"So what are you majoring in?" Justice asked, desperate to get his mind off his libido.
"Pre-med. How about you?"
"Law."
"Ah, I should have guessed. Just like your father. He probably had that all planned out since the day you were born and he named you Justice."
Guilt swamped Justice. As always whenever the topic of majors came up, he felt bad because truth be told, his heart really wasn't in law. He just forced himself to go through the motions to please his father.
"Tell me, Justice, if you had your choice what would you really want to major in?"
Shocked by how quickly Ashton saw through him, Justice let out a small gasp. "I've always wanted to get into social work."
Ashton gave a tiny smile as he rubbed the pad of his thumb over Justice's knuckles. "Somehow that doesn't surprise me. That line of work suits you much better."
Justice gave a sad sigh. "It really doesn't matter, since that option isn't open to me."
"It could be if you wanted."
A spark of anger went through Justice. "My father doesn't like it when I argue with him. I'm sure yours is the same way."
Ashton cocked a brow. "Why? Because he's a criminal?"
"Kind of," Justice admitted before amending. "With running an operation as big as his, I'm sure he doesn't like to have to give an order more than once."
"He may be that way with the people who work under him, but never with me. He's always encouraged me to make my own decisions and has supported me throughout them."
God, how Justice would love to have that freedom in his own life. "I wish I had a father like that."
Ashton cocked a dark brow. "My father is the suspect in no less than three murders and one of my earliest memories is of him beating one of this lackeys. Plus, I can't go anywhere without having to worry about the local police harassing me, just because I'm his son."
Justice flushed, horrified over his thoughtlessness. "I'm sorry. There I go, putting my size ten shoe in my mouth."
With a tender smile, Ashton reached over the table and lightly ran his finger over Justice's injured lip. "Don't worry about it. Even with all that, something tells me that maybe I do have the better of two evils."
"I just have a really bad habit of letting my own down too much. It tends to make him angry," Justice replied.
Even with all the beatings and harsh treatment, he still felt the need to come to his father's defense. A habit he carried from childhood, Justice felt hard pressed to break it. Sure, the asshole may be a jerk, but wasn't family supposed to stick together?
"Is your mother still in the picture?" Ashton asked.
A pang of sadness stabbed Justice. "No, she died when I was ten. It was a car accident. She was coming home from work one night and a drunk driver crossed over into her lane."
"I'm sorry to hear that."
"That's okay. It was a long time ago and they say she went quick," Justice replied with forced indifference.
The food arrived. Justice stared down at the plate of hot, gooey lasagna as he gathered his emotions together. Just thinking about his mother set him on edge. Even after all the passing years, he didn't know if he hated her for dying and leaving him alone to face his father and Craig. That left Justice with a heavy dose of self-hatred. After all, what kind of jerk hates their mother for being dead? That was just all kinds of twisted.
"I've seen pictures of your mother in the paper. She looks really pretty," Justice said to change the subject.
A fond grin crossed Ashton's lips. "She's great. I wish you could meet her. She would really love you."
"Given my last name, somehow I doubt that."
"She wouldn't judge you because of who your family is."
Justice picked up his fork as he tried hard to believe that. "How about your father? Would he be so understanding?"
Ashton wrinkled his nose as he shook his head. "Probably not. He really doesn't like the DA."
"Yeah, my dad feels the same way about your father," Justice admitted.
"Maybe they should try couples counseling or something?"
Justice laughed, some of the tension leaving his body as he pictured the image of his ultra-conservative father lying on a red, leather couch and pouring his heart out to some therapist.
"Somehow I don't think that would work for them."
"You're probably right. My dad has never been one of those
get in touch with your feelings
types. He's more of a
do as I say or else
," Ashton agreed.
Working purely on instinct, Justice's hand came up to touch his lip. "Yeah, mine, too."
They ate, the silence broken up by small bouts of unimportant conversation. When they finished Ashton stood. When Justice did likewise, Ashton reached out and pulled Justice into his arms.
