Page 51 of The Princess

“Oh, fuck you,” Taylor snapped. He balled his hands into fists, not to use them, but to hold on to Nash and Damon’s secret. “I never asked for your protection, and I certainly never asked for you to fucking spy on me. Fuck you for always having your nose in my business. Fuck you for thinking that I’d do anything to hurt anyone, and fuck you for thinking you know best for everyone.”

Taylor shoved past him and grabbed a coat off the hook, not caring whose it was. His keys were in his pocket and he’d been wearing his shoes in the expectation of going outside and sitting around the fire, but now they facilitated a speedy getaway and he was out the front door and into his car while Colby shouted demands at him. Telling him to wait, to get back, to stop where he was. That they weren’t finished.

Taylor left before he said anything he regretted. A block or two away, he pulled over and grabbed his cellphone out of his pocket, texting their dad that he had something come up and that he wasn’t going to be home, but not to worry, he was fine. He also let him know that he had a friend crashing on his couch and to, under no circumstances, let Colby or Jonah into his apartment.

After that, a series of angry texts came through from Colby and he turned his phone off. He was too angry to cry, or he might have wept. He hated it when people were mad at him. He always had. What made it worse was that Colby thought so little of him that he’d jump to such conclusions. He didn’t bother to ask what was going on or ask whether Taylor needed to talk. Or whether Taylor knew about Damon and Nash. Instead, he leaped to the defense of his best friend and ran over Taylor to do it.

Without knowing where he was going, he ended up at Nash’s place. His two boyfriends were going to carpool over to his place and, for some reason, the three of them usually ended up at Nash’s place instead of Damon’s.

Taylor sat in the parking lot and stared at the building, talking himself into getting up and going to his men for comfort. He’d have to explain why he wasn’t going to be at fire night. He’d have to tell them that Colby knew about them. Fuck. He’d have to tell them everything.

As though he willed them into existence, he saw them leave the building. Before he could even get his seat belt undone, Damon had spotted Taylor’s car and tugged at Nash, pointing over to where Taylor sat.

Their concern grew as they approached and Taylor fumbled with his seatbelt, practically throwing himself at them when Nash tugged the door open.

“I’m sorry. I don’t—he knows. Colby knows. But he only knows that you two are a thing, and he thinks that me and Damon are fucking around behind your back, and that I’m fucking around behind Damon’s back because he saw me at a hotel with Mickey. Not at a hotel, just the parking lot.”

“Slow down,” Nash said, pulling Taylor into an embrace. He kissed Taylor’s cheek and held him tight. Damon stroked his hand up and down Taylor’s back.

“Damon said you found Mickey. Is he okay?”

“Taylor stopped at the pharmacy for some medication for his cough,” Damon supplied.

Of all the things Nash latched onto, it was that he’d found Mickey. He seemed more concerned about that than about Colby’s accusations.

“He’s fine.” Taylor struggled to get away, but Nash held him tighter.

“Good, but your brother might not be. If he thought anything was going on, he should have come to me about it.”

Taylor pulled away and took a shuddering breath. “I don’t want to go home.”

Damon pulled his keys out of his pocket and pressed them into Taylor’s hand. “You go on up. Take a bath and relax. Nash has that weird beer you two like. There’re takeout menus in the drawer under the microwave. Order yourself some dinner, and we’ll be back soon, okay?” Damon gripped Taylor’s chin and tugged him into a quick kiss. Then he turned to Nash. “Let’s go.”

“Right behind you.” Nash kissed Taylor. “Are you going to be okay here alone?”

Taylor nodded.

“Okay, we won’t be long,” Nash promised with another kiss.

CHAPTER 23

NASH

“Your best friend is a jackass,” Damon said as they climbed into Nash’s car.

“I feel like it’s half our fault for not telling everyone about us sooner.”

Damon scoffed. “Why? So then Colby could really tear into him for fucking around with me?”

Nash took a deep breath. He didn’t want to be mad at Colby, but the anger and the hurt were both there, sharp like porcupine quills digging into his heart. This was why he’d wanted to keep everything between him and Damon away from the Bennetts. Lines would be drawn. Sides would be taken. And Nash didn’t want to lose any of them. But if he had to lose someone, it wasn’t going to be Taylor.

Nash had no idea what he was going to say to Colby. He’d been out of line, that much Nash knew. But if Colby was so concerned about things, he should’ve approached Nash, and Nash would have been honest with him. Yes, he was with Damon. Yes, Taylor was also with Damon. And as for the guy at the hotel…well, maybe Colby should try talking first.

His anger hadn’t abated when they pulled into the Bennett’s driveway, especially since Taylor’s car was absent. They got out and headed around back of the house like always, but this time Damon grabbed Nash’s hand and laced their fingers together.

Out back, Ethan stood at the barbeque. Jonah and Spencer were sitting at the nearby patio table drinking hot chocolate. Milo stepped outside and noticed Damon and Nash, then poked his head inside. “They’re here.”

Spencer started to stand, but Nash shook his head, not trusting himself to say much just yet. Milo stepped aside when Colby came outside. He looked like shit. Like a guy who knew he fucked up but would still make the same dumb decision that had led him to this point if given the chance.

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