Secrets and Things (MxM)

Chapter 77 - What did I do to deserve any of this?

Notes:

· Everything is past tense now :))

- I really do be posting whenever I want haha

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POV: Aiden

I was munching on my muffin as I was vaguely paying attention to the news playing on the TV screen. The cafe was seemingly more busy than usual, with customers other than Erwin's employees joining the tables around us.

It had been a couple of days after the party and still, I couldn't stop thinking about everything that had gone down that night. More specifically, Erwin's intimate touches had been overtaking every inch of my brain, to the point where I had begun outwardly gaping in thought for ten minutes in the office. A smack on the lips by a stack of paper from the manager had done a great job shutting it.

I completely blamed my lack of getting laid and touch deprivation for that, but deep inside, I knew it was because it was him who touched me and nothing else. I don't know when the attraction had begun but no way in hell was I going to indulge in it. He's a fire that should not be played with or else you're going to get a fourth-degree burn.

As I continued to mull over my unfortunately useless thoughts, my ass began vibrating. I got out the phone from the left pocket and found that a private ID was calling me. I was tempted to just decline the call, deeming it some sort of prank call or marketing call but it would provide as a temporary distraction from my ruminating. So I picked up.

"Hello?"

There was silence on the other side for a moment before a voice, that was too soon to be dealt with, was heard. "I think this might be the first time you greeted me ever since you left the mansion."

Instinctively, my eyebrows furrowed and my lips settled with a frown. "Bradley," I growl out. I had a feeling that I wouldn't be able to deal with him without raising my voice, so I got out of my seat and head out the exit. Since the cafe was right next door to the company building, I walked till was near the front entrance. It was until I reached my destination that I continued adding on. "Why do you have my number?"

A scoff was heard before Bradley snottily replied. "As if that's hard to discover. If I cared about it earlier I could've–"

"That's not what I asked. Stop going off on a tangent." Ever since the confrontation the other night, my fear against my brothers were basically near non-existent. It was like someone hit a switch and the next day, I had enough will to punch them without any hesitation. All while sober. The cause for this cannot be determined but I just said the alcohol did its job and much more.

"Aiden... you're forgetting your place again," the other snarled out.

"No, I'm not. My place is not with you guys and that's what I'm upholding. Look, I need to go to work and you're wasting my lunchtime. You're clearly not going to answer my question, so I'm just going to assume you got it from the eldest. Now can you just tell me your reason for calling?"

Once again, silence came from the other side, this time a lot longer. I was tempted to just hang up on him but quickly decided it would be a bad idea and would create more issues than benefits.

"As I was saying before," Bradley said cooly, completely ignoring my other question, "you're forgetting your place and pushing it.

I groaned out loud in frustration, remembering how stubborn this man can be. I guess we've gotta humour him. "And how have I been pushing it? I cut off ties with you guys ever since I left, so there's literally no way I could've offended you. Unless you're salty that I didn't keep in touch with my dear brothers."