Page 18 of Enslaved

“I get it.” Court tucked a hair behind Heath’s ear. The love in his expression was nearly Heath’s undoing. “You’re mine. I’m not all athletic like you, but I’ll still bite a bitch if they try to take you.”

A bark of laughter burst from Heath. “That’s a real threat. Your dad is a dentist. You’ve got good teeth.”

The way Court shook with laughter had Heath smiling so hard, his face hurt. “That was hard work for him too. I have fat kid tendencies and love candy.”

Heath shrugged. He kissed Court’s neck, nibbling his skin. “I don’t care if you get fat. There’ll just be more of you to love.”

Court chuckled. “You go too much. I could never get fat just trying to keep up with you. Oh, god. Don’t stop that.”

Heath sucked Court’s neck, doing exactly as told. He never got enough. As long as Court would let him enjoy his body, Heath was there.

Court’s cellphone rang.

Heath groaned. “Dad probably called around and got your number. Fuck. I didn’t think about that.” He grabbed Court’s phone, determined to block his parents there too. He didn’t recognize the number. “Yeah. I don’t know who this is.” He passed the phone to Court.

Court looked confused. He answered and immediately switched the call to speakerphone. “Hello?”

“It’s Mom. I’m at the hospital with your dad.” Court sat straight up, nearly head-butting Heath in the process. “What? What happened?”

She sniffed. It was obvious she was crying. “It’s really bad. Can you please come? He’s in room four in the trauma center.”

Court scrambled from the bed. “Yeah. Give me a minute. I’m on my way.” He didn’t even say goodbye.

Heath was right behind him. They dressed side by side. Court looked pale. Heath had a bad feeling in his gut. No matter how terrible Court’s parents were, he loved them and he couldn’t save them from themselves. Heath prayed they hadn’t found a new way to wreck Court. Heath had just put him back together.

Chapter Nine

Even though he washeaded for the hospital, there was still a part of Court that wondered if this was a game. He honestly didn’t put anything past his dad. On the flip side of things, there were so many ways his dad could turn up dead. Overdose. Car crash while high. Finally getting his comeuppance with the wrong person he had crossed. He didn’t know what to expect. Court didn’t know why he cared. The closer he got to the room, the less he wanted to go. Maybe he was coldhearted. Possibly, he had finally been completely used up. No matter the reason, his initial worry and terror were gone, leaving behind an odd ambivalence. He was here, though. Court might as well find out why.

The last thing he expected, even though he didn’t know why, was to find his father sitting up in bed, looking relatively fine. His gray-tinged blond hair stood in every direction and his eye wasblack. Otherwise, his mom looked worse than him from all the crying.

“This is bad?” Even Court heard the incredulous note in his voice.

His mother wailed. “Look at his legs,” she demanded between obnoxious cries. “Look what they did to him. How is he supposed to work like that?”

His dad’s legs were both tightly wrapped, as if possibly broken. He looked guilty, which only furthered Court’s annoyance. They hadn’t let Heath come back with him to the room since he wasn’t family. Court wished like hell he was there. He had a bad feeling he would need Heath to stop him from pouncing. His eye twitched. Then a cold calm settled over him.

“Well, I imagine he was too high at the time to have felt any of this.” He held his dad’s stare. “So, which debt got you into this?”

His dad looked away.

Court realized he felt nothing except tired. “It seems it’s time for you to sell the house. You’ve got nothing else, and I’m done. Honestly, I’m surprised you lasted this long.” He heard how cold he sounded. There was no regret or sadness in him. These weren’t the same people who raised him. They had let money change them into strangers.

“You can’t leave us without a house. Call Portland. He’ll do anything for a night with you. He’s always taken care of you in the past.”

Court felt sick. Of all the insults and insinuations that had been flung his way over the past few years, he honestly had never felt like a whore. He knew his boundaries, even if no one else saw them. But in that moment, Court realized something so monumental, it broke him. His parents thought he whored for them, and they were fine as long as they got everything they wanted. Court didn’t speak. He simply walked away. His mom’s high-pitched wails followed him, but he didn’t truly hear a thing. All he wanted was to get back to where love lived. His heart shattered and then hardened with every step. For the first time, he fully realized his parents were gone. All he had in this world was Heath. The man who Court had spent his life stuck between loving and hating was the only person who gave a single fuck about him. Court would pour everything into him.

Heath looked worried when he spotted Court. He stood. “Is everything okay?”

“I’m done.” He took Heath’s hand and headed for the door. Thankfully, Heath didn’t ask questions. He simply followed Court’s lead.

Inside the car, Heath didn’t start it right away. He stared at nothing for a minute before finally meeting Court’s stare. “I’m sorry.”

A sad smile tugged at Court’s lips. “Me too, but I’ll be okay.”

Heath kissed his hand. “Damn right.”

For a moment, they simply stared at each other. Court didn’t know what to do or say. It was just them now. All it had taken was one night to show them they were all they needed, but Court didn’t know how to put into words the way Heath had saved him. He didn’t know how to express the way he felt—deep in his soul—that he had always wanted Heath, because they were meant for each other.

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