Chapter 5 My Brother Wants My Babe

It was 6:30 pm the next day.

Nathan was in the living room. He was wearing a plain white shirt from the box and his own jeans again. Rosa forced him to come downstairs because she said the room was too lonely.

He sat on the big sofa, knees together, holding a glass of warm milk. He did not want to be there. Daniel was in his office upstairs on a phone call, shouting at someone about a shipment. Nathan could hear his cold voice even from downstairs.

The big front door opened without knocking.

A man walked in. Tall, same height as Daniel, black shirt with buttons open, tattoos on his neck, smiling. Handsome, but not cold like Daniel. His smile was playful.

He saw Nathan on the sofa and stopped. His eyes widened.

"Oh wow," he said.

Nathan stood up fast, scared. "Who are you?"

The man walked closer, slowly, like he was looking at something pretty. He tilted his head.

"So it's true. Leo told me my brother found his babe again. But Leo lied. You are not Jayden."

Nathan's hands shook. "I am not Jayden. My name is Nathan."

"I know. You are prettier than Jayden," the man said, and smiled wider. "Jayden was pretty but boring. He always looked down. You look at me like you want to bite me. I like that."

He reached out to touch Nathan's face.

Nathan stepped back. "Don't touch me!"

"Rafael!" Daniel's cold voice came from upstairs.

Daniel came down fast, no shoes, sleeves up, Rolex shining. His face was pure cold and angry.

"What are you doing here?" Daniel said, standing between Nathan and Rafael.

Rafael laughed. "Relax, brother. I came to see if the rumor is true. That you found Jayden 2.0. And it's true. But brother, this one is prettier than the old one."

Daniel's jaw tightened. He grabbed Nathan's wrist and pulled him behind him, possessive.

"He is not Jayden. He is my babe," Daniel said.

"Your babe?" Rafael looked at Nathan behind Daniel. "Does he know he is your babe? He looks like he wants to run."

Nathan was breathing fast. He did not like Rafael trying to touch him, but he also did not like Daniel pulling him like he owns him.

"I am not his babe," Nathan said quietly from behind Daniel.

Rafael's eyes lit up. "See? He said it. He is not your babe, Daniel. Maybe he will be my babe. I am not cold like you. I will not lock him."

Daniel turned around and looked at Nathan, his eyes black.

"You are my babe, right?" he asked Nathan, low voice, dangerous. "Tell him, babe. Tell him you are mine."

Nathan was scared. Daniel's hand was tight on his wrist. Rafael was watching with a smile, waiting.

"I... I am staying here," Nathan said, not answering directly. He was smart. He did not want to make Daniel angry and he did not want to give Rafael hope.

Rafael clapped his hands. "Smart boy. Not just a pretty face. You have a brain. I like smart pretty boys."

Daniel pulled Nathan even closer, now his arm around Nathan's waist. Possessive. Claiming.

"Rosa! Dinner!" Daniel shouted.

Rosa came out, saw Rafael and smiled nervously. "Mr. Rafael, do you want dinner?"

"Yes, I will eat with your new babe and my cold brother," Rafael said, sitting on the sofa, legs open, still looking at Nathan.

Daniel sat down and pulled Nathan down to sit on his lap.

Nathan gasped. "What are you doing? Let me go!"

"No," Daniel said, cold but whispering only to Nathan. "You sit on my lap. So my brother will know you are mine."

"I can sit on a chair! I am not a child!" Nathan struggled but Daniel's arm was iron around his waist.

Rafael watched the whole thing and laughed.

"Brother, you are obsessed. You never made Jayden sit on your lap in front of me. You are more obsessed with this one."

"Because this one is mine," Daniel said, his hand on Nathan's waist, thumb rubbing his side through the plain white shirt. "Only mine."

Nathan's face was red. He was angry, shy, and scared at the same time. He hated sitting on Daniel's lap in front of a stranger. But he could feel Daniel's heart beating fast behind him. Possessive, jealous.

Rosa brought three plates. Steak for Daniel and Rafael, pasta and warm milk for Nathan because Rosa knows he doesn't like steak at night.

Rafael took his plate but didn't eat. He looked at Nathan.

"So, Nathan, did my brother tell you why Jayden left?" Rafael asked.

Daniel gave him a cold warning look. "Rafael."

"What? He should know," Rafael said. "Jayden left because my brother is too cold, too possessive. He checks phones, he locks doors, he puts guards. Jayden said he cannot breathe."

Nathan listened, his milk in his hands, sitting stiff on Daniel's lap.

"And do you know Jayden tried to come back last month?" Rafael continued.

Nathan froze. Daniel's arm around him became tight.

"What?" Nathan whispered.

"Yes," Rafael said, enjoying Daniel's anger. "He called me. He said he misses the money, misses the mansion. He wanted to come back. But my brother said no."

Daniel stood up suddenly, with Nathan still in his arms, then put Nathan down on the sofa.

"Enough, Rafael," Daniel said, voice so cold the room went cold. "You talk too much."

Rafael stood up too, still smiling but now serious. "I am telling the truth. You told Jayden not to come back because you already found this prettier one. Am I right?"

Nathan looked at Daniel, confused, heart beating.

"You... you told Jayden not to come back?" Nathan asked.

Daniel didn't answer. He grabbed Rafael's collar.

"Get out of my house," Daniel said.

Rafael removed his hands calmly. "Okay, okay. I will go. But pretty boy," he turned to Nathan, "If my cold brother scares you, you can call me. I will not lock you. I have a club downtown, no guards in the bedroom."

He took a card and put it in Nathan's milk glass. Nathan didn't touch it.

"I am serious, pretty. You deserve a man who smiles, not just a cold bastard."

Daniel pushed him to the door. Leo opened the door, scared.

Rafael left, but before the door closed, he shouted: "Think about it, pretty!"

The door closed. Silence.

Nathan stood up from the sofa, hands shaking. He looked at Daniel.

"Is it true? Did Jayden want to come back and you said no?"

Daniel was breathing heavily, angry, jealous.

"Yes," he said. "Because I don't want him. I want you."

Nathan felt his chest tighten. He thought Jayden left and Daniel was sad. But Daniel already rejected Jayden for him?

"So I am not a substitute?" Nathan whispered. "You chose me?"

Daniel walked to him, cupped his face with both hands, possessive, obsessed.

"You were a substitute on the first night, babe. Now you are my babe. Only mine. My only babe."

He leaned down and kissed Nathan's forehead. Not lips, forehead. Soft but possessive.

Nathan didn't push him away. He was too confused. The card from Rafael was floating in his milk glass.

Outside, Rafael sat in his black car and called someone.

"Chase, right? The logical friend? I have information about your friend Nathan. Meet me downtown tomorrow. I can help you find him."

He smiled in the dark.

"Let's see how obsessed my brother can get."