Page 28 of Burned By Love

“YOU’RE STILL SMILING,” Austin accused.“It’s getting creepy.”

West resisted the urge to stick his tongue out because he was an adult, but he was tempted.“What do you want me to do?Cry in the locker room?”

“You could stop smiling so much.Not all of us are dating a beautiful, sweet man,” Austin grumbled.

That caused West to smile even wider.“You’re right.Iamdating a beautiful, sweet man.”

Austin looked like he wanted to throw his phone at West’s head.Instead, he flopped down on the couch next to West and stretched out his legs.West leaned against Austin’s side and let the familiar sounds of the fire station comfort him.He could hear Taylor and Lisa talking in the kitchen and the sound of Jeremy working out in the gym.More people were chatting down the hallway, and Rebecca was singing badly in the shower.

The station was where he worked, but in a way, it was also his home, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.He cared about every single person who worked with him, even those he didn’t know as well as he did Austin, Jeremy, Lisa, and Taylor.

“Seriously, though,” Austin said.“I’m happy for you.Both you and Jonathan deserve this.”

“He certainly does after what happened with his ex.”

Austin frowned.“What do you mean?”

Jonathan and West had been talking every day, and they hadn’t avoided any topic of conversation.That included Sal, even though it was clear that Jonathan wished he never had to talk about him again.He’d agreed that it would be better if Austin knew what was going on, though.He wasn’t the one dating Jonathan, but he was a dragon shifter and West’s best friend.West wouldn’t be surprised if Sal tried something with Austin, and he wanted his friend to be prepared.

“Jonathan’s ex was abusive, and he’s a dragon shifter.He found us the other day when we went on our first date.He didn’t hurt either of us, but he was threatening, and Jonathan’s still freaked out,” West explained.

Sal was the reason they’d spent their second and third date at West’s apartment.It helped Jonathan feel more comfortable and safe, and West was fine with anything as long as he did it with Jonathan.Take-out and a movie was as great as their meal at the food trucks had been.Hell, it was even better because when he was at West’s place, Jonathan was relaxed and didn’t have to fear Sal popping up from behind a potted plant.

“Shit,” Austin murmured.“I get why he was so wary of you initially.He got over it?”

“I think he finally allowed himself to believe that I’m nothing like Sal.”

“Wait.Sal?”

“Yeah, that’s the asshole’s name.”

“As in Sal, the son of the leader of the local dragon clan?”

“Yeah, that’s him.You know him?”

“Shit.They’re dangerous, West.”

“I’ve never heard anything.”

“I’m sure youhaveheard about Sal, although maybe not by name.He’s a brat, but unfortunately, he’s a dangerous brat.He uses his father’s wealth and power to control people.People are afraid of him.I definitely wouldn’t want to be in the same room as him.You’re saying he’s Jonathan’s ex-boyfriend?”

“He is, and he’s a dick.”

“I don’t deny that.I’m just saying he’s dangerous and that you need to be careful.”Austin looked around, but no one was anywhere near them.He still leaned closer to West.“I’ve met him.I was only marginally involved with people who were close to him, but it was enough for me to know that I never wanted anything to do with him.He’s spoiled and arrogant.He doesn’t think anything of hurting people, and I don’t think he’s ever loved anyone but himself.”

“That’s the impression I got of him.I’m not sure he ever cared about Jonathan.”

“I’ve heard about Jonathan, too.”

“You knew him before we met him?”

“No, I’d only heard of him.Mostly, it was people mentioning how badly Sal was treating him and what they’d seen Sal do to him.Shit.Jonathan’s fucking brave, West.I don’t know how he managed to get away from Sal, but not a lot of people would’ve managed.”

West liked Sal less and less with every new bit of information he heard about him.Someone needed to kick him down off the pedestal he’d placed himself on, and while West wanted to be the one to do it so he could avenge Jonathan, he wasn’t about to seek out Sal.He’d promised Jonathan that he wouldn’t, and he kept his promises.

All bets were off if Sal found them again, though.

West would protect Jonathan, and he didn’t care what he had to do to make sure that Jonathan was safe and happy.If he had to kick Sal's ass, he would.Hell, he’d even kick the clan leader’s ass.That man needed to control his son, but unfortunately, West knew that often, when someone was an abuser, they’d learned it at home.

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