Trust Fund Baby

by Aiden Bates

  "I think literally no one is going to be thinking about your cufflinks, lover." He kissed down the edge of Luke's jaw. "I do, however, think that they're going to start wondering what we're up to if we don't get out there ."

  "You say that like it's a bad thing," Luke said, pulling their hips together. "We could just stay here and forget about the party ."

  "Or we could go greet our guests, and you could say hi to your family," Jay said, stepping back until Luke was forced to let him go .

  "I like my idea better," he said, fussing with his hair in the mirror .

  "It's a good idea, not gonna lie, but mine is more in the spirit of Christmas." Taking a page from an omega that had clearly had plenty of experience dealing with Carter men, he hooked his arm through Luke's and dragged him toward the door. "You can't hide in here all night ."

  "I'm not hiding, I haven't put on cologne yet," Luke said, making a grab for the doorway .

  Jay bit off a laugh, feeling just a touch of deja vu. "Robert's wearing enough for both of you. I think he's nervous about tonight, so you better be nice." He didn't even slow down, pulling the alpha with him into the hall .

  Luke snorted. "What does he have to be nervous about ?"

  "I don't think he gets to spend many Christmases with your dad ."

  "He doesn't. Dad's always off with his girlfriends, or Meredith after they were married." Luke glared at the wall, digging his heels in as they cleared the bedroom .

  "How sad," Jay said, spinning them so he could push Luke along and not caring a bit that everyone would see. "It must be hard for him to be apart for the holidays ."

  "Why? It's not like they don't spend tons of time together otherwise. They have drinks together a couple times a month. The holidays are for loved ones." He jumped when Jay pinched his ass, sliding a few feet closer to the end of the hallway .

  Jay rolled his eyes. "So just because your dad doesn't love him back, it doesn't count ?"

  It was convenient that Nikolai and Cody were still bickering, their voices blocking anyone from hearing what was going on in the hallway. Luke stopped dead, his voice rising in shock. "Uncle Robert is in love with Dad ?"

  The conversation in the living room fell silent, and Jay clamped his hand over Luke's mouth. "Sorry, guys," he called, trying to keep his voice cheerful and only partially succeeding. "We'll be out in a second ."

  "Don't hurry on our account," Marcus called back .

  Luke clamped a hand around his wrist, dragging it away from his mouth. "What do you mean Uncle Robert is in love with my dad?" he said, barely putting any sound behind the words like he was afraid that saying them would make them true .

  "I thought you knew," Jay hissed. "I mean, I've only met him three or four times, and even I could put that together. I thought it was just something people didn't mention because they were being polite !"

  "No!" Luke gestured broadly, running a hand through his hair and making it stand on end. "I never... I mean, sure I wondered why they were best friends, but... He's..." He trailed off, staring at Jay in horror. "Oh, my God. That's why Meredith always hated him." Sliding down one wall, he sank to the ground and groaned. "Fuck. Why did I never notice that? Poor Uncle Robert ."

  Jay glanced at the mouth of the hallway, the only thing in view was the dark front door with its holiday wreath. Shrugging, he settled down next to Luke. "I'm sure it wasn't something he went out of his way to broadcast. Things like that can ruin friendships ."

  "Yeah, but... God, Dad practically paraded his girlfriends in front of Robert like a total asshole. I would have kicked his ass if I'd known." Luke glared at the floor, his shoulders tense enough to strain the tailored shirt .

  "Also probably a reason that he didn't tell you," he pointed out. "He just wants you and your dad to get along ."

  "He's been more my dad than Harry ever was. After Mom died, Dad would just leave me with him for weeks." He growled, slamming his fist on the floor. "What a jerk, using him like that. I've always thought so, but now... Now, you see why I didn't want him to come to the party ."

  "Well, your uncle seems to have forgiven him." He nudged Luke with his shoulder. "If he's not furious about it, maybe don't call the firing squad just yet ."

  Luke stared at him for a long time, his green eyes dull as he argued with himself. Jay could actually see the color change as he finally came to a decision. "So you admit," he said, falling short of teasing, "that I can call the firing squad ."

  "Maybe," Jay said. "Possibly. If you promise me one thing." Luke raised his eyebrows, and Jay grinned. "Don't ask Nikolai for recommendations ."

  It wasn't nearly as funny as Luke made it seem, throwing his head back and laughing loud and long enough that Marcus stuck his head around the end of the hallway in concern. Jay waved him off, getting carefully to his feet, one hand on the gentle curve of belly that was throwing off his balance .

  "Come on," he said, holding out his hand. "We should really get to our party ."

  Luke groaned, letting Jay pull him to his feet. "If I have to," he said, pulling Jay in for a kiss .

  "No rain checks," Jay said, not even slightly sorry as he dragged Luke out to face his father .

  Twenty minutes later, he was regretting that decision .

  "So how have you been, kiddo," Robert asked, tension showing in the lines around his mouth .

  "Fine," Luke said, not looking up from the untouched glass of cider he was holding .

  "When do you start renovations? Harry, you remember the renovations that Luke is going to do?" He smiled broadly, slumping a little when he realized that Harry wasn't paying any attention, staring at his glass in an almost identical pose as his son .

  Unable to stand another round of single syllable answers, Jay jumped in. "We'll probably start them in January, just as soon as the construction teams go back to work. Teddy's got the plans drawn up and ready to go, so we're hoping it'll be a quick job." He smiled tightly at Teddy, trying to psychically encourage him to pick up the conversation. The alpha blinked at him vaguely, then jumped .

