Chapter Twenty
Troy
I wake up in a cozy cocoon, but I’m alone. Weirdly, I’m on my left side, spooning a pillow, the way I usually wake up when I sleep in Adam’s bed. Except the pillow is still warm, and it smells spicy, like Wes.
The night before floats back to me. Then the day before that. And the night before that, when I wasn’t sure if we were going to survive. Fuck, now I’m definitely awake.
Not that it was the first time Adam and I had been in a precarious situation, but Wes being there added a whole other level.
Speaking of Wes and other levels…
“Huh.”
I scan the room with bleary, sleep-crusted eyes, stretching to see if I can hear water running in the bathroom, but there’s nothing. Strange, right? Did he really leave me in here on my own? I wouldn’t have. Does he actually trust me that much?
Then again, the pressure-cooker shit we all went through together seems to cause a fucked-up sort of bonding. I’m sure it’s got to do with why Adam and I are so close. Over the years we went from confiding about our bastard fathers to literally saving each other’s lives.
One thing I did do yesterday after Adam was settled at the hospital was to run out and get new phones. I check mine to see if there’s anything from Adam. Nothing yet, which hopefully means he got a decent night’s rest.
Apparently the group chat’s been group chatting while I slept, though.
Christian: So, there was this police detective lurking around my new apartment. You guys think I should be worried?
Simon: Just stay away from him
Michael: Brennan mentioned someone new in town slinging drugs, right? Maybe he’s looking into that. Your place isn’t exactly on the up and up.
Christian: That’s the truth. I don’t know anything about that though. My ex might.
Adam: Then you should definitely stay away from him. Your ex is a POS and informing on him won’t do you any good.
Fucker.
Troy: Oh good you’re up Adam thanks for letting me know
Adam: Literally grabbed my phone just now and answered an existing text before messaging you I’ll never do it again I swear
Simon: Oh reeeealy?
Prince: Thought it was unethical to separate a bonded pair
Ravi: Yeah I have some questions
Troy: I’m sure you do. Adam, I’ll see you soon.
That’s enough of that for now.
As I’m returning my phone to the nightstand, a beep sounds and the door pushes open.
“Hey, you’re awake.” Wes comes in slowly, carefully balancing a to-go tray with coffees and a couple of pastry bags.
“Kitten, did you bring me breakfast?” I’m making light to cover the gooey warmth in my chest. Nobody’s brought me breakfast since my mother died. Adam would, I’m sure, but he sleeps later than I do.
Wes’s cheeks turn red as he sets the coffees down on the little table next to my phone.
“It’s nothing much. Chef Lorraine down in the kitchen is one of the few people who doesn’t give a shit that Max has told the entire hotel to stop helping me.
Probably because she could go literally anywhere in the world and get paid as much as she does now.
Maybe more. And I’m the one who told her about the opening here. ”
He pauses, looking uncertain. “Her sister and I were in a cancer support group together. Chef moved here to help take care of her.”
“Oh, shit.” Is it fucked up that I’m sort of thrilled about this? Not that he had cancer, thank you very much. I’m not that kind of dick.
But him telling me? That he’s sharing his life with me like a regular person and not someone he wants but can’t stand? I like that part.
I slap the mattress next to me. “Come have a seat, Kitten.”
He hesitates before slipping off his shoes and sliding in next to me. He’s fully clothed still.
He hands over one of the bags, containing a toasted bagel. “I wasn’t sure about how you take your coffee.”
“Hell, I’ll take it any way I can get it,” I say as I grab one of the cups.
Wes chuckles, but then he gets serious. “I’m such an asshole. I didn’t ask last night how Adam’s doing.”
“Don’t do that.” I take a grateful gulp from my to-go cup. “You were dead on your feet last night. We both were.”
“Yeah.” He shakes his head, huffing a breath. “I can’t believe I finally got some sleep. I was so messed up after we got back. Exhausted, but also…”
“Wired?”
“Wired. Exactly.”
“Me too.”
The expression on his face looks a lot like gratitude. Maybe he’s not used to being understood. Which I also get. It sucks. A lot.
“Part of that is probably the drugs,” I explain.
“That shit they gave us, I don’t know what all’s in it, but it’s been circulating around the area for a few months now.
Even Brennan, who’s got his hands in all sorts of dirty shit, is trying to get it off the street.
Probably a mix of Molly and something that gets you horny and hard.
