Read Online Angel's Redemption by Andi Anderson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Andi Anderson
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breath and tried to center himself as he gathered his thoughts. In the living room, he sat beside Jack on the sofa. With noticeably shaking fingers, Elijah passed Jack his drink. He silently cursed himself for looking as nervous as he felt. If the handsome man noticed, he didn't make a comment about it, for which Elijah was grateful. He didn't want to discuss his apparent nervousness; Elijah would rather just get to the matter at hand.
Elijah took a deep drink of his sweet tea to soothe his suddenly parched throat. He set the glass on the coaster at the coffee table in front of them and leaned back against the soft couch. He could feel the weight of Jack's stare and found both Jack and Shep looking at him.
Supporting him.
Here goes nothing .
"I'm not sure how to this, so I'll just start at the beginning." Elijah tried to keep the tremble out of his voice.
"Whatever you want, Eli. Just remember I'm here for you."
Elijah gave him what he hoped was a grateful smile. "Thanks."
The older man nodded and said nothing, his green eyes bright with compassion.
"I was a troubled child. I had a very young mother who would rather party than take care of her son. I guess you could call me a 'latchkey kid.' While she worked or partied, I learned at a young age to take care of myself. I came and went as I wanted. She was usually too drunk to notice, and truth be told, even when she was sober, she didn't care." Elijah clutched his hands in his lap, looked down at them, and watched his knuckles turn white. "As I grew older, I became kind of lost. I was hurting and craving someone to care about me… pay attention to me, so I started acting out. It wasn't unusual for me to be suspended from skipping school or being disruptive in the classroom."
Jack slid his hand over to Elijah's tightly clasped ones and eased it on top of them. Elijah immediately unclasped his hands and put his hand atop Jack's larger one. When the older man turned his hand around and held onto his with a firm grip, Elijah felt the urge to cry. Jack was trying to show his support and encouraging him to continue on, so he gave his hand a slight squeeze and looked back up into his attentive face.
"I started drinking when I was around thirteen. The first time I came home drunk, I thought my mother might be angry, but she wasn't. Instead, she laughed and we had a beer together. I guess in her warped mind, this somehow made her notice me because after that, it wasn't unusual for us to drink and party together. This went on for a couple of years until I met Ken one night at the movie theater. I had gone there with some friends, and he approached me."
Jack said nothing, but gently pulled their joined hands toward him, as if he wanted Elijah to move closer. As Elijah scooted near, he was quickly welcomed by Jack's open arms. Elijah allowed himself to be led into the warmth and security of Jack's hold. He took a few seconds to just nestle against this amazing man and allow the silent understanding and friendship to seep into him, giving Elijah the strength to continue with his story.
"Ken was good-looking and ten years older than me. I always knew I was attracted to other males, and when I met him, he was the first man that openly flirted with me. He told me he was a Hollywood agent and that with my looks, he would easily make me a star. He nicknamed me Angel, because of my innocent face and 'boyish charms.'" He made air quotes around the words. Elijah laid his head on Jack's shoulder and closed his eyes, visualizing himself as this stupid, naïve kid who fell easily into Ken's manipulative clutches.
He sighed. Elijah was determined to finish his story and get it out there no matter what the outcome of revealing it may be. "He offered me what I thought was love and friendship, and since I've never had that before, I easily fell under his spell and into his bed."
"You were fifteen?" Jack's voice was calm, soothing.
"Yes."
Jack's arms tightened around him, as if he were
Elijah took a deep drink of his sweet tea to soothe his suddenly parched throat. He set the glass on the coaster at the coffee table in front of them and leaned back against the soft couch. He could feel the weight of Jack's stare and found both Jack and Shep looking at him.
Supporting him.
Here goes nothing .
"I'm not sure how to this, so I'll just start at the beginning." Elijah tried to keep the tremble out of his voice.
"Whatever you want, Eli. Just remember I'm here for you."
Elijah gave him what he hoped was a grateful smile. "Thanks."
The older man nodded and said nothing, his green eyes bright with compassion.
"I was a troubled child. I had a very young mother who would rather party than take care of her son. I guess you could call me a 'latchkey kid.' While she worked or partied, I learned at a young age to take care of myself. I came and went as I wanted. She was usually too drunk to notice, and truth be told, even when she was sober, she didn't care." Elijah clutched his hands in his lap, looked down at them, and watched his knuckles turn white. "As I grew older, I became kind of lost. I was hurting and craving someone to care about me… pay attention to me, so I started acting out. It wasn't unusual for me to be suspended from skipping school or being disruptive in the classroom."
Jack slid his hand over to Elijah's tightly clasped ones and eased it on top of them. Elijah immediately unclasped his hands and put his hand atop Jack's larger one. When the older man turned his hand around and held onto his with a firm grip, Elijah felt the urge to cry. Jack was trying to show his support and encouraging him to continue on, so he gave his hand a slight squeeze and looked back up into his attentive face.
"I started drinking when I was around thirteen. The first time I came home drunk, I thought my mother might be angry, but she wasn't. Instead, she laughed and we had a beer together. I guess in her warped mind, this somehow made her notice me because after that, it wasn't unusual for us to drink and party together. This went on for a couple of years until I met Ken one night at the movie theater. I had gone there with some friends, and he approached me."
Jack said nothing, but gently pulled their joined hands toward him, as if he wanted Elijah to move closer. As Elijah scooted near, he was quickly welcomed by Jack's open arms. Elijah allowed himself to be led into the warmth and security of Jack's hold. He took a few seconds to just nestle against this amazing man and allow the silent understanding and friendship to seep into him, giving Elijah the strength to continue with his story.
"Ken was good-looking and ten years older than me. I always knew I was attracted to other males, and when I met him, he was the first man that openly flirted with me. He told me he was a Hollywood agent and that with my looks, he would easily make me a star. He nicknamed me Angel, because of my innocent face and 'boyish charms.'" He made air quotes around the words. Elijah laid his head on Jack's shoulder and closed his eyes, visualizing himself as this stupid, naïve kid who fell easily into Ken's manipulative clutches.
He sighed. Elijah was determined to finish his story and get it out there no matter what the outcome of revealing it may be. "He offered me what I thought was love and friendship, and since I've never had that before, I easily fell under his spell and into his bed."
"You were fifteen?" Jack's voice was calm, soothing.
"Yes."
Jack's arms tightened around him, as if he were
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