Page 109 of Warrior's Cross

Julian’s lips twitched. “And I love you,” he added obediently.

Cameron nodded, tilting his head and waiting, still expectant, though now he was smiling again, this time even wider. He felt disgustingly giddy, which was terrible when he knew he should really still be angry.

Julian bit his lower lip thoughtfully and lowered his head just slightly, still looking at Cameron unerringly. He thought for a minute and then inclined his head again. “And I like the color paint you chose?” he tried hopefully.

Cameron couldn’t hold back the laugh. “You’re an asshole, you know that?” he accused.

“Yes,” Julian answered obediently.

“Is Julian Cross your real name?” Cameron asked with a touch of dread. He didn’t know that he could think of the man as anything other than Julian.

“Mostly,” Julian answered with a wince. “Julian is my given name. Cross... isn’t,” he offered with an apologetic shrug.

Cameron nodded in relief. “As long as you’re Julian, I think I can deal with that,” he admitted tentatively.

“I am,” Julian affirmed hopefully. “And I’m possibly in need of an ice cube,” he added as he licked at his bleeding lip.

“No kidding,” Cameron responded. “Blake warned me it would hurt, but you know, it was a spur-of-the-moment thing.”

“I would advise you not to shake it,” Julian muttered dryly. “First time I hit someone I broke my finger,” he added with a smirk.

“I think I avoided that,” Cameron said, looking at his hand. The knuckles were already darkening to bruises. He sighed and paused, just to look at Julian, soak him in. “I couldn’t stop thinking about you,” he admitted softly, most of the harsh emotions finally draining away.

“Everything I did, every change I made, I wondered... what would you have thought?”

Julian was silent, looking at Cameron closely across the kitchen counter. Finally, he reached across the counter and took Cameron’s chin in his hand. “The only thing that matters is you,” he claimed. “If you’re happy.”

Cameron found his breath hard to catch as Julian’s fingers brushed against his skin. He reached up to grab Julian’s wrist so he wouldn’t pull away.

“Can you forgive me?” Julian asked worriedly.

Cameron’s shoulders slumped, and his hand tightened on Julian’s wrist. “Maybe,” he whispered honestly. “I just don’t know, Julian. I still hurt. I still want to be angry.”

Julian let out a pent-up breath and nodded. “I can live with maybe for now,” he whispered unsteadily, a mix of relief and pain clear in his voice.

Cameron’s heart thumped as his eyes scanned him over, truly looking at Julian for the first time in so long. He looked tired and worried, worn out and completely spent. His eyes weren’t the same sharp obsidian Cameron remembered in his dreams. He realized that all this time, Julian must have been living on a high wire.

“You haven’t been taking care of yourself,” he accused softly.

“No,” Julian agreed unrepentantly. “You were right. I need someone to do it for me.”

Cameron licked his lips slowly, a frown creasing his brow as he nodded. He looked Julian over, feeling guilty already for thebloody lip he himself had given the man. “What do you need?” he asked softly.

Julian dug into the pocket of his jeans and extracted a bottle of prescription pills. “I need a glass of water,” Julian answered miserably.

“Okay,” Cameron said, trying not to be amused as he turned and retrieved a glass to fill.

Julian took the water with a mumbled thanks. He swallowed the pills with one gulp and then drank down the rest of the water. He didn’t meet Cameron’s eyes until he handed the glass back to him.

Cameron accepted it as he looked over Julian’s flushed face.

“Want some more to drink?” he asked quietly as he reached up and smoothed down the ruffled hair around Julian’s ear.

Julian shook his head in answer. “How are you?” he asked softly.

“Aside from angry?” Cameron sighed and shook his head slightly. “Hurting,” he murmured. He turned to lift his shirt and show Julian the vivid black-and-blue bruise that ran from his shoulder down to his elbow.

Julian frowned and looked at it in confusion. “What’s that from?” he asked softly.

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