“Okay, I think there are some beers in the fridge.”
“I put a bottle of wine in there earlier. Grant mentioned that you preferred it.”
Kieran nodded. A nice cold glass of wine would be perfect right now. He was feeling way too tense.
“You cash up, and I’ll get us both a glass. We can have them out here. There’s more room than in the office.”
He was right. That office was tiny. He wasn’t sure how a guy as big as Jez had spent so much time in there without feeling claustrophobic. Kieran cashed up the till, which didn’t take long as few people paid in cash these days, but he needed to reconcile the credit card receipts and stick the cash in the safe. He’d closed up before, so he knew the process well enough. By the time he was putting the money in a bag to take to the bank tomorrow, Carl was walking towards him with two glasses of delicious-looking wine. He took the proffered glass.
“Here’s to moving forward,” said Carl with a smile.
“Moving forward,” said Kieran.
They clinked glasses, and he took a big gulp. It tasted delicious and was chilled to perfection. Ideal after a hot day. He took another sip, not realising he’d just made a mistake he would live to regret for the rest of his life.
CHAPTER 14
DEREK
Derek rushed to answer the door before the person on the other side broke it down. He didn’t have his phone with him, so he hadn’t been able to check who it was. Opening the door and seeing Kieran was a sight he would never forget. The boy looked broken as he burst into tears and fell into Derek’s arms. All he could do was lift him up and carry him into the living room. Lowering him carefully onto the sofa, he positioned them so Kieran had his head in Derek’s lap. He stroked Kieran’s hair as he sobbed his heart out. Derek didn’t know what had happened to him, but right now he needed comforting, and that was something he could do without question.
It was half an hour before Kieran stopped crying. He asked to take a shower. Derek made him drink some water and take some paracetamol first. It was driving him mad not knowing what or who had hurt him, but he had to let Kieran tell him when he was ready. His mind was conjuring up many things, and it lingered on Grant Kincaid. Had he done something? It had been Kieran’s first day in his role of managing the shop. Was it something to do with that? The shop closed at eight o’clock, and it was now almost midnight. Luckily, the club was closed today, so he’d been home. Derekrarely went to bed before two o’clock in the morning on his nights off. His body was wired to club hours now.
After another twenty minutes, Kieran appeared with a towel wrapped around his waist. Derek had never seen his body in full before. It was a work of art. As well as the tattoos covering every inch of skin, both nipples and his belly button were pierced. He wondered what else could be pierced and then realised he was being completely inappropriate.
“Is it okay if I sleep here? I don’t want to be on my own tonight.”
“Of course. Let me get you something to wear.”
He grabbed some of his smaller clothes that no longer fit but would still drown Kieran.
“The room is all made up. Can I get you anything?”
“I know you have a lot of questions, but please, can we talk in the morning? I just need to sleep.”
Derek wanted to pull him into his arms and keep him safe. Gone was the sassy young man who’d been teasing him recently. There was no doubt in Derek’s mind that someone had hurt him, and when he found out who it was, they’d need to run. Even if it was Grant Kincaid, he didn’t give a fuck.
“We can talk when you’re ready, okay?”
Kieran nodded, looking tearful. He couldn’t make eye contact. It was as if he was ashamed of something, which made Derek prickle more. The body language and his wanting a shower caused all the dots to connect, and he wanted to rip someone apart. Right now, though, he had to be here for Kieran and give him everything he needed.
“Let me get you some more water,” said Derek.
“Can I . . . er . . . would it be okay . . .”
“You can ask me anything, Kieran,” he said, taking hold of his hand.
“I don’t want to be alone tonight,” he mumbled, his face going red.
“Come on,” said Derek, keeping hold of Kieran’s hand and guiding him into his room. “Do you have a side you prefer? I can sleep on either.”
“The right, please.”
“Get into bed, and I’ll get you a drink.”
He left Kieran alone and went downstairs to the kitchen. This wasn’t how he envisioned Kieran being in his bed the first time, but right now he needed comfort and to feel safe. Derek could give him that. Hopefully, he wouldn’t get excited in the night and press up against Kieran. Derek was a cuddler, so it was highly likely he’d seek the body lying next to him in the night and pull it close. If what he thought had happened was the case, that would be the last thing Kieran needed. Once he had the water, he stopped by the spare room to get some additional pillows, which he could use as a safety barrier.
Walking back into his room, Kieran was under the covers, lying on his side facing the centre of the bed. He looked so young and vulnerable. It was heartbreaking to see him like this. Derek put a water bottle on each bedside cabinet and dropped the pillows onto the bed. He picked up his sleep shorts and a T-shirt, going into his en suite to change. After he’d brushed his teeth, he went back into the room. Kieran hadn’t moved, but he was still awake. Derek got into bed, and Kieran immediately snuggled into him. He wrapped his arms and legs around Derek like a koala bear. The spare pillows would not be needed after all. He just needed to be here for Kieran and to give him the comfort he clearly needed.
