by Taylor Rylan
Table of Contents
Epilogue
Copyright © 2017 by Taylor Rylan
Table of Contents
Copyrights and Trademarks
Acknowledgments
TRIGGER WARNING:
Dedication
1 — Jasper
2 — Liam
3 — Jasper
4 — Liam
5 — Jasper
6 — Liam
7 — Jasper
8 — Liam
9 — Jasper
10 — Liam
11—Jasper
12 — Liam
13 — Jasper
14 — Liam
15 — Jasper
16 — Liam
17 — Jasper
18 — Liam
19 — Jasper
20 — Liam
21 — Jasper
22 — Liam
23 — Jasper
24 — Liam
25 — Jasper
26 — Liam
27 — Jasper
28 — Liam
29 — Jasper
30 — Liam
31 — Jasper
32 — Liam
33 — Jasper
34 — Liam
35 — Jasper
36 — Liam
37 — Jasper
38 — Liam
Connect with Taylor!
Taylor Rylan
Copyright © 2017 by Taylor Rylan
Published in the United States by Taylor Rylan
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, copied, or transmitted in any format or by any means without the prior written permission from the author.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and events are a product of the author’s imagination. Any similarities to actual persons, living or dead, is pure coincidence. As are any similarities to any businesses, events or locations.
All products and brand names mentioned are registered trademarks of their respective holder and or company. I do not own the rights to these, nor do I claim to.
Cover Design by Jay Aheer
Editing by Conner Chouchet
Proofreading by Judy Zweifel
Table of Contents
Copyright © 2017 by Taylor Rylan
Table of Contents
Copyrights and Trademarks
Acknowledgments
TRIGGER WARNING:
Dedication
1 — Jasper
2 — Liam
3 — Jasper
4 — Liam
5 — Jasper
6 — Liam
7 — Jasper
8 — Liam
9 — Jasper
10 — Liam
11—Jasper
12 — Liam
13 — Jasper
14 — Liam
15 — Jasper
16 — Liam
17 — Jasper
18 — Liam
19 — Jasper
20 — Liam
21 — Jasper
22 — Liam
23 — Jasper
24 — Liam
25 — Jasper
26 — Liam
27 — Jasper
28 — Liam
29 — Jasper
30 — Liam
31 — Jasper
32 — Liam
33 — Jasper
34 — Liam
35 — Jasper
36 — Liam
37 — Jasper
38 — Liam
Epilogue
Connect with Taylor!
Copyrights and Trademarks
Jeep Wrangler
Hypergreen
Internet
FaceTime
Amazon
Realtor
Ford Motor Co.
Focus RS
Nitrous Blue
Blu-ray
CreateSpace
Disney
The Jungle Book
Disney’s Baloo
McDonalds
Andrew Christian
Crock Pot
Supernatural
Food Network
PrEP
Game of Thrones
Jacuzzi
Velcro
YouTube
Ernest Hemingway
The Bellagio Hotel and Casino
The Calling Wherever You Will Go
Acknowledgments
To my betas, Jenn, Nemerald, Michael, Nick, & Bob. Thank you so much for being an extra set of eyes for me and finding all of those pesky little typos and plot holes.
To Charlene. Thank you for giving Liam’s baby his name.
To Tania. Thank you for naming Liam’s characters in his best-selling series.
To Jay. Thank you for another amazing cover. Your work really is beautiful.
To Judy. Thank you for finding those last few typos and errors.
To Conner. Thank you for taking me on as a client. You are a wonderful editor and I’m looking forward to working with you again!
TRIGGER WARNING:
This book implies abusive situations as well as rape during a past relationship.
If this could be a trigger for you, please proceed with caution.
This is a gay romance that contains the following:
Adult language, adult situations, explicit sexual material between
two men over the age of 18. Guy parts are seriously going to
be touching. This book is intended for ADULTS ONLY.
Dedication
For C. I can’t possibly thank you enough for all that you’ve done for me. You truly are an amazing friend and I will never be able to thank you enough. <3 you C!
1 — Jasper
December
It was cold in Wyoming in December. Stupid cold. Freeze-your-balls-off cold if you were unprepared for the weather. I learned my lesson back in the fall and always made sure I dressed in layers. Especially during December.
I lost my breath momentarily when I got out of my truck to make my sprint toward Simon’s parents’ cabin. We were all meeting there for dinner since it was so close to Christmas. I’d already dropped my stuff off at Simon and Sean’s cabin. I let them talk me into staying on the ranch with them. In actuality, it made sense. Everything would be happening out there anyway so instead of driving between Wild Creek and Crooked Bend every day, I just bunked with Sean.
When I arrived at Sam and Cammie’s, Sean let me know immediately that Rhett was on his way and would be there shortly. I was surprised, the last I’d heard, he was staying in Seattle because he had to work. What was even more surprising was that he brought someone with him. I didn’t know that my little brother was seeing anyone. First Sean, then Rhett. It appeared I was destined to be the only single Welsh brother left. I was okay with that.
