Chapter 21

Desperate as he was to get to Rowan, Gabriel checked his speed a couple of times. It wouldn't help either of them if he got pulled over. He slammed his fist on the steering wheel as the lights turned red. What the fuck had happened? How had the vicious bitch known Rowan was there? At least his friend had called him. But any progress they'd made with Rowan's confidence over the last couple of weeks had probably just plummeted. He'd get Rowan home and settled, then he was going to report Janice Wilson for violating the restraining order. Or better still, inform Philip. He was obviously trying to help his son.

He pulled up behind Rowan's car outside a well-kept family home. It wasn't too far from Janice's place, but Rowan wouldn't drive past hers to get here, so that didn't explain how she knew. He got out and walked past both Rowan's and three other cars in the wide driveway and the door opened as he stepped onto the porch. An older man introduced himself with a handshake as John Cartwright. Eric, their son, was Rowan's college friend. He introduced himself and stepped inside. Patricia Cartwright, Rowan's mom, was full of apologies. Apparently Janice Wilson had called round yesterday full of a sob story about Rowan getting involved with a much older man that was after his money.

Gabriel sighed and tried to remain polite. "Well, ma'am, as you can see, I am older, but I assure you I am gainfully employed and certainly don't need anyone else to pay my mortgage." Patricia, as she pressed him to call her, flushed, apologized again and explained how much help Rowan had been to Eric when he had struggled last year.

Gabriel didn't want to be rude, but every instinct he had was screaming at him to see Rowan. "Is Rowan upstairs?" But he heard footsteps and saw three young men come down the stairs. He only had eyes for the one in the middle, though. He half expected Rowan to have shut down, but a quite frankly adorable flush stained his cheeks, and he sent Gabriel an almost bewildered look.

He didn't seem frozen in fear, which was what Gabriel had dreaded. Gabriel extended his hand, uncaring what anyone thought, and Rowan rushed to his side. Killian and Eric introduced themselves and Gabriel thanked them for supporting Rowan and told them they were welcome in their home any time. He took leave of Mr. and Mrs. Cartwright and swept Rowan away, promising Rowan's car would be collected tomorrow.

Gabriel very carefully settled Rowan into the seat of his car, even fastening the seatbelt. "Do you have Baby Bear?"

Rowan pulled out the little bear from his pocket and Gabriel nodded in satisfaction before closing the door and jogging around to the other side.

"I want to talk about everything," Gabriel said, "but let's leave discussing your mother until we're in bed and I'm holding you, huh?"

Rowan shot him a startled look, but Gabriel couldn't listen to the story and drive at the same time. Whoever said Doms were great multitaskers was a liar. "Tell me about Eric and Killian." That seemed safe.

"I've known Eric since elementary school. I went to a different middle school, but we reconnected in college. His dad works for the mayor and his mom is a professor at UNC."

"He seems nice. And Killian?"

Gabriel glanced over at the silence, and even just from the streetlights as they zipped past, he could see Rowan's blush. He smiled. "Baby, you won't upset me by telling me about old boyfriends. So long as I'm your only current one, it's no problem."

"No," Rowan said in a panicked voice. "It was never…we were never—"

"Then why the blush?" Gabriel asked gently. "Not that don't I love seeing that color on your face, but I would rather put it there myself."

He didn't look, but he could imagine Rowan's blush darkened even more. Rowan told him about the phone numbers and what Killian had said. Gabriel chuckled. "We can invite him to the next open night."

"We can?" Rowan said in surprise.

"Of course. I owe him a great debt. Because Killian called me, I could get to you quickly." Gabriel reached his hand over and found Rowan's. "That's important to me, baby boy."

Rowan linked their fingers and the last ten minutes of the journey were comfortably spent discussing how Rowan had managed to help them with their studies. Gabriel had no intention of letting their biggest problem coast though. Tempting as it was to let Rowan remain relaxed, he didn't want it hanging over them.

As soon as they got inside, Gabriel drew Rowan into his arms and sat down on the sofa with Rowan cuddled into him. "Eric's mom told me she had called Janice."

"I know," Rowan murmured, burrowing close. "Eric was so upset with her, but it wasn't his mom's fault."

