“We’re fucking again,” Knight said, sensing hot needles all over. His brain was trying to come up with alternatives to the things he was feeling, but there was no denying that his libido had been low recently, only to suddenly spike the moment he and Elliot were close.
“That doesn’t answer my question. If you want him as a friend, don’t lead him on. You said it yourself that he has no friends, no family, and a string of shitty ex-boyfriends. He will cling to you, and it will all go to shit.”
Knight swallowed, feeling blows of heat and cold inside his body. He hated this kind of uncertainty. “Look, I know his face isn’t as pretty as your Laurent’s, and that he’s so gangly, and that he can be a giant dick sometimes, but... I don’t know. When he’s there, I just can’t help myself. It’s like he’s the hottest guy on the planet, even though I logically know he isn’t.”
Beast watched him for a long time in silence, then glanced back at Elliot again. “What if you were to make him yours? Does the idea make you want to stick a knife in your eye? Would it be like when you couldn’t promise Jordan not to do guys?”
Knight licked his lips, suddenly uncomfortable. “You can’t compare him to Jordan. She was dumb and empty like a beer keg after a party. When I talk to him, sparks are flying, you know. It’s so weird. I... stopped fucking other people when he came here,” he admitted, embarrassed. This was not who Knight was. Knight fucked whoever he wanted and whenever he wanted. Had anyone other than Jake noticed the change?
Beast leaned back in the chair, folding his hands in his lap. “That’s… what? Over two months? No one else? Not on the trips out of town?”
“I just didn’t feel like it, all right? What about you? I know it’s only been a few months, but how do you expect to sleep with one person for the rest of your life? How do people live like that?”
Beast sighed. “My dick hasn’t gone soft to hot people other than Laurent, but you just make that choice, Knight. I bet people sometimes make eyes at Laurent, or approach him in town if they don’t know who he belongs to, but I trust him. It’s a question of self-discipline. Remember when you were getting ripped for that photoshoot years ago? You still wanted to eat bread and ice cream, but you chose not to. And if I had the opportunity to get it on with someone else, I wouldn’t either, because it would break Laurent’s heart. I know it’s sappy as fuck, but that’s what it is when you care about someone more than you do about yourself.”
Knight swallowed hard and stopped himself from looking at Elliot, even though he really wanted to. “I... don’t think he’d be up for an open thing.”
“There’s your answer. Now, what you do with that, is another matter.”
The door burst open and Laurent rushed in, panting and red on the face. “Sorry I’m so late, there has been an electrical emergency in my room. I tried to deal with the wiring, like Knight had shown me, but… I have not been successful,” he muttered the last bit and held up three bandaged fingers.
Beast’s mouth opened, and he shot out from the chair, grabbing the injured hand. “What the hell were you thinking? Do we have naked wires in the apartment now?”
“Maybe just let me deal with it next time, Laurent?” Knight said, approaching them too. “What happened? What was the emergency?”
Laurent sighed, letting Beast examine his hand. “The light stopped working, so I assumed the wiring disconnected. I got a small shock. I admit that I might have been too eager to put my skills into practice. I’ve turned off the switch before I left.”
Knight frowned. “Did you check the lightbulb first?”
“Right. The lightbulb must have ran out of electricity. How could I have missed that?”
Beast groaned and pulled Laurent to his chest. “Never handle electricity on your own again, okay?”
“You listen to him, Laurent. Watching me at work and asking questions does not equal learning to handle wiring,” Knight said, amused only because nothing serious happened.
Laurent nodded, all flustered, but his attention finally shifted to Elliot, and he only pressed into Beast’s embrace harder. After the talk they’d had with Beast, Knight could imagine how he would feel if a ghost of, say, Martin, hung around trying to kill Elliot. He’d have his arms around Elliot just like Beast had his around Laurent.
Laurent frowned. “I am still of the opinion that he should be exiled for his actions. There must be consequences. He is a man of twenty-five. He can fend for himself.”
Knight huffed, annoyed by Laurent waving his flag of righteousness in front of his face. “No. He’s staying, because I want him here. Isn’t a guy allowed to make mistakes anymore? Weren’t you crushing on Fane once?”