Hostage to Fortune by L.M. Somerton

Author:L.M. Somerton [Somerton, L.M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: LGBTQIA Romance Fiction
Publisher: Totally Entwined Group
Published: 2023-07-26T00:00:00+00:00

* * * *

Milo hadn’t realised how much he had come to rely on Tyr’s solid presence to keep him sane. With him gone, the time passed at a crawl, giving Milo too much opportunity to contemplate the worst parts of his life. There were plenty of those. The pain of losing his parents had dulled over time but survivor’s guilt remained. Sometimes, when Milo’s uncle was at his worst, Milo wished that he’d died with them in the helicopter or that it was him, not Matthew, laying unaware in a care home. He hated himself for those feelings. Every time his uncle had beaten him was sealed in his memory, and it had taken years for him to realise that he didn’t deserve what was happening to him. He didn’t have to be grateful for punishment or do penance for the loss of his family. Self-hate had slowly turned to loathing for his uncle.

The morning after Tyr left, Milo’s uncle put in a brief appearance, curtly informing him that he would be away on business for the next two weeks and to behave himself, or else. Milo suspected that the ‘or else’ would be forthcoming regardless, but kept his mouth shut, proving that his sense of self-preservation was still intact, at least to some extent. Knowing that his uncle was away made him less anxious. He concentrated on his work and finished his thesis. Even after several rounds of edits he hesitated to press the send key. When he did, it felt strange, like a chapter closing. The work had given him a purpose, something to aim for, and now it was done, uncertainty filled him.

Three days turned into four, and Milo found himself jumping every time the key turned in his door. Twice a day, Quentin Grubb delivered a meal on a tray. There was never much on it—soggy cereal in the morning, soup or a dry sandwich in the evening. Though Grubb’s nasty grin was enough to affect anyone’s appetite, Milo ate every scrap. Hunger gnawed at his insides, and he developed cravings for odd things he wouldn’t normally eat like pickled eggs, rice pudding with jam and sickly sweet candy floss. Tyr’s bedroom door was locked so Milo couldn’t even sneak in there to make hot drinks. Caffeine deprivation gave him a nagging headache, contributing to his ever-darkening mood.

It was eight in the evening before he caught the magical noise of Tyr’s door opening down the corridor. He held his breath, hoping that it wasn’t Grubb poking around, but seconds later the dividing door in the bathroom was unlocked and Tyr strolled through. Milo only had time to take in the fact that he looked tired before Tyr gathered him into a tight embrace. The strength of his hold was all it took for the tension and worry of the last few days to dissipate. The strength of will that had kept Milo going disappeared. A sob escaped him, and he collapsed bonelessly against Tyr’s body.

“Hush now, it’s okay.

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