"It's just me, Doc," he murmured.
"I know. I'm sorry," Hudson replied quietly, holding still when Dom placed his fingers under Hudson's chin and turned his head first to the right, then the left.
"You okay?"
Hudson swallowed past the lump in his throat. He couldn't reply, so he simply nodded. Dom wasn't angry with him; he was concerned. Why? He should be angry. Hudson couldn't understand it. Dom resumed his seat at the counter, and Seb appeared in front of Hudson, his bright green eyes filled with worry. He stood so close, his big, solid frame offering shelt
er. He was still dressed in his pajama bottoms and a threadbare T-shirt Hudson yearned to slip his hands under. Being this close to Seb and not touching him was painful, but Hudson basked in Seb's warmth, in the sense of calm and safety only Seb could provide. It was incredible how the man inspired such a feeling of absolute security.
"I spoke to Nina and told her you weren't feeling well, and she said not to worry. She's got everything under control, so you've got the day off. You stay here as long as you need to. I left the spare key upstairs on my nightstand, and if you need anything at all, you call me, okay?"
"Thank you," Hudson replied, his voice hoarse. Seb was still taking care of him.
"You good to eat something?"
Hudson nodded. He joined Dom at the island counter and took a seat in one of the tall chairs. He thanked Seb when a plate filled with two fried eggs, crispy bacon, sausage links, hash browns, Heinz baked beans, and buttered toast was placed in front of him along with a cup of tea. He stared down at his plate before moving his gaze to Seb.
"You remembered the beans."
Seb winked at him. "Of course. What's a full English breakfast without the Heinz beans? No mushrooms of course."
The dish was one of Hudson's favorite comfort foods, but he was very particular about which beans he had with his full English. He'd shown Seb how to make the dish years ago, and on mornings after a particularly rough workday, Hudson would wake up to his favorite breakfast. Seb would bring it up to the bedroom on a tray with a cup of tea and a small vase with a rose in it. They'd have breakfast in bed together, cuddle, shower, then make love before having to shower again and head out to work. Seb wasn't one for grand gestures. He showed his love in countless other ways. He was exceptional at small details. When Hudson mentioned something he liked or would like, something he'd seen or something that made him smile, Seb remembered. If it concerned Hudson, Seb remembered every detail. He never tried to impress Hudson with flashy gifts, never presumed to know what Hudson was thinking or wanted, never made decisions for him. He was thoughtful. Always putting Hudson before himself.
Hudson was suddenly overcome with emotion, and he bit down on his bottom lip to keep it from trembling. "I'm sorry," he said with a sniff. "Bloody arse. Crying over beans."
Dom got up, his voice low when he spoke. "I'm, uh, just going upstairs to use the bathroom. Excuse me."
Seb stepped up beside Hudson and swiveled his chair around to face him. He placed his hand to Hudson's cheek, and Hudson leaned into the touch, a shuddered sigh escaping him as Seb brushed his fingers down Hudson's jaw, his touch tender.
"When you're ready to talk about what happened, I'm right here."
Hudson met Seb's gaze, his heart in his throat. "What if I'm never ready?"
The muscles in Seb's jaw flexed, and his eyes darkened on instinct. Hudson waited for an argument, surprised when it never came.
"Then I'll respect your decision." Seb brushed his thumb over Hudson's bottom lip, and Hudson let out an unsteady breath he hadn't even realized he'd been holding. "Whatever you need, I'm here."
"Seb, I--"
Seb put up a hand. "I mean it. I'll always be here for you." He motioned toward the counter. "You should eat something before it gets cold. I'm going to take a shower and get ready."
"Thank you for breakfast and for these." Hudson tapped the frames of his glasses. "I hope it wasn't too much trouble."
Seb smiled that beautiful boyish grin of his. "I had Dom pick them up from work this morning and bring them over." With a wink, he headed for the stairs just as Dom came down.
Hudson turned back to his breakfast. He was hungrier than expected and finished everything on his plate. Dom was silent beside him, which was very unlike him. As soon as Hudson washed up, he leaned on the counter across from Dom and studied him.
"Something on your mind?"
Dom released a heavy sigh. "It's killing him, you know. Not knowing who hurt you. You plan on telling him?"
Hudson leaned forward on his elbows, his gaze unwavering. "Three men jumped me last night and beat the hell out of me for being marked and having the audacity to walk away from a proposition. If a stranger hadn't come to my rescue, I would most likely be in the hospital now. I know one of the men who attacked me, and so does Seb. Now tell me, Dominic. You're his best friend. What do you think would happen if I told Seb who did this to me and why?"
"Shit." Dom ran a hand through his hair and shook his head. "Shit. So you're just gonna let the son of a bitch get away with it?"
"I don't know what I'm going to do, but what I won't do is have Seb pay for my mistake." Hudson didn't bother telling Dom not to speak a word of this to Seb. Dom was many things, but most importantly, he was a good man. He wouldn't betray Hudson.
"And if he finds out?" Dom asked. "This is Seb we're talking about."