by Nicky James
I studied him, waiting for more, but all he did was grin.
Once we arrived at our hotel it was nearly seven, and I couldn’t wait to flop on the bed and stretch out. I hated long car rides.
Our rooms were adjacent and after deciding we’d had plenty to eat earlier, we said our goodnights with a plan to meet up for breakfast at nine.
Remy stood at the doorway a long while as I sprawled across the white bedspread of our queen-sized bed. He needed time to adjust.
“Come lay with me. I promised to distract that mind, didn’t I?”
In truth, I needed as much distraction as he did. The following day and all it promised to entail, brewed a storm of negative thoughts and an underlying panic had begun to settle as we’d drove.
Eventually, Remy left our bag at the end of the bed and crawled toward me. I rolled on my back and grinned watching him. He’d had a permanent crease in his brow since we’d left that morning and I knew he was just barely managing.
“Caro, my head is not taking to this very well.”
“I know.” I pulled him down and kissed him. “I’m glad you came though.”
His dark eyes devoured me. “Your brother doesn’t approve.”
“Abel? He’s fine. I talked to him. He doesn’t hate you.”
Remy chuckled. “I hope not, because I’m quite taken by his younger brother, despite the age difference.”
“I love you. And I told him so. The only thing we need to worry about is making it through tomorrow in one piece.”
He kissed me again, deeper and longer before breaking away. “We’ll make it.”
Not another word passed between us. Any doubt or reservations we held disappeared into the following kiss.
Remy forgot to worry over our surroundings and both of us became lost in each other. No man had ever been so acutely in tuned with my needs before, but Remy made it his mission and never ceased to fulfill every one of them.
That night he brought me beyond my senses over and over again until I couldn’t remember my name and any words that attempted to pass my lips were sheer nonsense. By midnight I was boneless and so beyond tired I could barely stand to shower.
Remy had wrapped himself around my mind, body, and soul and I’d never felt so content and happy in my whole life. As I drifted off to sleep, he whispered words I didn’t understand, and kissed my temple. Their meaning was all that mattered. I was loved for maybe the first time in my life, and I let that feeling seep into every crevice and take me into dreamland.
Chapter Twenty-One
REMY
Once Soren had fallen asleep, I found my laptop and left him to go spend an hour working. There was a decent enough lobby downstairs with couches and chairs and a few other pieces of sparse furniture.
I was significantly more relaxed than I’d been when we’d first arrived. Riding that wave, I tried not to let my mind become over active.
As I settled in and pulled up the article I’d started the other night, someone exited the elevator across the room, drawing my attention.
Abel.
We made eye contact, and he came over and sat on the couch kitty corner to the one I was on. When he didn’t speak, I cocked an eyebrow in question.
He leaned forward and indicated to the front doors. “Making a midnight food run across the street. Want anything?”
I shook my head and continued to watch him. He still didn’t move.
“Listen,” he said after another minute. “Soren told me what happened at the club and how you helped him get out. Thank you. I never did like that shithole place he worked. Especially Donny.”
All I could do was nod as Abel attempted an apology.
“I get the feeling you don’t like me much,” he said when I remained silent.
I pursed my lips and blew a breath out my nose. “You’ll understand, I love Soren very much, and I find myself extremely protective of him. When people disrespect him, or hurt him in any way, I take it personally.”
Abel blanched. “I love my brother. He’s the only family I have. We fuck with each other and give each other a hard time, but at the end of the day, I’d kill for him. This bullshit we are walking into tomorrow,” he shook his head and laughed, “I’m doing it for my sister, because she’s never done anything but try and mend bridges she didn’t break and I feel like I owe her.”
“I’m glad we are on the same page.”
Abel brushed his hands along his jeans and stood to go. Before he made it to the door, he swung around and came back. “About tomorrow, I don’t know what all Soren has shared about our dad, but for all the bullshit I went through trying to be a man’s man growing up and to make him happy, Soren had it a hundred times worse. He could never live up to the standards my father set, because he didn’t have the right personality. He was soft-hearted, gentle, and kind, and according to our father, men aren’t supposed to be any of those things.”
He paused and ran a hand through his hair. “Soren told me about this dance school and the photography thing and whatnot. I’m so thrilled for him because it’s exactly what he’s wanted to do all his life. My father would never allow it. Men don’t dance. Men don’t wear liner and skinny jeans or basically do anything Soren did to express himself. As proud as he is and as proud as we are, try to convince him not to bring it up. The response he’ll get will crush him. I know my dad and he’s an asshole. He won’t care and he’ll take any piece of information he can get his hands on to bring Soren down. He doesn’t need that shit.”
For all the times I’d been upset with Abel for the harsh words he’d said to Soren over the years, the same words he struggled to shed which ate at him on low days, it was hard to remain angry. Remembering the teasing I’d received from Alessio all my life, but also the whole-hearted acceptance, I knew that Abel and Soren weren’t any different.
I closed my laptop and transferred it to the coffee table before standing. “Thank you. I’m grateful to know you are on his side.”
I offered a hand to shake and Abel took it without pause.
“Truce?” he asked.
“Truce.”
“Sure you don’t want anything?”
