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giving Adam a kiss before straightening up and pecking Josh on the cheek. Go on, shoo!
Yes ma am, Josh muttered but he smiled as he helped Adam up. After Adam
stumbled, Josh placed a hand on Adam s chest and frowned. Maybe I should get a
wheelchair.
I don t Adam swayed, his vision turning blurred. I think he slurred, then the
blackness swept in and carried him away from the pain bubbling over in his body.
* * * *
He woke to the sound of two men arguing, one with a soft tenor and the other with a
low snarling voice that sent all kinds of warm fuzzy feelings through Adam. Prying an eye
open, he groaned and immediately shut it again against the bright light in the room. Hospital.
That s right&
The arguing stopped as footsteps shuffled towards him. Adam felt a warm hand press
to his forearm then the waft of mint tinged breath over his face. Hey, can you do that again,
except open both your eyes this time?
Why would he want to do that? The light had been like bright shards of glass spearing
his eye. Why would he want to hurt more Adam did a quick inventory of his body.
Considering the agony he d been in while driving and in the waiting room at the ER, he
wasn t hurting much at all now. There were still small twinges at his back and something
jabbing his arm, but all in all, he felt warm and light, as if he had helium mixed into his
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bloodstream. That realisation had Adam s eyes popping open. He grunted in surprise
because Josh was right in his face, peering intently into Adam s eyes. At least his dark head
was blocking the light.
You re a lucky man, Josh said, one side of his mouth tipping up in a grin. Battered
and bruised, a few gashes, and dehydrated next time you borrow your mom s drugs you
might want to increase your water intake.
Even in his drugged legally, this time state, Adam caught the condescension in
Josh s voice. Adam narrowed his eyes at the man. What was I supposed to do? Go to a
hospital in Billings, maybe the same one where Chase is Adam stopped, his chest tight.
For all he knew, Chase was dead. James had said the PI had been brutalised, stabbed and
Josh s cheeks went pink as he moved back. You re right, I m being a jerk. Nick told
me what happened to your friend, Chase, and I& Josh looked down as he swallowed
noisily. I think taking whatever you could to make it possible for you and Charlene to leave
was your best option.
Adam was about to point out that Chase wasn t his friend, but the pettiness of the
denial stopped him, as did a snort from behind Josh. See there, was that so hard, babe? I
told you it wouldn t kill you to be nice to Adam.
Adam smiled at Nick as the man moved to Josh s side, dropping a smacking kiss on
top of his head before coming to stand at the side of the hospital bed. Nick swept Adam with
an intense gaze before pinning Adam with his dark eyes. Only thing Josh didn t do was a
rape kit. Does he need to?
No, Adam mumbled after a moment of silence. They didn t do anything other than
beat the shit out of me. Neither Nick nor Josh looked like they believed him, and Adam was
plain out of patience. He wanted to be home, wherever that might be now, somewhere
hopefully safe where he could curl up and sleep and try to 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
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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
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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. He d damn near blurted out
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