“He said he’d hurt you,” said Jason. “And I couldn’t live with myself if anything happened to you.”
Patrick would happily take a beating if it meant not giving Jason up, but he knew it wouldn’t be that simple with a man like Grant.
“He wants me to quit my job and move back up north.”
“To Liverpool?”
“Yeah. He thinks we’d be better there. That’s when we were happy.”
“What do you want, Jason?”
“I don’t think that matters.”
Patrick pulled back so he could look Jason in the eyes. He looked so broken and defeated. Where was that feisty little spitfire who’d wriggled in his lap less than a year ago and called him Daddy? Is this what Grant wanted? A man completely broken, who clearly didn’t want to be with him.
“We can fix this, you know. You don’t have to go with him. Have you talked to your brothers?”
“No. I don’t want him to hurt them either.”
“Have you thought of going to the police?”
The minute the words were out of his mouth, he knew it was a mistake. Jason jumped off his lap, a look of horror on his face.
“Are you insane? He’d kill me.”
“Why would he kill you when he wants you to move to Liverpool with him?”
“It would be the ultimate betrayal to him. He told me . . . I shouldn’t be telling you this.”
“It won’t go any further, Jason. I promise.”
Jason sucked in a breath. Patrick was unsure why.
“He was responsible for my stepfather’s death.”
Patrick wasn’t surprised, to be honest. Based on what Jason had told him, he would have done the same if he’d hadthe means and the inclination. It was time for Patrick to be honest as well.
“Grant came to see me the other day.”
“He mentioned something, but didn’t get into details.”
Jason had started his usual pacing, which Patrick knew helped him to regulate his emotions.
“He had a story regarding a politician and one of my employees. Said if I didn’t break up with you, he’d send it to all my competitors.”
“What would that do to you?”
“I’d be out of a job.”
Jason’s eyes widened.
“It’s a job, Jason. Yes, I love it, but not as much as I love you.”
“You . . . you love me?”
“Of course I do. How could I not?”
Jason jumped into his arms and buried his face into Patrick’s neck. He could hear him mumbling, but he couldn’t make out what he was saying. After a while, Jason pulled back so they were looking at each other. His beautiful blue eyes were glistening with tears, but he was smiling.
