Ex's and O'S (20 page)

And maybe even Charlene. Les nodded to the woman who was drilling him with her

shrewd gaze. He might not be experienced in relationships, but he instinctually knew that look. It was one that said he was accountable if he let Adam get hurt, and Les had no problem acknowledging that yes, he would be.

Sirens wailed and Les stopped Charlene before she could step outside. He didn’t think about his fears when he cupped her shoulder and gently held her back. “Stay here. I don’t know where Chase was when he got jumped. Keep Adam in here, please.” He’d left Adam following orders from Josh. Les had seen his nurse friend in action before, but it never failed to impress him. Josh, laughing, jolly, optimistic Josh, became a snapping, snarling dictator when someone was hurt. Talk about Jekyll and Hyde…

Les was halfway down the steps when the ambulance pulled up. He waved them over

then pointed out the apartment they needed to go to—he couldn’t just say the one up there with the door open, because the blaring sirens had pretty much every resident standing gawking at their open door. Les made sure the EMTs entered the right place then he walked back to the ground floor and eyed the area. He had a feeling Chase had been watching Adam. Adam had told Les how he’d met Chase and what they’d done to ensure Mitch

Rollins the third wouldn’t rape any other men. Had the PI been afraid for Adam and Charlene’s sake, or had he considered them bait? Or maybe he’d wanted to warn them?

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Until Chase was in a bit better shape, Les just wouldn’t know, just as he didn’t know where Chase’s assault—the latest one—had occurred. Not for sure, anyway, although he thought there were signs of a scuffle off by the dumpsters. Difficult to tell what with the way the garbage was piled up, the bags ripped open…

Well, he needed to call this in, get more people out here looking, banging on doors.

Les doubted it’d do any good. People around here weren’t eager to talk to the cops, not for any reason. No matter what someone might have seen, they’d claim ignorance. Then again, Chase could have been hurt somewhere else, then—what? Dumped here? Left as a warning?

Les didn’t think so, it simply didn’t feel right.

He called in and reported the assault then watched as the EMTs, followed by Josh, Charlene and Adam, brought Chase down the stairs on a stretcher. Les’ gaze locked with Adam’s, fear and anger bright in the man’s blue eyes. Les’ gut twisted with a mix of emotions. Adam and Charlene had been forced to flee their homes once, and he was afraid they were fixing to have to make another move, but Les wasn’t going to let them run this time. He’d keep them safe, even if Charlene scared the shit out of him, and he’d put an end to them being terrorised by a rich prick who was pissed that his son’s crimes had come to light.

When Adam stepped up to his side, Charlene trailing a few feet behind him, Les

looked Adam and his heart twisted painfully. He wasn’t sure if it was fear or anticipation or both that caused the tightness in his chest as he watched Adam, but Les was pretty sure he loved him. Then there was Charlene, who’d never been anything but kind to him. She still scared him spitless.

Not that it stopped him from forcing the words out. “You two get packed. You’re

coming home with me.”

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Les kept one eye on the car following him and the other on the road as he drove to the hospital. Adam hadn’t objected outright to Les’ declaration, but he hadn’t missed the flare in those icy blue eyes just as he hadn’t missed the approval shining in Charlene’s. He wondered if Adam just didn’t want to stay with him, wasn’t interested in something more than a fling, or if his pride was pricked because he thought Les didn’t believe Adam could take care of himself and his mother.

Under normal circumstances, Les wouldn’t doubt Adam’s ability to do so, but there was nothing normal about this. It was very likely a twisted, powerful man was out to make Adam pay for exposing his son’s crimes. Rollins had no honour, no moral compass, but Adam did, and while Les loved that about Adam—because he knew now he loved

everything about Adam—he also knew that would make it easier for Rollins to hurt both Adam and Charlene.

Maybe Rollins would come after him, but Les wasn’t worried about it too much. The only thing Les really cared about, the only things, he corrected with a trill of surprise, were in the car behind him. While he’d accepted Adam’s importance to him, he hadn’t realised he’d come to care for Charlene, too. Somehow she’d wormed her way past his fears and the walls he’d erected to keep himself safe.

