his mind, thinking I was your boyfriend and much too old for you.” All humor left his voice. “When I finally got past his defenses he admitted that he’d never forgiven himself for saying those things, and that he didn’t mean them.”
Noah pulled the truck into the parking lot of a hotel Mark often visited and killed the ignition. Turning so they were face to face, Noah said, “Mark, he wants you to come home. He’s even agreed to some family counseling.”
Tears filled Mark’s eyes and, for the first time in nearly a year, he let himself believe that there was more to life than pimps and johns.
“Let’s get you home, shall we?”
Tears flowing freely down his cheeks, Mark nodded, smile so wide that his face hurt. He was going home.
Noah climbed from the truck and reached into the back to retrieve a bulging backpack, then led the way inside a room. “The shower’s in there,” he said, nodding toward a door at the back while throwing the bag on the bed. “Clothes are in here. I didn’t think you’d want to go home in that.” He arched an eyebrow, taking in Mark’s provocative attire.
Looking down and wrinkling his nose in distaste, Mark replied, “No, definitely not.”
“Get cleaned up and dressed, and then I’ll drive you down to the bus station. I’ve already got your ticket.”
Apparently, it was time to pay for services rendered and Noah wasn’t the first to ask him to shower before they got down to business. That ticket must have cost a pretty penny, not to mention the price of the clothes. But if the man could fix things at home and deal with Willie, a little something for his troubles was more than warranted.
Once more donning the rent boy persona he’d worn for the past year, Mark murmured, “I want to thank you for doing this,” and attacked Noah’s mouth with his tongue. He didn’t normally kiss, but extra privileges were more than earned in this case.
Noah grabbed him by both shoulders, forcing him back. “Stop it, Mark. As of the moment you got into my truck you retired from the business. The only thanks I want is for you to get your ass back where you belong and make something of yourself.”
What? Noah didn’t want to fuck him? Wasn’t that why they were in this hotel room? “But no one does something for nothing!”
“I’m not doing this for nothing.” Noah met and held Mark’s gaze. “I’m helping you get out of a situation you don’t belong in and repaying the debt I made when someone else did this for me a long time ago.”
“You were a hustler? No way!” Mark exclaimed, eyes wide and mouth dropping open. The sergeant described Noah Everett as a paragon of virtue, who worked tirelessly to help those less fortunate. Did Sumner even know this man had once been on the streets? Then the thought hit him: if Noah had redeemed himself, couldn’t Mark do the same?
Noah sighed. “As I hope to never see you again, and I mean that in the nicest possible way, I’ll tell you. Yes, I sold my body. Unlike you, it took coming dangerously close to dying at the hands of one of my customers before I wised up and got out.”
“Now you help others get out, too?”
“I do what I can. Too bad I don’t get many takers. Now, you go get yourself all prettied up to see your family, I’ll be back in a few. Oh, and by the way,” Noah’s eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled, “I also spoke to a nice young man named Eric.”
Eric? He spoke to Eric! Mark’s heart soared before reality brought it crashing back down. “Oh my God! I’m sure he hates me by now.” Mark couldn’t hold back the tears, and once started they couldn’t be stopped. A heavy weight tugged at his heart. As badly as he wanted to see Eric again, hold him, how could he face his former love after all that he’d done? All the men he’d been with for money?
“No, he doesn’t,” Noah murmured, tone low and reassuring. He wrapped Mark in an awkward hug, still managing to keep a bit of distance between their lower bodies, as though afraid the gesture would be misconstrued. “He was upset that you didn’t say you were leaving, but he loves you and he’s waiting for you.”
Strong arms held him tight until the worst of the anguish passed. “What will I