Page 69

Ever since the attempted rape, Rylan knew that if Declan hadn’t interrupted, Tristan wouldn’t have stopped. He wanted nothing to do with Tristan. And after, he figured the man would forget about him and chalk it up to a drunken mistake. But now, knowing that Tristan believed Rylan had been the one who flirted with him, who lured him into his bed, made bile rise in his throat.

“Nothing. I’ve donenothingto you. I’ve avoided you from the beginning and will continue to do that. I would like you to leave.Now.”

Tristan scoffed and leaned back in the booth, looking as though he would stay awhile.

Rylan glanced up when Ruby shifted in her seat. His eyes must have conveyed his fear because without bringing attention to herself, Ruby signaled the waiter.

Already sensing the tension at the table, the waiter arrived at their table within seconds along with a man who looked to be the manager of the restaurant. Rylan tried to stand, unable to get far because of the booth, so kneeled on the seat instead.

“Is there a problem?”

“Yes, could you please show this man another table—”

Although he expected it, with quick movements, Tristan knocked his legs off the bench. When Rylan dropped his hands onto the table, preventing him from falling off, Tristan took advantage and the elbow that struck his ribs knocked the wind out of him.

A loud, collective gasp went around the restaurant and Rylan noticed they had amassed quite a crowd of onlookers.

“Sir, please leave.” The manager’s voice was firm.

Tristan smiled a fierce smile at the man. “I’m not going anywhere without this little faggot.”

Without waiting for a reaction, Tristan’s hand shot out and wrapped around Rylan’s throat, squeezing tight, before Rylan threw up his forearm and broke his hold. Ignoring the gasps and shouts of displeasure, Tristan hauled back and punched Rylan in the chest.

The sharp, hard strike had Rylan reach for his sternum as the area throbbed underneath his touch.

“I called the police and I’m telling you to stop and leavenow.”

“I might as well make the most of this if I go to jail.”

His words had Rylan throwing his arms up to block the punch aimed at his face. It was a matter of time before his punches landed, but Rylan tried to deflect as many as he could. Rylan sat on his ass and kicked out his feet, trying to push Tristan away from him, but as he let down his guard for a split second, Tristan punched out again and this time his fist grazed Rylan’s cheek.

Rylan kicked harder, trying to get Tristan away from him, not paying attention to what was happening around him. Tristan reached for his wrists and forced them down, so when he swung again, the punch landed just below his right eye and pain exploded over his cheek.

A sound, a scream mixed with a shriek exploded from his throat and he kicked harder at Tristan, pulling his arms away from his hold. Tristan grunted when his foot landed on his side, but unable to stop the need to get Tristan away from him, he continued kicking.

Tristan threw another punch, and this one landed on his shoulder, blocked by Rylan pushing his fist away when he spotted it heading his way. And at this throw, Rylan felt rage simmering throughout his body and he clenched his teeth before he spoke.

“How did I ruin your life, you narcissistic piece of shit! I wanted nothing from you other than distance, but more so after you tried to rape me when I was asleep in my bed when I was seventeen. But you tracked me down at the club, then threw a brick through our front window. We have you on surveillance and it’s why the cop slapped you with a restraining order. For four years, I had to deal with you but no more. You violated your restraining order and assaulted me in front of witnesses.”

“You were asking for it and freaked when I tried to undress you,” Tristan scoffed.

“No, I was asleep. You dropped on top of me and tried to rip off my clothes.”

“You should count yourself lucky. I wanted to see what it was like to fuck a little twink like you.”

Not able to continue this farce of a conversation, Rylan moved to push his way past Tristan. He wanted Cameron, and he wanted to leave. But as he pushed, an inhuman scream erupted from Tristan’s throat and he lunged forward and wrapped both hands around Rylan’s throat. Before he could break the hold again, Tristan slammed his head back against the thick glass where his back had been moments before and a sickening thump echoed in his ears.

Rylan groaned as the pain erupted from the back of his head and a sudden bout of dizziness had him closing his eyes, afraid he would throw up. He felt more than heard Tristan moving away from him and his stomach roiled when he heard flesh hitting flesh with a sickening thud… thud… thud.

“Rylan, sweetheart, can you hear me?” Ruby’s soft voice asked in his ear, “what do you need?”

“Cameron. I need Cameron.”

“I’m right here, angel.”

His senses were skewed and realized at that moment he had his eyes closed and silence surrounded him. Cameron pulled him into his arms with gentle movements, and Rylan cried when he caught his husband’s scent as he pressed his nose into Cameron’s neck.

“I’m… I feel like I’m gonna throw up.” Rylan tried to open his eyes, but a blinding light seared into them and he shut them again, groaning at the action. When he tried again, he had a hard time focusing, but when he looked at his husband’s face, the terror reflected in his eyes had tears pouring down his cheeks.