Page 70 of Loving You

“With me?”

Monty hummed his answer and searched for a kiss. Bronx didn’t make him wait this time. It was offered freely with pliant lips and a warm, wet tongue. “Thank you.”

Bronx pulled back. “For the orgasm? You’re very welcome. Mine was pretty damn good too.”

Monty snorted and buried his face in Bronx’s chest. “That’s not what I meant. You’re not afraid when my body…stops. You don’t think I’m broken.”

Urging Monty to look up with a soft touch, Bronx met his gaze firmly. “I don’t think you’re broken because you’re not. Nothing can break you. I’ve seen how strong you are, sweetheart. I love how strong you are.”

“And you love me,” Monty pointed out.

Bronx laughed into the second kiss. “Yeah. I do. I love you so fucking much. I’m a little terrified of how happy I am.”

“What’s that phrase? The shoe dropping?”

“Yeah, I—” He stopped when something began to buzz against the nightstand. Bronx’s phone. Monty felt a strange, uncomfortable sensation in his gut when Bronx leaned over him and grabbed it. “It’s Lucas.” He pushed the button to answer. “Hey, kiddo. I’m—oh. Wait…hold on, where are you?”

Silence. Monty couldn’t hear anyone speaking on the other end, which meant Lucas must be keeping his voice down. That was unlike him. Monty was officially worried.

Bronx suddenly stiffened and let Monty go,sitting halfway up. “He’s what? Did you call Uncle—okay. Okay. How about Adele? I’ll be over there shortly. Don’t try to force him out. He’s not going to hurt you, bud. Okay? I promise. But if you feel unsafe, lock your bedroom door. Yep, I’m on my way right now. I—I don’t know if that’s a good—okay, okay. Yeah. I’m sure he will. Do you want to stay on the phone with me?”

Monty moved with Bronx, hurrying to sort their clothes because Bronx was in a clear and obvious panic. He shot Monty a terrified smile of gratitude as he took his jeans and began to wriggle them on.

“Let me put you on with Monty so I can drive, alright? Hold on a second.” Bronx held the phone to his chest and looked over at Monty, who was halfway into his shirt. “My ex is at the house.”

Monty’s heart dropped to his feet. “With Lucas?”

“Lucas says he’s drunk and fucking around in the kitchen. He said he’s not leaving until I get there.”

“Then you need to go,” Monty said in a rush.

Bronx nodded. “Yeah. Lucas wants you to come. He wants us both. I promise, my ex isn’t violent. He’s just a fucking moron.”

Monty was awash with conflicting emotions. He was afraid. He was afraid that a nonviolent man might go the other way if he saw his ex with the new boyfriend. He might snap if he knew Lucas was asking for him. But Monty would also rather die than let Lucas down.

“Give me the phone,” he said. “See if you can find my other shoe.”

Bronx shoved the phone to his ear. “I’m putting Monty on now, okay? I love you, Luke,” he repeated. “It’s going to be fine.”

Monty had one shoe on as he took the phone. “Hey there.”

Lucas let out a watery laugh. “So, this is me begging you not to leave my dad because Jules is a goddamn psychopath. Okay?”

Monty laughed as Bronx found his shoe, and he slipped it on. “I’m not going to leave your dad because some other man can’t control himself.” He followed a silent Bronx out the door and climbed into the car as quickly as he could force his limbs to move. It would be a miracle if he didn’t collapse again, but he was going to hang on as long as he could for Lucas’s sake. “Are you okay?”

Lucas laughed again, then sniffed loudly. “No.” There were tears in his voice, and for the first time in his life, Monty wanted to punch a man he’d never met. “Why can’t he just leave us alone?”

“Has he done this before?”

“I don’t think so,” Lucas confessed. “But he was really mean to my dad when he went to close on the house, and I think he’s sent him a few nasty messages before Dad blocked him.”

Monty glanced over at Bronx. He’d never mentioned anything, but then again, they hadn’t been a couple back then. There had been rules to follow, and while they’d failed at that, they’d both been trying at the beginning.

Monty hated that he hadn’t been there for Bronx at the start.

“Well, if I have anything to say about it, he’s going to leave you both alone after tonight. I’m a lawyer.”

Lucas sighed, and there was a soft thud, like he’d dropped his head against something hard. “Isn’t that a conflict of interest?”

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