Answered Prayers

by Max Hudson

  “Answered Prayers”

  M/M Gay Romance

  Max Hudson

  © 2017

  Max Hudson

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  This book is intended for Adults (ages 18+) only. The contents may be offensive to some readers. It may contain graphic language, explicit sexual content, and adult situations. May contain scenes of unprotected sex. Please do not read this book if you are offended by content as mentioned above or if you are under the age of 18.

  Please educate yourself on safe sex practices before making potentially life-changing decisions about sex in real life. If you’re not sure where to start, see here: http://www.jerrycoleauthor.com/safe-sex-resources/ (courtesy of Jerry Cole).

  This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner & are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. Products or brand names mentioned are trademarks of their respective holders or companies. The cover uses licensed images & are shown for illustrative purposes only. Any person(s) that may be depicted on the cover are simply models.

  Edition v1.00 (2017.08.07)

  http://www.maxhudsonauthor.com

  Special thanks to the following volunteer readers who helped with proofreading: Scotty Z. and those who assisted but wished to be anonymous. Thank you so much for your support.

  Table of Contents

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Prologue

  Three weeks before Anderson Grant’s release, he met with the prison chaplain again.

  “Good morning, Andy.”

  The Episcopal priest smiled at Andy, who managed to return the greeting without stumbling over his words. The man who stood before him was the most gorgeous creature he’d ever seen in his life. Blue-eyed, blond-haired, a little shorter than Andy and slender, he exuded serenity. His cheeks sank into dimples when he smiled, and his eyes lit up, making the blue sparkle like the ocean on a sunny day. Andy had wanted to suck on those smiling lips more than once.

  Father Carter had been coming to see him for a couple of months, while the other chaplain recovered from surgery. At first, Andy had been wary. He wasn't in the market for salvation. He knew he was beyond that and if there was a God, Andy wasn’t even on his radar. He accepted his fate and wasn’t interested in hearing the spiel to save his soul. But this guy…this priest didn’t push God down his throat. Instead, Father Carter showed him what real care for another human being looked like. He listened to Andy, encouraged him, recommended ways to give his life meaning, and prayed for him to find peace. Andy could handle that.

  What he was having a much harder time handling was his out-of-control attraction to a man of the cloth, and someone, moreover, who would never be interested in a man like Andy. Aside from the fact that Andy was gay, a fact that Father Carter knew, Andy knew the priest’s religion forbade gay relationships. So even if the man was gay, which Andy highly doubted, he wouldn’t go against his beliefs to be with Andy.

  “You seem preoccupied today, Andy,” Father Carter said. “Has anything happened?”

  Andy smiled. He liked how the priest made his question seem innocuous, when what he wanted to know was whether anyone had touched Andy in any inappropriate or threatening way. He knew Andy’s history and knew about the violence barely contained under the quiet surface. He wanted to haul the man into his arms and hug the shit out of him for caring, so he was glad that he couldn’t. All bets were off if Andy got his hands on the priest. At the very least, he’d get a beating from the guards for attacking the man. He wasn’t interested in extending his time inside because he couldn’t control his lust.

  “I’m fine, Father. Just thinking about what I’m going to do when my times is up here.” A lie was safer than the truth.

  “Yes, that’s just a few weeks away, isn’t it?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  They talked about Andy’s options. The priest knew that Andy’s brother Mason was coming to get him on his release day, and that Andy had chosen to live in a church-run house established to assist ex-convicts find their way back into society, instead of going home with Mase. He applauded Andy’s reasons and had promised to be there to talk to Mase if need be. He promised to have a list of job opportunities ready for Andy by the time he was released. Then Andy watched him leave, masking the desire he felt for the man. No one needed to know how his cock tightened as he watched the priest walk away, how his hands shook slightly as he clenched them into fists to control them. He wasn’t willing to give up his weekly sessions if the guards discovered his interest. He would see Father Carter again in seven days. That would have to be enough…

  ***

  Three weeks later, Jude looked up as the lone man walked through the tall iron gates of the prison. Andy Grant was a walking wet dream, and Jude was glad he had chosen to wear jeans today to meet the man whom he was growing more attracted to with every meeting. He could mask his body’s reaction far better in the confining clothing. There was an aura of controlled violence about Andy that warned Jude to stay away, but it was that very quality that had first drawn him to the tall, muscular, dark-haired man whose eyes lit up when he saw Jude. The strength in his wide shoulders, the quiet confidence in his stride, the powerful limbs…everything made Jude want to reach out and touch him.

  Jude shuttered his expression. No one needed to know he was struggling with sinful desires where Andy was concerned. They had been growing since his first meeting with Andy, and Jude knew he had to rein in the feelings that were threatening to weaken his knees. He stood next to an equally tall Mason Grant and waited silently for Andy to reach them. He watched approvingly as the older man hugged his younger brother hard, not letting Andy go for a long moment. He was glad that Andy had someone who loved him in his corner. The transition from convicted felon to law-abiding citizen would be a difficult one at best. And if he couldn’t be the one to be there for Andy, he was at least grateful that Mason would be.

