Make Me Whole

by Marguerite Labbe

  “Trust goes both ways. Did you ever think to ask yourself why I kept my distance, or did you assume the worst about me? I was honest with you from the very beginning about what I wanted. I never lied to you. You changed the rules on me and got upset when I pulled back.”

  Nick rose and took two steps toward the staircase before he turned to face Galen again. He had asked that question many times. He still wondered what lay behind the easygoing demeanor that Galen had projected that invited closeness but wouldn’t accept any ties. And to make it worse, Galen had to remind Nick that he’d walked right into a broken heart with wide-open eyes.

  “I didn’t come here to bring up our sordid past. I came to see if the statues were really the Dexios Collection.”

  “And to lay claim to them?” Galen rubbed the arms of his chair, his gaze fixed on Nick. “That’s what you’re good at, isn’t it? Staking a claim on the things you want.”

  Nick flushed and looked away. “I didn’t come here to fight, Galen,” he said, his chest tightening even more. “Why’re we arguing?”

  Galen sighed and his voice softened. “You know why. I don’t like a threat hanging over my head. I don’t know if you’re trying to goad me or if I’m trying to goad you, but I think we should take a step back and think things through, then try to talk again.”

  “You’d like that, wouldn’t you? Step back, retreat behind that no-man’s-land you put yourself on.” Nick came around the desk toward Galen. He’d thought that time apart would’ve eased his knee-jerk reaction to Galen pulling back, but apparently not. He should back up himself and not engage Galen. Not after all this time. He couldn’t open that door again and risk Galen hurting him just like last time. What kind of a man did something like that? A masochist, in Nick’s opinion.

  “I think we should get back to the topic at hand. I’m sure you want those statues to be seen just as much as I do. What better place than here? Let me show you the plans I have for the whole exhibit. The opening is going to be huge, and your Collection will be right at the heart of it. After all this time, don’t you think Dexios deserves that?”

  “I meant what I said.” Nick ignored Galen’s impassioned plea and leaned over the desk until their faces were inches apart. “If you can’t be honest with me about what’s happening with those statues, my statues, then I’m not going to let you keep them. They’re important to my family, and I’m not willing to leave them in the hands of somebody I can’t trust. Something happened last night, something that changed one of them in a significant way. I want to know what you did and if you think you could do it again.”

  Galen’s gaze darted away and came right back. He dragged a hand through his hair with a sigh. “I need some time to consider it. I’m still not sure it wasn’t a dream myself. I haven’t had a chance to think it all the way through.”

  Nothing had changed; disappointment cut sharp and deep, and it infuriated Nick that he’d let himself think something might’ve changed. When Galen had apologized in his message with that warmth in his voice, Nick had let himself soften.

  “You have twenty-four hours. I’ll have found another place for them by then. Do your thinking, and do it quick.”

  “Come on, be reasonable,” Galen said, and though his voice remained calm, his hands kept moving, betraying his agitation. “You don’t need to resort to threats.”

  “You’ll tell me what I want to know?” Nick held his breath. Come on, Galen, let me in a bit. Give me some reason to hope that maybe, just maybe we can make a relationship work out.

  Galen glanced away.

  “I thought not.” Nick straightened and grabbed the remainder of his coffee. He had to get out before he lost his temper. He never should’ve even tried. He could’ve sent a notice through his lawyer and never had to deal with Galen at all. “You know how to reach me if you change your mind.”

  “Wait.”

  Screw that, Nick thought. He was done with waiting.

  “Come on, talk to me,” Galen said in a softer voice.

  “That’s the fucking point. You aren’t talking.” Nick paused and stabbed his finger toward Galen. “How am I supposed to trust you? Tell me that. This is important to me, and if you’re going to dick around, we can do it through lawyers.”

  Galen jumped up as well, all trace of entreaty vanishing as his eyes flashed hot. “You can’t just walk in here and take them. We’re the ones who found them.”

  “And I’m the one that owns them.”

