“I get that. Now. I had to get past my own pain first so I could see it.” Colin stopped for a moment; his chest rose and fell, and his Adam's apple rolled with a couple of rapid swallows. “As for the assault itself…” It looked like Colin chewed on his cheek, signaling something difficult for him to deal with. “I researched Tiggs, Street, and Morales when I got back to Austin. None of them have a criminal record. Street and Morales are both married; Street has four kids and Morales has three. They both still live in Henderson. Tiggs is in Los Angeles. Did you know that?”
Marek shook his head. “I haven't had contact with any of them since that day I asked them about what happened to you. When I left, I rarely went back. Then Payton died, and I went home one more time to tell my family I was gay.” When Marek delivered the news, his brother only got one chance to swing at him; Marek turned around and walked out of his childhood home forever before his father could get up off the couch and pummel him into the ground. “Stayed one day,” he murmured. “Haven't been back since.”
The worrying Colin did to his cheek shifted to his lower lip. “Maybe you'll come back with me for a few days some time down the line.”
What are you thinking about, sweetness? Didn't matter. “Whatever you want, Colin. You just have to ask.”
“Thank you.” Colin's nod was a little jerky, but he didn't turn his gaze away. “I might not ever be able to prove what those guys did to me, and after all this time, it would be difficult to reopen my case legally since it was classified as an assault, but I've been thinking I might want to confront each of them individually, just to let them know I know they were responsible.” He kept nodding, and his grip on Marek's hands grew stronger as he did. “I think I'd like to look them in the eyes knowing what I know now. I believe it would be good for me and help put everything behind me once and for all.” He went back to gnawing on his lip. “I might not want to do it alone though.”
Marek rubbed his thumb against Colin's mouth, stopping him from drawing blood. “If that's what you want, then I will be at your side.”
“I'm not one hundred percent set on my course yet, but it's something I've been thinking about ever since I tracked them down.”
“Keep me updated on your thoughts. Okay?” Christ, Marek wanted this man to feel safe trusting him…with everything. “Don't worry about stepping on my feelings or guilt. I'm learning how to handle it and how to live with what I can't change.”
“I will. Hey.” Colin reached up and curled his hand around Marek's neck, drawing him half the distance closer. “I'm okay. I promise. I'm in just as good a place about the attack as I was when we talked about it before I knew who the guys were behind the masks. None of that has changed.”
Marek turned his head and kissed Colin's wrist. “All right. I won't be a nag.”
“Good. I don't think you would be a very cute fishwife. Fishpartner? Fishhusband?” Colin's face crinkled in that sweet way of his when he went off topic. “Fishlover? That one just sounds too weird. Anyway, never mind. Right now”—he toppled Marek the rest of the way down and tucked him back at his side—“the only thing I want to do is watch the sun set with you.”
“You have a deal.”
Tangled in each other from top to bottom, Marek snuggled in as close as he could get without slipping inside Colin again. He stared out the front door and watched the sky change from blue to a fiery orange. They remained on the floor, peaceful and quiet, as the light disappeared and darkness took over the foyer.
Pressing a kiss to Colin's temple, Marek held there and whispered, “I love you. Thank you for coming home.”
Colin turned his head and brushed a kiss against Marek's cheek. “There isn't anywhere else I want to be.” Suddenly animated, he planted another kiss on Marek's lips then shot to his feet. He looked down, and mischievous fire burned in his eyes. “Now how about we go hop in that hammock you bought us and see if we can't get you over your silly fear of falling out?” Colin raised a brow in challenge and started running for the door.
Shaking his head and rolling his eyes, Marek caught one glimpse of Colin wiggle his sweet ass before disappearing around the corner.
Marek happily gave chase.
Epilogue
Colin paused at the doorway to his and Marek's bedroom and took a moment to catch his breath at the sight before his eyes. Sprawled across the bed, on his stomach, Marek lay fast asleep. He was on top of the covers without a stitch of clothing on, his sculpted tan body was bathed in morning light, and he was beautiful. Colin's throat filled with saliva, and his dick twitched as it did every day when he took his first glimpse of this man after spending time apart. Even for just an hour.
Forcing his gaze off his partner, Colin smiled at the changes Marek had made to their room. Twice the size and a thousand times more open and airy, the wall that had separated the two bedrooms on this side of the upstairs level of the house no longer existed. In the center of the new bedroom, the stairs to the attic remained, and they now had a cozy loft above them where they could watch movies or read. Colin adored his home, and in six months, Marek had made astounding improvements inside and out, but
