Buying Love » ot4

15 - Love is Irrational

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15 - Love is Irrational

It was twenty minutes now ever Michael stormed off yet again from Ashton's presence, but the eldest couldn't focus on that. Instead he had to focus on the fact that he was now walking throughout the familiar, relatively empty bar at noon.

Opening the door to Calum's and Luke's office, Ashton walked through it without asking for permission first. This was something that was never allowed if it was anybody else. But Ashton was welcomed and even encouraged to come whenever he had pleased.

"Hey. I've got news." Ashton said as his hello as he made his way into the office, instantly noticing Calum sat in the chair behind the desk with Luke sat across from him.

"Being?" Luke simply asked contrasting with him getting up and leaving an adoring peck on Ashton's forehead as a proper hello.

"I was just hired to kill you." Ashton smirked.

"What?" Luke asked in a shocked surprise.

"Don't be so worried. We know that I won't actually do it." Ashton smirked playfully at Luke, walking past him and going to lean against the edge of the desk, sending Calum a large smile.

"And why won't you do it? I'm assuming that the price is high for my death." Luke casually asked as he sat back in his previous seat, watching Ashton for his answer.

"You're really going to make me say it?"

Luke only strictly nodded making Ashton sigh, "I love you two, alright? I just got done with telling Michael not to lie to himself and not to bottle everything in. Why give advice if I'm not going to listen to it myself?"

Ashton saw Calum smile brightly from this and he also saw Luke grin proudly. "You're lucky too because past me totally would have shot you for $500K."

"Damn that much?" Calum asked in amusement as he sent Luke a small smirk, "I'd be proud in myself if my bounty was that high."

Luke simply ignored the comment and asked, "Who hired you?"

"It was a private number, but it's always set up through the hitman company. Who pays and sets up the hit is always confidential, so I don't know."

"Reckon it's the Terry Boys?" Luke asked as he looked forwards at Calum.

"Nah." Calum shook his head, "The only man they want dead is me."

"You have trouble with the Terry Boys?" Ashton asked shocked, "You're screwed."

"I wouldn't say so. I'm quite a dangerous force to reckon with myself." Calum sent Ashton a wicked wink.

"So what are we doing about this?" Ashton asked, glancing between the two.

"We'll do some digging and figure out who sent the hit. You accepted the job right?" Luke asked.

"Yeah. Michael was there with me when I got the call and he told me to."

Calum hummed in appreciation, "Everyday I see how smart and deep he is in regarding the hitman company. He knew that if you didn't accept the job then you'd be killed."

"That's what he had mentioned as well."

"When did they tell you to kill me?" Luke asked.

"Nighttime, December first."

"That gives us a couple of weeks." Luke nodded, "We'll figure it out by then."

"Now that we have that settled." Calum began with a sly smile being targeted at Ashton, "Where is your feisty hitman best friend?"

"He's in a mood like always." Ashton huffed annoyed.

Ashton just needed Michael to open up a little bit more and he'd feel a relief like no other. All he needed was some comfort of Michael being honest with them and with himself.

"Can I ask you something? And can you be completely honest? Not even if you think saying a specific answer would make me happy."

"Of course." Calum nodded.

"How do you feel about Michael? Are you only pining after him because you know that I love him? Or do you really feel something for him too?"

"Personally I find him so enthralling. He has a dark, violent shell that hides only more seductive evil. He's a man of pure force and mystery and I can't seem to look away." Calum easily answered honest with his feelings for Michael.

Ashton nodded with a smile at Calum's statement, looking at Luke expectancy.

"I could tell that Calum genuinely felt for him as soon as he saw him in the back of that shitty bar, but I didn't feel the same." Luke answered honestly, making Ashton frown slightly, "At first it was just because of you, like you brought up. But once I saw how great of a chemistry you and Calum have with him and after watching his reaction to the murder at our house, I saw what entrances you both. He's so reserved and he's going to be hard to convince, but it'll be worth it. He's worth it."

"I got him to admit that he thinks we're all attractive to him." Ashton told them, even if he knew that Michael would most likely kill him for it if he had ever found out.

"Oh really?" Calum smirked.

"I also got him to admit to why he's so against all of this."

"What is it?" Luke asked curiously.

"He's never been with men before. I honestly don't know how many women he's been with in his past, but I'm going to assume that there weren't that many other than his wife. He claimed that love is irrational and is only a weakness."

"He's so damaged." Calum frowned at what he heard, "We have to show him how happy and good we could make him feel."

"Plans to do so?" Luke asked out for any ideas.

Ashton stressfully sighed, "The thing about Michael is that there is no plan. We can only take it slow, but with determination. He doesn't want to admit that we all have something here. We need to make him admit it."

Luke and Calum nodded from what Ashton had to offer about his best friend. Michael was a tough one to crack and to love, but all three of them were willing to wait the time and to do the work for him to accept them and to accept his feelings.

—•••—

Oop— Ashton was ordered to kill Luke. 😳 Any ideas on who might want them dead? The Terry Boys? Anyone else? ✨

Also Ashton saying that he loves Luke and Calum? 🥺 My heart.

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