Chapter 6

Wincing, Noah latched onto Wren’s wrist before he could draw away and go back to preparations. He gave Wren a hard look. “Is that what you think? Damn it, my boy, it wasn’t from lack of options. You have a very special place in my heart. I know I haven’t always done a good job showing you that, but I swear to you, I will.”

This conversation had gone in a much different direction than Wren had expected. He frowned, shaking his head. “I know my place with you, sir. There’s nothing wrong with it. I understood, once I left prison, how things would be. That changed. You wanted to keep me after all. But you gave me the chance to meet Jared and...I love him. And I love you. And Jamie.” There. That should clarify things. He smiled up at Noah, hoping he’d regain some of the confidence he seemed to have lost. But Noah wasn’t smiling back at him. Wren’s brow furrowed. “Maybe you should call Jamie, he’ll make you feel better. He’s not in the studio now.”

“I’ve spoken to Jamie, my little bird. Don’t change the subject. This is about you and me.” Noah brought his hand up to Wren’s cheek. “You’re enough. You’re the one here with me and I don’t want you believing someone else could do better. That’s not how this relationship works. Would you rather be with Jared?”

Wren blinked. “He’s with Jamie and that makes me happy. LA is a horrible place, but they can make it better for each other. You’re here and I love being with you. Am I supposed to choose? I wouldn’t like that. Did you get in a fight with Jared? Or with Jamie? Do you want me to talk to them? You’ll need to tell me what you did, first. Or what you didn’t do, which can be more complicated.” His lips parted. “Did they find out you kept what’s happening with Reed from them? I should call Jared. Explain that Reed didn’t want anything to distract Jamie from the opportunity to sing with his idol or for Curtis to find out and get hurt during training and it wasn’t my place to—”

“Shh.” Some humor filled Noah’s eyes as he shook his head. “How you can get the point of the matter, and yet still miss it entirely, amazes me. No, you shouldn’t tell anyone what Reed asked us not to, he has good reasons and we’re going to respect how he wants the situation handled. But let’s keep this simple. You’re here. And I love being with you, too.”

“Thank you, sir.” Wren exhaled roughly, leaning into Noah’s side, needing to hear those words more than he’d realized. He could get through this trip if he could stop questioning whether he was the right one to go on it at all. And he rarely questioned his Doms, so that shouldn’t be hard. He looked over as Reed skidded back in, wincing as the duffle bag he was carrying swung heavily against his thigh. “I should make sure he packed something other than comic books and candy.”

Shaking his head, Lawson went over to Reed, taking the duffle. “I’ve got it. You and Noah get your things ready. We should head out shortly after lunch.” He let out a soft laugh. “And before you ask, Noah, no, I won’t be wearing any suits while we’re on the road. But I am bringing one or two for when we’re in Orlando.”

As Noah nodded, Reed frowned at his bag, looking uncomfortable. “I’ve only got the flashy practice suits Keiran leant me. Jacks’s still making the one for the wedding…” His voice trailed off and his throat worked. “Umm...should I—”

“No.” Lawson’s tone was hard. He set Reed’s bag on the bar. “You’ll wear whatever you’re comfortable in.” He unzipped the bag, gave a firm nod, then closed it again. “That looks fine. You even remembered socks and boxers.”

Brightening, Reed wiggled his brows. “Most of them are the nice soft ones you got me. I know how much you like how my ass looks in them.”

Lawson spat out a laugh as Noah groaned. Leaning in, Lawson kissed Reed’s forehead. “Thank you for settling the debate about why we need two tents. In case Noah was still leaning toward the idea of bringing only the larger one.”

“Nope. I am convinced. You win.” Noah shook his head, rubbing his hand up and down Wren’s back in an absently soothing gesture. “Come, my boy. You might pack better, but I want to make sure we stick with something practical.”

In other words, likely jeans. Hopefully polo shirts and not T-shirts, because Wren didn’t like the way he looked in them. As though he was pretending to be someone else. He had some clothes in a more gothic style he enjoyed wearing on occasion, which...wasn’t exactly practical.

Yes, Noah helping him would be good. He didn’t mind his Dom choosing how to dress him—it could be comforting. One less decision he had to make. He couldn’t say that had been a good thing about prison, but the uniform avoided the need to worry about his own choices being judged. People found the strangest things important. As a teenager, he’d only cared about being neat, clean, and functional.

Not many his age had shared his priorities.

The bags were packed fairly quickly, Wren agreeing to most of Noah’s choices, grateful his Dom clearly knew him well enough to make ones he was comfortable with. The jeans were practically new, sturdy and black, with extra pockets that would be very useful. He blushed when Noah put a pair on him and commented on how nice his ass looked in them, echoing Reed’s playful remarks.

No matter how long he’d been with this man, something about actually feeling seen by him, being the focus of any of his attention…

It was special. Precious.

Wren wasn’t sure for how long it would be his, but he’d cherish every moment.

Back downstairs, all the containers were already moved. Noah went to pack their personal belongings in the SUV while Wren joined Reed and Lawson where they were already eating lunch. Bent over a small notebook, Lawson jotted down something next to what looked like specific dates and times.

“We could make it there in two days with Noah and I taking turns driving, but we’ve agreed to make it something of a camping trip so we can all enjoy the sights and the wilderness along the way.” Lawson jotted down another note. “Your appointment at the transplant center is at the end of the week, which gives us plenty of time. On the way back, we’ll make less stops. Only enough for you to be comfortable while you’re recovering.” His voice softened as he lifted his head to meet Reed’s eyes. “Or just so we can get home, if this doesn’t work out for any reason.”

Reed poked at the taco salad Keiran had made special for him, a disaster of ground beef, lettuce, cheese, tomatoes and little curved corn chips he usually devoured. He spoke with his gaze locked on his plate. “If it works, I’m in the hospital for a week, and I’ll be...recovering for, like, six months. I’m cool with all that, but...I don’t think I want to meet them. My sister or her mother. I’d rather just be anonymous, if that’s okay. I’m not doing this to prove my father wrong about me and…” He blew out a breath. “She’s a little kid who already has to deal with him while being sick. Some stranger popping into her life would be fucked up.”

Reaching out, Lawson laced his fingers with Reed’s. “You don’t have to see anyone other than the staff at the center. I’ll do everything in my power to keep your father away from you as well, all right?”

“Yes, sir. Thanks.” Reed forced a small smile. “This whole trip will be a blast. I’m glad we ain’t just sitting in the SUV for two days straight, I’d go out of my mind.”

Maybe Wren could help with that? He sat up a bit as Keiran came out, bringing a plate of nice, simple pork slices with raw vegetables on the side and a bit of plain rice for him, and another taco salad for Noah. Wren placed his napkin on his lap. “I could pack something to help keep you calm on the trip if you’d like?”

Fork in hand, Noah shook his head. “No, he shouldn’t be on any medication not approved by the doctors there. The basic medkit that’s already in the SUV will do.”

Wren finished chewing the lightly flavored meat and nodded. “Understood, sir. And I have plenty of water filters. Lawson wouldn’t put a liferaft on the list, which I think might be shortsighted. He did pack lifejackets. Surviving in cold water for a length of time leaves us open to risks of hypothermia. I know several treatments, so I won’t argue if you insist on not being well-supplied. I’ve done a lot of research on how to remove damaged tissue.”

“Yo, man, I’m eating.” Reed poked Wren’s shoulder, letting out a little growl when Pike came over, looking like he was about to offer to finish off Reed’s food if he wasn’t hungry anymore. “You already had two helpings, you bottomless pit. Back off, I bite.”