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"How can you say that? I’m a guy that feels far too much and I can’t control it. Men aren't supposed to feel emotions. We aren't supposed to show weakness in front of anyone," he whispers, hiding his face from me. "But I feel too much all the time. I feel numb and overwhelmed all at the same moment. I struggle so hard to find which way is up. I'm scared I'm constantly moving in the wrong direction and those voices telling me that I'm a waste of oxygen will take over and win."
"They won't because I will be here with you through it all and help you come out of this. Those voices won't win, not while I'm here." His hand squeezes mine tighter, his breath coming out in heavy pants, but thankfully, slower than before.
"What did I ever do to deserve you in my life?” he whispers, pressing his face into my chest.
“You were just you. The amazing, strong, fiercely protective man that gives so much to everyone around him without ever asking for anything in return.” Resting my cheek on his head, I stroke my fingers through his long blonde hair.
“Thank you, Lay." Rhys snuggles into me, his arm coming to rest over my waist.
"Don't thank me," I insist, pressing my lips to the top of his head. "You're the one flying this plane, I'm just guiding you to safety."
“What’s that smell?” he asks after a few minutes, his head perking up to look at me.
“The weird gross one or the delicious smelling undertone? Because the first is Adam’s poor attempt at what I think was food and the second is breakfast in bed. Although it may be a little cold now.” I wrinkle my nose up. I should have planned better and wrapped it in tin foil or something.
“I’ll take your food chilly over Adam’s food hot, any day. Thank you for saving us all from his poison,” Rhys jokes, pushing into a sitting position on the bed. The small smile on his lips is making my heart do somersaults.
“There’s that sexy sense of humour of yours,” I tease, squeezing a hand on his thigh. His smile brightens and more of that Rhys happiness I love comes back into his eyes.
Getting up, I bring over his food first before grabbing my own and settling in beside him. We sit in silence side by side, both of us devouring our food like it’s the first meal we’ve had in days. Knowing how hard it is to get yourself to do basic things like eat or shower when you’re depressed, the pride I feel for Rhys right now as he eats both sandwiches and drinks his coffee makes my chest want to explode.
“I’m proud of you,” I say, grabbing his free hand with my own. “The strength you have inside of you to pull yourself out of a bad episode like this is inspiring.”
Rhys stares at me for a long time, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. With a shuddering breath, he chokes on a half laugh, half cry, before giving in to the tears.
“No one has ever said they were proud of me before,” he mumbles after a little while. “Fuck, I’m crying like a little bitch. It’s just that, growing up, that’s all I ever wanted. To not be the fuck up in my parents eyes. To finally be the one they were proud of and stop being their verbal punching bag. I just want to be seen.”
“I am so sorry. I see you, Rhys. I see how hard you work to protect those you love. I see how selfless, kind, and strong you are and I will tell you every day of the rest of our lives together, how proud I am of you,” I vow, leaning in to kiss his cheek.
Rhys turns at that moment and our lips graze each other. Both of us pause, gauging the other’s reaction. My eyes flicker down his lips then back up into his eyes that are now hooded and alight with desire. Our lips crash together, the empty dishes falling to the ground around us as we come together in an explosion of passion and desperation.
My hands tangle in his hair, my legs moving to straddle his to get as close as I possibly can. The kiss deepens, his tongue moving to tangle with my own. The heat from his body seeps into me everywhere we touch, igniting my desire even higher. We fit together so perfectly, his hard to my soft, his sweetness to my spice. We devour each other, losing ourselves in this kiss that feels like it’s melding us together forever.
The kiss turns from fierce and branding, to sweet and seductive, making my toes curl in delight. Just being here in his arms, making out with him like he’s the air that I breathe, I feel cherished and worshipped. I feel loved and cared for.
A knock at the front door pulls us apart, our heads resting against each other as we attempt to catch our breath. With a dazzling smile, Rhys moves me off of his lap and stands up to go answer the front door. A giggle escapes before I can stop it as the tent in his lounge pants comes into sight. There’s no way in hell he’s going to be able to hide that monster.
“You go shower and take, er, care of that. I’ll go get the door,” I insist, standing up and guiding him towards his ensuite bathroom. “I can see that look in your eye, don’t worry so much. I know how to kick ass and if something happens you will hear it. You’re literally the closest room to the front of the house.”
“Fine,” he murmurs, kissing me softly again. “Be careful. I’ll jump in quickly and be out before you know it.”
“I’m always careful,” I respond, moving away from him as another, much louder knock happens.
Mumbling about pushy people, I head to the door and check the peephole. A man with dark, slicked back hair stands at the door, an ill-fitted grey suit hanging on his frame. He looks unassuming and definitely small enough that I could kick his ass if I needed. Opening the door, I assume my resting bitch face and stare at the man.
“Hello,” he says, a creepy smile pulling up the corner of his mouth. “You must be Alayna. My name is Jarrod James, I’m partners with Rhys and knew Declan pretty well. You look just like he described you, stunningly beautiful.”
“Rhys is indisposed at the moment,” I answer, keeping it short and sweet to stop any more of this conversation. I highly fucking doubt he knew Declan that well considering the hate that Rhys seems to have for this man.
“Well, I could just come in and wait for him. It wouldn’t be a problem, would it?” Jarrod James steps forward, his hand resting against the door frame.
“It would actually. You’re not exactly welcome here and I’m sure both Riggs and Adam would not appreciate you hanging around.”
“Right,” Jarrod murmurs, his eyes narrowing slightly even though his smile doesn’t budge. “Then let Rhys know I stopped by. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you soon, Alayna. Have a great day.”
Closing the door the moment he takes a step back, I instantly turn the deadbolt and lean against it. It’s pretty clear to see why Rhys doesn’t like that asshole, his creepy vibes could give Pennywise a run for his money. Holy fuckballs, the guy has some issues with control or something, the way he tried to just make his way in here. He’s someone that makes your gut twist and tells you to walk the other way.
“Who was it?” Rhys asks, rubbing his long hair with a towel to dry it. He has jeans slung low on his hips, black boxer briefs sticking out just slightly at the top and no shirt.