Maybe boner boosters or coke, or all three.
I know it shoots your blood pressure sky high.
It’s been tied to a lot of deaths in town. ”
“Jesus.” Wes looks a little shell-shocked.
“Yeah. I’ll be honest, I’ve taken it a couple of times before. After the last time I didn’t want to do it again. Thought my heart would blast its way out of my chest. So for that alone we’re lucky we all got out alive.” I nudge him with my elbow. “Especially you, old man.”
“Hey, fuck you.” He laughs a little, in spite of the worry on his face.
“You know I wouldn’t be able to joke about it if you weren’t so self-conscious about it, but I love seeing you blush. So, you’re older. What’s the big deal?”
I’m being real with him here.
“Car insurance premiums? I don’t know.” Wes shakes his head. “I’m not self-conscious about my age. I’m self-conscious that my age minus your age equals a two-digit number.”
“You know it doesn’t bother me. It doesn’t bother Adam. We like you. We think you’re hot. And you’re not nearly as big a dick as we originally thought.”
Wes bends up one leg, hooking an arm around it.
“Nice to know I’ve got that going for me.
Seriously, though, I’ve changed quite a bit since I was your age.
I’ve finished college, gotten married, and helped my wife through multiple miscarriages.
I’ve had cancer. Those things change you. Life changes you.”
“What about your first time getting kidnapped and pounded by a much younger man?”
He groans. “The way you phrase that, it sounds as if the man who fucked me is the one who kidnapped me.”
A grin spreads across my face. “Babe, if you’d continued to be difficult with us, we probably would have. We’re morally ambiguous like that.”
“Morally amb—of course you are.” He runs a hand through his hair. “You know, the thing with you guys… You’re right, I was surprised I liked it. It fucked me up that I couldn’t stop thinking about you, and especially that I couldn’t stop thinking about that .”
“Kitten…”
He squirms, hugging his knee tighter. “It’s not normal to be glad that someone is holding you down and fucking you because it takes the decision out of your hands. Right? I even liked that it hurt. You’re not supposed to get off on someone hurting you.”
Hell. For Adam and me, it wasn’t the worst thing we’ve experienced. For Wes though?
“Babe. It’s not something to be ashamed of. I’ve seen kinks you wouldn’t believe. Adam and I used to have a regular who wanted us to fuck in front of him while we made fun of how useless his dick was.”
For the time being I’ll leave out how we all know what Wes’s brother’s into.
Nobody in our friend group has been marked safe from accidentally walking in on Fallon and PJ’s shenanigans.
There’s usually some spanking or breath play involved.
Not to mention the fact that getting caught is clearly one of their kinks.
“For the record, I’m not into you making fun of my dick.”
As if we didn’t already know. “Understood. But you get my point, right? It’s fine if what we did together felt good.
Regardless of the circumstances. Human contact is meant to feel good.
Even if you weren’t ‘supposed’ to like it.
Maybe you need time to come to terms with it, but if that’s what you’re worried about, don’t be. ”
“I appreciate that. It’s not the only reason I’ve been hesitant, though.”
“Because you’re still married? Because we’re escorts? Because we’re friends with your brother’s ‘gold-digging’ boyfriend.”
“Dammit, I’m never going to live it down that I called him that, am I?
I was really in a bad place when all of that happened.
My whole life felt like it was dangling over a paper shredder.
Hell, it still does. I don’t even have a new place to live.
There’s nothing in town I can afford.” He sighs.
“At this point I may have to leave town. Or sleep in my car for a little while.”
“Fuck no.” No to every bit of that. “You are not leaving, and you’re sure as fuck not sleeping in your car. I won’t allow that. It’s a fantastic way to get jacked and stabbed and left by the side of the road. And if you leave town, we’ll have to come after you.”
This might be one of those times when I’ve gone too far. He’s looking at me like I just announced I’m a vampire.
“You could stay with us, you know.” I take a breath, wishing Adam were here. He’d agree, but it’s weird making decisions without him. I’ll head to the hospital as soon as Wes and I wrap things up here.
Doesn’t matter, though, since Wes squashes the idea fast. Too fast. “No, I absolutely could not.”
Are those nerves I hear? After what we’ve gone through, is crashing at our place really so scary?
“Why the hell not? It’s not the classiest place but we keep it clean. Well, Adam does, mostly. Still. You were looking for a place in our building.”