Unraveling Malcolm (Rebels and Nerds Book 2)

by R. Cayden

  “I can see how demolition is a good job for you,” I said. “It probably helps to let out some of that energy you have.” And some of that anger, I thought, although I didn’t say it.

  “There’s nothing quite as good as yelling back at my father,” he said. “But yeah, it helps.”

  “God,” Malcolm said, “I can’t imagine what my father would say if I yelled at him. He’d probably try to have me taken in for psychological counseling or something.”

  Something about the two of them sharing over the breakfast table struck my sentimental spot. With all the vulnerability and strength they had shown the night before, it felt wrong to keep my own family history so shrouded.

  “I understand that,” I said. “You know, my uncle isn’t the only criminal in my family. My father is just as crooked and just as cruel. He just does a better job acting respectful.”

  “Your father is a shady landlord, too?” Malcolm asked, adjusting his glasses.

  “He runs his own business, a consulting firm that largely works with city government and large corporations. He looks good on paper, but I don’t know that bending laws and regulations to pollute the water supply is any better than exploiting your tenants.” I reached out, grabbing Gunner’s shoulder and squeezing, then chuckled. “I broke every rule and law I could think of to try to piss him off. But I’ll tell you—I didn’t actually feel better until I learned to let it go and stop trying to prove something to a man who didn’t deserve my respect.”

  Gunner nodded back to me. “I’m getting there,” he said. “It’s just taking time.”

  I pointed at Malcolm. “Having another guy who believes in you makes a big difference.” When I glanced, however, I was surprised to see that Malcolm’s face had fallen a little. “You okay there?” I asked him, wondering if the conversation had gotten too serious.

  He shook his head. “My father is a good man, so I don’t have the same challenges you’re talking about. I’m just realizing something, though.”

  “What’s that?” Gunner asked.

  Malcolm frowned. “He and my mother support me, but their support comes with a lot of conditions. There’s no way in hell they would tolerate me spending time with both of you, for example.” He sighed. “But if this is what makes me happy, are they really supporting me at all? Because it feels more and more like they just care about making me into who they want me to be, instead of figuring out who I am.”

  I rubbed his shoulder, feeling his muscles relax a little under my touch. “I can’t tell you how to navigate your relationship with your parents,” I said. “Although I can tell you that relationship is special. Even if there are challenges, you’ll never get another pair of parents. You’re a smart guy, and with Gunner’s support, I’m sure you can figure out what’s right.”

  “And your support,” Gunner said quickly. “Unless you’re trying to tell us that you’re running back to the mountains for good this time.”

  I wanted to tell them that I would stay as long as they wanted me, but I stopped myself. I had to be careful not to promise them anything unless I knew for sure I could follow through, and a commitment like that took time. I had figured out one thing I had to offer, though.

  I grabbed their empty plates, standing to return them to the sink. “Not quite, but I do have a place to go today, and so do you, Gunner.”

  “Where’s that?”

  “A job interview,” I said. “And the boss lady will be ready in an hour, so you better get yourself in the shower soon.”

  “What kind of a job interviews their employees on a Sunday morning?” he asked.

  “The kind of job where the manager is nice enough to do a favor for an old friend,” I said. “Now get hustling.”

  When Gunner headed back toward his bathroom, Malcolm went to the sink, squirting some soap on to a sponge and running the hot water. I rested my hand on his back to get his attention, and when he turned, I saw the dazed smile on his face.

  “Don’t think I’ve forgotten about your apartment, Malcolm,” I said. “We’re still going to help you out.”

  He nodded quickly. “I know,” he said. “I’m just glad you’re helping Gunner out, too. I’m a lot less anxious about the trouble he’s going to get into now that you’re looking out for him.” He wiped his hands on a towel, then turned to face me fully. “Looking out for us, I mean.”

  “Yeah,” I agreed. “Looking out for both of you.”

