Ashton And Justice Read Online Free PDF

and change my name to Austin."
    "I promise no evil men are trying to feed us to sharks with lasers on their heads. Although, they may try to cryogenically freeze us," Ashton quipped.
    "Darn, that kind of adventure was on my bucket list, too."
    "Funny, all that's on mine is bungee jumping and finally going on that Alaskan cruise."
    Bryce kept his mouth shut, but he did roll his eyes at their banter. He opened the door for them, and as they entered the restaurant, Ashton allowed himself to take comfort in the familiar surroundings.
    The restaurant had been in the family for years, and even after his uncle had taken over, nothing changed. Simple, yet classy with its wood walls and plank flooring, the inside was always dark no matter the time of day. Every table had drippy, wax candles as a centerpiece and they were always lit. Several photos taken over the years dotted the walls and there was even a picture of his uncle shaking hands with the last Michigan governor.
    Uncle Terry approached, his arms already stretched out for a hug. Ashton returned the embrace, his arms struggling to reach across Terry's girth. His uncle liked to call himself a bit fluffy around the middle. Most others would say he was overweight. To Ashton, he was just simply his favorite uncle.
    As his father's youngest brother, Terry shared a lot of the same traits. He had the trademark Garner dark hair and eyes. Unlike Carter, Terry possessed a gentle heart. He always had a kind word and good advice. It was no wonder Ashton felt closer to Terry than his own father.
    Justice lingered behind, almost as if he wanted to be as inconspicuous as possible. His shoved his hands into his pockets, shoulders hunched as he studied his shoes. Ashton pulled out of his uncle's embrace and took Justice's hand.
    "This is--"
    Terry cut him off, "DA Knowl's youngest son, Justice. I remember from all the newspaper articles."
    Ashton smiled, while Justice stiffened. The reaction didn't come as a surprise. While Ashton knew his uncle would never betray their trust, Justice had never met the man before. Also, Ashton had a sneaking suspicion that Justice never had the luxury of being able to confide in any family members.
    "Don't worry. My uncle won't say anything," Ashton assured, giving Justice's hand a squeeze.
    Gone was the Justice who'd been throwing around teasing comments just moments before. Instead, Ashton found himself confronted by someone who looked two seconds away from diving under the closest table and curling into a fetal position. Ashton grinned, hoping to ease some of the tension away, but failed miserably. Justice gave a weak smile in return as he plucked at the drawstrings of his sweatshirt. His eyes were slightly wide and his fingers trembled just a bit. His tongue darted out to lick his lip, only to retreat when it passed over the injured area. Ashton didn't know whether to hug the guy or offer him some ice, since the wound looked like it still smarted. Meanwhile he continued to dart glances to both the front and rear door, almost as if he expected a monster to pop through at any moment, so he needed to measure the quickest exit.
    Damn, did Justice always have this lost, kicked-too-many-times look about him? How often did he walk around with fat lips and bruises? Did he live every second of his life in fear of being attacked? The thought that Justice might have to constantly exist under a shield of hate made Ashton want to hold the other guy in a tight embrace, just so he could know that not the whole world was so hard and cruel.
    Ashton vowed at that moment that no matter how long it took, he'd show Justice that life didn't have to be about fear, degradation and cruelty. Justice would come to learn that real families cared about each other and didn't seek to harm one another. Most of all, Ashton became determined to make it so the smiling, joking Justice who'd been out in the car, would become a permanent fixture.

Chapter 4
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    All in all, Justice thought