His answer confuses me. “Should I be offended?”
He laughs softly. “Of course not. I guess I was wondering if he could be a friend. A different kind of friend than you are.”
Ah. I think I get it. Colson isn’t one of us. Rue probably feels like he might have more in common with him. “He’s great. You should talk to him.”
Rue smiles, then goes back to finishing his breakfast. When the conversation dies down, he shifts his attention back to Colson.
“Um, Colson?”
Colson looks over, smiling.
“Are you busy after breakfast? I was wondering if you had a few minutes to chat.”
Colson’s gaze softens. “Sure. I’m around all day.”
“But we were going to—” Specter says, but Colson cuts him off with a soft kiss on the lips.
“You’ll have plenty of me in due time, lover, don’t worry.”
Specter’s eyes heat as he nods. So whipped. It’d be hilarious if it weren’t so damn cute.
“I don’t want to mess up your plans though,” Rue says.
“You’re not,” Specter says. “Colson is right. We have plenty of time.”
“Okay then. Thanks.”
After breakfast is done and the dishes have been cleared, I watch Colson and Rue walk out into the garden.
“What’s that about?” Phantom asks me.
I shrug. “I think he sees something in Colson. Like a friend or someone he might have something in common with. All of this has been a little overwhelming for him.”
“If anyone can ground him, it’s Colson,” Specter says, stacking the clean plates in the cupboard.
“I think so too.”
“So things are good with your prisoner?” Wraith asks, swinging his legs. He draped himself over an armchair after we moved to the rec room.
“He’s not my prisoner, and please don’t say that in front of him.”
Wraith mimes zipping his lips.
“I need to talk to Shadow about going rogue and taking this Leon piece of shit out.”
Whisper raises his eyebrow. “It’s like that?”
“It is. He’s trouble, and it’s possible he’s going to keep stalking Rue. Guys like that don’t tend to back off easily.”
“No,” Wraith says. “Tell us if you need backup.”
“Of course.” I glance out the French doors at Colson and Rue talking on a bench. Colson is smiling sweetly and holding Rue’s hand in a comforting way.
I find myself smiling too as I watch the interaction. I wonder if Rue will want to sleep in my room again tonight, and whether that’s playing with fire. I’m a pretty upstanding guy when it comes to sex and consent, but I’m only human. Waking up with his gorgeous body wrapped around me and his mouth on my skin pushed my limits, and I’ll be damned if he thinks he has to sleep with me for repayment. Anyone who sleeps with me does it because they fucking want to.
And I doubt Rue knows what he wants.
CHAPTER 9