16. Tommy

16

TOMMY

Taking a deep breath, I set the tray down, trying to balance it with one hand as I prepared to knock on Whizz and Dylan's door.

Dread kindled in my stomach. Nitro had offered to accompany me, but I insisted on facing this task alone.

My best friend lay injured because of me. I owed him an apology, but I needed to get past Dylan’s mate first.

I hesitated. Should I set the tray down first, then knock? I was probably overthinking this, I decided.

After another deep breath, I opted to place the tray down first. Finally, I brought my knuckles to the door and rapped gently.

The hollow sound echoed in the corridor, and I tensed, waiting for a response.

What were the chances that Whizz wasn't in? That would certainly make things a lot easier.

Lady luck seemed to have taken a day off, as Whizz opened the door, and his scowl made it clear that he wasn't thrilled to see me.

"What do you want?" he grumbled, his tone less than welcoming. "Dylan's resting."

The old version of me would have stammered out lame feeble excuse and made a hasty retreat.

However, the newer, bolder me wasn't about to let Whizz's surly attitude deter me.

I straightened my posture and met his gaze.

"I brought breakfast. Thought Dylan might appreciate something to lift his spirits," I replied, picking up the tray.

I hoped that would be enough to convince him. It wasn’t.

"My mate is only in this state because of you," Whizz said with narrowed eyes.

I swallowed, the weight of guilt settling in my stomach. Of course, Whizz knew everything by now.

His job was to gather information for the MC, and he was exceptionally good at it.

"Yeah, I know," I admitted, meeting his gaze without flinching. "That's why I'm here. I need to talk to him, apologize, and make things right."

Whizz's expression remained stern, but he stepped back, allowing me entrance into the room.

As I walked past him, I couldn't shake the feeling that Whizz was watching me intently. Ignore him, I told myself.

It was Dylan I was here to see. The walk to the bedroom felt longer than usual, but I finally made my way there.

Dylan was sitting up, his eyes glued to the TV. Spotting me, he flashed a wide smile. At least he seemed glad to see me.

Relief filled me, washing away some of the guilt I carried. I was worried he'd be angry with me, just like his mate.

I should've known better—my best friend didn't hold grudges.

"You came," Dylan said, a weak smile playing on his lips.

"I promised I would," I answered, setting the tray down beside him.

"What did you bring me? I'm starving," Dylan added, his eyes eagerly scanning the contents of the tray.

Dylan noted all of my offerings were his favorites—pancakes, runny eggs, and apple ham.

He looked up at me with genuine gratitude.

"Thanks, Tommy. You remembered all my favorites," Dylan said, a warm smile on his face.

He gestured towards the tray. "Want to share? I might not be able to finish everything, and it all looks too good to waste."

I took a seat beside him, offering a smile in return.

"Sure, we can share. But, Dylan, is your appetite affected by the attack?" I asked.

Dylan gave me serious look “Tommy, seriously, I'll be back at work in a few days. Don't worry about it too much. I've had worse scrapes,” he said.

I fidgeted, my guilt still lingering.

"I know, but I can't help feeling responsible for all this. If it weren't for someone in my past, if it weren't for Hicks?—"

Dylan interrupted me, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Tommy, stop. This isn't your fault. You didn't ask for this to happen. It's not like you had control over the situation,” he reminded me.

That was exactly what Nitro told me when left our room but I realized I needed to hear the same words from Dylan.

"But it happened because of me, because of my history," I insisted.

Dylan furrowed his brow, genuinely puzzled.

"Why would I be mad at you? This isn't some punishment. It's just a crappy situation, and we’ll deal with it,” Dylan said.

I sighed, grateful for his understanding but still struggling with my own self-blame.

"I just feel like I've put you in danger, and it's eating at me,” I pointed out.”

Dylan chuckled, shaking his head. "Tommy, we're part of the same family now. We look out for each other,” he said.

We finished breakfast while catching up on our favorite Korean drama.

The laughter from the show provided a brief escape from the tension surrounding us.

