Page 22 of Rescued
“Hang on. Give me a second.” I slip my pants on, ignoring the cum streaked across my skin and the weight of Jasper’s stare on my back. Salem sniffles in my ear as I step out of the bedroom and hurry through the living room.
When I’m standing outside Jasper’s front door, I let out a sigh of relief. “Hey, are you okay?”
“No. They want to move my school again. Ijustmade friends here, Arlo. I’m tired of this.”
My heart cracks in two. “Fuck. Did they say for sure they were going to?”
He sniffles again. “No, just that it was a strong possibility.”
“Okay.” I blow out a deep breath. “I’ll call your caseworker and see if there’s anything I can do to stop it, okay?”
His voice is tinny and small when he mumbles, “Thank you, Arlo.”
“Salem…” I sigh. “You know when you come stay with me, you’ll have to move schools, right?”
He’s quiet for a long while, but then he lets out a choked laugh. “Yeah… but then I’ll have you.”
Oh my fucking heart. “Okay, let me see what I can do, okay? I’m working on getting you out of there. I’m so close.”
“You keep saying that.”
I know he doesn’t mean for it to, but the low, accusatory tone of his voice sends pain spiraling through my heart. “I know. And I mean it. I’m not like Mom and Melvin, Salem. It’s taking me a while, but I’m gonna do it. I promise.”
“I believe you.” He sniffles again. “Okay. I’ve gotta get ready for school. But… can I call you later?”
“You can call me anytime. For anything. I love you.”
“I love you too, Arlo.”
Salem hangs up, and my heart sinks. God, what the fuck am I doing?
When I walk back in the house, Jasper is in the kitchen making coffee.
“Want a cup, baby boy?” he asks, glancing at me from the corner of his eye.
I shake my head. “I can’t do this anymore.”
He pauses, slowly turning to face me. “What do you mean?”
“This.” I gesture broadly between the two of us. “Us. This. Fucking. I can’t keep doing this.”
Carefully setting the mug on the counter, he steps toward me. He’s cautious. Like I’m a wild animal about to startle and run. Or maybe like one cornered and about to attack. Honestly, I feel like it could go either way. Judging by the look in his eyes, he thinks so too.
When he’s close enough to reach out and touch, he stops. “Will you please tell me what happened between us being in bed and now?”
I shake my head, and he frowns. “Are you…” He stops, staring at the floor in front of him before slowly raising his gaze to mine. “Are you seeing someone else? Is that who called? Are you having an affair with me?”
That’s laughable. So laughable, in fact, that I cackle. It sounds weird and all wrong and fucked up. “No. I’m not cheating on someone with you.”
His body relaxes at that, his relief evident. “Then what is it? If you’re in trouble, I can help you.”
If I’m in trouble… Like I’m some damsel in distress or something. “I’ve been managin’ just fine on my own till now.”
His lips quirk up in a grin. “God, I love your accent when you get a little mad, baby boy.” I roll my eyes so hard I’m surprised they don’t get stuck. “I’m serious,” Jasper says, taking another step closer to me.
Cupping my face, he brushes his thumbs along my cheekbones. “Whatever it is, just tell me, and I’ll help you.”
“You can’t help me with this,” I hear myself saying.
