The Mormon and the Dom (29 page)

“Okay. I’ll tell you. But just be prepared for some really kooky things.”

“I can do kooky.” Ronan considered for a moment. “What made you change your mind?”

“My mom.”

“She told you to let me back in?” Ronan never would have believed that but for the fact Noah was telling him.

“She knew a long time ago I was different.”

“How did she know?”

“She saw me staring at Casey Marcum during homecoming, and she knew. She never said anything because she was afraid for me, but she knew.”

Now Ronan had the answer to that look in Noah’s mother’s eyes.

“She said the way you treated me showed that you loved me. You were civil to them when they were cutting to you in turn. She said if I let you go, I was making a huge mistake.”

“I have to say that I think I like your mother even more now.”

“She’s still scared for me. I think that’s just a mom thing, but she said she’d seen plenty of people who pair off for all the wrong reasons.” Noah squeezed Ronan’s hand. “She didn’t think we had.”

Ronan never would have believed that Noah’s Mormon mother would have been the one to encourage her son to come back to him. He’d underestimated her, but he wouldn’t make that mistake again. “What about your father?”

“He wasn’t in the room. Mom said he was like me—a worrier. He has too much going on in his head, and he can’t see the forest for the trees. I never realized until that moment how my parents really work well together. I think… I think we can be the same.”

“I think so, too.” Ronan lifted and kissed the back of Noah’s hand. “Okay, enough lollygagging. You have to get up.”

“What? Why?”

“Those hallways aren’t going to walk themselves.”

Noah flashed Ronan a rather lusty grin. “So is that reward still up for grabs?”

“Absolutely.”

It took two days to get Noah back to his prior level of recovery. Doctor Naddleback was pleased, and once again, Ronan was asked to share his secrets for motivation. He didn’t tell her the real way he was getting Noah to keep going despite the pain. He only smiled and said it was amazing what love could do.

Noah’s mother had definitely softened toward him, as evidenced by the way she worked hard to include him during her time with Noah. Before, it had been Ronan’s time and then his parents’ time, but now there was overlap. Noah’s dad still struggled to be comfortable around them, but Ronan discovered that if they avoided any PDA, he seemed far more relaxed, as did Noah’s brothers. Finally, the day came where Noah was well enough to be moved to a semiprivate room.

“Will he be safe there?” Odonna wanted to know.

“He isn’t listed on the patient roster. Also, all the security guards have pictures of Keith.”

“What about his friends?” Ronan asked.

“I don’t think so.” The nurse went off to find out, leaving Odonna, Noah, and Ronan alone in his room.

“Do you think it’s safe to move him?” Odonna asked Ronan.

“I think so. From what the officer told me, there hasn’t been a sighting of Keith or his pals since the assault.” Ronan turned to look at Noah. “The bigger question is, how do you feel about the move?”

“I think it’ll be okay. The nurses are vigilant. No one can get back here without having gone through the layers of security.”

“Then if you’re okay, I’m okay.” Ronan turned to Odonna.

“Well, okay, then. I’m still not sold, but I’m a mom and I worry.”

“Well, it looks like they have their pictures, too. And security knows you’re being moved today.” She made no effort to say he would be safe. That was something she simply couldn’t do. Things happened. Ronan knew that. When he floated the idea of hiring a bodyguard for Noah, he shook his head.

“I just don’t think that’s necessary.”

“I don’t know, honey. A big scary biker standing guard by your room might make Keith think twice about coming anywhere near you.” Odonna grinned at Ronan.

“I could find one, you know. My business does attract a lot of burly bikers.” Ronan paused as he considered. “Most of them are doctors, lawyers, and dentists, but they certainly look the part when they wear their motorcycle gear.”

“Are they really professionals?” Odonna sounded surprised.

“They are. It’s a pretty common misconception that those grizzled road warriors are all degenerate criminals. Motorcycles are expensive. So are the custom paint jobs.”

“I never thought about it that way.” Odonna fussed over Noah as he made the move to the new room. “Okay, okay. Now that you’re situated, I’ll let you be.”

“Are you coming back for dinner?” Noah asked.

“Ronan’s got you to himself tonight, as Jonah and I are going to be with Henry.”

“For his mission?”

