Page 38 of Tender
Miles’s chin trembled.“I heard.”
Cosimo went pale.
“I…I know this is rich coming from me, but you know you don’t have to take this, right?You don’t have to let someone abuse you.You’re not a who—a whore,” he stammered, struggling with the word.“You’re not pathetic.You’re kind.You’re really kind.It’s obvious where Selene gets it, and I understand why people don’t leave bad situations, but I don’t know.I just…needed to tell you that.”
Cosimo just stared at him, and Miles started to realize he should have kept his mouth shut.
Fuck, this could have made it worse for him. If Emmett knew that someone else knew the way he was hurting Cosimo, the man’s life could be made into a living hell. And Miles would be responsible for it.
"How long have you been here?" Cosimo finally asked, his voice rough. "Andwhyare you in here?"
“Emmett said I could—” He started to choke on his words. “Um. The storm freaked me out.I’m gonna…” He glanced at the window.It was a wall of water, but he could make it. He’d dry off, weather the storm in the pool house, and call Oliver in the morning.“Sorry. I'll go.”
He turned, and then he ran.
Huddled on the center of his bed, Miles stared across the room at his packed suitcase while he fiddled with the watch on his wrist.He probably wouldn’t get thrown out before the rain stopped, but he wanted to be prepared for it. He had no idea what Emmett was actually capable of.
The kind, gorgeous, generous man who had been so fucking tender and sweet with him was also a monster. Fuck. How had Miles gotten it so wrong again?
But if the abusewasas bad as he thought, Cosimo probably wouldn’t tell Emmett that Miles had overheard them, and then they’d live in tense silence until one of them cracked.
He wanted to be prepared for whatever was going to come.Miles had tried to call Oliver, but the call had gone right to voicemail, and he wasn’t brave enough to say any of it over text.
Oliver wasn’t back from his honeymoon, but he’d probably let Miles stay at his place until he got back.Or, at the very least, loan him some cash until he could be there to help.
Whatever happened, he knew one thing: he had to get out of there. He couldn’t stay in a home where he knew someone was being hurt.He felt a little like a hypocrite because he knew he’d been ignoring the way Selene had treated him.
But it was different when he could see it from the outside. The look on Cosimo’s face when he realized Miles had heard everything?
God, he felt sick.
Covering his face, he pulled his knees tighter against his chest.The storm continued to rage, and in the midst of the deluge, there was a bang.The door flew open, and Milesjumped to his feet before he realized that a dark figure had burst in.
It didn’t take him long to recognize Emmett.The man was soaking wet, hair plastered to his forehead, wearing pajama pants, a black t-shirt, and a robe hanging off his shoulders. His eyes were wide and a little wild as he fumbled behind him and closed the door, shutting out the sound of the storm.
As Emmett took a step closer to him, fear kicked in, and Miles backed up until he hit the wall.
“Shit,” Emmett said, holding up both hands.“Miles, I am so sorry.We fucked up so badly.”
“We?” Miles asked, choking on a half-hysterical laugh. Clearly Emmett knew what Miles had overheard and was now doing damage control. But Miles had been through enough. He wasn’t about to let someone else in his family get away with abuse. “You meanyoufucked up. I heard everything.” That was probably the first time in his life he could say that, thanks to their damned house with all the perfect echoes.
Emmett shook his head slowly, taking one more step closer.“I mean we.Mo and I.We…fuck.I never…”Emmett let out a frustrated growl, dragging fingers through his soaked hair.“I didn’t hurt him.”
Miles did laugh this time.“Are you serious? You’re the one who told me that abuse doesn’t need to be physical. I heard what you said! And don’t pull the deaf bullshit on me!”
“No,” Emmett said. “Miles, I believe you. We had the house designed that way so Selene would always be able to hear us if she had her processors on.” He took a deep breath. “But you need to understand, it’s not what it looks like.”
Miles scoffed and squared his shoulders. “I’m sure that’s what all shitty husbands say when they get caught.”
Emmett was quiet for a beat. “Look I—okay. Christ.” He took another deep breath. “This isn’t something we tell people, but…that was something Cosimo wanted.”
Miles’s eyes went wide.“Are you fucking kidding me? Hewantedit?”
“Yes,” Emmett said evenly.Patiently.“You know what BDSM is, right?”
Miles blinked at him, his brain starting to short circuit.
Emmett nodded. “Yeah. We were in a scene. Cosimo likes…well. I won’t get into too many details right now, but what you saw was not—I mean, itwasreal. But it was consensual. He’s the one who sets the scene and his limits. I was giving him what he asked me for.”
