The Gloves Are Off by Ofelia GrändTrae Naylor leaned forward over the steering wheel and did his best to stretch his back. He’d been driving for over four hours without break, and his body was protesting. He didn’t care. He had to get back to Landown before it was too late.
Had to see Hector, if only for a few seconds.
It was Hector’s birthday, and they always spent it together. Or had until recent, unfortunate events.
They’d been best friends since Hector had moved to town when they’d been nine. He’d been a scrawny kid, and his dark eyes had bounced around every room he entered as if he suspected a monster would jump out of the walls at any time.
Trae had wanted to hug him.
It hadn’t stopped. He still wanted to hug him.
They’d hung out almost every day since the first time Hector en
