Love Means_. Freedom - Andrew Grey

slid along his skin, and he bucked back again and again trying somehow to get the other man off him, but he was too big and heavy.
    Then he felt something try to push into him. The pain was unlike anything he'd ever felt, and his head filled with screams. The pressure backed away, and Stone braced for the worst and felt a hot wetness on his skin, with his uncle breathing heavily in his ear.
    The weight slipped off him, and all Stone wanted to do was disappear off the face of the earth. He wanted to die. "I was only giving you what you wanted." He heard footsteps on the floor, then laughter, as if he was reading Stone's thoughts. "Not as though anyone will believe you anyway." Then a door closed, and Stone lay breathing heavily as the wetness ran down his legs.
    Stone lay on the sofa, making sure the house was quiet. He grabbed one of the blankets and did his best to clean himself up. Sliding his clothes on, he continued listening, but the house was still.

    "I sat awake for the rest of the night, but only after I found something to use as a weapon, and as soon as it started getting light, I grabbed my stuff and ran out of the house, taking the money I knew he hid in a jar in the kitchen." Stone felt wrung out, but he couldn't stop now. He had to finish this. "What did you do? Where did you go?" Preston swallowed hard, and Stone looked at his face, expecting to see pity, but couldn't read anything at all.
    "I walked the entire day and happened upon a farm south of town that was looking for people to help cut Christmas trees." Stone's glance moved to the decorated tree in the corner of the room, and he couldn't stop the shiver. He'd never look at a Christmas tree the same way again. "When the trees were cut, they found work for me as long as they could." Stone inhaled and sighed. "I started moving south, hitching rides where I could, walking a lot. I didn't care where I went as long as it was towards south and hopefully warmer."
    Stone could feel Preston's gaze on his, eyes locked onto his, expression betraying nothing, and Stone felt his nerves fall away and the tears that had threatened dry up. He'd cried enough already and he wasn't going to do it again--not in front of Preston if he could help it. "I got a few rides, but many of the guys who picked me up demanded payment." Stone swallowed and found he couldn't hold Preston's gaze any more.
    "What kind of payment...?" Preston's eyes got wide.
    "Yeah, that kind of payment." Stone stared at his legs. "I felt like such worthless shit, I did it a few times just to stay warm and keep moving. The last time, I just couldn't do it, and the driver threw me out just down the road. I nearly froze to death trying to find shelter, and then I saw the lights from the farm." Stone got up and began walking away, standing in the doorway to the kitchen. "See why I knew you wouldn't want to be kissing me? I'm a guy who sucked cock to get rides. Damaged goods." Stone looked anywhere but at Preston. "I'm sure someone can get you home." It was better for things to end now before he got really hurt. Stone began walking away.
    "Do you see me as damaged?" Preston asked softly, and Stone stopped in his tracks.
"No." He didn't turn around.
"I used to. I still do in some ways." Preston's voice remained level and soft.
    "You're not damaged. You'll walk again and be as good as new. As perfect and handsome as you ever were." Stone's voice cracked, and he covered it with a cough. "I'll always be a whore who sold himself for a ride." He crushed his eyes shut, trying to hold back the emotions.
    "Stone." Preston called softly, and he turned around, seeing that Preston held out his hand.
"I'd come to you if I could." Stone slowly walked closer. "You're not damaged any more than I am. Your 'uncle' did more than attack you--he tried to steal your peace of mind. You can let him win or you can move on with your life." Stone let Preston's voice guide him back onto the sofa.
    "That doesn't change the fact that I whored myself." Stone watched Preston's chest rise and fall, waiting. Then the man actually rolled his eyes, and Stone went off. "You arrogant bastard!"
    To Stone's surprise, Preston laughed. "That's what they keep telling me."
Stone couldn't hold onto his anger. "Well, they're right."
"Maybe, but it has its place. You stopped feeling sorry for yourself, at least for a second."
Stone wanted to snack that smug look off the man's face, either that or kiss it away.
"As long as you promise to use it for