enter the code before the alarm goes off.” Alan gave him a grateful smile and passed him his overnight bag. “You can shove stuff in here. Thanks, Leo.”
Leo smiled back. “Like I said, no problem.”
Alan withdrew from the taxi and closed the door. He heard Leo speak to the driver, and the black cab pulled away, Leo waving at them through the back window. Dorian stood still, his bag on the ground at his feet, looking lost and forlorn.
Alan pulled his jacket tightly around him. “It’s freezing out here. Let’s get into the warm, eh?”
Dorian bobbed his head, picked up his bag, and headed to the main door of the apartment block in front of them, walking slowly. Once inside, he pushed the door shut and led the way up the flight of stairs to the first floor, where there were two doors, one on either side of the hallway. Dorian went to the door on the right and let them into the flat.
Alan glanced around in surprise. The interior was not what he had expected. The flat was tastefully decorated with furniture that had an expensive air about it. The floor was thickly carpeted, and there were prints on every wall. At first he couldn’t put his finger on what struck him as odd about the flat, but then it hit him. For a young man, Dorian seemed to have old-fashioned tastes—and a lot of money.
Dorian dumped his bag by the door and went into the kitchen. Alan followed him in and watched as he filled the kettle.
“Good idea. Some tea or coffee would warm us up.”
Dorian said nothing. He pulled two mugs from a cabinet and sat them on the countertop, then leaned carefully against it, his gaze fixed on the window. He was clearly in no mood to talk, not that Alan was surprised. He knew it might take a while for the lad to open up, but Alan was a patient man. He’d have plenty to do to occupy him once Leo returned with his laptop. He would simply bide his time until Dorian was ready to talk.
There was still no sign of the Dorian he knew, and that only fueled Alan’s purpose.
I want you whole again, as you were before . Then he thought about it. No—better than before . He wanted something he hadn’t seen yet.
He wanted Dorian to be happy.
Six
A LAN TOOK advantage of Dorian making them some tea to have a look around the flat. The lounge was a good size, with a wide window overlooking the river. The skyline was a mass of tall buildings; they were in the city center, after all. A dining table in polished mahogany stood in front of the window, four chairs around it. There were two two-seater couches, one of which was a sofa bed by the look of it. A wide screen TV stood facing it, across from a low coffee table.
“You have a nice flat,” Alan called out to Dorian. Four doors led off from the lounge, one leading to the inner hallway and the front door, another to the kitchen. A brief glance around the door nearest the window revealed a decent sized bathroom, with a large bath, shower cubicle, washbasin, and toilet.
So that only leaves Dorian’s bedroom , he surmised. Looks like I’ll be sleeping on the sofa after all . Not that he minded. Alan had slept in far more uncomfortable places, and besides, he wasn’t concerned about comfort. The only thing on his mind right then was Dorian.
Dorian entered the lounge carrying two mugs, which he placed on the coffee table. He glanced at Alan before sitting on one of the couches. His body language left no room for error. A neon sign saying Keep Away couldn’t have been any clearer. The way he sat was another reminder for Alan. It was obviously painful to sit back right then.
Alan sat on the other couch and reached for his mug to warm his hands. January had been mild so far, but today he just couldn’t get warm. The awkward silence sat heavily on him. Dorian’s gaze was focused on the window, the wintry sky a mixture of thick white and gray clouds. Alan decided to leave the boy be and settled back into the cushions, eyes closed.
“I… I think I want to have a
Leo smiled back. “Like I said, no problem.”
Alan withdrew from the taxi and closed the door. He heard Leo speak to the driver, and the black cab pulled away, Leo waving at them through the back window. Dorian stood still, his bag on the ground at his feet, looking lost and forlorn.
Alan pulled his jacket tightly around him. “It’s freezing out here. Let’s get into the warm, eh?”
Dorian bobbed his head, picked up his bag, and headed to the main door of the apartment block in front of them, walking slowly. Once inside, he pushed the door shut and led the way up the flight of stairs to the first floor, where there were two doors, one on either side of the hallway. Dorian went to the door on the right and let them into the flat.
Alan glanced around in surprise. The interior was not what he had expected. The flat was tastefully decorated with furniture that had an expensive air about it. The floor was thickly carpeted, and there were prints on every wall. At first he couldn’t put his finger on what struck him as odd about the flat, but then it hit him. For a young man, Dorian seemed to have old-fashioned tastes—and a lot of money.
Dorian dumped his bag by the door and went into the kitchen. Alan followed him in and watched as he filled the kettle.
“Good idea. Some tea or coffee would warm us up.”
Dorian said nothing. He pulled two mugs from a cabinet and sat them on the countertop, then leaned carefully against it, his gaze fixed on the window. He was clearly in no mood to talk, not that Alan was surprised. He knew it might take a while for the lad to open up, but Alan was a patient man. He’d have plenty to do to occupy him once Leo returned with his laptop. He would simply bide his time until Dorian was ready to talk.
There was still no sign of the Dorian he knew, and that only fueled Alan’s purpose.
I want you whole again, as you were before . Then he thought about it. No—better than before . He wanted something he hadn’t seen yet.
He wanted Dorian to be happy.
Six
A LAN TOOK advantage of Dorian making them some tea to have a look around the flat. The lounge was a good size, with a wide window overlooking the river. The skyline was a mass of tall buildings; they were in the city center, after all. A dining table in polished mahogany stood in front of the window, four chairs around it. There were two two-seater couches, one of which was a sofa bed by the look of it. A wide screen TV stood facing it, across from a low coffee table.
“You have a nice flat,” Alan called out to Dorian. Four doors led off from the lounge, one leading to the inner hallway and the front door, another to the kitchen. A brief glance around the door nearest the window revealed a decent sized bathroom, with a large bath, shower cubicle, washbasin, and toilet.
So that only leaves Dorian’s bedroom , he surmised. Looks like I’ll be sleeping on the sofa after all . Not that he minded. Alan had slept in far more uncomfortable places, and besides, he wasn’t concerned about comfort. The only thing on his mind right then was Dorian.
Dorian entered the lounge carrying two mugs, which he placed on the coffee table. He glanced at Alan before sitting on one of the couches. His body language left no room for error. A neon sign saying Keep Away couldn’t have been any clearer. The way he sat was another reminder for Alan. It was obviously painful to sit back right then.
Alan sat on the other couch and reached for his mug to warm his hands. January had been mild so far, but today he just couldn’t get warm. The awkward silence sat heavily on him. Dorian’s gaze was focused on the window, the wintry sky a mixture of thick white and gray clouds. Alan decided to leave the boy be and settled back into the cushions, eyes closed.
“I… I think I want to have a
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