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.”Jameson opened one eye and lifted his head up so he could see Luuk.He sat at an aged wooden desk, the laptop open in front of him.“Did you hear from your brother?” Jameson asked, excitement and hope springing him up off the bed.“What did he—”“It opened to your e-mail.I guess you didn’t log out.”Jameson’s excitement and hope turned to something else entirely, something shrouded in fear and darkness.“W-why are you telling me?”Luuk stood and came to him, putting an arm around Jameson’s shoulder, the other around his waist.“Because, Jamie, love, there’s a reply from your friend Adam, and I think you should read it.”Chapter TwentyJameson seriously thought he was having a heart attack, his chest squeezed so painfully tight.His kneecaps seemed to have melted and he swayed.“Shit!” Luuk jumped up and grabbed him, catching him around the waist andshoulders.“Shit, honey, you scared the piss out of me!” Luuk rubbed at his chest, the touch calming Jameson’s pounding heart somewhat.“I’m sorry.I’m such a wuss,” Jameson muttered, embarrassed by his almost panicked state.Luuk kept up that soothing caress as he kissed Jameson’s brow.“Why are you afraid, Jamie?”Why was he afraid? Afraid? More like terrified.Jameson sniffed, unaware until then that tears had begun to stream down his cheeks.“Luuk, I—I haven’t contacted Adam in over three years! He’s going to be angry, and hurt, and what can I tell him? What? ‘Sorry, didn’t mean to have to run for our lives and not stay in touch.There are these evil shifters out to get us…’” Jameson hiccupped and scowled.“Yeah, I can’t say any of that in an email, and even so—”“And even so, as close as you and Adam were…” Luuk stopped and hissed.“‘Were’.You said it.”Luuk stopped stroking his chest and clamped his hand firmly around Jameson’s chin,making him look into Luuk’s eyes.“You two aren’t as close now, that is a truth I wish I could undo, but I will not lie to you.The friendship you shared—I saw it, Jamie.I felt the bond between you.Had I not been assured of our mate-bond, I would have been very jealous, and very unkind to Adam.I knew he loved you, and you, him.That kind of love doesn’t juststop.Adam, I can promise you, has known something went wrong those three years ago.Heknows, even if he has to get past anger to realise it, that you would never have just blown him off.So stop letting fear keep you from finally, finally, rebuilding the friendship you’ve ached for.”Jameson couldn’t stop crying, although he did so silently.He hurt inside, almost morethan he ever had.Sometimes, when the depression tore into him, he felt lower, less, worse,than should be possible.But it wasn’t that dark evil tearing at him now.Now it was his own fear and shortcomings clawing him inside.“Jamie, read it.I will be with you, always.”Jameson nodded slightly and let Luuk lead him over to the laptop.Luuk sat and pulledhim down onto his lap.The screensaver had popped up and Jameson’s finger shook as hereached for the keyboard.He tapped the spacebar and the picture of two howling wolvesdissipated, leaving the stark inbox with only one email in it—and it was unopened.Jameson looked at Luuk.“You didn’t read it? You said I needed to read it!”Luuk nodded.“You do.One, I would never read your email without you asking me to.Two, you need to read it.You need to see what Adam has to say.I will be right here withyou, loving you.”Jameson turned back to the laptop and opened the email before he could make anymore of a scene about it.He was damned glad Luuk loved him so much that Jameson couldlet go and not worry about whether he had to be strong or not.Sometimes, he didn’t, andcouldn’t, and Luuk never berated him for it.Jameson generally did a good job of thathimself.Tears sprang up anew and Jameson blinked then swiped at his eyes.A few seconds ofthat, and he was able to make out the reply from Adam—Jameson, my friend, my brother—You can’t know what a shock it was, to find your email waiting for me when I got home.The best, best kind of shock, but, I cried for ten minutes before Todd, my best half, calmed me down enough so that I could actually read what you wrote.All that mattered was that you did it, that you were able to contact me.Jameson, I have missed you, every day.Every.Day.And we missed you when we were in Amsterdam looking for you.Some things happened that made it necessary for Todd and I to return to the States earlier than we had planned.Maarten was an entertaining host, although I could gladly have strangled him more than once.Sorry, Luuk, but your brother can be quite a pest.I have not given up on finding you.I know, we know, and there are others in positions of much higher authority who are also aware of what has happened.A new and very good friend of ours,Marcus C., has sent several of his men to assist you when they find you.Know that there are many of us who are intent on seeing you and Luuk safe and happy and back where you both belong.I have never given up on you, Jameson.Don’t give up on yourself.You and I, and our men, our mates, will meet, soon.There’s so much I want to tell you, share with you, ask you, but the time will come soon enough for us to chase the moon and chat.Love,Adam & ToddPS Pics attached.Luuk began muttering, reading the message aloud, his voice low and tight.Jamesonread the message again too, his pulse skittering at parts of it [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]