Page 103 of Release

Then he gets up and leaves us alone, going upstairs.

Folding myself around George, I close my eyes and listen to him sob. It’s gut-wrenching, reminding me of those early days after his return.

I think maybe my guess that he’s stuck in his recovery is spot-on.

When Declan returns a few minutes later, George is still crying, but not as hard as he was. Now it’s more gentle weeping, and I haven’t tried to get him to talk.

Declan’s hands aren’t empty. He’s got a large travel mug with a straw in it, and a bowl of strawberries and blueberries.

“Sip,” he softly says as he puts the straw to George’s mouth.

He does.

I sit there, holding George’s hands while Declan hand-feeds him the fruit. I can’t help but let my thumb brush over the wedding band on his left ring finger. A ring I once held and handed over to Ellen, because I was her maid of honor at her wedding.

A ring I seriously considered flushing down the toilet the morning of the ceremony, but managed to restrain myself.

Declan kisses his forehead, whispers to him what a good boy he is, how well he did, interspersing feeding him with tender kisses and praise.

Something I’ve done with him, and used to do with Ellen.

I reach down and unfasten the cuffs from George’s ankles and rub them before moving to his wrists. Declan watches as I unbuckle the collar from around his neck.

Then I carefully remove the blindfold.

He blinks those gorgeous blue eyes, squinting against the light.

“There he is,” I say. I smooth his hair back. “How you doing?”

He slowly nods, and Declan pops another blueberry into his mouth. I love hand-feeding Declan, and George has done it with him, too.

George looks up at Declan. “Love you.”

Declan smiles and leans in, kissing him. “Love you, too, Sir.”

“Ah. Am I back?”

“I don’t know,” I say. “Are you?”

He sighs and crooks a finger at me to lean in.

I do, and he kisses me. “Love you.”

“Love you, too, George.”

“Are we good now?” Declan asks me.

I nod. “Give me time to work up to intercourse, okay? I’m not ready for that.”

George laces fingers with me and squeezes. “Even if you never want to do that with me, I just want you in my life.Ourlives. Please?”

“Yeah.” I rake my fingers through his hair. “Any lessons learned?”

“Yeah.” He looks up at Declan. “I will take the chastity cage off the menu.Thatis a mean motherfucker.”

“Aw,” me and Declan both say, which makes George laugh.

“How canyoucomplain about that?” George asks Declan.