Below the Belt
Page 21
But it was more than that.
“Dr. Lowe?”
There was a grunting noise, then a gruff, “Come in.”
Noah pushed the door open and made a rather large display of using his cane to find his way to Lowe’s desk. He felt for the chair, then sat down and fixed his gaze to the big, heather-grey blob sitting in front of him. “Sorry to drop in on you like this,” Noah said.
“Good god, man. What the hell happened to you?” Lowe demanded.
Noah sighed. “It seems one of our trusted colleagues had a bit of an obsession problem. I was attacked over the weekend and Dr. Barnes was arrested for orchestrating it.”
The silence was so thick, Noah would have been able to hear a pin drop. “You’re not serious,” Lowe said after a moment.
Noah let out a humorless laugh. “I’m afraid I am. I assume you’ll be notified of it shortly, as there are several charges pending and I don’t believe he’ll be able to fill those classes he took over when he blackmailed me into relinquishing them.”
“Well, I…” Lowe sputtered.
Noah didn’t give him the chance to go on. “Unfortunately, I won’t be available to take them back, either. You’ve never believed that I was capable of recuperating enough to take on the burden of a full-time professor. You stood in my way when I wanted to apply for tenure, and you were more than ready to believe me when I was coerced into saying I was unfit for the position in spite of my long history of proving to you that was anything but the case.” Noah gripped his cane tight enough his knuckles ached. “Because I’m not contracted, I’m under no obligation to continue on into the next term, so consider this my full resignation from this institution.” He started to rise and walk off but froze when he heard Lowe make a choking sound.
“You can’t just leave. We don’t have any member of the staff capable of teaching your next level of Greek.”
Noah let himself smile just a bit. “I’m sure you can find someone.”
“This will destroy your reputation. You’ll never find work at a reputable university again,” Lowe protested. “If you think I’m going to give you a recommendation…”
“Never dreamed of it,” Noah said. “But I have faith that my TCEs over the years, as well as my online ratings from loyal students will be taken into consideration for my future. I do hope you’re able to recover the loss of two professors, Dr. Lowe. I wish I could say it was a pleasure, but we both know that’s not true.”
With that, it was done. The final piece of the puzzle that was turning into his future had fallen into place. He had a boyfriend who loved him—who was willing to walk through fire for him—and he was willing to do the same. He was building a community with Wes and Anna, he was finally able to recognize his friendship with Ryan as something beautiful and important than the toxic romance they’d once shared when they were too young.
And he had hope. That was the most important part.
He’d been dealt several blows over the last few years, all of cruel and below the belt, but he’d recovered. He’d managed to walk taller each time and recover stronger with each one. It was all coming together, and he only had one final thing to do before he felt complete.
“You want to get breakfast?” Ryan asked as he pulled out onto the road. “Cole was thinking we could meet up at Harvest for brunch if you’re interested.”
“No,” Noah replied with a small grin, shaking his head. “I’ll leave that to you. I have something very important to do this morning.”
“You mean besides quitting your damn job?” Ryan asked.
Noah grinned. “Yeah. Besides that.”
***
Adrian swiped his hand across his mouth, tasting copper, grinning around it. His mouth guard bit into his gums, but the discomfort was a welcome distraction. He glanced to the right where Cole was icing his jaw, then back at Wes who was circling him with slow, easy steps.
“It’s been a while since we’ve done this,” he said, his voice muffled through the plastic guarding his teeth.
Adrian took two shuffling steps, as quick as he could make them, and went for Wes’ face with two sharp jabs of his right fist. Wes dodged the first but took the second hit to the padding on his temple. His eyes blinked to focus, and he laughed before his counter throw which Adrian easily dodged.
They weren’t out for blood today. In the last seventy-two hours, Charles Barnes had been arrested on three felony counts of stalking, harassment, and orchestrating an attempted assault against Noah. His bail was set—Adrian didn’t remember the amount, and there was every chance he would post it. But the ball was rolling, and Noah was taking charge of his future with a determination Adrian had been waiting to see.
