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Uncapping the bottle, Hayes took a few small sips before capping it and setting it down on the floor next to him, fearing that anything he put in would come right back out again. “You, uh…I mean, you ever, like, done that? Before?”
“Done what?”
“You know, with…a guy. Like, what we…fuck, man. Don’t make me say it.”
“Oh. Right. So, yes and no. Yeah, I’ve been with a few guys, but it wasn’t, uh, consensual. Let’s just…leave it at that.”
Hayes watched his friend’s face drop and noticed him begin to fidget with his hands again. He wanted to know more, wanted to know what had happened to him, who’d hurt him and why, and he wanted to know whose ass he needed to kick.
But, sensing TK’s unease, he left it alone.
Hayes was quickly learning that there were two common problems shared by many of the guys in this league: abuse and addiction.
And it didn’t seem this league gave so much as half a shit about actually helping any of them fight either.
This Is Rock Bottom (13)
Thanksgiving Day
“Ryan fucking Baylor!”
Jake opened the front door and pulled him in for a quick hug before helping him get a couple of his bags into the house. He’d stayed the night at the airport hotel since he’d gotten in so late and had Ubered to their house instead of asking them to come get him, even though they’d offered.
It was already enough that they were allowing him to stay there until he got a place lined up, and based on everything that’d happened in the past, he wanted to tread as lightly as possible. Mar had assured him that was nonsense, that he and Ty were family, but he felt it better to err on the side of caution.
“Mar? Your super-hot, gay ex-boyfriend’s here!” Jake yelled up the stairs, earning a smirk from Ryan. Just then, they heard a series of thumps, followed by Amara coming around the corner and waddling down the stairs toward them. “Damn. Haven’t seen her move that fast since before I knocked her up.”
“Ry!” she yelled, steadying herself against the handrail as she made her way down, Ryan moving to meet her halfway. He extended his arms, reluctant to hug her because she looked like if you touched her the wrong way, she’d explode. “Yes, I’m a fucking bloated wildebeest. Come here!”
Right on cue, both of them began crying, as they held onto each other for the first time in over five months. “Mar,” he whispered into her ear, as he nuzzled his face against her neck. “I can’t get over your tits. You actually have tits.”
She laughed, wiping her face and swatting his shoulder. “Ha ha. Not like you have any use for them anymore.”
“Nah, gay dudes love tits. It’s this whole thing, apparently.”
“Can we just…maybe not, right now?” Jake shot them a look of disgust, making his way up the stairs with Ryan’s bags and shoving one into his arms as he passed by him.
“Sorry.”
“Alright, so your room?” She turned and made her way slowly back up the stairs. “You gotta sack out in my office. We don’t have a spare with the baby on the way now, but the little couch converts to a bed and it’s really comfortable.”
“Mar, I don’t wanna take over your space. Seriously, I can just stay at a hotel…”
“It’s fine, really. I’ll kick you out during the day when I need to work if you’re home. No big deal.”
She opened the door to her office and he walked in, noticing that the bed had already been made up for him.
Because of course it had been.
“Feel free to use the closet. The left side’s a mess, but I freed up some space on the right side for you to put your things.” She paused, wincing as she ran a hand over her huge stomach, alarming him.
“What’s…what’s the matter?”
“Kid’s on the move, man. He never stops. Do you…do you wanna?” she asked, pointing to her belly.
“Uh…I mean, yeah.” His eyes lit up as she grabbed his wrist, pulling his hand over and moving it around before pressing it down firmly. “Right there. Feel it? That’s his foot.”
A swift movement startled him and he pulled his hand back.
