Page 76 of Gambler's Conceit
Thankfully, the hallways are empty as we exit out of the stairwell. Vortex leads me to the elevator, and no one gets onto the elevator to go up. It’s quiet, and Vortex never releases myhand. It isn’t until we’re passing the guard posted at Caleb’s door that he starts to let go, but I don’t let him.
He stops trying after a few seconds, seeming to realize I have no intention of letting him leave me alone, and he ushers me toward the couch. “Do you want anything?”
It’s too hard to talk, so I keep shaking my head as he asks me questions.
I just don’t want to be here by myself.
Had Madeline been sent here bythem? Had they found me? She’d said she’d been here for four years, but that doesn’t mean anything.
People lie.
Hell,Ilie all the time.
Vortex pulls me into his lap, and I rest my head against his muscular shoulder.
He holds me close, and I think that this isn’t so terrible as I slowly drift to sleep.
EIGHTEEN
CALEB
The first thingI see when I get back home is Vortex and Seven on my couch. Seven is sitting in Vortex’s lap with his arms thrown around him while Vortex strokes his back.
On closer inspection, I realize that Seven is asleep.
“How long has he been like that?” I ask as I loosen my tie.
Vortex glances up at me, his hand going still on the small of Seven’s back. “I’m not sure,” he says. “He was downstairs, then Grant and Madeline got into it, so Madeline and I took Seven for a drink. He got… upset.” He shakes his head, continuing to speak in a low voice, “He ran off and I found him in the stairwell.”
“Ran off?” I take off my jacket and place it over the back of the armchair. “Something triggered him?”
I still don’t know what set him off the other night. As beautiful as he’d looked with the tears, as much as I’d wanted to give in and fuck him, part of me knew it would have been the wrong thing to do.
Funny, that I havemoralswhen it comes to Seven.
“Madeline was showing off pictures of her wife when Seven started to get distant,” Vortex says.
I have to give him more credit than most. He looks like an average bruiser, but he’s more in tune with people than he might seem at first.
“Then she mentioned that Lorena is pregnant, then started talking about names,” Vortex goes on. “He got up and ran. Madeline thinks she did something wrong, so I’ll need to talk to her when Seven’s calmer, too.”
Seven starts to stir, but Vortex goes back to rubbing small circles along his back, hushing him.
It’s another clue to add to the mystery that is Seven.
Like the mysterious emails, with veiled questions trying to figure out my identity. I hadn’t answered, of course, but my hackles are up.
I grab two beers from the fridge, remove the caps, and set one down in front of Vortex before taking a seat in the armchair. I take a few sips while I consider what to do with Seven.
“I have a few more leads,” I admit quietly. “But if this is going where I think it’s going, it’s not going to be pretty. The people he’s running from…”
I stop when I notice Seven’s hand twitch. Vortex gives me a significant look, and I nod to let him know that I understand.
“The vet wants Nacho in for a follow up appointment, to make sure the neuter surgery went well,” I say instead. “You want to go with Havoc and pick up the new cat tree while you’re out?”
“Yeah, I can do that,” Vortex says smoothly. “Hey, Seven. Do you want us to get anything else for Nacho? We’re getting him his own cat tree.”
Seven shakes his head, still limp against Vortex.