Chapter 6 Don't Touch My Babe

It was 6:30 pm the next day.

The black card was still floating in Nathan's milk from yesterday. The milk had gone sour. Rosa didn't dare touch it.

Nathan sat on the big sofa with his knees together. He wore a plain white shirt from the box and his own jeans. He didn't want to be there.

Daniel came downstairs fast, no shoes, sleeves pushed up. He saw the same glass still on the table from last night and stopped.

He picked it up, pulled the card out with two fingers. Milk dripped.

He looked at Nathan.

"You didn't throw it," he said.

Nathan stood up fast. "I was scared to touch it. Rosa said she can't throw Mr. Rafael's things without you saying."

Daniel's jaw tightened. He remembered yesterday, Rafael dropping it right in front of him, right into his babe's milk.

"Yesterday he did it to provoke me," he said. "In front of me."

Nathan's hands shook. "I didn't take it."

"I know you didn't." Daniel held the wet card out. "He thinks he's better than me. Do you?"

Nathan's face went red. He pressed his knees together.

"I... I don't know," he whispered, panicked. "I don't know him. Don't ask me that."

Daniel watched him for a second. Jealous satisfaction flashed in his black eyes.

"Right answer, babe. You don't need to know him."

He pressed the sticky card into Nathan's palm.

"Tear it."

"Why?"

"Because my babe tears other men's cards. Not keeps them."

Nathan tore it into four pieces. His hands were sticky. He dropped the pieces on the floor.

Daniel crouched and wiped Nathan's fingers with the hem of his own shirt, slow and careful, like Nathan was too precious to be dirty. He didn't care about the stain. Then he brought Nathan's hand to his mouth and kissed his knuckles once. Hard.

"Good. Now it's clean."

Rosa came in with a tray. She saw the milk on the floor and the torn paper and didn't say anything. She took the glass away and mopped the floor in ten seconds and left.

Nathan stood up. "I want to go to my room."

Daniel's phone started ringing loudly upstairs. Another shipment call.

"Stay here. Don't go anywhere. Two minutes, babe, okay?"

He went upstairs, already shouting cold about money.

The front door was ten steps away.

Nathan looked at it. His heart hammered. He was tired. He was tired of Daniel pulling him, of Rafael touching his face, of Rosa watching him like he was a doll. He didn't want to be here with either of them. He wanted to go home to his small apartment, to his mum's voice on the phone.

He walked fast to the door and pulled it open.

Two guards in black suits blocked it instantly. They didn't touch him.

"Mr. Nathan, you can't go out. The Boss's order."

Nathan's eyes went wet. "I just want to leave. Both of you are crazy. You and your brother. I don't want to stay here. I want to go home."

"Sorry, Mr. Nathan. We can't let you."

They shut the door from outside. Soft click, but it felt like a lock.

Nathan stood there with his hand still on the handle, breathing fast.

Daniel came downstairs two minutes later, barefoot. He saw Nathan by the door and stopped. He didn't shout. He walked over calm, but his eyes were black with jealousy, and put a hand on Nathan's waist.

"Trying to leave?"

"Yes," Nathan said, honest this time, voice shaking. "I want to leave. I don't want you or your brother near me. I want to go home to my mum."

Daniel's arm tightened around his waist and steered him back to the sofa. He sat and pulled Nathan down next to him, his arm tight so he couldn't move again.

"Home is here now, babe."

"Home is not here," Nathan said, turning his face away. His face was hot. "Home is with my mum. I haven't called her in a while."

Rosa brought dinner. Pasta and warm milk for Nathan because she knows he doesn't like steak at night. Steak for Daniel. She put it down and left.

Nathan ate with his head down, knees together. Daniel watched him eat, his thumb rubbing slow circles on Nathan's side through the plain white shirt. Possessive. Claiming.

"You eat like a kitten, babe," Daniel whispered.

"Stop calling me that," Nathan mumbled, but he didn't push his hand away. He was too tired.

After dinner, Daniel took his plate and Nathan's bowl upstairs himself. Rosa tried to take it but he shook his head.

Downtown, 9 pm.

Club R was loud. Neon lights flashed. Music thumped from inside.

Chase had been standing in front of it for an hour in his old UCLA hoodie, holding a folded print of Nathan's photo. His hair was messy. He hadn't slept.

A black car pulled up. Rafael got out, black shirt with buttons open, tattoos on his neck.

"You Chase?" he asked.

"Are you Rafael? Where's Nathan?"

Rafael looked him up and down. "You look like hell. Like you haven't slept. He's alive. My brother's got him in Hollywood Hills."

"Take me to him. Right now."

"I can't. My brother has 20 guards all armed. You don't want to cross them. But I can get you in to see him tomorrow."

"Okay. Tell me where."

Rafael smiled. "Everything has a price, boy."

"I have money," Chase said quickly.

"I don't want your money. We'll talk about price tomorrow."

Chase frowned. "What do you mean price?"

"You'll see. 8 pm tomorrow. Side door. Come alone. No police. Police work for my brother."

Chase stepped back, uncomfortable with how Rafael was looking at him. "Just to be clear, I... I don't like guys. I'm here only for Nathan."

Rafael laughed once. "Yeah, I got that. You don't like guys. I like guys who don't like guys. See you tomorrow, logical boy."

He placed a black card on the roof of his car and got in and drove off. Chase stood alone under the neon lights, holding Nathan's photo and the card.

Mansion, 9:30 pm.

Daniel's bedroom was warm. The big bed was already turned down. A new box sat on it.

Daniel locked the bedroom door. Click.

Nathan turned around fast. "Why did you lock it?"

Daniel opened the box. Inside was a white silk shirt, bigger and softer than the last one.

"Change. That one has milk on it."

Nathan took it to the bathroom. When he came out, the silk slipped off one shoulder, showing his collarbone. His legs were bare. He held the shirt with one hand, shy.

Daniel stared. His throat moved. He walked to him slowly and fixed the shirt on his shoulder, but his hand stayed there, warm.

"You called for your mum last night," Daniel said quietly. "In your sleep. You said mum, don't leave."

Nathan's hand tightened on the shirt. He looked down, eyes wet.

"I... I want to see my mum," he whispered. "I want to go home to my mum. I miss her."

Daniel cupped the back of Nathan's neck, thumb under his ear. His hand was big and warm and possessive.

"But you can't."

"Last night, you slept as my guest," Daniel said, his voice low and dangerous, but soft only for Nathan. "I only held your waist because you were my guest."

Nathan tried to step back but the hand on his neck held him firm. His back hit the wall.

"Tonight you are not a guest, babe," Daniel whispered, leaning down until his lips almost touched Nathan's. Cold cologne and warm breath. "Tonight you sleep as my babe. Tonight I won't just hold your waist. Tonight I will make you really my babe."

Nathan's eyes widened. His lips trembled. His whole body went hot.

"What... what are you going to do?"

Daniel's thumb brushed his lower lip, obsessed.

"Guess, babe."

He leaned in for a real kiss.