Leave Me Alone, Big Brothers! [BL]-Chapter 159: Lingering Doubt

Inside the car, Zane just stared at Nathan silently, letting the boy drift away into his own thoughts. He drove carefully and slowly this time, unlike usual.

Nathan’s hands were clamped so tightly onto his knees that his knuckles were white.

"Make it faster, Zane," he asked. He didn’t want to think. He wanted the adrenaline to wash away the tightness in his chest. If only that would help.

Zane glanced at the speedometer, then at the rearview mirror. Behind them, the farmhouse was disappearing into the shadows of the hills.

"I’m not doing that," Zane said quietly. He kept his foot steady on the pedal, maintaining a safe, slow pace.

"I said faster, please!" Nathan begged, his voice cracking with a mix of anger and leftover adrenaline.

Zane let out a long sigh. He didn’t argue. Instead of pushing the car harder, he signaled and began to slow down even more. He steered the car off the main road and pulled into a small, empty rest area overlooking the valley.

The car stopped. The engine cut out, and the only sound left was the ticking of the cooling metal and the wind whistling against the glass.

Nathan stared at the dashboard. "Why are we here? Why did you stop?"

"Can we just spend some time for ourselves?" Zane asked, turning in his seat to look at Nathan.

Outside, the moonlight was weak, but it was enough to see the tension in Nathan’s jaw.

Zane continued, "I want you to trust me with what you’re feeling right now, Nath. You’re going to explode if you don’t talk about it. Tell me here, while it’s calm and we’re away from everyone."

Nathan’s first instinct was to snap back, to demand that they keep moving. But as he looked at Zane, he saw nothing but patience.

Zane wasn’t angry or pushing him away; he was simply waiting for him. The anger in Nathan’s chest began to feel like a heavy weight instead of a fire. The quiet space inside the car made everything clearer, sharper, harder to ignore. He felt a wave of guilt for taking his frustration out on the only person who was actually on his side.

Nathan let out a long, shaky breath. "I’m sorry," he whispered.

"No problem. Really," Zane said softly. He reached out and adjusted the vents. "It’s freezing outside. We’re better off staying in here."

Nathan leaned his head back against the seat. He stared out the windshield at the dark trees.

"The first time I lived at the mansion... I hated it. I really hated it. So I ran away. And that stupid Nael followed me. We ended up in this dark area, and then they came. These men. They grabbed us. I fought, but they were too strong. I remember thinking, this is it. I thought Nael was going to be killed because of me."

He paused, his eyes glazing over at the memory.

"We were terrified for hours. And now... to find out it was a play? That those men were paid by my brother... I just..."

Nathan’s voice rose as the anger returned.

"I don’t know what I’m feeling right now. I feel so angry. Why? Why do they need to do things like that? Why can’t he just talk to me like a normal person instead of traumatizing us?"

Zane didn’t have an answer. He knew the Salazar family operated on a different level of morality, one where fear was a tool and protection justified almost any cruelty.

He reached over and took Nathan’s hand, squeezing it firmly. He felt Nathan’s fingers relax slightly under the warmth of his grip. Zane didn’t say anything because he knew words were useless against that kind of betrayal. Instead, he lifted Nathan’s hand and pressed a soft kiss to his knuckles, trying to ground him in the present moment.

Nathan watched him, his pouting expression slowly softening. The physical contact was helping. The silence in the car became more comfortable, less suffocating.

"You want to drink something?" Zane asked suddenly.

Nathan blinked. The suggestion was unexpected. "Drink?"

"Yes," Zane said, a small, rebellious smirk appearing on his face. "What do you think? You’re angry at your brother. You want to feel like you’re in control of your own life for a few hours. Let’s go somewhere."

Nathan didn’t hesitate. The idea of breaking Alexander’s rules felt like the only way to heal the sting of the betrayal he had just discovered. If Alexander wanted to treat him like a child to be controlled, he would show him that he could be anything but.

"Okay," Nathan said, a spark of energy returning to his eyes. "Take me to the place you usually go. Let’s have fun."

The drive into the city took forty minutes. The snow was beginning to turn into a slushy mess on the streets, reflecting the neon signs of the late-night district. It was Saturday night, and the sidewalks were crowded with people in coats, moving between bars and clubs.

Zane pulled the car into a narrow alleyway behind a building with a faded sign that read The Iron Gate. It wasn’t a high-end club like the ones Alexander visited; it was a local bar with black-painted windows and a heavy wooden door. The bass from the music inside vibrated through the brick walls.

Nathan looked at the flickering lights. "You come here often?"

"Not much," Zane admitted as they stepped out of the car into the biting wind. "But I used to drink here a lot using my friend’s ID. I know the guys at the door."

"Do I need an ID?" Nathan asked, feeling a sudden surge of nervousness. He had never been to a place like this before.

"I know the people in there, don’t worry," Zane said, leading the way to the entrance. "This bar isn’t too strict. It’s not like a nightclub where they have scanners. It’s a place for people who just want to disappear into the crowd for a while."

They walked inside, and the heat hit Nathan immediately. The air was thick with the smell of beer, smoke, and cheap perfume. The room was packed. People were huddled around small tables or leaning against the long mahogany bar. There were a few empty tables in the center of the room, surrounded by the noise of laughter and clinking glasses.

Nathan followed Zane through the crowd. His anger was almost gone now, replaced by the adrenaline of a new experience. The music thumped loudly through the floorboards beneath his feet. He felt like he was invisible here, just another face in a sea of strangers. It was a feeling he never had at the mansion.

Zane found a table in a corner, slightly away from the speakers. "Wait here. I’ll get us some drinks and something to eat."

Nathan sat down, watching the people. He saw couples arguing, groups of friends celebrating, and older men drinking alone. It felt real. It felt human.

A few minutes later, Zane returned with two glasses filled with a dark amber liquid and a basket of salty fries. He set them down and slid into the chair opposite Nathan.

"To being a problem for your brother," Zane said, raising his glass.

Nathan smiled, a real smile this time. "To being a problem."

He took a sip of the drink. It was bitter and burned his throat, but he didn’t care. The warmth spread slowly through his chest, loosening the tension that had been sitting there all night. He felt like he was finally doing something for himself.

Just as Nathan was about to reach for a fry, a young man walked toward their table. He was tall, with light hair and a stylish jacket that looked expensive. He stopped right next to Zane and looked down at them.

Zane froze. His hand stayed on his glass, his knuckles tightening.

The young man didn’t look at Nathan at first. He focused entirely on Zane, a sweet, knowing smile playing on his lips. It was the kind of smile that suggested a lot of history between them.

"Long time no see, Zane," the young man said. His voice was smooth and held a hint of amusement. He finally flicked his gaze toward Nathan, his eyes scanning Nathan’s face with curiosity. "I’m surprised. I didn’t think you’d be bringing him here instead of me."

Nathan felt like he had seen the young man before. He was very handsome, with blond hair.

"Dylan, please go away!" said Zane. "Don’t make him uncomfortable."

Nathan already felt uncomfortable, especially seeing the young man smiling sweetly at him. His face was very radiant, almost annoyingly perfect. Who was he? Why did his heart suddenly feel tight?

Suddenly, Lucas’s words about Zane being a playboy haunted him. Was it true that the boy had many lovers?

And he remembered Zane once saying that he had never been in a relationship. That was impossible, right?

Zane felt Nathan’s sharp gaze and quickly brushed Dylan’s hand off his shoulder, his expression tense and clearly irritated.