Surprise number two awaited me; Dad and Papa were already there. I thought they were arriving later in the week. Apparently they’d become fast friends with Simon’s parents and decided to arrive early. That probably wasn’t a bad thing considering the surprise Simon planned for Sean on Christmas Eve.
Before I knew it, Rhett’s Hypergreen Wrangler pulled into the driveway. Sean quickly rushed out to greet our little brother. I was anxious to see him, but I was willing to wait until after he got inside to say hello. I'd hug him soon enough.
When Rhett made his way inside, I did my utmost to not cringe or stare but I saw red. I never understood that saying until that moment. I wanted to hurt whoever harmed the guy Rhett brought here with him. Under the floppy blond hair and baggy clothing, he walked stiffly and I'd not have been surprised if he didn’t have bruises we couldn’t see. I
couldn’t imagine causing such pain. Certainly not to the degree that had been inflicted upon that poor boy. I'd never hurt anyone, especially not the way he’d been hurt.
From what I could tell by looking at the one eye that wasn’t almost swollen shut, he had some of the brightest blue eyes I’d ever seen. He had a very slim build and was definitely what I would consider a twink. He was a couple inches shorter than Rhett, so he'd only be around five and a half feet tall. Unfortunately, I realized that my little brother’s boyfriend was exactly my type, I liked smaller, slim, blond men.
When Papa approached Rhett, he stepped back, the look on his face showed his discomfort at Papa coming toward him and Rhett. Papa was an intimidating man. At six feet, six inches, he was formidable. His broad shoulders and dominant stance were frightening under the best of circumstances. There was nothing small about Papa, though he was one of the kindest men I knew and would never hurt another person unless it was seriously warranted.
When I looked over at Dad I noticed he had a concerned look on his face as he walked toward Rhett and Papa. Dad had to pry Rhett out of Papa’s arms to give him a hug. I saw Dad flinch when Rhett whispered something into his ear. He quickly relaxed when he pulled away from Rhett. No one else seemed to notice. I only noticed because I’d been watching the two closely.
Once everyone had hugged everyone else, Rhett reached back for his friend, introducing Liam to us all. Of course the little imp’s name was Liam. He looked like a Liam. We were told that they were best friends and they met at the bakery Rhett worked at in Seattle while Liam was in there working on his laptop. Not that I didn’t wish my little brother happiness, but I was thrilled to know that the two weren’t dating. We also discovered that Rhett no longer worked at the bakery. So many surprises! I understood that Rhett loved that job and wouldn’t willingly leave so I knew something serious had to have happened.
Dinner was hectic, as one would expect considering the number of people in one room. I felt like a creepy stalker, though I tried to hide it, as I watched how Rhett and Liam interacted with the rest of the people in the room. It was clear that they were both exhausted and on edge. It wasn’t surprising to see them gladly accept Sean’s suggestion to leave shortly after dinner. I chose to stay behind for just a little while longer. There was so much I needed to talk to Dad and Papa about. I wanted to know what Rhett told them. After Sean had taken Simon, Rhett, and Liam to their cabin, I followed my dads into the office. I was hell-bent on finding out what was going on.
After talking to my dads, I wasn’t just seeing red, I was seeing flames shooting up from the base of that red, searing into my brain. I knew Liam had been beaten, but to find out it was by someone who was supposed to care for him? To find out it was his boyfriend who’d done that to him? I was beside myself with rage. Not only was the dick his boyfriend, but he was a cop! A trained fighter! Someone who should fucking know better! I was in such a state that I had to leave that room before my head exploded.
After spending a few minutes outside in the freezing cold, Dad came out to check on me. “Are you okay?”
I couldn’t give him an answer. I didn’t know how I felt—or why, for that matter. I’d only just met Liam. For some reason, I still wanted to protect him, to keep him safe. I couldn’t believe that a person who was supposed to love him had beat him so badly; a person who was sworn to protect others had done that to him. The level of abuse made my stomach churn.
This new knowledge gave me better understanding why Liam would shy away from Papa. I knew Papa was a kind and sweet man. Liam didn’t, and it was understandable that he was fearful around large, alpha males.
Knowing how Liam responded to Papa and why didn’t explain Rhett’s behavior when Fiona tried to play matchmaker for him with Logan. He’d turned absolutely pale, all the color draining from his cheeks. I couldn’t imagine what Rhett and Liam had gone through for them to have such a negative reaction to Logan or any other man for that matter. I understood with Liam, but what had Rhett been through to cause such fear?
“I called Stealth Securities about Liam’s abuser.” Dad looked at me to assure me he was trying to help Liam. “It seems Mike, the ex, is on the run. He left after Liam was found unconscious and taken to the hospital. Liam was in bad shape. He was raped and beaten within an inch of his life. They wouldn’t even release him unless he had a safe place to go, for his own protection.”
That was where Rhett came in. Not only had Rhett spent Liam’s entire hospital stay with him, he also gave him his safe place to stay, with us.
