Heart-Bound ✅

Chapter Eighteen 🔥

"Here." Tyler carefully pressed the ice pack over Malcolm's eye. He had put the ice pack Malcolm brought with him into the freezer because it had turned soft, but luckily he had another pack in the freezer he could replace it with. "I have some arnica you can use too. Want some?"

"...Maybe tomorrow," Malcolm mumbled. "The ice is fine."

"What should we do with the ice pack you got? Should I return it to the club tomorrow?"

"Fuck it. They can buy another one out of pocket for the trouble they caused me."

Tyler swallowed thickly. He sat crossed-legged beside Malcolm, while the latter was lying in the center of his bed. Malcolm was bare-chested but he was still wearing his jeans. "I'd ask if you're okay, but..." he let his voice trail off.

Malcolm laughed softly and opened his good eye to look at him. "I appreciate it. And I really appreciate that you were coming to surprise me."

Tyler shrugged. "I wanted to see you. I'm just sorry that you lost your job."

"It's no big deal, I'll manage. I've been stripping for a couple years now anyway. I was overdue for a change."

"Was that guy really your brother?" Tyler asked, fidgeting his fingers.

Malcolm closed his eye again. "Yeah. My older brother, Santee. My parent's golden child."

Golden child? Tyler felt a squirm of discomfort in his stomach. "How old is he?"

Malcolm smiled. "Why? Are you interested in him?"

"God no," Tyler said, shuddering. "I don't sleep with partner's siblings. Even if they're exes."

"Good, because he's straight," Malcolm said. He opened his eye again and looked at Tyler. "You said "partner"."

Tyler stiffened, and a hard thump quickly formed in his throat. He swallowed again before he spoke. "I know."

"And you told my brother we were dating."

"I know."

"So what's the change, Tyler?" Malcolm asked him. "You said you didn't want to date me—"

"I know what I said," Tyler said harshly. He took a moment to compose himself. "I know what I said," he said more calmly. "Just..." he rubbed at his nape and looked down. "I wasn't looking for a relationship. I...I didn't need something that felt like a rebound. And I didn't want to risk opening myself up to someone so completely again, only to have my heart broken again."

"I know your breakup was hard," Malcolm said quietly. "I mean I only met your ex once, but since he sought you out and paraded his new boyfriend in front of you, I knew it hadn't been easy. Remember—my ex cheated on me, too."

"Yeah," Tyler said. He shook his head and looked away. "This just—feels too new. It's moving too fast. My sister, she—she fell in love with a guy after getting close to him over the course of a month. I-It didn't feel—right to fall in love. So quickly, e-especially after my breakup. And with someone I don't really know."

Silence stretched between them for a long moment. Malcolm suddenly grabbed his hand and Tyler looked at him. The other man looked shocked. "Tyler," Malcolm said. "You just admitted that you love me."

Tyler felt the blood rush to his head when he realized what he had said. He abruptly felt faint, and not knowing what else to do he stretched out beside Malcolm in bed. Lying on his back and looking at the ceiling. He exhaled sharply and closed his eyes. After a moment he spoke again. "Yeah."

"'Yeah'?" Malcolm echoed. His tone sounded a little incredulous. "That's your declaration of love?"

Tyler looked at him then. "What do you want me to say?"