Page 59 of Unexpected Boyfriends

“Hey,” he murmurs sleepily. “I fell asleep.”

“Yeah, you did. When did you last sleep?”

“In a bed? Three nights ago. I escaped after lights out. Been travelling since then.” He sounds more like himself. He yawns, his nose wrinkles cutely and he eyes the bowl of bolognese. “Smells good. That for me?” he asks hopefully.

“It’s all yours,” I tell him, passing the bowl, and then leaning across I run my fingers through his hair. “God, I’ve missed you.”

“I missed you too,” his face crumples and he blinks rapidly, to hide the tears that are threatening again.

“We need to talk, but that can wait till tomorrow. Just for now, though, I need to check something… you're still in school, right?"

"Well, I'm supposed to be. School ends mid-September."

"Yeah, what I mean is, you're still living at home..."

"Oh yeah. Don't get my inheritance until I turn nineteen on September 21, so yeah, theoretically still living at home."

“Yeah, thought so.” I bite my lip.

“They'll send me back there...” The fear that twists his face is painful to see.

“Only if they catch you. But don’t worry,” I hastily cover his free hand with mine. “That’s not going to happen. I’ll make sure of it.”

Is it illegal to hide a missing person?

But I don’t share that thought with him. He’s got enough to worry about as it is. And I'm not leaving him to deal with this alone.

“Tomorrow, we’ll talk, yeah? And we’ll make a plan to keep you safe.”

Justin smiles gratefully and hands the empty bowl back to me. His eyes are starting to drift closed again already.

He sighs as he slips down under the covers. Then he reaches across and grasps my hand.

“Stay with me?” he asks in a small voice… as if he’s afraid I’ll say no.

“Of course, if you’re sure,” I reply.

“Yeah. Need you,” he whispers, barely awake now. “Always need you.”

I turn off the main light, and climb into bed with him, wearing another pair of pyjamas. I’d rather sleep naked but I’m not sure of his state of mind and I don’t want him freaking out in the night.

When I turn off the bedside lamp and slide down under the covers, I reach for him and pull him to me. He comes willingly and presses his body up against mine. Minutes later I hear the soft huff of his breathing, his chest rising and falling softly against me. It takes me a lot longer to fall asleep. Thoughts and emotions are spinning around in my head. Whichever way I look at it, I come to the same conclusion. They’re going to be looking for him and it won’t be long before they figure out he’s come to me.

He came to me.

I remember another night, months ago, when I told him I wanted to be the one he ran to, not the one he regretted.

Tears of gratitude fill my eyes. He did. He ran to me.

Chapter 23

Where am I?

JUSTIN

4.45am. Brightly illuminated numbers.

We don’t have clocks in here.

---