Rescue Me: An MM romance (A Bennet Family Novel)

by Andi Jaxon

  Luckily, he’s being released today. It’s Sunday morning and Ben has his last finals this week, then we’re home free. Waving to the nurses at the nurses station, I continue down the hall to Ben’s room, with a bag of clothes for him to wear home and a coffee with cream and sugar, just the way he likes it. Pushing open the door, he’s sitting up in his bed, talking to a nurse as she removes his IV and PICC line. He notices the door open and smiles when he sees me.

  I drop the bag of clothes on a chair, hand the coffee to him, and kiss him before sitting next to him on the bed. “Good morning, Nancy.”

  “Good morning, Alister. Happy to be getting your man back today?” The dark-skinned, short nurse is our favorite. Always smiling but takes no crap from anyone.

  “You know it.” I wink at her, earning myself a chuckle.

  “Alright, why don’t you go ahead and get dressed? I’ll get your discharge paperwork and medications.”

  “Sounds good. Thank you.”

  Ben pulls me into him and kisses me hard, a passion-filled slide of lips, and dancing tongues. When we part, both of us are breathing harder, lust coursing through us.

  “Let’s get you dressed and home, then we can continue this.” The timber of my voice is a little lower, noticeable even to me. Ben turns and swings his legs off the bed. Dropping to a crouch, I help him get boxers and loose pants on. The caress of his dick was purely accidental, sort of. The moan he lets out has me hardening, but this is definitely not the place, especially knowing Nancy will be back any minute.

  I untie the gown and let it slide down his arms to pool on the floor. The burns are healing, and the bruises have started to fade, but it’s no less heartbreaking seeing the proof of what he went through. Someday it’ll be easier to see the scars, but today I feel like I should have somehow prevented it from happening. It’s bullshit, logically I know that, but it doesn’t stop the thoughts. One of my old, soft cotton t-shirts slides over his head and covers all the bandages.

  After everything, he ended up with four broken ribs, a bruised sternum, a skull fracture, and major concussion, along with twenty-three second degree burns. Dan was arrested, charged with kidnapping, false imprisonment, and a slew of assault charges. Alex is still looking into who he knew in the bureau that was helping him all those years, and he takes it very personally that there may still be a dirty cop working the streets.

  Nancy comes back in with a brown bag full of medication and bandages, explains what needs to be done to care for his burns and how often he needs medication, and sends us home.

  The drive is quiet, peaceful, as we get back to our apartment. He tenses up when we pass the alleyway behind our building, not that I blame him. He told me what happened while he was lying in the hospital, afraid to sleep, afraid of nightmares. He’s had one every night since we got him back and I’m hoping being back home will be better. Taking the trash out will definitely be my duty from now on, I could never ask him to go back in the alley where he was assaulted.

  Riding the elevator up, he leans into me and lays his head on my shoulder. He still tires easily since his mind and body are healing. We enter the apartment, and I usher him to the couch to rest.

  “Are you hungry? I can make you something to eat.”

  “A little bit, just something small, like toast?”

  “Sure, how about some eggs to go with?”

  He smiles at me as he settles back into the cushions. “That sounds great. Thank you.”

  Taking the bag of medications into the kitchen, I scramble Ben some eggs and butter some toast for him, and take the plate out to the living room. I come to a stop as I see him passed out. Setting the plate on the table, I cover him with a blanket and sit next to him, pulling him to lay his head in my lap. I turn on the TV, flip through the channels while running my fingers through his hair and fall asleep myself.

  Chapter 45

  Ben –

  Being back at home with Alister is an adjustment. It should be easy to remember the feeling of safety and comfort, but it isn’t always. I’m glad I had finals to keep my mind occupied the first week back. Getting to campus was tricky since I’m not well enough to walk to and from the apartment, but Alister all but demanded I take an Uber and he paid for them. I hate that I still don’t have money, my financial aid finally came through, but my landlord sent me to collections for not paying rent on an apartment I can’t live in, so they took all of it.

