Bend Read Online Free

okay?” A big hand grabbed Josh’s shoulder and shook him. Josh’s teeth clacked together and he swallowed the snarl threatening to bubble out. What kind of idiot would think trying to snap his head off his shoulders would be a good thing? Josh pried his eyes open and found himself looking at a male version of Annabelle…a really large male version.
    Rory, then . Dark blue eyes laced with a liberal dose of concern stared back at Josh. “It was BEND
    Bailey Bradford
    18
     
    kinda shitty of Annabelle to pay you back for breaking her fall by trying to crush the life outta you.”
    Josh snorted and groaned when the sudden jerky motion it caused in his chest sent a lick of pain through him.
    Rory frowned. “Do you need an ambulance? Did Annabelle break you?”
    Josh blinked and noticed more faces had appeared. He recognised Chance but there was an older man with a sun-creased face and dark eyes, and another man also older, less fine lines and wrinkles, but his hazel eyes looked older than they should. Rory’s frown deepened and Josh realised he hadn’t answered Rory’s question.
    “She didn’t break anything.” Josh’s next breath was easier, the pain slipping away and leaving him with nothing else to focus on but his embarrassment. “And it was my fault. I tripped going out the door.”
    Rory’s lips twitched and he arched a brow. “Are you naturally graceful, or do we make you nervous?”
    Cheeks stinging, Josh nodded. “The last one, yeah.”
    “Huh.” Rory transferred his hold to Josh’s hand. “Must be Chance’s mean glare. He thinks it makes him look all sexy and studly. Ready to get up?” Josh nodded and started to rise, only to stop when it occurred to him people would need to step back and give him some room rather than loom over him.
    Chance tugged at one of Rory’s blond curls, making the man snicker. “I didn’t glare at him once we left that doctor’s office. All right, back up people.”
    “Uh huh, but you did before then, right?” Rory stood and pulled Josh up with him.
    “Just ‘cause he’s young and cute, no doubt. Thought I broke you of that.” Chance mumbled something Josh couldn’t hear and wrapped an arm around Rory’s hips. The look the two men shared caused a totally different kind of pain in Josh’s chest. He wanted someone to look at him like that, wanted to see his love reflected back in his lover’s eyes. His ex had told him more than once that men didn’t love each other, not like that, they just weren’t capable of it. Josh had been afraid it was true, but now, seeing Rory and Chance—hope flickered to life inside him, warming him and bringing a smile to his face.
    Annabelle stepped in front of him, patting his cheek and then his chest with her good hand. Josh grunted when she prodded at his chest. “Little sore there,” Josh pointed out.
    Annabelle crossed her eyes at him and took his hand again.
    BEND
    Bailey Bradford
    19
     
    “Well of course,” Annabelle agreed. “Now I know just where to poke if you get out of line, Joshie.”
    “Joshie?” Chance snickered and shook his head. “Christ, Annabelle, why don’t you just go ahead and neuter the poor kid instead. Gotta be less embarrassing than having it done verbally.”
    Josh couldn’t quite bring himself to glare, but he did manage to look Chance in the eye.
    “I like it when she calls me Joshie. Anyone else…” He trailed off, not really sure how to make that into a threat. Wasn’t like Chance or Rory couldn’t stomp his ass in the ground. Probably.
    Josh glanced at the other two men and found them both watching Chance with big smiles on their faces.
    “Anyone else calls him Joshie, and I’ll castrate them ,” Annabelle announced in a sing-songy voice. “With my fingernail file. He’s my Joshie.” Annabelle tapped her index finger against her chin. “You know, I should probably come up with nicknames for all of you—”
    “Gotta check on the steaks,” Chance muttered.
    “I’ll