  They stared each other down, the tension crackling in the air. Nick had never seen Galen pissed off before, and if there hadn’t been so much riding on the line, he might find it kind of hot. There had to be some legal way of getting the Collection back without screwing with the museum and its reputation. He didn’t want that, no matter how much this whole situation tied him in knots.

  “Look,” Nick said, striving for a calm that seemed to stay just out of reach. “Let’s just both separate and cool down before we say anything else we regret.”

  Galen motioned toward the stairwell with a jerky nod, his jaw clenched, and his hand shoved into his pocket. “I’ll give you a call.”

  Nick bit back a hot retort and headed down. Yeah, right, he wasn’t going to hold his breath on that one.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  “WHY won’t you talk to me?” Galen stood in front of the unmoving statue and strained to listen for any whisper of sound. The heating system sighed as it cut back on, but no other noise broke the silence. The museum had been locked down for the night, and it hadn’t seemed to make a damn bit of difference. His mystery man hadn’t shown himself.

  “Dexios, please, talk to me. Tell me what’s going on.” Galen went from statue to statue, and they all remained silent. Whatever he had unlocked the night before, both with the statues and within himself, seemed to have retreated, leaving him with too many questions and no way of getting the answers. At least he wasn’t delusional. Nick had seen the change too, and Galen clung to that knowledge.

  Everybody else looked at Galen like he was crazy if he mentioned that something had changed about the statues, everybody but Nick. Well, Suzane believed him, but she had no memory of how it looked originally. And he had asked Nick point-blank if the Collection consisted of four unfinished statues, and Nick had confirmed it. So, why were they the only ones who remembered something different? It made no sense.

  Galen had to remind himself that just because Nick saw it and had a dream that mirrored last night’s events didn’t mean he would believe Galen. How could he when Galen, who had lived it, didn’t even believe it himself? He couldn’t even tell Suzane, though he’d tried, because he couldn’t think of how to say it without sounding delusional.

  Pacing, he tried to decide if Nick was bluffing about having papers that proved his ownership. His thoughts jumped around as he tried to remember all the legalities of the situation and whether or not he could claim salvage rights. He could give in and tell Nick what he wanted, but he didn’t want the threat of having the statues removed hanging over his head on one of Nick’s whims.

  Galen couldn’t say why he was reluctant to share what had happened. It embarrassed him, yes; still, that wasn’t the real reason. It was intensely personal, in a way that Galen couldn’t explain. And if he couldn’t tell Suzane, who had become his friend and whom he trusted and loved, then he couldn’t tell Nick, who threw his weight around with threats and seemed like he harbored his hurt.

  He turned back to Dexios and Lykon, and somehow, the statue of them kissing mocked him. What would it be like to be locked in an eternal embrace with someone he loved? It had to be better than this hollow emptiness.

  He touched Dexios’s jaw and slid his finger over their joined lips. The metal held a chill that hadn’t been there before and was nothing like the heat of Dexios’s kiss. Last night had awakened feelings he’d buried months ago. He’d almost forgotten how much he loved kissing, loved having strong arms around him and the hot rush of desire they brought, the comfort.
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  Getting the chance to see Nick again this morning had reminded him of so many other things. When Nick’s color rose and his eyes heated, Galen remembered all the little warning signs. Galen lost count of how many times they’d ended up naked when Nick got his temper going.

  He’d missed Nick’s intensity, the way he had of waking him up inside, making him feel more alive than dead, and that scared him too. If he woke up, he’d be vulnerable, and Galen had never wanted to go back to being vulnerable. When they had been together all those months ago, Nick made him realize he missed being held. He missed having someone to turn to in the middle of the night. And the urge to confide in him, to let him come closer, to surrender, had grown stronger with every encounter.

  And that made him run. He hadn’t recognized it then, but he did now. He’d run from everything Nick represented. Galen sighed and turned away, trying to think about what he might’ve done last night that had triggered Dexios to emerge and come talk to him. Unless he’d hallucinated the whole encounter.