  And then Malcolm did something that totally knocked me off my feet. He leaned forward, placed his hands on my shoulders, and rose up to meet my lips in a long, slow kiss. His body melted in my embrace, and his light beard felt soft against my skin.

  “I’ve been waiting to do that,” he said softly.

  I grinned, then pulled him close to me again, planting another quick kiss on his lips. “You never stop impressing me, kid.”

  “You, too, Maddox,” he answered.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Gunner

  As though it weren’t hard enough to get my head on straight for a job interview that early in the morning, the only thing I could think about was the feeling from the night before. With Maddox’s cock rocketing through me, it was like his pleasure was thrusting me into Malcolm, and my body was a furnace burning with everyone’s heat.

  Fuck. How am I supposed to think about a job interview?

  Knowing I’d spend the rest of the week jerking off and fantasizing anyway, I did my best to ignore the warm, pulsing feeling inside of me. I did my best to stop thinking about Malcolm’s ass, wrapped tight around my dick.

  And I did my best not to feel pissed that Maddox had insisted on driving separately. If he didn’t let me catch a ride on his motorcycle soon, I was going to end up begging him.

  He pulled up to a corner, and I angled my truck behind him. When I hopped out, I saw that we were at the same place I had met Malcolm a couple of weeks earlier.

  “This bar?” I asked as Maddox pulled his helmet off. “I already tried here. They’re not hiring.”

  He reached around and slapped my ass, making me jump in place. “Trust me,” he said, winking. “It’s worth a second try.”

  He held the door open for me as we walked inside. The bar was just as dimly lit as the last time, but being Sunday morning, it was empty of customers. The only person seemed to be the woman who stood behind the counter. With green hair pulled back in a ponytail and muscled arms sticking out from her tank top, she cleaned a pile of dirty glasses in the sink behind the bar.

  “Hey Lilith,” Maddox said, reaching across the bar to give her a hug. “This is Gunner, the guy I told you about.”

  I grabbed a stool at the bar. “Is it too early for a drink?”

  Lilith laughed. “I can see you’ll fit in here pretty easily. And nice to meet you, too.”

  “I told Maddox that I already applied for a job here,” I said. “But he says you’re willing to consider me again.”

  Lilith tossed the washcloth in the sink and rinsed her hands. “If Maddox vouches for you, I’m willing to consider it.”

  I turned to glance at him, and he chuckled. “Yes, I vouch for you, kid,” he said, then turned to Lilith. “He’s rough around the edges, but he’ll be able to hold his own with the customers. And he might look young, but he’s been taking care of himself for years. He’ll be reliable, too.”

  I felt a rush of confidence after hearing him describe me that way. “Not to mention,” I added, “I can probably drink half of your customers under the table.”

  “I wouldn’t bet on that,” Lilith said. “But anyway, you won’t have a chance to find out. My bartenders help themselves to a couple drinks during a shift, but never more than two.”

  “Sounds good to me,” I said. “When do you need me to start?”

  Lilith turned to Maddox, winking. “He really is handful, just like you said.”

  I thought about his hands, grabbing my ass last night. “I am,” I confirmed.

  “Just a couple of other que
stions,” Lilith continued. “Can you work weekends?”

  “Yup.”

  “And can you fight?”

  “Fuck yeah,” I answered. “I’ll mop the floor with any asshole who comes in here.”

  Lilith and Maddox exchanged another look. Fuck, slow it down, Gunner. “I mean, I can if I have to.”

  “That’s right,” Lilith said. “I can’t promise no one will mess with you at this job, but I can promise to have your back.” She tapped her knuckles on the bar, thinking, then turned to Maddox. “It’s a favor to you,” she said. “But yeah, we can use him.”

  My eyes lit up. “Really?”

  “Sure,” she said. “Maddox thinks I can teach you a few things, and I’m willing to try. But it’s only weekend evenings to start. Our other regular bartender is trying to spend more time with his boyfriends, and he’s been asking me to track down a little extra help.”