Justice didn't fight it. If anything he melted into the embrace, his head coming to rest on Ashton's shoulder. For the first time in years, Justice felt warm and protected. Most of all he felt totally at ease, as nearly all his worries seemed to drift away.
Justice finally confessed his biggest doubt. "I don't get what you see in me."
Ashton put his arms down and pulled back before he tucked a couple of fingers under Justice's chin, nudging his head up, so their lips were inches apart. "Funny, I was just about to say the same thing to you."
Justice gaped at him, shocked to hear those self-deprecating words coming from somebody as near perfect as Ashton. "Just so you know, I'm the one who's way out of his league here. In case you haven't noticed, you're hot, nice and funny, which makes you one hell of a catch."
"You really don't have any idea of your own appeal." Ashton leaned forward, their mouths so close together Justice could feel their breath mingling.
"Are you going to kiss me?"
Duh, what do you think he's going to do? Give you a demonstration on the new protocols for the American Heart Association's CPR Guidelines? Come on! For once get your act together. Don't blow this before you even get on first base.
"Stop thinking too hard," Ashton admonished before adding, "And yes, I'm going to kiss you. I just have to be gentle because I don't want to hurt your injury."
"That's okay. I don't mind the hurt. That is, I'm not a pain junkie or anything. I'm just used to it. That is because of...well, you know," he stammered, not wanting to voice aloud what his bruises already screamed.
He cringed at his own verbal clumsiness, but Ashton just smiled. "You're so cute when you don't know what to say."
"Well, then I must be the poster child for fucking adorable because I'm constantly struggling to think of appropriate responses to conversations," Justice shot back.
Ashton just gave a slight shake of his head, like Justice's behavior was some new mystery to be solved. He then closed the tiny bit of space left between them and, ever so gently, pressed their lips together.
Desire pounded through Justice as he felt the warm glide of Ashton's tongue against his upper lip. At the same moment he became vividly aware of the hard press of Ashton's body as the man snaked an arm out and hooked Justice by the waist. The move made it so their chests slammed together, but in a delicious way.
The kiss continued, soft little pecks that didn't do nearly enough to tame the arousal flaring inside Justice. He let out a whimper as his cock filled, the urge to rock against Ashton's muscular thigh just too much to resist. Ashton's free hand slammed onto Justice's ass. At first Justice thought it was to still his movements, but a gentle squeeze soon let him know that Ashton only did it to encourage his behavior.
Only when Justice tried to deepen the kiss did Ashton pull back, tearing a sob of protest from Justice. He flinched, wondering if his petulant behavior would earn him Ashton's wrath. Or worse yet, make it so Ashton didn't like him anymore.
Much to his relief, Ashton merely smiled as he gingerly caressed the bruises on Justice's face. "We need to be careful or we'll rip the wound on your lip open again."
"Sorry," Justice breathed as he reached up to touch his mouth.
Ashton reached out and grabbed Justice's hand, stilling the movement. "You have nothing to be sorry for. If anybody should be apologizing, it's me for losing control."
"I liked it when you lost control, though."
"Do you want me to take you back to the library?" Ashton asked, his fingers shifting up to lightly brush through the front of Justice's hair.
Justice silently shook his head, too afraid to voice his true wishes.
"Would you rather Bryce and I drop you back at your apartment?"
The air between them grew thick with sexual tension. It felt as if an iron band were trying to squeeze the crud out of him.
Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. You can do this. It's not as if you're a virgin or anything. So it shouldn't be so damn difficult to ask him to have sex.
He licked his lips and forced himself to take the risk.
"I want you to take me someplace more private. A place where we can be alone. For the whole night if you'd like," Justice rasped past his dry throat.
Ashton sucked in a breath of disbelief as a fresh wave of desire shot through his body, before centering on his cock. The thought that this beautiful, gentle man was offering himself up so freely when it was obviously something he didn't do often, both humbled and turned Ashton on.
