Page 107 of The Wounded Warrior

Aislin helped him into the house, which was a two-story, goodie. Rory was sound asleep on the sofa, his face haggard, dark circles under his eyes.

Luke’s heart clenched, because the last few days had to have been a nightmare.

“Aw.” Aislin squeezed his shoulder. “I love the way you look at him. Okay. I have to go. Good luck, SEAL.”

“Thank you, honey. I appreciate you.”

“Thanks. See y’all at Thanksgiving!” She bounced out, phone already in her hand and active.

Luke rolled over to Rory and poked him right in the ribs. His lover sat straight up, pure panic in his eyes.

“Shh. It’s okay, babe. Get up and show me where the bathroom is, and we can go back to bed for a bit.” They would talk. A lot. Right now they were both wore out.

“You came.” Rory was on pure auto-pilot, moving him through the house to a first-floor master with an en suite, stumbling around like a zombie.

“Well, yeah, once I found you, you monumental asshole.”

Rory helped him from chair to pot, then back again so he could wash his hands.

“I just need to text the mommas and let them know I got here and you’re okay.”

Rory looked at him, nodded and headed into the bedroom to pull the curtains closed and the covers down.

Luke shot off a group text to his momma, Helen and Matt, letting them all know everyone was safe.

Will call tonight

,he added.

You’d better

Helen shot back.

Tell him we love him.

Will do

He would, too. Maybe not right away.

The bed was a monster, but the comforter looked like a cloud, and Rory was standing by, ready to help him up if he needed it.

“I like your sister,” Luke said, turning off the sound on the phone.

Rory nodded, refusing to meet his eyes. “Me, too.”

“Help me up, babe.” That way Rory had to touch him.

Rory nodded and reached for him, face crumpling when he grabbed his lover and tugged him down.

“And don’t think for one second that I don’t want you in this bed with me. That video changed nothing about how I feel about you, you understand?”

Rory slumped against him, hard sounds coming from him, his whole body shaking.

Luke held on, tears in his eyes, because, Jesus, his lover was hurting so bad. So bad.

Still, the only way to deal with shit was to deal with it. So he let Rory storm, then he finagled them both into bed. “I love you, Rory.”

“I’m so fucking sorry.”

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