A Bit of You (19 page)

A BIT OF YOU

Bailey Bradford

114

want to be the man you deserve. You should have someone better than a pity party-throwing twink, some brainless twit. I know I’m neither of those things, inside, but sometimes that belief slips and I don’t want it to. I want to be strong, confident. I want—” Billy nipped his earlobe.

Liam jerked as warmth flooded his body. He locked his arms around Billy and held him tight. “Will you live with me? I shouldn’t push, but God, I want you there, want you with me all the time.”

Billy tensed for a second then resumed nibbling on Liam’s ear as he murmured, “Mmm-hmm. Love to live with you.” Billy hesitated then added, “I worry about Xavier, though.”

Liam’s entire body was thrumming with need now. Billy’s dick was pressing against his stomach and his cock was pushing against Billy’s ass. “I think Xavier is going to be fine. He’s got—”

“Chase, I know,” Billy finished for him. “I hope things work out for them, but I just don’t know.”

As much as he hated to, Liam shifted until he was looking into Billy’s eyes instead of letting Billy melt his brain one bite at a time. “Xavier’s going to be okay,” he repeated. “Even if things with Chase don’t work out the way we hope they do, Xavier will be fine. You’re not abandoning him, we won’t be very far away, and who knows? Maybe we’ll move back here when you’ve gotten your degree.”

“Okay,” Billy said after a minute. His smile wasn’t quite its usual brilliant wattage, but it wasn’t a pasted on one either. “You’re right, Xav will be all right. I have to learn to let him go, just a little bit.”

“No, you don’t ever have to let him go. Relationships grow, healthy ones, anyways.

That’s what is happening with you and Xavier. You two will only grow closer, and be able to be better friends as you get older. My father and I are closer now than we’ve ever been.

You’ll see when you meet my family.”

“What?” Billy squeaked, sliding back so fast he started to tip off Liam’s lap.

Liam grabbed his arms and lowered Billy to the floor since it seemed he wanted off. Of course, Liam would be lucky if he didn’t scare Billy off what with the suggestion of therapy first then the whole ‘when you meet my family’ crap.
Way to terrify the boyfriend.
And Billy did look terrified. Liam scooted off the couch and sat beside Billy.

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A BIT OF YOU

Bailey Bradford

115

“I should have said ‘
if
you want to meet my family
someday
’.” Liam cursed and reached for Billy, who still looked stunned. “I’m sorry, I keep springing stuff on you and I don’t mean to. Well, not the family part. It’s just, well, I love you, and I love them, and they’ll love you and I hope you will at least tolerate them—”

“Ohmigod,” Billy rasped, curling his hand over his heart. His lower lip trembled and the tip of his nose pinkened and Liam couldn’t stand not touching him.

“I just have to,” Liam explained as he reached for Billy and pulled him right back on his lap, except this time he draped Billy’s legs across his. He hugged Billy and was relieved when Billy embraced him back, nearly squeezing the breath right out of him with those deceptively slender arms.

“You really want me to meet your family?” Billy asked, sounding so hopeful and scared it made Liam want to hold him forever.

“Yes, I do,” he answered without hesitation. “I’ve already told them about you and they’ve been nagging me. Oh. My. God. Have they been nagging me. I think they believe I’ve made you up or something. Probably they can’t believe anyone is willing to put up with me.”

He wasn’t entirely joking, either.

The moisture pooling in Billy’s eyes spilled over and glistened down his cheeks. Liam brought a hand around to thumb away the tears as Billy sniffled. “They won’t want you with me once they know about me.”

Liam tipped Billy’s head back and pressed kisses over his eyelids. “What are you talking about? They will adore you almost as much as I do as soon as they meet you. They’ll only love you more from then on. And,” he lifted his head enough to look at Billy. “They only get to know what you want to tell them, or want them to know. No one will push or pry or anything, which is pretty amazing for a family of law enforcement agents.” Liam had made each one of them swear not to snoop or pepper Billy with questions, and a Stone always kept their word.

Billy gasped then made a choked sound. He coughed and paled until he was damn near translucent. “All of them?” he squeaked.

