Page 3 of The Finding Series: Vol. 2

Roman could feel Hunter’s pulse thrumming beneath his fingers but he wasn’t sure if the young man was afraid of him or something else. The only reason he was even considering the answer being something else was the fact that Hunter wasn’t trying to escape his hold, and his pretty lips had parted when he’d sucked in a sharp breath at the contact.

A quick nod was Hunter’s answer and when he still didn’t move, Roman forced himself to release him. But watching Hunter walk stiffly towards the bathroom brought back the image of him being brutalized and it took all of Roman’s self-discipline to stay where he was instead of going back to the club in the hopes of finding the bikers and finishing what he’d started.

* * *

Hunter stood quietly as the hot water rained down on his body. Since he was standing directly under the spray, the water hit his head first and then cascaded in clear ribbons down the side of his face and to the bottom of the tub where it pooled and then disappeared down the drain. The sight of blood mixing with the water had Hunter closing his eyes as shame washed through him.

Tonight hadn’t gone anything like he’d planned. The stop atRed’shad been an impulse; a last desperate attempt to stave off the gut-wrenching turmoil of having to go back to the one place in the world he’d hoped to never see again. His initial plan had been to find some liquid courage and then maybe, if he was lucky, a burly cowboy who’d help him forget the shitstorm he was about to walk into. He’d gotten the burly part within a minute of entering the club; it just hadn’t come in the package he’d expected. Hunter hadn’t even had a chance to order a drink before the biker had propositioned him, so when Hunter had walked into that room, he hadn’t even had the benefit of alcohol to dull his senses as he took in the eyes of the hungry men watching him. There’d been a moment when the biker had stepped away from his side to join his friends that Hunter could have used to turn and leave – to walk back to the safety of the crowded dance floor. But as he’d watched the men crudely rubbing themselves in anticipation, a dark, twisted thought had formed in his mind and he’d stepped forward instead of backwards before he could reconsider. And then it was like there was an invisible force guiding him forward.

He’d had no illusions about what the men would do to him so when he was shoved face down on the pool table and felt his pants and underwear being yanked down, he’d bit back the automatic instinct to tell them no and he’d focused on a plaque on the wall near the entrance to the room. It was in the shape of a pool table with two pool sticks crisscrossing over the top of it. Below the racked balls were a dozen gold plates, each with different names on them and what he assumed were years in which the player had won whatever award the plaque represented. He’d just started adding up the individual numbers of the first year listed when biker number one had slammed into him.

Nothing could have prepared him for the excruciating pain that had followed and he’d ended up pressing his mouth down against the stiff green felt so his scream wouldn’t be heard throughout the club. He’d had nothing to grip with his hands to act as a counterpoint against the brutal thrusting that had followed but it hadn’t mattered because two of the other bikers had grabbed his arms to hold him down. He wasn’t sure if they’d done it because he was moving too much or if it had been a preventive measure to keep them from losing their newfound toy but he hadn’t really cared either way because the pain had been so intense that he’d been on the verge of passing out. After a while, his body had gone numb and he’d been able to focus on the numbers on the plaque once more and he’d lost track of everything else. At some point his arms had been released but he’d already retreated so far back into his head that he couldn’t say for sure when. Time ceased to exist as did the grunts and moans behind him and the ugly words that were hurled at him. There’d been no pain, no men, no pool table.

And then it was over and he was looking into the bluest eyes he’d ever seen – eyes filled with a strange mix of rage and pity.

Hunter forced himself to straighten and reached for the soap. The bikers had been a mistake – he’d been foolish to think they’d somehow be his salvation; that they’d somehow take away the darkness inside of him or miraculously change the part of himself that he’d been trying to deny for nearly a decade. Instead, they’d been another reminder of yet another bad choice. At least he was the only one who had gotten hurt this time.

Hunter made quick work of scrubbing his body clean and then carefully pressed his hand between his cheeks to wash away the little bit of blood that remained. Although he was still hurting, he was hoping what he’d told the mysterious stranger about not needing medical attention would be true. And he absolutely refused to consider what might have happened if the man with the striking blue eyes hadn’t intervened. It had been clear that the bikers hadn’t cared much about his comfort because they hadn’t even bothered to replenish the lube when he’d clearly needed more so they probably wouldn’t have even blinked at the idea of tearing him up inside. He could only hope that they’d all used condoms because after the first guy had finished with him, he’d been too far gone to notice and while it seemed like the only thing that had seeped out of his body was his own blood, he couldn’t be completely sure.

The temperature of the water began to shift from hot to warm so Hunter knew his reprieve was over and he shut off the water and climbed out of the shower. He dried himself off with one of the scratchy white towels and reached for his clothes. They smelled of sex and smoke and he decided to forgo the underwear when he saw several small bloodstains on them. He put them in the garbage can next to the toilet and then covered them with several wads of toilet paper. He took a few minutes to towel dry his hair and comb his fingers through it and then steeled himself to face the man in the other room.

