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“Yeah.” I was indignant. “Important things.”

“No, all things, every little bit. I want to know it all.”

We were silent—him waiting, me weighing my options.

I sighed deeply. “Okay.”

“Okay, good. So, may I hear the message?”

“You think I keep that shit?” I chuckled.

“Well, then, what did he say?”

I made a show of closing one eye in concentration.

“Duncan!”

“It’s just the same old bullshit.” I shrugged. “I’m going to hell, I’m making him the laughingstock of his community, and he and my stepmother are ashamed they ever took me in.”

“Oh, for––”

“He also said he wished Ian had lived instead of me and that my brother was probably rolling over in his grave at this very moment.”

Aaron lunged at me.

“This is why I didn’t wanna tell ya.” I grinned into his hair, hugging him back as tight and hard as he hugged me.

“I … Duncan …”

“Honey,” I soothed him, “he’s full of shit. I know that, and you know that. The shit with my brother is where he knows he can make me bleed. But Ian was my champion. He would’ve never let me down. Gay, straight, black, white, or blue—Ian would’ve said, Just be happy, Dunc.”

Aaron shivered in my embrace, his mouth opening against my throat.

“So, again, it’s on me for not blocking his number. I have no one to blame but myself.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay. I promise I’m all right. He’s exactly how I knew he would be if he ever found out. I’ve been prepared for this since I moved out.”

Aaron released a deep breath and then took a step back from me.

“Hey, come on. Lighten up. I mean, imagine how weird it would have been if he had been all live and let live about it. I might’ve died of a fuckin’ heart attack.”

He was really attempting to look better for me, trying to perk up.

“You know,” I purred, “if you play your cards right, I might let you play pirate with me later.”

“I don’t know if I’m in the mood to⁠—”

“To what?” I taunted him, rubbing down over my groin, watching him follow my hand with his eyes, the progression slow until⁠—

“Oh shit,” he gasped painfully, his eyes huge. “Duncan, you’re not wearing any underwear!”

I cackled. “Yeah, I didn’t put the jock on yet. I wanted you to see the show.”

“Are you kidding? Your dick is perfectly outlined, and you can see every … I … you can’t go out like that! I forbid it!”

“I’m not going out like this. I’m putting on a jock, idiot.”