Page 50 of The Not So Super Hero

“They hit us, tormented us and, well, I was a lot different back then.” Zane snorted, the sound lingering somewhere between sad and amused.

“I had the Hero attitude. Protect those who can’t protect themselves.

Defend others against those who wish to harm us.

So, when Natalia was being handled a little too inappropriately by a guard, I jumped him. ”

Bailey understood the relationship between Nate and Zane even more.

The way Nate spoke about Zane, the way the two acted around each other.

If Zane had so quickly protected his sister, it was no wonder Nate looked up to him.

Especially considering that, by what Natalia had revealed, they weren’t taken to Raiffel by choice.

“I got in a lot of trouble, got beat up pretty bad for what I did too, but they left Natalia alone and Nate started looking up to me. He followed me around. You know he used to repeat almost everything I said?” Zane tossed Bailey a proud smirk over his shoulder.

He wondered if Zane was even aware of the face he was making.

“I stopped cursing so much because I felt bad when he copied me.”

Bailey laughed, Zane chuckling as well until his face fell at whatever memory came to him next. He averted his gaze, allowing Bailey to take notice of the shiver that ran down Zane’s spine. The man cracked his neck to the side, like the memory was physically hurting him.

“Rebirth, they did all sorts of tests. There were other kids there with us, older and younger. The more they had to test on, the better, I suppose. We were always, every single fucking day, being tested on. Poked and stabbed and injected with whatever strange concoction that mad son of a bitch came up with.”

Zane gripped the edge of the sink. His knuckles shifted bone white. The sink cracked beneath his fingertips. Bailey whispered a quiet “hey” hoping Zane wouldn’t hurt himself. He let up, although his shoulders continued to shake while he hung his head low.

“When they operated, they didn’t give us anesthetics, y’know.

They wanted to see how much pain we could handle.

How long we’d last and, the more they did it, the more they made us fight, the more we could take and the longer the torture lasted.

It made the days blend together. None of us had any idea how long we were there. ”

Bailey’s stomach knotted tight and sickening.

Zane went quiet for an unbelievably long moment that the clock stated was only a minute.

It had Bailey wondering what else he could be hiding.

Did it have to do with Isaiah? Hell, even if it didn’t, there was clearly a hell of a lot more to tell.

An entire five years’ worth of stories from Raiffel that Bailey doubted his wildest nightmares could ever compete with.

What Zane went through, what the twins went through, what all those kids had to go through was hell. Bailey didn’t have to hear the details. He didn’t need any of them to tell their story because it was clear what had happened. They were tortured. They never had the chance to be kids.

Chris said he wanted to give Zane a chance at a normal life. Bailey understood why after hearing so little. If Chris knew what happened, probably even saw it, then he knew above anyone else how much Zane needed normal, and even mediocre. To him, that was paradise.

“I don’t want to talk about it anymore,” Zane finally spoke up, catching Bailey’s attention.

During his thoughts, Zane turned to lean against the sink, his arms crossed.

He looked uncomfortable, out of place and unsure.

There was this certain jerk in his jaw, like he was grinding his teeth behind his lips.

“You don’t have to,” Bailey replied, giving Zane’s slightly confused stare a smile.

That confused stare of his only intensified when Bailey moved to Zane’s side.

He didn’t say a word when Bailey slipped his hands into Zane’s, tugging softly.

Zane released the tension in his arms, releasing a soft sigh when Bailey wrapped his arm around Zane’s waist. He pressed his cheek against the racing pulse beneath Zane’s chest and smiled.

“I’m sure you have so many things you want to say, probably even more you don’t.

However, I don’t expect you to say any of them today, or tomorrow, or even next year.

Just know that,” Bailey peered up at Zane, finding that his face had softened into an almost thankful expression.

“When you want to talk about it, I’m here to listen, and no matter what it is, I’ll always be here. ”

Zane couldn’t even lie to himself that he wasn’t smiling.

