Page 5 of All His Broken Pieces
I nodded. “They—” I hiccuped, “they kicked me out when we graduated.” I sniffled. “For being gay,” I added.
He tugged me into his arms, holding me tightly. I was pretty sure it was the only thing keeping me from falling apart. He tugged me onto the bed and held me until I stopped crying.
“I’m so sorry, Cove,” he whispered, peppering kisses all over my face. “I’m so fucking sorry for every bit of hell you’ve gone through just for being man enough to be yourself.”
I sniffled, not saying anything. Langston continued holding me for a little longer, until I pushed myself up from the bed, needing a shower and a moment to get my head together. But when I stepped into the bathroom, I realized I wasn’t ready to be alone yet.
My mind flitted to my scars. Langston had already seen me cry numerous times—full breakdowns that would normally send anyone running. But he was still here.
Would he still remain if he saw the scars littering my body?
I drew in a deep breath and turned to face him, gripping the door frame with a white-knuckled grip. “Will you—um, will you shower with me?” I asked quietly. “I don’t want to be alone.”
Langston got off the bed and moved toward me, already peeling his shirt over his head. My breath hitched in my throat at the sight of his broad, hairy chest and his thick arms. He didn’t have abs, but his stomach was flat, a happy trail disappearing into his sweats.
Reaching forward, he grabbed the zipper of my onesie, but he didn’t slide it down. I trembled. His eyes met mine. “Can I undress you?”
Swallowing nervously, I slowly nodded my head. He pressed a kiss to the corner of my lips and then slid the zipper down, revealing my pale, thin body to his eyes. But instead of disgust, his eyes heated with need, darkening to a greener color than hazel.
Once the onesie hit the floor, he trailed his eyes over me, pain slicing through the heat in his eyes when he took notice of the scars lingering on my thighs and forearms.
“No, baby,” he rasped, shaking his head like he didn’t want to believe what was right in front of him. He sank to his knees in front of me and began pressing soft, gentle kisses to every single scar. I pressed my fist to my mouth, sinking my teeth into my fingers, trying my best to suppress my sobs as I began crying again.
“I’m sorry,” he rasped. Circling his arms around my waist, he pressed his forehead to my belly, tears sliding down his cheeks. “I never wanted to hurt you like this, Cove.”
I laced my fingers in his hair, my body shaking in his hold. “Please get up,” I begged him. I couldn’t take him being like this. I didn’t want him on his knees, crying for me and what I’d been through.
He shook his head. “I deserve to serve you on my knees for the rest of my life for these, baby boy.” He trailed his fingers over the raised, white scars on my wrists. Then, he pressed a kiss to my hip, shaking his head. “Please, please promise me you’ll let me know if you’re not feeling safe anymore, baby boy. I need you to promise me that, Cove,” he pleaded, raising his eyes to meet mine.
I swallowed thickly before slowly nodding my head. “I promise,” I whispered.
He lowered his head back down and continued holding me, like he was afraid I’d disintegrate into nothing if he let me go.
Chapter Three
Langston
I’d never felt like so much shit in my life. My soul was wailing for him, my heart pulsing pain through my chest with every beat. I’d been stupid as fuck as a teen, and I wished like hell I could take back every hurtful word I’d thrown at him. I wished I’d been there as his protector instead of his bully.
I should have matured and changed my ways long before now. Cove hadn’t deserved this.
He was everything good and light in this world, and I fucking hated that I’d tainted him. I’d helped drag him into darkness, and now I had to fight to make him shine again.
But I would, even if it was the last damn thing I did. I’d fight until my last dying breath just so he could glow again.
I pressed another kiss to his hip before rising to my feet and stripping out of my clothes as well. I wasn’t leaving him alone. I was terrified to. What if the turmoil he felt inside of him tonight made him want to harm himself again?
I swallowed vomit when the image of him holding a razor to his wrist as blood rushed from his veins slid through my mind.
No.
I wouldn’t let that happen again.
Cove hiccuped. I gripped the back of his neck and rested my forehead on his, pressing a kiss to the tip of his nose. “I’m here, baby boy. Just let me finish getting you undressed, okay? Then, we’ll take a nice, hot shower before we cuddle in bed together. Sound good?”
He sniffled and nodded. I tucked my thumbs into the band of his briefs before pulling them down his slender thighs to pool on the floor. He stepped out of them, and then I led him to the shower. After reading the knobs, I turned the hot water on before adding a little bit of cold. With my hand resting on his elbow, I let him step into the shower, stepping in after him.
“Can I bathe you?” I asked him, resting my hands on his bony hips. I needed to get him to eat more, and thankfully, I was good at following recipes.