“Nah, I think I’m going to head to bed.”
He nodded and headed out into the night.
Collecting my things, I headed back to our room. Soren was still fast asleep and when I crawled in beside him, he automatically curled up into my arms. He belonged there.
I had a bad feeling about the gathering. With what Abel had shared and all I already knew, I would have much preferred taking Soren home and forgetting the whole thing.
The alarm went off at seven and Soren buried himself deeper into my hold.
“Oh God, tell me it’s lying. I’m too tired.”
I reached across to the side table and turned it off while stroking his hair. “I don’t know how you’re tired, you sleep like no one I’ve ever known. An atomic bomb could go off around you and you wouldn’t flinch.”
“I like sleeping,” he mumbled.
“Maybe tomorrow morning, we can sleep in and leave later for home.”
He shuffled and propped his chin on my chest looking up. “Wanna shower with me? That might wake me up.”
“No.”
“Ah, why not?”
“Because you naked is more than I can resist. We will be late for sure.”
Grinding his morning erection against my leg, he grinned. “But I’m naked now.”
“And very tempting. Now go get in the shower.”
He rolled off me with a huff, but took his opportunity to model walk and swing his naked ass all the way into the bathroom, knowing I watched.
Once the door closed, I breathed and forced my body to calm before getting up. He’d be the death of me if I wasn’t careful.
As I pulled an outfit from our suitcase, I heard the shower turn on and Soren sing-song, “I’m getting in. Alone. I’m gonna be all sexy and soapy. You know you can’t resist me.”
I stared at the door to the bathr
oom, chuckling. When I’d come to the conclusion that he was right and that I should just follow after him, my phone rang.
I snapped it off the side table. It was Alessio.
“Hey, fratello, what’s up?”
There was noise in the background and the crackling of a radio that was immediately turned down. It sounded like he was at work.
“Did I wake you?”
“Nope, just getting up.”
“Is your boy with you?”
I peered to the closed bathroom door. “He’s in the shower, we are in Indiana, here to visit his family.”
“Oh, shit, sorry, I had no idea.”
I sat on the bed with my clothes beside me. “No worries, what’s up?” I asked again.
“Well, I have a court date for Donny Papaleo.”
“You do? When?” My pulse spiked at the information. Alessio had said it could take some time, but it seemed to have come together fast.
“April eighth. I know it’s some time away, but these things never happen as fast as we’d like. If Soren comes and testifies he will be one of six boys from the club. The charges against this guy are mounting. It’ll be a quick trial, he doesn’t have much of a defense.”
I glanced to the bathroom door, the shower still sounding in the distance. “I know he’ll testify. We’ve talked a lot about it. What do I need to know?”
“Well I’ve already spilled more beans than I should—and only because you are my brother and I know you have a soft spot for that boy, but I’ll share the rest with Soren and he can pass it on to you.”
“He’s not a boy.”
“Right, sorry. Anyhow, I was gonna make some phone calls today to the kids involved. So, you can tell him to expect a call from me.”
“Can you wait until Monday? Today is going to be difficult enough. Let him get through this first.”
There were muffled voices in the background and another radio chirped. “I can do that. No problem. Listen, I gotta go. I just wanted you to have a heads up.”
“Thanks, Lessie.”
We arrived at Soren’s sister’s house shortly after eleven. It was a cute red brick, three level back-split on a quiet street next to a park. The first snow had fallen through the night and gave it a quaint little postcard look.
Since there wasn’t a whole lot of driveway space, I parked on the road. That also ensured we could make a quick escape if needed and not wind up blocked in by the parents.
When the engine died, no one moved. As planned, we’d come early enough in the day that Soren and Abel’s parents weren’t there yet. Regardless, no one seemed anxious to leave the vehicle.
“Come on.” I encouraged Soren to open his door and he met me around front of the car. Abel and Kieran joined up behind us, clinging to each other’s hands. Abel nudged a rather distraught looking Soren and smiled reassuringly. “We’ve got this, pipsqueak, just be yourself.”
Before we made it up the path leading to the entrance way, the door swung open and a woman with light brown hair spilling over her shoulders came flying outside. She was the spitting image of Abel. Same colored hair and deep green eyes that smiled with her. She was slightly shorter than Soren, and carried more weight. She looked good for a woman who’d given birth only two weeks prior.
“You guys!” She ran and snagged Abel first, smothering him in a bear hug. “I can’t believe you’re here. I’ve missed you.”
She gave Soren similar treatment before pulling out of the hug and passing a glance between Kieran and me.
“So, introduce me.”
Kieran jumped in before Abel could speak. “Kieran Knight, Abel’s better half.”
He embraced her as Abel snorted. “Yeah right, try again.”
Soren curled around my arm until they were finished and Ember looked to him expectantly.
“This is Remy,” he said. I smiled and fought through my own apprehension and hugged her the same as Kieran had. She was one of those death-grip huggers too and when she finally released me, the flood of relief was gratifying.
“Umm, baby? There is a baby here somewhere,” Abel said with impatience. “We came for a baby first, you second, Em. Where is he?”
Ember’s smile broadened and she adopted that new mama pride. “Come see, he just woke up. Stephen is changing him.”
