Love Me Again - Aiden Bates Page 0,12
ached at their subject matter, and a feeling of nausea spread through me.
Leo slung an arm over the kid’s shoulders. “We need to get that stopped for you. I had people like that in my life, too. I know how it can make you feel, and I’m sorry you’re feeling that way.”
The kid made a noise that sounded like a sob and rubbed his face.
“It’s okay.” Leo rubbed his hand on the kid’s shoulder. “I’ve been there, honestly I have, and look at me now.”
The kid looked at him, and I caught a glimpse of a face streaked with dirt and tears. “Yeah, but I bet you never got called fat.”
Leo chuckled, but it wasn’t a happy sound. “I got called fat,” he said. “I got called plenty worse, too.”
Shame warmed my cheeks at the things my friends had called him… The things I’d called him. The things I’d laughed at.
“Sometimes, the bullying still affects me today,” Leo said in a quiet voice. “But it does get better with time.” He squeezed the boy’s shoulder again before releasing him.
The boy nodded but didn’t say anything, and Leo glanced back, over his shoulder, catching my eye.
He carried on talking to the boy at his side but his gaze never wavered from mine, and I caught my breath at the level of revulsion in it. “Ricky, a lot of times bullies don’t even realize the lasting effect their actions can have on people, so your only choice is to live your best life without them.”
He looked away and I dragged in a breath. I’d never seen a look like that in Leo’s eyes. He’d looked at me like he hated me, and the Leo I remembered never hated anything at all, least of all me. We’d spent so many days laughing and learning to love… and to see such intense negative emotion directed at me was a punch right to my gut.
Something in Leo had clearly changed.
And he also very clearly didn’t want me in his space any longer. I clutched my camera to my side and strode past Leo and the boy, heading closer to the front of the group, where I could see Kairo chatting with one of the other organizers. I should see if there were any other shots they wanted me to set up or capture. They’d arranged for me to be here, after all. I highly doubted Leo had recommended my services.
I tried to keep my gaze focused ahead, even though I wanted nothing more than to look behind me and glance at Leo again so I could reassure myself he was really okay. Maybe that way the sick feeling in my gut would go away.
When we arrived back at the starting point, I said goodbye to Kairo and looked around for Leo, but he was edging away from the main group like he was looking for the fastest way to escape.
I shook Kairo’s hand again then checked on Leo one last time. Yeah, he was definitely trying to leave.
As he began to jog away, I quickened my stride until the equipment bag bumped against my hip in a steady rhythm.
“Leo,” I called. “Leo.”
He didn’t turn around or even slow down. In fact, he didn’t behave like he’d even heard me.
“Hey, Leo, wait up. I like a run as much as the next guy, but not while I’m carrying all my kit.” I almost didn’t know whether to move faster or give up my chase, but I didn’t want to get so close then have Leo simply slip—or jog—away.
But his strides began to slow, and he looked over his shoulder. “I don’t want you tagging along with me anyway, but I’m not sure why the fuck I have to stop to tell you to piss off.”
But he stopped anyway, drawing heavy breaths that drew my attention to his muscular chest. He used to share his body with me, letting me touch his skin with my fingers, my lips, my tongue. Regret met with desire inside me, and I swallowed as I ignored them both.
“I was thinking you must be hungry. I’d like to treat you to lunch. Maybe we could talk?”
Leo’s eyes narrowed like he’d forgotten he couldn’t push lasers out of them at will, and his jaw tightened. “Let me think about that,” he ground out. “Uh, no. I mean, thanks but no thanks and everything. Mustn’t forget my manners.” He glanced ahead of him then flicked his attention briefly back to me. “Have a nice