Page 62 of Doubling Down

Eric winced. ‘Not well, I take it?”

“Actually, the opposite. I didn’t know that my mother had complications with my birth and couldn’t have more children. They tried to take Annabelle from me. Said I could leave her with them and go back to school. They’d raise her as my sister.”

“Which wasn’t what you wanted.”

“Even at a couple weeks old, I knew that girl was going to be my entire life.”

Eric smiled.

“But my parents kept pushing me. The preacher agreed with them. Said giving up Annabelle was my penance for sinning. Every day for a month they tried to force me. My mother began to try to keep Annabelle from me. Wouldn’t let me feed or change her. I knew that if we didn’t get away, they would do something drastic. So I took Annabelle and we left.”

“They must not have considered you’d do that.”

He shrugged. “I don’t know what they thought. But I didn’t want anyone raising that baby other than me and I didn’t want her part of the church.”

“I’m going to need to know the names of everyone involved. They have no claim to Annabelle. No one will be taking her away from you.”

“I’m scared,” Ezra confessed.

“I won’t lie. I am too. I just found you and that precious girl. I won’t let anyone hurt you or take you away.”

“I’ve been nothing but trouble since we met.”

Eric’s chuckle was warm. “You are worth every bit of trouble that you might bring my way.”

Ezra smiled. “I’ll remind you if you ever forget.”

“I hope so.” Eric lowered his face until their lips were inches apart. “Because you’re all mine. My partner. My boy. You’ll be my everything.”

He sucked in a breath. “You really mean that?”

“I love you, Ezra,” Eric confessed. “I don’t want to scare you away, but I was half in love with you before I even knew your story. Now…now I am absolutely certain of it.”

“Wow.” Ezra was mesmerized by the look in Eric’s eyes. By the words.

“You don’t have to say the words back. Please just give us a chance.”

“I’m not going crazy. I love you too and I want everything that you do. I want to make us a family. Me, you, Annabelle, Brandon, Dom, Lake, Dane, and even Maverick.”

“I might need to add a few people to that list but it’s a good start.”

“A very good start,” Ezra agreed.

“I bet we can squeeze out a few more minutes for alone time. How about a shower?” Eric offered.

“Together?”

“Yes, baby. Daddy wants to wash his boy from head to toe.”

And the hard-on trapped in his pants was about to explode. “Please, Daddy.” By the end of the night, Ezra vowed to have Eric in his mouth. He wanted to play.

Eric lifted him before he strolled toward the ensuite bathroom. Ezra clung to his Daddy’s neck. It was awesome being so much smaller with a big strong Daddy that could carry him.

He set Ezra on the counter, where Ezra watched as Eric walked to the shower and turned on the water. He kicked his feet, knowing that he was a very lucky boy. Eric hadn’t taken off when he’d heard Ezra’s story. No, in fact, Eric had said that he loved him.

After three long years of being alone, it was nice to have someone who was strong enough to stay with him, even if it wasn’t always a smooth ride.

Walking back over to him, Eric stopped before he began to tug off his clothes. Ezra totally approved of a naked Eric. Once he was bared, Eric reached for Ezra.

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