He was out with Ryan to finish up some business at his office, and though they wouldn’t be able to take their vacation until well after the spring semester, they no longer had to walk around in fear. Adrian had a ride planned after this, as soon as Noah arrived with the instruction to pick up a lunch they could transport on the trike, and he planned to spend the entire afternoon doing everything in his power to make Noah forget—even for just a short while—about the chaos their life had been recently.
It was those distracting thoughts which let Wes get in a couple of good shots, and Adrian tapped out before his head could be knocked around too much and he wasn’t able to steer his bike. Wes laughed and they touched gloves before breaking off, Adrian leaning against the ropes to regain the balance in his legs. He glanced down to the chair where Cole was sitting, still icing his jaw but showered and ready for Ryan to pick him up.
Sliding down to the floor of the ring, Adrian shuffled to the edge and let his leg bump into Cole’s shoulder. “Wes says you two are planning a couple of competitions in the next few months.”
Cole turned and grinned. His eyes were starting to look better, still a little deflated and red from the infections and the chemical burns, but he was healing up nicely. Adrian could see what it was Ryan was attracted to in the guy—not just the way he looked, though there was no denying Cole was an attractive man. But his determination and his ability to accept when things became too much was a rare gift. Most people who came back with their lives irrevocably changed the way Cole’s had been were angry. They wanted to achieve their old normal, to get back to a life they’d known instead of a new one. Cole wasn’t that guy. He didn’t shy away from his fears or frustrations, either, but he allowed them to exist as part of him and Adrian found himself jealous from time to time at the strength it took to live like that.
“Why, you want to sign up?” Cole asked, reaching down to pet his dog.
Adrian snorted. “You know, I’m actually thinking about it. I haven’t done any prize fighting in a long time, and it might be good to get back in the game. You got any other contenders?”
“Ryan’s thinking about it, but I’m not sure that’s a good idea. He’s a fit guy, but he’ll get his ass handed to him.” Cole smiled fondly and Adrian didn’t need to look that deep to see where their relationship was heading.
“I don’t know about that. He did alright up against me the other day.” It wasn’t entirely true. Adrian could have flattened him in minutes if he’d been putting in a real effort. But all the same, Ryan was skilled for an amateur. “We could have a white-collar day.”
Cole threw his head back and laughed. “That would be…interesting. I’ll run it by him and see what he thinks. I bet he’s got an office full of uptight lawyers with their knickers all twisted up against their bollocks. Could do with a round or two before a nice shag.”
Adrian felt the corner of his mouth lift higher, but before he could come up with his own witty response, the door to the boxing area swung open and the aforementioned stuffy lawyer came in with Noah right behind. Noah’s vision was even better now, though he was still using his cane to combat the blurring he suffered from the injury. If Adrian let himself think too much about it, his anger threatened to take over, so he focused on everything else that had happened since.
“Mm, you’re all sweaty,” Noah murmured, licking a little just under Adrian’s ear.
“Keep it up and we won’t be leaving the gym. I have the key to the back office, and I know for a fact the sofa in there is plenty comfortable.” He punctuated his sentence with a biting kiss at Noah’s lips, and when he pulled back, he laughed when he saw Ryan and Cole had escaped.
Noah sighed, nuzzling up against Adrian’s jaw a moment, then pulled away. “Go get washed up. There’s food waiting and I want to get out for a bit.”
Adrian sighed, but kissed him once more before making his way to the locker room to clean up. He didn’t linger, a quick soap up and rinse off, and he threw a handful of gel in his hair before sitting down to tie up his boots and throwing on his jacket.
He walked out to the main lobby where Anna was behind the desk, Lemon’s head in her lap, and she was explaining the monthly rates to a client on the phone. She held up her finger for him to wait, and he nodded, spotting Noah outside by the trike waiting for him. He drummed his fingers on the desk loud enough to be annoying, and eventually she sped up her conversation and ended the call.
