Page 145 of His Boys to Protect

Skylar watched in silence as the man got up, pulled on his boots, and walked out the door.

The latch clicked into place, the lock struck home, and silence fell.

Skylar shivered. He ran to the front door and listened as Ward's truck started up and then pulled away. Skylar checked the locks, making sure the door was secure, then ran to the bathroom. He took a quick shower, trying to warm himself up, and pulled on some pajamas that Charlie had left behind forhim. They were soft, warm, and like new, in far better shape than Skylar's own. He grabbed a pair of Ward's socks and put those on as well. They were loose on his feet, but he didn't care. Skylar heaved a sigh of relief and headed for the kitchen.

He eyed the leftovers in the fridge, then grabbed a can of Charlie's hungry soup instead. Skylar didn't really like it, but nothing else sounded appealing. He heated it up, then poured himself a small glass of the Vista Robles grenache. Ward had brought home a bottle of it just for him.

Skylar sat on the couch, idly watching a show while he ate. He heard cars come and go outside, accompanied by doors slamming, footsteps, and all sorts of different voices. People going about their lives, coming home from work, going out to dinner, spending time together.

Fuck. He should have gone with Ward. But it wouldn't have felt right without Charlie. And he'd never be able to look Ward's parents in the eyes.

Skylar turned off the TV, washed his dishes, left a light on for Ward, and went to bed. He fell asleep almost instantly.

And then the nightmare came.

The long hallway. The endless doors. The clawed, grasping hands tearing his clothes, grabbing him, pulling him back, keeping him from Ward and Charlie. From safety. From freedom.

He woke to the feeling of a body curled around his. Skylar gasped, scrambling to get away while the nightmare fought to maintain its hold.

“Sky? It's okay,” Ward murmured. “It's okay. It's just me.”

Skylar's chest heaved. “W-Ward?”

“Yeah, sweetheart. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you.”

Skylar heaved a sigh of relief. “I was having a nightmare.”

“It's okay.” Ward's big hands found him and pulled him close. Skylar went willingly, burrowing against the man as Wardwrapped his arms back around him. “You're safe. Everything's okay.”

Was it, though? Skylar snuggled in closer, soaking up the man's presence and warmth. He'd never be able to get enough.

It wasn't fair. Whether Ward discarded him tomorrow or ten years from now, this whole thing was bound to end. Hell, even if they stayed together and Skylar ultimately lost Ward and Charlie to death in old age, it would still mean heartbreak and loneliness. One lifetime with them would never be enough. Sooner or later—and far more likely the former, since they were bound to cast him out at some point—Skylar would once again be on his own.

Better to run now and get it over with.

Except he didn't want to leave. Not really. Not ever. But if he did go, he still needed to belong to them first. He wanted to be marked by them in the most intimate way possible. A way that he'd never share with anyone else in his entire life.

Skylar squirmed. “Ward?”

“Yeah, kitten?”

Skylar opened his mouth, ready to ask the man to fuck him right then and there, but he stopped himself. It wouldn't be right without Charlie. He needed both of them. Together.

Hell, maybe that would change everything for him. Maybe, once he was really and truly theirs, he'd feel settled. Safe. Ready to stay.

“Charlie's coming back tomorrow, right?” Skylar asked instead, then gasped. “Oh, shit. We didn't text him. To let him know we got back safely.”

“I did,” Ward murmured. “I remembered right when I got to my folks' house. I sent him a text, and he wrote back that he'd see us tomorrow.”

Skylar let out a sigh of relief. “Okay.”

Ward gave him a squeeze and pressed a kiss to his temple. “Go back to sleep,” he whispered.

Skylar obeyed.

He woke the next morning to the sound of the coffee machine turning on. Skylar sat up and rubbed his eyes. He couldn't remember presetting the machine, so Ward must have done it.

The clock on the nightstand showed it was 4:30 in the morning.

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