Page 208 of The Blame Game

He blinked. “The money?”

“Yes.”

Christian’s mouth curved up in a little half-smile. “Funded my first queer indie film. I’m a director, you know.”

Dom hadn’t known. He hadn’t followed Christian’s career, hadn’t wanted to know anything about it. Had only wanted to forget any of it had happened.

“Seems appropriate,” is all he said aloud.

Christian shrugged. “The film did well. Which led to the next project. And then the next. I found the success I was looking for, if not quite the way I expected.”

“I’m glad I could help you get there.” And, oddly enough, Dom was. However angry he’d been for all these years, however bitter and resentful, it felt good knowing he’d helped Christian.

“Even though I—I blackmailed you for it?” Christian’s eyes went a little watery.

“I wish you’d asked,” Dom said softly. “Or taken what I’d offered.”

He’d offered to pay for acting lessons, vocal coaching, whatever Christian needed to land the kind of acting roles he wanted.

Christian had always accused Dom of trying to buy his silence.

Maybe Dom had been, on some level, but it didn’t make him any less glad that Christian was doing well now. Because under all of the anger and resentment that had filled up Dom’s heart for years, there was love.

Old love.

Long-in-the-past love.

The kind of love that would never—could never—be reignited. But it was love. And Dom had spent years ignoring that. Ignoring how much it had hurt to be treated that way by someone he loved so much.

A tear slipped down Christian’s cheek and he wiped it away, his wedding ring glinting in the light. “I wish I had too.”

“It all worked out though, I guess.”

“Yeah.” Christian’s smile was wobbly. “I guess so.”

“You can forgive yourself. You know that right?” Dom said roughly.

Christian stepped closer, looking up at him. “Can I?”

“Yeah. I’m going to try to forgive myself.”

It didn’t matter so much if they forgave each other. Dom just didn’t want to carry this feeling around with him for the rest of his life. He’d carried it too long already.

Christian took a deep, shaky breath, his eyes closing for a moment before he looked Dom in the eye. “That’s all I wanted.”

“For me to forgive myself?”

“For you to be yourself. Happy and—and not so …” He made a vague gesture with his hand like he didn’t know how to put it into words.

Dom nodded because he didn’t know how to put it in words either but he got the gist. Whatever he’d been before, he wasn’t that now.

He didn’t want to be that anymore either.

“I want you to be happy too,” Dom admitted.

“Thanks. I am.” He swallowed audibly. “Anyway, that’s all I wanted. To apologize.”

“Thank you.” Christian turned to go and Dom fell into step beside him.

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