Must be genetic. She still scared Les, but mainly because he didn’t know how to have a relationship with someone who wanted to mother him. Certainly, she didn’t seem to want to be the kind of mother to him he’d had, and logically, Les knew the statistics were against that. Charlene seemed loving and wholesome where his own mother had been neither, although she put on a damned good show around other people.

Sweat beaded his brow as he delved carefully into the dark place in his mind he’d avoided for more than half his life. His mother had been mentally ill, the courts ruled, but she’d still been convicted of murdering his brother and almost killing him as well. The things she’d done… Les shuddered and slammed the door on that dark place, unable to deal with it any more than he had in the past.

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As he turned into the hospital parking lot, a little voice in his head told him he’d have to open that door back up and stop ignoring his past. If he wanted Adam, really wanted him, they would have to talk. While Les was learning to accept Charlene, there were still things he couldn’t do, that he’d have to explain, especially since the three of them would be living together. They might think he was crazy if he didn’t work up the nerve to talk about why he was the way he was.

They might think that anyway once he explained, Les realised as he steered into an empty spot. It chilled him to the bones to admit, but telling Adam about his past could very well bring their relationship to an end, and Les couldn’t blame the man if that was the case. It was another reason he needed to find a way to talk to Adam about his fucked up childhood and the effects it had on him even now, almost thirty years later. Adam had a right to know that Les was screwed up, maybe hopelessly so.

Les led Adam and Charlene to the waiting room for the ICU unit. “I need to go see if Chase is conscious. I have to interview him, then I’ll get y’all settled at the house before I go back to work. What time do you go in tonight?”

“Ten,” Adam answered, frowning at him. “Why?” His blue eyes narrowed in

warning. Les chose to ignore it. At least Charlene was beaming at him.

“I’ll take you to work and bring you home—just until this thing is settled.”

Adam started to argue but Charlene thumped him on the arm. “Hush. Les is doing

what any loving partner would do. He just wants to keep you safe, and if he’s worrying about whether or not you’re safe, how’s he going to be able to concentrate on his own safety?

You even think about that? Or you getting all huffy with that whole male ego thing?”

Les’ entire body was burning with embarrassment on being so bluntly called out

regarding his feelings for Adam, but that was kind of okay. Adam was looking at him, those plump lips parted in shock, and so much warmth and affection…maybe, even, if Les could wrap his mind around it, love shining in those blue depths. Les didn’t get a whole lot of time to process that look, because in the next breath he had a double armful of warm, sexy man.

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and well-trained to know this particular body, this scent, meant exquisite pleasure was soon to come. It was going to be sorely disappointed since his shift didn’t end for hours yet.

That didn’t stop him from holding Adam, or from crushing his mouth to his lover’s.

Even knowing Charlene was right there, watching, didn’t give Les a moment’s pause. She approved of him, wanted him for her son, so she shouldn’t have a problem with them showing affection.

Although, this was more than affection, what with Adam’s stiff dick pressing against Les’ thigh and his arms locked around Les’ neck. Les was trying to keep enough sense not to grab Adam’s pert ass, but it was a near thing. He settled for holding onto a couple of belt loops while he plundered Adam’s mouth.

Adam pulled back enough to whisper, “You love me.”

It wasn’t a question, more like a wonder-filled statement, and one that Les couldn’t deny. He couldn’t get his voice to work past the lump in his throat, either, so he settled on nodding as he stared into Adam’s pretty eyes.

“I love you, too,” Adam rasped, his eyes looking suspiciously moist before he closed them and gave Les a gentle kiss. The sound of someone other than Charlene clearing their throat had Les carefully easing Adam from his arms, although he couldn’t quite let the man go. He peered over Adam’s head and found Josh grinning like a loon.

“Sorry,” Josh said without sounding the least bit so, “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, I just wanted to let you know Chase is awake now.”

