CHAPTER 02

Nico’s POV

Was he mistaken?

No. Nico knew exactly what he had seen.

He could recognize his son’s best friend anywhere.

Asher Vale had been standing in the hallway while Nico fucked the guy he’d paid for, and he was almost certain the boy had been stroking his own cock.

Those arctic-blue eyes had been unmistakable even in the dark. Nico could picture the flush that must have painted Asher’s cheeks brighter than ever.

Had he come? Had he liked watching Nico rail that stranger? Or had it disgusted him?

The questions flooded Nico’s mind as he drove into the guy’s mouth one last time and emptied himself down his throat.

The man was pretty enough—nothing special. Just another ass to pound, another mouth to use.

“Get dressed,” Nico said flatly. “The door’s behind you.”

The guy blinked up at him with dazed eyes, his lips swollen and glossy with cum. “That’s… that’s it?”

Nico didn’t know what the hell he’d been expecting. Cuddles?

“That’s it.”

He watched the man fumble into his jeans, nearly tripping over his own sneakers in his rush to leave. The door clicked shut behind him.

The house fell silent again.

Silent except for the blood roaring in Nico’s ears.

Asher.

Jesus fucking Christ.

Nico dragged a hand over his face, scraping his palm across the stubble he hadn’t bothered to shave. He still couldn’t fully process the obscene thing that had just happened.

He stepped toward the doorway and sighed at the evidence staring him in the face: the unmistakable trace of cum Asher had accidentally spilled on the hardwood floor.

His son’s best friend had jerked off to him.

God, how much more fucked up could this get?

Nico tugged his pants on and headed upstairs, mind locked on that blue-eyed boy.

Well… man.

Asher had to be about twenty-two now. And by God, his face was so goddamn beautiful it was almost painful to look at directly. For years Nico had trained himself to see him only through a fatherly lens—nothing more.

Since realizing he was bisexual, he’d made a point of never getting involved with anyone close to his life. Hence the hired prostitutes.

And Asher was the very last person Nico wanted—or could—get tangled up with. He was far too young.

Fuck, the kid hadn’t even known Nico was bi.

How had Asher managed it? Standing there, watching him fuck a man like an animal, and having the nerve to stroke himself to the sight.

Had he imagined it was him bent over the bench while he jerked himself raw?

Nico raked both hands through his hair and pulled until his scalp stung. His cock gave an interested twitch, already making plans he refused to entertain.

Get it together, Rossi.

The house was dark except for the low glow above the stove. Luca lay sprawled across the couch, one shoe still dangling off his foot, his mouth open as he snored. The stench of booze rolled off him in waves.

Nico sighed. They were going to have a long talk about that tomorrow.

But right now, there were more pressing matters.

Asher was nowhere in sight.

For one cowardly second, Nico hoped the boy had bolted—called an Uber and disappeared so they could both pretend this had been a fever dream.

Then he heard the faint sound of running water from the guest bathroom and exhaled.

He walked over and knocked once. The water shut off instantly.

“It’s me,” Nico said, voice low. “Open the door, Asher.”

Silence stretched for a beat. Then the lock clicked.

Asher pulled the door open just wide enough for Nico to see him. He was still wearing his jeans and the stained white T-shirt, his hair was a disaster, lips bitten raw.

His eyes were enormous, pupils blown wide, and his cheeks were flushed a deep, guilty red—just as Nico had expected.

He looked so damn guilty Nico didn’t even know where to start.

“You saw me downstairs.”

The color drained from Asher’s face so fast Nico half-expected him to faint.

“I—” His voice cracked. “Nico, I wasn’t—I didn’t mean—”

“Stop.” Nico kept his tone calm, careful not to scare him. This was his son’s best friend, for fuck’s sake. “Look at me.”

Asher did. Barely.

“You’re going to listen carefully,” Nico continued. “What happened tonight stays down there. You understand me? It never happened. You will never talk about it. Especially not to my son.”

Asher’s throat worked. “I—okay.”

“You’re Luca’s best friend, I get that, but I really don’t want him to know about this, so you can’t say anything. Do you understand?”

He nodded jerkily, his blue eyes glassy.

Nico had always wondered how someone—how a guy—could have such gorgeous blue eyes. They were… beautiful.

He shook the thought away. Fuck, he needed to leave.

He was already turning, jaw clenched, when Asher’s voice stopped him.

“Why don’t you just tell Luca that you’re into men?”

Nico froze mid-step.

Why hadn’t he told Luca?

At first, he hadn’t intended to hide it. He wasn’t ashamed. Sarah—Luca’s mother—had known he was gay. She’d been the only woman he’d ever slept with.

The night Luca was conceived had been nothing more than drunken, horny impulse. He didn’t regret having his son, though.

When Sarah died in childbirth, her parents had fought for custody. Nico had fought back in court and won.

If they’d known he was gay, they would have weaponized it—painted him as some kind of sexual predator who might molest his own child.

“Did you even hear me?” Asher murmured.

Nico snapped out of the memory, realizing he’d been staring into the distance, lost.

“Luca’s your son,” Asher said softly. “He loves you. You can just tell him.”

Nico laughed humorlessly.

“This isn’t about Luca finding out I suck cock on the weekends.” He stepped back into the bathroom doorway and met those deep blue eyes again. “You think I give a single fuck what anyone thinks of who I fuck?”

Asher’s breath stuttered.

“Then why hide it?” he whispered.