“That is my monthly revenue, you asshole,” she said.
Adrian grinned and shrugged. “Yeah, well, I have a hot as hell man waiting outside for me to take him for a ride. Both literally and metaphorically so…”
“First of all, gross,” she said, ticking off her fingers, “second of all, I’m not going to keep you. I just want to say Wes and I are having a get-together this weekend and we want you and Noah there.”
Adrian rolled his eyes. “When have I ever turned down Wes’ barbeque?”
She shrugged. “I just know you’ve been making private plans lately to have all your sex which I do not want to hear about, thank you, and I want you to carve out some time for us. Connie’s going to be there.”
Adrian raised his brows and waited to see if she planned to add to that, but when she remained silent, he sighed. “Fine. Who else is coming?”
“Cole and Ryan, of course,” she said, and he wasn’t surprised. In the short time all this had happened, both men had become quite a fixture in their lives, and each other’s even if they weren’t official yet. “Also, a couple of Wes’ buddies from his Core classes. Nothing special, we just wanted to take some time to finally relax without some fucked up situation breathing down our necks.”
Adrian narrowed his eye at her. “You’re going to jinx it.”
“Your superstitions have never intimidated me. Anyway, go before your boy paces a hole in the pavement and I have to get out there and repave it.”
He pulled a face at her, then leaned in and kissed her forehead before making his way out. Noah turned when he heard the doors open, reaching for Adrian who went willingly into a soft kiss. “You ready?”
“More than,” Noah said. “I heard back from HU and they want me to come in for an interview Monday. They have several spots in the department and apparently I was recommended from a couple of my old professors at Duke.”
Adrian grinned, spinning Noah a little as he kissed him. “That’s fucking amazing, babe. I’m so proud of you.”
“I just…it feels good, finally. To be free of that shithole department, to never have to pander to that crusty old man again. To know that no one is holding anything over me.” He reached up and touched Adrian’s cheek. “I can almost totally see you now when you’re this close and I love that too.”
Adrian felt his throat tighten a little. Since saying the words right before Noah reported the attack, he hadn’t said them again, and Noah hadn’t reciprocated, though he showed just how deeply he felt with his actions every day, and Adrian wasn’t about to squander that. Still, hearing that four-letter word in any capacity from Noah’s lips set his heart beating.
“Let’s get going and I can show you something else you’re going to like.” He thrust his groin against Noah’s leg, making his boyfriend groan.
“Pain in the ass.”
“You love it,” Adrian countered.
Noah smiled softly and said with devastating tenderness, “Yeah. I really do.”
It was all Adrian could do when he got on the bike and held still for Noah to get up behind him.
The drive wasn’t too long. They picked their favorite spot, a little grassy area off the side of the main road which overlooked the city. Noah still couldn’t see all of it, but the sun was out and bright, and the air was crisp and oddly warm for the dead of winter. They were still bundled in their winter clothes, Noah’s scarf up his neck so high it nearly covered his mouth, and Adrian wanted to pin him to the ground and take him right there.
Instead, he linked their hands together as they dug into the sandwiches Noah brought along from the deli down the street. It was a damn-near perfect day, even if they had months of waiting, then a trial, and everything that came after. Adrian brought Noah’s hand to his mouth, kissing his knuckles first, then his palm, then the inside of his wrist.
When he tried to pull away, Noah turned his hand to capture Adrian’s, tugging him close so they were nearly nose-to-nose, and Adrian felt the hot puff of Noah’s breath across his cheeks. “I know that a lot of how we feel is probably because of what we’ve been through,” he started softly, bringing one hand to Adrian’s face. He caressed the skin there, the unblemished and the scarred, and his eyes fluttered closed. “But I also know my own heart and I know it’s telling me that this isn’t something I ever want to let go. I don’t think I’ve ever felt this way about anyone before, and I need you to know that when you told me you loved me, I knew then I loved you too.”
