pacing. “We found a couple apartments for Xan, and he agreed to go pack some of his shit because they all had like a three week wait, and he didn’t want to go home.”
“Okay,” Sebastion said slowly, trying to be patient.
“I dropped him off out front, and I was trying to find parking at the curb because my fucking arm won’t let me carry anything.” He paused and took a shaking breath. “It took a couple minutes, and when I got up there, the door was locked, and I could hear his asshole ex screaming.”
“Shit,” Sebastion breathed out.
Luca sounded ready to murder someone. “He got the door open, and I smelled smoke. That fucking weasel started shouting at me, but I ran through the house and found a fire in the bathroom. He was burning a bunch of notebooks in the bathtub. I’m assuming they were Xan’s, but he won’t talk about that either.”
Sebastion knew there was something his husband was holding back. “What else?”
He could hear Luca swallow thickly. “He’s got a busted lip and a nasty shiner, but he won’t tell me what happened before I got inside.”
The blood in Sebastion’s veins ran ice cold. “Is he okay?” he managed to ask.
Luca let out a tense laugh. “I don’t know. He hasn’t said shit since we got home.”
Sebastion took a calming breath. “What happened after you got in?”
“I confronted Max,” Luca said, and it sounded like he was speaking through clenched teeth. “I backed him into the wall, and he took a swing at me—got me in the mouth pretty good. I was going to knock his ass out, but Xan begged me to let him go. He didn’t get any of his shit. He was bleeding, so I told him I was going to the cops.” Luca let out a tense laugh. “He’s pissed at me for that too. They took his statement though, then Mason took him home, and I stayed because apparently that asshole called the police and said I broke into his place.”
“It won’t stick,” Sebastion said, and he knew it. Not with the way Xan must look.
“Oh, I know that. They pretty much told me that, but if charges get filed, I could still lose my job.”
Sebastion closed his eyes. “Do you care?”
His husband let out a mean laugh. “Fuck no. If it means that little man pissed his pants when he thought I was going to murder him, it would be worth it.” Luca went quiet for a long moment. “You should see his face, Bas. I have no idea what Max would have done if I hadn’t been there with him. Jesus. I’m…I feel like I’m losing it.”
“Where’s Xan right now?”
“Guest room,” Luca said quietly. “I’m outside trying to walk off some of this adrenaline. Todd and Mason both left when I told them you were on a plane.”
“Okay.” Sebastion pushed the button to start his car. “I’m on my way now. I’m fifteen minutes from home. Just try to stay calm.”
“What if he never speaks to me again?” Luca asked in a soft voice.
Sebastion closed his eyes for a long second. “Then he never speaks to you again. You still did the right thing, and he’ll realize it eventually.”
He hated that he had to hang up, but it was all he could do to concentrate on the drive. Still, it felt like he hit every red light and got behind every hundred-year-old driver. But he made it home with a minute to spare, and he left his bag in the car as he rushed up to the door and let himself inside.
The house was quiet, and he noticed that Ivy hadn’t rushed to greet him, which made him worry more, but he found Luca in the living room with his face in his hand. Sebastion hadn’t ever seen him looked so wrecked. His hair was a mess from dragging his fingers through it, his skin was pale, his eyes dark. He was clearly in pain and not just from his arm, and he let out a wounded noise when Sebastion crossed the room and sank into him.
“I don’t know why I feel like I fucked up,” he whispered against Sebastion’s neck.
Sebastion ran fingers down Luca’s spine. “Because it’s a messy problem, and there was no easy solution. But you did the right thing,” he said again.
“And what if he goes back to him?” Luca asked. “What if he’s so pissed at me, he goes back?”
Sebastion wanted to tell him that