Gabriel dropped a kiss on his head. "You weren't surprised she did?"

Rowan hesitated. "I didn't think about it at the time."

"Repetitive behavior?" Gabriel guessed.

"It was always the same," Rowan admitted. "I'd mention a new friend or a school club, then something would happen to stop me from going or seeing them." He paused. "I didn't realize it for a long time, but then it just seemed easier not to cause a fight. I suppose that makes me weak."

"Weak?"Gabriel all but burst out, then reined himself in. "Baby boy, you are one of the strongest people I have ever met." Rowan scoffed. "Darling, I know this is hard to hear, but even if she isn't guilty of what the detectives suspect, Janice has manipulated you for years." He refused to use the term mom or mother. She was neither.

Rowan stayed for a long time in Gabriel's arms.

They didn't bother preparing dinner, as it was getting late. Gabriel ordered Chinese takeout and insisted they use chopsticks, which was quite funny when it turned out Rowan was better with them than he was.

Rowan grew quieter after they'd cleared up and Gabriel suggested he get into his PJs and they could watch a show if he wanted. Gabriel wanted to check his sore patches and add the cream, but he needed…no. This was fine, but he wanted more than fine. "Rowan, what's your safeword?"

Rowan's eyes widened at the question. "Red, Daddy."

Gabriel ran a finger down Rowan's cheek and noted the shiver. "Please go run the shower." He was a Dom, and it was about time he started acting like one. He'd already acknowledged that for this relationship to work he had to fulfill his own needs as well, or he would be doing them both a disservice.

Rowan jumped up and did as he was told. This time Gabriel didn't join him immediately, but prepped the bed with towels, special aloe shaving cream, and his trimmers. Rowan was washing himself when Gabriel joined him, and he caught the hurried intake of breath as Gabriel stepped inside. "I need washing, baby boy," Gabriel said, and stood still while Rowan soaped him up. Rowan hesitated before touching Gabriel's groin area, but Gabriel was all in. He had to know. He was hard from Rowan's hands on the rest of him, and no one could have missed Rowan's erection.

Perfect.

"Do whatever you think Daddy would like," he said. And Rowan almost lit up at the instruction. He was a true submissive and enjoyed giving. He also didn't get worried if he was given options. Many submissives would be anxious with a choice, and Gabriel guessed that Rowan might fall into that category if it didn't involve his daddy, but he'd narrowed the choices to be specific enough to him.

Gabriel simply took Rowan's chin in his fingers and brought his mouth down, swallowing the sigh of pleasure from Rowan's lips. Rowan carefully soaped his hands, then starting on Gabriel's chest, very thoroughly washed every inch of his skin. Very thoroughly. Gabriel groaned in pleasure more than once, and emboldened, Rowan instructed him to turn around so he could wash his back.

With the height difference, it was impossible to line their cocks up, but groaning, he moved Rowan so his back was against Gabriel's chest, pressed his cock against the top of Rowan's ass crack for friction, and reached around to touch him. If their difference in height was anything more than the five or so inches Gabriel guessed at, this wouldn't work. Rowan's head fell back against Gabriel's chest with a cry, and he felt his legs wobble. Gabriel extended his other arm around his boy to press him back into him. "Lean on me, baby boy, I've got you."

Rowan's small cries were beautiful. "That's it, baby," Gabriel managed to croak out, struggling not to get lost in the pleasure himself. "I love the noises you make when I touch you. Let Daddy hear your pleasure." More confident, Rowan grew louder, until with a last cry his cock pulsed, and Gabriel caught Rowan's release in his hand because it was precious, just managing to hold on long enough to let his own orgasm barrel through him. They both panted while Gabriel concentrated on making sure his knees were locked because he was pretty sure Rowan couldn't stand unaided right at that moment.

Pleasure and bone-deep satisfaction settled in him, and he placed an affectionate kiss on the top of Rowan's head, then turned him gently, rinsing them both. "Are you steady?" Rowan looked adorable, but Gabriel wasn't sure he was firing on all cylinders just yet.

