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For the first time in over a week Gareth stepped into Kayden’s class. It felt odd to be back here after he spent the last week in a hotel room. Gareth had woken up in bed alone, Vaughn spending the night with Yulian. The bed had felt so empty, Gareth had grown used to sleeping with two other bodies over the last week and now he was sleeping alone. An ache in his chest that he couldn't put into words. Gareth didn't want to think about it, pretended it didn't pain him to wake up alone. After he finally pulled himself out of bed he took a shower and made his way to class. Now he sat listening to Kayden talk about some case. He pretended to take notes, ignoring that urge to take out his phone and text Vaughn or Yulian. Vauthn had texted him first thing this morning. When they'd parted ways the night before he could tell that Yulian wasn't happy. Gareth wondered if he should have gone back with him or asked him to come over to the heathen's mansion. In the end Gareth went home and Vaughn went with Yulian.
After class everyone packed up and started to walk out, Gareth was last, his movements slow as he made his way toward the door. Kayden's voice stopped him.
“Gareth, can I speak with you?” Kayden asked, watching as Gareth stopped in his tracks. The blonde looked at him and then walked over to the desk.
“Yes, professor?” Gareth asked, adjusting the bag on his shoulder. This felt familiar as if they had been here before. Gareth was sure they had a million times and would be again.
“Where have you been?” Kayden asked, pulling off his glasses he wore today. He was paler than usual. Almost sweaty in the low light from the class.
“I went to New York to see my family.” Gareth answered, not lying fully. He had gone there because Vaughn asked him too but he had also seen his family. Kayden didn't need to know how little time he actually spent with his parents and how much time he spent in a hotel screwing around.
“I see. I'm glad you're back.” Kayden frowned and stood up. He walked around the desk and then sat on the edge of it.
“Is that all?” Gareth asked, rubbing at his forehead. He was tired, the flight back had been long and he hadn't slept well. He refused to blame it on the empty bed and loneliness.
“I know you went to New York to screw around with some guy like you did in the elevator or at the club.” Kayden's tone was edged with anger. Gareth narrowed his eyes at the man.
“You sent someone to spy on me?” Gareth asked, annoyance lacing his tone. Of course this man who stepped all over his heart had the nerve to be angry when Gareth defied him. This man who had a whole wife and life outside of him was going to be angry when Gareth did the same.
“You're spiraling. You're mad at me and you're punishing me and yourself by whoring yourself out to any man who will give you attention.” Kayden stood up, grabbing Gareth's wrist and pulling him closer. He spun them around and laid Gareth back on the desk, a whimper escaping him when his back hit the wood.
“Do you think some random guy can replace me? Can compare to me?” Kayden pinned Gareth's hands above his head as he spoke. The blonde man glared at him, his green eyes burning with rage.
“It's not a random guy. It's Vaughn.” Gareth growled, not caring if Kayden knew who it was. There was nothing the man could do. Vaughn was fhe Pakhan's son and practically untouchable. If Kayden hurt him then all hell would break loose.
“I see Yulian has failed to keep his plaything in check.” Kayden narrowed his eyes as he spoke. He would be sure to have a word with Yulian later. Gareth arched his eyebrows in confusion and then started laughing.
“Did you really believe Yulian could stop Vaughn from fucking me?” Gareth asked. He knew Yulian didn't want to but clearly Kayden was under a different understanding. Did Yulian say he would keep Vaughn off of Gareth? He had said something very different this last week.
“I hoped he would.” Kayden grabbed the edge of Gareth’s shirt. “I see I need to remind you where you belong.”
“Fuck you.” Gareth growled, watching a smirk cross Kayden’s face.
“I will be the one doing the fucking.” Kayden lifted Gareth’s shirt stopping when he saw a tattoo above his left hip, the edges of it peaking out. It was new, the dark ink still somewhat fresh. A rose with the letters, ‘G, V, Y” near the steam. The letters were written in elegant cursive. The sight of the tattoo made Kayden pause, his breath catching in his throat. This pause gave Gareth the opening he needed to shove Kayden back. Gareth quickly got to his feet, pulling his shirt down and situated the bag on his shoulder.
