Page 51 of Missing in Action

Tyler stood and so did Holden. Finn made to run for the door and Tyler caught him by the arm. “Hey. Don’t.” He pulled Finn to him and suddenly Finn was holding him hard, his face buried against Tyler’s shoulder with great sobs wrenching his lean frame.

Tyler cupped his head. He looked at Holden and saw the tears in his eyes. With his other hand, he reached out to Holden and Holden entwined their fingers and squeezed.

Chapter Twenty-One

Tyler

“Why don’t you let me call Brandon for you?” Tyler asked gently when Finn was sitting beside him with his head on his shoulder and his tears all cried out.

Finn shrugged away. He shook his head. “Why? So he knows you’ve all seen me?”

“Hey, I haven’t seen you,” Tyler said.

“I already sent a take-down notice to the site,” Holden said from his place on the other couch. “I threatened them with legal action. Told them it was a police matter.”

Finn swallowed and swiped at his eyes. He said nothing. Tyler rubbed his back. “I’ve got something strong in the cupboard. Why don’t I get it?”

When Finn still didn’t reply, Tyler got up. He went into the kitchen and heard Holden following him in. He saw him glance at the stamps spread out on the table, before Holden said, “I’m sorry.”

Tyler pulled a bottle of scotch from the cupboard and three glasses. He didn’t much care that it wasn’t midday yet. “What for?” he asked.

“For telling Finn. I came over for your advice. I hoped me and you could handle it without him ever finding out.”

Tyler sighed. He poured the scotch and handed a glass to Holden. “I’m sure he knew deep down that he was out there somewhere.”

Holden took a gulp of his drink. “My publisher sent me a big advance. I feel bad.”

Tyler left the bottle on the counter because he suspected Finn might need a top-up. “Don’t,” he said.

“Should I give it all to Finn?”

“He wouldn’t take it.”

Holden bit his lip. “I’m sorry about last night too.”

Tyler swallowed some scotch. “You got the wrong idea.”

“I know.”

“I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. I like you, Holden.”

Holden gave a small smile but his face was still strained and anxious. “I like you too.”

“Good.”

“But you think I’m a guy that can’t commit or have any feelings other than where the next dick’s coming from. It’s not true. I have feelings for you.”

Tyler didn’t say anything. His chest was aching a little.

Holden dropped his voice. “I don’t want to hurt you. As I said last night.”

“And I think I said I was a big boy.” He expected Holden to make some joke about the size of his cock, but he didn’t. He stepped forward and put an arm around Tyler’s neck, holding him. Tyler closed his eyes, breathing in the scent of Holden’s skin, his cologne and his hair gel. He smoothed his hand down Holden’s back and wished they were back in bed, just them, with the world outside and all its problems sailing away from them.

Finn gulped his scotch down in one. Then he stood. “I’m going to get going.”

“Don’t go like this,” Holden said softly. “You’ll wrap your car around a tree.”

Finn turned stricken eyes on them both. “What am I going to tell Brandon? He’ll know something’s up. If he finds out…God, it was bad enough when he found those DVDs at Dominic’s house.”

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