Total pages in book: 166
Estimated words: 161257 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 806(@200wpm)___ 645(@250wpm)___ 538(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 161257 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 806(@200wpm)___ 645(@250wpm)___ 538(@300wpm)
Long moments later, Max softly groaned. “Don’t know how I’m gonna do it, cat…”
Sean stilled. “Do what?”
“Let you go. I don’t wanna let you go.”
Sean’s chest clenched tight. “You don’t have to let me go.”
Max held him tighter, his lips brushing Sean’s nape. “Do something for me,” he whispered.
Sean frowned. Max wasn’t listening.
“Take my heart… when you go tonight… So I won’t miss you when you’re gone.”
What? Sean tensed dejectedly. “Max… No… What the fuck.”
“Please, Sean. For me…” His voice started to fade. He was falling asleep again, passing back out.
Sean closed his eyes. He wasn’t magic. Couldn’t do what Max asked. But he could at least humor him in hopes it’d help Max rest better. “Okay,” he murmured. “I’ll take it when I go.”
Max exhaled softly, his frame easing around Sean’s. “Thank you,” he mumbled. Sean could barely understand him.
Sean didn’t reply. Just pulled Max’s arm closer.
Max’s breathing gradually slowed.
Sean stared into space. What would happen in the morning? Would Max be pissed? Embarrassed? Realize they belonged? That he didn’t have to be drunk for them to work?
Sean closed his eyes and tried like hell to clear his mind. There was no point in speculating. His answer would come. Nestling in, he began to slowly drift, his body deliciously sore and ready for slumber. Ready, that is, until Max gently stirred, then murmured against Sean’s neck,
“My chroí… God, I wish I could love you…”
THIRTY-FOUR
“Three.” Scott grit his teeth. “Three fucks jumped you in the parking lot.”
Tad sighed and looked down, shifting awkwardly atop the counter. Scott had marched Tad’s ass into the kitchen the minute he got there. Or rather, the minute he’d seen Tad’s beat-up face. Marched him in, then hefted him onto the breakfast bar to get a better look under the light.
“Yeah,” Tad muttered, not wanting to talk about it anymore. He’d already shared the basics. A couple of times.
Scott lifted Tad’s chin back up again. Guess he wasn’t done inspecting. “Only two you recognized.” He gently thumbed Tad’s brow. “The third guy you’ve never seen before.”
“Yeah.”
Scott nodded a little, features tight, and touched Tad’s jaw. “They hit you hard,” he muttered. His voice sounded thick. “Straight shots. Unobstructed. Pretty obvious you never blocked.”
“Because I couldn’t!” Tad blurted. He already told Scott why. His heart thumped faster. Again, he looked away.
“Tad.” Scott’s timbre dipped low. “I know this. They held your arms. Like fucking pussies.” He turned Tad back to face him. “Because they knew they couldn’t take you one on one.”
Tad exhaled, understanding. Scott was giving him what he needed. Reassurance. Confirmation. The black and white proof; Tad hadn’t been weak. He’d been outnumbered.
Gratitude welled, shining some light into Tad’s dark. Ever since his attack, he’d felt like such a fucking loser. Mortified and ashamed. Unable to look at himself in the mirror. But that look in Scott’s eyes? His words of validation? Just like that, they’d knocked the weight right off Tad’s shoulders.
Forcing a small smile, he hooked Scott’s belt loops and pulled him closer, snug between his thighs against the counter. “Thanks… I needed to hear that… Like really, really bad.”
Scott sighed and stroked Tad’s jaw, then slid his hands to Tad’s shoulders. “I should’ve known this would happen. You didn’t know better, but I did.”
Tad’s stomach knotted. Oh, no. This was what he’d been afraid of. “Scott. Don’t—”
“I should’ve warned you. Should’ve made sure you were safe.”
“But you couldn’t’ve—”
“Should’ve met you after class or something. Walked you to your Jeep.”
“No. Scott. No way. I would’ve never—”
“I could’ve at least made you take precautions.” Scott groaned and scrubbed his face. “Made you promise to park closer. Or carry some mace.”
Mace? Was he serious? “Scott. It wasn’t your fault.”
“Yes, it was. In a way it was. I wanted you to go public.”
“There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“I should’ve advised some discretion.”
“No. Don’t do that. I can think for myself. I could’ve—and should’ve—put more thought into it, but I didn’t.” Tad held Scott’s gaze and tried to smile. “I just forget others are around when I’m with you.”
Scott didn’t smile back. His brain was still visibly churning. “I’m teaching you self-defense.”
Tad stilled. He probably should’ve seen that one coming. “Are you serious?”
“Dead serious. This shit will not happen again.”
Tad peered into his eyes. Scott’s nerves were frayed. He could see it. Tad nodded. “Okay. Probably a good idea.” Not that Scott would’ve taken no for an answer.
Scott exhaled, visibly easing, and pressed his forehead to Tad’s. “I wanna kill those motherfuckers… Wanna kill ‘em for what they did.”
“You and me both.” Tad hooked his heels behind Scott’s knees. “Although, personally, I’d rather you stay here and kiss my booboos.” Yes, he was shameless, but the way he saw it, if there wasn’t a silver lining, a guy needed to make one.
Scott’s lips curved. Just a little. He’d be low-key pissed for a while. “You saying you wanna play doctor?”