“What's wrong? Now we're even. We both have tattoos for other people on our bodies.” Gareth sighed as he said the words and then walked towards the door. Before Kayden could reply, Gareth looked back at him. “I'd also advise not pinning your students down at school. You might lose your job if you do that, professor.”
“Gareth,” Kayden's voice was filled with anger and sorrow. Gareth wanted to hug him but he also just wanted to go home and climb in bed. Every time he thought he was ready to talk he found himself with a new open wound. Gareth knew he wouldn't have to be brave soon but right now he felt like curling up. Without another word Gareth left the class room, an ache filling his chest once more.
~
As soon as Gareth got home he climbed into bed, he didn't want to talk to anyone. His hip ached where the tattoo sat, his skin still sensitive from the ink he'd gotten. He had been drunk when he got it. They'd left the club and Gareth was feeling dumb and so he got the tattoo with Vaughn and Yulian. They took turns holding hands while it happened. Gareth wondered if Kayden got his tattoo for Cassandra when she was alive or had he waited till she died. If she was alive did she hold his hand? Gareth bet he loved every minute of it. Even if Kayden said he didn't love her, Gareth's brain wouldn't stop telling him it was a lie. He'd seen the videos, seen what the man had done for her. Kayden had gone crazy for her, Gareth couldn't ever erase that. He couldn't erase her, but maybe he could learn to live with her ghost. He could break himself into sharing Kayden with someone else.
Gareth rolled over, burying his face in the pillow, closing his eyes. His mind recalled the anger on his friends' faces last night. The rage Nikolai felt for him. It wasn't at him though because how could they be mad at him for what he'd done when Vaughn had done the same? Weren't they all sleeping with the enemy a little? Nikolai's beloved boyfriend was the twin brother of Landon King who had been nothing but a thorn in their side.
Gareth turned his head and picked up his phone, seeing that Vaughn had texted him that he was spending time with Yulian. He likely wouldn't be back to the mansion tonight. Gareth fought the urge to call him up, beg him to come home and hold him. He saw messages from Kayden, all telling him that he couldn't run from him. That he needed to talk to him, they could work this out. Gareth wanted to but he needed to first accept that Kayden would always be in love with Cassandra. Even if he said he wasn't in love with her Gareth wasn't stupid. Clearly the man loved her, he listened to her, he married her. Gareth never wanted to get married, he didn't believe in the concept, and yet the thought Kayden would never do that with him broke his heart. Gareth sat up, tears slipping down his cheeks as he picked up his phone, his mind made up on what he had to do. He only saw one way to solve this, the only solution. Gareth slowly stood up, walking toward the bathroom.
This was for the better.
~
The sound of the bed squeaking and angry grunts filled the room mixed with high pitched moans. The headboard slammed against the wall with every thrust. The fact that no one had complained about the noise yet was a miracle. The sound of rough, almost animalistic sex.
“Oh fuck, you're fucking me so hard.” Yulian moaned, leaning his head back against the pillow as Vaughn roughly fucked into him. After they'd returned from New York Gareth had gone back to the heathen's mansion and he'd gone to class today. He'd messaged Vaughn earlier in the morning but every text after that had gone unanswered. He had read them but not responded. Those two little check marks made Vaughn feel a mix of anger and sorrow. Had Gareth regretted everything? Would he and Yulian just become another mistake? Another form of hurting himself and pissing off the man he really wanted. The whole thing started for that reason. Why wouldn't it end the same way?
“Yulian, fuck, I love you.” Vaughn moaned, clenching the sheets next to Yulian's head. It felt good to just roughly fuck into the man. Yulian had asked for this, he said he needed it hard. His own form of dealing with his feelings and Vaughn felt so guilty. Because he caused this, in some way he was to blame.
