Chapter 24

The clock just read twelve-thirty, but Rhyn rolled out of bed. He was restless, his mind whirling with different thoughts and ideas. He couldn't sleep no matter what he tried.

He went to the bathroom before going to his desk. If he couldn't sleep, he might as well work on character development. His outline was finished, but his professor said he needed extra character development. Most of that came to him while he slept. Since sleep was nonexistent right now, he would work.

He stared at the worksheet in annoyance. He never had any issues writing. Why was it any different? Was it because he had unfinished business with Myles? Was that it? Was it because Myles hand't called him or done anything to get in contact with him? Was he mad? Was he sad? Was he hurt?

Before he knew it, he was scribbling page after page of material. Every ounce of emotion flowed from his hand to the pages. His handwriting wasn't as neat as he'd like, but he'd go back and write them over. He had to get everything out before he could do that.

Rhyn was so engrossed in what he was doing he didn't hear his door open. He definitely didn't see the person who came in either. He kept his head bowed over his desk as he worked.

Myles sat on Rhyn's bed and watched the fever pitch in which he wrote. He had never seen him this focused before. He was hunched over his desk, head near resting on the glass top. Whatever was going through his mind had worked him up until he was unable to see past his little bubble.

He hurt Rhyn. He knew he had the moment he walked out. But Myles hadn't been able to follow him. His dad had caught him in the kitchen as soon as Rhyn was gone, and the fight had started all over again. He had left his house and had gone to the gym to work off some of his aggression.

His dad didn't understand his feelings. He had married Myles's mother out of convenience. It had been a business marriage much like he was trying to push on Myles, but it had been a happy one. Delaynee Smartt Dane had had four miscarriages before she'd had Myles, and once that'd happened, she'd been a doting mother. If she was here, she would have told Martin to leave his son alone. She would never have judged him.

Unfortunately, she'd passed when Myles had been in high school. Since then, Martin had done everything he could to push Myles into doing what he wanted. He'd let him major in sports science as long as his minor was business. He got a basketball scholarship but he wasn't allowed to let his grades slip below a 3.5 GPA. So many things had been piled up on him in hopes he would give in.

One thing Martin never understood about his son was Myles never backed down from a challenge. If he wanted to put pressure on his son, Myles would work under it and excel. He liked challenging himself. He liked to see what he could overcome. Now, Martin was pushing him into a corner, and he wasn't about to like what happened. It was like corning a wild animal, but with wild animals, they showed their teeth.

Myles had found the one thing he wanted to protect. At first, it had started out as trying to befriend Rhyn after that fateful night. As he got to know him, he wanted to continue to get to know him. Then he wanted to spend time with him. It finally morphed into wanting to be with him because Rhyn had made him feel like a person instead of a commodity. He'd rather lose his father's money than lose Rhyn.

He watched the hand pause over the paper and heard the sigh. Rhyn popped his neck then turned in his chair. Their eyes met, and they stared at each other. Myles watched Rhyn's mouth tighten before it quivered. He grabbed his arm before he could turn away.

"Rhyn?"

The whispered voice was enough to make Rhyn want to cry. Myles's big, warm hand came up and rubbed his face. It was so comforting that Rhyn couldn't help it. As soon as he closed his eyes to let the feeling sink in, a tear slid down his cheek.

Myles felt the pain in that one tear. Rhyn would never tell him he was in pain without him asking. He didn't want to burden him. He would suffer in silence so no one else would hurt, keeping all that pain to himself.

But that wasn't what Myles wanted. He wanted Rhyn to have faith in him. He wanted him to tell him everything, especially how he felt even if he felt it was dum. It was the only way they could survive.

His fingers tightened on Rhyn's neck and he pulled him forward. He gave him time to evade, but Rhyn met him. Their mouths touched briefly a couple of times before Rhyn pulled him close and sealed them together completely. Myles could tell how much pain he was in by how tightly he held his arm.

Myles shifted closer and pulled Rhyn into his lap. The movement elevated him, forcing Myles to tilt his head up. He didn't mind. Rhyn could control the pace better this way. He didn't always want to be in charge.