“Liam filed charges against Mike. When the papers were taken to his place, the police found Mike had left. Nobody knows where he went. When they searched his place, they found that his service revolver wasn’t there. It seems there’s a dangerous, well-armed, well-trained police officer on the loose, running from the law,” Dad informed me.
I shuddered when I considered the ramifications of Liam being with us. I could never turn him away. Neither would anyone else in my family.
My head was spinning and my body was humming from stress. I told Dad and Papa goodnight and drove to Sean and Simon’s cabin.
I had mixed feelings about staying at their cabin. On one hand I was elated. I’d get to spend time with both Rhett and Liam. On the other hand, I promised Dad and Papa that I'd update Sean and Simon on what I’d found out regarding Liam’s ex-boyfriend. I wondered how they would react to the possible danger of the little man being in their cabin. I’d no idea how much Rhett and Liam had already told the others.
The drive was short and my truck didn’t even warm up before I was pulling into their driveway. Jesus! It was cold outside! I ran from my truck to the cabin, my teeth chattering so harshly that I thought they’d crack and break off. I couldn’t believe I’d gone outside without my coat! Then add the freezing cold truck, a heater that didn’t warm up in time to relieve my discomfort, and the frigid winter night, I’d not made many good choices. Yes, I was freezing.
A roaring fire, a warm seat, and a fresh beer were all welcome. I looked thankfully to Simon, my brother’s other-half. “Dad told me more about Liam and what happened to him. His jerk-ass ex-boyfriend beat the hell out of him and raped him. So bad he put him in the hospital.” Right then, there wasn’t much that any of us could do except watch out and care for Liam and Rhett.
“Jesus, Jasper. Why would someone want to hurt that little guy? He’s so sweet.” Sean shook his head, worried about Liam.
I didn’t have a good answer for that, so I just continued telling the tale. “It seems the man’s missing, too. The cops don’t know where he is. And…” I hesitated, “he has a gun. Liam’s ex-boyfriend is a cop.”
We talked a little longer, and after another beer, I trudged my way up to the guest room that'd be mine for the next week. When I passed an open door, I realized that Rhett and Liam were likely sharing a room. I understood that. I really did. For some reason, at that moment, I was incredibly jealous of my little brother. It surprised me to feel such a strong emotion over a stranger. I didn’t know why. It made sense that Liam would be uncomfortable in a strange place so it made sense that Liam and Rhett share a room. That didn’t mean that my thoughts would resolve that knowledge sensibly.
After getting ready for bed I crawled between the sheets; eventually they warmed up. My mind raced and I couldn’t help but think about why someone like Liam was better off without someone like me.
First and foremost, the last thing he'd want was another relationship, and he didn’t seem to be the hook-up type. There was a reason why I jumped from one hook-up to the next, never staying with the same guy for more than a few times. I never commit. The one time I tried a commitment, look where that got me. Alone, heartbroken, and too afraid to risk my heart again. Yeah, Rupert really did a number on me.
No matter what, my mind would not stop thinking about that lost love. I thought about all of the time we’d spent together. As I dozed off that night I did something I promised myself I wouldn’t ever do
again; I thought about Rupert and what he’d meant to me.
Lying in bed after an intense scene, I looked up adoringly at Rupert, at my Dom. He was my entire world. Not even my twin knew about my relationship with our architecture professor. No one knew. That was Rupert’s stipulation to our relationship.
I’d hoped that he'd be willing to remove that stipulation after we’d been together for so long. He told me, numerous times, that I was the perfect sub. I was always eager to please and always willing to do anything that Rupert asked of me. It was under his strict guidance that I was able to consciously think about the way I spoke. I learned to use contractions and speak with less formality, much to my twin’s dismay. It was under his domination that I was able to fully understand just how enjoyable sex could be when you put your partner’s pleasure first. Because of the love I had for my Dom, I decided to take a chance.
"Sir, may I speak?"
"You know you may Jasper. What's on your mind?"
"Well Sir, I was just wondering if we would ever make our relationship more permanent?"
As soon as the question passed through my lips, I felt Rupert stiffen at my side. That couldn’t possibly be a good thing. The next thing I knew, Rupert started shaking. It took me a moment to realize that he was laughing. That became painfully clear when he next spoke.
"You don't truly believe that we’re in an actual relationship do you? You are an amazing sub and a good fuck, but that's it. That's all you are and that's all you'll ever be to me. You, and the five or six other boys I have here during their scheduled nights. You didn’t think you were the only one I’m fucking, did you? Besides, there’s absolutely no way I'd ever leave my wife for a man. Did you think of the scandal it would cause? No, never going to happen. Especially not with someone like you." I saw a sneer cross his mouth. He was disgusted with me.
My mind went completely blank. I couldn’t believe that I knew so little about the man I felt I loved. It was all I could do to not throw up right there in the bed Rupert and I’d just fucked in. I couldn’t believe that he was married. How’d I not know that? Sure, I was technically his sub but he wanted me to top him on multiple occasions over the past year. I thought that meant he wanted more from me.