“If it makes you feel better, Ace’s and my parents are assholes too.”
Gavin leaned up a bit and turned to face Marcus. “Really?”
Marcus nodded, the tattoo on his neck squishing as he moved his head up and down.
“Yeah, they never should have been parents. They acted like kids and only cared about themselves. My dad and Ace’s mom spent more time out drinking with their friends and taking off on road trips than they did taking care of either of us.”
“I’m sorry, that must have been rough.”
“It taught me to grow up real fast. In addition to being Ace’s older stepbrother, I was his mother, father, teacher, and protector.”
“And now, you’re the father for a horde of bikers,” Gavin joked, smiling up at Marcus.
“Yeah, I guess you're right. But bottom line, while your parents might be dicks and not be there for you, just know that we’re your family now. And we’ll always be here for you.”
Hearing those words made Gavin’s heart swell. All hislife, he’d never felt like a priority in his parents’ lives, never being able to grab their attention or spend any sort of meaningful time with either of them.
Yet, here a man was—someone he barely knew—welcoming him into his family, willing to go to war for him, and promising to hunt down and slay the monster who was after him.
Shifting on the sofa, Gavin laid his head down on Marcus’s chest and breathed in his scent. The man smelled like sandalwood and hero.
“Thank you, babe,” he whispered, wrapping his arms around Marcus’s naked torso and watching as the man on the television let out a scream before getting his head chopped off.
What the fuck were they watching?
24
MARCUS
It was just after midnight when the movie finally came to an agonizing conclusion. Normally, Marcus enjoyed horror movies, but this… this one was painful to watch. He wasn’t sure whose dick had to get sucked in order for that movie to be made, but whoever it was, Marcus hoped that the man experienced erectile dysfunction for the rest of his life.
“Movies—” Marcus began, before looking down at the sleeping twink nestled comfortably into his chest.
Apparently, Gavin had left him alone to suffer while he escaped to dreamland, no doubt enjoying himself on stage while performing with Beyoncé or Gaga. Or perhaps he was starring in a twelve-man orgy—cocks and balls everywhere, each taking their turn to satisfy the blissed-out little twink.
Marcus wasn’t exactly sure what it was that gay men intheir twenties dreamed about, but whatever it was, Gavin sure looked at peace.
Trying his best not to move him, Marcus snaked his arms under the boy, then lifted him so he could carry him to bed.
“Come on, Puppy. Time for bed,” Marcus called after the dog, who was nestled up on the area rug by the fire, enjoying his own little midnight snooze.
Puppy stretched himself out before happily following his masters up the stairs and down the hall.
Once they reached the bedroom, Marcus used his back to push open the door, then the moonlight from the bedroom window to guide him to the bed.
Gently, he lowered Gavin onto the plush surface, then removed his socks and T-shirt, before carefully loosening his shorts and sliding them off his body.
Lying there in the moonlight, the boy looked so peaceful and gentle. His pale white skin stood in sharp contrast to the jet-black hair that fell across his face. To say he looked like a sleeping angel did not do the creature before him justice. How did one capture the essence of such beauty?
Look at him, being all poetic and romantic.
Marcus carefully moved some of the fallen hair from Gavin’s forehead.
What was he doing?
Staring at the boy… in the dark… while he slept…
’Cause that wasn’t crazy serial killer behavior or anything.
