“Don’t,” James said after taking several breaths. The anger still coated his features, but his voice was soft as he shook his head. “Don’t tell me you only want what’s best for me, because it’s obvious neither of you have a clue. The one person who has loved me and stood beside me for years—” James nodded at Chase. “Is the one person you’ve never been able to tolerate. Was that because you were afraid I’d slip out of your grasp? You’d rather I’d have been some drooling, brain damaged husk than out from under your thumb?”
Glenn moved to James’ side and ran a hand down his back, hoping to soothe and comfort. He felt the hard, tensed muscles under James’ clothes grow even harder as Mr Stratton approached them.
“We never—” he began only to shut up when James slashed a hand through the air.
“You knew, you both knew what they were doing to me there, and worse yet, you both approved.” James was vibrating under Glenn’s hand, wound so tight in his anger and pain that Glenn ached to hold him. That he didn’t want the Strattons to think their son was weak, rather than loved, was all that kept Glenn in place. “I don’t know if I can ever forgive either of you.”
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Mrs Stratton’s quiet sob didn’t sound planned, not with the jagged edges it had. Glenn hooked his other arm around James’ waist when his lover’s breath stuttered.
Mr Stratton glared at Glenn then hurried to his wife’s side where he squatted and began rubbing his shoulder while murmuring to her softly before turning to look at his son.
“The doctors told us it would be better to keep you medicated until your mind was healed enough to cope with what had happened. What were we supposed to do? It was the best place—we thought it was the best place to help you.”
James wound his fingers through Glenn’s where his hand rested on James’ stomach.
“You were supposed to love me, not hand me over to someone else so they could victimise me all over again! Not have me declared incompetent so you could keep me helpless and dependent on you!”
Mr Stratton opened his mouth to say something that Glenn was afraid would break his already dwindling control, but Mrs Stratton spoke before her husband could get a word out.
“We do love you James, that’s why we keep trying to protect you.”
“Suffocate him, you mean,” Chase grumbled, glaring at the Strattons.
Mrs Stratton’s sniffling stopped as she shot Chase a chilly look. “You’d rather he be like you.”
Chase shook his head. “I’d rather James be James—a grown man capable of making his own decisions. A man strong enough to refuse to allow other people to control him and call it love.” Chase stood, Xavier beside him in a heartbeat. “Let’s go before I do something I probably wouldn’t regret.”
Mrs Stratton sniffed as the two men left the room.
“Don’t say one bad word about him,” James warned. “Do you have any idea what Chase went through to find me? What happened to him because I insisted that Mitch Rollins III be brought to justice? Do you?” James walked over to where his parents were, keeping Glenn’s hand in his. “He lost everything, and he wasn’t the only one. He was beaten, and again, he wasn’t the only one! All because I wanted to make sure that sick bastard didn’t hurt another man, and he’s in prison, but the cost to the people I care about…”
The pain in James’ voice was too much for Glenn. He cupped James’ face and waited until James’ looked at him. “You know Chase, Adam and Les and Charlene—none of them www.total-e-bound.com
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would rather have let Rollins continue preying on men. And look what they have now.
Chase and Xavier, Adam and Les, even Charlene and Ewers.” Glenn lowered his voice, his throat too tight for much volume. “You and me. I would give anything to be able to go back and stop you and the others from being hurt, but I can’t. I can promise that I will always be here for you, and I will never betray the trust you’ve given me.”
James’ eyes glistened with unshed tears as he lowered his gaze. “I wouldn’t—couldn’t let him go on doing what he was doing.” He looked up through his lashes, a tear spilling down his cheek. “I hate other people were hurt, hate that I was, too, but Rollins had to be stopped…and, and I love you, Glenn.”
“You’re infatuated,” Mr Stratton snapped just as Glenn started to kiss James. In truth, he’d already dismissed James’ parents as lost causes. Some people weren’t willing to admit they were wrong no matter what evidence was put before them. “I’m telling you, he’s manipulating you just to…to get in your pants!”
Glenn almost laughed at that, because he was pretty sure Mr Stratton would keel over if he knew who was putting what where. James, however, got a resolute look on his face as he turned his head to look at his parents.
“I’ve been manipulated all my life up until a few months ago, when I came here. I know what manipulation is, you both made sure of that.” James straightened his spine and lifted his chin. “Believe it or not, Glenn really does love me. He came down here, he put up with me being a very unpleasant man, and he backed off completely when I was unable to cope with anything other than getting better. And I am,” James said pointedly. “I am better and improving every day because of the love of my friends, and because of Glenn’s patience and acceptance, his willingness to wait for me without pushing. So don’t tell me he’s using me, or that Chase is a bad influence or whatever other ridiculous bullshit you want to sling my way. I don’t want to hear it.”