It was there clear as day, yet he didn’t have a desire to hide it.

In fact, Zane felt relieved, like Bailey’s words had somehow lifted away his worries and stress.

He’d probably slap himself for such ridiculous thoughts later, but, at the moment, he was enjoying the relief.

“You’re officially stuck with me. If you have any grievances, you’re going to have to deal with them.” Bailey leaned up for a kiss until he realized maybe Zane didn’t want to do that. They hadn’t solidified their relationship, so he backed off. Zane didn’t hesitate to correct that mistake.

He took Bailey’s lips in an unexpected, but very much appreciated, kiss.

Gasped breaths and a gentle caress of their lips fueled the spark between them into a blistering flame.

Zane curled his fingers in Bailey’s hair and clutched his hip to bring him forward.

Close, chest to chest, hips melding together like they were made for each other.

Bailey let slip a moan. The unexpected warmth not only on his lips but also between them brought on endless shivers.

His heart wasn’t ready for such an attack, stopping for a moment, then pounding so ferociously that it rang in his ears.

He wanted Zane. He wanted Zane to want him too.

To be like this, enchanted by the other’s embrace, made him soar.

Bailey gripped Zane’s back, fingers curling into the fabric of the shirt.

With the way his legs quivered and his awful luck, he could fall over.

Zane was in no mood for that. He refused to risk an end to their kiss.

He slipped an arm around Bailey’s waist, a tight hold that wouldn’t release.

Their hips rocked. Pleasure built in Bailey’s gut, like hot magma rippling in his veins.

Bailey claimed Zane was stuck with him. Well, that worked both works.

Bailey was also stuck with Zane. He did not need to worry though, Bailey didn’t want to go anywhere.

He was more than content feeling Zane’s tongue brush past the seam of his lips.

There was that tongue ring again that drove Bailey wild.

He moaned at the contrast of the cool metal against warm flesh.

Their kiss grew more passionate, hot, searing, to where Bailey felt like he was going to drop from the heat.

But he didn’t want to separate. Didn’t want a moment away from Zane. He wanted to get lost together.

Zane was no better, his hands roaming up the back of Bailey’s shirt.

The cool touch of Zane’s fingers against his skin made Bailey’s breath catch.

His back broke out with goosebumps the more Zane pulled his shirt up.

Even Zane felt a sort of embarrassment at feeling Bailey’s skin.

It was more than he had felt before and it made him only desire to see more, taste more, push the boundaries as far as he could.

Make Bailey a muddled mess in his hands, hear his moans, find what made him beg for more.

A soft tug informed Bailey that Zane’s desires involved undressing.

For a brief moment, he contemplated whether that was a good idea.

However, Zane kissed over the erratic pulse in his neck before taking the flesh between his teeth, and his mind went on autopilot.

Autopilot said clothes were no longer necessary.

Zane only pulled away to remove Bailey of his shirt.

He followed immediately, tossing his shirt to the floor.

It wasn’t until Bailey felt the edge of the island digging into his back that he realized Zane had him trapped.

Not that he minded. Feeling Zane’s hips ruthlessly grind into his was nothing short of incredible.

Mind numbing pleasure tickled the tip of his fingers and roared within.

His hips eagerly returned the favor. Zane’s lips attacked Bailey’s collarbone, marking every piece of skin he could.

Bailey moaned, a soft mewl passing over his lips when something felt too good.

Zane took pleasure in hearing the occasional curse when his hips moved a little too roughly or Bailey couldn’t quite process the pleasure.

While Zane’s hands helped Bailey’s hips rock against his own, Bailey explored every piece of newly exposed skin.

His fingertips ran over Zane’s back, feeling his muscles twitch from every brief touch.

Then he ran his hands over the broad shoulders hovering over him, shaking much like his own.

Next, he worked his way down to the hem of Zane’s sweats, which barely clung to his ever moving hips.