Chapter 7

2 Hours Later

—

The blond slept for about two hours before he woke and rose from the bed. Again he was in the room, in the house, he was unfamiliar with. It wasn't just a bad dream. Yet, he decided he wasn't going to stay in one room for the rest of the year. He was going to explore the house, whether he was with his husband or not. With that thought in mind, he left the room. He came across a flight of stairs going down.

Zeke continued down the stairs, not fearing If Justin had heard him, only because he wanted to make it clear he could not control him. He could not keep him locked up for the rest of his life. Husband or not, Zeke had a life. He regretted most of what he did and he did want to try and amend things. But he didn't know where to start. Maybe by listening to his husband, yet some of what he said and wanted from him wasn't the typical things Zeke would agree to.

—

Justin was in his office which was across from the stairs. The doors were closed but the house was silent, to the point he heard Zeke shuffling down the stairs. He had just finished a call from his parents asking about him. Not sure if they really did care about their son, but the fact they called actually meant something.

After a bit of sitting in the chair, he rose up and followed Zeke's footsteps, which lead straight to the kitchen. There he saw his husband, looking drained but still making an effort to be productive, despite the circumstances. He was cooking, looking over Zeke's shoulder from the chair he sat on at the island counter, he saw garlic, chicken, and some lettuce. Probably making something light to eat. A chicken salad didn't sound quite bad.

"I thought I told you to remain upstairs. I liked for you to relax a bit." What he said was true. He can see the man all tensed up, and exhausted even the fact he slept two hours meant nothing.

—

Zeke was in the middle of rinsing the lettuce when Justin was speaking. Chopping it up and adding it to a medium-size bowl for mixing later.

"I know you wanted me to but, I can't stay upstairs forever. I want to feel partly normal. But it's fine if that what you want. You can make the rest into whatever you want. I will be upstairs."

The blond washed his hands and dried them off. Walking past his lover on the counter without much of a glance, he went straight upstairs. He stopped at the bedroom and sighed. He felt like a prisoner to the room.

—

Justin followed quietly after Zeke and closed the door behind him. He stepped closer to Zeke invading his space as he hovered over him.

"What's with the attitude of yours. I know I went a little hard on you earlier but I didn't anticipate it to go down like that. My anger took over and I couldn't stop… Until I noticed how pale and vulnerable you were. I don't want to make you feel trapped. I'm sorry Zeke. I wanted you to rest because I know I tortured your body and it needs to recover."

That was the most Justin ever spoke at once to the man since the incident and in a calm manner that was a bonus. But his actions spoke more because he instantly reached for Zeke, hugging him softly. Giving him the warm embraced he missed.

—

Zeke looked away and sighed. He wasn't angry at Justin. Okay maybe he was just a little but he couldn't blame him. For three years he cheated on the other. He couldn't tell him it was longer than just the time they were married for. How long can he keep it from his husband?

"You have every right to be angry. Don't apologize Justin. You married someone who, yes, loves you without a second thought but who can't help himself… I came to the fact that I am living here, but just a bit of freedom than being confined to the upstairs room. That's all."

—

Justin felt so guilty for being harsh on him. But he hoped it would be okay and they can move past this. He sighed hard, not knowing else what to do.

"Why couldn't you simply just tell me the affairs? Why did it take so long for you to figure out it was wrong and I still loved you even after those affairs?" Justin waiting before continuing. "You don't have to remain upstairs, you can explore the house. I just don't want you far from me. And you can continue to cook if you want unless you want me to finish it up.

—

Zeke shook his head. He couldn't look at Justin, knowing what he had done to him. Everything about his husband screamed love and loyalty. He wondered if Justin found out about the three years before they were married. He doubted it very much, but he knew he had to mention it at some point.

"How could I outright say I've been having an affair for the entirety of our marriage? That I've been cheating on you for the past six years with one person or another, I couldn't. I thought it was only a one-time thing but it wasn't… I thought it would change after we were married, and it did. Up until you went away for business then I got lonely. You were away almost every month… I shouldn't have done any of it… I know I shouldn't have. I loved you and still do. I just didn't know how to tell you I was feeling that way."

Zeke inhaled a breath. He said it. He told the truth about the last six years. He didn't pause long. He wasn't sure how Justin would react to that god-awful truth.

"I'll cook for us. You shouldn't have to do anything. I always like making our meals."

—

Justin gasped at the news. Shaking his head he let go of the man and looked away from him. He became angry again, running his hand through his hair, he started to pace back and forth.

"Zeke don't you think it is a little too late to tell me that. If you were lonely or couldn't contain yourself from being horny, you simply could have called. And I could have put you to work." Justin then suddenly stopped pacing and looked directly at the blond. "On a scale how horny were you every day?"

—

"I didn't know how to tell you. I didn't want to disturb you during your trips away from work. And I could never seem to bring it up when we were on the phone."

Zeke sighed hard and chewed the inside of his cheek. On average was he was about to tell Justin?

"Per day? About three or four times. On a scale… About a ten out of ten and that's because I usually ignore it thorough the day… This morning was just because… Er well, James he uh not important never mind."

The blond flushed crimson when he thought back to the morning partner. He chewed his lips losing himself in a flashback about what had occurred until he remembered his husband was still in the room. He couldn't look him in the eye.

—

Justin noticed the faraway look and how red the blond was turning. He knew what he was thinking of, and it only added to his irritation. He pulled the blond to him, hoping to make him forget about the flashback.

"On my business trips, I was always expecting a call from you. I never called you because I never knew who you were with or what you were doing. You shouldn't be ashamed to talk over the phone about it." Justin just grinned. "Then maybe I can arrange that horny scale for you every day. Morning and night we can have sex, and if I am at work, I can put your body to work."

—

"You aren't angry with me?"

The blond hadn't expected Justin's answer to be like that, he was shocked. But Zeke was more relieved than he looked, Justin wasn't angry with him. At least not a scale like this morning. The blond hesitated to wrap his arms around his husband.

"I'm sorry… I just… After the first few times I messed around I didn't know how to tell you over the phone. I didn't want to hinder your work…And then I didn't know how to explain how I was lonely…" He paused pulling back from the man, flushing red at the thought again. "Y-you don't have to do that Justin. And what do you mean put my body to work? You won't be here sometimes… H-how do you plan to do that?"

—

Justin kissed the top of Zeke's head, he knew Zeke would try to find out what his husband was thinking of. Justin kept quiet because he knew Zeke might oppose it at first but later on he knew what he could do.

"Don't worry about that anymore… I hate reliving my anger for it. But you could have simply said I missed you because I know I always was missing you. You never can hinder my work, you're far too important to me."

Justin used his fingers and made the blond look at him as he gave a soft kiss on his lips. "You will have to wait and see because when I put your body to work. You will enjoy it. Probably become needier."

—

The blond swallowed back his words after pulling back from the kiss. Zeke was oddly flustered by Justin's response. He was at a loss for words and stood there in silence until he remembered about the food.

"I-I need to finish making dinner." Zeke moved out of his husband's hold of him. He got the same sensation he got when he was in trouble, casting it aside he went downstairs.