“I love you too, Vaughn.” Yulian moaned, digging his nails into Vaughn's back. He let out a loud moan, head leaned back as he spilled over between them. Vaughn kept thrusting roughly, gritting his teeth as he chased his release. He was so close, he needed to come. He needed to release this feeling inside him. Yulian wrapped his legs around his waist, pressing him deeper as Vaughn spilled over inside him. Vaughn pressed his head against Yulian's shoulder panting softly against his skin.
After a few minutes Vaughn pulled out and sat up on the bed. He ran a hand through his dark hair, letting out a sigh. Yulian sat up, pressing a kiss to his bare shoulder. He felt the way Vaughn shivered as he kept pressing kisses against the skin.
“Are you okay?” Yulian asked, resting his forehead against Vaughn’s back. He knew it was a stupid question. It was obvious he wasn't because of the tension in his body. The deep shuttering breaths that escaped him.
“Of course.” Vaughn lied, turning his head to look at Yulian. His eyes were glassy and Yulian knew Vaughn didn't let just anyone see him cry. This was a sign of trust between them. A moment of vulnerability. Yulian watched Vaughn turn around and he held his arms open, allowing his boyfriend to curl up in his arms. He let Vaughn bury his face in his neck and rubbed his back when his soft sobs spilled out.
“It's gonna be okay, mishka.” Yulian whispered, pressing a kiss to Vaughn’s head. The faint smell of strawberry shampoo from the night before still lingering.
“I'm so sorry.” Vaughn whispered because he was sorry for so many things. For splitting his heart in two. For setting them on this path. Vaughn knew he should have called it off the moment it turned into more than just physical. Now both he and Yulian had to live with the reality that Gareth might not pick them.
“At least we have each other.” Yulian pressed another kiss to Vaughn’s head. It was the only comfort either of them had. They wouldn't be heart broken alone if their hearts had to break.
“At least we have each other.” Vaughn replied, voice shaky with a sob. Yulian closed his eyes, feeling tears welling up in his own eyes. He really hated falling in love sometimes.
~
Kayden sighed, rubbing at his forehead as he walked out to his car. It had been a long day and he couldn't wait to just go home. He thought right about now a drink sounded nice. He stopped in his tracks when he saw his car. Glass was shattered on the ground around it, his windshield and windows smashed in. The side mirrors were also busted off. When he walked around to the side he saw the words “liar” on one side and “rapist” on the other side. In his front tire was a hunting knife and all four tires had been slashed. He pulled the knife out, letting out a growl as he tossed it on the ground.
“Fucking Carson.” Kayden ran a hand through his hair. He was sure somehow that little shit had something to do with this. He knew he was mad at him but Kayden doubted Gareth did this which means one of his heathen friends had done this. Now to figure out which of those punks did it. Good thing he had a camera hidden in his car for times like this.
~
Kayden sat at his laptop reviewing the footage. He recognized the yellow stitch mask the one wore in the video. Nikolai Sokolov, a mafia prince. Kayden was getting really tired of these mafia princes. He tried texting Yulian to tell him that he was doing a shit job of keeping Vaughn off of Gareth but the man was ignoring him. Likely because he didn't want to hear Kayden’s bitching. Kayden replayed the video, frowning as he paused the video. He had seen the yellow mask at the initiation but there was a second man in the video and this one Kayden had never seen before. He assumed it was a man based on their height and build. They wore a black hoodie with the hood up and all black like Nikolai except their face was covered by a blue purge style stitch mask. The heathen's didn't have anyone with a mask like that which made Kayden pause. He'd done his research on them, so where did this new member come from? The blue masked man stayed back, mostly just looking around and handing Nikolai the hunting knife. Whoever it was Kayden would add them to his growing list of people he needed to put in their place. Now if only he could figure out how to do that.
Kayden shut his laptop and picked up his phone, sending a message to Gareth.
“Just so you know your crazy cousin vandalized my car. Not sure if you sent him to do that, but just know there will be a price to pay, little monster.”
After he sent the message Kayden replayed the video hoping to figure out who Nikolai's accomplice was. He might not be able to touch the mafia prince but maybe whoever the blue masked man was would be less protected. If so Kayden would be sure to return that damn hunting knife right into the man who put it in his tires.