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“I don’t want to pry,” he continues. “But is there a reason for that?”

I shift around nervously, unsure if I should tell him or not. But then I remember how open he was about his family life. “My father left me quite the debt,” I admit. “Technically, don’t needto work that much, but I want to pay it off faster than the plan I set up originally.”

Aden looks surprised. “You should not have inherited your Dad’s debt, especially with your mom still being around!”

“Yeah, I know,” I mutter. “It’s also thanks to my mom and her committing credit card fraud and buying things in my name. I was not able to fight it after his death, because a lawyer and lawsuit would have cost me a lot.” I pause. “Can we not talk about it, please?”

“Let me look into it,” Aden offers.

“What?”

“You got scammed, and you probably were a minor when it happened. I assume Sterling and Mateo tried to help, but couldn’t?”

“Mateo has his student debt to pay, and Sterling had to look out… rather, still is looking out, for his sister as well.”

“Then allow me to help. You are my boyfriend, Noel. I do have the means and the contacts to help you.”

I want to screamyes. Yes, save me. Please, help me! But how can I accept his help so easily? He barely knows me. Hell, I don’t even know him properly.

Aden reaches out his hand and touches my shoulder. “You don’t want me to help. Am I right?” he asks, tone deadly serious. “Talk to me, to help me understand.”

“It’s just… Fuck!” I brush my fingers through my hair in exasperation. “What if you have enough of me? What if I let you help me, rely on you, and then you are gone, and I am all alone and need to start anew… with my debt and with my life.”

Aden looks at me, the look in his eyes unreadable, then something close to understanding crosses his expression. He looks gentle all of a sudden. “I understand,” he says. “It’s a trust issue, isn’t it? Of course it is. I understand.”

“No, yes, not trust alone!” I blurt out. “I don’t think you are a villain at all. But sometimes things happen, people fall out of love, and then I need to be able to stand on my own two feet.”

“I get that,” he says. “Thanks for explaining it to me. But why do you think I don’t want you to live your life?”

I blink. “Well, you are a gallerist and CEO. You are the embodiment of high society, and I am your bartender boyfriend, who also works in a sleazy club.”

“So what?”

“I can’t quit my job.”

“Of course not,” Aden says. “I wouldn’t want you to quit your job. Granted, I am not overjoyed about where you work, simply because it’s a dangerous place, but there is nothing wrong with what you do. I am your boyfriend and partner. I want to help you, but I certainly don’t want you to give up your independence. I had that type of relationship once, and it ended as a shambles.”

The last bit of information hits me like a brick. “Is that true?”

“Yes.” Aden clenches his fingers around his cup of coffee before relaxing them again. “My ex-boyfriend was very dependent on me for various reasons and in various ways. It… it was not a good experience for me, Noel, and ended terribly.”

Aden does not go deeper into it, but from the tone of his voice, it looks like the guy pretty much leeched off him somehow. He mentioned having had a very bad experience before.

“I like how much drive you have,” Aden tells me. “I like how serious you are about your work, and how you want to stand on your own feet. I fully support that.”

“You… you don’t mind? That I am a bartender?”

“Not at all.” Aden purses his lips, his expression thoughtful. “Let me offer something to you. How about I at least hire a lawyer for you? Someone who can help you with freeing yourself from your debt. It’ll take more time to clear it than if I were toinvolve myself directly, but on the other hand, it will allow you to keep control over it.”

My head perks up. With that solution, I would have a real chance of getting rid of this unfair debt. Granted, I wouldn’t be able to have this chance without Aden’s help. He is the one paying for the lawyer, and it probably will be a top-notch one. However, if I put my pride and anxiety aside and accept his help, it would also mean I could start looking for a better job, and maybe save some money for an actual course to take. I could find a better bar to work at.

But is it okay? Can I really ask so much of Aden?

“Noel, I am offering this to you because I want to, and because I like you. I know you are not in this relationship for money.”

“How do you know?” I mutter. “I could be.”

“I know. I have a good eye for people.”