  Galen had been looking at the first statue when Dexios had spoken behind him. No. That wasn’t right. He’d stepped back away from it when he’d been struck with the insane urge to kiss it. Dexios had even commented on it, something about preferring flesh and bone. Who knew how long he’d been watching?

  He glanced at the second statue and his cheeks heated even though nobody was around to see him. He checked over his shoulder to be sure. He could experiment and see what would happen if he knelt in front of Dexios, leaned toward the jutting, hard cock. He glanced at the security camera and his flush deepened. Idiot. Don’t even consider it.

  Galen returned to his office and tried to shrug away his embarrassment. Meeting Dexios had to have been a dream somehow shared between Nick and himself. Maybe if he explained that he’d passed out, it would placate Nick enough so he could keep the statues in his museum, though Nick would probably demand to know how Lykon had gotten to be part of the statue, and Galen had no answers for him.

  He still couldn’t believe that Nick had dreamed about last night’s encounter. How the hell was it possible? Galen had been spun into a world where normal rules didn’t seem to apply, and it was weirding him out. He would’ve thought it was a trick on Nick’s part, but there had been no way he could have known what had happened between him and Dexios.

  Galen leaned back in his chair and stretched out his legs on top of the desk. He knew he had fucked up what rapport they’d once had, but he’d never expected Nick to use such tactics. The little hope he’d harbored, that maybe they could give things another try, had faded. Maybe it was for the best. Galen wasn’t sure if he really wanted to open himself up to another person the way he had with Bryan, even if Nick tempted him. Nick had gotten underneath Galen’s skin and made a home. Seeing him today had reminded him of that fact.

  Galen had gone from being in a long-term relationship to being alone, and after a time the loneliness had driven him out to the clubs and bars. Hookups, threesomes, and random encounters had kept him going for a while, until Nick had made him realize how empty and self-destructive they were. And once he’d quit sleeping around, where had that left him? Alone again.

  He flipped on the monitor at his desk and accessed the camera in the new exhibit room. The statues hadn’t moved and remained solitary except for the first. He could solve last night’s dilemma by looking at the camera recording, but God help him, he was afraid. He didn’t know what he would see. He didn’t even know what he wanted to see.

  The same argument played over and over in his mind. If he had imagined it, how had Lykon appeared? And how come only he and Nick noticed the changes?

  Galen stared at the statues until his temples began to ache, and he still didn’t have any answers. Maybe he could seduce Nick into letting him keep them. His conscience flinched at the thought. No, he couldn’t toy with Nick’s emotions again. It wasn’t fair.

  Enough. He had to look at the recording and then decide what to do. Galen accessed yesterday’s footage, and his pulse leapt as he hit play. The image flicked on, bright from the morning sun that streamed through the windows. Ella stood back, studied the mural, and as the camera panned the room Galen leaned in to hit Fast-Forward.

  The sun glinted off the statues, including the first one of Dexios and Lykon. Galen froze, and his head spun as he tried to process it. What the fuck. He checked the time and date stamp then stared in disbelief at the whole statue. The sour taste of disappointment filled his mouth. He was crazy; there was no other way to put it. Delusional. Hallucinating.

  He clicked on another file from a few days before with the same results. All the way back to the first day when Knox carted the statues in, and sure enough, it depicted the two men bound in an embrace. Somehow when the change had occurred, it had rippled back in time. Not only had it affected the memories of the people around them, it had also affected the cameras and who knew what else.

  Galen sat back and drummed his fingers on his desk. There had to be a rational explanation for everything, from the statues’ strange arrival to the change last night. He’d been too besotted and excited over the exhibit to question it then, and now all of Suzane’s questions haunted him. And Nick was involved. Seriously, what were the chances that the guy he’d been obsessing over owned the Collection?

  He switched back to yesterday’s footage and fast-forwarded it until he saw himself enter the room. At least if he made a fool of himself, nobody else had to see. Galen leaned forward to study the black-and-white image as he watched himself walk toward the Collection. He stared at the statue until his eyes burned and didn’t notice anything change, even when he got to the part where he’d been tempted to kiss it.