  I’m almost done. Just a few more hours, one more final, and I’ll be home free. I filed my paperwork to graduate, ordered my cap and gown, and I’m ready to be done. My eyes close and my head leans back on the chair when Alister comes storming into his office, making me jump.

  “Shit, sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.” Concern instantly takes over his face.

  “It’s okay. What’s wrong?”

  “I was called to a meeting with the board for disciplinary action.” He paces the small space with his hands on his hips.

  “For what?” He has my full attention now.

  “Inappropriate relationship with a student.” His eyes bore into mine when he says the words and I sink into the chair, making myself as small as possible. “I told them I quit.”

  Shock has me standing. “What?”

  Alister comes to me, wraps his arm around my waist and lays his hand on the small of my back. “While you were in the hospital, I applied to a few of the other local colleges and universities. I was given a job offer at the University of Washington, Seattle and I accepted. Once final grades are posted for the semester, I’m done here. We won’t have to hide our relationship anymore.” The smile on his face is contagious, and I find myself smiling too.

  “So, you’re okay with all this? You’re losing your job because of me.”

  “I always knew this wasn’t a job I would have for the long run. It’s time to move on and let myself be happy with the man I love.”

  I lean into him, lifting onto my toes to cover his mouth with mine. This amazing man is willing to give up everything for me, I don’t know what I did to deserve him, but I will work hard every day to ensure that I’m worthy.

  ***

  After my final exam, I wait for Alister in his office, knowing he won’t be long behind me. It’s Thursday, which means family dinner at the Bennet house, and I’m attending. To say that I’m terrified is an understatement. Mrs. Bennet called and talked to me while I was in the hospital, I don’t remember much of the conversation since I was still on heavy drugs, but I sincerely hope I didn’t talk about fucking her son. Alex also came in and took my official statement, but he was all business, so I don’t know what to expect from him.

  I’m still very easily tired, and simple tasks wear me out, so I’m half asleep when Alister enters his office and kisses my forehead. My lips lift in a smile at the tickle of his beard against my skin.

  “Come on sleepy head, we have dinner to get to.” He laces his fingers through mine and pulls me to standing. Alister turns to the filing cabinet and collects all the finals he has to correct, and puts them in his bag before we leave the room, and locks the door. For the first time, we walk across campus hand in hand to the parking lot. There aren’t a lot of people around, but we still get some looks, groups whispering as we walk past, but we don’t pay them any attention.

  The drive is quiet after stopping to pick up beer and flowers, our fingers still intertwined and resting on his thigh. The closer we get, the more nervous I get. What if they hate me? What if they take one look at me and think how much better Alister can do? Will they think I’m just a gold-digging freeloader who’s just trying to get a passing grade?

  In the driveway of his childhood home, we sit in silence in his car. “My mother is going to love you,” he tells me, turning to face me.

  “My own mother didn’t love me, so why would yours?” My question is a whisper as I take in the perfect family home on a nice, quiet street.

  “You don’t know what caused your mother to give you up, but I know my mothe
r and I can promise you, she will love you.”

  My only response is a nod. He squeezes my hand, and I turn to look at our hands. Alister is the only person who has wanted to hold my hand. I can feel his gaze on my face, reading the thoughts that plague my mind.

  I finally lift my face to his, tears welling up in my eyes. With his free hand, he cups my cheek. I nuzzle into his palm, kissing the flesh under his thumb. Arousal hums through my body and blood surges to my dick. Bringing my face toward him, he takes my lips in a hard kiss.

  My lips slide over his, my body angling toward his. I untangle our fingers to lean over him, throwing my leg over his to straddle his lap. His cock is just as hard as mine, rubbing against his lower abdomen, forcing a growl from his chest. One of his hands fists in my shaggy hair, and the other grabs my ass, encouraging me to grind against him.

  Alister’s grunts and moans are going to be my undoing, I’m going to cum in my jeans like a fucking teenager. Ripping his lips from mine he says, “You’re killing me.” His breathing is heavy and his voice is rough with arousal. The desire to let him fuck me in the back seat of the car is almost overwhelming.