Adrian let his own eyes slip closed and he felt the words burrow under his skin. “Babe…”
“I should have said it then, but I was afraid it would feel cheap. I had so much to sort out, and I know we still have so much ahead of us, but I wouldn’t be able to do this without you. So, I love you, okay? So much.”
Adrian felt his lips tug into a smile, and he pressed one finger under Noah’s chin, lifting his face to capture his mouth in a slow, deep kiss. He shivered at the feel of Noah’s hot, velvet tongue sliding against his own, and he groaned into the other man’s mouth as his hands moved lower to wander, to tug Noah as close as he could get him. They couldn’t take risks here in the open like this, but he was almost willing to.
“I love you too, but you already knew that,” he finally said when he could find the words.
Noah chuckled. “I do, but I won’t ever get tired of hearing it.” He took Adrian’s hand and pressed it to the rapid thumping of his heart. He didn’t need more words after that. All of this? It was exactly enough.
Epilogue
Pressing his hand to the glass, Noah let the cold seep in to his palm, watching a ring of fog surround his digits. Beyond lay banks of snow, cascading in gentle, rolling hills toward the dock, and the lake with sheets of ice and floating snow drifts. It was like no other place he’d ever been, and he let himself think back to a time he wasn’t sure he’d actually be able to have this.
A warm body pressed itself to his back, and Noah let his head fall against Adrian’s shoulder as warm lips descended against his temple, making a slow, wet, searing path along his jaw, to the crook of his neck.
“I’ve been waiting for this all day. You have five seconds to decide if I’m going to fuck you right up against the glass, or if you want to find a bedroom.”
Licking his lips, Noah reacted almost viscerally to the sound of his lover’s deep-chested murmur, but all coherent thought left him as Adrian’s hand pressed a firm path down the center of his chest, cupping him where he wanted to be touched the most. His dick swelled, twitching like it was trying to get itself up against Adrian’s naked palm.
“Bed,” Noah managed as he unstuck his tongue. “Fuck, how f-far…”
Adrian chuckled against his ear. “Just down the hall.�
� He rubbed the heel of his hand along Noah’s hard length. “I love when I get you worked up into a stammer.”
“I bet,” Noah groaned, pushing his hips once, twice, thrusting against Adrian’s hand before he forced himself to step out of the circle of his arms. “Come on, I’ve been waiting on this all fucking day.”
It was an anniversary of sorts, the trip to the gated home at the edge of a lake, just over a year after the two of them had met. It was also exactly eight months since Noah began his new job teaching at a university two hours away from his apartment, and lastly six months since Charles Barnes had been sentenced to twelve years in prison after being officially charged with stalking, blackmail, and hiring someone to assault Noah in the alley near his apartment.
It had been a nightmare for a while. Noah had sat through interview after interview, listened to the way Charlie’s lawyers had tried to paint him as the reason Charlie had lost all sense, the reason he felt forced to act in such a manner. They tried to destroy his character by bringing Adrian into it, but unfortunately the defense had come up against a wall—the lack of evidence thanks to Cole’s work.
In the end, Charlie accepted a plea agreement. He turn-coated on the man he’d hired and agreed to a deal. Twelve years, serving five before he was eligible for parole. He’d be given therapy and a chance to work through whatever it was that made him the type of man capable of all those things.
Noah still had nightmares. Nightmares of being attacked, of waking up to find Charlie standing over him. Sometimes he relieved the attack, and he didn’t walk through the streets alone at night anymore. But he was getting better, and he still had four years of peace before he had to worry about Charlie’s presence in the world again.
A lot could happen in that time.
One thing, he hoped, was the answer to a question he planned to ask later in the night, with a small, black box in the middle of his palm. He was fairly sure Adrian knew it was coming—if not now, then around the new year when they were finally back at theirs.