The Missing Boy

My day ended with Dae’lin sending me home early. Apparently extending my power the way I had drained my energy. I was dragging. My brain stopped functioning and I was just being rather dimwitted. Which some might say is normal, but when Dae’lin notices I’m screwing up she sends me home. It’s better that way. And it’s not like I have that pressing of a job at the moment anyway. It was al just paper work. I hated not being in the field.

But it let me deal with Garrett in the quickest form possible. But not when I’m wiped out completely. Head to desk, falling asleep on the keyboard wiped out.

I would pay for it later, but when I came home I laid down on the couch. Sage found me there a few hours later asleep.

Next thing I remembered was him shaking me awake with a wry grin on his face. “You’re home early.”

“Added my protection to two boys. I think I did too much and my magic isn’t happy.” I said as I sat up. I asked, “Did you and Dorian have any luck finding the last kid?”

He shook his head. “Still nothing more. I’ve got my resources scanning for faces all over the city. So far nothing. If it’s linked to Garrett we should see them here somewhere.”

I sighed. “Not if he left the City.”

“He’s Venatori and a teenager still. You guys aren’t allowed out until you are 18.” Sage said with every ounce of confidence he had. He’d been learning a lot about my world from Dorian. This little project bringing my boyfriend and mentor closer together. How sweet!

I grinned at Sage. “You’re cute when you’re all smart like that.”

Which brought on the blush I loved to see on his skin. It was such a difference between Sage in the bedroom and Sage out here. He knew what he wanted in the bedroom. But out here he was more afraid of who he was, of what he knew. He was two different people. Maybe even three because I didn’t get to see the hacker side of him. He was calm and collected when at his computer. There was no blushing, no uncertainty.

He sat down next to me and pressed a kiss to my cheek. “I did want to tell you something though.”

“You can tell me anything.”

He pressed me down against the couch and smiled down as he let his weight down. I was sandwiched between the coushins below and Sage’s body. Things were getting steamy and that was never something Sage did on his own. I wondered what had gotten into him. That was when I noticed the soft scent of roses on his skin. He’d see Dee again. But I didn’t smell Dev. I felt a stab of disappointment across my body and Sage must have felt it too because the look in his eyes changed. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I just smelled Dee on you and not Dev.”

His blush was endearing but it was also a tale-tell sign he was uncomfortable. He moved to get off of me and I wrapped my arms around his back and hooked his legs with mine. He wasn’t going anywhere. I thrust my pelvis against his and he groaned against my neck. “What did you want to tell me?” I asked.

“I found my brother.”

“That’s good news.” But Sage didn’t act like it was good news, he was hiding his fact against my neck. “What’s wrong Sage?”

He tried to move again but I wouldn’t let him. “I… Let me go.” The command in his voice made my body ache and I let him go without hesitation. My arms fell to the side, one hanging off the couch and I released his legs from mine while he got off the top of me and stood on the other side of the coffee table. He looked down at me as I moved to sit up with my hands hanging between my knees clasped together. I didn’t look up at him any more than a quick glance to make sure he wasn’t mad at me.

He frowned. “I told you I couldn’t help you before because I didn’t do that anymore. That was a lie. I don’t always tell people when I crack their system. My brother’s case being one of them. And I didn’t want to take the chances of getting caught. I trust you Nox. But your people. I don’t know if I trust them.”

I nodded. “So you lied to me. You actually do black hat still?” I could understand his problem. But he lied to me. Said he didn’t want to compromise himself. I tried not to let the anger boil inside of me. I hated being lied to but he was doing it for a decent enough reason but still he lied to me…

Sage answered quietly, “Yeah. But if they found out. I’d go to jail.” His voice broke was pleading.

“Why tell me now?” I asked.

“Adam wants to come by and meet you.”

I shrugged, “Whatever, Sage. Your house. Invite whoever you want.” I stood up and walked up to the his bedroom and changed into some gym clothes.

Downstairs at the bottom of the steps Sage sat holding my phone in his hand with my keys. He at least knew how to stop me from leaving. “I’m sorry I lied to you.”

I shrugged. “I’ll deal. I need to go for a run.”

He handed me my phone and keys but didn’t let go. “I’ll give it a while before I invite him over, but I just wanted to say, I want you to feel like this is your house too.”

I sighed. “I know. You want me to move in.”

“Don’t you?” he asked.

“I’m here every night. My clothes are almost all here.” I sighed. We were having this fight again.

“Nox, please just move in all the way. No more studio apartment. I want you here with me – always.” Sage pleaded.

“I am here. Fae’s here, Drake’s here. Even Matt lives here when he can. I keep telling you I’m working on it. My things are here. The apartment will go away once the stupid committee decides how much they want to pay me.”

“I’m sorry.” Sage sighed and let go.

I felt bad for getting upset with him. I put my phone in my pocket and put my fingers under his chin to make him look at me. “I’m here. I need to cool off. I’ll be fine. I’ll be home in an hour or two. Invite your brother wheneever you want to Sage. I’ll be back. I love you.”

The last three words hit home for Sage the hardest his eyes brightened and he smiled at me. “I love you too.” Sometimes I wondered how we were going to get along when we both were too peas in a pod. So much the same, and yet so different.

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