Page 25 of Chasing After You
Oliver cleared his throat. “Hi.”
Both twins looked up in sync, like they’d been waiting for this.
“Well, hello there, pup and pup’s friend,” Hudson drawled, beckoning Oliver over to him with an outstretched hand. Oliver walked over without a thought, seemingly melting into his boyfriend’s embrace.
“Master,” he whispered, a blush across his face. I acted like I didn’t hear him, rocking back on my heels. I had no issue with their kink, but it was still awkward when Hayes and Hudson wanted Oliver to submit to them in front of me. I knew it was just them asserting their claim over him, but it was still weird. “Josh needs some help, please.”
Hayes’s gaze rose from his laptop. “You know the price, pet.”
Oliver stammered, his face beet red, “Y-yes, I know.”
Hayes’s lip twitched. “Just making sure.” He looked over at me with a satisfied smile. “Well, then. How can we be of assistance?”
Hudson made direct eye contact with me as he took Oliver’s lips in a passionate kiss.
I averted my gaze and reached into my jacket pocket, setting the letter on the kitchen counter between us.
Hayes raised an eyebrow. “Is that from who I think it’s from?”
I hesitated. “You knew?”
The twins exchanged a glance. It was Hudson who answered. “We saw him on the cameras.”
I froze. “Wait… what?”
“Yeah, he’s been around the house,” Hayes added. “A few times. And Wild Roast’s cameras picked him up early in the morning, leavingthat.” He nodded towards the paper.
My blood ran cold and hot at the same time. “So he’s been watching me? And you guys just didn’t think it was important to tell me?”
“He has,” Hayes said calmly, but not unkindly. “He didn’t do anything aggressive. If anything, he looked… nervous.”
Oliver crossed his arms. “You could’ve at least told me,” he huffed.
“We were trying to gather more information first,” Hudson said. “Didn’t want to spook you.” He shrugged.
Hayes turned his laptop around. “We did some digging, figuring you’d come to us about the letter. This is what we found.”
A professional headshot filled the screen. Older, but still hauntingly beautiful. His eyes were darker than I remembered, harder, but unmistakable. I stepped closer, breath catching. I swallowed as Hayes then clicked to what appeared to be a screenshot of Dorian from the security cameras. He was taller, stronger. He wasn’t a boy anymore, but a man. His stunning black hair fell just below his shoulders.
“He took full legal ownership of the estate Victoria Halbrooke tried to lock down after Daniel Halbrooke’s death. Turns out, he’s sort of a prodigy—investment-wise. Quiet, low-key, but honestly, kind of brilliant. Made his money multiply by the millions within a few years. He’s already got a firm under his name. Controls assets across multiple countries.”
I stared at the photo. “So, he’s… rich? I guess I’m not that surprised, given his parents.”
“Not just rich,” Hudson said. “Dangerously rich. But clean. Nothing illegal that we can pin, no paper trail that suggests he’s eveninterestedin criminal activity. But he has access. Resources. Power.”
“And he used those resources to find me,” I said quietly. I shook my head slowly. “Why? Why now? Why does he want to find me when he has all of that? I’m nothing.”
Hayes leaned forward. “Would you like my opinion?”
“I—Sure, yes.”
“He’s obsessed. He won’t stop until he has what he wants, which is you.”
“I don’t understand why he’d want me that badly,” I mumbled. “He’s successful, he’s so smart, so perfect. I’m… me. I have nothing to offer him.”
Hudson deadpanned, “I agree.”
Oliver smacked his arm, gasping. “Don’t be rude! Maybe Dorian misses his brother.”
