Page 41 of His Secret Betrayal (Cedarwood Valley Duology #2)

Alek

“ I ’m acting like a mother hen. There’s nothing to worry about.

” Despite my grumbled words, I rake a hand through my already ruffled hair and sigh as I drive down the darkened street.

Luke said he was coming home—it feels right to call my home his home now—and it shouldn’t take an hour to get there. Fifteen minutes, tops.

His phone is going to voicemail.

He’s fine , I admonish myself. Luke’s an adult who can take care of himself. He probably decided to stay a little longer at the office. I’ve noticed he tends to get hyper-focused anytime he begins a new project so that must be why he’s ignoring my phone calls.

Maybe I’m just feeling a little on edge because I’ve been thinking about, well…

Him.

Topping me.

While I normally prefer being the top, I occasionally enjoy switching it up.

And lately, I’ve been wondering what the stretch of Luke’s cock would feel like.

The thought of laying back while his slightly timid, but always eager, hands explore and worship makes me squirm in my seat.

My skin prickles with awareness, a low buzz of arousal heating my blood as I imagine guiding him through it.

He would take his time prepping me, drizzling lube along the crack of my ass while carefully pushing in one then two fingers.

I would have him lay back, moaning and whining while I seat myself on his cock, those emerald irises glazing over with pleasure.

Or perhaps I would have him take me from behind. I would tell him to take me nice and slow, then draw out our orgasms, telling him not to come until we’re both ready. And because he’s such a good boy, he would follow my instructions beautifully.

Would he like that?

The idea is…intriguing.

Ping.

The alert of an incoming text distracts me, and I nearly jerk the wheel in my haste to grab it.

I growl my frustration when Caleb’s name flashes across the screen.

Not that I don’t love talking to my son, but he’s not the one I’m needlessly worried about right now.

Even as I round the corner near work, the torrid rain now having stopped, I’m already preparing myself for the bratty, snarky comments when Luke peers over his shoulder and realizes I just couldn’t stay away any longer.

I grin, and for a moment, I wonder if I should treat him to a dose of his own medicine. Maybe I should record myself jerking off right here in the car and send it—

“Luke! What the—”

Slamming my foot on the brake pedal, my car comes to a jolting halt just inside the parking lot entrance of Cedarwood Book Design.

The sight I’m greeted by makes everything inside me go cold and numb.

A limp, rain-soaked body sprawled on the pavement with blonde hair cascading down his shoulders.

Somehow, despite the way my chest heaves and my fingers shake, I manage to throw my car in park and leap out.

An odd sensation takes over as I race toward his body, like I’m in a tunnel and everything outside of him is white noise.

I’m screaming his name, but I can’t even hear the sound of my own voice.

My God, he isn’t moving. He’s the love of my life, and he isn’t goddamned moving. Why isn’t he—

“Alek.”

My name is nothing more than a whispered croak and, for a brief second, I’m swept away by a tide of relief. But as my knees crumple onto the pavement beneath me, the sight of his broken body makes me want to scream . My stomach plummets, the free fall sensation making me want to puke.

“Sweetheart,” I choke out, my voice cracking as I raise trembling fingers to touch him.

At the last second, I pull back, because I don’t know where I can touch him that won’t hurt.

He blinks up at me, a dazed expression on his face that makes me think he’s barely clinging to consciousness.

His lip is busted, blood oozing down his chin.

One eye is black and nearly swollen shut.

From what I can see in the dim light of the parking lot, his clothes are soaked through in a mixture of rain, blood, and sweat.

Any exposed skin is covered in bruises, a couple fingers on his left hand are bent at unnatural angles, and he’s cradling his right elbow.

I think I’m going to be sick.

“I’ve got you, baby. I’m here, okay?” I murmur soothing words, stroking his hair with one hand and dialing 911 with my other hand.

“Knew I was safe as soon as I saw you,” Luke murmurs, his lips trembling.

God, I wish I could take his pain. I wish—I wish it were me lying broken and bloodied on the ground. He doesn’t deserve this.

As soon as the 911 operator answers, I’m barking orders into the phone.

To her credit, she doesn’t take offense to my brisk tone, nor does she bristle when I demand the ambulance hurry the hell up .

When she insists I remain on the line while we wait for police officers to arrive, I refuse—not wanting anything to distract me from Luke—and hang up.

“Sh-she told them where I was,” he whispers, his face wet with tears.

The words are choked, full of so much desolation and heartbreak that tears spring to my own eyes.

I didn’t know it was possible for a heart to break on behalf of someone else, but that’s what his words do to me.

They slice through me like a knife cutting through paper.

“Who is she ?” I ask, although I have a sickening feeling in my gut telling me I already know the answer.

“Evelyn.”

Fuck. Some part of me was hoping she wasn’t really that cruel.

He tells me the whole sordid story. How Stoney and some random asshole ganged up on him.

How they beat him to near unconsciousness.

With each word, he shakes, trembles, and shudders.

Finally, I shoosh him and croon sweet nothings into his ear.

The story is only taxing him, amping up his anxiety and pain.

Also, I don’t think I can stomach hearing any more details right now without losing my sanity.

Although it only takes a few minutes for the surrounding area to be lit up by flashing red and blue lights, the time stretches on for an eternity.

The ambulance comes barreling into the parking lot, their wailing sirens splitting our eardrums before jerking to a stop nearby.

Two EMTs jump out, pushing me out of the way so they can assess Luke.

I swallow back a broken sob, a few stray tears gliding down my cheeks when the jarring motions of being lifted onto the stretcher make Luke scream in agony.

I would give anything for this to be nothing more than a horrible nightmare.

“I’m riding with him,” I demand.

“Sorry, immediate family only,” the brown-haired, male EMT murmurs.

This fucker.

“I’m his…dad.” God, that sounds like such a fucked-up thing to say given the reality of our relationship.

But I refuse to be separated from him right now.

They might as well cart me out of here in chains, because that’s the only thing capable of keeping me away.

The EMT gives me a suspicious glance, his eyes narrowing before jerking his chin toward the open doors of the ambulance.

As I settle on the bench near his head, the EMT quickly administers a dose of pain meds and then we’re off, the sirens wailing into the cool night air. I clutch his uninjured hand the entire ride to the hospital, gently stroking his hair and murmuring into his ear.

I tell him he has to get better because I love him, that he’s the love of my life and seeing him hurt is breaking my heart.

That he’s everything I didn’t know I needed.

And I may not deserve him, but I’m keeping him all the same.

I tell him if he gets better, I’ll spend the rest of our lives loving and protecting him.

It doesn’t matter that he’s in and out of consciousness, that he doesn’t seem to comprehend my words. I pour my heart out anyway—it belongs to him, after all.

“Stay with me, baby. I need you.”