"“Cormag, look at me.” Lachlan touched his face and gently turned his head until they were looking at each other. He didn't understand what Konnor had done, but he knew enough of how he'd been acting lately to guess.
Whatever Konnor had done, Cormag had been taken back to all those horrible memories of how people had once treated him. It wasn't like that anymore, but obviously his idiotic best friend had triggered a memory. And when he had given that horrible box a quick glance as he put the lid on it, he had that suspicion confirmed. It was full of photographs taken during high school, when Cormag looked positively depressed, and hateful letters with big bold insults. He reached across and placed it on the far side of the sofa, away from Cormag's gaze, before speaking.
“I know it was bad for you before. I know you got hurt. I won't let Konnor do this to you again. Tell me what he said,” Lachlan asked him to be honest. He didn't want any secrets between them anymore, especially when it sent him rocketing into self-destruct mode.
It seemed to work. He could see that his plea melted away any resolve Cormag had to break up with him and push him away. He didn't want to lose him; he could tell that from his eyes, so he confessed every word.
Gradually, Lachlan's gentle hands encouraged him to relax and he was soon lying on the sofa with his head on his lap. He didn't even notice when he kicked his box onto the floor; he could only think about the soft fingers brushing over his hair. It was exactly what Lachlan wanted. When he was finished talking he kissed his temple.
“Will you leave me to deal with him now?” he encouraged him to ignore Konnor from then on. He wasn't worth ruining their relationship over. He was supposed to be his friend, but all he was doing was trying to tear them apart. He wouldn't allow it.
Cormag nodded, looking tired."
Decadent Book 1
Decadent, by Elaine White