Mostly, he just felt numb.
Warm hands cupped his face, tilting his head up. Colton knelt in front of him, brown eyes searching his features with frantic concern. His lips moved, forming words Zack couldn’t quite hear over the ringing in his ears.
“...okay? Blue, talk to me. Are you hurt?”
Zack blinked, the world slowly coming back into focus. Colton’s face filled his vision, beautiful and familiar and alive. Blood still dripped from the cut on Zack’s side, his cheek throbbed from Craig’s backhand, his stomach ached from the punch, but none of that mattered.
Colton was here.
“I love you.” The words fell raw and honest and terrifying. “I love you so much.”
Colton froze. Every muscle in his body went still, eyes widening with something that looked like shock and wonder and disbelief all rolled together. His thumbs brushed across Zack’s cheekbones, so gentle it made Zack’s breath hitch.
“Say it again.” Colton’s voice came out almost broken.
“I love you.” Tears finally spilled over, tracking hot paths down Zack’s face. “I was going to tell you when you got back. Had it all planned out. Was going to be romantic and everything.”
A sound escaped Colton, half-laugh, half-sob. He pulled Zack into his arms, careful of his injuries but still desperate and tight. Strong arms wrapped around him, holding him like he was something precious and fragile and worth protecting.
“I love you too, Blue.” Colton’s breath ghosted warm against Zack’s temple. “Gods, I love you so much.”
Buried against Colton’s solid form, surrounded by his cedar-and-leather scent, Zack finally let himself fall apart. Sobs wracked his body, ugly and gasping, releasing years of fear and pain and loneliness. Colton just held him tighter, one hand cradling the back of his head while the other pressed against his lower back.
“Got you.” Colton’s voice rumbled through his torso, steady and unshakeable. “I’ve got you, sweetheart. You’re safe now.”
Safe. The word settled over Zack like a blanket, warm and real and true. For the first time in his entire life, he actually believed it.
Minutes passed, maybe hours. Time lost meaning while Zack cried himself empty against Colton’s shoulder. Eventually, the sobs tapered off into hiccupping breaths, and his body went limp with exhaustion.
Colton shifted, muscles bunching as he stood. Instead of letting go, he scooped Zack up into his arms like he weighed nothing. One arm supported his back, the other tucked under his knees, and Zack found himself cradled against Colton’s chest.
“Need to get you cleaned up.” Colton’s lips brushed against his forehead, soft and reverent. “Check those injuries.”
Zack nodded against his shoulder, too wrung out to argue. Being carried felt good, felt right, like this was exactly where he belonged. Colton’s heartbeat thrummed steady beneath his ear, a constant rhythm that anchored him to reality.
Chapter Eleven
“No tickling!” Zack laughed as he tried to get away, but Colton grabbed him and pulled him back.
“Where do you think you’re going, Blue?” Colton nuzzled Zack’s neck.
Nowhere else he’d rather be. Warm skin pressed against his back, solid muscle that made every bad memory feel distant and unimportant. Craig had been dead for two weeks now, and sometimes Zack still woke expecting to find bruises, expecting threats. Instead, he found Colton’s arms around him, that cedar-and-leather scent that meant safety.
“Got you,” Colton murmured against his ear, breath warm and teasing.
Fingertips traced lazy patterns across Zack’s stomach, each touch sending sparks through already sensitive skin. Morning light filtered through the blinds, painting gold stripes across tangled sheets and bare limbs. Everything felt softer in this light—the curve of Colton’s bicep, the dark hair dusting his forearms, even the possessive grip keeping Zack pressed back against him.
Turning in those arms took effort, but Zack managed it, ending up face-to-face with brown eyes that had gone dark with want. Colton’s mouth curved into that slow, predatory smile that never failed to make heat pool in Zack’s belly.
“Morning, gorgeous.” That rumbling voice sent vibrations through everywhere they touched.
Instead of answering, Zack traced the ridge of Colton’s collarbone with one finger, following the line down to where muscle bunched and shifted. Skin like warm silk over steel, impossible and perfect. A soft growl escaped when Zack’s nail scraped lightly across one nipple.
“Careful,” Colton warned, but his hands were already sliding down to grip Zack’s ass, pulling their hips flush together.
Both of them were already hard, cocks brushing with each tiny movement. Zack rolled his hips experimentally, watched Colton’s eyes flutter closed for a heartbeat. Power rushed through him—this massive, dangerous man coming undone from such a simple touch.
Ducking his head, Zack pressed his mouth to Colton’s throat, tasting salt and musk. Teeth scraped along the tendon there, not quite biting, just enough pressure to make Colton’s breath catch. Those big hands tightened on his ass, fingers digging in.
