Page 45 of The Protective Gryphen

“I understand,” he admitted. “Only, I won’t hurt you, and you’re not alone. I felt that way, and then, along came a crazy raven-haired woman who made me realize that family is created, not born. We’re a family. All of us.”

That was what Ian was learning.

“Thank God for that. Wyler makes some damn good cookies.”

Gryphen laughed.

“You are not wrong.”

Now, Ian was curious.

“What was your first time like?” he asked.

Gryphen found that amusing as hell.

Why?

Well, because it wasn’t with a guy.

“It was with a redheaded teenager named Sarah,” he stated.

At her name, Ian blinked.

“Wait. You had sex with girls?”

He snorted.

“Yeah, Ian. I had sex with girls. Lots of girls,” he stated. “Maybe ten of them in high school. I was a bad boy, who had shit grades, no way out, and certain girls dig that.”

He hadn’t been expecting that.

“And did you like it?”

He shrugged.

“I mean, I got off, but was it the same as when I’m with a guy? No. I was running and trying to be someone. I was looking for anyone to love me,” he admitted.

Ian listened, giving him the chance to tell him.

“I was in this shit foster home. I was basically a paycheck for them, and that was it. They didn’t care what I did, as long as they made money. So, I started running wild.”

“And?” he asked. “Because I need details. My man was boning babes. This is big.”

He snorted.

“I wanted someone to love me. Sarah…she did. Or I thought she did. I don’t know. Teenage years are tough with the hormones and the zits.”

Ian moved closer and sat beside him.

“What happened?”

“I turned eighteen, got my GED, and joined the Marines. I showed up at her house to tell her that I was going to go into the Marines, and to ask her to be my girl…”

He waited.

“She got into college. She was so excited. She was going to a big art school, and she was going to be someone. So, I told her good luck, and I left her standing there.”

“Oh,” he said.

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