Dragging Kieran along—literally dragging—Abel darted for the front door as Ember followed. From what I’d learned of Soren’s brother, it wasn’t the response I’d expected. He was bubbling with excitement.
Soren didn’t move and when I glanced down to see why, his nose was curled.
“He’s thrilled and you are less than enthusiastic about this.”
“Meh, babies are just… I don’t know. Not my thing.”
Encouraging him along, I chuckled. “I didn’t know that about you.”
“How about you? Do you like babies?”
“I’m going to let you ponder that question for a little while longer and see what you come up with.”
It was another obstacle in my way that weekend. Babies tended to secrete more bodily fluids than any other human being on Earth, holding one and cooing over one not only made my muscles tighten, but flooded me with anxiety.
Soren remained quiet for a second longer. Just as we passed the threshold, it dawned on him.
“Oh! Yeah, never mind. Stupid question.”
I laughed as I removed my shoes and placed them on the mat by the front door. Mine were the only ones that had made it that far. All the other footwear was scattered haphazardly about. I tried not to look.
Abel had waisted no time and when we made our way into Ember’s spacious living room, he already had the infant cradled in his arms with Kieran cooing beside him. The two of them glowed with excitement.
“What’s the baby’s name again?” I whispered.
“Xavier.”
The tiny boy in question had a few wisps of dark hair and pudgier cheeks than I expected to see on a newborn. He’d been dressed in a light blue onesie with brown bears all over it. As Abel rocked him, Xavier squinted little dark eyes, studying his face. It looked as though the bright lights were too much of an assault for him to open then more.
“When you grow up, Uncle Abel is going to teach you to play football and rugby and soccer and baseball, and we can watch the games together and root for our fav teams. Sound good, squirt?”
“Not a chance,” Stephen said, entering the room from stairs that led up to another level. “My boy is going to wrestle and play hockey.”
Stephen was tall and slender with a scruffy beard and black hair.
“You’re both wrong. My baby will not play rough sports. I’d cry if he ever got hurt.”
“No worries,” Abel cut in. “Uncle Kiki can fix him up.” Then his voice when high again as he spoke to the baby. “Right, squirt? See that guy? He’s Uncle Kiki.”
The longer those two smothered the baby with love, the more certain I became of the direction they’d head in their future.
Leaning in, I spoke quietly in Soren’s ear. “You didn’t tell me your brother remarried.”
Soren’s head snapped to mine then over to Abel and Kieran. “What do you mean? He didn’t.”
“He’s wearing a wedding band.”
Soren visibly relaxed. “Oh, that. No, that’s from Landon. Abel never takes it off.”
I nodded to the glowing couple. “And Kieran’s?”
Soren stared. The longer he focused on Kieran’s gold band, clearly on display on the hand stroking the baby’s head, the further his mouth fell open.
“Oh. My. God. That’s his secret news!”
Before Soren could spring forward and blurt something out without thinking, I caught his chin and brought his face to mine. “Shh, let them share. Maybe they intend on making an announcement.”
Soren’s head swung in my grip back to them, still registering shock. “Holy shit. I can’t believe it.”
Abel and Kieran refused to give up the baby, which was fine for both
Soren and me. Instead, we found a seat on a vacant couch and settled. Stephen set up appetizers as Ember shared stories of her pregnancy and delivery.
At one point Soren jumped up to use the bathroom. When he’d been gone a few minutes, he came skipping back into the room waving his hand and beckoning me to follow him.
“Oh my God, come see what they have. Come, come, come, come!”
Excusing myself, Soren dragged me down the hall and steered me into a spare bedroom. He flicked on the overhead lights and pulled me inside. In the corner was a large aquarium. It was lit up by a bright bulb and inside were an assortment of rocks, tiny shrubs, and a hollowed-out log. Perched on the log, unmoving and almost camouflaged into its surroundings, was a brown and yellow Bearded Dragon.
The site had me recoiling back toward the door. The only thing stopping me from fleeing was Soren’s tight grip on my hand which firmed the moment he sensed me about to run.
“Isn’t he the coolest thing ever?”
He turned back with the widest grin. I stared from him to the beast in the tank. The way it sat so still made it almost seem fake and I edged forward, nose crinkled.
Soren bent down to be eye level with the lizard and I remained a few paces away.
“Can we get one of these for the apartment?”
I answered without a second thought or hesitation. “No!”
“A cat?”
“No.”
“Dog?”
“Caro—”
“I know, I know, I’m kidding,” he laughed and tapped a finger on the tank. “An animal would probably give you a stroke.”
Undoubtedly. I couldn’t imagine bringing something like that into my living space. Even the mention of it had brought my heartrate up.
Eventually, Soren waved goodbye and came to stand beside me, facing away from the tank. “But you have to admit, it’s totally badass.”
I squinted at the lizard in question as it moved for the first time, turning its head in my direction. I flinched. “It… It just stuck it’s tongue out at me.”
Soren spun and stared at the tank. The lizard no longer moved and was again no more than a statue. “Aww, I missed it.” Shrugging, he turned back. “He probably knows you don’t like him.”
