Page 63 of Carver

Now he would build the home that his boy would come to when he was ready. It would be another thing Carver could provide, another place for his boy to focus on. To use that which he'd learned.

Carver looked up at Gideon who had tears in his eyes and a soft smile on his face.

"All will be well, sweet boy," he told him. "I will wait as long as you need me to."

Gideon's thumb gently stroked Carver's skin for a moment before he pulled back. Carver sat there another second before standing and turning to face the rest of his men.

“Thank you for taking care of him in my stead. I have other work that needs to be handled, but I trust you will continue as you have been."

The men nodded to him chanting, "Yes, Boss."

Carver looked over his shoulder at Gideon who was still watching him.

"Until next time, sweet boy,” he said.

His gaze dipped to the scarf at Gideon's neck. He'd noticed it earlier and from the angle he was at now, he realized there was no collar beneath it.

Carver's heart surged, and he smiled widely. His boy was growing in every way. He was more than happy to see what other changes were on the horizon.

Twenty-Nine

Gideon turnedthe wrench until the bolt tightened. He heaved a sigh of relief and pulled it loose, turning to Hex for his approval. The other man grinned so wide, Gideon knew his cheeks had to be hurting.

“Good job, little boss,” he said. “You are getting better and better at that.”

Gideon shook his head. “I’m trying.”

His voice came out raspy. He'd been using it more and more lately. His desire to keep quiet dwindled at the welcome he received from the Angels. They had all gone above and beyond to take care of him.

He'd been with the club for nearly five months. In all that time, not a single person had pushed him farther than he wanted to go. The longer he stayed, the more he accepted that the club was nothing like where he had lived before.

He couldn't even see the similarities anymore. It was ridiculous in his mind now.

The watch on his arm buzzed, reminding him it was time to go see Fury.

Hex nodded, having heard, and motioned for him to hand over the wrench. “Go on ahead and see the head doc. I’ll finishup here. I won't go too much further though. I know you want to watch the whole process.”

Gideon nodded as he put the wrench in Hex's palm. “Please don't. I'm excited,” he said.

His gaze cut over to the bike he was helping to restore. Hex told him it would be his. A bike all his own that he would be able to ride with the Angels.

While he was still far away from making that a reality, it was exciting to know he would be a part of something more than just himself. The healing he was working through would get him to a point where being out in the open with others wasn't a problem. Where he could sit on his bike, ride with his crew, and be a part of everyday life.

There would be no more need to hide or cower. Whether he spoke or not wouldn't be an issue because the men who had become his family would speak for him when he didn't want to.

They'd all built this system, this connection, that gave him more power than he knew what to do with.

The only delay he had, the only hesitancy, came with Carver. He still didn't feel comfortable enough to go to the other man.

He slept in the room next to his at night.

He stared at him across the room whenever Carver wasn't looking.

He would switch out the pillows every few days to make sure his scent never faded.

But he still wasn't with Carver. He still hadn't told him all the things that he had survived and been through. He knew that that was the last piece to the puzzle. Knew that being intimate with Carver came with the truth that he didn't know what he was doing at all.

Every instance of sex had been presented to him in such a violent manner. The people, whether they enjoyed it or not, were hurt.