Les grunted but couldn’t find even a hint of embarrassment at Josh having overheard his conversation with Adam. After all, Charlene had been there too, and she was… Les grunted again as he saw her tear-streaked cheeks and bright smile. Well, she was happy for them, that was obvious. And he imagined Josh was glowing like he was because any worry he might have had about Adam and Nick had been proven unfounded.

“I know you have questions for him, and I hate to break this up, I really do,” Josh nodded when Adam craned his head around to look at him. “But I don’t know how long Chase will be conscious, so you might want to get the interview over with.”

“Okay.” Les couldn’t resist pulling Adam to him for one last hug and kiss, then he reluctantly stepped away. “I’ll be back as soon as I’m done. Maybe the doctor will let you see Chase then. After that, we’ll figure out how to get you and Charlene moved into my place.”

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Impossibly, Josh perked up more. “Y’all are moving in with Les?” He looked at Charlene then Adam. “Today?”

Could the guy sound any happier? Les realised Josh must have been more worried

than he’d thought. “Yeah, but my shift isn’t over until six, and I am going to need to stop working security here for a while.”

“No problem,” Josh said with a bounce. “There’s always police officers looking to pick up some extra money. And I think I can help with getting Adam and Charlene moved.”

Adam frowned at Josh. “What? We don’t have much—”

“Maybe not, but I bet Les wants someone around to make sure no one messes with

y’all.” Josh’s grin stretched even wider. “I bet I know a bunch of people who’ll be willing to see to that, too.” Josh plucked his phone from his pocket and fired off a text. Almost instantly his phone chimed with a response. Josh chuckled as he read it, ignoring Adam’s questions and Les’ stare. “Yep. Nick, Rory, Chance, Bo, and Max will be here shortly. Just leave Adam your key.”

“What? Who are all those people?” Adam asked in a slightly panicked voice. Les

knew, but he didn’t know why they were all so willing to help.

Josh did, though. “Well, you know Nick, and the rest are our friends, and likely, soon, Charlene, yours and Les’, too.”

Adam looked dumbstruck, which was pretty much how Les felt.

“That’s good,” Charlene chimed in before Les could figure out what to say. “These two need more friends. And I’m guessing this means you finally realise my son isn’t after your man.” That last she added in a hard voice, her eyes narrowing at Josh.

Josh blushed from his neck to the roots of his hair. “Uh, yes ma’am. I do. I didn’t think…well maybe I did, but not really, I just—”

Les decided to rescue his friend before Josh stuttered out something stupid. “Come on,” he said as he caught Josh’s elbow, “stop while you’re ahead and lead me to Chase’s room before he passes out again.”

“Right, right.” Josh turned but stopped in the door way, twisting around to look at Charlene and Adam. “I am sorry, I know I was wrong. I didn’t even really believe it before, I just…I love Nick, so much that I’m stupid with it sometimes.”

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Well, Les could certainly understand that, and judging by the way Charlene’s

expression softened and Adam’s tentative smile stretched into one of genuine happiness, he wasn’t the only one.

The moment sank into Les in the oddest way. These people had come to mean so

much to him in such a short time. He’d gone from being alone and thinking he was happy, or at least not miserable, to having friends and a lover and understanding what true happiness really was. He’d never forget that, and he’d do everything he had to in order to keep these people in his life.

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When Nick had introduced Adam to the group of men waiting in the hospital parking lot, the cloud he’d been floating on ever since he and Les had confessed their feelings had dissipated. Adam had been nervous, a little self-conscious, figuring all these people knew he’d once pined after Nick. But everyone had been so friendly, accepting him and his mom as if they were already a part of this little circle.

There’d been some teasing from Nick about Adam hooking up with ‘a hard ass like

Stanton’, but Adam couldn’t get irritated over it, not when Nick’s dark eyes glittered with delight and the other men started in on Nick about Les tossing him back in jail if he didn’t watch his mouth.

And they all treated Charlene like a queen, with Bo and Rory charming her into