Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 58874 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 294(@200wpm)___ 235(@250wpm)___ 196(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58874 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 294(@200wpm)___ 235(@250wpm)___ 196(@300wpm)
“My therapist would probably say we all have mommy issues or daddy issues that led to commitment issues.”
“Those are clinical terms?” Tor teased.
“You know what I mean.” He put his palm over Tor’s chest and squeezed his firm pec. Tor was all lean muscle.
“Maggie’s starting school in August. Can you believe that?”
“I still can’t believe Trav has a kid.” He kissed Tor’s neck. “Did he say anything about Angela?”
“No. I don’t think she’s come around in a long time. Doesn’t want to be a mother, I guess.”
“That’s too bad.”
“Uh-huh. The family’s all pitching in though. That girl’s everyone’s princess.”
“Last time I was home, I went over there. It was like a pink bomb exploded in the trailer.”
Tor chuckled and rubbed his back.
“We were that age when we met,” Jule whispered against his skin.
“I know.” Tor brushed his lips over Jule’s forehead. “I remember everything about that day.”
He cradled the side of Tor’s neck and kissed the bottom of his chin. “Me too.”
“I’m beat but I need a shower before we crash.” Jule tossed their bottles in the recycling bin.
“Same.” Tor flipped off the kitchen light. “I saw your digs when I put my bag down. Shower looked big enough.”
“Since when does that matter?” Jule bumped his hip against Tor. “We squished together in the one at home all the time.”
“True. We didn’t get enough credit for our efficiency.” He snaked his arm around Jule’s hip and rested it on his ass.
“Uh-huh. Efficiency.” He mirrored Tor’s position and squeezed his ass. “That’s why your brothers were banging on the walls and yelling at us to keep it down. We were being too efficient.”
“I am extremely efficient,” Tor rumbled as he tugged Jule into his chest and nibbled on his neck. “Never had the hot water run out before I got the job done.”
Jule laughed and nudged him away. “Keep it in your pants until we get them off.” He pulled his shirt over his head as he walked into his bedroom. “Toss your shit into the hamper with mine. We have a washing machine. I’ll run a load later.” He shoved his jeans and underwear down and then kicked them up into his hand and added them to the hamper before he walked into the bathroom and over to the toilet.
“Your back is ripped.” Tor came over and grazed his hand down Jule’s back.
“Been working out a lot. It’s a healthy way to wear out my body and keep my violent tendencies in check, according to my therapist.”
“Uh huh.” Tor caressed his flank.
“Not as fun as fighting though.”
He chuckled and peppered kisses over Jule’s neck and across his shoulders. “Or fucking.”
“This is getting uncomfortable. Wait ’til I’m done pissing to get me hard.”
Tor laughed and moved away. When Jule finished, he turned toward him and froze. “When’d you get that?” He moved closer and traced his fingers over the letters on Tor’s chest. Loyalty was scrawled on the left side, over his heart.
Tor didn’t speak but he didn’t move away either. They both knew the answer to his question. The tattoo wasn’t there the last time they were together eight months ago. He also had an answer to the question he had asked earlier, or at least part of it. He raised his gaze from Tor’s chest to his face.
“How long?”
Tor remained quiet.
“I know prison ink when I see it, Tori. Seen enough of it on Ty and his buddies since we were kids. How long?”
“Let it go.”
“What’d you do?” He flattened his palm over Tor’s tattoo.
“What I had to.”
“What does that mean?”
Tor shook his head. “Let it go.”
“Why didn’t you call me? I could have helped. Could have talked to some of my parents’ friends who have connections. Could have paid for a lawyer. I could have—”
“No,” Tor’s voice was firm. “You will never, ever do that.” He put his hand on Jule’s chin and held him still as he met his gaze. “You will not tell anyone back home that you know me. Not for any reason.”
“People already know that I know you. They’ve known since we were kids.”
“That’s different. Those are the people we grew up with from the neighborhood. They don’t know anything else. They’re not involved in anything. They aren’t part of your life.”
“Stop it! I don’t care what my mother or my grandparents think. If I can help you—”
“If you want to help me, if you care what I think, then you’ll do what you’re supposed to do and stay quiet like we agreed.”
“Like you demanded and I went along with, you mean?”
“You cannot involve yourself in my life.”
“What the fuck does that shit even mean, involve myself? You are my life!”
Tor closed his eyes and sighed. When he opened them, he looked tired. “Can I trust you?”
Jule reared back and then planted both palms on Tor’s chest and shoved him. “Fuck you. Of course you can trust me. What the hell, Tori?”