Mr Stratton narrowed his eyes and gestured at him. “You don’t know what you’re saying, you—”
“I’ve had enough,” James interrupted. “Why are you here in the first place? You can’t make me go back with you. No.” James shook his head when his mother opened her mouth.
“You know what? I don’t care why you’re here. I don’t know why I thought I could make you both see how wrong what you did was. It’s like banging my head against a brick wall, www.total-e-bound.com
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and I’m really, really tired of hurting, so I think you should leave now, and if you ever comprehend the magnitude of all that you’ve done, then…then maybe someday we can sit down and talk. Until then, though—” James turned on his heel, and Glenn followed, his hand still in James’.
They stopped at the front door, James opening it and tipping his head towards the screen door. “Stop having your creepy little PI spy on me. Stop trying to convince me that I’m better off with you two, because I’m not. See if you can ever understand what you’ve done, and see me for the man that I am despite that. Now, please leave.”
Glenn expected a fight, more arguing, yelling and such, but Mrs Stratton shook her head at her husband, a silent signal for who knew what, and the two of them stood before walking to the door. Mrs Stratton stopped in front of James and looked at him as she bit her bottom lip. Mr Stratton glared daggers at Glenn, who would have been amused had he not already wanted to shove the both of them out the door.
“James,” Mrs Stratton began, then stopped to clear her throat. “We do love you, and we’ll think about what you said.”
“We didn’t do anything wrong,” Mr Stratton muttered. His wife gave him the same chilly look she’d used on Chase.
“Be quiet, Lincoln, before we lose our son for good.” She nodded at Glenn then James, hesitating before reaching out and placing a hand on his chest for a moment. Then she lifted her hand and touched James’ cheek before looking at her husband and walking out of the door. Mr Stratton hurried after her, not even bothering to say goodbye to his son.
James closed the door and leaned against it. “I don’t know if I’ll ever even speak to them again. I don’t want to carry around all the anger I have at them, but I can’t trust them not to hurt me, or you, o
r our friends, even if it’s only verbal assaults.”
Glenn pulled James around and embraced him, cradling the back of James’ head as he rested his cheek on Glenn’s shoulder. “You don’t have to carry around the anger. I think, after today, you’ll find that particular burden lightened. But your mother… I do think she might come around as to all of the mistakes they made, and if she does, maybe your father won’t be far behind.” Glenn hoped so, for James’ sake.
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Personally, he’d be happy to never see the Strattons again. But for James, he’d hope, and he’d deal with the people if he had to. He’d always respect James’ strength, his intelligence, had always been in awe of both.
And he’d hold James, just as he was now, for as long as James wanted him to.
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Chapter Thirty-Two
“I think they’ll come around.”
James glanced at Glenn as he watched James’ parents get in the limo. “Maybe.” He was afraid to hope. The meeting with his parents had hurt, their refusal to acknowledge their wrong-doing or to see James as an adult capable of living his life without them directing it.
Yet there’d been that brief softening of his mother’s eyes, so maybe he could hope, just a little.
Glenn turned to him and hugged him, peppering James’ face with kisses. “It will work out. They’ll probably still keep tabs on you, though.”
“Probably. I can’t see them totally stepping back.”
Glenn snorted and dropped a wet, sweet kiss on his lips before nuzzling his cheek.
The stress that had James coiled tight began to ease and he closed his eyes, knowing he must be grinning like a silly kid. “They just need time to see that I’m okay, and that you aren’t using me.”
“I’ve loved you before I even met you,” Glenn said, pulling back. James opened his eyes and saw that soft look in Glenn’s expression that always made him feel warm and gooey, like Charlene’s fresh from the oven double chocolate chip cookies.
“How, when you hadn’t met me?” He figured it was okay to be a little breathless when his body was burning slowly with a need only Glenn could stir in him.
Glenn shrugged and looked adorably bashful. “I don’t know, there was just something—when I got the file on you, I was intrigued. The more I learned about you, how generous you are, what you did for Chase, the way you’d set up the plan to go after Mitch Rollins III. All those things and maybe some cosmic interference, the hand of fate or something, it all just hit me right here.” Glenn tapped his chest. “I couldn’t do a thing to stop it, James, and I didn’t care to try to stop it. Loving you is an integral part of me. I couldn’t do anything other than hope you’d love me, too.”
“I do,” James said. He’d never get tired of telling Glenn, either, not when it put that look in Glenn’s eyes. Heat coiled in James’ belly and tingling sensations caused his ass to www.total-e-bound.com
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clench. It would have caused James to panic not so long ago, but now he pressed closed to Glenn as the man settled his hands on James’ hips. The brush of Glenn’s cock against his made James shiver and wiggle even closer. Glenn’s hands clenched on his hips and James settled a palm against Glenn’s nape to encourage him to tip his head for a kiss.
“I think they’re gone,” James heard from the hallway just as Glenn’s lips brushed his.
