“Hey, Dad,” Dominic said.
“Your mother says we have a guest,” Mr. Bounds said. He strode forward, and Trey leapt to his feet. “Robert Bounds.”
“Trey Cooper.” Trey shook his hand, putting every bit of power he had into his grip. “It’s nice to meet you, sir.”
“Don’t worry about ‘sir,’ just call me Bob.”
He didn’t think he could do that, but he nodded anyway. “You have a lovely home.”
“Thank you, young man.”
“Dad, what’s going on?” Dominic asked. “You look tense.” He tilted his head, and then his entire face went blank. Scary blank and kind of pale. “Did you hear something? It’s time again, isn’t it?”
Trey glanced between father and son, completely lost in the conversation, but neither of them looked happy. Even Roxy was paying attention. Only Starr seemed oblivious to the conversation.
“I did hear from Mr. Bell,” Mr. Bounds said. “It’s why I was late getting home tonight. I stopped by his office to confirm it.”
Dominic’s face was transformed by a kind of fear that Trey had never seen on a human being before. “But we sent the victim statement letter, like every year.”
Mr. Bounds seemed to shrink a little bit. “I’m so sorry.”
Roxy wrapped her arms around her middle, but Trey’s attention was laser-focused on the trembling wreck that had taken his boyfriend’s place. He had no idea what was going on, or what they were talking about specifically, but he’d seen enough cop shows to make a guess that someone was getting out of prison. Someone who’d hurt this family that Trey had fallen in love with.
“Where’s Mom?” Dominic asked.
“Kitchen.”
He was off like a rocket, Mr. Bounds following behind him. Trey didn’t know what to do. Follow and intrude on a family crisis? Wait and see? His chest ached with uncertainty, and withthe very real need to go to Dominic and comfort him. To do anything to get that icy fear to go away and leave him in peace.
“This isn’t fucking fair,” Roxy said, fire in her voice. Rage blazed in her dark eyes when she looked up at him. Rage that tempered briefly. “He hasn’t told you, has he?”
Trey could only shake his head.
“Well this is a fine fucking way to find out.”
He didn’t comment on the profanity, especially in front of Starr. Starr was rocking harder in her chair, probably sensing the negative emotions around her, while still engrossed in her game show. Trey thought back to the vague comments between father and son, and then Dominic’s sudden need to see his mother. “Is it your mom?” he asked. “Did someone hurt her?”
The idea of anyone hurting that kind, loving woman made him want to take a baseball bat to their head.
Roxy blinked hard. “No. Someone hurt Dom.”
Something oily and black slithered through Trey’s gut. Snippets of conversation came back. Not playing his violin for an audience for six years. Being so worried about Trey’s anal virginity. Flashes of anger. His intense reaction to Roxy’s attack the week before. Trey’s knees gave out and he landed hard on the edge of the sofa, head swirling, stomach rolling.
Roxy curled up next to him, so he hugged her. He didn’t know what else to do. He held her while she shook. A few hot tears splashed his neck. Trey wanted to ask questions, to rage at the sky, to know who’d hurt Dominic and find out how many ways Trey could make him pay. He was totally out to sea, needing to play a particular tune but having no idea how the music went. No clue as the lyrics he needed to sing to make this okay for the Bounds family.
To make it okay for Dominic.
“Mom took it the hardest,” Roxy whispered. “Dom’s probably trying to make it better for her.”
Something inside Trey revolted at that idea. He gently tugged out of Roxy’s grasp and walked through the den and dining room, into the kitchen. Dominic and his mom sat at the breakfast nook, heads bent close together, hands clasped. Mr. Bounds stood off to the side like a silent bodyguard, his face as sad as Trey had ever seen a grown man’s. Sad for the pain his family was going through and helpless to fix it.
They didn’t notice Trey at first—not until Dom glanced up and right at him, as though sensing he was close by. Dom’s eyes were wet, his cheeks dry. The fear was gone, replaced by something difficult to discern. Not quite anger, but definitely not acceptance. Dom whispered something to his mom, then stood and started forward.
Trey swept him into his arms, holding Dominic tight against his chest, their hearts thumping wildly together. He didn’t know what demons Dominic was facing down, but he wouldn’t let Dominic do it alone. Dominic pressed his face into Trey’s neck, arms cinching tighter around Trey’s waist, hands bunching in the back of his T-shirt.
“I’m with you.” Trey closed his eyes and tried to be strong for his boyfriend. “Anything you need.”
Dominic’s entire body shuddered.
