Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 71852 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 359(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71852 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 359(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
“It’s about Clover too. Can’t I get my revenge and protect Clover at the same time? I’d actually say this is perfect.”
“The timing isn’t right. We can’t just charge into things.”
Drake heaved with fury. “You say that because it wasn’t you who was forced to take an adult man’s cock at ten!”
Tank winced, and Drake hated every hint of pity in his expression. “That’s below the belt, isn’t it? I want to investigate, and I want you to get your justice, but Clover… He’s really not himself. He just killed someone—”
“Yes, he killed the guy who sold him. I can assure you it made him feel great.”
Tank scowled. “You’re not in his head. He’s not you!”
“He’s not the dainty flower you want him to be either!”
“I train him too! I get what he wants, but if you don’t let him get a breather, he’ll charge into something, overly confident after what happened today, and it will end in tragedy. I ask for one day, Drake. I’ve seen shit like this in the army. Cadets thinking they’re ready to be part of complex missions because they finally climbed to the top of the rope.” Tank reached to Drake’s arm, but Drake backed away so fast he hit his head.
“Why do you talk about me when I’m not there?” Clover asked out of nowhere, and Drake shut his eyes, breathing steadily to calm down. Great. Because they needed Clover to hear any of this.
“We’re done anyway. I’m tired,” he said, even though the itch for revenge was buzzing in his veins.
Tank still took his time to rub some salt into the wound. “Because it’s Drake’s unfinished business and he needs things put in perspective for him.”
Drake pushed Tank’s buff chest. “Fuck you! Get the fuck out!”
Tank inhaled very slowly, always eager to show Drake who had more self-control. “We’ll talk in the morning. Come, Clover.”
Drake’s chest constricted, and he reached for Clover’s willowy hand, squeezing it hard. “No. Stay.”
The gentle fingers soothed him with their touch when they entwined with Drake’s. “I’ll stay here tonight,” Clover said.
Tank raised his hands with a growl. “Have it your way. If you change your mind, you know where to find me. This day is such fucking bullshit,” he mumbled the last bit as he stomped down the creaky stairs.
And the worst thing was that no matter how angry Drake was, the room felt weirdly hollow once the towering presence was gone. He pulled Clover into his arms and rested his chin on the smooth, white head. Desperation hadn’t evaporated out of him yet, but the presence of this sweet angel was speeding up the process.
“Thank you,” he whispered, shutting the door with his foot.
Clover hugged him, stroking Drake’s back. Each touch was so unimaginably comforting it could only be compared to the touch of sunshine. For so many years, no one had been able to make Drake feel at ease. No one had stuck around long enough, no one had cared enough to give Drake time. Now here they were, without Drake breaking out in cold sweat just because someone stroked him.
“I wasn’t eavesdropping. I just wanted to see you. What’s going on?”
Drake wanted to tell him right away, but instead he choked up as memories clogged his windpipe, so he fought through it, burying his face in the sweet-scented hair. “He’s so close. I could strike him down. I could do it tonight, so no one else would be hurt by him again.”
Clover kissed his shoulder, and despite being so much smaller, the boy felt like a rock Drake could hold on to until the raging storm passed. “And Tank’s saying we shouldn’t go? I thought it was a done deal. We have a location and a time.”
Drake nodded and pulled Clover to the mattress that would be both their bed for the night. He slumped to the edge and glanced at the gorgeous boy who offered him so much support. He wanted to discuss this, rant about Tank, he really did, but Tank was right—Clover had made his first kill earlier, and it might’ve been harder on him than it seemed at first glance.
“About Jerry… are you fine?” he asked, gently holding the beautiful hands, marveling at the naturally pink hue of his lover’s nails. He was pretty like a doll but underneath that exterior was a material much harder than anyone expected.
Clover let out a long breath and his gaze strayed. “I’m okay. It’s just… strange. I don’t feel like a bad person, you know?”
A smile tugged on Drake’s mouth, and the sight of Clover’s rosy lips moving chased thoughts of revenge to the back of his mind. He pulled him down. “That’s because you’re not. There’s nothing wrong about taking revenge on someone so horrible.”
“It’s just that I remember the good times with him too. I never knew what he’d been up to behind our backs.” Clover straddled Drake’s lap and wrapped his arms around his neck.