Page 71 of Just a Bit Guarded

“It doesn’t matter to me,” Will said, brushing his thumb against Gadiel’s bottom lip. “I don’t want you to be any different. I don’t want a life without you. Stay here, don’t go back.”

Gadiel’s lips trembled as he opened his mouth several times, but no sound came out. He stared at Will with such naked longing, but his eyes were welling with tears and he was shaking his head. “We can’t. I’m supposed to get married in a few weeks. My father will never let me be with you. He’ll kill me rather than let me dishonor him like that. He’ll kill both of us.”

“You were willing to risk it for Scott but not for me?” Will said.

A laugh tore out of Gadiel’s throat. “It’s not comparable at all, silly. Scott was just a distraction, a temporary escape. I convinced myself that I could be happy with him for a while, but looking back, I didn’t really give a damn about him, about the danger I was putting him in. But you—I’d rather die or be miserable for the rest of my life than have anything happen to you because of me.”

Frowning, Will took Gadiel’s hand in his, watching their fingers entangle and entwine without any conscious thought. A perfect fit. An impossible choice.

“It’s not just your decision,” he said, squeezing Gadiel’s hand. “I won’t let you die or be miserable for the rest of your life. Those can’t be the only two options.”

Gadiel shook his head. “Will, please. Don’t make this harder.” Stepping closer, he pressed his lips against Will’s in an achingly gentle kiss and whispered, “Thank you. Thank you for loving me. I’ll always, always love you.” Hot tears fell from Gadiel’s eyes onto Will’s face. “Part of me doesn’t want you to be happy without me, but I want you to live a long, happy life full of love and laughter. You deserve nothing less.” He laughed wetly. “I lied—I’m not sorry to have met you. I’m happy I have gotten to know you. I might be just a short page in your life, but you—youmade mine so much better. Thank you.” He started pulling away, but Will clamped his hands on his arms and jerked him close.

“No,” he said.

“Will—”

“No, listen to me, damn you.” Will glared at him. “You don’t get to make the decision for me. Fuck that self-sacrificing bullshit.”

“Will,” Gadiel tried weakly, but Will shook his head.

“You’re the only person who got under my skin in years—in decades. You aren’t a fuckingpagein my life. You are mine. You feel more mine than anything else in the world. I don’t give a fuck if we’ll have to spend the rest of our lives in hiding. As long as I have you in my life, it’ll beworth it.”

“But—”

“Besides, I’ve looked your father up. If your marriage falls through, he’ll be in big financial trouble. He isn’t going to waste his limited resources on looking for his wayward son for the rest of his life. He’ll give up in a few years at the latest.”

“You can’t know that,” Gadiel said, but his body was alreadymeltinginto him, his eyes shining with hope.

“I can’t know for sure,” Will conceded, stroking his back. “But even if I’m wrong, I don’t care.” He met Gadiel’s gaze. “I haven’t had a home since I lost my family. Until this month with you. So I’m more than all right moving around forever as long as I have you. Home isn’t a place.”

A small, fragile smile dawned in Gadiel’s eyes before spreading to the rest of his face.

He believed him. He finally believed him. “I’m never letting you go, you do realize that, right?” he said, wrapping his arms around Will’s neck.“You’ll never get rid of me.”

Will laughed, crushing him in his arms. “That’s the idea.”

And then they were kissing, and nothing else mattered.

Epilogue

Zain ibn Mustafa Al Rahim would be the first to admit that he wasn’t a kind, compassionate man. He didn’t like being defied, he didn’t like his plans being thwarted, and he most definitely didn’t like chasing his wayward little brother all over the world.

So he didn’t feel particularly inclined to be kind and patient when his people finally located Gadiel in some nondescript little town in Canada. Gadiel and that damned bodyguard of his.

He should never have hired him. He’d known the man was too good-looking not to tempt his horny teenage brother. But in Zain’s defense, he’d thought that in the worst case scenario, they’d have a brief fling. In the best case scenario, Summers would have kept his hands—and his dick—to himself. Zain certainly hadn’t imagined that Gadiel would run off with his bodyguard weeks before his wedding to the daughter of the most powerful man in the country.

His jaw clenching in annoyance, Zain knocked sharply on the door of the little house in the woods. As he waited, he looked around. Even his foul mood didn’t stop him from noticing how breathtaking the mountainous scenery was.

There was the sound of footsteps that came to a halt on the other side of the door.

Zain glared at the peephole. “Open the damn door, Gadiel. I’m not leaving if you don’t. I know you are there.”

After a long, pregnant silence, the door unlocked.

Gadiel stood on the other side, his eyes wide and full of anxiety. “I’m not going, you aren’t taking me back. I refuse.”

Zain scoffed and, pushing past him, looked around. The house was as disgustingly charming inside as it looked from the outside. It was a far cry from the luxurious houses they both were used to, but it was... warm and comfortable. Lived in. It looked like a home.

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