Chapter 23

For the first time in several days, Damian woke up in his own bed. After a week's stay in the hospital, he had been released on bed rest.

All he remembered the night of the party was being beaten in the bathroom. He woke up several hours later with an IV in one hand, a central line in the other, and staples in his head. His leg was in a cast and elevated after being surgically repaired.

He'd had to have a blood transfusion since his head had bled so badly. He wasn't really sure what had happened, but that could have been the concussion talking.

Due to his injuries, he was going to miss a few weeks of classes. He wasn't going to graduate on time because of it. After discussing it with his dad, he went ahead and withdrew from classes so he didn't have to rush his recovery.

Antonia had become a nursemaid while he'd been in the hospital. She had brought snacks for Tay and Jak. Since they were in school during the day, she worked from the hospital so she could be with him. Her meetings were scheduled when one was able to get to him.

Tay wouldn't have left if Jak hadn't urged him to. He was going to withdraw with Damian, but their parents had steadfastly refused. Damian had a legitimate and medical reason. Tay was just being a good Alpha, but they'd told him not to make a mistake.

Damian had stepped in after they'd argued for three days. He'd reminded Tay that he was going to have to retake three courses. He was taking six, but three of those were electives to fulfill hour requirements. They had no real bearing.

If Tay withdrew, he would have to take three of his hardest classes over again. Damian had made sure he'd understood that before he'd made his decision. He'd decided to graduate on time with Jak.

Under request from his father, Reaux wasn't allowed to discuss the case as long as Damian was in the hospital. Damian had been okay with that. It gave him time to discuss other things.

He'd asked Jak why he hadn't told him about Reaux. Jak hadn't known how. Since they'd been friends, Jak had been closer to Tay. they hadn't even been certain if an Alpha could claim another Alpha. So when it'd happened to Jak, he'd gone directly to Tay. he also hadn't known how to tell anyone he'd slept with a man, especially that he'd been claimed by him.

Damian hadn't judged him. As long as Reaux made him happy, Damian was happy for Jak. They looked awkward, but Reaux was smitten. Once Jak settled, Damian had no doubt his friend would love him just the same.

When he'd been discharged, his father had picked him up and had taken him back to the family home. He'd wished to go back to Tay's, but they didn't want him alone. He didn't blame them. He was a little beaten up so he didn't need to be alone.

Tay had been sleeping on the floor much to Damian's dismay. They had a king size bed, and he slept on the floor. Damian didn't argue since his leg was abused, but he didn't like it. They'd been sleeping together since the night of the attack, and he'd gotten used to it.

Damian struggled to roll over. His cast caught the sheets and his head was hurting. All he could manage was to roll to his back.

"Tay?" he called. He wasn't sure anyone was home and he needed to pee. "Tay?"

The door opened, but it wasn't Tay. It was Jak instead. He was eating something as he came in. He looked lighter since telling Damian about Reaux.

"I need to pee," he said.

Jak dumped the rest of whatever it was into his mouth. Then he crossed the room and pulled the covers back. Gently pulling his leg over the bed, he helped Damian up and into the bathroom. He put his back to him and let him use his back as support to do his business. Then they headed back to the bed.

Damian threw the duvet down to the end of the bed, only using the sheet to cover up. Jak pulled the chair over and sat in it, propping his bare feet on the side of it.

"You look better," he said. He pulled a bag of candy from his pocket.

"So do you," Damian answered. "Where's Tay?"

"He had to run an errand so I hung around just in case." He passed the candy to him. "Why haven't you asked?"

"About what?" Jak raised his eyebrows. "About Reaux? What else do I need to know?"

"You're not more curious about when it happened?"

"Thanksgiving break of last year right?" The Alpha's eyes widened. "You went out that night, and we never heard from you until we went back for those last two weeks before Christmas break. You were weird after that."

Damian wrapped the sheet around his waist. "You don't usually hide what you're doing so I figured it'd be something you were either ashamed of or you weren't ready to tell."

Jak was impressed. He sat back and looked at the munching Omega. "You asked me a short time ago if I loved someone. Before I thought it was just desire and that was what drew me to him. But now…"

"Pheromones can make you feel useless, like you can't control your body. Only the strongest Alphas can subdue another Alpha." Damian looked up, understanding in his blue eyes. If anyone knew it, it was him. "I'm not the one to judge, Jak. I'm a male Omega who was raped in hopes to be sold to the highest bidder. I have no room to."

Jak stood up and sat on the bed. He draped an arm around his shoulders and pulled him to him. "How are you so strong?"

Damian chuckled tenderly. His head hurt too much to do anything more. "I'm not. Up until last week, I was absolutely terrified of my own shadow. But you, Tay and my parents made me feel safe. Even on my lowest day, all I had to do was call. You'd be here no matter what. I didn't have much to be afraid of even though I was."

The Alpha held him close as Damian hugged him just as close. Two people who hadn't really wanted the cards dealt to them held in to each for support. Friends since birth, they needed comfort no one else could give them.

