Captive Mate BL-Chapter 644: - - -
Asher was already sauntering out of the club when Jael drove in, and even before he got out of the car and closed the distance, he could already feel like his boss was up to some bullshit.
"Sit tight," He tossed to Rae, who was staring up at him with bright eyes like a baby duck.
Jael made a sound of exasperation as he stepped out the car, putting on a pair of shades.
"You came right on time, Jael," Asher grinned, beelining for him.
Jael shot him a look, waiting for the inevitable.
"We’re heading back early for dinner," Asher announced generously, patting his shoulder.
He really should have seen that coming. Between the two of them, Caspian was the more independent one, even though he was cooped up in the mansion all day.
Caspian might make a big deal about dinner, but considering they were out of the house all day, while he sat in the mansion all day, he could understand it.
Asher, however, didn’t have to go home every day at sunset. Considering that most of his turf came alive in the night, it was bound to begin to offset things.
If he told Caspian he had to work till late, the Omega would probably just play games and watch movies till he slept, as long as his mate came right back home, he wouldn’t mind.
"Right, sure." Jael agreed flatly, turning around to head for the car.
"Then after dinner, we’re going to the event." Asher tagged on, sticking to his side.
Jael shot him a look, "We?"
"You planned to let me go alone?" Asher feigned heartbreak.
Jael actually didn’t plan anything, he already knew that Asher wouldn’t go - or so he thought. "I don’t remember being a Mafia King."
Asher deflated, "You can be if you want-"
"Hard pass," He deflected before the dark-haired Alpha could complete his sentence, distracted.
He didn’t mind tagging along with Asher, he always would, unless something out of the ordinary happened. Today was just not a great day...
Rae was still seated in the passenger seat.
Asher peered through the window, a concerned frown on his face. "Did someone break in?"
"Picked up a straggler and Caspian bumped into him, so now he’s staying for dinner and spending the night."
Asher straightened up with a scowl, "Caspian did what?"
"You want to be the one to tell him no?" Jael was quick to shuck responsibility, even though he was the reason Rae was clinging so hard.
That was enough to shut the Mafia King up, Asher got into the backseat without another word, paying no attention to the stranger in the passenger seat.
Caspian was waiting in the foyer when they returned to the mansion. It was almost like the Omega had been sticking around, hoping to catch him.
"You guys are back early," Caspian noted, beelining right for Rae.
Asher had been standing with his arms out, expecting his mate to come to him, only to be completely ignored.
"Who the fuck is that?" He demanded, forced to pay attention to the young Alpha now.
Caspian slipped out of Asher’s reach, putting the injured kid in between them. "A guest. I’ll take him to his room so he can get ready for dinner."
Asher was so blindsided that he didn’t react until they were halfway up the stairs.
Jael just watched them go silently, eyes darkening when Rae shot him a smile over his shoulder.
"Who the fuck is that?" Asher repeated again, his mood souring.
Jael gave him a quick rundown of what had happened, not censoring things like he had done with Caspian.
Asher wisely didn’t point out that Jael had done something completely out of character by bringing the kid to the mansion, sticking to what actually bothered him.
"I don’t care what you do with him, but keep him away from my mate."
Jael lingered in the foyer long after everyone had left. His thoughts drifting to other topics.
Since he got back from Evercliff, he had gone over what Gage had told him hundreds of time, and each time the weight of the secret he kept grew heavier.
It seemed like all he had were excuses. It would be better to wait till the war was over... It would be better to wait till he had some good news. But the bitter truth was that there was no right time to say it.
He either had to rip the band-aid off or let the secret fester.
Jael still clung to some hope though, Caspian’s presence was a variable, and he hoped it was a positive one.
After standing listlessly in the foyer for far too long, he pushed himself forward to go on the search for Rae.
The kid was a nuisance at best, and regardless of his temporary attachment to Caspian, it was easy to get rid of him- completely.
It was easy to find his room after asking a few workers some questions, he got to the guest room the gang boss was staying at, at the same moment that Caspian showed up with an armful of clothes.
Jael’s expression turned wary, "What are you doing?"
Caspian made a move like he was trying to hide the clothes behind him, but they were simply too much that he was only able to move them slightly to the side. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂
"He’s only 19 and an orphan, Jael, he doesn’t have anywhere to go." The Omega said earnestly, his hair tousled like he had gathered up the clothes in a flurry.
Jael really wanted to point out that Caspian was only shy of 22 himself, he had no obligation to adopt some dangerous gang boss.
"He’s only staying the night," He reminded gently, taking the clothes from Caspian.
"And where is he going to go after?" Caspian asked, holding onto the clothes tightly.
"What did he tell you?" Jael had to ask.
Caspian sighed and let go of the clothes, "Barely anything. He seemed scared and hurt."
Jael somehow managed to keep a poker face on. ’Scared and hurt’ weren’t words he would use to define Rae. The kid had been perfectly fine in Asher’s presence, with not even the slightest trace of anxiety or fear.
