Page 99 of Point Proven
Shifting from the couch, I grabbed the pair leaning against the nearby wall and extended them to Liam. He took them,tucking them beneath his armpits before scooting to the end of the cushion. Pushing himself up in one move, he stabilized himself before glancing over his shoulder at me.
“Coming?”
“Yes, sunshine.”
Grinning, I followed him into the chaos that waited for us. Lev and Matt were sitting at the table, devouring cinnamon rolls and their omelets, while Oren stood in the kitchen like a mother, watching their every reaction. I shook my head as I pulled out a chair for Liam.
Once seated, I headed over to the broody blonde and poked his cheek. “Will you stop freaking out about your food? It’s delicious.” Making a plate for Liam, I continued. “If I didn’t know any better, I think your passion for cooking is?—”
“What if it is?” Oren flicked his gaze to me, his interjection stealing my full attention. “What if… if Iwantedto do that instead of art?”
“Then pursue it. Does Thorne know?”
“Yes and no. I’ve mentioned it to him, but I haven’t decided anything.”
“What haven’t you decided?” Thorne asked, stepping up behind Oren, his mouth stuffed with the cinnamon roll he held in hand.
“Not… Not going to art school anymore and switching to cooking?—”
“Oh, fuck, yes,” Matt answered, smacking his lips with each bite. Words muffled by his bites, he dipped his head in an exaggerated nod.
A soft smile graced Thorne’s features. “You want to switch to culinary school?”
“Yeah… I mean, I love art, and it’ll always be special to me, but… but I like watching you all enjoy what I make. I like new recipes and being in the kitchen. I like… like seeing you all sit atthe table, because when I cook, you all come over. Food brings people together, and with the next steps of our mission, I think I’ve realized where my heart really lies with what I want to do for my career.”
“Tell me how much it is and apply, dove.”
“Y-You… you sure? But you already spent so much on art school. I’ve been saving up from odd projects here and there for it.”
“I don’t care about the cost,” Thorne hummed. “If you’re happy, that’s all I care about.”
Lips curling upward, Oren lifted onto his tiptoes to kiss him. “I love you, my sunflower.”
The nickname caught Thorne off guard, and he stopped in his tracks. Blinking, his brows pulled together. “What did you just say?”
“Sunflower.” Oren pressed the tips of his fingers together. “They attract doves as it’s their favorite food. You call me dove, and you’re the person I’ll attract?—”
Thorne wrapped his hand around the back of Oren’s head, threading his fingers through his hair before their lips crashed together. Pulling him closer, their connection lasted for a handful of seconds before Thorne reluctantly pulled away. A single tear rolled down his cheek as he rested his forehead against Oren’s.
“I fucking love it.”
Oren brushed the saltiness from his face. “And I love you, because you’ve always climbed toward the sun, even during periods of darkness. You’re my home, my comfort, and the place I feel safest. Thorne, you’re everything I’ve ever needed.”
“As you are everything I’ve ever needed. You are the wings that carried me from my own personal hell. You’re the vibrancy that painted my dull life in splashes of color I’d neverseen before. You’re my eternity, my purpose, and my always. Forever.”
“Forever,” Oren repeated, and a sniffle tore my attention from the pair as Liam wiped away his tears of happiness.
Crossing the distance, I set the plate in front of him and kissed him once. “You’re adorable, and I love you so much.”
Liam opened his mouth, but a throat clearing had all of us pausing as Matt drummed his fingers on the table. “I… hate to interrupt everyone’s moments, but while we’re here, I think we should discuss more about your past, Oren. I know we’ve all spent time relaxing, but the outside problems aren’t going to disappear, and this feels like the first time thatwehave the upper hand.”
Silence fell, but I was shocked when Oren was the first to speak. “You’re right, Matt. There’s a lot of information I can provide, and I’ll tell you anything if it helps.” Twisting to Thorne, he nodded. “Especially if it keeps you safe.”
Lev leaned back, folding his arms over his chest. “We need anything we can get with the connections we’ve made.”
“I guess we can just start at the beginning.” Exhaling, Oren stepped back until he was touching Thorne, his spine resting against Thorne’s chest.
Hands trembling, he bit his lip once, and I knew it couldn’t be easy for him.Noneof us knew his past except for Thorne, and if it’d been hard for Liam, it would be for him, too. Grabbing Liam’s hand, I ran my thumb over his knuckles, unsure if anything Oren brought up would remind him of the darkness we’d rescued him from.
