Page 93 of Storm Bound
I opened my mouth, response at the ready.
“I’m not your ‘babe.’ When will you realize that? I’m not. I’ve never been your babe. I’ve just been someone you used for free dinners, free dates, and free rent. Stop claiming I’m anything more than that,” Adam shouted instead.
“There. You heard the man. You’re not his babe, and you’re no one’s boyfriend. Now shoo. Out of this town,” Yaya insisted, trying to push Justin away.
“This is ridiculous. What is this charade? You need to come home with me, babe. I don’t know what these people are feeding you, but you’re not well,” Justin said.
Benji appeared behind him in Adam’s office, looking ready to take down a bitch.
A few years ago, the sight of him like that would have been a dream or a hallucination. He’d really come so far. And he was ready to take on the world on his own.
“Come on, pal. Time to fuck off back to Chicago and your other himbos,” he said, pulling him back out of the room.
“Who the fuck are you? No one asked you, four eyes,” Justin said.
“Leave him out of this,” Adam shouted before I could.
After what he told me, I knew this was a big step for him. Considering how small and insecure he’d looked in his driveway when Justin had showed up, for him to raise his voice at the man he’d been trying to get rid of for so long was such a big step.
Was it the strength in numbers? Or was it me? My love and guidance that had helped him get there like Benji had? Or was that presumptuous of me to assume.
“Do you need me to call the police, Adam?” Ava asked, appearing beside Benji.
“Who are all these people? Have you all lost your minds? I am Adam’s boyfriend. I’m his bo-y-friend. Fuck off, the bunch of you,” Justin shouted.
Adam brushed my shoulder and stepped forward.
“Youneed to fuck off. I’mnotyour boyfriend. I haven’t been your boyfriend for a very long time. You’ve just been too much of an asshole to accept it. You’re a manipulative piece of shit, and it may have taken me a long time to see it, but I did and you. Need. To. Leave!”
I almost whooped for Adam, but I didn’t. It was hardly fitting right now.
“What the fuck? Where is all that coming from? You’d be a nobody without me. You’re a pathetic excuse for a man. You’re a pathetic excuse for a doctor. Imade youwhat you are.”
“Made me what, exactly, Justin? Insecure? Unloved? Cheated? You made me fuck-all,” Adam huffed.
His body shook with each breath. I reached a hand to his shoulder, taking a step to hug half his body with mine.
“You’re doing great,” I whispered at him, feeling every part of him reverberate through me.
“And without me, you’d be a slut bending over for any hobo willing to call you boy,” Justin said.
My body froze for a second.
Had he just… Had he just used Adam’s kink to attack him? Had he just said that being a bottom was being less of a man? Was that the kind of crap he’d made Adam believe?
“Right. I’ve heard enough,” I said, jerking to action.
I let go of Adam and closed the distance between Justin and me. I pushed him back, taking hold of his lapel and trying to restrain the Greek wrath in me, which didn’t come out very often, but when it did? It scared even me. The coffees he was carrying fell to the floor with a loud splatter.
“Get out of this building, out of this town, and out ofmyboyfriend’s life or you’ll be eating with a straw for the rest of your life, you nutcase,” I yelled, spittle spraying from my mouth.
“As if you could hurt me, limpy.” He laughed.
“You had to open your pie-hole, didn’t you?” I pushed him against the wall with all my force.
I balled my fist, and it made an impact with his left eye and the bridge of his nose, shooting flames up my arm as he folded in two.
“You dick!” he groaned, touching his face. “You’re dead.”