He cupped Justice's face. Ashton realized he'd become touchy-feely as far as the other man was concerned, but damned if he could stop himself. All he had to do was look into Justice's soft, gray eyes, smell that cologne, and Ashton had the burning need to feel the warmth of Justice's flesh. To know that if only for a brief time he belonged to Ashton.
He leaned forward and pressed their lips together in a soft kiss before pulling back and saying, "My uncle owns a hotel that's just outside of town."
"The same one who owns this place?'
"No."
Justice cocked his head to the side. "Not the strip club owner?"
Ashton laughed. "No, my father comes from a large family."
"They sound pretty close."
"Nah, they mostly can't stand the sight of each other."
"Then why are you going to them for anything?"
"Because, arguments or not, that's what family is supposed to do for each other."
Going by the way Justice's brow creased while his lips pressed together in a frown, that comment confused him. It made Ashton want to curse. He couldn't imagine what it would be like to not have his family at his back.
He took Justice by the hand and led him to the back door. On the way out he shouted a thanks to his uncle, who returned it while shooting a concerned glance in their direction. Ashton still didn't worry about him exposing them to his father. His uncle had always kept his confidence in the past.
Bryce met them at the car and cocked a brow questioningly. "Where to next?"
"Andy's," Ashton replied as he opened the door for Justice.
He tensed, waiting for a glib response, but Bryce merely nodded. Although the corners of his lips twitched in the beginnings of a smile.
On the way to the hotel, Ashton had Bryce stop at a drugstore so they could get some supplies. While in the backseat they exchanged a few kiss and caresses, they otherwise kept things pretty PG. Once they arrived, Bryce parked in the back lot.
"Wait right here and I'll get you a room key. I called ahead so they should have everything ready."
After he left, Justice stared at the large building. His eyes were as wide as a Hummer's hubcaps as he let out a low whistle. "You didn't tell me he owned one of the fanciest hotels in Michigan."
Ashton shrugged. Since he'd grown up going to the place, he'd never thought of it that way. "Do you want me to have Bryce take us somewhere else?"
Justice shook his head. "I've always wanted to come here, but my dad said no. He never gave us a reason."
"Well, now you know. It's because of who owns it. While most of my uncles run perfectly legitimate businesses, they're still painted with the same crap-coated brush."
Justice glanced at him. The expression of tenderness and understanding was almost Ashton's undoing. "That's not fair."
"No, it's not."
"I'm sorry they have to go through that. Just like I hate that the same thing happens to you," Justice said as he grabbed Ashton's hand.
Bryce came back out and tapped on the window. Ashton took a deep breath to collect his nerves before he opened the door, then took the key with a mumbled thanks. After saying goodnight to Bryce, they went up to the second floor and found their room.
As they entered, Justice walked slowly through the suite, his gaze devouring the décor--high-end wood furniture and fully stocked mini-bar. Ashton smiled, pleased he was able to impress the other man.
"I take it this is a little better than your apartment?" Ashton teased lightly.
Justice tossed a grin over his shoulder. "Yeah, that's a bit of an understatement. You're probably used to all this."
"Actually my apartment probably isn't much better than yours. I work two jobs so I can pay my own way. I usually don't even ask my uncles for favors like I did tonight."
"Where do you work?"
"At the campus bookstore, and I also pick up some shifts at one of the pubs in the downtown area."
"I can't believe we never ran into each other before last night. I've been going to the campus for nearly a year now."
"I guess I wasn't lucky until that party. I almost didn't go to it, either," Ashton admitted as he slid off his shoes.
Justice's gaze tracked the movement before a grin came over his face as he did likewise. "I work a couple of jobs, too."
"What do you do?"
Justice tugged off his sweatshirt, revealing a plain, white tee underneath. "I wish I could say it was something dramatic like I'm a rent boy or that I'm selling myself for medical trials."
"And here I thought that's what every hungry college student did. At least that's how it is in books and movies."
Ashton moved in and ran one hand down Justice's chest. A shiver went down his spine as he felt, even through the material, the hardness and warmth of Justice's flesh.