Liam did his very best not to smile. “Didn’t I mention that? Although, Mom’s retired and Dad just consults. But yeah, pretty much, and they all think you are kissably gorgeous in the pictures I’ve e-mailed them.” Liam punctuated the declaration with a loud, sloppy kiss as www.total-e-bound.com

A BIT OF YOU

Bailey Bradford

116

Billy giggle. “Now, what do you say, do you want to meet them someday? Maybe after you’ve got settled in at my place?”

“Okay,” Billy said, but he sounded unsure and nervous. His smile, however, spoke volumes and told Liam how happy Billy was despite being scared. Was it the idea of gaining a big, obnoxious family? Or was it everything else? Billy’s smile grew bigger and Liam had to ask.

“No, it’s you, Liam. Just you.”

Liam thought he’d surely melted inside. “Billy.” He lowered his lips to his lover’s, and for quite some time, neither of them spoke more than to call out each other’s name.

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A BIT OF YOU

Bailey Bradford

117

Something was bothering Billy but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. He kept watching Xavier dance with the made-up twink, and even though Xavier was trying to keep his distance, and didn’t appear to be doing anything too stupid, Billy was still uneasy. There was just something kinda familiar about the guy hanging on Xavier, but Billy couldn’t place him. It niggled at Billy’s memory.
What was it about the annoyingly grabby jerk? And what was
Xavier doing with that loser anyway? Didn’t he know he was too good for that trashy bit of fluff?

Billy grunted as he set down a glass of beer. Troy had called in sick and Billy had stepped up to do his job. At least he wasn’t being groped, much. Liam was back in Dallas, getting things ready for Billy’s move. Billy had meant to talk to Xavier about the move tonight. Despite Liam’s reassurances, Billy had been reluctant to broach the subject of moving in with Liam. He was afraid Xav would think he was rushing into the relationship.

And frankly, Xav wasn’t one to offer sound relationship advice. He hadn’t had a boyfriend, or hardly gotten laid, in years. And it was hard to talk to Xav about moving, even though Xav had helped him pick out the college and all. Sometimes Billy expected Xav to ask him to stay regardless.

But Xavier wouldn’t want that. He was just having the same problem Billy was. Over the years they had become close and comfortable and dependent on each other. Moving didn’t have to change anything too much, and it sure didn’t need to change it for the worst..

Maybe it’d even be better, because Billy was determined not to let their relationship suffer due to the miles between them.

The little freak was still all over Xavier. Billy’s worry ratcheted up. He called Adam and told him what was going on and how unlike Xavier it was to be tolerating his new little friend. Not only tolerating, but damn near dry humping.

Why did he hate the guy on sight? Billy just didn’t trust him. He kept a close eye on them until a group of people arrived, some of whom he recognised. One of them better get his ass in gear quick or Billy would find a way to hurt him.

And it would figure that particular guy would be the one who came up to the bar. He waved at Billy. Billy frowned and ignored the customers because Chase Murphy was looking www.total-e-bound.com

A BIT OF YOU

Bailey Bradford

118

like he might start knocking heads together if Billy didn’t hurry. Josh and Nick settled on either side of Chase. “Where’s Xavier?”

Billy looked at Nick. “He went back in the hall towards the office a few minutes ago.”

Billy glanced at Chase. “Should he be here?”

“Why not?” Nick countered. “If there’s trouble, I have the feeling Chase will definitely kick some ass, even winged as he is.”

“Well, yeah,” Billy said.
Duh.
“But he might kick it a little too much. And maybe Xavier really just needs to get laid tonight and I’m just freaking over nothing.” Billy frowned and his bottom lip plumped out. “There’s just something familiar about this guy but I can’t quite—”

Billy shut his mouth so fast he nearly bit his tongue.
Oh no, no, no!
“I remember,” Billy muttered, hating Randy and his sick games like never before. He slapped a hand on the bar then leapt over the countertop, forcing Chase and everyone else in his path to move. Then he was running, the others following him.

“Fucking Randy and his druggie fuck toy,” Billy snarled. He’d seen Randy and his slut, Paulie, using together in the bathroom a couple of times. Paulie hadn’t been made up to look like a cheap whore those times, though, and he’d definitely lost a lot of weight, but Billy was damned sure it was the same guy.

“Office!” Billy shouted, hoping the guys behind him wouldn’t run over him when he stopped at the door. He grabbed the doorknob and tried to twist. “It’s fucking locked! Xavier!

