Page 28 of Under Your Care

Lane shook his head, smiling. “That’s not what I mean,” he clarified. “I mean, if your brothers are expecting specific sexual organs - or not expecting. Either way, I’m not sure if they share your taste in dubious consent, but if they were to jump Ollie and then say something mean to him because of it.” I gestured for him to get on with it. “He had top surgery, so he doesn’t have breasts - which again, I feel icky telling someone this without his knowledge - but I just want to make sure your brothers don’t emotionally or physically scar him for life.”

I nodded in understanding, “I’ll speak with them about it.”

“Okay, sounds good.” Lane ruffled through his drawers. Upon pulling out an oversized sleep shirt, he went still, rubbing the fabric in his hands. “Do you think you could stay the whole night tonight?”

I walked up to him, wrapping my arms around his waist and placing a kiss on top of his head. “Of course.”

Chapter 12

Lane

Soon enough it was time for Greyson to return to the office, resulting in a new daily routine. He’d cook us both breakfast, head out after eating, return with food for lunch, head back to the office - all while continually texting me throughout the day - then return for dinner. A few days in, he’d granted me permission to contact Oliver, and after Oliver had threatened to call the police if he couldn’t see me in person, Greyson had told me to invite him over to the apartment during a day he was out at work.

I was nervous about seeing him without Greyson to keep me anchored. I loved Oliver. He was practically family. But I knew he’d be disappointed with how compliant I had been with Greyson. I wanted his visit to be perfect so that he’d see how well Greyson had been caring for me. My fear was that Oliver would never accept and get along with Greyson. As I sat on our living room couch, waiting anxiously for my friend to arrive, I tried to perfect my argument on Greyson’s behalf. I fretted with a loose thread on my shorts, hoping that everything would be okay. I was jerked from my thoughts by the sound of the doorbell ringing. I jumped off the couch and quickly ran to open the front door.

My heart sank as I flung open the door and laid my eyes upon a veryobviously angry Ollie. He pushed past me into the foyer.

“Where the fuck is that bastard?” Oliver barked, fists clenched at his side. I breathed deeply, shutting the door behind me. When I tried to calm my friend down by placing my hand on one of his shoulders, he shrugged me off. My chest began to hurt.

“Greyson’s at work, so it’s just me home,” I mumbled faintly, rubbing my breastbone in an attempt to ease the pain.

“He left you alone?” Oliver looked back at me with a bewildered look in his eye.

“Yeah… Um, he started going back to work so it’s just me for most of the day.”

Oliver whipped around, latching onto one of my wrists. “We’re getting you out of here right now!” He tugged me towards the door as I dug my feet into the floor.

“No! I don’t want to leave, Ollie. Besides, all my stuff and Chloe are here. Please, just let me try to explain. Please,” I begged, ripping my arm out of his grasp. “Come on, he made snacks for us. Pleaaaseee,” I pouted, pointing over to the spread on the coffee table.

Oliver glared at me before nodding and stomping into the living room. “I’m not eating or drinking anything until you try it first.”

My stomach dropped, despair welled inside me as I nodded sadly. Oliver had never acted this way with me before. It hurt. I found myself wishing that Greyson were here so that I could skip this part and fast-forward to Oliver being my bestie again.

“I’m sure he’s already thoroughly brainwashed you, but go on,” Oliver grumbled.

As I talked through my relationship with Greyson and my time at the apartment, I left out the part about Greyson drugging and kidnapping me. While I felt like that was the only truly unsavory part of the story, Oliver did not agree.

“Fuck. Lane, do you even hear yourself? He literally told you point blank that he manipulates you. You haven’t been outside in like two weeks! He controls everything from your diet, your hygiene, your clothes. I’m your best friend, Lane. Please, I’m begging you to think for yourself and realize how fucked up this all is. He was your fuckingtherapist, Laney. None of this is okay!” Oliver shouted at me, tears streaming down his red cheeks.

“It’s not like that, Ollie. I really like him and he loves me,” I choked out, overwhelmed with emotion.

Oliver scoffed, “He doesn’t love you, Lane. He’s abusing you. You’re just too blind to see it since he’s giving you attention.”

I cried, my fingernails digging into the palms of my hands, “Don’t say that!”

“Is this how you were with your cousin?”

I blanched, whispering, “What?”

Oliver ground his teeth, seething. “I’m not dumb. I know you used to fuck him. He probably just told you that incest is okay and you smiled and went along with it. Greyson is exactly the same.”

I wanted to vomit, I’d never explicitly told Oliver about Tate.

“Greyson isn’t like him,” I trembled, my vision blurry and head pounding.

Oliver took a deep breath before speaking to me in a calmer manner, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say it like that. I just… I’m so scared for you, Laney. Please… just listen to what I’m about to say, please.”

“Okay…”

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