“Yes.” Odonna beamed. “He’s so excited. And we’re almost done with all the paperwork. Tonight we’ll meet with our bishop to make sure we’re all ready.”

Noah looked a little uncomfortable but then seemed to brighten. “I can’t wait to find out where he’s going to go.”

“Fingers crossed for somewhere stateside.” Odonna lifted her crossed fingers.

“Is that what Henry wants?”

“Of course not. He wants somewhere exotic. You know how I feel about that.”

“After Michael’s mission, I do.” Noah laughed. “But he’ll be with a fellow missionary. Safety in numbers.”

“That doesn’t ease a mother’s mind.” Odonna waved as she departed.

“And now we’re all alone.” Ronan waggled his brows, making Noah laugh. “Why did you look sad when she was talking about Henry’s mission?”

“I thought she was talking about it to remind me that I wasn’t going on one, but then I realized that she was only talking about it because she was excited for Henry. I am, too. He’s always wanted to go.”

Ronan realized that, slowly but surely, Noah was making even more changes. This time they weren’t being made because of his circumstances but due to his thoughts. Noah was beginning to understand that not everything was aimed at him in some oblique way.

When an officer showed up, Ronan settled on the other side of Noah’s bed so the man could have the chair and face both of them.

“I have news.”

“Good news, I hope.” Noah was sitting up, both hands twined with Ronan’s hands.

“It is and it isn’t. Keith Kellerman died last night.”

For a split second, Ronan thought he was going to have to pony up an alibi. He’d been at home, looking up everything he could about accident induced epilepsy. No one had seen him.

“Apparently, he finally bullied someone who fought back with deadly force.”

While Ronan and Noah sat in stunned silence, the officer related the tale of how Keith and friends had gone up to Idaho after the assault. They’d been laying low, but then Keith got it into his head to hassle another man in the same fleabag hotel.

“The man was terrified enough to get a gun. When Keith came around, banging on the man’s door in the middle of the night to scare him, the man shot him through the door. Rather than go to the hospital, his friends put him in the motel room, where he slowly bled out.”

Ronan tried to stifle an inappropriate gleeful thrill when he found out Keith had died alone and in pain. He knew it was morally wrong to take pleasure in such a situation, but after what the bastard had done to Noah, he wasn’t surprised by his initial joy.

“Good.” Noah nodded vigorously. “He finally got what he deserved.”

“Noah, that’s not—” Ronan cut himself off from saying anything else. He had no right to tell Noah how to feel. Worse, he felt the exact same way when he knew it was inappropriate. Apparently, no matter how much he tried to practice Zen, he still felt vindicated when the world took out what looked like revenge on a wrongdoer.

“I’m not sorry he’s gone. He was an asshole who bullied people just to give himself something to do. I hope his friends meet a similar end.”

The officer kept a stone face throughout Noah’s outburst, prompting Ronan to wonder if he was filing Noah’s hatred away for future recall if something did happen to them, but then he realized this was probably the standard reaction for someone who’d been assaulted. The more Ronan looked at the officer’s face, the more he realized this was something he’d seen dozens of times.

“Well, they’ll be going to jail soon. Anything can happen once they do.”

“Jail?” Noah asked.

“They were caught not too long after Keith was discovered. They had firearms and drugs in their vehicle.”

“That’s a fun combination,” Ronan said flippantly.

“They claimed they were going fishing.”

“With guns?” Noah asked.

“That’s what they said.” The officer cracked just the barest smile. “But I came to let you know you’re safe. We have all the men who were allegedly involved. Once we match up the DNA, it’ll be a slam-dunk for the DA’s office. Well, it will be once they’re extradited back to Utah.”

“So I’m safe?” Noah seemed overwhelmed by the idea.

The officer nodded, and this time, he let a smile grace his face.

Ronan was pleased when the tension that seemed to have stamped a permanent imprint in Noah’s features finally slipped away. After giving Noah some more information, the officer departed.

“Feel better?” Ronan asked.

“I can’t believe how much.”

“I can. Your whole body seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.”

“I guess you’re upset about what I said.”

“No.” Ronan leaned over and kissed Noah gently. “I get it. He hurt you. It’s not surprising you’d feel that way.”

“It’s not very nice, though.”

