Page 24 of Only for Tonight

“Come on, Oli! We have to go!” Jace yells up the stairs.

I slide my shoes on and feel like something is sitting on my chest. I walk downstairs to see them dressed and waiting for me. “You look delicious, Baby.” Toby pulls my stiff body into a hug and his brows furrow. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Can we go?”

I see the argument all over their faces, but something keeps them from asking. After this is done, I’m going to tell them I can’t do it anymore. I won’t put my heart on the line to get it stomped on not once but twice. We slide into the backseat of a sleek black limo-style sedan, and I move to the other side to sit by myself so I can breathe.

“What’s wrong, Oli?” Toby asks, and I can hear the worry in his voice. “Did we hurt you?”

“No. I just…need a minute.”

My dad’s voice is loud in my head for the first time in years. I hear him yelling at me for being an abomination because I’m gay. I can hear him telling me that I’m going to hell, he’d never have a faggot for a son, and my mom would be disappointed if she were alive.

“Oli.” My head snaps up at Toby’s soft voice. “Baby, please tell me what’s going on in that gorgeous head of yours.”

“Do your parents love you?” I blurt and want to sink into the floorboard. That is not what I wanted to ask. “Sorry, forget I asked that.”

“Don’t apologize,” Jace says. “There’s a reason that you did. To answer your question, yes.”

“Even though you’re gay?”

“My dad was hard to win over, but it worked eventually. My mom was supportive from the beginning. She had more problems with all the tattoos.” Jace smiles, and it does a little bit to ease the rising panic. I don’t know how, after all this time, my dad’s words can still hurt the way that they do.

“My dad died when I was five, but my mom had a hard time dealing with it for a while. She’s fine now. Is that what this is about? I can feel you pulling away.”

“How?” I throw my hands in the air in frustration. “Just because we have amazing sex doesn’t mean you know me.”

“That’s not all we have,” Toby says. He gets up and sits beside me. “And I do know you. You’re ashamed of what your body wants, and you’re letting the voices in your head tell you that you should be.”

“How do you do that?” I slump against the seat, and Toby pulls me into his side.

“Like I said, I know you.”

We ride the rest of the way in silence so I can get my shit together. The car comes to a stop, and a driver opens the backdoor. Jace slides out first and sticks his hand in for me. I slide mine into his, and he helps me out of the car. “I might not know you as well as Toby yet, but I want to if you give me the chance. I know you’re confused, and we’ll do everything to help you through this.”

I nod, and Jace slides his hand onto the base of my spine, leading me into a high-rise building. “Good morning, Mr. Masters,” the receptionist calls out to Jace and then smiles at Toby. “Mr. Pierce.”

“Morning, Grace.”

She comes around the side of the desk, clutching a clipboard. “I rescheduled your three-thirty as you asked. Your Zoom call is already set up, they’re just waiting for you to join.” She punches the button on the elevator, and the door slides open. She motions for us to enter and then hits the button for the twenty-fifth floor. “Mack called to let you know you’re on schedule for the delivery on Wednesday.” My mind is still spinning when the door dings open, and Jace leads me to an office door.

“CEO, Jace Masters?” I squeak. CEfuckingO?

“Yes,” Jace chuckles and pushes his door open. “That will be all, Grace. Thank you.”

“No problem. If you need anything else, let me know.”

I wait until she’s out of the room before I turn to Jace. “CEO of what? Are you in the Mafia or something?”

Jace and Toby laugh. “No. I own several import-export businesses. Legal ones.” Now that my brain isn’t in panic mode, I take in how he’s dressed. Crisp white dress shirt and black slacks. Toby is dressed like he normally does, along with that sexy, crooked grin.

“You look fucking hot,” I blurt out, making Jace smile.

“You do too, Angel.” He pulls me into his chest and runs his hand down my ass. “Are you okay now?”

I shrug. “I will be. Sometimes old thoughts make themselves known at the wrong time.”

“I get it, but just talk to us next time, okay?”

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