Cain shook his head as laughter bubbled out of the hole Damon had punched in him. “You really don’t know shit about me, do you?”
“I know enough.” Damon’s voice was soft, and Cain got the impression that the man was trying to begentle, and just going about it completely wrong.
Fuck him. Fuck him and his stupidmisguided gentleness.He’d already made up his mind about Cain, and he didn’t care to hear the truth. The crushing loneliness Cain had felt the night before came flooding back.
“You know,what, Damon? My last name? The fact that I won’t bring hearsay about my dad to the authorities?”
“That you’re lying to cover shit up.” Damon ran both hands through his long hair. “Look. Don’t take it personally, because it’snotpersonal. It’s just that you and I have different agendas. You’re a good kid. I can’treallybe mad at you when I know you’re being loyal to your family.”
His voice said that he’d tried to be mad and couldn’t sustain it, which maybe Cain should have taken as a compliment, but he couldn’t, because...Kid.Jesus.
“My agenda is keeping my father from hurting anyone else! Do you know why he hasn’t come for you, Damon?” Cain asked softly. “Why the authorities aren’t banging down your door?”
He dared a look into those hazel eyes, and found Damon watching him steadily. “It’s because I haven’t told him you’re alive. I kept that secret.”
“You want a medal?”
“I want some respect. I’m not your enemy.”
“You’re not on my side, either, kid.”
“JesusFuckingChrist. I’mnot a kid!”Cain grabbed the spoon off the counter and flung it into the sink with a loudclang,then immediately looked up at Damon, horrified. “Sorry,” he whispered, his gut clenching.You fuck-up. Way to show you’re not a child.He felt hot tears stinging the back of his eyes. “I’m sorry. I lost my temper. That was a very inappropriate display. I… You know what? I should go.”
He turned to hurry out of the kitchen before he got a lecture, but Damon grabbed him by the wrist and propelled him back in.
“Inappropriate?” Damon seemed rattled, and he blinked at Cain in shock.
Cain’s heart beat in triple-time. He didn’t really believe Damon would hurt him, though even with Damon’s injury, Cain was no match for his size and breadth. He simply couldn’t handle Damon’s anger right now, even if he had a right to it.
“You lost your temper,” Damon said, his hand still firm on Cain’s wrist.
“Yes, I know,” Cain couldn’t meet Damon’s eyes. “I acted without thinking. I don’t think I damaged anything, but if I did, I’ll pay for it.”
Damon goggled at him. “Who gives a shit, kid?” He grabbed the spoon from the sink and held it out to Cain. “Throw it again.”
What?“No. No, I’m good.” Was Damon trying to humiliate him?
“It was a freakin’ satisfying sound. Throw it,” Damon encouraged, but Cain shook his head wildly and Damon shrugged. “Suit yourself.”
He threw the spoon into the sink with a resounding clatter loud enough to make Cain wince.
“You good? That terrifying display injure you in any way?” Damon asked, heavy irony lacing his words. His thumb stroked the inside of Cain’s wrist where he held it, and Cain wondered if he could feel his frantically scrambling pulse.
“N-no.”
“No. Right. Me neither.” He picked up the spoon again - an ordinary metal spoon, but just the sight of it now made Cain nauseous. “Throw it, kiddo.”
“W-whatfor?” Cain demanded, looking down at the floor.God, just end this. Kill me now.
“Because it was nothing but a noise. It’s not the end of the fucking world.” Damon’s hand left Cain’s wrist and wrapped around his waist instead, like Cain was a toddler and Damon was helping him pitch.
Fucking embarrassing.And even so, there was a pleasant warmth where Damon held him. A connection. An acceptance. An instinctive feeling of safety, where there shouldn’t be any.
“I’m aware that it’s a noise. And I made it because I lost my temper,” Cain said impatiently. “Which I won’t do again, alright? Now please, let me go.”
“Why?”
“Because I asked you to, and I should probably get home. I need to find my phone. I texted my mom that I was sick last night, and she probably…”
