She scoffs derisively, “With what? You have nothing without us, and you’ve been nothing but a disappointment.”
“How can you say that to me?” She’s baiting me, and it worked. My voice rises. “I’ve done everything you’ve asked. I’ve been your goddamn puppet, and even then, you didn’t care. Ever. You couldn’t be fucking bothered to care. I’m done.” And I am. “No matter what I did, I couldn’t please you, even though I did everything according to your plan.”
“Don’t be so dramatic, Grayson.”
“I’m telling dad face-to-face, and then I’m done with both of you. I don’t care anymore. I can’t live my life like this for one more second.”
“It’s a phase.” She steps closer to me. “And you will not tell your father. He’ll blame me.”
“Are you kidding me?” I have to step back, away from her. My hands are shaking with rage, and I fight angry tears. “This is not about you. This is me. I’m gay, and I have a chance to be happy. Really happy. And I know, deep down, that grandpa would want that for me. But even if he wouldn’t, I don’t care. I’m not living my life for anyone else anymore.”
I storm from the house and out to my car, driving to the only place I want to be. I’m relieved when I see Rhett’s car in the drive and rush up the stairs, pounding on his door.
Rhett answers in a pair of dark-gray sweats and nothing else, looking confused with his hair mussed. I guess he was sleeping, but I don’t feel bad about waking him because this can’t wait. I fall into his arms, nearly knocking him over. “I can’t do this anymore. I hate her. I hate them.”
He grasps my face in his hands as I cling to his waist. “What’s wrong? What happened?”
“I told her.”
He searches my eyes, looking completely confused. “Told who what?”
I’m not making sense as I start to sob, letting it all out. Years and years of repression, of living my life according to what they wanted. Of never allowing myself to be me. “It’s not worth it.”
“I hate this, Grayson. I hate seeing you broken like this. Tell me what happened.” He pulls me into his apartment, closing the door behind us as he guides me to the couch, my body resting on his.
“I love you.”
He freezes, but I’m not worried because I know he loves me too. And no matter what his first reaction is—even if it’s his typical no—I know he loves me. “Tell me what happened.”
“I’m done. I told my mother I’m gay and I’m quitting school and moving back here because I love you and I want to. I want this more than anything.”
I’m wrapped around him, my face buried in his chest. “You don’t have to blow up your life for me. We can figure this out.”
I shake my head, breathing him in and relishing the feeling of his warm, bare skin. “I hate school. And he was never going to give me the business. Ever. Nothing I do is ever good enough. Maybe I can get an art scholarship or something. I’ll work until I can afford to take classes. I don’t care. I just want to finally be me.”
I swear I can feel him smiling as he gently pulls me up to meet his eyes. “You are beautiful.” I smile, my eyes wet with tears. But I don’t care when his thumb strokes over my cheek, and his eyes tell me what his mouth is about to even before he says, “I love you too.”
I smile at him, kissing his full lips and not having a care in the world because Rhett loves me too.
We’ll figure everything else out.
FORTY-EIGHT
Waking up to Grayson’s warm tongue gliding its way over my abs is probably the best way I can think to wake up. Everything this week has been a clusterfuck, but most of it good.
Max getting hurt was the worst thing, but now, I know he’s somewhere safe. Somewhere no one can ever hurt him again. He’s settled into my old room, while Ian took Fletcher’s. Blair took them both shopping to buy them their own things, unique to them, to make it their home, just like she did for us.
And just like us, they still don’t trust it. Not yet, but they’re getting there.
Seeing how angry Grayson was with the whole situation, how he stayed there with us and made sure we were okay, only solidified my love for him. But I still couldn’t say it out loud.
When he showed up at my place, wrecked, I knew then I would do everything I could to keep him.
Our age doesn’t matter. His parents don’t matter. When it’s love, and when it’s real, you just have to go for it. I’ve learned that from him and from watching Blair and Rhys over the years. Their love wasn’t easy, but I don’t think it’s supposed to be. At least not all the time.
You make the decision to be together, and that’s it. That part is easy, so you can take on all the rest. All the difficult things become easier because you’re with the person you love.
And that’s what we’re going to do.
“I have to go to work.”
I feel his mouth kick up into a grin as he reaches my left hipbone and nibbles. “So, you’re saying you want me to stop?” He kisses the other hipbone, sliding his tongue along the V pointing straight to where I need him the most.
“No. I’m saying hurry the hell up and swallow my dick already.”
He only chuckles, but then gives me exactly what I want, his mouth on my dick. I hiss in pleasure as he swallows me like a pro.
“You’re getting really good at this.” He bobs on my cock, taking it back so far, I hear him gag, but he keeps going, determined to give me pleasure.
God, I love him. For so many reasons.
I don’t last long, my hands sliding through his hair and gripping it tight as I lose myself in an orgasm with a harsh cry, my cum jetting into his mouth. He swallows and then licks me clean, never able to get enough before I pull him up and push him to his back, sliding down to return the favor.
I wish we had more time, but I really have to go to work. I take him in my mouth, slowly teasing him, cupping his balls in my hand, and rolling them. I lick down his shaft to his balls, wanting all the things.
“Rhett,” he gasps when I push two fingers into his mouth, urging him to do what I’m demanding—to get them soaked. When they’re nice and slick, I push one into his ass, followed by the other, making him squirm and his body writhe. I suck his big cock into my mouth and work him with my fingers until he’s shouting his release, and I’m swallowing every drop.
I move back up and kiss his lips, both of us sharing each other’s taste as we kiss, tangled up in the sheets of my bed—though it’s really ours now. He’s unofficially moved in with me.
He hasn’t gone back to his place to get his things, and he’s been wearing my clothes this week. But we both know he still has to face his father.
I’ve assured him, no matter what, we’ll get through it. But I don’t think he’s worried. He seems calm even after we’ve both showered, and he gives me a quick kiss. “I’ll see you after work.”
“If you need me before that, call.” I narrow my eyes, letting him know I’m dead serious.
He only grins and kisses the tip of my nose. “My big, strong protector.”