An Unlocked Mind (Secrets #2)(92)

“Nothing’s wrong.” Vic leaned over and kissed Rob lightly on the lips. “I’m just contemplating moving you into this room permanently.”

“Thass nice,” Rob murmured, before rolling back into his previous position. It wasn’t long before his breathing changed, and Vic knew he was fast asleep.

Vic chuckled to himself. That’s what I get for sharing vital information in the middle of the night.

He couldn’t wait to see Rob’s face in the morning when he reminded him of the conversation.





Chapter Twenty-Six


“ROB?”

He gave a start as Vic pulled him back into the present, which was fine by Rob. Where he’d been inside his head was a whole lot less pleasant. Rob blinked. “Sorry. I was miles away.”

Vic chuckled. “So I gathered. But you’re missing all this.” He gestured toward the window of the train. Beyond it, the landscape flashed by, field upon field, trees, streams, and lots of green. Another chuckle. “Don’t worry, you’re not missing much. We’re going through Staffordshire. The pretty part, I might add.”

Rob said nothing, but settled back in his seat. They’d managed to get seats with a table, and the remains of coffee and snacks covered it. Mentally he did some calculations. “We’re nearly there.” He shivered.

Vic’s hand was on his arm in an instant. “Hey. What’s going on inside that head of yours?”

“Not much. I was just remembering stuff, that’s all.”

Vic gazed at him keenly. “I’m guessing not good stuff.” He picked up the bag of chocolates and held it out to him. “Have some.”

Rob gave him an amused glance. “Chocolate?”

Vic shrugged. “I’d give you a really good hug….” He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. “But there’s a guy sitting about four rows away who looks like he might find that distasteful.”

Rob didn’t have to look. He knew exactly to whom Vic was referring. When they’d first sat down and Vic had squeezed his hand, Rob had caught the discontented huff from the guy.

“What’s this? Big bad Dom Vic cares what a stranger on a train thinks?”

Vic smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “No, Vic wants an easy life. There are some battles we’ll never win.” He speared Rob with an intense look. “Now, tell me what you were thinking about.”

Rob sighed. “I was just remembering that night when Alex turned up with Leo.” His stomach churned. “I was the reason why they chose to do that. I’d threatened to tell Mum about him kissing Leo. The last thing I expected was for the two of them to show up.”

“What happened?” Vic’s voice was soft.

“Leo told them he and Alex were together.” The memory of Rob’s part in the proceedings made his heart sink. The Rob he’d been before would have let it go there, but not now. He knew he had to be honest with Vic. “Mum accused Leo of being some kind of pervert. A pedophile preying on her son.”

“And how did you feel?”

Rob swallowed. “I was angry. It had seemed like a foolproof way of getting what I wanted, and then it all fell apart.” His chest tightened at the ugly thoughts.

Vic saw way too much, apparently. “And what did you do?”

“I lashed out at Alex, told him our parents were ashamed of having a faggot for a son.” He’d been delighted when Alex’s slumped shoulders and his pleading voice showed that Rob had won. Rob shuddered.

“Okay, potential homophobe be damned. Come here.” Before Rob could say a word, Vic pushed up the arm rest between them and pulled Rob closer, his arm going around Rob’s shoulder. Rob leaned into Vic, grateful for his warmth and strength. “I’ve got you. Keep talking.” Rob caught an indignant snuffle from down the aisle, but Vic merely huffed. “He does that again and I’m going to say something. Back to you.”

“I was just thinking that at the time, I thought I’d won. But at what cost? Things went downhill quickly from there. Alex moved out with Leo, and I was left alone with our parents.”

“I’m guessing that wasn’t a good thing.”

Rob considered the ways things had been. “I know you’re supposed to love your parents, but I was never that close to mine. Dad always seemed aloof, like he was amused by what was going on around him. Most of the time he had his face buried in a newspaper, like he was blocking out the rest of the world.”

“And your mum?”

Rob sighed. “I think I saw her as convenient when I wanted something, but beyond that, our paths didn’t much cross. Only, with Alex out of the house, I began to see what she was really like. She’d make pointed comments about Alex, toss hateful barbs about Leo, and all the while beamed with pride about me. She went on about how I was a son she could be proud of.”

“How did that make you feel?”

“At first I lapped it up. I loved being the center of attention.” He paused as a wave of regret washed over him. Vic tightened his arm around him.

“It wasn’t real,” Rob said at last. “None of it was. My mother is about as fake as one could be.”

And here he was, on his way back to step once more into the lion’s den.