Sound of Silence

by Lynn Hagen

  He doubted Rudy was ready to fall in love. Lust, but not love. Hell, Aiden was still reeling from finding his mate. He was just praying he didn’t mess this up.

  He knocked knees with Rudy. “It seems we both have festering hatred that we need to work on.”

  One of Rudy’s brows arched. “What’s your deal?”

  “Someone very evil killed my family.” The deep, mournful ache started in Aiden’s chest. It always did whenever he thought of his loss. He’d killed the demon responsible, but that hadn’t helped to take away the pain. There was still a huge hole in his heart that he didn’t think would ever heal.

  “That’s…wow.” Rudy looked down at his cocoa. “I’m sorry for your loss. It makes my problems seem pitiful compared to yours.”

  “No comparing.” Aiden grabbed his cup from the coffee table and took a sip, hoping he hadn’t grabbed Reese’s drink instead. Not that it mattered. “One problem isn’t bigger than the other. For each person, what they’re struggling through is real and sometimes disabling. Don’t think for one second that what I went through makes what you went through seem trivial.”

  “I guess.” Rudy looked around.

  Aiden stuck his hand out. “Hi, I’m Aiden Gallius. I like taking long walks in the woods, scaring little humans with my size, and hot cocoa.”

  The side of Rudy’s mouth twitched. He set his mug aside and shook Aiden’s hand. “I’m Rudy Braxton. I sleep in the woods because I have no choice, attract stray bears, and this cocoa is amazing.”

  Aiden reluctantly released Rudy’s hand. “Want some more?”

  Rudy bit his lower lip, and Aiden wanted to kiss the hell out of him. “If you don’t mind, I’d love a shower and a hot meal. If that’s not too much trouble.”

  Aiden tapped the tip of Rudy’s perfect nose. “No trouble at all. I’ll get you something you can wear while I wash your clothes. While you’re showering, I’ll scrounge us up something to eat.”

  Rudy cleared his throat and stared down at his feet. “Uh, thank you. I’m grateful for your hospitality, even if you’re a bear and scared ten years off my life.”

  Aiden stood and held out his hand. Rudy took it, and Aiden pulled his mate to his feet. “That hadn’t been my intention. I just wanted to keep you warm.”

  Rudy grinned, and Aiden’s heart beat three times faster at the sight.

  “Dude, you totally freaked me out. I thought you were playing with your dinner.”

  “As far as you go, I’m completely harmless. Anytime you want to cuddle in my fur, just say the word.”

  Rudy’s eyes bugged. “Um, no thank you.”

  That was fine. Aiden didn’t want to rush things. His mate would have plenty of time to get to know his bear. He showed Rudy where the bathroom was then went into his bedroom to grab a pair of lounge pants and a T-shirt as he listened to the shower cut on.

  Aiden grinned to himself. He really would have to send Reese a thank-you card. His best friend had smoothed the way, and now Rudy was here. Right where he belonged.

  Chapter Three

  Rudy was still unsure any of this was real. It was awkward to say the least. He’d been told this stranger was his soul mate. Aiden definitely was his soul lust, because damn, Aiden was hot.

  They’d finished their breakfast hours ago, and Rudy had fallen asleep on the couch, no matter how many times Aiden had insisted Rudy take the bed. He didn’t want to get that comfortable because he wasn’t staying. Rudy didn’t care what Reese had said to him, how convincing the guy had sounded. This was ridiculous.

  Rudy might’ve grown up in a broken home, been abused by his dad, been homeless for three years, but one thing he had never been was an idiot.

  Most days, anyway.

  He just needed to get out of there and find a new place to put up his tent, somewhere Aiden wouldn’t find him. Rudy also needed another sheet since the bear had basically shredded his last one.

  Aiden was in the shower, which gave Rudy the opportunity to search the guy’s linen closet. The guy had a ton of sheets stacked on the third shelf. Who needed this many?

  This wasn’t Rudy’s finest hour. He was stealing from a guy who had provided shelter and a meal. That didn’t excuse the insanity that came along with it.

