by M. Tasia
“We have so much room in our house we could take in at least five children.” Jesse knew he was amped up by the prospect of being a daddy.
“Hold on, Mr. Excited. One child at a time and we’ll decide as we go how many we’ll bring into our family,” Royce stated with a warm smile.
“Yes, sir,” Jesse teased, but the heat burning in Royce’s eyes only intrigued him more. “Do you like it when I call you sir, Royce?” Jesse asked as he placed the plate of steak on the table.
“God yes, but I don’t need it. We do everything at your pace. It’s about what you find comfortable.”
Honestly, that was one request he’d be all too happy to fulfill. Royce’s dominant nature was one of the many things that attracted Jesse. He could always let his guard down, showing his true self in front of Royce, and he knew he was completely safe. Jesse didn’t foresee a problem. Every time he’d said the word up until now it had sent a thrill through his body. What impressed Jesse the most was that Royce was suppressing his own dominant nature, giving Jesse the time he needed to handle his family when he knew Royce wanted to take over and make the danger go away. I love that man.
“How do you always know when I need your reassurance?” Jesse asked.
“Well. I wouldn’t be much of a boyfriend if I didn’t know what my lover needed. I would do anything for you, love. You mean everything to me.”
Jesse wrapped his arms around Royce, the only person in the world who truly knew Jesse and loved him even more because of it. “We should eat before it gets cold.”
“With the heat we’ve been having I’m positive the steaks are safe. It’s the salad we should be worrying about,” Royce said, but let Jesse go and pulled out a chair for Jesse to sit down before seating himself.
“So, how about the dinner and dancing? You interested, Jesse?” Royce asked before cutting his steak and taking a bite, moaning as he chewed. “So good.”
“I’d love to, I really would, but I don’t know how to dance. I never had the chance to learn.” Jesse ducked his head and took a big bite of salad. He knew Royce was waiting for him to look up.
“Look at me, Jesse.” He immediately looked up into those beautiful green eyes. “Don’t be embarrassed. There are lots of people who don’t know how to dance and many more who shouldn’t. I’ll teach you how, and we’ll put it off a couple weeks until you feel more comfortable. You’ll be fine, I promise.”
“I don’t want to embarrass you in front of your friends,” Jesse admitted.
“You could never embarrass me, Jesse, ever, and they’re our friends. Now let’s finish dinner because your lessons start tonight,” Royce said and then dug into his steak.
Jesse was so excited he doubted he could wipe the smile off his face. He was going dancing with his lover.
*****
A few hours later and Royce figured it was a fifty/fifty chance his baby toe was broken, but he refused to limp in front of Jesse. This was only his first dance lesson after all, and of course he wasn’t going to be perfect. His toe had a differing opinion. They would turn and attempt a few steps, all the while desperately trying to keep Jesse off his toes without much luck. They had been laughing so hard they’d ended up on the floor in tears. Royce’s injured arm still tucked safely against his chest, even though his sling had been removed on his last doctor’s visit, he was still careful. He laughed long and hard; he hadn’t felt this happy or at peace in a long time. Jesse had given him back so many things he’d thought he’d lost forever.
Royce knew he would love Daniel the rest of his life, but he also knew he had plenty of love left to give. Daniel wouldn’t have wanted him to stop living. In fact, he would have approved of Jesse.
Royce began to laugh harder and Jesse noticed the change. “Now that laughing can’t all be from my two enormous left feet. Wanna share?”
He didn’t want to keep anything from Jesse, but wondered if it would make him sad knowing he’d been thinking about Daniel. He took a deep breath and pushed forward. “Daniel.”
“Daniel couldn’t dance either?” Jesse asked. There was no change in his happy tone and the smile never wavered from his face.
“No, he could dance, but that’s not what was on my mind. I think that Daniel would have approved of you.”
The emotions that played across Jesse’s face were easy to follow: shock, confusion, acceptance, happiness, and then tears. “Daniel would have approved of me?”
