Page 44 of Stolen

“Having a pity party.” Leo patted the empty space beside him. “Care to join?”

I settled into place next to him on the floor, one of my arms wrapping around his waist and pulling him close. “What’s going on? Is this about the whole trending thing?”

“I made one mistake. One.” He closed his eyes as he spoke. “And now, it’s going to follow me for the rest of my life.”

“One mistake?”

“Keith.” Leo blew out a heavy breath. “It doesn’t matter how well I’m doing in my career. It doesn’t matter if I dedicate the rest of my life to working in PR for struggling non-profits. Everything will always come back to Keith.”

“I think he planned the whole thing.”

“What?”

“He had one of the assistant photographers filming the photoshoot the whole time,” I replied. “I think he faked the fall, just because he knew you’d probably try to help him. Just with your instinct to help people and all.”

“What the fuck?” Leo whined. “So, he planned to potentially hurt himself on a photoshoot just to get a picture of us holding-hands-but-not-really?”

“Yeah. That sounds about right.”

“What the fuck is his problem?” Leo whined again. “Fuck. He doesn’t even like me that much.”

“I feel like it’s probably the opposite?—”

“I mean, he doesn’t like the way I look.” Leo cut me off, his tone low. “Remember how I told you he was cheating on me every chance he got?”

“Yeah?”

“Pretty much all of those guys looked like you. Or Diego. Or Chris. Or Andrew.” Leo laughed, but it came out broken.“Nothing’s changed, you know? I still look the same as I did before. Which means, he still wouldn’t be happy with how I look.”

Leo looked over at me, as he went on. “I tried. To bulk up. After everything went sideways between us, I wondered if there was something I could do to save it. Isn’t that so pathetic? I found out my boyfriend was cheating on me, and I tried to fix it by making myself look prettier for him. Just… completely fucking idiotic.”

“You’re not an idiot, Leo.”

“Sure feels like it to me.”

“Look at me,” I said, as I gently placed my hand underneath his jaw, forcing his eyes up toward mine. “Do you know what I see when I look at you?”

“A particularly needy sub?”

“I see someone who’s been through so much and came out the other side of it, still kicking. I see someone who works so hard every day, just going after their dreams without an ounce of fear. I see someone strong, resilient, capable. Someone who’s able to turn dust into glitter and gold.”

I leaned toward Leo, until my forehead rested against his. “I see someone who’s going to take the world by storm.”

“Even if I can’t bench press 225 pounds?”

“Even if you can’t bench press 225 pounds.” I smirked before pressing my lips against his cheek. “How many times do I have to tell you how perfect you look? How beautiful you are?”

“You’re just saying that because you want to get in my pants.” Leo smirked back.

“Uh, who wouldn’t?”

Leo playfully rolled his eyes before he closed the distance between us with a kiss.

“Back off.”

It was the middle of the night, and I’d groggily answered my bedroom door after hearing someone knocking on it like a madman. Leo hadn’t slept over this time around; he was getting prepared for yet another photoshoot tomorrow. Since he needed to put on his serious game face, I didn’t mind the separation.

Even if I was already missing him.

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