Justice rushed to do as ordered, perching himself on the edge of the couch. Mr. Garner took a seat next to him. Justice smiled, trying hard to act as if this were a normal meeting, instead of an encounter with a murderer.
"Ashton told me you refused his offer to go into hiding." Mr. Garner brushed a piece of lint off his pants.
Fear rushed through Justice as he wondered if Mr. Garner considered his refusal an insult. "I didn't mean to offend or make light of your offer to help. I just didn't want Ashton to have to make such a huge sacrifice on my part."
Mr. Garner studied him for several long seconds. Justice resisted the urge to squirm as he found himself feeling like a bug under a microscope. He just hoped he wasn't about to get squished by a giant, Mr. Garner shaped shoe.
"Do you care for my son?"
The blunt question took Justice aback. He blinked a few times before recovering. "Yes, I do. Which is why I can't allow him to leave behind all his friends and family."
Something flickered in Mr. Garner's eyes. Justice could have sworn it was admiration, but it was gone before he could get a good read on it.
"While I'm very proud of the man my son has become, I sometimes worry that he's too impulsive when it comes to certain matters of the heart."
Justice swallowed a growing lump in his throat as he wondered if this was where Mr. Garner said he didn't want Justice to continue to see his son. Just as he felt his hope begin to dim, Mr. Garner smiled at him.
"I think you're a good fit for him. You seem to be level-headed. Something he needs in his life."
Justice let out a sigh of relief. "He's just as good for me. Before him I never had the courage to stand up to my family."
"I hope things work out for you two. There are tough times ahead for our family and he's going to need somebody to lean on."
"What do you mean? Ashton never mentioned any trouble to me."
Mr. Garner gave a rueful smile. "Your father may be a lousy parent, but he's a damn good DA. He's going to find a charge to nail on me and it's going to stick. It's only a matter of time."
While Justice felt himself wanting to apologize, he reminded himself that, nice or not, Mr. Garner really had earned a place in prison. He still worried about how that would affect Ashton. Justice vowed to himself that when that happened, he'd make sure to be there to support his lover.
Justice stared at his father's front door, his heart hammering so hard it was a wonder they didn't hear it three counties over. Ashton held his hand and Justice clung to that support, it being the only thing that kept away a full-blown panic attack.
I can do this. I have to do this. After everything that Ashton and I have gone through, we deserve to have our own happy ending.
"You sure about this?" Ashton asked as he gave Justice's fingers a squeeze.
Bryce and Baker came up and stood behind them. Justice glanced at them, taking in their determined expressions. He knew that no matter what that none of them would let him down. So he couldn't let them down, either. Justice steeled himself and gave a nod.
"Yes, I'm positive. Let's get this over with."
He went up to the door and knocked. While it may seem strange that he couldn't just let himself in, Justice didn't have any other option. When he'd moved out, his father had taken away the keys to the doors, almost as if he feared his own son would come in and rob him or something.
Just his luck, his father had to be the one who opened the door. As soon as he spotted the group on the porch, his dad's face twisted into a scowl. Not exactly the reception Justice would have liked, but he really hadn't expected anything less. His father still stepped to the side and let them in. No doubt because he didn't want the neighbors to see the incident playing out.
"What do you want and why in the hell are you bringing this trash to my house?" his father demanded in a hard voice.
A wave of anger slammed into Justice. "Don't you dare disrespect Ashton like that. You can call me whatever you want, but I won't stand by and listen to you insult my boyfriend."
"
Boyfriend?
" The DA smirked. "Craig told me that you believed yourself to be in a relationship with Carter Garner's son. I'd hoped your brother had been wrong this time, but as usual you never fail to disappoint me. Can't you see this boy is just using you? That it's his father's attempt to get back at me for going after him?"
Justice shook his head. "Why does it always have to be about you? Is it so hard to believe that maybe somebody could want me just because they thought I was a good person?"
"Yes."
Ashton's grip tightened on Justice's hand in a silent show of support, but he otherwise didn't say anything. Justice returned the gesture as he waited for the familiar feelings of hurt to hit him. Instead he found nothing but the same burning desire to be free.
"You're wrong. Ashton does care about me, and I feel the same way about him. So, I'm going to keep seeing him and you can't stop me."
His father's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Are you sure you want to cross me that way, son? Just think of all you have to lose should I cut you off."
"What? I pay for my own college, apartment and everything else. Sure, you may have bought me a car, but you even took that away. Or if you're referring to our relationship, we've never had one. I've always been the son you wished you never had--your disappointment. Well, fine, then you and Craig can have each other. I'm done trying to please you. I'm going to live my life how I see fit and there's not a damn thing you can do about it."
The DA nodded meaningfully to Ashton. "You want to bet? It'll be hard to have your little love affair if your boyfriend is in jail."
"Ashton has never done anything wrong, so you better leave him alone," Justice snapped.
"Or else, what?"
"I'll make sure every one of your dirty secrets gets out. How you were off with your mistress the night Mom died. How you beat me. How you really talk about gay people. All of it. I'll write a book that's so explosive it'll make
Mommy Dearest
look like a comic."
Not that Justice would ever stoop that low, but his father didn't know that. His threat worked, though. The DA's face grew pale and for the first time it was him who took a step back. He swallowed hard several times before he made a slicing motion with his hand.
"If that's the way you want it then get the hell off my property. I never want to see you again."
Since that suited Justice fine, he turned and walked out of the house. Never once did he even have the temptation to look back. If anything he had to stop himself from skipping on the way out, he was so happy. Going to the car, he climbed into the backseat. Ashton slid in after him. Once they were settled Ashton took Justice into his arms.
Justice sank into the embrace, his heart soaring with relief. He'd done it! Now he was free. Most of all, he and Ashton could finally, truly be together. They didn't have to hide it anymore.
"Are you okay?" Ashton asked.
"I'm better than okay. I've never been happier in my life. I can't ever thank you enough."
"Hey, you did it all by yourself."
"True, but I never had the strength to stand up to them before I met you." Justice tilted his head up to gaze at Ashton.
Ashton gave him a loving smile. "I think we both give each other strength."
"Maybe. I do know one thing for certain."
"What's that?"
"You were right. Our story did end much, much happier than that other one."
Stephani Hecht is a happily married mother of two. Born and raised in Michigan, she loves all things about the state, from the frigid winters to the Detroit Red Wings hockey team. Go Wings! You can usually find her snuggled up to her laptop, creating her next book or gorging on caffeine at her favorite coffee shop.
For more information about Stephani and her writing, please visit her website at: www.stephanihecht.com.
When Tyler and his best friend, Luke, joined the military five years ago, they made a pact to defend their country and make their families proud. Now, Tyler is home and Luke never will be, tragically losing his life in combat. The first place Tyler goes when returning to the small town of his youth is the coffee shop owned by Luke's younger brother, Nash. Tyler is both thrilled and dismayed to find that he's instantly attracted to the younger man. What's more, Nash makes it clear the attraction goes both ways.
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