  A flicker onscreen stopped him, and he held his breath as his image whirled around to confront someone. He needed sound. Why hadn’t he invested in sound?

  The man came further into the room, and Galen’s heart quickened. Dexios. He wasn’t insane. It wasn’t a dream. Oh damn, Nick had to see this. Somehow, between the two of them, they’d figure out what happened. Maybe this would be enough for Nick, and he’d let the museum keep the statues.

  Maybe this would be enough for the two of them to start over. He wanted to stay mad over Nick’s ultimatums, but he always had a hard time doing that once the heat of the moment was gone. Now that he had calmed down too, he could see where Nick was coming from. He had no reason to want to work with Galen, and the Collection seemed important to him. They’d just have to find a way to work it out as adults.

  Galen flicked off the program and saved the file to a hard drive. He headed out to the bus stop and tried to call Nick, but the call went to his voice mail. He hoped it didn’t mean that Nick was out and unavailable. If they were going to work together for a while, Galen wanted to find some way to heal this breach between them.

  “Nick, in case you decide to listen to your messages, I’m on my way over. I have something you’ll want to see.”

  NICK stared at the journal in his hands without seeing it as he weighed the pros and cons of calling his dad. Most likely he’d want to call a family meeting. Nick couldn’t find a museum for the Dexios Collection without telling them, and they could help. And if Galen tried to wrest the statues from him, he knew without a doubt they’d band together to stop him.

  He’d convinced himself that finding the Collection would solve all his problems. Now he felt like he’d been tied to a snowball that dangled on the edge of a steep incline. There would be no controlling it once it went over. His feelings for Galen and his family only added to the mix. Ever since Nick had left San Francisco, he’d talked to his father and brothers on rare occasions. When he had, the conversations were strained and awkward. He’d much rather have a tooth extracted without painkillers than go through another silent meal with any of them.

  As always, thoughts of his dad and brothers made him want to squirm inside. They had reached out to him a few times, making a token effort at reconciliation. The knock on Nick’s door jerked him out
of his reverie, and he set aside the journal.

  “Maybe whoever it is will go away,” he said to Rory, who bobbed his head and chirped at the sound of Nick’s voice.

  He could sidestep the whole problem of his family for a short while if he figured out a way to work with Galen and keep the Collection with him. Nick had to admit that he’d acted like a heavy-handed jackass earlier. Yes, Galen was hiding something that had to do with the statues changing, but maybe it was something that couldn’t be explained easily.

  The knock came again, more forceful this time, and Nick rose with a sigh. It was almost nine o’clock, and he wasn’t in the mood to be sociable, so whoever was at the door had better have a good reason to be there. The surly greeting died on his lips when he opened the door and saw Galen on his doorstep with entreaty in his eyes. His heart jumped. He’d waited a long time to see his expression so open, without that cool reserve, and knowing it irked him even more.

  It didn’t help that Galen still wore the suit from this morning. Earlier Nick had been able to resist thoughts of stripping Galen of his vest and shirt just to see if his chest was as smooth as before, his nipples still as sensitive. Here at his apartment was a whole different tale. Galen hadn’t even come through the doorway, and already Nick was consumed by thoughts of him, compounded by very erotic memories.

  “What do you want? I’m not looking for another fight tonight.”

  Galen winced and gave him an apologetic smile. “I’m not here to argue with you.” He held up a flash drive. “You want to know what happened last night? Here it is.”

  Nick could only stare. Out of all the scenarios he’d imagined, Galen backing down wasn’t one of them. “What’s on the flash drive?”

  “Last night’s security tape from the exhibit room. I watched the first part to make sure I didn’t imagine it all, but I haven’t seen the whole thing.” Galen seemed to steel himself and met Nick’s gaze square on. “I’m sorry for my knee-jerk reaction earlier. You were right. The statues are yours, so I need to be more open with you about what’s going on with them.”