  “Father Carter, thanks for coming.” Andy’s rich bass voice stroked over Jude’s raw nerve endings, sending his heart rate spiraling up. “I appreciate all you’ve done for me.”

  Jude smiled. “No thanks are necessary, Andy. It has been my pleasure.” If only he knew how much pleasure, and how much more Jude had wanted than just to see him once a week…

  “Well, let’s get going. The air around this place is depressing.” Mason Grant’s voice was as deep as his younger brother’s, but it had no effect on Jude.

  He rode in the back of Mason’s SUV to the house where Andy would be staying until he sorted himself out. Jude took the opportunity to observe the man he was attracted to as they drove along. Andy would most likely need a haircut, though Jude loved the length of his dark brown tresses. If he didn’t need to make a good impression in his job hunting, Jude would have preferred him to leave it the way it was. He could imagine himself running his fingers through those wavy locks… Andy looked over his shoulder, and Jude looked away when Andy’
s eyes met his. He shivered at the almost physical touch of the man’s eyes on his face.

  For the rest of the ride, Jude looked out the window, not seeing anything but managing to keep control of his thoughts. Once at the halfway house, he and Mason escorted Andy in to meet with the director, a short, quiet man with a commanding presence. He introduced himself as Ryan Gilbert.

  “Father Carter, good to see you again, sir,” Mr. Gilbert said, shaking Jude’s hand.

  “Same here, Ryan. Let me introduce you to Andy Grant and his brother Mason.”

  “Welcome, Andy. I’m Ryan.” He shook Andy’s hand before continuing. “It’s our mission to make the men who pass through this house as comfortable and safe as they need to be as they make their transition.”

  He turned to Mason and shook his hand as well before addressing him. “I know how much you would have liked for your brother to stay with you, but I’m happy that you are supportive of his decision to remain here. If you ever have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. We’re here to serve both of you.”

  Then he took them to the room that Andy would occupy while he searched for work and a place to live on his own. Jude waited in the front hall, watching Andy walk beside his brother, fighting to keep his reaction to the sight of those long legs and wide shoulders to himself. He wondered with a shudder what Andy would look like in a pair of well-fitting jeans and a tight t-shirt.

  “Thanks again, Father.” The bass voice shook him out of his reverie, and he looked up. They had returned almost at once, and Jude caught what looked like interest in Andy’s eyes. Did Andy know how Jude felt when he was around him? Did it disgust him? Amuse him? Jude shook his head to clear it of the disquieting thoughts. Now was not the time to lose himself in useless wondering about things he had no control over.

  “You’re welcome, Andy. I’ll see you at the church offices tomorrow, then?”

  “Yes, sir.” Andy extended his hand.

  The shock of their first physical contact drove a hard shudder through Jude’s system, and he felt Andy’s hand tighten around his own. He looked up and the flare in Andy’s eyes said he had felt it, too. He squeezed Andy’s hand briefly, then let go before he did something stupid like use it to pull him in for a hug. Jude had not had many sexual experiences outside of the ones he enjoyed solo, and those were few and far between. He hadn’t been kissed since his early days in college, choosing celibacy over the emotional turmoil that his fellow students often suffered as their partners came and went. But he had dreamed of Andy’s lips on his more than once in recent months. However, now was not the time to realize that dream, either.

  “It was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Grant,” he said, turning with his hand still outstretched to Andy’s brother.

  “Thanks for all you’ve done for my brother, Father Carter,” Mason said, shaking his hand and smiling widely. “We’re going out for lunch, and we’d love it if you’d join us.”

  Jude was sorely tempted to accept the invitation, but he knew it was a bad idea, especially with the feelings he was harboring for Andy. Luckily, he had an honest reason to refuse. “I’d love to, but I have a meeting in an hour. If either of you ever need me for anything, though, you know how to reach me.” He would see Andy again the next day. That would have to be enough.

  Jude watched them walk back to the SUV and waited until they had driven off before he got into his own modest, church-issued sedan, and drove back to the manse.

  Chapter One

  Andy threw the phone down on the bed and sank into the too-small chair beside it. That had been the fourth job he had missed out on, and he didn’t have to wonder why. Nobody wanted an ex-con on their payroll, especially not one who had killed a man. Although he didn’t regret killing the asshole who had beaten up and attempted to rape his sister-in-law, he wished things could be different now. Very few people knew the real Anderson Grant — the guy who loved his family more than anything else in the world; the guy who loved to run and swim and pump iron; the guy who wanted to be a personal trainer so he could help people struggling with body and health and even mental issues to feel better about themselves. None of the people with jobs to offer wanted to know that guy. All they cared about was his record.