"Yes Daddy." His smile was sloppy and his eyes shone. Gabriel stepped out and quickly dried himself, then turned the water off and, with a large clean towel, wrapped his baby boy up and steadied him as he stepped out of the shower. He dried Rowan and led him to the bedroom. Rowan's eyes widened at the towel. "More cream, Daddy?"

"Not just, baby boy. I have a trimmer and guard to tidy things up a little so I can use the cream without it drying and pulling you." He eased Rowan down and, despite his boy's furious blushes, got him to lie with his knees bent so he could dry the area thoroughly before using the trimmer. Gabriel looked up and saw how wide Rowan's eyes were and grinned.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to use a razor." Although, thinking about that and the trust he would need was enough to make his cock get interested all over again. "I have some special shaving cream and we're going to use a trimmer on setting three." Rowan didn't reply. Gabriel paused. "I would never hurt you."

Rowan's expression cleared, and he smiled. "I know, Daddy." Gabriel's heart squeezed and Rowan got another kiss as a reward. Gabriel had never interfered with Rowan shaving in the morning and noticed that unlike him, Rowan didn't have to shave every day, but now? Now that was going to be his job as well.

He very carefully trimmed all Rowan's pubic hair but left the smattering on his balls and taint for another day. Then he gently applied the cream to the insides of his thighs. He dropped a kiss to the newly trimmed area and looked up with a smile, but then he stilled and his heart slid somewhere to his boots and skittered away. "Baby?" he watched as silent tears tracked down both Rowan's cheeks. He'd been concentrating on his task so much he hadn't noticed. He nearly threw everything to the other side of the bed and gathered Rowan up in his arms. "Baby, my darling boy, what did I do? Did I hurt you?" He should be whipped, pushing Rowan into intimacy he wasn't ready for. He should—

"No Daddy, no," Rowan's whisper was quiet but clear. Gabriel drew back so he could see him.

"But I made you cry," he said, trying to speak around the tightness in his throat.

Rowan seemed to search his face for a moment, then shook his head. "Because you make me happy."

"I—" But Gabe shut up. It was Rowan's turn to speak.

"Growing up, I was always in trouble. I spent most of my time being pulled apart by two different people. Dad wanted me to kick a ball with him, or even just watch an action movie, but Mother would scream at him and say he was too rough, or I was too sensitive."

He took a breath. "Then when I got cancer, it seemed like she was validated, as if the universe were joining her in screaming I told you so. And it was like Dad just gave up, and she got her own way." Rowan stayed silent for a moment, as if trying to work something out in his head. "Obviously I'm not a psychiatrist or a therapist but at a guess I would say…" Rowan swallowed. "I don't want to use the word enjoy, but she went from being ordinary to suddenly this martyr almost. She gave up working immediately. I saw her telling friends, telling my school, and with adult eyes I can see she enjoyed the attention, the spotlight.

"Two years after they divorced, Dad hit it big with his phone app and she was furious. Not that he ever left her wanting for anything, but she'd chosen the house rather than monthly alimony because she didn't think he would ever make it, and I'm pretty sure that killed her because she had no legal standing. Not when he was so generous with me." He frowned. "Although now I think about it, I'm sure Father gave her money as well."

Gabriel held Rowan and rubbed his back while he talked and wondered if he'd ever told this to anyone. He doubted it because it sounded like a revelation. As if Rowan was realizing it for the first time.

"I just got used to keeping the peace when they were fighting constantly. It seemed easier." Rowan looked at Gabriel. "I was crying because no one"s ever done that." He flushed. "Not that specifically. Of course, I don't mean that. I mean no one's ever cared about my comfort. Dad tried, but he was battling both of us because I would always side with her to make things easier."

Gabriel rewarded Rowan with a gentle kiss, which could have turned into something else, but Gabriel didn't think Rowan had finished talking.

"It's just." Rowan bit his lip. "I needed you to know that was why I was crying. Because you made me feel important. Because you see me."

Gabriel rested his forehead on Rowan's. "You make me feel like the luckiest man alive. You're mine. Mine to protect. Mine to care for. Mine to push if I think you're hiding." He smiled. "Mine to keep," he whispered and lowered his lips and took Rowan's.

Mine to love.