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.Oh.Oh, fuck.The click as Whit locked the door sounded like a gun going off."Nobody is leaving." There was a hard edge to Whit's voice."And nobody's running into another roomto hide.You two are going to talk about this until you're both happy.You can even yell if you want, butyou're dealing with it.Don't make me use my Mr.Whittaker voice."They both just looked at Whit, blinking.Raine shook his head, wanting to touch and be touched and see the damage under the bandage and."Andwhat about you, Whit? Is this whole thing okay with you?"Whit shook his head and Raine suddenly realized that Whit was shaking."No, it isn't okay -- it isn't okayat all.But he's here and he's fine and more than anything I need that.I need you both here and well andtogether."He stumbled over to the couch, curling up in one corner, refusing to even look at Grey and those worried,sorry eyes when Grey sat on the hearth, slowly buttoning up the dark shirt.Whit sighed and sat in the big chair."All right then.Grey.You start." Whit held up his hand."And Idon't mean by making excuses.I mean start at the start.Tell us what happened."Grey sighed, hands playing the end of his braid in his lap."There were lumps -- three of them -- and theyhurt and didn't get better.I called the doctor; the doctor cut them out.The stitches come out in threedays."Raine whimpered softly.Three.And he'd never said anything."Were you scared?" Whit asked quietly.Center - 153"Terrified."Raine looked over, heart breaking."Yes, you must have been.I know I was for the few seconds before you told us it was just an infection.Ineeded to reach out and hold you, touch you, share my worry." Whit cleared his throat."So why didn'tyou tell us? Let us share the worry?""You didn't need to worry.I didn't want to talk about it.It was nothing -- a few shots, a few stitches, alittle aching."Raine sat up, eyes filling with tears."I could have been there.Driven you home.Helped you clean it.Been there, Grey."Whit nodded."He's got a point, Grey.We could have made it easier on you.You shut us out.Thatwasn't fair.Especially to Raine.""I didn't want to worry him."Raine shook his head."You didn't want to deal with it.""I did deal with it!""It's not real until I know!""Can you blame him, Raine?" Whit asked."Given what it was and that it isn't real until you know, canyou blame him for not telling you?""Yes." Raine nodded."I can.I love you.I deserve to worry with you, to fret and pray and know." Helocked eyes with his twin."I've never even taken a single breath without knowing your heart.Don't hidefrom me."Grey looked over at him, eyes huge, sad, miserable."Raine."He nodded."And Whit, too.We love you.""Yes.We love you.And that means you don't always have to be the strong one.""I was scared.I thought it was." Grey shook his head."I had to know.""And it's not.For sure.They know?" Raine had to know."It's not.For sure." Grey's voice was soft, serious."They know.I'm sorry.""Thank God." Whit shuddered."In the end, that's what matters most, isn t it? Raine? Grey?""I want to see.I want to see under the bandage." Raine sat up and wrinkled his nose."I want to shower,too.I'm sticky."Grey shook his head, chuckling."Yes, Whit.Yes, Raine."Center - 154Whit took a deep breath."All right.Let s all shower together.We can all get clean and examinewhatever parts of each other we want and then we can go to bed and do it all over again and again andagain until we're all satisfied.All right?""Whatever you need." Grey nodded, eyes searching him out, quiet and sorry, begging forgiveness."I need you, my Grey.Always.For always." Raine nodded and took his heartbeat's hand.He couldn't live,not without his twin.He wouldn't.Whit slid his hand on top of theirs and squeezed gently."I'll be waiting for you both in the shower.Ilove you."He nodded, waiting until Whit was gone to look into those eyes again."Tell me again.""I'm fine, Raine." Again." His eyes filled with tears."An infection, only that.I swear to you." Grey stroked his hair, breath hitching."You cannot leave me here.""No.No, Raine.I can't.I promise, love.I can't.I'm sorry." They moved into each other's arms, bothpretending that wanting and wishing would make Grey's promises true.The kiss they shared was frantic, deep, edged with a raw need that only belonged between them, onlycould.They kissed until he couldn't taste Grey's fear anymore, couldn't taste his own.Then they moved to join Whit in the shower.Center - 155CHAPTER THREEWhit lay in front of the fire, naked and curled up on the bearskin rug.He adored the way it felt againsthis skin: so soft and sensuous.And it made him feel just a little naughty to be alone and naked and not inbed.The loft was nice and warm and the flames were mesmerizing and it wasn't long before his blinkingslowed and then stopped, sleep pulling him in.Warmth surrounded him, heat lapping at him, silk trailing over his skin [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]