#Chapter40
/"There is another reason./" He reached out, taking Sly's hand. The boy didn't pull away. The trembles that plagued it transmitted to his own, and his other hand joined the first, closing around the teen's smaller one, steadying it. /"I care about you, Sly. I truly, hand to God, care about you. I'm terminating the contract because my feelings are getting in the way./"
Lips parting, his expression became a battle zone, a multitude of expressions taking their turn battling for control. Eventually, uncertainty won out. His eyes danced along Jackson's face, as though checking to see the truth in his words.
/"You care about me?/"
/"I do./" Jackson gave a firm nod. /"And even though I've terminated the contract, I wanted to give you a choice./"
/"What choice?/"
/"Somebody told me once before that the only reason anybody could ever care about me, ever be with me was for my money./"