Savior:A Tattered Club Story(32)

Niko had no response. Was he upset because Ethan sounded ungrateful for the offer? “Don’t worry about that for a while,” he whispered. Ethan shoveled a piece of bacon in his mouth. His eyes fixed on Niko’s hand as he pressed the warm palm against Ethan’s naked thigh. “I’ll make sure you get where you need to go.” A gentle squeeze but no invitation for anything any further.

“You don’t have to do that. I got this on my own. I don’t want to owe any favors.” He should’ve swiped Niko’s hand away, but the warmth felt like a moment of acceptance. Not necessarily sexual but not necessarily plutonic either.

“Just shut up and take the offer. You need help getting on your feet. This isn’t a sugar daddy situation. Fuck.” Niko took his hand away. “I don’t own half of the city so your independence is safe.”

They finished getting ready in silence until Ethan was dressed and sitting on the couch petting a panting Casper. “Ready? What time do I need to pick you up?”

Ethan followed Niko to the door, Casper in tow. “Around six at the library.”

Niko nodded and told Casper to stay. “Step out or he’ll try to escape.” When Ethan tried to pull the door shut it took several tugs before the track gave way. Niko laughed with a sarcastic smirk on his face. “Having a little trouble, skinny jeans?”

“No,” Ethan said harsher than he meant to. He let Niko close the door and turn the lock.

“Here.” Niko held out a twenty-dollar bill. “You need to eat today.” Ethan instantly thought this was something a boyfriend would do until Niko followed with, “Wipe that look off your face. I’m not a fucking pussy. Just take the money.”

Ethan had no idea how much the rent was going to be so he reluctantly slipped the bill into his front pocket. “I’ll pay you back when I get my check from the coffee shop.”

Niko turned without protest and headed down the first flight of stairs. Ethan looked down the small corridor at the vintage wrought iron elevator. “I want to ride that thing sometime.”

Niko stopped on the lower landing. “Be my guest, but you’re going alone.”

Ethan paused then swore he heard the damn thing creak. The steps looked pretty good. He hustled to catch up with Niko finally meeting him at the back door.

“It’d be kind of nice if you had a neighbor. You know? In that other apartment? Might not seem so lonely here.”

“It’s been vacant since I’ve been here. The owner had some guy up there last week looking at the place. Wouldn’t talk to the dude anyway, even if he lived across the hall. He would stay out of my way and I’d stay out of his. People can do whatever in the fuck they want.”

“Kind of a mystery, don’t you think? Aren’t you a little curious about the man?”

“Not into mysteries. I’ll have Scarlet put you on the schedule next week to get your tat finished.”

Ethan nodded and fished through his backpack, making sure he had everything he needed.

“It was a dick thing to say.”

Ethan looked over. “What was?”

Niko pulled out of the gravel lot. “I made breakfast for both of us.”

Ethan turned, looking at the sunshine reflecting off the sidewalk. “I know you did. I have some money saved up to pay The Professor for rent. Can you drop it off with him today? I’m not sure if it’ll be enough, but I get paid again next week. I can give him more then.”

For a moment, Ethan thought Niko was going to protest, but he nodded and turned off the road onto the highway. The university was a fifteen minute commute if traffic was steady, but if someone so much as sneezed, the drive could last forty-five excruciating minutes. Niko pulled up to the sidewalk in front of the library twenty minutes later.

“Thanks for the ride,” Ethan opened the car door.

“Wait.” Niko tugged on Ethan’s backpack, pulling him back onto his ass in the seat. “I’ll see you around six.”

Suddenly, the air went thick, hard to breathe into clear lungs. Another tug on the backpack and Ethan was pressed against Niko’s chest. Lips tucked tight against his mouth as Niko tilted his head to slip his tongue inside Ethan’s mouth. God, the taste of mint and bacon shot straight to his cock.

Leaning away to take a breath, Ethan opened his eyes. “Can we do this again after you pick me up?”

Niko reclined in the seat. “No.”

Ethan tucked his head and quickly slid out of the car. Confusion, lust, and the once again searing pain of loneliness drowned his brain. No. Ethan closed the door and didn’t look over his shoulder as he trekked up the sidewalk. Had he become someone’s plaything again? God, he couldn’t look back. Niko would be gone, and they were both in denial.