Page 98 of More than Need

Dawson steadied himself with a hand to the wall.

“Dawson,” Riley said gently, curling a hand around his elbow.

Dawson flinched away from the touch, acid crawling up into his throat. He’d never be able to get the look on her face out of his head. He wanted to go after her, but it would only make it worse. She’d be too angry to listen, and they would both say things they could never take back. Dawson had done enough damage already with things that he couldn’t take back.

“Dawson, look at me.”

Riley’s blue eyes came into sight before his brain could catch up, his response to Riley’s demands so instinctive now. The wrong move because all he could see was Sadie. He’d so wilfully ignored it, and now he couldn’t ignore it anymore.

“I… I can’t,” Dawson said brokenly. “I need—I’m sorry.” He couldn’t look at Riley or notice all the similarities between him and Sadie. Couldn’tlookat the broken pieces he’d created. None of this was Riley’s fault. And Gideon—he had never deserved to be in the middle of this mess. “Please.”

He’d ruined everything.

Riley nodded and took a step back, giving Dawson room to get past him without having to touch him. He didn’t know what he would do if Riley touched him again, and the last thing he needed to do was fall back into his arms and continue making the same mistake.

He couldn’t get out of there fast enough.

“Dawson.”

Dawson paused, not looking back.Please don’t be an asshole. I can’t deal with it right now.

“I’ll be here when you need me.”

Dawson squeezed his eyes shut.Fuck.His stomach churned uncomfortably, and he bolted.

Chapter 18

Riley took his timeanswering the door, unsure if he wanted it to be Gideon or Dawson. Gideon had at least confirmed with him. Dawson hadn’t responded to him in almost three days. Riley wanted to give him space, but at the same time, he wanted to drag him back here by his hair so they could work this out together. He cared about Dawson, about them both. This couldn’t be the straw that broke the camel’s back, not when Riley had fallen so deep.

He lived with Sadie. Where had he stayed the last two nights? Riley needed to know, the worry churning in his gut.

He opened the door and immediately regretted it. Neither of his men. Something much worse, in fact.

“Quinn.”

Quinn didn’t wait for an invitation, pushing past him and into the apartment without a word.

Riley steeled himself, fingers wrapped around the edge of his door. If he left and never came back, would that help himavoid this conversation? Likely not. He closed it and turned to his uninvited guest. Sebastian must have said something. His patience had to run out sooner or later. It was Riley’s fault for dragging it out. It seemed all their secrets were coming to light this week. He wasn’t in the mood to deal with any of this right now. He had bigger concerns.

“Save it,” he said abruptly before Quinn could get going.

Quinn deflated. “It’s true, then. I thought Sebastian was making a poor joke when he told me.”

Riley needed a drink for this. Multiple, in fact.

“Yousleptwith one of your detectives, Riley.”

“Yes, I was there,” he replied dryly. He pulled out two whiskey glasses in case Quinn planned to stay awhile.

“Just your dick, or did your brain take that walk off the plank too?”

He didn’t pretend not to understand what Quinn was asking. “All of me.” No use denying it. He’d been completely in control of himself when he’d put his hands on Gideon. On both of them.

“I thought you’d gotten over him years ago.”

“This had nothing to do with my prior feelings for him.” A half-truth. Riley had always been aware of Gideon, even when he tried not to be. He always pushed it aside because he wouldn’t be controlled by his baser emotions. Because Gideon had been taken by a woman that Riley admired. Had a family he had no intention of even attempting to destroy. Gideon had been a devoted husband and was still a devoted dad, and while that had made Riley’s feelings deepen uncomfortably, it had always meant a clear off-limits.

Gideon had all but fallen into his lap, hadkissedhim, and he’d gotten a glimpse of exactly what he’d been missing out on all these years. How could he have said no to that? Especially when, together, they’d found a third person who fit so perfectly against them,withthem.

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