Page 139 of His Boys to Protect

Adam sprang into the bedroom doorway before lurching to a stop, staring at him intently.

“Hey,” Skylar murmured.

“Hey,” Adam replied, biting off the word through clenched teeth. He took a deep breath, then stepped into the room and shut the door behind him.

Skylar fidgeted under Adam's scrutiny. He combed his fingers back through his hair, then tugged the sheets up higher over his lap. “Sorry. I must look awful.”

Adam rolled his eyes. “Pfft. Please. You saw me shitfaced and grieving and stinking of my own vomit, remember?” he said, clearly referring to the early days when they'd first met, almost a decade ago. He waved a hand at Skylar. “This is nothing.”

Skylar opened his mouth to reply, but before he could manage it, Adam exploded.

“You have beenliving hereforweeksand you never even thought totell me?”

Skylar winced.

“Why didn't you tell me?” Adam went on, throwing up his hands. “We could have hung out. I could have introduced you to all my trans friends.”

“I–”

“And then this!” Adam went on, gesturing wildly at Skylar. “I mean, you didn't tell me when you had top surgery until after the fact, either, but–”

“You're gonna scare Charlie,” Skylar warned him.

“I need to be dramatic!” Adam snapped, then huffed out a breath and sank carefully onto the edge of the bed. “Are you okay?” he asked quietly, almost sounding meek. “Please tell me that you're okay.”

Skylar reached out and took his hand. “I'm fine.”

“Are you in pain? Do you need anything?”

“No. I'm okay. Really.”

Adam squeezed his hand back, holding on as he studied him. “How does it feel?”

“Honestly?” Skylar gently rested his free hand on his belly. “I'm not sure it's fully hit me. That it's finally over, I mean. It took so long to get here, it doesn't quite seem real yet. There were times when I thought it would never happen.”

“I thought the same thing after my top surgery,” Adam said with a nod. “Hell, Istillkeep touching my chest all the time, just to make sure the damned things really are gone.”

Skylar chuckled. “And you go to put on a shirt without a bra and feel like you're doing something wrong.”

“Yes!” Adam exclaimed. “Holy shit, yeah. It's such a weird feeling.”

“Nice, though.”

“So nice.” Adam touched his own chest, then let his hands fall heavily to his lap. “Fuck. I kinda envy you. I want Daddy to fuck me bare so bad, but it was all I could do to get throughthis,” he said, pointing at his chest.

Skylar winced, well aware of Adam's tragic history when it came to surgery. “How'd you find out I was here?” he asked, changing the subject.

“Dakota. We were out shopping when he got a text. He gave this huge sigh of relief, then told me it was from Charlie, letting him know'they'were back in town,” Adam explained, making air quotes with his fingers. “So then he told me all about you and Charlie coming to stay here with Ward and how you'd all gone to San Jose for a surgery and Dakota was anxious about the whole thing because apparently Charlie hates long car rides. Anyway, when he said you'd been staying here for a while, I made him give me this address because I had to see it for myself. I can't believe you never told me! Not even a text or anything!”

Skylar winced again. “I wasn't sure how long I'd be here. It all just sort of…happened.”

Then Skylar told him everything. How he and Ward met. The way things developed over the months, especially once Charlie became part of it all. How Skylar couldn't survive another minute in his life, and how Ward had come to his rescue, whisking him away from the city. How Skylar had been hiding there in Ward's apartment ever since.

“But now I feel so fucking useless,” Skylar went on. “Ward won't let me help with rent, even though I'm literally living here. Not that I can really afford it. Especially now. The surgery took just about everything I had. And I was going to try getting a job, but Ward pointed out that I'd have to quit for this, anyway,” he continued, waving a hand at himself. “I mean, he was right, of course. It would have been pointless to try starting something that would only last a couple weeks. Hell, I might not have been able to find a job as it is. It's not like I can share my work history. And what could I possibly get with a blank résumé? Nobody's gonna hire a guy my age without any apparent job experience whatsoever.”

Now it was Adam's turn to wince in sympathy.

Skylar lowered his voice even though the door was closed. “But I've been bored out of my mind when Charlie's not here, and I hate feeling like I'm taking advantage of Ward.”

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