Page 166 of The Protective Gryphen

Ian let Gryphen hold him.

“When he raped me, he laughed the whole time,” he whispered. “I could hear him. I was floating between consciousness, and being out. I could hear him call me a faggot as he tore into me as roughly as he could.”

Gryphen kissed his temple.

“I have you,” he whispered. “I’ll never let anyone hurt you like that ever again. Your body is mine to protect and love,” he said, trying to counter every cruel thing Will said with love and kindness.

This man hadn’t deserved it.

Not one bit.

“He spit on me as he got up like I was nothing. Like my life didn’t matter. He turned into this monster, and I realize now, that he always was one. He didn’t pick me because he thought I was smart, or handsome. He picked me because he knew he could hurt me. He knew he could break me like he did to Noah.”

Gryphen was honest.

“He was a predator, Baby. He preys on people. Only, he was wrong. You aren’t weak. That was his mistake. You are going to face him in court, and you’re going to put him away for life.”

There was one thing Ian feared.

“What if he gave me HIV, Gryphen? What if he does kill me? What if he wins?”

He lifted his chin and stared into his tear-filled blue eyes.

“We’re going to get old together. I promise you. You’re not dying on me. We are both on the antivirals, and you haven’t gotten the next test yet. Don’t give him power. If you have HIV, we live with it. He can’t take your life from you anymore. You’re safe, and I won’t let him kill you.”

He clung to him.

“I’m sorry. It just hits at weird times.”

Because he loved this man more than himself or anything else, he gave him an out.

“We can have dinner in bed, and watch a movie. If you can’t face anything more today. I will understand.”

Gryphen was willing to cancel his plans of showing Ian himself in the kilt. If he needed to hide, he’d let him. There didn’t have to be sex. There could be tenderness and protection.

Ian thought about it.

“No. He’s taken enough of me already. I want to have dinner, a fireplace, and a night of being with you. He stole so much, and now, I need you to give it back to me. I need you to put back what he never should have taken.”

And there was his man.

Ian was battling back and proving he wouldn’t go down without a fight.

“You’re the strongest person I know,” Gryphen said. “Your strength is beyond anything, Ian. I’m proud of you. Keep fighting. Keep living. He can’t take that from you. He can’t beat you.”

He hoped his man was right.

“I want a night with you. I want one I’ll cherish forever.”

Gryphen had planned on going hard tonight, really blowing his mind, and now, he wasn’t sure it was a good idea.

“I can tone it down,” he began.

He put his fingers over his lips.

“No. Amp it up. Make me forget, and give me exactly what I need. I need my hero to show me I’m still worthy. I want a night that will only be ours, and I want to know that I’m safe with the love of my life.”

Gryphen found his lips with his. Then, he devoured him in a brain-numbing kiss that was meant to do just that.

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