Free Angel's Redemption by Andi Anderson

trying to protect them from what was to come. They silently held onto each other for what seemed like minutes, or it could have been seconds, Elijah didn't know. Jack was allowing him to talk without a lot of interruptions and giving Elijah the space he needed to get the words out. At that moment, the sheer unconditional support and silent understanding that came from Jack made Elijah fall more than a little love in with him.
    Elijah gently disengaged from Jack's arms but stayed as close as possible to him. What he said next would determine the path of their relationship. By the way Jack looked at him, Elijah had the feeling they would remain friends, and as much as it made him feel relieved, Elijah still wanted more than friendship from this sweet man.
    A lot more.
    "It wasn't long before Ken took me under his wing. Within days and with my mother's approval, I moved in with him. At first, I thought everything was going pretty well between us. Ken gave me the attention I thought I needed, and in my teenaged mind I knew that he would soon get me into the movies, and I'd be a star," he said.
    Elijah grabbed Jack's offered hand and forced himself to keep from glancing down at them. Elijah's heart beat frantically, and his voice wobbled as he continued.
    "After a week or so, Ken started introducing me around to some directors and movie producers, and I guess technically they were—just not in the type of films I believed them to be. When Ken told me that I had landed my first acting job, I was so excited because I knew this was my chance to finally be noticed… as a Hollywood star. But when we went to the movie location, I was shocked to see that it was in some seedy motel, and the movie set was a porn shoot."
    Something flashed deep within Jack's green eyes and a look of horror crossed his face. "But you were only fifteen! That's not only illegal—it's immoral!"
    "I know."
    "Did they know you were fifteen?"
    "Yes."
    "How did they get away with it?"
    "It's isn't hard to get a fake ID, Jack. Even though they knew I was underage, it didn't matter as long as Ken was able to produce the right documentation stating I was eighteen."
    "Oh my God, Eli." Jack's voice sounded as devastated as he felt. He was immediately swept back into Jack's warm embrace. "Honey, I'm so sorry. God, I want to kill that bastard for what he did to you."
    Tears welled in Elijah's eyes, and he gave a silent prayer of thanks for the man who held him so tightly. His soul was starting to feel cleansed from sharing the ugliness of his past with someone as important as Jack was to him. Seeing his loving acceptance made the weight of the world begin to lift off his shoulders.
    "What happened next?" Jack whispered, his breath warm and welcoming against his neck.
    "I didn't want to do it, but Ken told me if I wanted to be famous, and if I loved and trusted him, I would do it. So I did. I remember being so scared I couldn't get it up, so Ken gave me the little blue pill and what I think was a valium. Soon I was participating in my first porn film. Afterward, I cried and swore to Ken I would never do it again, and that's when he started keeping me so drugged up, I didn't care what happened."
    "How long did this go on?" Jack's voice was quiet and strained.
    "Seven years."
    Jack pulled him tighter into his embrace and took a long, shuddering breath but said nothing. Elijah took his silence as an indication for him to keep going.
    "After a while, I started to become a popular bottom in the gay porn industry. I was raking in the cash, and Ken and I were soon reaping the rewards. I began to tell myself, that even though I hated it, the money and Ken's love for me made it worth it. But the more popular I became, the more Ken demanded from me. I found myself being asked to do more men, orgies and things I know you would probably hate me for if you knew the extent."
    Jack slightly pulled away from him, and he immediately missed the comfort of his arms. Jack's green eyes