AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“The Wine! Not me,” Mark quipped. “It was a free bottle. I’m taking it back to the wholesaler. Bloody cheap crap.”
“How was group?” I murmured against Hugo’s cheek. Fuck, I’d missed him, and I was a bit high on having him back. I couldn’t stop kissing him.
“Get a room,” Mark muttered on his way past to the kitchen. Hugo chuckled.
“Group was weird. Like a bunch of normal people sitting around eating biscuits and talking about their week. Work, their kids, gym workouts, things that had triggered the hell out of them. One woman said something really basic, but it was like she’d slashed me with a machete and all the blood was running away from my body. I had a panic attack, spilled a whole cup of tea over myself. Mabel had to mop it off the floor. It was just…you know? Too much.”
“Yeah.”
“Did you know Mabel is a trained counsellor?”
“Mabel is smart as fuck,” Mark said, eloquent as ever. He picked up his jacket from the floor and shrugged into it. “They did all that training a few years back. I was shit scared they would leave and go set up with Annabelle. Would have been good for them, but it was traumatic as anything for me. I don’t do well with change. Ben knows.”
I did, and I remembered it well.
“They’ve got some kind of engineering degree too,” I said. “And went to fashion school for a year before they dropped out. Can’t remember why now.”
“They shagged one of their teachers. A married one. Didn’t go well.”
“Oh, Mabel.” Hugo grimaced.
“Bit of a dark horse if you ask me.” Mark grinned. “Never underestimate Mabel.”
“Indeed,” I said. I meant a million different things with that comment, none of them anything I wanted to say out loud. Mabel was amazing, awesome, full of surprises. Someone who’d hold your secrets tight. But they would also hunt you down and hurt you if you crossed them. I’d learnt that the hard way.
“I’m going,” Mark said, zipping his jacket right up under his chin. “Bye, Hugo.” Stepping forward, he tugged Hugo from my grip, gave him a half hug and a kiss on the cheek. “And you…” He released Hugo and grabbed my face, tipping my chin so I would look at him. “You’re good. You know that, right?”
“Of course I am!” I replied. I knew what he meant, and so did Hugo, as his arms came around my front, his face tucked into my back.
Close. I felt close. And safe.
“Hugo, you’re coming tomorrow, aren’t you? Blitz, Eight-thirty. I’ll text you where to meet.” He patted my shoulder. “Sorry you’ve got to work, mate, but someone has to be in charge.”
I turned my head so I could kind of see Hugo. “You’re going to see Blitz?”
“Yep,” Mark answered for him. “The Dieter requested his presence. I’m a bit green with envy.”
“He’s a bit of a prat,” Hugo said, laughing. “And I’m still thinking about it.”
“My gaydar goes off the chart with that kid. Serves all the naughty power-bottom twinky vibes. Likes a bit of spanking, I bet.”
“Mark!” I shouted. Fuck! “Just leave already.”
He blew me a kiss and walked out, leaving me shaking my head as he closed the door behind him. I sighed and fully turned around to face Hugo. “You okay?” I needed us to be able to handle things like this. I needed so badly for this to work. For my life to be all I wanted it to be. I’d never felt like this before, like things could be good. Like things were falling into place. Slowly. Gently. Perfectly.
“Of course I am,” Hugo assured me. “I knew Mark was here. Finn texted me, just in case. Didn’t want me to…I don’t know. Walk in on you?”
“We fell asleep.” I had no excuse, not that I needed one because Hugo just held me tighter. “And your sister sent me a very threatening voice message. She’s funny, apologised for not using text but thought a voice message would be easier for me with my dyslexia. Then she threatened to cut my balls off if I ever hurt you.”
Hugo nodded. “That’s Willa. She’s nice really. Hardcore, but nice.”
“A bit like you, then,” I said. “She’s very protective of you, and I can understand why. I told her you would always be safe with me.”
“Absolutely. Nothing bad will ever happen to us here.” He beamed at me.
I gathered up his hands and kissed his fingertips. “I love you,” I admitted quietly.
“I know,” he said. “I know, and it’s the best feeling.”