“Yes, I believe he would have. He was an amazing man and so are you. I’m very blessed.” The moment he said the words he knew for the first time in over three years it was true. He’d been blessed to have the love of his husband before he died, and now he had Jesse and a second chance at a future.
“Can you tell me more about him, or is that not okay?” Jesse asked.
“Of course we can and I don’t mind talking about Daniel. Actually I was kind of concerned you might never want to discuss him,” Royce said.
“He’s part of you and you love him. Of course I want to know more about Daniel. I know you love me. You are the one person that I’m completely safe with, and I have no fear you’ll ever hurt me physically or emotionally,” Jesse explained.
“I could never intentionally hurt you, babe,” Royce stated as he pulled Jesse closer to him, both still lying on the hardwood in the living room. Jesse laid his head on Royce’s chest to listen as he told the story of how two young boys fell in love and married in Brighton all those years ago. They relived the time they first met in high school, Daniel with his thick eyeglasses and Royce with braces, they were instant friends. They discovered girls together and neither of them could figure out what all the fuss was about. It wasn’t until eleventh grade that they each realized they preferred boys to girls, but most importantly they were attracted to each other. When the story reached its inevitable tragic end, Jesse gathered Royce into his arms and held him close.
“He loved you so much, Royce. I’m so sorry that happened to the two of you,” Jesse said.
“Thank you, baby. I know it was years ago but sometimes it still feels like yesterday. I don’t ever want you to think that I compare the two of you, or that I somehow love you less because I don’t. You mean the world to me. You’re my everything,” Royce explained.
Tears filled Jesse’s eyes. “I know because you’re the same for me. I’ve been given so much since coming to Brighton. I’ve been blessed as well.”
Royce raised his good hand and, reaching behind Jesse’s neck, carded his fingers through his thick hair, and pulled his soft lips closer to his own. The first brush sent Royce flying; it never ceased to amaze Royce the effect Jesse had on him. The need and excitement rushed through his body and straight to his groin. Their kiss turned insistent, demanding, as Royce took control and rolled Jesse onto his back.
“Clothes off, love,” Royce said and began to unbutton Jesse’s shirt.
“May I take your clothes off first?” Jesse asked in a soft voice that sent a thrill through Royce’s body.
“Yes, Jesse, you may.” Royce stood and helped Jesse to his feet.
Jesse gently unbuttoned and removed his shirt. He lowered his head and gently kissed the healed bullet wound on Royce’s shoulder. “Please don’t ever scare me like that ever again, Royce. I couldn’t…sur…”
“Oh baby, I’m okay. I’m healing, and I’ll do my best to stay safe.”
“Promise.”
“Promise, love,” Royce agreed. He would take better care of himself. The last few years he’d never bothered worrying about the future or his health. He just didn’t care. Now he had a whole new outlook, and he intended to stick around to enjoy his new life and love.
Chapter Eight
Matthew Whitton sat in a nearby tree watching as the lights went out in Jesse’s house. He had to find a way to get close enough to have a conversation without being shot for his troubles. He wasn’t an idiot. He’d seen the bodyguards and knew Jerry was in town with his crew. Hell, that’s why he was here after
all, to get near Jesse, but for entirely different reasons.
He had to protect his old friend and stop Jerry before he had a chance to follow through on his threats. Matthew knew the reason Jerry and the rest of Jesse’s “family” wanted him to disappear. Matthew would never allow that to happen. He had the proof; all he needed was Jesse and then they could go to the authorities.
By the time Matthew knew he wasn’t alone it was already too late. A large arm wrapped around his throat and a gun pressed to the side of his head. God, he was bad at this stealthy shit. Give him a computer and internet access and he’d show you just how competent he was; but physically, not so much. He worked out but his two left feet and lack of coordination sometimes made him look like a bumbling idiot instead of the respected computer genius he was.
