by Lila Rose
Mitch got up from his seat and quickly marched from the library, with Death following.
“Thank you,” Gregory started. He smiled over at me. “I didn’t want to do that, not that I didn’t want to ask you out, Lucas, I did, but—”
“I would shut up now,” West suggested.
Gregory did as soon as he saw the scowl on Wade’s face. His upper lip rose. “I didn’t do it for you, and we don’t give a fuck what you think. Just stay away from Lucas.”
Gregory gulped. “I will.” He stood and bowed awkwardly and then grabbed his things and swiftly walked from the room.
Wade sat back down and took one of my hands in both of his. “Don’t take that on.”
“He’s right, Lucas,” West put in. “He could have done things differently. He could have gone to the cops. He could have confided in someone, but he didn’t.”
“I should have—”
Wade tugged on my hand and shook his head. “There’s nothin’ you could have done. But now we know, we’ll do somethin’ about it.”
My eyes widened. “You will?”
“Even though he’s been a motherfucker with you, no one deserves that treatment. Death will take care of it.”
Death reappeared. “Yeah, kid, I’ve got it. Don’t you stress.”
Dragging in a breath, I nodded. Tension did wash away inside of me because I knew they were right. There was nothing I could have done without the knowledge, but I also knew that they would handle it in the best way they saw fit.
“Okay,” I whispered. Wade grinned, happy I trusted they would have things under control.
“Are we going to study still?”
I wasn’t really in the mood. I bit my bottom lip and looked down at the books on the table, then up at Wade. What I wanted was to go home with Wade, watch TV, eat, and make out. But I did have a test tomorrow I needed to pass.
“Unfortunately, I still need to get a couple of chapters done.”
Wade winked. “Death and I will head to the burger joint, hang out for a few hours, and then I’ll bring you something back.”
Never had I expected Wade could be like this. To me, that was the sweetest thing he could have done.
“Okay,” I said softly.
“Fuck,” he clipped. He glanced at West. “Make sure you’re with him all the damn time. I’m sure you know by now he goes into a bubble where nothin’ but what’s in front of him can penetrate.”
He said penetrate. With my mood somewhat lifted, I wanted to laugh like a little twelve-year-old.
West did it for me and muttered, “He said penetrate.”
Wade made a noise in the back of his throat while Death chuckled.
West sobered. “Got it, big guy. I’m on Lucas watch, and I won’t let you down.”
“You know I am here and can take care of myself, right?” I asked. They all looked at me and smiled. I rolled my eyes and threw my hands up, grumbling, “Whatever.”
“Can you bring something back for me?” West asked.
“No,” Wade replied sharply.
“Wade,” I said.
Death laughed. “Don’t worry, kid, I’ll bring your friend back some food.”
“Thank you, Death,” I told him.
“Lucas, see me out,” Wade ordered. When I didn’t move, his gaze narrowed. “Please.”
“Hooey, look at that, men. Wreck said please. Kid, you must be amazin’ in bed to tame the grump,” Death teased, and earned a scowl from Wreck where I just went bright red.
“Do not say that shit, brother,” Wade warned.
Death grinned like it didn’t sound like Wade was ready to rip him a new asshole.
West leaned into me and whispered, “Are you sure with him?”
Wade’s hard gaze shot to him, then to me. I smiled and said, “Yes.” It was then Wade smiled back at me.
Chapter Fifteen
Wreck
I took Lucas’s hand as we walked out of the library. “I’ll be back by ten, that all right?” I asked. I turned into him, resting my hands on his waist, and he dropped his to my upper arms.
“Sounds good, but you know you don’t have to come back, right?”
I glared down at him. “Do you not want me to?”
“No, I—”
“Did that shit scare you? What I did? I didn’t know his father did shit to him, or I wouldn’t have put my fuckin’ hands on him. But I had to make sure he understood you were off-limits.”