  He grabbed two sheets and hurried back to the living room, stuffing them into his backpack. Rudy raided the kitchen next, grabbing some nonperishables. Damn, Aiden needed to go shopping. He barely had anything to take.

  His backpack full, Rudy headed out the door, easing it closed behind him. He should’ve taken a coat, though nothing Aiden owned would have fit him.

  When he got paid, Rudy was buying himself one.

  The walk to Tilted was brutal, but Rudy made it. He stuffed his backpack in a corner in the kitchen and got to work. Mike hadn’t been there, which Rudy was thankful for. He liked working without his boss hovering.

  And Mike did a lot of that for some reason, as though he didn’t think Rudy could handle working the kitchen on his own.

  But no matter how hard Rudy worked, his thoughts kept circling back to Aiden, and the guilt he felt for stealing from him. Though it wasn’t just the guilt Rudy thought about.

  Aiden’s naked body standing over that fallen tree. Rudy grabbed the edge of his worktable and bit his bottom lip. Even Aiden’s soft cock had been impressive. And all those muscles. Rudy moaned just thinking about them.

  “Hey!” Lacey ran to the fryer and yanked the basket out. The chicken had burned while Rudy was fantasizing about Aiden.

  “Shit! I’m sorry.” Rudy took the basket from her and set it in the sink. The pieces inside were dark and looked as though you’d break a tooth trying to eat them. The smell wasn’t any better, either.

  “Get your head out of your ass,” she said. “I don’t need you burning the tavern down.”

  When she turned and walked away, Rudy flipped her off.

  “I saw that.”

  Rudy spun to see Aiden behind him. “How did you find me?”

  “Maybe because my best friend works here, too.” Aiden looked in the sink and grimaced. “I hope this was a fuckup and not how you normally cook.”

  Rudy dumped the burned chicken into the sink and refilled the basket so he could get the orders out. “I’m busy.”

  “Busy stealing from me.”

  How had Aiden noticed two sheets missing among the stacks of sheets? Did the guy have some compulsive disorder where he counted them every night? That was the only reason why he would know some were gone.

  “I was looking forward to that can of beans.” Aiden leaned against the worktable and crossed his beefy arms. “It’s not like I’ve been grocery shopping. If you needed the stuff you took, you could’ve just asked. I don’t appreciate my mate stealing and then taking off.”

  Rudy slammed his hand on the other end of the worktable. “You and…and…and Reese lay that on me and I’m supposed to what, just swallow that pill?” He tossed fries into the other basket and dropped them in the oil. “There’s no such thing as soul mates.”

  “Maybe there isn’t.”

  Aiden’s agreement shocked Rudy.

  “Maybe that gut-wrenching feeling I had to keep you warm and safe was just the nice guy in me. I mean, my parents told me I would know when I found my mate, but how can I be certain?” He slapped his palm against his chest. “I feel something in here, but it’s not like a bright beacon went off in my head saying, ‘Hey, he’s the one,’ and that screws with me because I want to know for sure. Can anyone really know when they first meet someone that it’s real and that it’s right, and that I’m not just the tiniest ounce wrong?”

  “It’s called attraction,” Rudy said as he worked. “You know, two people see each other and they want to fuck, but there’s nothing deeper about it. All people go through that. Lust, sex, needs, and cravings. It’s just how our species is built.”

  Aiden snatched a piece of chicken out of the basket when Rudy dumped them into the plastic boat. “That’s hot, you mo
ron.”

  Aiden tore into the chicken, hissing and blowing out his breath. “It really is.”

  Rudy dropped a few pieces to feed Aiden. It was the least he could do.

  “Okay, so we’ll go with your theory that it’s mutual attraction between us. You need a place to stay, and I really don’t like being alone.”

  Rudy held the tongs in his hand as he frowned. “Are you asking me to be your live-in slut and, in exchange, I can have a roof over my head?”

  “No.” Aiden licked his fingers. “I was just saying we’ve got chemistry. I give you a roof, and you give me platonic company. That’s what I was saying.”

  “Then why did you bring both up in the same sentence?”

  “Bring what up?” Aiden reached for another piece of chicken, but Rudy swatted his hand with the tongs.

