“Ahhh.” Jeff’s cry filled the apartment.
Grimacing, Craig started to back away, hoping to go unnoticed and leave before he interrupted Jeff and Derek’s reunion. Then he heard Jeff’s voice.
“Please, Derek, don’t.”
It wasn’t the voice of lust or passion. Certainly not the voice of the love Jeff had spoken of only a few weeks ago. It was a whimper, the sound of fear.
Craig changed his plan and inched forward. His eyes narrowed and he felt his stomach churn, bile rising within. It was all he could do to keep from retching. Jeff lay plastered to the floor, Derek’s fingers ramming mercilessly in and out of his friend while the other hand was pressing down hard enough against Jeff’s back that it was red.
Grabbing the back of Derek’s shirt, Craig hoped the element of surprise would be on his side. Pulling him off Jeff, he shoved Derek, face-first, against the nearest wall, a nearby lamp crashing to the floor.
“You fucking bastard.” Craig slammed the stunned man’s forehead against the clean, white surface, then spun him around so they were facing one another. Consumed by what must have been pure adrenaline, Craig balled his fingers into a tight fist and sent a right cross crashing into Derek’s nose. Although he couldn’t be positive, from Derek’s agonized yell, Craig was pretty sure he’d done serious damage.
Without thinking, Craig planted his hands around Derek’s throat, applying pressure slowly and steadily until the man’s eyes were round with terror. “If you ever come near him again, I’ll kill you.” Pressing in further with his thumbs, Craig was prepared to continue but something inside sent a message to stop before he went too far. “Do you understand me, you worthless piece of flesh?”
Loosening his grip around the bastard’s neck enough so he could speak, Craig heard the words he wanted to hear. Derek choked out, “I won’t come near him, I swear. Never again.”
“If you do ever come near him, me, or anyone we know, be prepared to suffer the consequences. I won’t hold back next time. Now get out of my home and be sure to remember how fucking pissed off I am, because all this—I haven’t even peaked!”
With a dramatic wave of his arms, Craig released his hands from their choke-hold around Derek’s neck. The hulking brute put one hand over his nose and the other against his throat as he ran for the door, leaving it open behind him.
Following, to make sure he had, in fact, left the hallway, Craig closed the apartment door with a loud, resonating bang, securing the chain and deadbolt locks.
Jeff. He needed to get to Jeff.
Running the few yards back to the living room he found Jeff still lying in the same position he’d been in when Craig first saw him and Derek. Slowly and gently, Craig pulled Jeff’s sweatpants up as high as he could without having to ask his friend to move.
Stretching out on the floor next to Jeff, Craig tenderly guided the frozen, terrorized man into his arms, holding him against his chest. Then it started. At first Craig detected a shudder, soon Jeff’s hands clutched at Craig’s T-shirt as his body began to shake, tears streaming from his eyes onto Craig’s shoulder.
Unable to form any words, Craig held Jeff as tightly as he could, letting his dear friend get past the first release of panic.
Stroking his hair, Craig whispered, “It’s okay. I’m here. He’s never coming back.” Jeff still remained silent, other than the hitching in his breath as he recovered from the wracking sobs.
“Please tell me you’re okay.” Craig rested his cheek against Jeff’s head as he continued to rub circles over his back, holding the frightened man as closely as possible. “Please, Jeff, talk to me. I’m so sorry I left you. I should have stayed.” Craig took a deep breath. “Oh God. Jeff, tell me I wasn’t too late.”
A weak voice finally murmured, “You were just in time.”
“Thank God.” Craig rocked Jeff in his arms as his body began to relax. Tenderly pressing his lips to the top of Jeff’s head, Craig gently moved Jeff into a position where he could help him pull his pants up the remainder of the way.
“Is he gone?”
“For good. He’ll never come anywhere near you again unless he has a death wish.”
Jeff huffed. That was a good sign.
“Let me help you get to your bed so you can rest.”
“No!”
Both men were sitting, with Craig’s arms still supporting Jeff. “We can’t just stay here on the floor.”
“I don’t want to be alone.”
Even though Jeff wasn’t looking at him, Craig nodded his understanding. “Then I’ll walk you to my room. I won’t leave you.”
Hearing no objection from Jeff, who remained eerily silent, Craig helped his friend to stand, walking him to his own bedroom where he settled Jeff on his bed.
“Can I get you something? A glass of water, a cup of tea, anything?”
Shaking his head, Jeff stared fixedly ahead, focusing his gaze on a bedroom wall.
“Then I’ll just climb in here next to you. I told you I wouldn’t leave you and I won’t. Not until you’re ready.”
Taking his place on the bed at Jeff’s side, Craig pulled the top sheet and blanket over them. With a gentle nudge, he guided Jeff until he was leaning against Craig’s chest. His arms, once again wrapped around Jeff, Craig ran his fingers up and down Jeff’s arm.
Not sure if it would help or hurt, Craig knew he had to be honest. This wasn’t the time to shy away from everything he was feeling for Jeff. “I shouldn’t have run out on you. I was afraid of what I felt, what was happening between us. This wasn’t supposed to happen. You and I are buddies, but since you’ve been living here… hell, if I’m honest, for years I’ve wanted more. But not just sex. With you it would be something completely different, so much more. I didn’t want to risk having you run
