Page 153 of His Boys to Protect

It was several more minutes before Charlie showed any signs of stopping. When he finally did, his face was pale. Hiseyes, bloodshot. Charlie slowly got up with Ward's help, but his posture was full of defeat, his shoulders slumped and rounded, his head bowed. Not even a full mug of coffee was enough to revive his spirits.

Want home, Charlie signed.

Skylar felt a sudden swell of panic inside his chest. “But you just got here,” he blurted out. Charlie couldn't leave. Not yet. Skylar wasn't ready to see him go. Not after last night.

Want home, Charlie insisted.Home now!

“Charlie, Ward can't take you home right now–”

Now!Charlie signed.

“Okay, buddy,” Ward murmured. “Okay. If you really want to go home, I'll take you back. But we can't go right this minute, okay? Let's at least have some breakfast first. You don't want to go on a long drive without food.”

Charlie squirmed and rolled his head, considering that, then gave a begrudging nod. He set down his empty mug and strode off to the bedroom.

Skylar watched him go, then turned to look up at Ward. “You're not really gonna drop everything and drive him all the way back home today, are you?”

Ward shrugged. “If that's what he wants.”

Skylar crossed his arms, hugging himself as the urge to tremble took over again. “But he just got here.” Skylar swallowed hard. “How can you let him go so easily?” he blurted out. After what they'd shared last night, Skylar hardly wanted to let either of them out of his sight, let alone have them be hours away.

“I can't force him to stay,” Ward murmured, sounding so calm and reasonable that it only made Skylar feel more unsettled. “It wouldn't be right or fair.”

Skylar blinked rapidly. “And what if I wanted to leave? Would you let me go, too? Just like that?”

Ward paused in the midst of grabbing a frying pan. He carefully set it down, staring at it as he answered. “If that was what you truly wanted? Yes, I would.” He turned to look at Skylar. “It's your life, Sky. Whatever decisions you make, I'll support you, one hundred percent. You have to do what's right for you, first and foremost. Always.”

Skylar's heart clenched as a bittersweet pain shot through him. On one hand, he loved that Ward didn't want to control him. That he was allowed to be his own man and make his own decisions. On the other, all he wanted was for the man to keep him. To need him. To beg him to stay. Both him and Charlie. Except it sounded like Ward would be willing to let him go. And so easily, too.

Just like his parents had done.

Skylar gave up. It was over. He'd known this day would come, but he hadn't thought it would hurt like this.

He had to leave before his heart could break any more.

Chapter 54

________

WARD

WARD WATCHED Skylar as he got ready to take Charlie home.

Something was wrong. He'd felt it last night, and it had only gotten worse that morning. Then again, it didn't help that none of them had gotten enough sleep. Ward was tired himself, having been kept up late by Charlie's fidgeting and then having that loud awakening that morning. Poor Skylar had to be in even worse shape. The boy had recovered from his surgery, but he still wasn't one hundred percent back to normal.

And no wonder Charlie had thrown a fit. Everything had been piling on between the long car ride yesterday, the overwhelming connection they'd all shared last night, and then having his sleep interrupted by noises. All of that capped off with his morning not starting off the way he was used to? It made sense that the poor boy wanted to go home. To go back to what was comfortable and familiar.

But Skylar clearly didn't want Charlie to go.

Ward didn't, either. That was the very last thing he wanted. He wished both boys would stay there forever. Just his luck, though, that was never going to happen. And trying to force them to stay would probably only backfire. Charlie couldn'thandle his routine or his needs being interrupted. And as for Skylar? The poor boy had endured enough force over the years. Ward refused to add to that. Skylar deserved to be his own man. To have control over his own life.

“Sure you don't want to come with us?” Ward asked Skylar. He'd already asked once, right after they'd all finished breakfast, but he couldn't resist asking again. Just in case Skylar changed his mind.

But Skylar firmly shook his head.

“Okay,” Ward murmured. He reached out and tucked Skylar's hair behind his ear. “Try to get some rest, okay? And call me if you need anything. I'll pull over,” he quickly added. “I promise.”

Skylar slowly nodded. “Okay.”

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