“I know, it’s not—”
I dropped my hands, second-guessing myself and finding that I’d never done that with anyone in the past, but I didn’t want Lucas to be pissed at me for anything, or disgusted. Shit, I was a goner for this guy. I didn’t realize how much.
“I can try to change—”
His hand slapped over my mouth. “Holy heck, Wade. Let me talk.” He smiled. That was a good sign. My body relaxed a little. “I don’t want you to change. I like you as you are. You’re protective, I understand that. It can be scary to see you in your… ah, Avenger mode, but it’s also….” He trailed off, and with the streetlights showing and the ones shining through the library window, I could see him blushing.
“Also what?” I asked after removing his hand and holding it in mine to keep in one place since he looked ready to bolt with how many times he kept glancing back to the library doors.
He rolled his eyes. “You know.”
“Don’t have a clue.” I did, and I suspected he knew I knew, but I also wanted him to say it.
He sighed. “A turn-on,” he blurted quickly and went to turn to run off.
Laughing, I grabbed him around the waist and spun him back into me. “You’re too fuckin’ cute. I’m messin’ with you, but I’m glad you think it’s a turn-on. Everythin’ you do seems to get me hard.”
“Oh” was all he said. Yet, I felt how he stilled, saw his eyes widen, and watched as his blush deepened.
“And what the fuck is Avenger’s mode?”
His brows shot up. “You don’t know Avengers? The movies? Or even Captain America?” I shook my head. “Thor?”
“Haven’t a damn clue.”
“Wade, we’re going to have to watch them together.”
Shit, I’d sit through any movie with Lucas at my side. “Sounds like a date.”
He bit his bottom lip, but I caught his smile. “I’d like that.”
“Then it’s done.” I tugged at the neck of his turtleneck, and he was quick to glare up at me.
“Yes, let’s talk about that. I had to hide a hickey, Wade. If my brother saw that, then he would ask questions, and I’m not really good at lying. If you’re going to leave something behind, can you make it on other parts of my body?” he flushed, no doubt realizing what he’d just asked for.
Grinning, I told him, “I can do that.”
“Um… well, then… okay.”
I didn’t want to go, but the quicker he studied, the quicker I could come back for him. Why did two hours seem like a fucking long time all of a sudden? “Gotta get there to get back and feed you. Now kiss me, Lucas.”
“Okay,” he whispered. He reached up, curled his arms around my neck, and I dipped enough to have his mouth in a hard, deep kiss.
“You know you guys can make out later, right? I’m starvin’,” Death called.
I cursed under my breath as I tucked Lucas’s hair behind his ear. “Stay in there until I come back. And trust me when I say we’ll deal with fuckhead’s father.”
His smile was soft, his eyes warm, and fuck me did I want to see what he looked like after I fucked him. He nodded. “I will and I do trust you.”
My chest swelled. Christ, he made me happy. “Good.” I gave him a quick peck and walked off to my bike, where a grinning-like-a-fucking-idiot Death stood leaning against his. I glanced back to make sure Lucas had gone in, but he was still standing there. I shot him a chin lift. He gave me a wave, then turned around and disappeared through the doors.
“Holy fuck, you two are lost in
each other. I don’t know if I should kill you to take your place or throw the fuck up because it’s so adorable.”
“Shut the fuck up,” I clipped, without any real bite. I hadn’t felt this damn good in a long time.
Lucas did that to me.
Yeah, there was no way in fuck I was giving that up.
“We gettin’ food, or you wanna stalk him from out here?”
“Food,” I stated but glanced back again.
Death laughed. “Are you sure?”
“Get the hell on your ride, brother.”
Lucas
As soon as I was inside, I knew I would get the fifth degree from West. At least I had the glow of kissing Wade outside to get me through it. Well, I hoped.
What added to the glow was how he’d been worried what I thought of him with how he dealt with Mitch. It was sweet he’d been concerned. It showed me he cared.