  It was his turn on kitchen duty, and he rose, sighing heavily. He knew Ryan, would ask about his latest job search, and he wished he could give the man good news. Aside from Mase and Father Carter, no one was rooting for Andy harder than the man who had accepted him into Samaritan House without a question. Squaring his shoulders, he went down to the kitchen and walked in with a smile on his face. No point in being bitter. It didn’t help anything. He would get through this, like he had everything else life had thrown at him. He would fake it until he made it.

  During his six months in the house, with no jobs forthcoming, Andy helped Ryan prep two of his housemates to take their GED exams. Then, to stop himself from going stir crazy while he waited for a job offer, Andy had volunteered at the local soup kitchen. When one of their regular drivers had major surgery, Andy signed on to do deliveries for a few homeless shelters as a substitute driver until the man returned from sick leave. He had been so thrilled to get a paycheck, even a minimal one. He opened a new bank account, and socked away almost all the money he made those eight weeks, keeping back only enough to buy toiletries, contribute to the food pantry in the house, and purchase a bus pass to get to work and back.

  He rarely saw Father Carter these days. After that first meeting the day after his release, at which the priest had given him a list of places to go job hunting, and had asked after his emotional well-being, they had only met twice more for counseling. Andy didn’t want to talk to anyone else about his issues. He was a private man, and one person outside his family knowing his shit was more than enough exposure for him. Ryan was a certified social worker and a deacon in his church, and Andy appreciated all the support the man gave him with things like searching for jobs, writing job applications, and keeping a good thought. But Andy wouldn’t share any of the deepest thoughts he had with him. Hell, he couldn’t even share some of them with Father Carter, since the priest starred in them in graphic and specific ways.

  “What’s on for dinner tonight?” he asked his kitchen mate, a younger guy who had been released four months earlier and who was moving out of state in another month to a job.

  “Chicken and rice, corn and peas. I’m shelling. And I’ll make the salad.”

  Andy laughed. The guy loved to do anything that didn’t require him to stand over an open flame. That was fine with Andy, who loved to cook but hated the prep. They worked efficiently together, and by the time dinner was ready, the seven men who lived in the house had all come in from work. Andy called them to dinner, waited while Ryan prayed over the food, and then sat back and waited until they had all helped themselves before sharing his own. They all sat at the table and joked around, and Andy let the peaceful feeling replace the anger that had shaken him when he received that last phone call. At least he still had a place to live and food to eat.

  After dinner, Andy made a call to Father Carter. He was fresh out of ideas for where else to look for work, and none of the other applications he had sent out had been answered. Maybe the good priest could suggest other avenues? He had already picked Ryan’s brain, and sat with him poring over job listings the previous evening. He told himself the only reason he was calling was to see if the priest had any fresh ideas. He ignored the little voice that called him a liar.

  “Good evening. This is Father Carter. How may I help you?”

  The sound of the man Andy was crushing on washed over him, sluicing through his ears into his chest, making his heart speed up.

  “Hi, Father Carter, it’s Andy Grant.”

  “Hi Andy. Is everything all right?” Jude’s warm question, spoken with real concern, wrapped around Andy’s heart like a warm blanket on a cold winter night.

  “Not everything, sir. I’m still jobless and feeling like I’ve overstayed my welcome here.”


  “Has Ryan asked you to leave?”

  The concern was now focused on how Andy might have been mistreated, so Andy hastened to reassure him. “No! Not at all. He’s been very helpful and supportive. But I feel like I’m taking up valuable space that some other poor schmuck could use.” Andy thought he sounded a bit whiny, so he hurried on in a firmer voice. “I was just wondering if you had heard of any fresh opportunities. Ryan and I have exhausted all the leads he had.”

  The silence on the other end of the line made Andy’s heart sink. He didn’t want to keep living in the house. In four months, it would be a year. He couldn’t still be there a year after getting out of prison. At this rate, it’d be better if he went to live with Mase and Cindy. The thought made him cringe, and he had to refocus to hear what the priest was saying.

  “Why don’t you come by the office in the morning? I may have something for you. Come ready to do some hard labor, if all goes well.”

  “Thanks, Father. I don’t care what it is. I’ll do it happily. I’d like to be in my own place by Christmas.”

  “A lofty goal, Andy, and one I hope you’ll achieve. So, I’ll see you tomorrow, then?”

  “Yes, sir. And thanks again.”

  After he hung up, he looked over the papers for the efficiency apartment he had been eyeing for a week or so. It would suit his needs perfectly, and it was just enough that he could afford it if he could just land a full-time job. Maybe tomorrow would be the breakthrough he needed. He crossed his fingers.

  When he arrived the next morning, a dumpster and a Daley’s Construction truck were parked in the yard between the church and the manse where Father Carter lived, and it was being filled with the detritus of a room or rooms from inside the dwelling. Andy called a greeting to the men working on the demolition before he entered the office where the priest was waiting for him.