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“What’s wrong with Julian?” her voice trembled. “What’s going on?”
“Keira, I need you to keep calm for me.” He kept his voice relaxed and low so as not to startle either of them. “Please will you turn a lamp on? Not the overhead light.”
A lamp flickered on, casting a soft glow throughout the room. Keira let out a gasp and he saw her eyes widen as she took in the damage to the wall.
“Hopefully Joel doesn’t mind a few improvements being made to his guest house,” he attempted to joke.
Keira looked at him like he’d lost his mind. Yeah, he didn’t blame her. Joking around wasn’t really his thing and this probably wasn’t the time.
Still, it was that or he might just lose it.
You need to stay calm for them. They need you.
Right. Right.
Julian still shuddered in his arms, whether he was listening to them or lost in his nightmares, Cole was unsure.
“What happened?” Keira asked, moving closer.
“Julian forgot I was here. He got upset when he came into the living room and found me on the sofa.”
“But why would he get upset—” Something seemed to occur to her, and she pressed her lips together. Then she moved closer and knelt on the other side of Julian, carefully draping herself over him. “Oh, Julian. Oh, baby.”
He hated that he didn’t fully know what was going on. Absolutely hated it. But right now, he could only go with his gut and do what he thought best to help them both.
They sat there for a few minutes, both of them holding tightly to the big man they both cared deeply about.
“Sorry, sorry,” Julian finally muttered. He looked up, glanced at Cole then Keira before dropping his eyes to the floor as though ashamed. “Sorry.”
No. Cole wasn’t having that. He let go of the other man. Reluctantly. Then he reached out and grasped Julian’s chin, tilting his face up gently.
“You have nothing to apologize for. Hear me? Nothing.”
“I lost it. I punched the wall. Put holes in it. Not even my property. Can’t even afford to fix it.” The big man hunched his shoulders.
“I’ll deal with the wall,” Cole told him. “Nobody cares about the hole in the wall. We care about you. That’s all that matters. The two of you.”
Cole moved his gaze to Keira’s. Noted the way her eyes had filled with tears. He didn’t think it was a good idea for her to lose it right now in front of Julian.
“Little bit, please go get the first aid kit.” He deliberately didn’t frame it as a question.
She immediately responded, getting to her feet and leaving the room.
Good little subbie.
He turned his gaze back to Julian’s. To the shame and fear and wariness hidden in those depths. And, for once in his life, he didn’t think about his actions first. Didn’t calculate the odds. He just leaned
in and kissed him. At first, Julian didn’t respond. He held himself stiff.
Uncertainty filled Cole.
Wrong move, asshole. He just completely wigged out and you go and kiss him?
Then Julian sighed and opened his mouth, letting Cole sweep his tongue inside. His scent, mint and leather, surrounded Cole.
Home. He was home.
He moved his hand behind Julian’s neck, squeezing it, taking control of the kiss. He was aware of Keira returning, but didn’t stop the kiss. Was incapable of stopping. Then he felt Julian tug at his hold. He drew back, lightly biting the other man’s bottom lip.