Eventually, Dylan turned off the TV, his expression sobering as he looked at me.

“Tommy,” he said, his voice quiet, "do you have any idea who's responsible for this?"

I shook my head, my mind grappling with the uncertainty.

"No, Dylan, I have no clue. I can't think of anyone who would do this. It might be someone Hicks knew, a friend or family member maybe,” I said.

Dylan had only been Hicks’ captive for a short time but he did his best trying to recall any of Hicks’ men.

“Sorry, I can’t think of anything either,” Dylan admitted.

His words washed over me as an idea struck me. Dylan reached out and touched my arm, concern in his eyes.

"Tommy, what's wrong? Is there something you're not telling me?" Dylan asked.

I hesitated, the memory of the pale face at my window creeping back into my mind. I shuddered involuntarily.

"I had a nightmare a couple of nights ago. I woke up and saw a face, someone pale, clinging to my window. It might be nothing. I dismissed it as a bad dream but then I remembered the little details you told us about your attacker..." I trailed off.

"You never told me that," a voice added.

I glanced up, startled to find Nitro standing in the doorway, his gaze focused on me.

He must have swung by to check on me, perhaps intending to talk to Whizz, but I hadn't noticed either of them.

My attention was fully absorbed in the conversation with Dylan.

I shifted awkwardly, feeling a bit exposed for sharing my vulnerabilities in front of Nitro without realizing he was there.

"Yeah, well, I didn't want to worry you unnecessarily," I replied, my eyes briefly meeting Dylan's before averting my gaze.

Nitro's expression darkened, and he walked into the room, his concern now shared between the both of us.

“I wished you told me Tommy,” Nitro said.

I sighed, realizing that my attempt to spare Nitro had unintentionally left him in the dark.

"I thought it was just a nightmare, nothing more. But after what happened to Dylan, I couldn't shake the feeling that it might be connected. I wanted to gather more information before causing unnecessary panic,” I explained.

Nitro nodded, his gaze shifting between Dylan and me.

"Alright, but from now on, share everything with me. We need to stay vigilant, especially if there's a potential connection between your nightmare and Dylan's attacker,” Nitro pointed out.

Whizz soon joined our conversation. Despite the tension lingering from earlier, he no longer seemed outright angry with me.

"If what Tommy saw was real, then that means someone has been watching Tommy longer than we thought," Whizz remarked.

He sighed, before continuing, "I'll dig out my old research on Hicks, see what else I can find."

"Thanks, Whizz," I said, my voice clearing my throat. "I never meant for anyone to get hurt on my behalf, especially not Dylan."

"I know, Tommy. It's just hard to see your mate hurt sometimes," Whizz replied, offering a small nod before heading off.

I guessed he was returning to his computers, diving into the research that might help us unravel this mystery.

"That's his way of apologizing," Dylan assured me.

"I know," I said, glancing at Dylan. "Nitro and I should let you rest."

"Thanks for breakfast, bestie. We'll chat again soon," Dylan said, and I nodded.

As Nitro and I exited Dylan and Whizz's apartment, a lingering silence settled between us.

I couldn't help but wonder if I had stirred some unspoken frustration in Nitro by not immediately sharing the details with him.

"Nitro," I began, hesitating slightly, "I didn't mean to keep secrets from you. The connection between what I saw and Dylan's attacker only occurred to me while Dylan and I were talking."

Nitro looked at me, his expression unreadable. I fidgeted nervously.

The truth was, I hadn't intended to withhold information. It was more a matter of my thoughts being a chaotic mess.

"I should've mentioned it sooner," I added, my voice genuine and apologetic. "I want us to figure this out together. I don't want to keep anything from you."

Nitro gently took my hand in his, his touch a comforting reassurance.

He leaned in, pressing a soft kiss on my cheek. The gesture meant plenty to me.

"I get it, Tommy. But from now on, let's keep each other in the loop, alright?" Nitro said, his voice low and warm.

I nodded, appreciating how understanding my mate was.

"Yeah, you're right. I should've said something sooner. No more secrets, I promise,” I told him.