Justin had hinted at leaving. Taylor didn’t think he was serious. He had wanted to give Chase just one more chance. He wanted what he thought the powerful man had to offer him and Justin. He wanted to share some of his burden with someone else. He didn’t want to have to be the strong one all of the time.
But that wasn’t going to happen.
So be it.
Taylor could do this without Chase. Justin couldn’t have gotten that far. He didn’t even take the car. Either he was on foot or he had caught a ride with someone. No one could miss Justin’s bright-red hair. Taylor could find him. And he didn’t need Chase to do it.
“Why are you here?” Taylor asked as he stepped out of Chase’s arms.
“Joe called me.”
“Justin’s gone, and it’s your fault.” Taylor wagged his finger at Chase, so angry at the man for denying him that spots danced before his eyes. “Is there anything else you need to know, Chase?”
Chase’s face darkened as he frowned. “Taylor, don’t—”
“Don’t what?” Taylor shouted. “Don’t blame you? Why not? It’s your fault Justin is gone. Justin wanted you so much, and you just had to deny him, didn’t you? What? Wasn’t he good enough for the big bad wolf? Is it because he’s sick? Is that it?”
Chases expression went through a metamorphous of emotions before settling on anger. His eyes narrowed and his lips thinned, but Taylor didn’t care. He didn’t care what Chase felt at the moment.
The only thing he cared about was getting Justin back.
“You have no right to blame me. I’m doing this for—” Chase clamped his lips shut, but his eyes still held the fire that was blazing like a furnace. Taylor slammed his fist into Chase’s chest and then backed away.
“Go fuck yourself, Chase. I don’t need your help. You’ve done enough.” He turned on his heel, heading for the house. He was going to find Justin if it was the last thing he did. It was up to Taylor to find his lover. He had to be the strong one in all of this. All Chase was doing was giving him excuses.
Taylor didn’t want excuses.
He wanted Justin.
He wanted Chase as well, but the man had proved time and again that he didn’t want Taylor, or Justin.
Taylor had tried reaching out with his telepathic link to find Justin, but the man was closing him out. He wouldn’t answer Taylor. And that worried him the most. Justin had never closed Taylor out before. Something had to be wrong if Justin wasn’t answering him.
Justin always answered him.
“Taylor, wait!”
Taylor glanced over his shoulder to see Chase catching up to him. He quickened his steps. He didn’t want Chase here because the wolf felt sorry for either of them. That wasn’t acceptable. He wanted Chase to want them, not pity them.
“Go away, Chase.” Taylor reached the door, ready to slam it in Chase’s face when the wolf caught the door, stopping it from closing.
“No,” he practically growled. “I’m helping whether you want it or not.”
“I don’t,” Taylor said as he tried to wrestle the door free, but Chase’s grip was solid and unyielding. “Will you let the damn door go?”
Not only did Chase release his grip, he pushed past Taylor and walked inside. Taylor stood frozen for a moment, unsure of what to do. Chase was too damn big to pick up and toss out.
“I told you yesterday that he was acting strange. Do you know where he would have gone?”
“Oh,” Taylor began, a stinging bite to his voice, “so you are trying to lay this at my feet? Get out, Chase!”
Taylor was near tears, and he wasn’t going to cry in front of Chase again. The man didn’t deserve to know just how distraught Taylor was over Justin’s absence. He didn’t deserve to be let into that private little circle.
The man hadn’t cared enough to claim them. So why should Taylor comfort Chase’s guilt? He wasn’t going to. He was too damned freaked out about Justin being gone to even consider making amends with Chase long enough to gain the man’s help.
Chase could take his help and shove it up his ass.
“Look, Taylor, we can argue about this later. Let’s find Justin first.”
“Why do you care?” Taylor snapped. “I’d think this would make things just that much easier on you. Justin isn’t here to bother you anymore or ask why you won’t claim us.” Taylor gave Chase his most scathing look. He felt the urge to spit at the man’s feet, but Nate would kill him for spitting on his kitchen floor. “You should be very happy.”
“Taylor!”
Chase looked shocked at Taylor’s words, but Taylor didn’t care. He blamed this entire mess on the tall man. If Chase had just accepted him and Justin, none of this would have ever happened. Taylor would have been happy if Chase had just accepted Justin.
He understood that he had a colorful past and that it put a lot of people off. He would have accepted Chase only claiming Justin, if just to keep the little man safe. But Chase refused both of them, and that was something Taylor could never forgive.
Or understand.
Justin was the sweetest man to ever grace the earth. Taylor sometimes thought that Justin was sent down to earth by the angels themselves. He was sweet and friendly, never had a bad word against anyone, and he cared about everyone, sometimes too much. He would never turn his back on a friend or a stranger.
And those that were lucky enough to be loved by Justin were able to touch a bit of heaven.
Suddenly the anger inside of Taylor faded away as he thought about never having Justin in his life again. Taylor honestly didn’t know if he could survive it, not after having experienced the beautiful man’s love.
He’d rather be dead.
Taylor wrapped his arms around his stomach to ward off the chill working its way through his body. He shook his head slowly as he regarded Chase. The