Rhyn smoothed his hair back as he watched his face. Myles stared up at him, enjoying the fingers in his hair. This man was very gentle. He was more stubborn than even Martin Dane, but he was as gentle as a newborn deer. He had to talk to him in a certaintone to get something done or to see if he could figure out what was going on. Rhyn didn't make any of it easy, but when he loved him, that was easy.

Rhyn wrapped his legs around Myles's waist and lowered his head. Myles sighed as he kissed him again. It was slow and deep, Rhyn pushing every emotion to him. He'd made the right choice coming to him.

Myles's hands trailed up Rhyn's bare back. He forgot he slept half naked. Most of the time they were completely naked since they'd just done something physical. His fingers dug gently into his skin before Myles reached for his own shirt. Rhyn ran his hands along his skin, swirling his fingertips every so often in the defined planes of his body.

"No!" Rhyn stopped Myles's hands as he dipped them into the waistband of his shorts. "I don't want to have sex, not right now."

Myles trailed his hands around his waist then pulled him closer. "Okay. We don't have to." He kissed Rhyn's shoulder several times then rested his forehead against it. "I'm sorry for embarrassing you. I should have stopped when my dad came in. I was so angry I couldn't think."

Rhyn ran his fingers through his hair slowly. "I know why you were angry, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't upset. I'm not like you, Myles. I haven't been able to flaunt you like you can me."

"Dad doesn't understand. He was told to marry my mom so he did. Since she passed away eight years ago, he has been adamant I marry well. Why can't he marry someone and leave me alone?"

"He wants what's best for you."

Myles lifted his head. "You're what's best for me."

Rhyn pushed locks of hair from his face. "Why are you so sure? How am I not like everyone else you've been with?"

"You don't expect anything from me." He tilted his head into Rhyn as he kissed his face gently. "You're happy with this. You don't care about my family's money or what I could do for you. And sex is the last thing on your mind."

"What does that mean?"

Myles stood, lifting Rhyn easily. He turned and dropped him to the bed. He hovered over him for a long few moments before he rolled over him to the empty side of the bed. He lay down, wrapping his arm around Rhyn when he rolled to him. He smiled as the other man wrapped around him, sighing contentedly.

"This is how I know," he whispered. He felt Rhyn smile against his skin. "This is your favoirte things to do."

Rhyn nodded. "You're right, but I don't want to cause you any trouble. I don't want to be the reason a wedge is driven between you and your dad."

"Unfortunately, it's already there. It will only get wider unless he decides to accept it or leave me alone."

Rhyn didn't like that. He could barely be mad at his brothers when he'd found out they'd hidden the truth from him. He couldn't imagine them being mad at him for an extended period of time. They were too close for that. A day would be the most they could handle. And if it was one of his parents, he would be basket case.

Myles was brave for going against his dad, but he was braver for standing up for himself. It was difficult to be different when society told you to be the same as everyone else. He was able to be himself unashamedly, and everyone respected him for it. Everyone except the one person he wanted.

"If she were still here," he said, "would your mom have cared?"

"No." The answer was instantaneous. "I told her my freshman year of high school how I felt about men and women. She said whoever I chose would be welcome in her home."

He hooked a finger under Rhyn's chin and made him look up. "She would have loved you, Rhyn. Don't question that."

Rhyn smiled. "I'm glad."

"As for your parents," the smile fell from Rhyn's lips, "tell them when you're ready. Don't stoop to this level. It isn't worth it."

"Does that mean we're still together?" Myles nodded, a slight smile playing about his lips. "Okay. I'll let you know when I'm ready."

Myles stopped Rhyn before he could lay back down. The other man looked at him expectantly. They watched each other for a minute before Myles kissed him again.

"I don't want to go another day without saying this." He pressed his mouth to Rhyn's ear so only he could hear. One never knew what was going to happen in this house. "I love you, Rhyn."

Rhyn blinked dumbly as the words sank into his ear and heart. There was no way this happening. Not right now.