We signed off and I lay in bed thinking about the call, the intensity of the phone sex. The way my body responded to Patrice even when he wasn’t in the room. How much I wanted him all the time.

If it were up to me we would’ve burned the candle at both ends long ago. But Patrice didn’t operate like that, he was methodical and careful and I couldn’t blame him.

I thought about seeing him the next day and right under the want and need, there was fear. I was scared, of whether in the end, no matter how hot were together, Patrice didn’t want me like I wanted him.

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

Patrice

Resisting Easton had started to feel like a full-time job, and I had plenty of work already.

That was the line I was feeding myself as I drove into Ithaca. I’d left earlier than I anticipated from the city, so I’d get there before 5:00 p.m. My mom had been disappointed, but when I told her it was because I needed to make sure I planned my lessons, she immediately backed off. I felt guilty about it, but my thirst for Easton had been in overdrive since last night. It was like once the dam broke, I couldn’t think of anything other than getting my hands on him.

I was sitting there mulling all this when a call from Ari came in. I picked up, wondering if he needed to reschedule for dinner, and spoke before he had a chance to talk. “I’m pretty close. I should be in town soon.” The long silence on his end gave me pause, and when he finally spoke I immediately knew something was very wrong.

“I’m sorry to bother you.” His usual elegant and lilting accent sounded thicker in his distressed state.

“Aristide, est-ce que tout va bien?” Since I’d met him while helping Nesto with the truck we’d fallen into the habit of speaking in French, both of our native tongues. He usually teased me about me losing my accent, but the long pause after my greeting started to worry me.

“Non. I am not good.”

My heart sank at the finality. “Did something happen with Nesto?”

He answered quickly, as if just realizing that I would think that. “No, he’s fine. Everyone is fine. I just.” He let out a long shuddering breath. “The police stopped me.”

I hit the brakes then, trying to find a place to stop. I needed to be still while I listened to Ari. I looked around, disoriented as panic took over.

I was on a small county road still about ten miles outside of Ithaca and it was deserted, so I pulled to a stop and after a deep breath I spoke again. “When?”

“Like twenty minutes ago.” It was almost 5:00 p.m. and had just started to get dark in the last few minutes.