Page 175 of His Boys to Protect

Ward's eyes widened and his lips parted. He took a deep breath, held it for a long moment, then slowly let it back out. “Charlie? If you mean that…” He paused, swallowing hard, then squeezed Charlie's hands. “Wh-What would you say about…getting married?”

Charlie gasped.

Then he had to curl up and cover his ears for a long moment. The excitement was so loud!

Married meant forever!

Charlie rocked hard in his seat as he nodded.

A grin took over Ward's face, and his eyes lit up in a way that Charlie had never seen before. Ward swooped in and kissed him, then pulled back and squeezed his hands again. “I'll get him, Charlie. I'll get him and bring him home. I promise.”

Then Ward jumped back into his truck and took off.

Charlie watched him go, heart thumping in his chest. Ward would find their Sky! They'd all be together again.

He couldn't wait.

Chapter 61

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SKYLAR

SKYLAR GOT back from his appointment, his wallet considerably emptier, but his heart lighter. It had been all he could do to tear himself away from the mirror after the design was finished. The wolf and mouse were perfect. He felt whole, somehow. Like a piece of himself had been missing, and now it was there. Part of him. Forever.

Yet it was bittersweet. Permanently marking his skin—carrying a mere representation of Ward and Charlie—would never be the same as having the men for real. Still, this was better than nothing. His lifeline was complete. He could have Ward and Charlie on his skin and in his heart for the rest of his days, no matter what came his way. At least one small part of him would stay clean and whole.

Skylar gave himself a careful sponge bath, keeping away from the new ink, then bundled up in his pajamas. He sat up in bed, watching TV, pretending to rest, right up until Uncle Zeke came to ask if he was hungry for dinner. Skylar dutifully got up and ate, then helped with the dishes before going straight back to bed.

He eyed the time. By all rights, he should start adjusting his sleep schedule back to days so he could be used to it again before he went back to work. His body protested it, though. He wanted to live a normal life. Have a normal routine. Now that he'd spent so much time with Charlie, so many consecutive days waking up and going to bed at the same hour, his body craved that continuity. Charlie would go to bed by eight this time of year. Skylar decided he'd do the same. Just for a few more days.

That gave him a little over an hour to kill. Skylar eyed his phone. It was off, of course. He knew he could turn it on and simply delete the tracking app so Charlie couldn't find him, except that would mean letting go of one last link to the boy. Besides, he really need to let the phone go. Ship it back to the Pratts and be done with it. He'd have to do that on Monday, after the holiday craziness was over. As much as he didn't want to give it up, he'd have to make himself. Then figure out how to afford a new phone and set up his library access again.

Skylar sighed and reached for the TV remote instead, then gave a start at the sound of a vicious pounding on the front door.

The hell?

He threw back the covers, got up, and opened the bedroom door. Skylar peeked out, watching Uncle Zeke storm away from the kitchen as the deep, booming knocks continued.

“Alright, alright,” Uncle Zeke grumbled. “I'm coming.” There was a tiny pause before Uncle Zeke said, “You?”

“Where is he?”

Skylar gasped.

Oh fuck. That was Ward! What the hell was Ward doing there? He crept out of the room, his legs seeming to have a mind of their own while his heart beat frantically, telling him to go back to the room and hide.

“She's resting–” Uncle Zeke began, making Skylar wince.

“He,” Ward bit off right before Skylar stepped out from the hallway, giving himself a direct view of the man. Ward spotted him. His expression softened, his eyes wary yet full of hope. “Sky,” he gasped.

Skylar sucked in a breath. He had to hug himself to stop his hands from shaking as he took a step closer. “What are you doing here? How did you find me?”

Uncle Zeke muttered an excuse and walked away, leaving them alone. Ward took a step inside the apartment, his gaze focused on Skylar as he moved.

“Charlie,” Ward explained. “He saw your phone come on this afternoon.” Ward breathed a laugh. “He tried to come after you. Tried to get on a train.”

Skylar's eyes went wide as his heart raced with panic. “Oh my god. Is he–”

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