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“So I’m just supposed to go have fun at the lake and hope this shit magically fixes itself?”
“Take a day to think about what you want to say. That’s all I’m asking.”
“But I can’t enjoy the lake now.”
“You can’t enjoy being here or at my place either, so we might as well go somewhere else. It’s not the same cabin you had before, is it?”
“No, it’s a different one. One with a fucking hot tub.”
“Oooh, that sounds perfect.” A hot tub could go a long way to help with reconciliation.
“Wait. Are you angling for a vacation yourself?” Riley actually smiled, and it eased some of the tension in Marc’s chest.
“Maybe I am. You could teach me to sail.”
“No way. I’m not good enough to go out without Thorne, but—”
“What?”
“I guess I do need to get out of the city. At least there I can bake and try to not think about everything, and Thorne won’t be anywhere around.”
Marc’s smile faltered for a moment.
“What’s wrong?”
Fuck, don’t give yourself away. “Nothing. I’m just sorry about how things are, how he hurt you.”
“Yeah, me too. I’ll text Susan. I told her I’d be gone, but she should probably know what’s going on.”
“Okay.” Marc helped Riley to his feet.
“Have you seen my phone?” Riley called from the bedroom a few moments later. “I thought I left it in here.”
“I’ll look out here.” It wasn’t on the coffee table or the dining room table or the kitchen counter. Marc took out his own phone. “You hear anything in there? I’m texting you.”
“Nothing,” Riley called. “I’ll ping it from my iPad.”
Marc waited to hear the obnoxious screech a lost phone sent out.
“Oh, shit,” Riley yelled.
“What is it?”
“I think I left it at Darius’s shop this afternoon when I picked you up to go shopping.”
Mark’s phone chimed then.
“It’s Darius. He says your phone is there. Actually he says, ‘Holy Christ Fucked, you tosser. Turn that goddamn noise off, or you’ll never see your phone again.’”
Riley smiled as he walked out of the bedroom, and the sight warmed Marc. Things were going to be okay.
***
Riley packed mechanically, not really seeing the things he stuffed into a suitcase. He was trying his best not to let the grief, horror, and anger overtake him. It was like it was a heavy cloud above his head; the storm was going to let loose eventually. He just hoped he wasn’t in public when it did.
Marc ushered him into his car, and they were at Darius’s shop before he knew it. He didn’t remember the trip there at all.
“Son of a cocksucking bastard!” Darius shouted from the back a second after Marc had unlocked the door. He had a habit of using very creative language when he was working.
Marc snickered. “Well, at least we know he’s here.”
“Fuckweasel!”
“Darius! We’re here for Riley’s phone.”
Darius made a sound between a scoff and growl. “Wait a fucking second.”
Marc laughed, but Riley didn’t know when he’d have the energy for laughter again.
When he came out front, Darius frowned at Riley. “Wow, you look like shit. Were you that worried about your phone?”
“It’s not the phone. It’s Thorne,” Marc said.
“Oh God, what’s that bastard done?”
“I… I can’t talk about it.” Riley felt like the room was closing in on him.
Darius swooped around the counter, took his arm, and led him to a sofa. “Have a seat.”
“He walked in on me and Riley,” Marc said.
“Wait. Were you two—”
“No,” they both said together.
“But he thought you were?” Darius looked confused.
Marc nodded. “We were in our underwear.”
Darius raised a brow.
“We were trying on clothes, and we’re comfortable with each other. We’ve both been escorts, so we’re hardly body conscious.”
“Thorne didn’t appreciate how hot you two looked together?” Darius’s expression said he wouldn’t have minded walking in on them.
Riley looked away, tears stinging his eyes.
“Fuck, I’m sorry,” Darius said. “I shouldn’t be joking around when you’re this upset. What did the fucker do when he found you?”
“He left,” Riley said, his voice quiet.
Darius started to speak, but Marc interrupted him. “We’re going to the lake for the weekend. Riley had rented a place for them, and we’re going to use it.”
“Okay, if you need Monday off too, that’s fine.”
“Yeah?”
Darius nodded.
“Thanks,” Riley said.
“Oh, here.” Darius handed him his phone.
Riley started to text Susan and saw he had messages. “Oh shit!”
“What?” Marc and Darius asked simultaneously.
“Thorne texted me before he got home.”
Landed. Have to take care of some things at the office. When will you be home? I can order dinner.
And then later: I’ve got a surprise for you. Let’s do something special.
Riley’s chest tightened.
He must have looked bad because Darius sat down next to him. “Don’t pass out on us.”
“I… I won’t.” Riley handed the phone to Marc.
“Fuck,” was all Marc said.
“That was the second time he expected a night just for us, and I ruined it.”
