Hidden Flames – Chapter XXVII

The Construction

M/M Romance

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The morning felt different. The air was clearer, the light sharper, as if the island itself had taken a breath after the discovery. The past—Dr. Elena Márquez's bones, the floppy disk, the lingering shadow of TerraSol—was buried, at least for now. The present belonged to the construction.

Miguel and Carlos's boat returned in the early morning hours, but they didn't arrive alone. Standing on the deck were three men: the construction foreman, an older, gray-templed man named Márk, and his two workers. One was short, stocky, and quiet; the other was tall, muscular, with a blue tattoo winding up his arm and sharp, calculating eyes that constantly scanned their surroundings.

His name was Frank.

Lucas immediately sensed that something was off about him. His gaze moved too quickly, his smile was a little too wide, and his handshake was a fraction too firm. Still, Lucas said nothing, and the construction began.

The first few days were spent clearing the area. Bent over the blueprints, Lucas and Nathan directed the team. Together, they dug out the foundation of the terrace and fitted the heavy stones into place. Soon, the island filled with the steady clatter of hammers, the screech of saws, and the shouting of men.

And through it all, Frank kept getting closer.

On the afternoon of the third day, Lucas was up on the hilltop, marking the locations for the bungalows. He was drawing and calculating in his notebook, the sun burning hot against the back of his neck, when Frank suddenly stepped up beside him.

"Can I help with something?" Frank asked, his voice oily and a little too kind.

Lucas didn't even look up from his notes. "Thanks, I'm fine."

Frank didn't move. "Nice place you've chosen here. Really. Your friend—Nathan, right?—people are saying you two are running this whole operation."

Lucas finally looked up. In the harsh sunlight, Frank's eyes glinted darkly. "Yes. We're doing it together."

"You're a nice couple," Frank said, his smile widening. "Really. I can see how much you care about each other. But you know… on an island like this, in the middle of nowhere… sometimes a person realizes that distance puts relationships to the test."

Lucas’s chest tightened. "I don't know what you're implying."

Frank shrugged casually. "Just that if someone offered you something better… you shouldn't rule out the possibility." His hand slid onto Lucas's shoulder, his fingers pressing in. "I, for example, could give you the kind of attention that boy probably can't."

Lucas pulled away instantly. His movement was sharp, decisive, and filled with revulsion. "I don't need your attention. And Nathan is not 'that boy.' He's my husband. If you ever touch me again, or even come near me, I'll take this straight to your boss. Clear?"

Frank's face darkened, the easy smile instantly vanishing. "Clear," he muttered, turning on his heel.

What Lucas didn't see was Nathan standing at the bottom of the hill, framed by the trees. Nathan had caught the entire exchange. From where he stood, he saw Frank place his hand on Lucas's shoulder, and he saw Lucas pull away. But the distance, the glare of the light, and his own deeply rooted fears blurred everything together. He couldn't hear the words. He only saw the gestures, and his heart sank.

Nathan didn't walk up the hill. Instead, he turned around and stormed toward the construction site, his steps fast and heavy. Anger boiled inside him—blind, irrational, and suffocating.

Frank was just checking the water tank when Nathan materialized right in front of him.

"You," Nathan hissed, his voice trembling with rage. "What do you think you're doing? How dare you touch my husband?"

Frank raised his eyebrows, his face twisting into an expression of innocent surprise, though his eyes remained cold and calculating. "Your husband? I don't know what you're talking about, man. I was just trying to help him read the blueprint."

"Don't lie to me!" Nathan's voice cracked. "I saw you touch him. I saw him pull away from you."

A slow smile crept across Frank's face—a smile as sharp and cold as a knife. "Oh, you think I initiated that? Sorry, buddy, but your husband is the one who was… how should I put it… open to suggestions. Very much so. He told me that if he got a better offer, he wouldn't shy away from it."

The blood drained completely from Nathan's face. "You're lying."

Frank shrugged. "Whatever you say, man. But go ahead and ask him. You'll see what he says."

Nathan found Lucas still standing on the hilltop, notebook in hand. Nathan's eyes were red, his voice shaking when he finally spoke.

"What was that with Frank?"

Lucas looked up, genuine surprise written across his face. "Nothing. He tried to flirt with me, and I sent him packing."

"You sent him away? Because he claims *you* were the one opening the door. He said you told him if you got a better offer—"

Lucas's eyes widened in disbelief. "What are you talking about? Nathan, I rejected him! I flat-out shut him down! Didn't you see me?"

"I couldn't hear anything from that far away! I only saw him put his hands on you, and you didn't push him away immediately."

"But I pulled back!"

"Too late."

Lucas's face went completely pale. He pressed his lips into a tight, strained line. "You don't trust me?"

"I do… it's just…"

"Nathan," Lucas's voice dropped, quiet but cuttingly sharp. "I would never do something like that to you. Never. And if for even a single second you truly think I would, then you don't know me at all."

The words fell heavily between them like stones. Nathan looked down at the dirt. The jealousy, the anger, and his worst insecurities clashed violently inside him. But deep down, at the very core of his soul, he knew Lucas was telling the truth.

"Forgive me," Nathan whispered, his voice breaking. "I'm just… I'm so terrified of losing you."

The rigid anger on Lucas's face slowly melted. He stepped forward, cupping Nathan's face gently in his hands. "You won't lose me. Never. But right now, there's something I need to take care of."

Nathan blinked up at him. "What?"

Lucas didn't answer. He let go of Nathan's face, turned around, and marched down the hill. His steps were fast, measured, and decisive. There was a look in his eyes that Nathan had never seen before. Cold. Calculating. Dangerous.

Frank was standing near the shore, packing up his toolbox, completely oblivious to the footsteps cutting through the sand. He only realized he wasn't alone when Lucas was already towering right behind him.

"Frank."

Frank turned around. The arrogant smirk was still plastered on his face, but his eyes betrayed a sudden flicker of unease. "Oh, look, the husband. Come to give me a talking-to?"