Their Pet (MxM)

Chapter 23:

Life carried on, as usual. I took Rome's promise to heart, and stopped living in fear. It had been half a year, and still, I was not found. But I never stopped worrying. I was paranoid, at times, but I knew if anything happened, someone was out there, still searching for me. It was weird, and complicated. I felt so many things at once. But by the next minute, I would feel absolutely nothing.

I kneeled on the ground as I restocked the bottom shelf with cans of tomato soup. A drop of sweat rolled down my face, and I paused, realizing that it was getting quite warm. It had been some time since I could simply enjoy the summer weather. Back when I was a kid, I would sneak off to a creek nearby and wade around in the water till someone would come looking for me.

I let out a sigh as I stacked the last can and checked the clock. I stood up and greeted a customer before looking around for my co-worker.

"You can head off now!" She offered, her kind smile contagious. I nodded and thanked her before heading to the back of the store, where I could remove my uniform.

I got in, and started unbuttoning the top, when I heard the faintest tap of someone's foot. My breathing became labored as I slowly turned. No one else should be here. It was just me and my one co-worker working today.

"I'm the only one that knows where you are." The familiar voice said. My eyes met with Roy's, and I backed away, my hand reaching into my back pocket.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to do anything! Just calm down. I'm here to help."

I almost scoffed. This man expected me to not freak out?

I took deep breaths before looking up at him, prepared to hear what he had to say. "Greyson told me he met you." He revealed, and I felt my stomach fill with anxiety. I knew I shouldn't have trusted him.

"Don't worry, I can't do anything if you know about him. He told you everything and I would just be outing myself." I still had my doubts, but I decided to hear him out.

"Cain hasn't stopped looking for you. But he has no trace. And Arc is-"

"Arc? He's fine? What happened to him?" I interrupted, snapping forward.

"He's hiding. He's fine right now. So is Laura and Peter. They said they'll explain everything when it's safe."

I was unsatisfied in all this and a hateful feeling seemed to grow with every word.
"Did they just leave me alone in that ? I don't want an explanation if that's it. I seriously trusted them. And they left me with David? Why weren't they there?" I bluntly demanded, tears welling up.

"I can't trust anyone." I murmured, my gaze stuck on the tiled floor. 

Roy was silent, but he took a deep breath and looked me in the eye. "Just lay low, okay? I'm just here to tell you things are going to get hectic."

"You think it wasn't hectic already? Roy, why would you risk leading them straight to me just to tell me the obvious?
Be honest. Someone told you to come check up on me. Was it Arc? Greyson? Jasper? I don't even care. I just want to forget everyone and live my new life in peace. So don't bother coming back."

"Cody, Cain is-"

"I know. I figured it out a long time ago." I left the room without another word.

Cain is the man my brother had promised me to. The same boy that would treat me like his little pet.

I just wished I had figured it out a lot sooner.

I didn't realize even realize how scornful my face looked in that moment, until I looked up, and saw a shocked look on Rome's face. He was standing in the middle of the sidewalk.