. The man who whispered in the dark that he loved me. The man who had dissected me like a lab experiment. Kissing Karl?I couldn’t breathe.I should have just stayed at home. I didn’t have to see this.This was what he always kept himself busy with.I took a step forward, my legs trembling under the weight of everything I wanted to say that couldn’t leave my lips.Salvatore’s lips were still wet with moisture from Karl’s. It made me… fucking mad!!!“Miguel,” Salvatore breathed like my name was a lifeline.My body moved faster than my mind. My hand shot out and cracked across Karl’s face. “