A sharp rap on the door frame had them looking up. Tay leaned against it, a contented smile playing about his lips. He exuded love and compassion.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were trying to steal my wife," he said.

Damian frowned. "Your wife?" Tay's smile was lethal as it widened. "You're an asshole."

"Maybe, but I'd it was anyone else, I'd kill him." He tossed his finger over his shoulder. "Your husband's here. He wants to talk to Damian."

Jak held back a scathing remark and got up. He helped Damian up and to the door. Tay took him, sweeping him up in his arms.

They went into the living room. Reaux was sitting on the couch with a cup of coffee. Tay crossed to him, gently placing Damian in the recliner and popping up the footrest. He covered him with a fluffy blanket then went to get some coffee for them.

Damian watched Jak sit beside the detective and accept a kiss to his cheek. He wasn't sure how it'd happened, but Jak was more comfortable with receiving physical affection. He wasn't as embarrassed though he wasn't completely used to it.

"Stop," he whispered. He was embarrassed.

Reaux smiled at him then turned his attention to the other person. "How are you feeling?"

Tay returned with coffee, handing them out slowly. Damian smiled. "Thanks. I don't feel like a Mack truck ran me over, but I still hurt."

"A concussion, two lacerations to the head, and a broken leg will do that. A severe round of antibiotics to combat the infections doesn't help the body much either." He shared a look with Jak. "You dad's a rat bastard."

Damian snorted into his coffee. "Yes, he can be. What did he do this time?"

"Conrad Evers had enough information to put him away for life. He kept everything in fine detail on his computer. Jak was right. The secretary was claimed by Evers, and he used her as an Alpha slut as well as his booker. He had her plan everything so he wouldn't get his hands dirty."

The Omega nodded. "What does it have to do with my dad?"

"He bought all of Evers' businesses and is going to revamp them. He's also helping track down all those Evers sold." Reaux smiled. "You were smart to record at the party. The DA played it at Evers' indictment. Even his attorney had nothing to say. They took a plea deal, but that doesn't mean he won't change it later."

"I'm just glad the device didn't break."

The detective pierced him with a serious stare. "Damian, you are the only person I know who could take a beating and come out smelling like roses."

"Rosewood," Tay piped up. Damian laughed at his admission. "Will they need Damian to testify?"

"I'm not sure. They haven't said yet. He took a plea deal, but that could change. I'm hoping he doesn't, but you never know. The problem is they may try to disprove Damian as a pheromone crazed Omega."

Tay sighed. "I'd hate to have to break someone's arm."

Damian turned to look at him. He always resorted to violence when someone threatened him. After everything, Damian believed he would do it.

"There's too much evidence, plus Damian's face. And hearing his conversation on recording when he cornered you in the bathroom will make it hard to refute even if he tried to claim entrapment."

"I didn't go searching for him. I just turned the recording on in case something happened. I didn't intend to do anything. I wanted to make sure I was vindicated in case I was killed."

Tay and Jak shared a look at the admission. Damian had thought Conrad Evers was going to kill him last week. He'd known the only way anyone would know what had happened to him.

Reaux and Jak left not too long after, promising to return a few days later. Now that they were public, they would come around more often for double dates.

Tay picked Damian up and returned him to the bedroom. He crawled into the bed and placed the Omega in it. He laid in his spot as Damian readjusted on his own.

Damian looked at him. Tay's face was drawn in contemplation, little lines appearing between his eyes and by his mouth. The Omega reached over and smoothed them out with his fingers.

"Don't think too much," he whispered.

"You thought you were going to die. How could I not?" Tay sighed and moved closer. He rested his head against Damian's shoulder and wrapped his arm around his bruised waist. "I can't lose you, my love. It will kill me."

Damian sighed and pressed his face into his dark hair. "When Evers cornered me in the bathroom, all I could think of was how to escape. Of how to get away and get to my family. When he slung me into that wall, I thought it was over."

Tay tightened his arms but not enough to hurt him. "I couldn't find you. I thought my world was done."

"Tay?" The tone of his voice had the Alpha looking up. "I know I'm not thebest at expressing myself and that I've been closed off recently, but listen when I say this."

He pressed kisses to his forehead, nose, and both cheeks. Tay closed his eyes as he reveled in the gentle expressions.

"Tay?" he whispered. The Alpha's eyelids fluttered. "I love you, Tay. So, so much."

Tay wrapped a big hand around his neck and pulled him down. Damian kissed him with as much tenderness and love he could put out with a battered face.

"You don't have to say anything else," he said.

Damian yawned and sank down further in bed. The antibiotics kicked his ass, but he'd rather take them than run a fever due to infection.

Tay knew when Damian dropped off to sleep. His breathing evened out and Tay heard a soft snore. He was tired and worn out, his body needing rest more than ever.

Knowing Damian loved him made things so much easier. The Alpha was going to be even more protective than he had been. Damian was either going to accept it or he was going to rebel. Either way, Tay wasn't going to let him go.

Once he was sure Damian was asleep, Tay left him to go work on his manuscript. For now, things were fine. He could work with fine.