Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 113332 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113332 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
Laurent had promised to trust Beast, but the lack of information made him itch all over as if nervous ants crawled under his clothes. He wasn’t like Elliot, and couldn’t stand being pushed to the side when others worked hard. He’d had time to think about the sins and virtues idea, so at least that helped him feel useful, but time moved at the pace of a snail as he waited for the end of his work day.
Tierra stared at her smartphone with a deep scowl while putting the chairs on top of tables. “Jesus. Men. Laurent, can you tell me why guys always want to butt heads with everyone?”
Laurent licked his lips. Navigating conversation in the workplace was very different from the freedom of expression he experienced at the club.
“It is a man’s prerogative to prove himself.”
Tierra’s brows lowered over her large brown eyes, and the look she gave him made Laurent perspire. Women of the future were so hard to understand, between their numerous freedoms and unpredictable morals.
“I get that he wants to be confident and all that, but we’re having an issue with our neighbors, and he just went primal on them instead of trying to talk first. I told him I was going to deal with it once I’m back.”
Laurent busied his hands with rearranging the pastries left behind the glass counter. “Is it not his duty to protect you?”
Tierra burst out laughing and went on to put up chairs by the next table in line. “From what? Loud music? I’m pretty sure the neighbors would have reacted better if I came over with cookies and asked them to take it down a notch. But now he’s made a mess out of it and it’s going downhill fast.”
Laurent stilled. “Oh no, there must still be a way to amend things. Me and… Kai. We have our differences, but we always manage to find an appropriate conclusion. I admit though that it does take the effort of both sides.”
Tierra sighed. “Yeah, well, my man always thinks he knows best. He’s a sweetheart to me, he really is, but he can be so bull-headed.”
“Sounds like my ex wife,” Mr. Linde said, suddenly emerging from the backroom. Had he been eavesdropping on his staff?
Tierra looked the other way, but Laurent still saw her roll her eyes.
“Oh? And how did you navigate that, Kenneth?” Laurent asked, happy to hear more than one story. “I have a certain issue that I want to present to Kai, but I’m not sure how to convince him to my idea, so any advice is welcome.”
Mr. Linde sat in one of the chairs still remaining on the floor and rubbed the side of his moustache. “She got really into veganism, and I was okay with it at first, because, you know, I am a man of compromise, but as she went deeper down that rabbit hole, she demanded I only eat animal products outside the house. In the end, she said she could smell the meat in my sweat and decided to move out.”
This story wasn’t helpful at all.
Tierra gave a low sigh. “So that was the end of your marriage?”
Linde cleared his throat. “No. She cheated on me with a vegan and moved him into our apartment.”
Laurent’s lips parted. Modern relationships were something he couldn’t grasp. Every time he thought he understood how people operated, his assumptions were proven wrong. “That is indeed irreconcilable. Marriage is a sacred vow. One must strive to make compromise once one chooses a spouse.”
Yet instead of talking, he’d shunned Beast to purposefully hurt him. He was a hypocrite. Then again, he wasn't, because he’d seen his own errors and became a better man already. So yes, he needed Beast to see his idea as a viable course of action, but would attempt to constrain bouts of anger if his husband chose to remain bull-headed about it.
Tierra shifted her weight. “Well, both me and Kenneth are divorced, Laurent. Sometimes, things don’t work out, and there’s no point staying with someone who doesn’t make you happy.”
“Here, here!” Mr. Linde said, raising his glass of cold brew in a toast.
Maybe that was the core of it? Whatever disagreement they might have, Beast made Laurent happy in ways he could have never even comprehended before they’d met. Beast made Laurent’s wildest dreams come true, he was Laurent’s family, his love, and proved nothing could stand between them, including the devil himself.
Laurent was sure the two of them could have even overcome veganism.
And speaking of the devil, Beast’s towering presence filled the doorway, and he knocked on the glass, offering Laurent a smile. So he wasn’t injured at least. Technically, Laurent had already known this much, since Elliot would have told him, were that not the case, but it was still a relief to see his husband in one piece.