“Where are your weapons?” a deep voice whispered into his ear. Matthew knew he should be scared out of his mind, and on some level he was, but that deep, gruff voice and the hard-muscled body at his back was a bit distracting. I’ve lost my mind. “Weapons?” the man asked again, adding more pressure around his neck. Matthew knew he was going to be bruised, but he figured that was the least of his concerns. This could be one of Jerry’s men or one of the Sentinels; either choice would likely get him hurt. His own fear ramped up by the second as the arm kept tightening.
“No weapons,” Matthew gasped. He knew if he ever carried a weapon odds were good he’d hurt himself first, before anyone else had a chance.
The big man didn’t seem to believe him as he holstered his own weapon and began searching Matthew, never once removing his arm from around his neck. Matthew was holding on to the branch for dear life, knowing all too well how easily he could fall. He’d never been a good climber, but he had to keep tabs on Jesse somehow without getting close.
When the man seemed satisfied Matthew was unarmed, he loosened his grip on Matthew’s throat, but only slightly. “Why are you here?”
“To visit an old friend.”
“By hiding in a tree?”
“Better than being shot for my troubles by either side of this messed-up situation. I may be clumsy but I’m not stupid,” Matthew admitted easily. He figured he was already screwed; he just needed to know which group had him. He prayed it wasn’t Jerry’s, as he still hadn’t seen who the person was behind him. “Um…which side are you on?”
“You’re part of Jerry’s crew, so don’t try to act all innocent now that you’re caught.” Jerry’s crew, the thought of having anything to do with Jerry disgusted him.
“I have nothing to do with that scumbag! He can rot in hell for all I care.” Shit! He’d let his mouth run away from him again, this could still be one of Jerry’s men trying to trick him.
“What do you want with Jesse and Royce?” Instead of answering Matthew’s original question, the heavily muscled man demanded answers of his own.
Even though he was scared out of his mind by now, Matthew couldn’t divulge the truth to anyone but Jesse. “I need to speak with Jesse.”
“Why?”
“That’s between me and Jesse.”
The arm around his throat tightened yet again. “Not anymore. I’m here to make sure you won’t be getting anywhere near them. My friends are on their way, and I can assure you we’ll get it out of you.”
“Torture, great. Here I thought you were the good guys.” Matthew was desperately trying to think of a way out of this.
The man seemed to loosen his hold around Matthew’s throat. “Good guys?”
“Yeah, Sentinels. The ones protecting Jesse. Obviously you’re one of Jerry’s men. I’ve been watching you guys long enough to know you’d stoop to anything to get what you want.”
“I’m not one of those assholes. How do you know the Sentinels?”
“My mind isn’t as clumsy as my body, I can assure you.” And, as if to prove his point, Matthew lost his hold on the branch and slipped through his captor’s arms and off the limb. At the last second he managed to grab another smaller branch and was barely hanging on. His attacker was now trying to hold on to him, saving Matthew from falling roughly twenty feet to the ground.
“Hold on. I’ve got you.” The man scrambled to reach Matthew’s hand, but he was already slipping. This is going to hurt. He looked up just before he lost his grip. His eyes locked with the deep blue ones above him as his nails scraped through the bark. The last thing he saw before everything went dark were those blue eyes filled with terror.
*****
“You don’t have to go in, I can bring you a picture,” Royce suggested. “You can identify him by a picture. It’s safer.”
“If it’s Matthew, he’s my friend and for god sakes he’s unconscious. What can he do to me?” Jesse still couldn’t believe one of the Sentinels had hurt his friend, or that Matthew was watching his house in the first place.
Royce grumbled as he took Jesse’s hand and walked into the hospital room. Coop and Spider stood guard, still not trusting the new arrival. On the bed lay a man who was the grown-up version of his old friend: freckles still covered his face, his brown hair was still shaggy. All he needed was for Matthew to open his uniquely colored eyes and the picture would be complete. A large bandage was wrapped around his head; he had bruises around his neck, and a cast on his foot and ankle as machines beeped around him.
