me.”
Luca pulled back, then gently took Xan’s chin between his thumb and fingers. “Nothing is wrong with you. That guy is an abusive dickhead.”
“He never hurt me like that before.”
Luca’s jaw ticked with tension. “I’m not talking about him putting his hands on you, Alexander. You haven’t left him for a reason, and it’s not because you’re stupid, and it’s not because you want to be there. It’s probably because he’s spent the last however many years telling you that you wouldn’t survive out there without him.”
And well…that was true, in so many words. Drunken nights where Max would remind him that no one would ever want him. His grief was messy, his education was messy, his future was messy. And who the fuck would want to put up with that besides the man who had been doing it for the last four years?
It had just taken Xan this long to realize he wanted more than to be put up with.
“What do I do?” he asked softly.
Luca’s hand moved away, grazing his skin as it fell back to his side. “You and I will go apartment hunting. Then we go get some of your shit. Then we come back here and figure out what you want to do until your new lease gets approved.”
“Okay,” he said, his voice still a little weak, but getting stronger.
“And we order out, because I can’t do more than eggs and bacon with one fucking arm,” Luca said with an almost pout.
Xan let out a soft, shaky laugh. “Maybe I can cook for you. You could walk me through it.”
Luca grinned, that crooked smile that was starting to chip away at the walls Xan was desperately building around his heart. “I can work with that. Now go get ready so we can hit the road. I’d like a long afternoon of doing absolutely nothing.”
Chapter Ten
Dear Cheater,
So, I hear you have a new lover. At least, that’s what Todd said in a rather terse text message this morning. He said you wouldn’t let him in last night, and you were acting very cagey. You could have introduced him, you know. He thinks I’m in denial about your philandering ways.
Honestly though, please let me know how the apartment hunting goes today. I’m catching an early flight after the last meeting at eleven, so I’ll be home as soon as humanly possible.
I miss you. I adore you.
Hug our little conqueror for me.
Always yours,
Sebastion
He was unsettled at how quiet his phone had been after Luca’s initial text message saying that things were fine and that the apartment hunt was still on. Luca told him that he had more to talk to him about, but nothing serious. He was making some headway with ensuring Xan wouldn’t go back to his shitty boyfriend, and that was the only thing that kept Sebastion calm as he boarded the plane and turned his phone off.
He hated the flight—hated the disconnect—but it allowed him to take a few breaths and a very short nap before they went into the final descent. The weather was windy, which made for a rocky landing, and he all but sprinted up the ramp with his carry bag slamming against his ribs. He was grateful he hadn’t taken luggage with him, and he breezed out the front doors toward the parking lot where his car waited.
He started to boot his phone when he got outside, and he froze with his hands reaching for the open trunk when his phone began to go off with a series of missed calls, voicemails, and texts.
Luca: Shit just went down. It got ugly.
Luca: Jesus, babe, I know you’re on a plane, but please call me when you get this.
Luca: Xan is at our house, and I’m at the fucking police department right now, filing a complaint. Mason’s at the house with Xan.
Luca: I think this little dickhead might press charges. I fucking hope you land soon.
Luca: I’m on my way back. Todd’s driving.
Sebastion was shaking by the time he got in the front seat, and he took several deep breaths before he picked up the phone and hit Luca’s contact. It rang three times, and he started to panic before Luca’s voice sounded on the other end.
“Where are you?”
“I’ve landed,” Sebastion said, breathless. “I’m in the parking lot trying to get my shit together so I can drive. What the hell happened?”
Luca let out a high, tense laugh, and from the way his voice bobbed and weaved, he could tell his husband was