It was only the second day for us. It was new and exciting learning about one another. But it also felt comfortable…. Mostly when I wasn’t getting embarrassed by something I’d done or things he said. Like how I gave him a hard-on all the time. Heck, I wanted to fan myself over that line.
I managed to make it to the table and sit before West demanded, “Everything.”
Shrugging, I pulled my books over to me and said, “There’s not much to say— Ow, dang it. That hurt,” I told him, rubbing my shin.
“Well, don’t leave me hanging. Lucas, he’s one large, scary mofo, and cranky seems to be his middle name. Did you see the way he just banged assface’s head into the table without a thought? I mean, yes, it’s bad what he has to deal with, with his dad, but he shouldn’t have messed with you. At least we know they’ll handle it and get Mitch out of shit.” He took a breath and went on. “Then, when Wreck looks at you, it’s like everything slows down, and all his attention goes on to you. It’s amazing, and I’m totally jealous.”
My heart raced in my chest from West’s intake of Wade and me. I hadn’t noticed, yet now he’d painted the picture, I could see it clearly. My emotions latched on, telling me I liked him so much more than the first day.
West chuckled. “You hadn’t seen it?”
“No,” I admitted. “I keep worrying this will all just be a phase for him, but then he says or does something to make me forget that worry and I want to believe. I really want to believe.”
He tapped his foot against mine. I looked up at him to find him smiling. “I think you can continue to believe because from what I’ve seen, and it’s only been a short time, is that he’s completely taken with you. How did you get so lucky?”
I rolled my eyes, but I couldn’t wipe the grin from my face because I did feel lucky. “Come on, you have something good going on with—”
“We broke up,” he announced.
“Wait, what?”
“Shush,” the librarian called out.
“When, how, why?”
When his lips thinned, but I caught the tremble beforehand, I knew it was bad. He glanced away and then back again with watery eyes.
“West,” I uttered. “What happened?”
He shook his head and sniffed. “Nothing. I don’t want to talk about it.” He laughed. “I was going to cancel coming tonight, but I’m glad I didn’t, or I would have missed out on all this excitement.”
“West,” I tried again.
“It helped keep my mind off things.”
What had the… the bastard done to my best friend?
“Do I need Wade to beat Sam up? I’ll ask, just for you, if it’ll make you feel better.”
West laughed. “No. Well… maybe, I’ll keep the offer in mind.”
“You know I’m here for you?”
West nodded. “I know.”
“Did he hurt you?”
He sniffed again and looked down at the table. “Only emotionally.” He took a deep breath. “I caught him sleeping with someone else.”
Anger burned inside me. From the couple of times I’d met Sam, I’d thought he was a good one. West had been so taken with him. My heart ached for my friend.
“Do you know what this calls for?” I asked.
He rubbed at his eyes. “What?”
“Swear words.” I sucked in a breath. “That motherfucking butthole, prick, donkey-nose bastard deserves his dick to rot and fall off.”
West’s eyes widened, and then he laughed. “Jesus, no wonder you don’t swear. Donkey-nose bastard.” He smiled. “Thank you, Lucas. You’re a good friend.”
I shrugged.
“Now, do you know what would distract me even more?”
“What?” Although, I had a feeling it was something to do with Wade and me.
“Telling me about kissing that fine man of yours.”
Called it.
In the end, I only gave West a few details. I wanted to make him feel better, after all. But I kept the main parts to myself. I was greedy and didn’t want to share what had happened between us. Even when it had been only once.
Eventually, he realized I would keep being evasive on the more important details, so we got our heads stuck into studying. It wasn’t until a hand slapped to the table right next to me that I woke from my zone.
“What?” I asked, blinking up and around me.
West stood beside me, Wade on the other side.
“It’s a sickness,” West said with a shake of his head and a laugh. “But that’s how I’ve learned to get his attention,” West explained to Wade.
“To scare him.”
“Yep, unless he comes out of it on his own, but he won’t do that until he’s finished.”
