Page 108 of The Wounded Warrior

“I know, but you are not to blame.” The motherfuckers who’d hurt an innocent kid were. “What they did to you was criminal, babe. He’s going down for this.” Luke didn’t even want that man’s name in the same room with Rory.

Once he made sure his lover slept and ate and slept a little more, then they’d make a plan, together. Right now, it was more important that Rory stood up as if some of the weight was off him, then helped Luke into bed.

He got rid of his boots so he could shimmy out of his jeans. When Rory cautiously slid between the covers with him, Luke reached out to pull his lover close.

Rory came to him, face hot and wet, buried against his throat.

“I got you, babe.” Luke stroked that silky golden hair. “I love you.”

“I’m sorry. I never wanted… Never.”

“Right. I mean, I can tell you were waiting to spring that on me. Hush, you. Unless you need to babble, and then go for it.”

“My head hurts. My…my fucking soul hurts, Luke. Everyone’s seen it. Lori, my people, your people, the news.”

“Lori fielded all that like a pro.” Luke paused, pondering. “I knew why you wanted to go after Harris. Like in an academic sort of way. I swear, if I hadn’t been with Jake when the video came in, I would have gone and killed him. Now I’ve seen it, I’m surprised you didn’t.”

“I was nineteen and scared. Now, I’m fully grown and I’m not scared anymore. I’m pissed off.”

“Jake has a warrant for the old fuck. I don’t know if they got him yet.”

“A warrant? Does the DA think they can make anything stick?”

“Yeah. I mean, the tape can only do so much. If they prosecute, they’ll want you to be there.”

“I’ll be in court every single fucking day.”

“Good deal.” He just kept touching, needing to feel Rory, there with him, alive and safe. Nothing sexual. Just comfort.

“You drove all this way. Your legs must be unhappy.”

“I took some Tylenol. I can’t promise not to kick you if I cramp up.” His muscles were jumping in places, tiny electric shocks going through his legs.

“You need me to rub them?”

“If you have an urge, I am not gonna say no. That lotion Avery gave me is in my go bag.”

“You bothered to drive down here. It’s the least I can do.”

“Hey.” Luke caught Rory when he started to move away. “I would follow you anywhere, okay?”

“Even still?” Sometimes Rory was so young.

“Hell, yes. You’re the bravest man I know.”

Rory snorted. “I’m just… I can’t believe I trusted them. I was so stupid.”

“You were young and desperate to join the old boy network.” He propped his head up with his hands, watching Rory get up to grab his lotion. “I like to think it made you the take charge, balls to the wall guy you are, and I like him.”

“Yeah? Good, because I don’t know how to be anyone else.”

“Good.”

Rory returned to him, lotion in hand. “Oh, honey, your legs are just jumping like frog legs in a hot pan.”

“I needed to get to you, no matter what.”

“Thank you.” Rory looked up, rubbing lotion between his hands to warm it. “I just ran. I should have come to you, but I shorted out.”

---