  “Sex and roommates.”

  “I guess I’m not very good at conversations. But the two are completely separate. I’m serious, Rudy. What’s so different about this situation? Plenty of people take on roommates who are strangers.”

  “The difference is—oh crap!” Rudy grabbed the basket of fries before they became too dark. He really needed to make Aiden leave before he burned all the food in the kitchen.

  “Move out of the way.” Aiden actually bumped him aside and tackled the orders as Rudy watched. “Clearly you haven’t mastered the art of multitasking.”

  Maybe Aiden was right. People got roommates all the time from newspapers or online ads. What would be so bad about sharing a cabin with Aiden?

  Duh, he can change into a bear and thinks you’re his soul mate.

  Yeah, but they’d just settled that. They were just attracted to one another. Rudy had enough self-restraint to keep things platonic between them.

  “Rules,” Rudy said as he slid the baskets along the table. Just then Lacey walked in and grabbed the orders. She looked Aiden over, shrugged, and took the orders out to the bar area.

  Apparently she didn’t care who cooked just as long as the food was made.

  “What kind of rules?” Aiden tossed the extra chicken into two separate boats then dumped some fries in them. He added some salt over both before sliding Rudy his portion.

  “No sex, for one.”

  Aiden’s shoulders slumped. “Oh, come on, I can’t sneak into your room and give you head late at night?”

  Rudy choked on his wing. He coughed and stared bug-eyed at the guy. Great. Now all Rudy could think about was Aiden’s soft lips wrapped around his cock. The image had him growing hard.

  Aiden grinned. “What other rules?”

  “I help buy groceries, because you’re lacking in the worst way. But it’ll have to wait until I get paid. I’m flat broke right now.”

  “I can do a grocery run, but you have to come with me.” Aiden looked away when he’d said that. The guy was serious.

  “You got a phobia about being around others?”

  “No, why would you say that?” Aiden snorted. “No. I don’t.”

  The guy was full of shit. “Fine, we’ll go in the morning.”

  “Any other rules?” Aiden polished off his wings and was staring at Rudy’s.

  “No way, greedy ass. You’re not getting mine.” Rudy dropped a few more pieces into the fryer. If this kept up, he’d owe Mike his entire paycheck just from feeding Aiden.

  “Just respect and boundaries,” Rudy said.

  “I cook, and you clean,” Aiden said.

  “That sounds fair.” Because obviously Rudy couldn’t cook with Aiden around. The guy was a major distraction with all his muscles and good looks, and the way his smile just…wow.

  Aiden looked up at the clock. “I’ll help you clean up, and then we can get out of here.” Aiden emptied their baskets. “I have a spare bedroom. It’s all yours.”

  For the first time in three years, Rudy finally had a home.

  * * * *

  Aiden gave a wry laugh before Rudy got into the car. He had to be a glutton for punishment. Now the human had him doubting that mates were even real. The guy had made a convincing argument at the tavern, and Aiden had added to that.

  What if what he was feeling was just a strong attraction? What if his need to help Rudy was because Aiden was a nice guy? His parents said he would know, but Aiden wasn’t so sure.

  He liked Rudy’s grit. The guy was a survivor. But he also suffered from self-doubt. And Rudy had trust issues, but could Aiden blame him? Aiden wasn’t without problems, either.

  And now they were headed to the grocery store.

  “So how bad is it?”

  Aiden navigated the car down the long driveway. “How bad is what?”

  “Your social anxiety.” Rudy slipped his seat belt on. “Is it crowds or strangers in general?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He turned onto the country road and headed toward town.

  “We’re supposed to be friends, right? And besides, I have to know the extent so I know how to look after you while we’re there.”

  “You look out for me?” Aiden chuckled. “That’s rich coming from a guy who lived in the woods.”

  He instantly regretted saying that.

  “I’m gonna ignore the shot you just took at me,” Rudy said. “I know it’s a defense mechanism and you can’t help it. I do that same thing when anyone mentions my living arrangements or how I got into this situation in the first place.”

  Aiden glanced at Rudy. “So how did you end up homeless?”

