Page 38 of Shrouded Desires
He arched a brow in Raine’s direction. “Really? Did something change while I was out? Did you decide you don’t want to be mine any longer?”
He shook his head. “No. But I’m afraid that you won’t want me anymore.”
“Not gonna happen.” He grabbed Raine’s wrist to tug him closer. “I’m your Daddy. And Daddy will always want his boy.”
Instead of the relief Storm expected, he found Raine avoiding his gaze. “I did something, Sir.”
“You did something?” Storm’s brow furrowed. “What exactly did you do?”
“Something I’m not supposed to do.” A tear streaked down one cheek, and Storm knew exactly what Raine was hinting at. Sorrow consumed him. He didn’t claim to understand why a person harmed themselves, but to seehissub this torn up about it, made Storm’s heart hurt.
“How bad?”
Raine wiped at his cheeks angrily. “They’ll heal, Sir. They always do.”
“That’s not what I asked, boy.” He rubbed his thumb over Raine’s wrist.
“Bad enough that they will leave new scars.” He shrugged. “Not that it will matter. When I’m bent over, they won’t be seen.”
“Excuse me?” Storm’s earlier empathy was now instantly replaced with anger. “Did you just infer that I’m shallow enough to only take you from behind? That’d I’d shy away from something – anything that makes you, you?”
Raine rapidly shook his head. “No, Sir.” He tugged on his wrist, evidently hoping that Storm would release him.
“It’s not gonna happen. Quit struggling. You’re not going anywhere ‘til we work this out.”
Raine sighed deeply. “I know the scars are horrible. They aren’t pretty.”
“But they are proof that you’re still here, boy.” He gazed up at Raine. “They show that you’re a survivor - no matter how many times your fears try to get the best of you. And to hide them from me? From the man who not only dominates you but also loves you? The only thing that is going to result in - is a hot ass and a long time out in a corner of my choosing.”
“You actually love me?” The hope in Raine’s eyes made Storm’s chest hurt.
“I said I did, now didn’t I?”
“But I’m such a fuck up. I can’t be around crowds, I like to be confined when I sleep and I’m...”
“...totally perfect for me. I like my private life private. I love holding you tight while I sleep.” Storm said, interrupting Raine’s continued tirade. “I know how you are, Raine. It was only a matter of time before you self-harmed again. The stress of Max’s heart attack, our new relationship, and then the shooting...I’m not surprised that you ended up slipping.”
Instead of relaxing Raine, the words seemed to make him more tense. “I wasn’t – I didn’t because of any of that, Sir.”
Storm cocked his head. “Climb up here and tell me what caused it. Daddy needs to understand, Raine, so we can move forward.”
Raine whimpered. “Are you sure...”
“Get your ass up here.” Storm finally barked. Obviously being nice wasn’t going to get through to his boy.
Raine froze for a second before gingerly crawling onto the hospital bed. “Here okay? Let me know if I’m hurting you.”
“I’m fine, boy.” Storm tugged him a bit closer. “Right here. I want to hold my boy while he tells me why.”
“You do?”
“Absolutely.” He waited while Raine rearranged himself, his head lying in the hollow of Storm’s shoulder, while his leg hooked over Storm’s uninjured one. “Now tell me what triggered my boy to harm himself.”
Raine toyed with the front of his hospital gown for a few seconds. “It usually isn’t outside factors that cause me to harm, Daddy.”
“So, stressors like Max’s heart attack or the drive by won’t do it?”
Raine’s head moved against Storm’s shoulder as he shook his head in denial. “No, Daddy. The urge to harm is linked to...how bad I’m being.”
