A Promise of Tomorrow by Rowan McAllister

me he loved me, that we belonged together and that he would take care of me. He was whining again, and the less forgiving part of his mind chose that moment to flare into life.
    You were a weak fool! he railed silently at himself in a voice that sounded suspiciously like his father’s. You watched him change toward you day after day and you said nothing! You did nothing but cower and simper and grovel like a dog, hoping for a pat on the head, and when you didn’t get it, you still did nothing!
    He couldn’t even use their coupling as an excuse for the way he’d allowed himselfto be treated. Victor hadn’t shownmuchinterest in Kyle’s pleasure after their first few times together and had even become a bit rough with him since they’d been in London, though he’d never truly hurt him before. Kyle was so confused, sick and filled withself-loathing, he didn’t know what to do.
    Sleep , another voice said. Just sleep. Perhaps you’ll find this was all a dream, a horrible dream. You’ll wake in your own room, back home in Atcham, and none of this will have ever happened.
    Dredging up what energy he had left, Kyle finally surrendered to the one voice in his head that promised peace, climbed under the crisp linens, and fellinto blessed oblivion.
    When he woke to the chiming of a small clock, it was three in the afternoon. He was not home in his own bed, it had not all been a dream, and he was still going to have to face the ugliness of his situation. The realizationmade himgroanand rollout ofthe bed.
    After ringing the bell for Timms, he went to the basin and ewer for a quick wash before the man arrived to help him dress. He felt stiffand uncoordinated, but at least he wasn’t shakinganymore.
    Ashton’s clothes were a little too large for him, but not terribly, he decided as he checked his appearance in the glass. Timms had done an excellent job, and Kyle had thanked him profusely, though the manhad seemed embarrassed withthe praise.
At least I’ll look respectable when I face my rescuers and the rest of the family .
     
Timms left after informing himthat a footman waited outside to take himto the library, where Lord Warrenwaited for him. Well, you’ve stalled long enough . Time to go down and face the mess you’ve created.
    Kyle gathered himself together, took a deep breath, and joined the footman in the hall. As he followed the servant to the study, he could feel himself breaking into a sweat. He was dreading seeing the man again. It was bad enough that he had witnessed Kyle’s humiliation in the alley, but then he’d flung himself at the man and wept onhis chest. His shame knew no bounds, and now he had to try to look the maninthe eye.
“ I heard enough, Weir,” Warrenhad said.
    Kyle cringed in remembered shame. The things Victor had said were bad enough, but to know that Warren, of all the people in the world, had heard themwas enough to make himwant to bury himself ina hole and never crawlback out again.
    What did the twins tell him? Kyle wondered with a twist of his gut. How much does he know? And, more importantly, how am I ever going to face him knowing what he must at least suspect? He must think I’m the most pathetic wretch he’s ever had the misfortune to meet.
    Kyle took another breath to steady his nerves, trying to find comfort in the fact that the lord had been nothing but kind to him. He had assured Kyle that he would help him and had even granted him hospitality in his sister’s home. Even if he believed Kyle was unworthy, he had stilltakenpityonhim.
    Somehow that thought didn’t bring him as much comfort as he would have liked. Pity was not something he wanted from that man. He desperately wanted his good opinion, though he couldn’t have said why it mattered so much to him. He would probably never see the managainafter today.
The footman knocked on a large oak door and opened it after a short bark of“Come”fromthe roombeyond.
    He found himself ushered into a small room lined from floor