He could hear the TV going as he opened the door but when he got to the main part of the room, any words he was about to say died in the back of his throat as his eyes took in the sight of the beautiful stranger. He was leaning against the headboard of the queen bed with a laptop open on his lap. But his eyes were closed and his head was pressed back against the cheap-looking wood. Hunter knew he should just go. It would be easy enough to grab the bus back to the club to get his car. But instead of moving towards the door, he moved closer to the bed and studied his rescuer. He guessed him to be in his early thirties and he had to be at least a couple inches over Hunter’s own six-foot frame. He wasn’t heavily built like a body builder but he did have wide shoulders and a broad chest that filled out the crisp white dress shirt he was wearing. His black slacks hinted at muscular thighs and were pulled snuggly over his hips. Hunter’s whole body drew up tight at the sight of the man’s bulge outlined beneath the thin fabric.

Before he could deal with the unwanted bout of lust that burned through him, the guy shifted and his laptop leaned precariously to the right. Hunter managed to catch it before it fell and he carefully put it up on the nightstand next to the bed. He glanced over to see that the man hadn’t woken up and then Hunter did something that he knew was a really bad idea. He carefully lowered himself to sit on what little space there was between the man’s body and the edge of the mattress. They weren’t actually touching but the close proximity gave Hunter the chance to study the man’s face in more detail. He had black hair that was shorter on the sides and a bit longer on top. Hunter knew just by looking at it that it would feel like silk between his fingers. A little bit of stubble graced the man’s jaw but it was his lips that Hunter kept going back to – they were full and firm looking and there was just the tiniest scar cutting into the upper lip. He was reaching out to touch the scar before he even realized he was doing it and when his fingers made contact with it, the man’s eyes slowly opened. But to Hunter’s surprise, he didn’t move at all. Their eyes met and Hunter’s gut clenched at the raw beauty he was seeing. The need to touch, to connect was so overwhelming that his fingers shook with it.

As a tremor of desire went through him, Hunter tried to draw his hand back but the man captured his wrist in a gentle hold and then lowered it to the bed next to his hip. The move forced Hunter forward just the tiniest bit and he knew even as he shifted his weight that he couldn’t stop himself from what he was about to do. The man didn’t move, didn’t even seem to breathe as Hunter leaned in. Their eyes stayed connected until the very last second when Hunter closed them just as he got his first taste of the mysterious man who was quickly turning his world upside down and inside out.

* * *

Fuck, the kid’s kiss was like a wet dream. And technically, it was barely even a kiss since all Hunter did was brush their mouths together for the briefest of moments. But when he only drew back a fraction of an inch, Roman’s heart seized because he knew it wasn’t over.

Roman forced himself to remain completely still as Hunter’s lips met his again. He still had a hold of Hunter’s wrist and it took every ounce of control he had left to not use it to draw Hunter even closer. The second kiss was as chaste as the first but this time Hunter didn’t draw back – instead, he hovered against Roman’s lips for just a moment before covering them completely with his. And then one stroke – one fucking stroke of that lush, sweet tongue and Roman snapped. He released Hunter’s wrist so he could wrap his hand around the back of Hunter’s neck while his other hand settled on Hunter’s waist. Hunter gasped at the contact and Roman took advantage and sank his tongue into Hunter’s mouth. Hunter’s sweet taste exploded against Roman’s tongue as he explored Hunter’s hot, wet mouth and he swallowed down Hunter’s moan as their tongues finally met. Warning bells went off in the back of Roman’s head as Hunter’s inexperience at kissing quickly became clear but instead of releasing Hunter like he should have, Roman softened his kiss and gently began exploring Hunter’s mouth.

Hunter’s whole body was stiff but the more Roman kissed him, the more pliant Hunter’s muscles became and the younger man began pressing closer and closer. Roman managed to find a shred of sanity still left in his brain and tried to draw back from Hunter’s intoxicating mouth but whatever beast he’d awakened in Hunter wouldn’t be denied and Hunter’s mouth followed his until Roman’s head hit the headboard. And suddenly the tables were turned and it was Hunter’s tongue searching out every part of his mouth, stroking over every surface. Fire pooled in Roman’s gut as Hunter’s long fingers brushed over his ear and then clasped the side of his head to hold him still. Insecurity gave way to confidence and Hunter’s scorching caresses had Roman’s dick standing at full attention.

When they were finally forced to separate so they could grab some much needed air, Hunter drew back and lifted his fingers to his mouth. Roman didn’t dare move as he watched a gamut of emotions pass over the other man’s features – shock, wonder, dread. The last look said a lot and Roman managed to grab Hunter by the wrist before he could get up and escape like he so clearly wanted to.

“Come lay down for a bit,” he murmured when Hunter’s gaze finally lifted to meet his. “Just rest – nothing else,” Roman said softly.

