Buy One, Get Two and Three... - 46. Chapter 46

Daniel

Daniel gratefully let Carlos take his weight and lead him into the large home he and Oliver shared. Normally he would have either been eager to look around, or too scared to move. But, after the past day, he just wanted to go to bed and forget.

“The guest room is this way,” Carlos’ voice interrupted Daniel's thoughts softly. “I’ll get you settled while Oliver takes care of Silas.”

“Can Silas stay with me?” Daniel asked. He needed his brother nearby. He’d almost lost his family, again. He wanted to reassure himself Silas, at least, was unhurt and alive.

“Of course, he can. You do realize there’s only one bed, though, don’t you?”

Daniel laughed. “Silas and I have been sharing a bed for years. Even after Toby rescued us we slept better if the other was there.”

Carlos nodded thoughtfully and Daniel was too tired to figure out what was going through his master’s mind.

Carlos led Daniel to a small cozy room and ran him a warm bath. After ensuring he would be okay to undress and get in alone he hurried off to locate Silas.

Daniel undressed slowly and painfully. He had refused Carlos’ help because he didn’t want his caring master to see all the bruises he was sure were littering his body. He gingerly lowered himself into the bath and let out a low groan as the warm water hit all his sore spots.

“I’m in the bath,” he called out in response to Silas’ voice coming from the adjoining bedroom.

Silas stopped at the door and ran an assessing gaze over Daniel. “He really did a number on you, didn’t he? How bad do you really hurt? And I don’t mean what you told Carlos or that weird team.”

“I’ve had worse,” Daniel shrugged. “But, I must admit I had forgotten how painful it is to breathe with suspected cracked ribs. And my lip has just stopped stinging, so don’t make me laugh, or even smile. Why don’t you join me, and you can wash my back. I want to get every trace of that place off.”

Silas nodded and after locking the door stripped and stepped in behind Daniel. He soaped up a cloth and rubbed it gently over Daniel's shoulders and back.

“I’m sorry,” Daniel said softly. “I didn’t mean for all this to happen. I was just so angry and then I panicked. I was trying to get back, I promise. If only I’d kept hold of my phone. If only I’d—”

Silas cut him off with a gentle hand over his mouth. “Where’s a time machine when you need one? If only’s are great when you’re looking back with twenty-twenty vision. At least the bastard who was killing those men is dead and so is Harold. We never have to look over our shoulders for danger again. What are we going to do with our well-meaning brother?”

Daniel smiled, then cursed and frowned over his shoulder at Silas’ chuckle. “I see why he did what he did,” he conceded. “What I don’t like is that he didn’t tell us. I know it worked out this time but we still have those things in us. We need to decide at some point whether to get them taken out or not.” Silas nodded against his shoulder. Daniel continued, “Another thing we need to decide is what to do about our temporary masters.” He felt Silas jerk. “They only agreed to take us on to help protect us and to catch the killer. That’s done now.”

“You don’t think they’ll uncollar us, do you?” Silas sounded devastated and Daniel gritted his teeth so he could turn and hold his shivering brother. “I don’t know what to think. What I do think is we need to be sure what we want before we talk to them. Do you want to stay with Oliver? Do you trust him?” He waited but Silas didn’t answer. Although, his hand did creep up to touch where his collar usually sat when he was at the club. “I’ll go first. I trust Carlos and feel safe with him. If he’ll have me I would like to see where our relationship could go.”

Silas nodded. “I think I’d like that too. Oliver has this way of giving me shivers in the best way. He is also patient and kind, as well as, firm and strict. I think he is exactly what I’ve been searching for, for a long time.”

Before Daniel could reply again, a knock on the door interrupted their time.

“Are you both okay in there?”