A Strong Hand

without words.
    Nick gulped a few times and laughed shakily. "I was lying there looking up, wondering if I was going to be staring at ceilings for the rest of my life."
    "What happened?"
    "I was riding my motorcycle; too fast, the police said."
    Nick shrugged. "They're probably right. I always liked speed.
    I went down on a curve. I don't remember why. Smashed the bike up as well as my hip."
    Damian sucked in a breath. "I'm sure your mother was more concerned about you."
    "Yeah, she and my dad. Internal bleeding, broken hip that had to be put back together; two plates and sixteen screws.
    Months of physical therapy to get me back on my feet." Nick 230

    A Strong Hand
    by Catt Ford
    shook his head. "My sister was pretty pissed at me too, but she was always there for my sessions."
    "Sounds like you have a nice family," Damian offered tentatively.
    "That was the worst part," Nick said. "I never meant to make them worry about me."
    Intuitively guessing what the young man left out—the fear that he'd end up in a wheelchair, the pain he'd endured through his recovery, the regret for hurting his parents and sister through his own carelessness—Damian turned the subject.
    "And the tattoo?"
    Nick looked down at the bird, with its wings raised in flight, each feather tipped in flame. "When I knew I was going to walk again—"
    "A phoenix," Damian said softly.
    "That's me. Crash and burn, and then rising up from the ashes," Nick said, his tone mocking.
    "It takes courage to do that, Nicky. I think it was a good way to commemorate winning what must have been a very difficult challenge."
    "Thanks." Nick looked gratified, as if he had never thought he'd done much worthy of admiration.
    "So you liked motorbikes."
    "And surfing, skydiving, dirt biking, snowboarding," Nick said regretfully.
    "Skateboarding?"
    "I used to shred, man."
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    "You're an adrenaline junkie. How come you don't do any of that anymore?"
    "I promised my parents I wouldn't worry them like that again." Nick sighed. "No more motorcycle."
    Damian chuckled.
    "It's not funny. I miss doing all those things. I always managed some kind of part-time job to pay for them."
    "I wasn't laughing at you," Damian explained. "I was just thinking if you hadn't made that promise, you might never have found your way into my clutches."
    "What do you mean?" Nick asked, although he was beginning to feel he might have a clue.
    "Nothing gets the adrenaline rushing like this, does it?"
    Nick stared at him, his mind racing.
    Damian stared back, wondering if he was nothing more than a substitute for high-octane sports. Perhaps when the novelty began to wear off, Nick would be gone, looking for new thrills somewhere else. He sighed and looked away, wondering if the novelty of getting to know this fascinating, complicated young man would wear off for him too.
    "I never thought of it that way."
    Damian began to laugh.
    "What's so funny?"
    "I was just thinking about what your parents would say if you told them about the new hobby you've found to keep yourself occupied." Damian grinned at the stricken look on Nick's face.
    "Yeah, I'm sure they'd be thrilled." Nick's horrified expression faded as he laughed, gleefully adding, "They'd 232

    A Strong Hand
    by Catt Ford
    probably want to meet you, make sure you played safe.
    Wouldn't you if you had a kid?"
    "My son is a little young for this yet, but yeah, I would want to be sure he had good enough self-esteem to keep himself safe. I wouldn't feel like I'd done my job if Wyatt stumbled into this and got hurt," Damian said seriously.
    "You have a kid?" Nick sounded amazed and drew away a bit. "I thought you were gay."
    "I am, but I didn't always know it," Damian said. "My ex and I married young. I was seventeen, she was eighteen. I thought I'd found the perfect woman. She was a tomboy and an athlete, lanky and tall. Kind of boyish." He shook his head regretfully. "She was the one who figured out I was gay, and broke the news to me."
    "That must have been ... devastating," Nick said tentatively.
    "Especially since we'd just had our son. She thought she couldn't get pregnant because of all her running, but surprise." Damian looked out the window and took a deep breath. "The hardest thing was not being able to live in the same house with my son, watching him grow and change every day."
    His voice soft with sympathy, Nick asked, "How do you deal?"
    "You just do." Damian seemed to realize his voice was harsh and softened