ELI
It was early in the morning, and I remember the way the sunlight crept into Damir's study like it belonged there, bold and golden, casting long streaks across the polished wooden floor. The air still held the scent of him, his expensive cologne, that deep musky sweetness mixed with the sharp edge of coffee, and always that faint hint of leather from the armchair he always sat in. I was wrapped in a soft throw blanket, the same one Damir must've draped over me sometime in the night. I was curled up on the couch near his desk, where the plush cushions still held my warmth.
He was still working.
Of course he was. Damir never seemed to rest. His fingers moved fluidly across his laptop, eyes locked onto the screen like whatever he was reading could make or break someone's future. Maybe it could. I didn't really know what he did, not fully. Something about investments, global logistics, a thousand things that sounded like power and danger. All I knew was that he worked hard and often, and that he always made time for me….even if it was just in moments like this.
I stretched out slowly, arching my back and yawning. My body ached slightly, not painfully, but the kind of ache that comes from too much tension and not enough release. I got up quietly and walked behind his chair, barefoot, the chill of the floor making me shiver a little. I leaned down and wrapped my arms around his broad shoulders, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek.
"Good morning, daddy," I whispered against his skin, loving the way he stiffened for just a second before relaxing again.
He tilted his head back slightly to glance at me, his eyes warm but tired. "Morning, baby. You should still be asleep."
I smiled against his neck, letting my fingers toy with the top button of his shirt. "I slept well because I was close to you."
He let out a low chuckle, deep and amused. That sound always made my chest feel warm.
I pulled away slowly, making sure to give a dramatic little sway of my hips as I walked out of the study. I could practically feel his eyes on me, and I loved it. It made my heart flutter, made my skin buzz.
The hallways were quiet, the estate still half-asleep. My room wasn't far from Damir's study, and when I opened the door, I was expecting to see Lian still asleep in bed. He'd been staying with me for the past week refusing to go back to his own house, trailing me like a puppy, I found him annoyingly cute.
But he wasn't there.
The bed was rumpled on one side, the sheets pulled back like someone had gotten up in a hurry. The window was cracked open, letting in a breeze that made the curtains dance slightly. But the room was empty.
I stood there for a second, confusion swirling in my chest.
Where the hell was he?
I tried to push the worry down. Maybe he went to get breakfast. Or to shower. Or maybe he got bored and wandered off. Still, something about the emptiness, about the way the bed looked, made my stomach twist.
I shook my head. "Don't overthink it," I told myself. "He's probably just downstairs."
So I got back under the covers, still wrapped in the quiet of the morning. I didn't even notice when I started dozing again.
Until the door slammed open.
"Wake up, lazyass!"
I shrieked and sat up just as Lian launched himself onto the bed, tackling me under the sheets. His laughter rang out loud and obnoxious, and I couldn't help laughing too as he started tickling my sides.
"Lian! Stop! Stop!" I gasped, squirming away from him.
"No mercy!" he yelled, digging his fingers into my ribs. "You've been sleeping in Damir's office again, huh? You're cheating on me!"
I kicked at him, breathless with laughter. "Please! You're the side piece!"
We wrestled like we used to, like nothing had changed. Like we were still just stupid teens with nothing to worry about. We collapsed onto the bed in a heap, both of us panting, hair tangled, grinning.
But then something caught my eye. Something along his collarbone.
A dark mark. And then another.
I narrowed my eyes and sat up slowly. "What's that?"
He blinked. "What's what?"
I reached out and tugged the collar of his shirt down a bit. Hickey.
My breath caught. My heart skipped. No, not just one. When I playfully pulled his shirt aside, I froze.
Three. Four. They trailed down his neck like bruises from kisses. My stomach dropped.
"Did you… did you go to see your boyfriend last night?" I asked, forcing my voice to sound teasing, light. Like it didn't matter.
Lian straightened. "Yeah. Kinda. I mean…not really. We just talked," he said quickly.
I narrowed my eyes.
"Lian."
"What?" he laughed, brushing me off like it was nothing.
"You're lying," I said flatly.
"I'm not!"
"Lian, don't insult me. I'm not stupid."
"I said I'm not lying!" he snapped, voice raised now, sharp like glass.
"Are you sleeping with my dad?" I blurted.
The room fell quiet. Just for a moment.
Then he laughed, bitterly. "Wow. You really went there."
"Are you?"
"No! God, Eli! That's disgusting!"
"Then tell me where the hell you got those hickeys! They weren't there yesterday, and you sure as hell didn't step out last night!"
"I'm not explaining myself to you!"
"Oh, you're not?"
"No, because you're being ridiculous! Always thinking the world revolves around your fragile little feelings."
That one hit hard. I felt my chest tighten.
"You're lying to me, Lian. You always said we were brothers. Best friends. I never said I wouldn't accept it if you were with him…."
"Because it's not about acceptance, Eli! You just want to control everything around you because you're too afraid of being left alone!"
I stared at him, stunned.
"You're calling me afraid?"
"YES!" he shouted. "You're always clinging to Damir like he's going to vanish. You took him from your dad without blinking, and now you're crying because maybe your dad actually moved on too? Grow up!"
My hands balled into fists. "You don't get to say that to me. Not when you lied to my face!"
We were yelling now, pillows flying, voices raw and angry. I threw one hard across the room, just as Juseon and Damir stormed in.
"What the hell is going on here?" Damir's voice cracked like a whip.
He didn't shout. He didn't need to. That low, thunderous voice of his silenced everything.
We both froze.
"Both of you," he said, his tone deadly calm. "Downstairs. Now."
Juseon looked pale, hovering by the doorway but not saying a word. He didn't even meet my eyes. He just followed.
At the dining table, silence reigned.
Damir stood at the head like a king addressing fools. "Explain," he commanded, eyes flicking between us.
"I saw hickeys on him," I began, voice trembling. "He lied about where he got them. I just….I just asked if he was sleeping with my dad. That's it."
Lian crossed his arms. "He's paranoid and emotional. Always has been."
"ENOUGH." Damir's voice slammed through the room.
The table went dead quiet again.
Juseon finally cleared his throat. "I'll be leaving tomorrow morning. For work. I won't be coming back here."
My chest squeezed. "So you're running?"
"No," he said, still not looking at me. "I'm giving space. That's all."
Then Lian stood. "I'm going back to my boyfriend's place. Maybe I shouldn't have stayed here this long."
My lips parted. "You're leaving?"
He hesitated. He looked at me, and for a moment I saw guilt, shame, all of it. "I… Eli, I didn't mean for it to get like this…."
"No," I said, rising to my feet. "You made your choice. It's fine."
Damir tried to speak, but I'd already turned away.
"Eli," he called.
"I don't want to talk," I said, walking faster.
"Eli. Come back. I'm still talking."
I didn't.
Behind me, I heard him dismiss everyone. "We all need a break. Clearly, being together is doing more harm than good."
And then I was gone. Locking myself in the one room where no one could lie to me anymore.
Because no matter how beautiful this house was, how expensive, how perfect, it didn't protect you from betrayal. Especially when it came from the ones you trusted most.
Damn it, I miss lian already.
"Fucking duck".