Mitchell’s disarming charm that had so easily turned into cruelty.
The feelings of helplessness and isolation he’d felt after waking up in the hospital.
The loneliness he’d experienced when he had realized no one would come for him because no one cared what happened to him.
Asher closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose as if that might keep the memories at bay. Christ, he needed to turn off his brain, to just shut down and not think for a while. He desperately needed everything to just fuckingstop.
Opening his eyes, his gaze went to the sofa, to Cameron. Instantly, the tightness in his chest eased, making it a little easier to breathe.
Cameron was his antidote, the soothing balm to his frayed psyche.
He was warmth and comfort and acceptance.
He was a safe harbor in a storm of Asher’s own making.
Cameron Stone was his salvation.
“Go,” Becca repeated. “Talk to him. No one is going to think any less of you for needing a breather.”
“Yeah, okay. I’ll just be a few minutes.”
“So romantic.” Becca made a face and shook her head. “You might want to leave out that part.”
Asher laughed in spite of himself. She did have a point.
Thanking her again, he strode across the room, his gaze locked on Cameron. With every step, his body felt lighter. It became easier to breathe, and the pressure in his head eased. When he saw Cameron laugh at something Luke had said, the knot in his chest loosened a little more. Hesmiled and hurried his steps, silently cursing himself for being such an idiot in the first place.
Because right then, with his whole world burning down around him, Cameron was exactly what he needed.
Chapter Two
Twisting around on thesofa, Luke tucked his socked feet under him and grinned like a Cheshire cat. “I want that one.”
Cameron snorted as Luke practically salivated over the security guy who had just entered the den. Not that he blamed him. Dressed in a black suit that molded to every muscled inch of him, the bodyguard was strikingly handsome.
His dark hair was cut conservatively in a high fade that emphasized his square jaw and high cheekbones. Cameron couldn’t tell what color his eyes were from that distance, but there was an unmistakable intensity to them he could practically feel from across the room.
Craning his neck, Nico turned to follow Luke’s gaze. “Dude,” he said with a snort of laughter. “It’s not a takeout menu.”
Still sandwiched between them, Cameron sank back into the cushions with a stifled yawn. “And he’s straight.”
Of course, he had no way of knowing that. He just liked fucking with Luke.
“Don’t say that,” Nico mumbled, covering his mouth to hide his own yawn. “You’ll just encourage him.”
“Hey!” Luke huffed indignantly, paused, then lifted one shoulder in a half-hearted shrug. “Yeah, okay, that’s fair.”
Everyone laughed.
“What’s fair?” Long fingers threaded through Cameron’s hair from behind, gently urging his head back. “Hey,” Asher murmured as he leaned over the sofa to steal a kiss.
“Hey,” Cameron echoed with a sappy grin. “Luke was just deciding which guy from Oz’s security team he wants to take home with him.”
The fingers in his hair tightened briefly before releasing him, but otherwise, Asher didn’t react to the news. No eye roll. Not a hint of a smirk. He didn’t even glance in Luke’s direction. Cameron’s smile instantly dissolved as he pushed upright and shifted around to look up at him directly.
“Is everything okay?”
Shoving his hands into the front pocket of his jeans, Asher took a couple of steps back and tilted his head to the side. “Let’s get out of here for a bit.”
