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Robert gets away with dallying among the male prostitutes because he’s rich and he’s the only one of his siblings that survived to adulthood. Father would never disinherit Robert; he’s too invested in the Family Name.
Well, if it ever became a scandal rather than an open secret Father might consider it but Robert is discreet and he pays his whores to be even more so. If they don’t understand discretion there are always other men willing to take his money and permanently silence those who threaten Robert’s comfortable existence.
War was different from what he'd known before.
War was offering to share his tent with a man with an Irish accent and a New York attitude who insulted Robert with a genial smile before they were even introduced then offered Robert the last seat on his bench as lunch was served.
War was inviting Corky into his bed during the winter nights because all Corky had was a pathetically thin blanket and his own coat to keep him warm and Robert felt almost guilty to be so comfortable under the thick blankets he brought with him but Robert gets cold too easily to just pass one over.
War was trying to masturbate discreetly only to have larger, broader and more callused hands move to take the place of his own as Corky pressed his forehead against Robert’s left shoulder, quietly begged Robert to let him have this and afterwards prayed to his sainted wife for forgiveness over his indiscretions.
War was kisses like none Robert had ever allowed himself before. War was a firm body that took as much as it gave and a mind as quick and sharp as any educated man Robert had had business dealings with.
War was ignoring the sounds that came from other tents the way they ignored the ones coming from his and pretending to take pleasure in the rape and debasement of southern women. Robert, after all, didn’t have the excuse of a wife to whom he might’ve made a promise to never touch another woman while he was away.
War was going home and trying to make do with painted-up pretty boys who could never quite match that same mix of rough and gentle. It was making do with seeing Corky but never being allowed to touch him. It was watching Corky fall to a woman’s wiles when he had never really fallen for Robert’s.
Robert is a selfish, spoiled man and so he does what he can to make Corky come to him. He takes their relationship and twists it until it’s on the breaking point. He pushes until Corky begins to seethe at the betrayal and then he just stops.
He waits for Corky to come to him, because Robert is patient and in the end he always gets what he wants. Even if he destroys Corky in the process.