“It’s a worry,” Wade commented.
“Don’t stress. Usually when he’s out studying, someone’s with him.” His hands shot up. “I’m not talking about on a date or a guy who wants to bone him. Though there are a few.”
“Give me their fuckin’ names,” Wade clipped.
I quickly stood and grabbed his arm. “He’s only teasing. There aren’t any.” I glared over my shoulder at a smirking West. Glancing back to Wade, I boldly rested my hand against his neck. His eyes dropped to me. “Did you bring food?”
He picked up his hand and rattled the paper bag. “Got it here.”
“Great, should I eat here or home?”
He smiled. “Up to you.”
“Did West get any?”
“Got my bag here, and I’m going to head home to eat it.”
Facing him, I asked, “Do you want to come to my place? We can… have a drink or something?”
He smiled. “Sweet of you to ask, but I’ll be fine. Go and have fun with your guy while your brother’s out working.”
Of course, heat hit my cheeks. I’d told him about us not saying anything to Zion until we were steady in the relationship. I’d forgotten for a moment Zion wasn’t going to be home so the thought of going there with Wade alone had my lower stomach tingling.
“West, I’d like you to come,” I tried again, worried about him going to his apartment alone. I quickly placed my books in my backpack before looking to West again.
“Stop, I’m not going to go home and cry into my Wheaties. I’ll be fine. Now, I’m heading off. Thanks for the entertainment and have a good night.” He made his way to the door and headed out.
I kind of felt guilty because I didn’t press more.
“What happened?”
Sighing, I turned back to Wade. “He caught his boyfriend cheating. He really cared for him, so it’s a terrible situation he’s in.”
“Shit.”
“Yeah. I don’t know what this will do to him.”
“All you can do is be there for him,” Wade said as he took my hand, and I grabbed my bag off the table. “But if you want, we can go to his place and check on him.”
That was so darn sweet.
Smiling up at him, I shook my head. “He’s just left and said he didn’t need company. I’ll leave it for tonight but then call him tomorrow.” We walked outside hand in hand, and I couldn’
t help but stare down at his palm in mine.
He was holding my hand in public.
Like we’d been doing it forever.
“How are you so comfortable to hold my hand?”
When we stopped at a car, he pressed my back into it and loomed over me. “Because it’s you. I’m findin’ I don’t give a fuck what people think when it comes to this because it feels natural. I still wanna keep things between us for a while. Is that cool?”
“Yeah, it is.” Anything he said right then I would be cool with it. Having Wade “Wreck” Williams stare down at me like I was the only thing in his world was everything I could have wished for.
Never had I thought my lust-filled fantasy would come true. This straight man was telling me he wanted me. Was barricading me in his arms as I leaned against the car and grinned like a maniac up at him.
Maybe I would buy a lotto ticket because it seemed my luck was changing.
“What are you thinkin’?” he asked, his voice low and rough.
“How lucky I am,” I blurted without thinking and then thought I sounded like such a fool.
He smiled but shook his head. “I’m the lucky one.”
My phone vibrated in my pocket. Wade pulled back and said, “Check it. Could be Saint sayin’ he’s not workin’ but comin’ home.”
True, but I hoped it wasn’t. Wade pulled keys out, and the car behind me unlocked. I turned, looking at it. “I thought you had your bike.”
He opened the door for me. “Know you’re not a fan yet. Thought you’d prefer a lift home in this instead of you walking and me following you on the bike.”
My heart melted into a gooey pile inside me.
“That’s, um, very nice,” I said softly as I slid into my seat.
He leaned in and kissed me quickly before straightening and walking around the car to the driver side. Of course, I watched the show in front of me, until my phone sounded again, notifying me I had an unread message.
Mom: Hello, my sweeties, just to let you know your aunt’s procedure is getting delayed a month. Looks like we won’t be back this weekend (crying emoji). I’m blaming your father. He did this somehow. I miss both of my boys so much.
