“No, no, not like that, quit thinking—” Justin dove in to kiss him. To throw arms around him. “No. I’d say it anywhere. You can shout it from rooftops if you want. I want everyone to know. I love you.”
“Then what—”
“You did it…” A deep breath. A release. “You did it without asking me. Whether I’d want that. Telling the world.”
The bottom fell out of that world. No solid ground. He had. He hadn’t thought. “Oh gods—Justin, I didn’t mean—I’m sorry—” The apology failed, faltered, died: inadequate.
He knew about David and control. He knew about Justin learning to choose for himself again. He knew.
What he’d done might not have mattered to someone else. For Justin it did. It mattered.
He’d thought before that he’d known heartbreak. He’d been wrong. He couldn’t even breathe. Crushed and str
