Page 16 of Jace's Secret
“I should probably go. Goodbye, Jace,” he says because they’re done here. What the hell else is there to say?
He gets the door open.
Jace’s words stop him from leaving. “Look, I’m sorry I said my name was Jack. I know it was wrong.”
“Why didn’t you tell me your real name?” Garrett thinks he knows, but he doesn’t want to assume.
“Because I’ve wanted you for as long as I can remember, and I didn’t want anything to get in the way. If you knew my real name, you wouldn’t have let me blow you, would you?”
“No, I wouldn’t have.”
That sits heavily between them for several breaths.
“Th-Thank you. For the animals. The presents. Over the years,” Jace whispers.
“You’re welcome. I’m glad they were… meaningful.” Is that the right word?
“They were. Are. And, uh. You don’t know me, so you don’t know, but I wouldn’t have talked about what we did to anyone.”
Garrett lets the door close. “I’m real glad to see that you’ve made a life for yourself, Jace. You look well.”
“Oh. Thank you,” Jace says, brushing his hair off his forehead. It’s the color of burnished gold.
Someone shoot me, Garrett thinks. Burnished fucking gold. What does that even goddamned mean?
“You saved my life, you know. Nothing happened… you got there before anything could, and so I’m grateful. I owe you my life,” Jace says, soft but serious. The moment is too intense and so Jace shrugs, smiles as if maybe it’s all just amusing. He tries to chuckle. He sounds like a dog with asthma and stops.
Garrett has studied people enough to know that whatever the kid says next is the fucking truth and important to him. So important he has to pretend it isn’t.
“I practically worship you, always have, probably always will. But it was from a distance. And I’ve lived my life. I’ve made something of myself, you know? But you walked into that club and I just… how could I not offer myself to you? I wasn’t trying to deceive you. I just—I can’t explain. I just had to have you. A chance to be yours—” The words get stuck in Jace’s throat. Tears slide down his cheeks and he covers his face with his hands.
“I understand. It’s okay,” Garrett says, voice rough with emotion. “You’re safe and I’m so glad. Oh, honey. Don’t be upset about this. Please,” he pleads. He wants to take Jace into his arms and hold him tight. Someone moves, either Jace takes a step closer or he does, but Jace is suddenly in his arms, face buried in Garrett’s chest and their arms wrapped around each other.
He kisses Jace on the top of his head, breathing in the scent of his shampoo. Garrett doesn’t know what to say.
“I swear I’m not a bad person. The idea of disappointing you—”
“Good boy. It’s alright,” he says, stroking over the young man’s back. “I don’t think you’re a bad person. We all make mistakes. But I don’t need you to apologize to me, Jace. Do you understand that?”
Jace takes in a deep shuddering breath and then another. He pulls away and wipes at his face, trying to get himself together. He doesn’t look at Garrett. His cheeks are vividly pink and his hand trembles.
“How much longer is your shift?”
“What? Oh. I don’t know. An hour? I’m just doing paperwork until I’m off. I’m not going to kill someone or anything.”
“Well, good. I wasn’t really worried about that part of things.”
“What a fucking shit show,” Jace sighs, running his hand through his hair. He still won’t look at Garrett.
Which is fine because Garrett needs a minute, too. He wants Jace badly and in a way he isn’t used to. He’s achingly hard. The boy was crying and clinging, and it didn’t hinder Garrett’s desire one bit.
Jace is hard to resist. And knowing that Jace “worships” him doesn’t make it easier. The power imbalance is alluring. All he has to do is crook a finger, point to the ground, and Jace will get down on his knees and put all of that misplaced devotion into worshipping Garrett’s cock.
“Jace. I’m not upset with you. I suppose I’m flattered.”
“Oh fuck, spare me,” Jace says, annoyed.
“But we can’t do this. It’s not fair to you.”
