Page 123 of All The Things: The Last Thing He Needs Omnibus

Oh, hell. When they’d had their big blowout, Ben had eventually stopped trying to explain himself and just told Gavin to pack up and move out—move on to something better. He never considered all the layers of shit it would stir up in Gavin. They’d been together over three years, and at some point Gavin had seemed to finally give up on his family, give up on them ever coming around. They’d been a nonissue for Gavin for so long, Ben hadn’t given it a thought.

He was going to have to start a long list of all the ways he’d fucked up. He was losing track.

Ben tried to pull Gavin close again, wanting to take him home and put him to bed.

Tony didn’t let go. “I’ve got this, Ben. I’ll take Gav home.”

For a little wisp of a guy, Tony did a damn decent impression of intimidating. They both knew Ben could flatten him if he wanted to, but the look in Tony’s eyes was lethal.

Gavin sniffled and huffed as he angrily wiped his cheek, but didn’t say anything as he tried to steady himself.

Ben shook his head and reached for Gavin again. “His home is with me. I fucked up, but I’m gonna fix this.”

Tony had an arm around Gavin’s waist, and Ben had Gavin’s arm. They probably looked like they were getting ready to split Gavin in half like a wishbone. By that point, they’d drawn the attention of one of the bouncers—one who, thankfully, knew all three of them pretty well. He was making his way through the crowd, cutting a straight line toward them, though.

Tony seemed to notice too. He relaxed his grip on Gavin. “Fine.” He let go altogether, but he didn’t back away. “Don’t jerk him around anymore, Ben. This is bullshit.”

Ben nodded sharply, his shoulders tense. “I said I fucked up, didn’t I? I said I was gonna fix it.” Guilt had a funny effect on him. Inside he wanted to curl up and hide, but on the surface, it just pissed him off when he thought about how badly he’d screwed up. It wasn’t Tony’s fault and Ben knew it, but hell if he was going to stand there and go into every fucking detail with the guy.

“Prove it, that’s all I’m sayin’.” Tony held his hands up and took a step back.

In the end, Gavin let Ben wrap an arm around him and guide him toward the door. Ben could feel Tony’s glare on them the entire time, but he probably deserved that too.

Their walk out of the club felt familiar. It reminded Ben too much of the night he’d met Gavin. The kid had passed out on the bathroom floor of some dive bar, and Ben had taken him home, made sure he was all right, and then fended off Gavin’s advances all night and into the next day. At least he’d still been on his feet this time. Another hour and who the hell knew what kind of shape Gavin would’ve been in.

Gavin looked up at him as Ben pulled the heavy front door open, letting in the frigid winter air. “I never thought I’d see the day when you and Tony would fight over me.” He slurred every word.

“It was bound to happen eventually.”

Gavin actually giggled at that, but as they turned out of the bar, heading for the alley where Ben had parked his bike, Gavin seemed to remember everything that had happened before. “Wait, I’m still pissed at you.”

Pissed and hurt and probably a lot of other things. “I know. You’ve got every right to be.” No point in trying to talk to Gavin right now. The odds of him remembering any of it in the morning were slim.

Ben pulled Gavin’s helmet from one of the cases on his bike. As he gently put it on for Gavin, he remembered with a sharp pang their first night together. Not the time Ben had taken him home and then tried to avoid committing a felony with jailbait, but a year later, after they were friends, after he’d fallen in love with the crazy little bastard.

Gavin must have had the same thought. “Because my face is prettier than yours?”

With a nod, Ben buckled the strap. “Let’s try and keep it that way.”

It took him a moment to get Gavin situated behind him on the bike, but they managed it. Gavin wrapped his arms around Ben’s chest and pressed his body against Ben’s back. “If I throw up all over you, you deserve it.”

“I know.” Ben kicked the bike to life, let it rumble under them for a beat. “Just don’t let go, Gav. Whatever you do, don’t let go.”

Gavin’s response was so quiet, so hurt, Ben could barely hear him over the engine. “I won’t if you won’t.”

Chapter Four

Gavin

Gavin woke up with a pounding headache, but he was in a soft bed, surrounded by all the familiar comforts of home. His home with Ben. Ben’s bed, Ben’s pillows, Ben’s smell. He stretched and wiggled his bare feet between the sheets and opened his eyes, hoping it wasn’t another dream. The same dream he’d had every night he’d spent on Tony’s shitty sofa. The dream that left him lonely and empty inside.

When the room came into focus, it seemed real enough. But instead of being in bed next to him, Ben stood over him with a stern expression on his face. “Are you done trying to prove your point now, or do you need to actually kill yourself first?”

The night was coming back to him in bits and pieces. He remembered going to the club, remembered getting a few drinks with Tony. He remembered seeing Ben talk to some little twink. He vaguely remembered Tony and Ben playing some strange game of tug-of-war over him at some point. That was about it, though.

“Is that glass of water for me?” Gavin sat up higher, moving slowly as his stomach churned in the same pulsing rhythm as his head.

Ben passed the water over and nodded toward the nightstand. “So are the aspirin.”

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