“After what you’ve been through, hell, even without all that, I don’t think you have to be nice all the time.”

Noah nodded thoughtfully. “I had a feeling that’s how he’d end up. Violence begets violence.”

“It’s not a surprising end. Sad that his supposed friends left him, though.”

“I guess they weren’t such good friends after all.” Noah looked up at Ronan. “You didn’t walk away.”

“No. Well, I did. But I kept coming back.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Ronan realized Noah’s semiprivate room was actually a private one since he didn’t have a roommate. “So, about that reward.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

Noah couldn’t help but smile. He’d been very diligent about his workouts. He’d made tremendous progress but didn’t want to seem too pushy about his reward. And then he realized Ronan was as excited to give it to him as Noah was to get it.

“Are you sure I’ve earned it?” Noah watched as Ronan rose and closed the door. Every nerve in his body seemed to be sparking to life. When he’d first come into the hospital, he didn’t think he’d ever get aroused again. Even now, he had more areas of pain, but the pleasure was quickly taking over.

“I’m sure.”

“What if we get caught?” Somehow, the idea of that wasn’t as dissuading as it should have been. If anything, the idea of doing something illicit was increasing his arousal.

“We won’t.” Ronan pulled the fabric privacy screen across the ceiling, shielding Noah from view. “If anyone comes in, we’ll hear them.”

“And tell them what?”

“I was just helping you dress.” Ronan pulled the covers down until he exposed Noah’s lower half. Since he’d been moved out of ICU, he was able to wear his own clothes. His mother had brought him a T-shirt and sweats. She’d brought underwear and socks, too, but Noah hadn’t put those on. When Ronan tugged down his sweats, Ronan smiled. “You naughty, naughty boy.”

“I can’t seem to help myself.”

“I wish I had more time, room, and implements to punish you properly.” Ronan kissed his way down Noah’s chest. Rather than tease him by dragging out the moment of intimate contact, Ronan shocked him when he immediately sucked Noah’s cock into his mouth. He went from semi-hard to painfully hard in under three seconds.

Struggling to remain silent and still only pushed Noah’s arousal higher. Ronan wasted no time in his mission. He had Noah on the verge of release in less than sixty seconds. Just as Noah rocked upward, ready to climax, Ronan slid his hand down, rubbing the spot behind Noah’s balls. He came so hard he swore he uttered a cry of relief. As he pumped into Ronan’s mouth, he kept expecting the curtain to be yanked back, exposing their lusty liaison.

When Ronan finally released him, Noah practically passed out. He couldn’t remember ever going from arousal to release so fast.

“Now that was just to give you some relief.”

“That wasn’t the reward?”

“Nope.” Ronan pulled up Noah’s sweats. “I didn’t think it was fair to tease you after so many days without a climax.”

“You took pity on my poor, battered body.”

“I did. But I won’t always.”

Noah grinned.

“I knew you liked being punished.”

“I do. I’d love for you to—”

“Knock, knock,” a voice called.

Ronan hastily pulled up Noah’s covers, then slid back the drape. “Come on in. We just wanted some privacy.”

Noah struggled to keep a guilty expression off his face, but he wasn’t sure he was entirely successful. When the nurse brought in his new roomie, Noah and Ronan flashed each other looks of longing, then greeted the man who was recovering from surgery. Since he wasn’t really all that aware, Noah’s new roommate said hello and promptly fell asleep.

“He’ll probably be out for the rest of the day and night.” After making sure he was settled in his bed, the nurse left.

“Are you hungry?” Ronan asked.

“For more sex.” Noah couldn’t believe those words had just come out of his own mouth.

“Insatiable. I knew there was a reason I liked you.” Ronan looked over at the snoozing man.

“He won’t wake up.”

“So says you.” Ronan grinned. “How about we do something wholesome?”

“Like what?”

“Talk about where you’re going to go when you get out of here.”

Noah’s mind went utterly blank. His apartment was certainly rented out to someone new now. Not that he had any desire to go back there. Too many bad memories surrounded the place. All his stuff was in storage, and his car was at his parents’ house.

“Whoa. That was a look of sheer panic.”

“I had just turned in my notice the day of the assault. I have no job, no apartment, no nothing.”