Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 119011 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 595(@200wpm)___ 476(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119011 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 595(@200wpm)___ 476(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
There. For everyone to see.
Chapter 26 - Zolt
Someone might have greeted Zolt while he was on his way to Leo’s room, but it was as if his body were surrounded by a bubble of thick glass, and no one could reach him through the barrier. His head was empty to the point where he struggled with the simple lock to Leo’s room before finally stepping in.
He didn’t know what he’d expected, but if he hadn’t known whose space it was, he would have written off Leo as an older teenager, who still thought photos of sexy women in lingerie and school sports trophies were adequate home decor.
The room greeted him with stale air, since Leo had spent so many weeks at Zolt’s, but it was homely. Crammed with all of Leo’s belongings and serving as bedroom and private living room in one, it was the essence of Leo’s personality with its warm colors, puffy bedding, and books on mechanics neatly stacked on shelves next to DVDs.
It was a humble room, and it might become Zolt’s sanctuary if he didn’t bail on Leo. Because the money was hidden in the pickup. He could still sneak back into the yard, fool the prospect into opening the gate for him, and drive off toward the sunset while the Smokeys debated his future.
The Caribbean beach of his dreams called out to him, a temptation of toasty sand and warm waves. Of cocktails and a multitude of hot men. Was he really about to throw away the dream of so many years for a simple life at the side of a man who might as well dump him within a year?
He’d be left with nothing. And even if Leo stood by his promises, living with him, becoming a part of the MC, meant hard work and constant risk. Was that what Zolt wanted?
Then again, even a few hours without Leo, a few hours of thinking he was back to square one and would never kiss Leo again, had been excruciating. If there was a man Zolt would ever put his trust in, it was Leo. Sweet, stable Leo who’d learned to cook for them, and who had already lied to his club for Zolt several times.
Leo had actually told his father that he loved Zolt, making good on his promise to stand by him. And while Leo had so far always taken Zolt back, there were things that couldn’t be forgiven, and if Zolt left with the money after publicly declaring to help the MC, the bridges would remain burnt.
This was a moment to decide on his future without knowing the far-off consequences, and it had him pacing around at ever-increasing speed. Leo’s presence made him feel content, and he’d never been bored of him since they’d started living together, but the future could bring many unexpected things, and as exciting as Leo seemed now, Zolt had never been exclusive with anyone. And what if Leo’s sexuality ended up affecting the way Zolt saw him? Emotional attachment was one thing, but what about the sex? What about the excitement of the chase or walking the knife’s edge with someone who hid their interest in men? With Leo, all would be out in the open, and while Zolt had demanded that from him, the implications of staying together still made him uneasy.
A flash of bright color lured his gaze to the large hanger in the corner where, from beneath layers of other clothes, a blue sleeve with a yellow cuff stuck out. His heart beat faster, and he approached the jungle of fabric, reaching out for the phantom hand sticking out of the sleeve. He pushed apart all the garments in his way and gently pulled the varsity jacket out, holding it in front of him as he took in the logo of one of the nearby schools sewn to the front. It was the same one Leo wore in the photo Zolt had seen in Hank’s office. Would it still fit him? It looked big enough…
He didn’t know how long he’d spent pacing the room, flipping through Leo’s car magazines, and punching a pillow before the lock in Leo’s door clicked and the man who Zolt had been agonizing over stepped in.
Seeing him in the flesh instantly tipped the scales toward staying, even if Zolt had spent three years in jail to earn the capital that allowed him to set up a business to fuel his dream retirement. All colors faded from the vision of a sunny paradise when Leo was beside him.
Leo closed the door behind him and leaned against it with a deep exhale. “Wow. That was intense.” He gave Zolt a nervous smile that reminded Zolt just how handsome Leo was with his stubble, his blue eyes and tousled hair. Perfect in an ordinary, approachable way.