Hunter looked down at where Roman was still holding on to him and Roman released him so that the young man knew anything he did from that moment forward would be his choice. Hunter looked torn for a moment and then to Roman’s surprise, he nodded. But instead of getting up and going around to the other side of the bed, Hunter actually crawled over his body and even though they didn’t actually touch, just the sight of Hunter hovering over him even for that split second had Roman stifling a moan. He couldn’t ever remember a time when he’d gotten this wound up this fast. Not once. His control in bed was like his calling card but one kiss from a nineteen-year-old kid had tied him up in a haze of desperate need.

Hunter settled on the other side of the bed and put as much space between their bodies as possible. Roman reached for the remote on the nightstand to turn off the TV and then closed his laptop before turning off the light. He didn’t bother shifting down to lay flat on the bed because he knew there was no way he was going to fall asleep anytime soon. But at some point he must have because when he woke up the next morning, he was lying on his side in the middle of the bed and there was just an empty space next to him. He ran his fingers over the sheet but it was cold to the touch and he was oddly disappointed that not one shred of evidence of Hunter’s presence still remained.

ChapterTwo

Roman drummed his fingers on the steering wheel of his rental car as he looked to his right. The road didn’t look much different than the one straight ahead but the one to the right would end up taking him back to his past, to a time in his life he’d spent years trying to forget. It was a road he’d taken three months earlier when his fear had overshadowed his need to protect himself but a part of him had regretted it because all he’d done was open old wounds that had yet to close. Straight ahead was the safer option – the option that represented who he was now…a cool, collected businessman whose only focus was on the deal at hand. Turning right would be tantamount to granting the half-brother he’d idolized forgiveness.

He'd been in this exact same spot three months earlier after learning from his brother’s realtor that Gray had bought the mountain cabin a few years earlier. It was information he’d garnered in his own unique way out of the talkative woman after Gray had seemingly disappeared from the public eye. As a bestselling author, Gray Hawthorne had become a fixture in celebrity gossip rags and websites after he’d sold the rights to three of his well-known detective series books so they could be made into a movie trilogy. The move had netted Gray fame and fortune and everything that came with it, including being stalked by the paparazzi who’d ended up snapping a picture of Gray in an intimate embrace with a well-known and supposedly straight actor who was up for the lead role in the films. The picture and rumors behind it had caused endless speculation about Gray and the engaged actor. And while that part wasn’t necessarily reason for concern, the fact that Gray hadn’t been seen or heard from in the weeks following the scandal had had Roman growing concerned.

Even though he and Gray hadn’t spoken in more than three years, Gray’s celebrity status had allowed Roman glimpses into his brother’s life and when that had all gone dark, Roman had felt a twinge of fear that was entirely unwanted and unexpected. He’d tried ignoring the situation but he’d soon found himself imagining the worst when day after day went by and no one, not even those closest to Gray, had heard from him. So Roman had done some digging and found out that Marina, Gray’s realtor, had helped him find him the cabin and, on a whim, Roman had decided to make a stopover in Montana on his way out of the country to see if his wayward relative was there. So when he’d gotten to the intersection that he was currently sitting at, he hadn’t hesitated to make the turn and spend the fifteen-minute drive up the mountain to the remote cabin. But nothing had prepared Roman for what he found…nothing.

The day was burned in his brain and likely would be forever. He’d found the cabin without any trouble and had even seen his brother and another man standing outside in the driveway when he’d pulled in. Roman had been so busy mentally preparing himself for what he would say that he hadn’t actually taken in Gray’s appearance until he was within a few feet of him and when it had finally registered what he was seeing, he’d nearly fallen over.

Cancer.

The one word had played on a seemingly endless loop in his mind as he’d reached out to shake Gray’s hand and then the hand of the man he was with. Even though Gray had been wearing a small, knit cap, Roman could still tell that all his hair was gone. If that had been the only change, Roman might have passed it off as a strange style choice but Gray’s eyebrows were gone too and he’d lost so much weight that he actually looked smaller than Roman even though they’d been the same size since Roman had been in his twenties. His skin was frighteningly pale and his eyes had looked sunken in their sockets.

Roman had managed to keep his shock in check even once he and Gray were settled in the cabin but when Gray had asked why he was there, Roman had actually felt the lie catch in his throat before he’d spoken. He’d finally managed to tell him that Gray’s mother had asked him to check on Gray and he’d been relieved when his brother had accepted the story. He’d kept the visit short but there’d been that final moment when Gray had indirectly invited him to stop by for another visit that Roman had felt his throat close up with emotion and he’d wanted to reach out and touch Gray just to see if the moment was real. How many times as a little boy had he wished for that moment – the one where Gray wanted him around? Where Gray might actually like him? The simple answer was never and that had been what had kept Roman away these past few months with the exception of his one visit to the hospital to check on Gray after he’d been assaulted by a man hunting his lover, Luke.

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