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Authors: Bailey Bradford
Tags: Romance
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put his life back in some semblance of order. Everything had been taken from him—his job, his home even, Adam acknowledged since he was lying in a hospital bed—his ability to take care of and defend himself. He felt pathetic and angry, and Nick and Josh were dangerously close to becoming recipients for those emotions.
Adam reined in his temper, barely restraining himself from asking if both men really wanted to see his ass so badly. He knew that wasn’t the case, that Nick was just worried, and EX’S AND O’S
Bailey Bradford
47
Josh was…well, whatever. Adam actually found Josh’s jealousy cute, but he wished the man would realise there was no need for it. Nick looked at Josh like he was his salvation.
“I wouldn’t lie about it,” Adam said tiredly, his anger draining as quickly as it’d spiked. “I wouldn’t fuck around with my health. You don’t believe me, ask my mom. They beat the shit out of me in the parking lot of her apartment. She came running down the stairs screeching like a banshee. She can tell you I wasn’t raped.” Rescued by my mother, and thank God for it. Adam tried to look around the two men. “Where is my mom?” His stomach fluttered when Nick snickered.
“You didn’t hear the argument between Josh and Stanton a few minutes ago?”
Adam shook his head. “Not really, just…voices.”
Nick laughed and tipped his head at Josh. “He pretty much bullied Stanton into
taking Charlene over to the apartment where y’all will be staying. What I wouldn’t give to be a fly on the wall…”
“God,” Adam groaned, closing his eyes and trying to sink into the bed. He didn’t even want to know what embarrassing things his mother would tell the big cop.
Les didn’t often have nightmares, but if he did, this would certainly be one of them, he thought as he shut the passenger door of his cruiser. He didn’t want to be anywhere near Charlene. The woman was entirely too perceptive, seeing things Les didn’t even want to acknowledge himself. Taking a deep breath, he debated flipping on the lights and sirens. He could haul ass to the apartment, let the racket drown out any conversation Charlene might attempt to start…
But that’d make his unease obvious, and he just knew the woman would smirk at him the entire drive. At least his erection had finally wilted. Seeing Adam pass out in the waiting room had jerked all the blood back from Les’ dick and sent his pulse pounding in a rampage of fear for the little blond.
And Les didn’t want to think about that reaction, either.
“No sirens,” he muttered as he opened his door. Les slid into his seat and fumbled the keys into the ignition. He could feel Charlene watching him, and damned if he didn’t have to EX’S AND O’S
Bailey Bradford
48
repress a shudder or two. Les started the Charger then put it in reverse, carefully keeping from looking at Charlene as he craned his neck around to back out. He knew better than to hope the woman would be quiet.
“So”—Charlene began, proving Les right immediately—“I take it you’re not out?”
Les scrunched his brow in confusion as he shifted into drive. “Out? Out where? Right now we’re—”
Charlene snorted and slapped his arm, startling Les with the force of the blow. “Quit being a smart ass! You know I meant out as in, people don’t know you’re gay!”
No, Les didn’t know that. As far as he knew, he wasn’t gay, he just…had a low sex drive when it came to women, and who could blame him? His mother was one fucked up woman, and Les had never been able to shake his residual fear of them. Freud would have had a field day with Les, that’s for sure, but the fact was, Les had learned how deadly women could be at an early age. Did wanting one man make him gay? And why the hell was he even wondering? Les glared at Charlene from the corner of his eye. “I’m not gay. I haven’t ever—” Les grunted as a wave of embarrassment flooded him.
Adam reined in his temper, barely restraining himself from asking if both men really wanted to see his ass so badly. He knew that wasn’t the case, that Nick was just worried, and EX’S AND O’S
Bailey Bradford
47
Josh was…well, whatever. Adam actually found Josh’s jealousy cute, but he wished the man would realise there was no need for it. Nick looked at Josh like he was his salvation.
“I wouldn’t lie about it,” Adam said tiredly, his anger draining as quickly as it’d spiked. “I wouldn’t fuck around with my health. You don’t believe me, ask my mom. They beat the shit out of me in the parking lot of her apartment. She came running down the stairs screeching like a banshee. She can tell you I wasn’t raped.” Rescued by my mother, and thank God for it. Adam tried to look around the two men. “Where is my mom?” His stomach fluttered when Nick snickered.
“You didn’t hear the argument between Josh and Stanton a few minutes ago?”
Adam shook his head. “Not really, just…voices.”
Nick laughed and tipped his head at Josh. “He pretty much bullied Stanton into
taking Charlene over to the apartment where y’all will be staying. What I wouldn’t give to be a fly on the wall…”
“God,” Adam groaned, closing his eyes and trying to sink into the bed. He didn’t even want to know what embarrassing things his mother would tell the big cop.
Les didn’t often have nightmares, but if he did, this would certainly be one of them, he thought as he shut the passenger door of his cruiser. He didn’t want to be anywhere near Charlene. The woman was entirely too perceptive, seeing things Les didn’t even want to acknowledge himself. Taking a deep breath, he debated flipping on the lights and sirens. He could haul ass to the apartment, let the racket drown out any conversation Charlene might attempt to start…
But that’d make his unease obvious, and he just knew the woman would smirk at him the entire drive. At least his erection had finally wilted. Seeing Adam pass out in the waiting room had jerked all the blood back from Les’ dick and sent his pulse pounding in a rampage of fear for the little blond.
And Les didn’t want to think about that reaction, either.
“No sirens,” he muttered as he opened his door. Les slid into his seat and fumbled the keys into the ignition. He could feel Charlene watching him, and damned if he didn’t have to EX’S AND O’S
Bailey Bradford
48
repress a shudder or two. Les started the Charger then put it in reverse, carefully keeping from looking at Charlene as he craned his neck around to back out. He knew better than to hope the woman would be quiet.
“So”—Charlene began, proving Les right immediately—“I take it you’re not out?”
Les scrunched his brow in confusion as he shifted into drive. “Out? Out where? Right now we’re—”
Charlene snorted and slapped his arm, startling Les with the force of the blow. “Quit being a smart ass! You know I meant out as in, people don’t know you’re gay!”
No, Les didn’t know that. As far as he knew, he wasn’t gay, he just…had a low sex drive when it came to women, and who could blame him? His mother was one fucked up woman, and Les had never been able to shake his residual fear of them. Freud would have had a field day with Les, that’s for sure, but the fact was, Les had learned how deadly women could be at an early age. Did wanting one man make him gay? And why the hell was he even wondering? Les glared at Charlene from the corner of his eye. “I’m not gay. I haven’t ever—” Les grunted as a wave of embarrassment flooded him.
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