Page 67 of Control Freak

“You think Flynn will work out?” Gray asked.

“If he doesn’t, I’ll take him back,” Axel said. “He’s already helped me shorten our inventory backlog by at least three weeks.”

“Pretty impressive,” Dalton said. “Considering every time I show up, he’s playing with the dogs.”

Axel laughed. “Yeah, they all love him.”

“Even Taz?” Gray said, sounding offended. “Why am I the only one that little monster hates?”

“He doesn’t hate you,” Axel said. “He just knows I was pissed at you when we first met. He’s looking out for me.”

“Well, tell him we’re good now,” Gray said with a huff.

Axel laughed. “I don’t know, man. I like how he keeps you on your toes.”

“Which dog is Taz again?” I asked.

Axel brought dogs with him every time he came for breakfast or dinner, but they always seemed to be different ones. Other than the big rottweiler. Her name was Sugar, though, and she was a total sweetheart.

“The Chihuahua,” Axel said with a laugh.

Emory snorted, covering his mouth, while his boyfriend glared at him with a betrayed expression.

Even Holden grinned and shook his head, and it hit me suddenly that the guys had accepted me, even after knowing I was just some camboy that Holden had hired to meet his needs.

They continued to treat me like a friend.

More than that, even.

They treated me likefamily.

Whatever happened with Holden’s touch therapy, whatever happened with teaching, I knew with a sudden ferocity that I’d do anything to keep that.

CHAPTER 17

Holden

I was an ass,but I couldn’t seem to control my mouth tonight. Bailey gazed at me from the pool tables, his shoulders slumped in a way that absolutely defeated me.

“You could go talk to him,” Shiloh suggested. “You mean well, and I’m sure some part of him knows that.”

A breath gusted out of me. Shiloh was more perceptive than I realized.

“I shouldn’t lose my temper. It’s his life.”

“Mm. But you basically raised him, didn’t you? You want what’s best for him. Your intentions are good, even if your delivery isn’t. Maybe admit that you’re a little wound up tonight, huh?”

“You noticed that, did you?”

Shiloh’s gaze softened, and he leaned in over the table. “If you’ve changed your mind, it’s okay.”

“No,” I said quickly, realizing with a start how true that was. “I want this. It’s just…”

“Scary,” Shiloh guessed.

I nodded. I’d considered medicating, but that wasn’t how I wanted this to go down. Tonight wasn’t only about holding Shiloh’s hand. It was about proving I could be more than my trauma, that I controlled it and it didn’t control me.

If tonight went well, it was the gateway to a better life, one with physical intimacy, maybe even romantic love. But if I failed…