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Dare is standing on the other side, wrecked and tattered, his eyes red and bloodshot and his hair a mess. He looks like he’s had a really rough day. Yet he’s still completely beautiful.

“Hey,” he mumbles, staring down at his feet as he shoves his hands into the pockets of his tight, ripped black jeans.

“H-hey,” I reply, caught completely off guard.

He swallows and looks up at me, utter defeat in his eyes. “I’m sorry t-to bother you.” He rocks on the balls of his feet. “Ry-Ryan is busy, and besides, he doesn’t—he won’t . . . he . . . I needed . . . I just needed someone. So I came here.”

Shaking my head, I pull myself out of my shock and usher Dare in. “Of course. Come in, please.”

He walks past me into the kitchen and then into the living room. He scans the room, his eyes landing on the open door to my bedroom, where the light is on.

“Did I wake you?” His voice is quiet as he turns back to me.

I shake my head again and lock the door. “No. I, um, I was just getting ready for bed. What’s wrong, Dare?”

Dare frowns and licks his lips. “Thanks. I’m—I just—ugh, this is going to sound so fucked.” He runs his hand through his hair and grips the back of his neck.

Slowly, I start toward him, but I’m afraid to spook him. He looks like he could snap at any minute, and I don’t want to set him off. I definitely don’t want to cause him to leave. My eyes tell him to go on.

“I, um . . . I just . . . Can we go to bed?” he says.

Bed? He wants to go to bed?

I’m caught off guard again and don’t really know what to say or do at this point, so I nod and then walk past him and into my bedroom, hoping he follows me. He does. When we get into the room, I turn and look at him. He’s still got his hands in his pockets, and he’s rocking on his feet.

“Dare?” I ask tentatively. “Did something happen?” I fear the worst, but I need to hear from him what has him showing up here and why he seems so upset.

He shakes his head. “No. I mean, nothing bad . . . I mean, nothing that you have to be worried about,” he says. “I just—” Tears flood his eyes. “I’m really fucking tired, and I can’t call Lance anymore, and I just . . . I need—I need to sleep, and I hoped . . . I hope maybe you’ll . . . hold-me-so-I-can-get-some-sleep.” He says it in such a rush that it takes me a second to understand what he said.

Once I do, my heart sinks, and without question or words, I strip to my boxers, leaving my T-shirt on, and climb into my bed. “Come on,” I say, holding the blankets up. Dare takes a breath, then undresses down to his boxers, slowly walks over, and lies down on his back on the bed next to me. I let the covers fall over us, and I hesitate a moment while I tentatively reach my arm across his waist, my palm flattening on his lean abs.

“Okay?” I ask.

He rolls to his side and presses against me, so that my front is flush to his back.

“Yeah,” he whispers.

I pull him in as close as I can. His body trembles slightly. If it were possible, I would pull him even closer. I swear I hear him sniff, but I’m not going to say a word about that. I lightly press my lips to the back of his head, inhaling his scent.

“Good night, little lycan.” My words are barely a whisper.

He lets out a soft sigh and relaxes into me and the mattress. He drifts off to sleep long before I do, and I just hold him while his breathing evens out. I keep him pulled as tightly as I can against me, making sure he knows I’m right here, and I occasionally press soft kisses to his head and neck. I don’t want this at the expense of Dare hurting, but I wouldn’t change this moment for anything.

Sleep takes me eventually, too, and I fade into darkness, his warm body tight against mine.

Chapter 32

Darian

Iwake up groggy, a warm body under me and a breath softly snoring into my hair. An arm is around my waist, and my leg is thrown over his thigh. I feel my hard dick pressing into his hip, and my eyes spring open.

Shit!

The realization crashes into me. I’m in Lev’s bed. It’s Lev whom I’m draped over, his body warm and firm. Lev, who, if he wakes up, will feel my hard dick against his thigh.

I’m not sure what time it is. I slept so well, though, and I still want to sleep more. But I really don’t feel like talking about why I came over here last night. I was feeling so broken and alone, and Lev was the only person I really wanted.

I’m so glad he didn’t question me at all. I’m sure it’s not every day he has some pathetic man showing up at his door asking to be held so he can sleep. Thinking about it now, in the clarity of the early morning, I feel ridiculous.