Xavier!” Billy pounded on the door and rattled the knob. “Fucking—” Billy muttered and shoved his hands in the pockets of his tight jeans. He could be such an airhead sometimes!

Billy pulled out a key ring with only a few keys on it. “Got it!” he shouted as he slid the key in the lock.

Billy didn’t even have the door opened an inch before Chase barrelled past him. Billy ran in behind him then stopped half a dozen feet into the office, his stomach lurching and fear freezing his feet in place.

“Xav!” Billy cried. Chase grabbed his arm. Billy felt angrier than he’d ever been in his life, and Chase was in his way. He span as much as he could, swinging his fist at Chase—but, of course, the fucker ducked.

“Let me go, you fucking asshole!” Billy snarled, trying to wiggle free when Chase wrapped him in his arms. “Let Josh handle this. He knows what to do. We need to stay out of the way.”

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A BIT OF YOU

Bailey Bradford

119

“Call an ambulance, now!” Josh ordered.

“Got it.” Nick’s voice rumbled shortly thereafter as he requested an ambulance.

Billy tried to keep still when all he wanted to do was kick and scream and claw out anyone’s eyes if they tried to get in his way. Unfortunately, Chase was a strong fucker and Billy couldn’t get an inch of space between them. He looked at Xavier, the man who was a father to him in every way that mattered.

Naked, tied to the chair and covered in sweat. He was soaked with it, glistening like he was dipped in oil. Xavier panted around the gag in his mouth. His skin was flushed and twitching in random places. Xavier’s pupils were huge, and Billy shivered as he realised that Xavier had been drugged.
By Paulie.
I should have recognised him sooner, little no-good druggie
slut!

“Let me go,” Billy demanded. He’d been good and still for long enough. “I won’t get in the way.” He met Chase’s challenging gaze and thought,
Fuck you, trying to keep me from
Xavier!
But he kept quiet, because he wanted Chase to let him go, and he understood why Chase had grabbed him. Billy hadn’t quite been rational there at first.

Chase finally nodded and let him go. “You’re still an asshole,” Billy muttered as he turned and strode towards Josh and Xavier.

Josh was already by Xavier’s side, brushing a hand over his sweaty brow before tipping his head back and looking at him. “E, I bet. Nick!” Josh began working the knots of the gag, never looking away from Xavier. “Tell them Xavier will probably need some diazepam and dantrolene. He’s burning up! Billy, Chase, start working on getting these ropes off his arms and legs!”

It wasn’t long before the EMTs arrived, and by the time Billy drove Xavier home from the hospital they were both exhausted. Billy didn’t even try to make it to his place. He crawled into bed beside Xavier and fell asleep like he used to do all the other times when he’d been a scared teenager.

They crawled out of bed in the afternoon, and after Xavier snapped at him for the third time—Billy didn’t consider asking repeatedly if Xav was okay to be provoking such a snarl, but whatever—Billy wandered into the kitchen to look for food. He hadn’t meant to tell Xav he was moving in with Liam like this, but it happened when Xav pulled up a chair at the table and pinned Billy with
the look
, the one Billy had never been able to withstand. He always crumbled and confessed, and this time was no different.

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A BIT OF YOU

Bailey Bradford

120

“Tell me what’s been bothering you.” Despite the bags under his eyes and the greyish pallor to his skin, Xavier’s voice was steady, as was his breathing, so Billy sat down across from Xavier, and they talked.

“But I don’t know if I should even move right now,” Billy argued when Xavier told him to finish packing his things. “I don’t like that Paulie hasn’t been caught yet, and you can’t be feeling up to going back to work yet!”

“Billy, it’s not like you’re leaving tomorrow, right?” Billy nodded in answer. Xavier smiled one of those rare, truly sweet smiles and he reached out for Billy’s hand. “Soon, I know, but not tomorrow. You need to go, and I may even need you to go, although that sounds shitty. But I think you’re right. We’ve used each other as buffers, and I want—”

Xavier swallowed noisily and looked up at the ceiling. “I want to be close to somebody.”

“Chase.” Like Billy had to ask. He thought they’d be good for each other, even if last night he’d wanted to knock Chase’s balls out through his eye sockets. Chase had only been trying to keep Xavier safe, though, so Billy was back to approving of him for Xav.