  “Boyfriends?” I asked. “Like more than one?”

  “It’s a long story,” she answered, “but I’m sure you’ll hear it some night when you’re working together.” She grabbed a glass from behind the bar, pouring herself a little water. “Anyway, what’s new with you, Maddox? Now that you have your eye on some young guy, you’re finally coming back through the city? We’ve missed you at the bar.”

  “Did you meet here?” I asked.

  Maddox shook his head. “I met Lilith at a welding studio, actually. I was taking a class to learn the basics, and she was hanging out after, working on some of her own projects. When she saw me fumbling the damn torch over and over again, she finally lost patience and showed me what I was missing.”

  “Wow, you’re a welder?” I asked Lilith.

  “I dabble,” she said, shrugging. “It was my father’s trade, and he taught me some of the skills growing up. It’s relaxing.”

  “Cool,” I said. If she thought melting metal and wielding flamethrowers was relaxing, I would definitely get along with her. “When do I get to start?”

  “Friday night,” she answered, reaching out to shake my hand. “You’ll be my barback. Wear something you don’t mind spilling beer all over.”

  I took her hand, squeezing back against her firm grip. “Lucky for us,” I said, “that describes all the clothes I have.”

  Driving back to my apartment and knowing Malcolm was waiting there did something to me. It’s not like I was speeding across town like a maniac, but the second I got over the sadness of saying goodbye to Maddox, all I could think about was returning home.

  When I opened the front door, it was silent inside. I peeked around for a minute, then found him in my bed, snoozing softly. He was spread out on the mattress and barely covered by a sheet. Still wearing just my sweatpants, I could see the rise and fall of his chest and the full curves of his ass.

  Stirring, Malcolm turned to me. “You’re back,” he said groggily.

  “Keep sleeping,” I whispered. “You had a long night.”

  He pulled himself up on his elbows. “So did you.”

  When he gestured softly to me, I crossed over, joining him on the mattress. I pulled his face up close, kissing him quickly, and then handed him his glasses from the windowsill.

  “You comfortable in my bed?”

  He nodded, then inhaled deeply. “It even smells like you.”

  I laughed, trying not to think about how many evenings I’d crawled between the sheets, still filthy from work. “Glad you like it.”

  “Did the interview go well?”

  “It did. I get to start training next weekend. It’s even at that bar where we had our first date.”

  He grinned, waking up more as we talked. “I still don’t know if you daring me to have a beer counts as a date.”

  I shrugged. “It worked, didn’t it?”

  “Will you quit your demolition job?”

  “Naw,” I said, shaking my head. “This is just on the weekends, and it won’t pay enough to cover my bills anyway. I’ll just be busy as hell for a while.”

  “Bummer,” he replied.

  “I like being busy,” I answered. “I get down when there’s nothing to do.”

  “Me, too, actually. A lot of people think libraries are dull, but I love it when there are lots of readers around and plenty of things to do.” He rubbed his face, blinking a few more times. My guy was worn out, that was for sure.

  “Do you want to take a shower?” I asked. “You can use my toothbrush, too.”

  Malcolm breathed into his hand, sniffing his breath. “It’s not that bad, is it?”

  I laughed. “You taste good. I’ve got to imagine you’re the kind of guy who brushes your teeth twice a day, though.”

  Malcolm nodded. “Sure, it would probably feel good to wash up.”

  I stood and offered him my hand to help him to his feet. Grabbing a towel from the hall closet, I was glad that I had at least cleaned the bathroom earlier that week. I shoved my hand behind the shower curtain, turning the faucet to the right position. “It takes a while to warm up, but there should be plenty of hot water once it does.” I turned back to Malcolm. “It’s not much, but it works.”

  “Are you kidding?” Malcolm asked, setting his glasses by the sink. “This is the first morning I wasn’t woken up by construction workers banging around near my window. It feels like heaven.”

