The Nice Guy (Book 1)

Chapter 14

After carefully placing Pete in the passenger seat, Tin flipped him the envelope. "Thanks for an amazing date, Pete. That actually was the most fun I've had in ages." The smile hadn't dropped off Tin's face since he'd heard Ae swear. 

Nothing felt as good as stealing another person's significant other and it seemed it really didn't matter if it was male or female. Tin bent down to kiss Pete. It would be awesome if the sex was great but he'd find a way to make that aspect work, too.

Pete quickly twisted his head around and and facing the window, "No Tin, no. Just no. I know you don't like me. You don't have to force yourself to kiss me." He sighed and tapped his forehead against the window. "Why do I want to cry right now, Tin?"

Tin took his chin in his hand and made Pete look at him. "Why do you keep insisting I don't like you? I DO like you. You're kind, sweet and very innocent, Pete. You don't want a damn thing from me. In all the years we've known each other, you've never asked me for anything until this. And I could have solved it for you, you know."

Tin let go of his face and sighed. "I was prepared to, but you did ask for it. All you asked for was information. I wasn't sure why. I thought, was he still in love with the asshole? Is that why he doesn't want me involved? So many questions... That's why I wanted to date you, well, that and confirming you were gay."

Pete looked like a fish on land. His mouth was opening and closing, but nothing was coming out. Tin looked over and said, "Stop that! You look silly. Adorable... childlike. Like Pete."

Tin leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. "Aren't you tired, Pete? I am. I'm tired of being the heir everyone wants to date. Of having to be the golden boy, of being under constant scrutiny. I want to be with someone I can be myself. You're perfect for me."

Pete looked away from Tin. This was too much. Tin was never this open. He twiddled nervously with the envelop and Tin, of course, noticed. He didn't care about it right now, it was to give his hands something to do... 

Tin, misunderstanding, grabbed the envelope and snarled, "What does this scum have on you, Pete?" He poured the evidence collected by the private detective on his lap and sorted through it. Copies of police reports, blood reports and fenced goods, along with pictures with various other men.

"Scum, Pete, scum!" He hissed, tossing the papers around.

The tears rolled slowly down Pete's cheeks. He wanted to die from the embarrassment and shame flooding his whole being. At least Ae never shamed him this way. He pulled his bottom lip in and bit it, holding back sobs.

"Talk to me, Pete. Tell me how I can help you!" Tin's voice was becoming harsher, when the passenger door was yanked open by a furious Ae!

"You piece of shit! Making my Pete cry!" Ae whispered, pulling Pete out of the car and into his arms. Pete stood there, trembling, sobbing helplessly into the front of his shirt. 

He wondered, not for the first time, why did this always happen to him? Why was his life so screwed up? Slowly, the lack of food, the booze and the stress caught up with him and he, for the second time that night, collapsed.

Ae struggled with the sudden dead weight of Pete in his arms. He felt him go limp and bent his knees, carefully dropping both of them to the ground. "Pete, it's going to be okay." He whispered, stroking his head.

Tin walked around the car and stood, observing them. "What the fuck is your problem? No, who the fuck are you to interfere?"

"I'm his boyfriend." Ae snarled back. "And you?" 

Tin laughed gently. "That explains his reluctance. I'm his date. Nice to meet you, boyfriend." Things were falling into place now. Pete's overall reluctance to be seen with him, this ugly man's jealousy. 

Tin squatted down at the pair and said, very soft, almost evilly, "Do you know what your "boyfriend" has been up to?"

"Don't care." snapped Ae. "Love forgives." Ae wasn't thinking logically or he wouldn't have blurted out his feelings. He was reacting. He didn't normally instantly hate people, but this arrogant asshole in his face, who held his Pete... right now, he felt hate for that handsome face.

Standing, Tin said, "You should. I'd leave Pete with you, but somehow I think you're too poor to have a car, even if you did have a license. I will take him home." He bent down and picked up a slowly awakening Pete.

Ae placed his hand on his arm. "Don't you think Pete should have a say?"

"No." Tin replied. "I brought him, I will take him home, the way every date should. It's called manners, little man." He placed a very drowsy Pete on the passenger seat of the Porsche and buckled him in. Turning he looked at Ae and smirked, "Wish me luck. If I'm very good, maybe I'll get lucky."

Whistling, he walked to the other side, slid in and immediately drove off before Ae could close his mouth which dropped open at Tin's audacity. 

Tin started laughing, imagining he could hear the curse words flowing out of the small man's mouth. Tapping the wheel as he drove, "Pete, you sure do have the oddest taste in men. First, that scum bag and now this shorty." 

He spared Pete a glance and saw he had his eyes closed tightly. "And they both have no money, I'll bet my car on it. Haven't I told you before to date only those with money?"

He saw the rapid rise and fall of Pete's chest. "Do you have anything to say to me, Pete?"

Pete's eyes flickered open. "Yes, Tin. I do. I have no idea why Ae said I'm his boyfriend. But I do like him and he's never asked me to pay for him or even for any money." He closed his eyes again and sighed. "Ae makes me feel good, Tin. You make me feel alone, sad and alone."

Tin felt the words cut him to the bone. He was always alone. He was always sad and alone. He wanted to be with Pete to cut through all of that. Nothing more was said between them until Pete left the car with a simple, "Good night, Tin."