Atonement - Book Four (Man x Man)

Chapter 21

( QUESTION- You guys are the faithful readers and as you know, I value your opinions so much!! As an author, I obviously have an obsession with these boys or I wouldn't be writing about them!! What do you, as a reader, prefer to read? Would you like to follow more of their relationship or are you enjoying the focus on their journey? Obviously both will continue to happen and this is not a fluffy story by any means but are you liking these chapters where we are returning to glimpses of their rebuild? Or are you missing the action of finding that damn witch! If you want to have an opinion on this, you should let me know! Here or in a note! Thanks <3 I appreciate you guys so much )

Feeling bold, I stride up to him. What better way to test my tolerance than to confront it head-on, we are supposed to be engaged right? He departs from his fallen comrades to meet me halfway, "You look like you're on a mission." He comments, regarding me curiously. 

"You'd be correct. I'd like to revisit negotiations with Mr.Balan." I tell him firmly, crossing my arms over my chest. He thinks it over for a minute and pulls his eyebrows together. 

"Aren't you suppose to be on vacation? Healing and what have you?" He comments, catching the eye of a waitress and gesturing with a glance at his two friends. "Get them up or put them to work." 

"Yes, Alpha." She says respectfully and I wrinkle my nose. 

"You go by Alpha again?"

He looks like he doesn't want to delve into all of this but we are supposed to start being honest with each other. "It's safer. Alpha can be anyone. Can't quite say there is more than one Verando, now can we? Plus, they seem to insist on it here. As I said, Benjamin is a fan and he is pretty caught up on the whole 'Alpha' persona. If it keeps him happy-" He trails off, shrugging one shoulder and accepting a towel from another passing waitress to dry off his face. 

He's sweaty, glistening practically. I frown and shift uncomfortably. 

Can these people not keep their hands to themselves? I remind myself that it was just a towel. "Why aren't you wearing any clothes?" I mumble at him and he gestures towards his shorts with a snarky expression. Frankly, they don't leave much to the imagination. "Those are practically a thong and you know it." It makes him snicker and he starts to walk, I almost don't follow him because frankly, I can't believe he's just walking off. 

"I'm not doing it," I tell myself. "I'm in control here, I make the decisions, he's going to turn around and come back." But he doesn't. 

He departs the small diner and rounds a corner, I quickly follow after him and he's waiting for me when I push the doors open. "You're an ass."

"You've said." 

I follow along beside him, this is a different Verando than I was just dealing with only, what seems like, days ago. I look him up and down, focusing on the differences between him and my tormentor but there is an air about him that brings back the deep, recessed feeling within me. Even with his generally dismissive and snarky demeanor, he's happy. 

I can feel it, happiness exuding from him in almost a contagious manner. "So. Do you think Stefan and I don't talk?"

It catches me off guard. "Why would you talk to Stefan?"

"Keep tabs on you, make sure you're alright." It almost creeps me out. Why couldn't he just ask me? "Don't get your knickers in a bunch, I couldn't go near you until just days ago and you still look like you're not quite comfortable with it."

 I guess I wasn't really thinking about it until he brought it up. 

"You could still check with me... I do want to see you, part of me does at least. It makes me think you've forgotten about me when you disappear for days on end, it's like starting from square one." I sigh, the headache is front and center in a dull roar behind my eyes. I feel like there's a bell ringing back and forth between my temples. Constant flashes of unwarranted memories flood my afterthoughts as I follow him but I am making progress.