  “You know, you’re welcome here anytime you want,” I said. “If you need a quiet place to sleep.”

  “I don’t know how quiet it will be with you grabbing at my butt all the time,” he joked.

  “All right,” I said, stepping closer and placing my hand on his ass. “If you need a place to get fucked silly, then.”

  He laughed, then leaned forward, kissing me quickly. “Will you join me?” he asked, gesturing to the shower.

  “Oh, sure!” I said. “If you want.”

  “Just promise you won’t try to wash my mouth out with soap,” he teased. “I think I said some wild things last night.”

  We both pulled our clothes off, letting them fall to the ground. When we stepped into the shower, it was already steamy, and the tiles were beading with moisture.

  I stepped back so that Malcolm could stand under the full spray of water. He held his face in the stream, and I watched as his golden skin glistened. His hair was flattened against his head, and he somehow looked even sexier that way.

  I took the bottle of body wash off the shelf, squirting a little in my hand and working into a lather. As Malcolm felt the water on his face, I began to wash his back, rubbing slow circles between his shoulders.

  This is what Maddox would do, I thought. He would be proud of me for taking care of Malcolm.

  As soon as I thought it, I felt his presence there with me. It was the strangest thing, but it gave me the confidence to know I didn’t have to do anything wild to impress Malcolm. I just had to take care of him, the way he wanted to be taken care of.

  I started massaging his shoulders lightly, watching the suds drip down his back and gather around his round butt. After a moment, he turned to face me and pressed his forehead against my chest. “Thank you,” he said. “That feels nice.” Almost as though he was reading my mind, he then looked up. “Do you think we’ll see Maddox again before this weekend?”

  “He said he’ll be out in the mountains,” I answered. “But we’re going after your landlords on Sunday, so he’ll be back then for sure.”

  Malcolm kept staring at me, water dripping down his face. I could tell he was trying to find a way to ask something else. Risking a guess, I took a small step forward, pressing our bodies together.

  “That doesn’t mean we have to wait to see each other, though,” I said. “I’ll be working all week and at the bar once the weekend shows up. But anytime you want to see me, you just let me know.” He let out a soft noise, like a satisfied hum. “And I wasn’t kidding about sleeping here, if you want to.”

  “Thanks,” he said, humming the word. “I might take you up on that.”

  The faucet sputtered f
or a moment, and another rush of hot water landed against our bodies. My rear still ached, but as Malcolm nuzzled against my chest, I just felt happy that I had been able to share that special moment with him as well as with Maddox.

  “We’re lucky,” I said.

  “Yeah,” he agreed. “We are.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Maddox

  I pulled my motorcycle up to Gunner’s apartment the next weekend, kicking down the stand and hopping off to stretch my legs. It was a cloudy, gray day, with drizzle coming on and off all afternoon. Normally, I hated that kind of Seattle weather, but it was perfect for sneaking into my uncle’s office.

  When Gunner opened his door, Malcolm was standing a few feet behind him. Dressed in another button-up shirt, a few strands of his dark hair fell over his eyes.

  “Good to see you here, too, Malcolm,” I said.

  “He’s been sleeping over all week,” Gunner said.

  Malcolm looked bashful. “My place is really noisy.”

  “Hopefully not for much longer,” I said, taking them both into a quick embrace. “Although we have some details to go over first.”

  We took our seats on Gunner’s worn old couches, and I noticed how much tidier the place was than last time. There was also a pile of books on the table and a few other random traces of Malcolm’s presence.

  I could tell they had something special, and I was glad to have been a part of the start of their relationship. As they became closer, though, I felt a little sadness, knowing that there wouldn’t be room for an older guy like me forever.

  All the more reason to treat them right now.

  I rested my elbows on my knees, leaning forward. “We’ll head over soon,” I started, “and it shouldn’t take us much time. You’ll drive the truck, and if everything goes according to plan, you’ll stay behind the driver’s seat the whole time.”