I’ve finished with his face and arms when Felix is done, announcing that he’s going to go grab said burn cream from downstairs. I continue on, trying not to picture exactly how he got every single scratch or bruise. I find a bruise darker than the others right on the smooth skin centered in between his hips.
I let out a soft, sad sigh, gently washing over it with the rag. My fingers have spent so much time lingering here. If Ihadn’t run him off, would he have stayed home? Could I have prevented this? Would he instead be lying on my bed, my fingers dragging over this exact spot? God, it’s my fault he went, isn’t it? A couple of hot, stray tears fall from my eyes as I stare at the bruise. Finally, I blink. I have to continue.
As I move on, I look up and see Benjamin watching me. He came back to the present at some point.
“I haven’t touched you.” I rush out. “Felix undressed you and I’ve only touched you with this rag, not my hands.” He stares at me for a moment, expressionless.
“Okay.” His voice is shot to hell, and it clearly doesn’t feel good for him to talk. I look away, going back to cleaning his chest.
“I’m sorry.” I suddenly confess. “I’m sorry I sent you there. That you only went today because you already felt so torn up.” I look at his face, making sure he heard me. He shakes his head at me and stares at the floor. That’s fine. As long as he knows—he doesn’t have to forgive me. When Felix gets back, I’m essentially done, so he takes over, drying Benjamin off and stating that they’ll be heading to bed so he can rest.
I study Benjamin one last time, reassuring myself that he’s going to be fine, burning the image of those sad, empty eyes into my brain. This is why—this is why we had to stop. Does he get it now? The next time I hurt him it could be much worse.
When I head into my room and shut the door, Amber is sitting at my desk.
“Hey, do you feel better?” I ask, pulling my trunks off and grabbing out some boxers to sleep in. There’s no way I’ll be leaving this room again before nightfall.
“Aaron. What’s going on with Benjamin?” I slip the boxers on and lay down, patting next to me.
“We washed his wounds and now he’s going to bed. I guess we will sort everything else out tomorrow, if there is anything else we can do.” She sighs, sitting next to me, but not laying down.
“No, what's going on with Benjamin andyou?” Freezing, I stare up at her. I’m startled, confused. What does she know?
“What do you mean?” She glares.
“Don’t insult me. I heard you in there, apologizing. You did something yesterday to make him sad?”
“Oh, I—”
“Before you lie to me, listen to what else I know, Lover Boy.” My eyes widen. “I was heading back downstairs after guarding your girl toys door at the party Friday night and I ran into a guy named Trevor. He’s a junior and in a couple of Bear’s classes.”
“Okay?” I raise a brow, trying to understand what the hell she's talking about.
“He told me some assholes had been hogging the bathroom for damn near forty-five minutes, and when he finally got them to leave, aseniorwho looked just likeyoumentioned stripping a cutie, while pulling Bear out behind them. Then apparently, they took him right down the hall. Toward that very same room I was told to guard not long after.” She's staring at me expectantly and I swear my vision is going in and out. I sit up, staring at the wall across the room. I don’t even know what I could say. Other than full admittance, I got nothing.
“Oh,” she continues. “And on my way back up here I ran into Felix who was on his way downstairs. He said he found a pretty intense bite mark on the nape of Bear’s neck, one that was probably given in the past day considering how fresh the teeth marks looked. And then one on his shoulder that was a bit older and scabbed. Oh, I don't know, from let’s say maybeFriday night?” She grins. Amber knows she has me—she just wants to hear it, and I don’t knowhowto say it.
“Amber, please drop this.”
“When you tack on your obvious obsession with who he interacts with and how protective you are over him, all the signs really point in one direction, Aaron.” I scoff. I’ll run this into the ground just to piss her off, damnit.
“Of course I’m protective—I’ve known him for almost nine years.” she rolls her eyes.
“Yeah, sure. It hasnothingto do with the mind-blowing sex?”
“Well, that’s—”
“HA!”
“Fuck! Amber!” She cackles as I drop my head into my hands. She got me with the oldest trick in the book. I hate her so much at this moment.
“Oh God, I can’t believe you fucked him.” She shakes her head, leaning back on her palms as she chuckles a bit more.
“I didn’t—Ugh. I didn’t fuck him. We just fooled around.” Amber raises a perfectly plucked brow.
“Yeah? How many times?”
“Three.” Her mouth falls open. “Well, there could be a fourth depending on what you consider fooling around.”