  “I want to cum,” I whine, helpless to the sensations rioting through me for the first time in weeks. “I need to cum.”

  Gripping my hips with a bruising squeeze, he forces me to stop. “In the backseat,” he orders.

  Climbing between the seats is much easier for me than it is for him. “Lean against the door, one foot on the floor.” Settling between my legs, his upper half is on the seat while his legs are on the floor.

  He lifts my shirt, licking, nipping, and kissing my stomach, as he inches his way to the waistband of my jeans. My hips jerk and lift at random when the anticipation gets to be too much. Unbuttoning and unzipping my jeans, he finally frees my erection. He grips the base of me and strokes root to tip a few times.

  “Please,” I groan gripping his hair.

  Teasing me, he draws out the pleasure. The risk of being caught makes this so much hotter. Since we’re pressed for time, he doesn’t tease me too long and wraps his lips around my swollen head and swallows. My hips jerk off the seat, forcing my cock farther down his throat. He groans around it, sending electric sparks up my spine. He lifts off and slams his mouth on me again, his mouth open wide to relax his throat, and his tongue on my balls at the same time saliva drips down my length. My cock gets harder, and my breathing catches in my throat, as I struggle to warn him about the impending orgasm.

  “Cum… fuck… cumming!” Hot jets of cum fill his mouth as I jerk off the seat with the force of my orgasm. With a hand on my balls, he gently squeezes and sucks down the last of it. Sitting up on his knees, a knowing smile covers his face. I’m leaning against the door breathing hard, completely spent.

  “Come on, put your dick away, it’s time for dinner.” He wipes his mouth to make sure there’s no evidence left before opening the door and climbing out. I straighten my clothes, get tucked away, and exit the car behind him.

  I can feel the flush heating my cheeks when I look up at him. “Thanks.” It’s the best thing I can come up with. My synapses are still misfiring after the explosion that just occurred. My hand is wrapped in his as he leads me to the front door of his parents’ house, the home he grew up in. I wish I knew what it was like to have lived in the same house my entire life, have happy memories associated with it.

  Before we get to the porch, the door opens, and Alex is standing in the doorway with a knowing smile on his face. Since Alex and Alister have the same face, does this mean their smiles and smirks mean the same things too?

  “Having a little pep talk in the driveway?” He smirks at Alister. Oh shit. He knows.

  “Keep it up, and I’ll recreate it for you to watch,” Alister responds, walking past his twin brother without a backward glance. The look on Alex’s face reminds me of someone who smelled rancid milk, followed by a full body shudder. Between the embarrassment of being caught and the reaction from Alex at Alister’s threat, I start to laugh. Once the laugh starts, I can’t seem to stop it. Soon I’m doubled over in the entryway, holding my stomach, trying to get it under control before the pain in my ribs gets too bad, and failing. Tears are pouring down my face, my lungs burning from trying not to take too deep of a breath, and my knees drop me to the floor.

  Alex and Alister both drop down into a crouch, the same confused, amused look on their faces, and I lose it again. “Oh, God, it hurts.” I’m finally able to get out between bursts of laughter. The pain in my ribs making it easier to get it under control.

  My hands wipe the tears away, and I look up at the brothers, both of them raising an eyebrow at the same time. “Okay, it’s weird when you do that.”

  “Do what?” they repeat in unison. They look at each other and chuckle.

  “Come on, let’s get you off the floor, ya lunatic.” Alister reaches out a hand for me to help me up, which I’m grateful for.

  Alister wraps an arm around my waist, leading me deeper into the house and to the living room where his father is sitting on the couch watching football.

  “Dad, this is Ben. Ben, my father, David.” He introduces us, and the older version of Alex and Alister stands to shake my hand.

  “It’s nice to meet you.” He has an easygoing way to him, and a warm smile that helps me relax. I’m not sure what I was expecting from him, but this wasn’t it.

  “He’s Ali’s boyfriend,” Alex pipes up from behind me, causing me to jump.

  David sighs and looks at Alex with boredom. “Really? I assumed he was Alister’s landlord.” Everyone chuckles when he shakes his head and sits back down, muttering something about where they went wrong with him.