“He’s Matthew Whitton, my best friend when we were children,” Jesse confirmed. “How is he?”
“He has a slight concussion from hitting the ground and a broken ankle,” Spider explained. “They’re keeping a close eye on him but he should recover.”
Jesse looked straight at Coop because he knew the man was the one who “captured” his best friend. “How did Matthew get all the bruises around his neck and how did he fall?” He couldn’t help but feel protective of the guy. When they were little Matthew had always protected him. Jesse realized this was a strange reaction to a man he hadn’t seen in years, but Matthew had been his only friend for so long. “He’s half the size of you, Coop.”
“The bruises are from my restraining him and he fell because he lost his grip on the branch and I wasn’t fast enough to grab him,” Coop admitted. But for the first time there was no sign of his patented melt-your-pants-off grin that he flashed at everyone. Though it never worked on Jesse, he knew there had to be several broken hearts scattered across the world because of that man.
“I’m sorry, Coop. He used to protect me when we were little, so I feel as though I need to protect him now. Matthew has always been a bit clumsy. He could trip over air.” Jesse felt bad for assuming they were from a fight. Hell, Matthew didn’t look big enough to fight off anyone.
“He mentioned that, and I should have been more careful but I honestly thought he was one of Jerry’s men. Then he mentioned you and needing to talk to you, but not wanting to get hurt by Jerry’s men or us.” Coop rubbed his large hand across his forehead. “I’m just sorry he was hurt.”
“So that’s why he approached me first,” Royce said. “He was trying to avoid all the people watching over Jesse.”
“Matthew has always been smart. I remember how he rewired my dad’s truck so that every time he pushed on the brake the horn honked.” Jesse smiled as he remembered one of the few good memories he had from his childhood. There weren’t many. “Has he woken up yet?”
“The nurse has been coming in and waking him every two hours because of his concussion, but he hasn’t stayed awake long enough to answer questions,” Spider explained. “Coop will be staying with Matthew until we’re sure he’s no threat to you.”
“He’s my friend. I know he’s not here to hurt me,” Jesse assured the group.
“It’s been a lot of years, baby. You don’t know him anymore,” Royce said.
“I know it’s been years, but I just can’t see him changing into what Jerry and his friends are. People would make fun of him every time he dropped something, or tease him about his different colored eyes, and he never defended himself. But if one person said anything dero
gatory to me, Matthew was all over them demanding an apology,” Jesse said. “Matthew was never able to physically take on anyone, but he was smart and he always found a way to exact his revenge. He saved me by his reputation alone multiple times. Especially after he accessed one student’s private information, and threatened to reveal what he’d found if the guy or his friends ever touched me again. He did that when he was nine. I can’t imagine what he’s capable of now. We were best friends up until Matthew’s family moved out of state. I’ve always missed him. He’d been my only friend for a long time.”
“If I was your best friend, then why didn’t you ever write me back or return my calls?” Matthew asked from the bed, his voice groggy and pain filled.
Jesse went to Matthew’s bedside. “You’re going to be okay, Matthew, I promise.” Jesse’s eyes filled with tears as he looked into the eyes-- one hazel and one green eyes-- of the man who used to be just like a brother to him. “I never received any calls or letters.”
“I wondered if your parents were keeping them from you, and then when I got old enough to come back on my own, you were already gone. I’ve been looking for you for a very long time, knucklehead.” Matthew laughed softly, and Jesse smiled at the old nickname they had called each other. “Your nasty-ass parents were no help, but I’m nobody’s fool. I watched them, and every time Jerry packed to leave I followed him. Sometimes, when I found you first, Jerry would show up within the same day. I never had a chance to get to you before you were gone again.”
Jesse should have known his best friend would look for him. A small cough reminded Jesse he wasn’t alone and he immediately turned to Royce. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I’d like to introduce my friend Matthew Whitton. Matthew, I’d like you to meet my partner, Royce.”
“Nice to meet you in person, Matthew,” Royce said and took Matthew’s outstretched hand.
