Between The Tides Of Pain & Rapture | MxM

Chapter 04

Nathan had thought about Logan an awful lot. Although he had refused to pick up the calls or respond to the messages, Logan's somber eyes never left his mind during the past week. He knew it was wrong to cut ties with his lover, or former lover, but it had to be done. It was the only way to assure him Logan would hate him and eventually be able to move on with someone more deserving of his love.

Today was Nathan's wedding; it wasn't a joyous occasion.

Although it might've been in the early morning, sometime around 8:15 to 8:30 a.m. - long before the wedding would start, the hours were incredibly long and harrowing for Nathan. At times he found himself stifling in the attire he wore while he greeted each guest with a fake smile and a tight handshake who walked through the wedding hall. And at times he found himself choking on an unsuspected sob as tears swelled in his eyes, now covered in dark circles from all those sleepless nights. The feeling was an... Uncomfortable one. However, it was when his attention flickered toward the unwelcomed black pickup truck that pulled up in the drive-thru that the worst of it came. His stomach dropped and bile rose up his throat with a damning force. "Logan," he whispered out, a shuddering gasp under his breath.

Logan took strifeful steps toward the entrance of the venue; dressed in denim jeans and a long-sleeved blue checkered shirt, nothing for the occasion.

Instantly Nathan's palms grew sweaty and he swallowed, trying to rid the sudden lump in his throat.

What was Logan doing there? He wondered. The younger man wasn't invited, he wasn't welcomed. A deep part of Nathan turned cold at the thought that his ex-lover came to torment him; to expose him - them, their blasphemous relationship. And although he desperately wanted to believe that Logan wouldn't do it; the truth was, no one ever truly knew what goes through another person's mind. Especially when that person had been hurt by someone they deeply cared for.

Logan had his eyes on him the whole time, and the closer he appeared, Nathan saw clearly his face; his tight jaw and clenched fists; he was burning with rage. His eyes, however, seemed to bleed with sadness. This pained Nathan greatly, but he couldn't allow his emotions to betray him. He stepped outside.

The second he reached in front of Logan, he stopped him halfway in the front yard before the younger man could make it inside and asked, "What are you doing here?"

It was as though Logan was holding back his tongue despite his jaw ticking in what could be described as well-contained fury. "Can we talk?" he asked, tight and stiff. "Please?"

Nathan's eyes darted toward the entrance. There weren't any eyes on him. Yet. "What do you want?" he asked in a sheepish voice, looking back at Logan.

"Don't get married to this woman." Logan, desperate and pleading, reached for his arm but Nathan dodged him, twisting to the side. "You don't want this. I know you don't want this."

Of course Nathan didn't want this; this was his bastard father's doing. He stared into Logan's eyes for a long dragged-out minute. "You don't know what I want," he settled on saying, hoping to drive Logan away with a venomous tongue.

"I know you want me," Logan argued. "You love me - you don't love her. You don't know her."

When Logan snatched him by the wrist this time and pushed him against a tree bark, Nathan's eyes went wild. "What are you doing?" he asked, fearful that someone might see them.

Logan's grip on him turned tight, then he leaned into Nathan's space. "Run away with me," he said. "Let's get out of this town and start a new life."

"I - I can't," Nathan stammered, taking a step back, trying to bury himself deeper against the bark. If his sherwani turned dirty -