  “Picture the trashiest people living in a rundown house. My dad drank too much and then beat on me—because I came in late. Because I reminded him too much of my mom, who he accused of being a slut. Because I said something he didn’t like. Take your pick of a thousand different reasons.”

  “That’s just—”

  “You better not be trying to give me sympathy or tell me you know how I feel. It is what it is. My point is, we’re all messed up in one way or another. So if you’ve got social anxiety, that’s fine. I mean, it’s not fine, but you don’t have to hide it from me. It’s not a big deal to me.”

  It was to Aiden. He was a strong alpha male who didn’t have any weaknesses. None that he wanted a light shined on. But Rudy had just confessed to…damn. Just damn. Aiden wanted to hunt Rudy’s father down and beat the brakes off him.

  “It started slowly.” He gripped the wheel tighter. “I was so…the loss of my family devastated me. I stayed in my house, mourning them. What happened left a big hole inside me.”

  Rudy placed his hands in his lap, and Aiden could tell the guy wanted to say something, but he kept his lips pressed firmly together.

  “I guess I spent so much time by myself that being around others started to bother me. Except Reese. He wouldn’t let me stay isolated. He forced me to come over to his house. But that’s the only place I really go.”

  “What about food? How do you live without a job?”

  Aiden winked at Rudy. “I’m over two hundred years old. I know how to save money.”

  Rudy stared slack-jawed at Aiden. “I’m gonna shelf that for now. I don’t want to have a nervous breakdown before we go shopping. We both can’t be spazzing out in aisle nine.”

  Aiden grinned. “The fucked-up thing is I’m not comfortable around people anymore, but I hate being alone. I was telling you the truth last night.”

  “And you came to the tavern because I’d left?”

  Aiden nodded. What he wouldn’t give to pull Rudy into his arms and take comfort in the human.

  “And now we’re heading to the grocery store.” Rudy said it more to himself than to Aiden. He turned in his seat. “Why?”

  “Because we need food.” Aiden’s heart beat a little faster as they entered town. “Because Reese is busy with a newborn and he can’t make the run for me.”

  “But I could’ve gone alone. Although I don’t know how to drive.”

  And that would’ve meant Aiden sitting by himself in the cabin. He wasn’t sure which would’ve been worse
, but he was about to find out. They parked in the closest spot they could find. Aiden shut the car off and sat there. The parking lot was filled with a sea of vehicles, which meant the store would be packed.

  “I wouldn’t exactly call it social anxiety,” Aiden said. “I’m not afraid of embarrassing myself or being judged.”

  Rudy unfastened his seat belt and turned to face Aiden. “Then what is it?”

  “Just crowds. If an aisle is full, I wait until it’s clear. I don’t like feeling closed in.”

  “And this affliction is because of what happened to your family?”

  Aiden nodded. “Slow to grow, but now…” Aiden looked out the driver’s door window. “You know what? Let’s just get this over with. I’m done talking about it.”

  He’d just sounded like a straight-up pussy, and Aiden was anything but. He opened the door and got out. When Rudy joined him, they walked inside.

  So far, so good. Rudy grabbed a cart, and Aiden followed him.

  “What do you want to get?” They started in the produce section. “Are we working on a budget?”

  Aiden shook his head. “If you see something you want, get it.”

  He needed to get things to make meals. Cooking helped to relax him. He grabbed what he wanted from produce—tomatoes, freshly chopped herbs, diced green onion, and so on.

  While Rudy grabbed already fried chicken in containers, a big bag of raisins, and other snack-ish things. As they moved from aisle to aisle, Aiden was becoming more and more agitated. There were just so many people there.

  Rudy dropped a family-sized package of Oreos into the cart. “Hey, you’re sweating like crazy.” He placed a hand on Aiden’s arm. They were at the opening of the baking aisle, and Aiden really wanted to make a cake to show off his baking skills to Rudy.

  He just couldn’t seem to make his feet move.

  “Okay, you stay right here between the skids of cereal,” Rudy said. “Just tell me what you need down this aisle, and I’ll get it for you.”