Page 88 of Caged Hunger

Stand back?

Really?

The chains suspending him from the ceiling were making that a bit difficult.

“Oh, sorry. Yeah, you’re right. I guess you can’t really move much. Fine, turn your head away so you don’t go blind while I do this.”

Cameron turned on the fuel valve on the canister, then used a lighter to ignite the end of the blowtorch. Once the flame came to life, Cameron tossed the lighter onto the floor and began working on the chairs.

Basher watched as the links to the chain turned red, heating up as the metal began to weaken.

“So, babe, how ya doin’?” Cameron sang, glancing up from the chain he was working on and giving him a gentle smile.

“Oh, you know, just hanging around, catching up with old friends.”

The chain on the first link broke, freeing Basher’s left arm.

He immediately used it to wrap around Cameron and pull him in for a massive hug.

Fuck, he loved the guy.

The guy smelled like vanilla and propane, two items that should not have gone together, yet somehow smelled delicious as hell.

“God, you feel good.” Cameron moaned into the crook of his chest. Basher released him so he could work on his other arm. “Old friends? Like guys from your past?” Cameron asked, catching on to Basher’s last comments.

Basher’s eyes narrowed.

“Yeah, that twerp in the expensive suit was Caplan Jr. The little pip-squeak who got me thrown in prison.”

Cameron moved the torch away from the chain.

“You mean those guys were from your old hood?”

Basher nodded.

“How do you think they found you?” Cameron asked, bringing the torch back down on the chains and turning up the heat to speed up the process.

The chains finally clicked free.

Cameron flicked off the flame, then dropped the canister to the side—probably not the smartest move, but Basher understood the excitement of wrapping their arms around each other.

They hugged and kissed each other, locking their lips like newlyweds on the night of their wedding.

This was love. This was how you were supposed to feel when you truly cared about someone other than yourself.

The need to hold them.

Protect them.

Be their loving support whenever needed.

Basher still couldn’t believe how lucky he had become.

“Oh, isn’t this cute?” a deep voice snarled from behind them, cutting through Basher’s blissful thoughts.

Basher turned around, pulling Cameron behind his body protectively.

“Well, now we know how your buddies found you,” Cameron said sarcastically. “You&I4Eva, I presume?” Cameron asked, peeking out from behind Basher’s massive body.