  Moving into the kitchen, Alister leans in to kiss his mother’s cheek. “Hi, Mom, this is Ben. Ben, my mother, Jane.” The short, willowy woman with light blonde hair and a skirt that twirls around her ankles is completely at home here in the kitchen.

  “I’m so glad to finally meet you!” she says, wrapping her arms around me in a tight hug. I try not to tense up, but she squeezes my ribs, making me wince.

  “Oh no, I’m so sorry!” she says, letting go of me instantly. “Do you need anything?”

  “I’m okay, did you say finally? Finally, meet me?” Alister and I have only been seeing each other for a few weeks, two months tops.

  Her laugh is soft and twinkles. “Yes, dear, that’s what I said. I’ve been trying to get Alister to bring you to dinner since the first week of the quarter.”

  Turning to him, I see his cheeks are tinged pink. For the first time, he’s embarrassed. “You told your family about me?”

  Alister wraps his arm around my waist again, carefully pulling me into him. “That first time, they bombarded me until I told them about the student that caught my attention on the first day of school. After that, I was forced to give weekly updates.” He shrugs like it’s not a big deal. “My family doesn’t care that I’m gay, though Alex does love to give me a hard time and has an endless supply of gay jokes.”

  Before I can respond, Jane is kicking her sons out of the kitchen. “It’s time for me to talk to him, you’ve had him all to yourself for weeks,” she informs Alister, who lets out a sigh and walks away.

  “How are you doing? The boys have told me some of what you’ve recently gone through.” Her gaze softens, becoming maternal.

  “Oh, they did?”

  “I’m a child psychologist, I’ve worked with kids in the foster care system for almost forty years now, there isn’t much I haven’t heard at this point. They still come to me when they need help, when they need to process. Your recent trauma was very hard on both of them, for different reasons, of course.” She goes back to stirring the pot on the stove. A whiff of chicken broth hits me, my stomach instantly revolting, violently.

  Spinning on my heel, my hand over my mouth, I look around for a bathroom and hurry toward a hallway. Behind me, I can hear Alister and Jane calling my name. Alister makes it to me first, pushing a door open
and flipping on the light as I hit my knees in front of a toilet. My head is spinning with memories of Dan—frigid temperatures, the stench of cigars and burning flesh, and searing pain.

  My stomach empties into the bowl, my ribs screaming as they are forced to contract. “Ben? Are you okay?” Alister kneels behind me, gently rubbing my back and puts a cool, wet washrag on my forehead.

  My entire body is shaking as I fight through the memories to get back to the present. “I’m sorry.” The words automatically tumble from my lips. I’ve caused a problem, offended his mom, and I don’t know how to make it right. The first response is always to apologize. I’ve been conditioned to do it.

  “Sorry for what? Being sick?”

  Leaning back into the warmth of Alister’s chest, I turn my head into his neck and inhale a deep breath. Cinnamon and nutmeg help clear the fog from my mind.

  “I can’t eat dinner.”

  “Are you sick? I can take you home.” His hand comes up to feel my face, checking for a fever.

  “No, it’s soup.” I know I’m not making any sense, but I can’t get the words out right. A knock on the door startles me, causing Alister’s arm to pull me closer to him.

  “It’s okay, you’re alright.” He opens the door, and I can see Jane’s skirt over his shoulder.

  “How’s he doing?” Her voice is full of concern.

  “I’m not really sure, can I get some water and bread or crackers?” he asks.

  The door closes, and I close my eyes. “I can’t eat chicken soup.”

  The door reopens, and I’m handed a dinner roll and a bottle of water. “Thank you.”

  “You’re very welcome, dear.” The door closes again, and she’s gone.

  “So, no chicken soup.”

  “Whenever I was being punished, the only thing Dan would give me to ward off starvation and dehydration was chicken broth.” Why can’t I just be normal, be like everyone else?

  “Jesus,” he mutters under his breath, hugging me tightly to his chest. “Okay, no chicken broth. We can do that.”