Page 12 of Night By Night
He’d told her at the start if she ever wanted out, or wanted to change their dynamic, all she had to do was speak up and say so. Hell, if she’d wanted to be poly, he would have considered that, too, except she’d said she wasn’t and would never cheat.
He’d never makethatmistake again, either.
He wasn’t built for poly or nonmonogamy. He’d thought it was something he could handle, but no.
Not that what she’d done was ethical nonmonogamy. Maybe he’d feel differently had she actuallytalkedto him instead of screwing around on him behind his back.
Still, he was man enough to admit his limitations. His next relationship, they would have to agree to monogamy or it’d be a non-starter. He wasn’t built to share, and he wasn’t hard-wired to want more than one person romantically. Absolutely no problem or restriction on platonic friends, of course. He’d never get jealous over that. That kind of bullshit had no place in a healthy relationship.
But for sex and sexy play?
Yeah, he was going to set a limit.
Now he just needed someone forhim.
He paused before he was about to head out the door. Staring at Hank’s response one more time, Maddox finally opted to reply. Hopefully the alert wouldn’t wake him up.
Just got up, on my way out to the gym before work. I’ll text you later this morning. Glad you’re back in town. I’ve really missed you.
Yeah, maybe adding that last sentence made him sound a little needy, but he’d own it. He was done fucking around with hiding his feelings. He didn’t need to tell Hankallthe deets about what he felt for him, but he wanted to make sure he didn’t leave the basics unsaid.
It looked like he was about to have his best friend back in his life and he wanted the man to know he loved him and had missed him.
Theinlove confession could remain locked away.
Along with his memories, hopes, and dreams of ever having more with Hank.
This time, he wouldn’t let their friendship slip away.
* * * *
Hank was sitting in his truck at a red light when he made the mistake of looking at his phone and spotted the response from Dox.
He swallowed hard and glanced at it, his heart thumping as he read it. He didn’t know exactly why he hadn’t kept in touch with Dox, or why he hadn’t reached out to him before now.
He’d been trying to hold things together for Lois after their parents died, then he’d been busy working—it seemed like all he ever fucking did was work—and years had suddenly passed. Then all of Lois’ bullshit with Cameron and the first round of legal issues. Cameron had beat her up so badly he put her in the hospital. Hank had moved all her shit out of their apartment and moved her in with him, since Cameron had been arrested and couldn’t afford to bond out.
Clean break.
Except she was pregnant with JJ. It’d taken Hank a lot of tearful pleading with her not to give in to Cameron’s parents and drop the charges, reminding her he could’ve killed her. Then they discovered Cameron had other restraining orders in the past from other women, other charges filed—and dropped—for domestic violence.
That if he could do that to her, what the hell could he do to ababy?
And, yes, Hank admitted he’d tried to talk Lois into an abortion, but she’d shut him down right away on that, so he’d dropped it.
From that moment on, he dedicated himself to being a good brother and uncle-to-be, not wanting Lois to distance herself from him.
But she hadn’t. She’d cried on his shoulder, curled up at night with him holding her to help her through the nightmares. He’d held her hair out of her face when she puked her guts up with morning sickness.
Held her hand when she crushed it during contractions, and held JJ in his arms when she was born after he cut the cord.
“Daddy,” JJ scolded. “Light’s green.”
He set his phone aside and let off the brakes. “Sorry, kiddo. Thank you.”
“What’s my new school going to be like?”
“I don’t know, sweetie. The pictures and reports looked good.” Sarasota County had decent schools, at least. She’d attend the elementary school for several years, then the middle school she’d transition to was right next door to that, if they were still living in the same house by then.