He sighed and unplastered himself from Glenn’s front. Glenn grumbled and didn’t let James get more than a couple of inches between them. “Kinda trying to hide these.” Glenn pushed his hand between them, rubbing their cocks with his hand.
James chuckled as he heard Chase and Xavier’s footsteps drawing closer. “It’s going to be obvious either way,” James pointed out. “In which case, I might as well stay close to you.”
Glenn’s wicked smile sent sweet need splintering through James and he was on the verge of just grabbing his man and dragging him back to the apartment…or making use of the large leather couch in the living room since it was closer. Only the fact that he’d never been one for audiences held him back. That, and he didn’t want to share Glenn’s body, even visually, with anyone else.
“You two look, er, happy,” Xavier said. James turned his head and arched a brow at Xavier as Glenn chuckled.
Chase shook his head and blatantly ogled them. “What he means is, you two look horny.”
“Tactful,” James teased.
“Honest,” Chase shot back with a grin that faltered immediately. He walked over to James and squeezed his arm. “Hey, I’m sorry about your parents. I probably should have kept my mouth shut, but when she looked Xavier over like he was a pile of cold shit and told him there was no need to sit guard over them since he allowed someone like me in his house, I kind of wanted to slap her.”
Xavier nodded as he joined them. “But he held back admirably and only told them they could leave.”
“I didn’t want them to feel like they had to put up with my lower class cooties,” Chase huffed.
James hooked an arm around Chase and gave him a hug, careful to twist his upper body.
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Chase laughed and slapped him on the back. “Afraid that thing will go off?” He pointed to James’ cock.
“Not for you,” James retorted as he dropped his arm to his side. “I’m sorry my mother was such a snob.”
“It’s okay,” Chase said as he shrugged. “Not the first time she’s snarked at me.”
Xavier glowered at his lover. “But this time it was in my house, and to my lover. I wanted to throttle them both.” He looked at James. “How the hell did you turn out so normal?”
“I think he was born with their compassion, because neither of his folks have any,”
Chase muttered.
James would have disagreed if he hadn’t sometimes thought the same thing. Glenn held up a hand. “Let’s not start bashing them. James’ mother seemed less frigid at the end of the conversation. I think there’s a chance James might be able to have a relationship with his parents, eventually.”
“Let’s hope so, but I will not tolerate them insulting Chase or any of my friends, not in my home and not in my hearing.” Xavier nodded and looked at James. “I do hope it works out. It’d be best for you, and them, if y’all could get along.”
“It would, but I’m not holding my breath.” Just hoping a little. “Glenn thinks they’ll still be keeping an eye on me.”
Xavier nodded. “I can’t imagine they’d just suddenly stop, not when they’ve done it all your life.”
“They want to make sure you’re doing well,” Glenn added.
“Or bad, so they can swoop in,” Chase pointed out.
“Probably, you are all right.” James cut his glance to Glenn. “Is that PI still in jail?”
Glenn shrugged. “I doubt it, but I’ll find out from Les if you want.”
“Is that guy going to keep hitting on you?” James could deal with being watched better than he could deal with some ass hole coming on to Glenn.
“I can dissuade him,” Chase offered, looking excited about that idea. “I promise not to hurt him.”
Glenn laughed and shook his head as he thumped Chase’s back. “No, I can handle Leaks myself. I don’t think he’s going to be bothering me anymore. He knows I’m in love www.total-e-bound.com
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with James, and despite how horny Leaks seems, I do believe he has enough restraint to behave if he wants to.” Glenn smiled goofily and patted Chase’s cheek. “But thank you, it’s sweet that you’re willing to defend my—well, I was
going to say virtue…”
Chase batted at Glenn’s hand and scowled. “I was going to say your ass, but since you are an ass, I rescind my offer!” He patted Glenn’s cheek then ruined his fit by laughing. “Nah, I still have your back, but I think James would probably decimate this Leaks guy—seriously,”
Chase’s scowl slipped back into place. “What kind of name is that?”
“One that probably got him picked on endlessly at school,” Xavier said. “Add in being gay…”
Several groans followed, James’ included. He scrubbed at his forehead and muttered,
“Fine, make us all feel bad for the guy.”
“I’m just saying, he’s probably a bit more flamboyant because of it, defiant, maybe even.”
“Stop talking,” Chase grumbled. “You’re going to have us all going out to find this guy so we can make sure no big bad bears get hold of him.”
“He’d like the big bad bears to get hold of him,” Glenn informed them. “But trust me, Leaks is capable of taking care of himself.”
James hugged Chase again, then Xavier. “Thanks for letting us do this here.”
“Any time,” Xavier said as he pulled back. “Although I can’t promise not to say something myself if your parents decide to do the whole icy insult, wealthy snob thing again.”
“I wouldn’t expect you to. This is your house, yours and Chase’s. No one should come into it and insult either of you.” They talked a few more minutes before James and Glenn left hand in hand, and headed back to the apartment.
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