  "It shouldn't be more than a few weeks. This building was constructed very logically, so there shouldn't be any surprises ."

  Jay sighed in relief, sagging against Luke's side; he didn't seem to notice. Glancing at the clock, he tried to remember how long they had left before dinner was ready and if there was any possible way to speed up the process. He definitely couldn't take another two hours of this, he'd strangle his fiancé first .

  Shaking himself slightly, he found he'd lost the thread of the conversation .

  "I was in India last year," Marcus said, smiling even though Jay could see him stomping on Kurt's foot under the coffee table. "It's a beautiful country ."

  "I've been there a few times to run a training course," Kurt said, stuffing his phone back between the couch cushions with a grimace. "Great food ."

  "It's too spicy," Harry said suddenly, his voice a little too loud. "Always gives me heartburn ."

  "Some people like spicy food," Luke muttered .

  "You never did," Harry said, laughing awkwardly. Jay was starting to believe that rumors of his charm had been greatly exaggerated. "Could barely get you to eat spaghetti sauce when you were a kid ."

  "He learned to eat spicy food when we were in Singapore," Robert interjected gently. "You remember how the food was when we were there ."

  Harry shuddered. "Nice people," he said, "but I thought I'd be better off j
ust cauterizing the inside of my mouth. We had that one dish, the little doughy things... I hurt so bad, I thought I was going to die ."

  Luke opened his mouth, and Jay shoved his elbow into his ribs, disguising it as a cough .

  "I always found that no matter how hot a country's food is, if you start by acclimatizing yourself to the desserts, it's easier to work your way up," Cody said, giving Jay a sympathetic look .

  "Really?" Harry said, leaning forward. "I'll have to keep that in mind the next time this idiot drags me off to some third world country ."

  Robert sniffed. "Wasn't it Japan where you accidentally ate the garnish and ended up crying in the washroom ?"

  "Now, now. Nobody needs to hear about that," Harry said, raising his hands in surrender. "Unless, of course, you want me to tell them about the time you passed out drunk in Ireland and woke up in Monaco ."

  "Oh, this I've got to hear," Kurt said, scooting to the edge of his seat .

  "It's really not that interesting," Robert said .

  "So we're in Ireland for a soccer game," Harry said, raising his voice to drown out Robert's objections. "Our team lost, and badly." Robert reached over to cover his mouth, and he leaned back, laughing as the omega stretched out almost on top of him. "So we hit this bar, right? But everyone is celebrating the win, and it just pisses us off... Robert, dear, you know I love you, but your wallet is digging into my hip." He caught Robert by the waist, sliding him to the side until he was tucked up under Harry's arm, a flush creeping up his neck .

  "Excuse me," Luke said, shooting to his feet and stalking out of the room .

  "Shit, sorry. I'll be right back." Jay scrambled after Luke. "Teddy, if you hear the timer, can you please pull the meat out of the oven. Not the potatoes, though. They need an extra fifteen minutes ."

  "Meat, yes. Potatoes, no. Got it ."

  He wasn't entirely surprised to find Luke holed up in the bathroom again, but he was surprised that the door was locked. "Luke ?"

  "I need a few minutes," came the clipped response. "I am trying really hard not to say anything that any of us will regret. I can understand why Uncle Robert doesn't bring it up, but it doesn't make it any easier to watch ."

  "It's fine," Jay said, surprised to find that he meant it. "I'll let you know when the food is ready ."

  "I won't be that long," he said. "Promise ."

  "No rain checks," Jay said, smiling slightly as he walked back toward the living room .

  He probably should have expected someone to follow them, but even if he had, it wouldn't have been Harry .

  "Is everything okay?" the older man asked, fidgeting with his tie and looking everywhere but at the bedroom door .

  "It's fine. He'll be out in a few minutes." He took a few steps down the hallway, but Harry just stood there, not quite blocking the way, but not leaving a comfortable amount of space, either .

  "His mother used to do that." Grimacing like that hadn't been what he'd meant to say, he sighed. "She'd hide out in the bathroom when she was mad at me, sometimes for hours." He glanced up at Jay, his eyes the same changeable green as his son's. "He takes after her, you know. Nobody ever believes we're related ."

  "I do," Jay said, leaning against the wall .

  "I'm not sure that's a compliment," Harry said. When he smiled, it lifted his whole face, and Jay could see a hint of that legendary charm. "He was a good kid. Great, even." His smile faded, and he slumped. "It was all her. The minute she died, everything fell apart. He wouldn't sleep, wouldn't eat. The only time he stopped screaming was when Robert was around. He lost six pounds the week after she died ."

  Shifting uncomfortably, Jay debated interrupting, but ultimately he wanted to know. "I don't think he remembers that ."

  "Good. He's better off not. Awful time." He turned and leaned against the wall on the other side of the hallway, leaving a wide path for Jay to escape to the living room .

  He didn't move .

  "Luke's mother, Sarah, she grew up in South Africa. She had property there, family. I had to go out of the country to handle it all, and I wasn't about to make Luke go through all the vaccinations to go. I left him with Robert, and he gained back every ounce he'd lost. He slept through the night again, and he looked so happy... I took him back for three days, and he cried the whole time." He shook his head. "I thought all he needed was a mother, but that went wrong, too ."

  Jay chewed his lip. "Maybe," he said, choosing his words carefully, "what he needed was the love of his family ."

  Harry snorted. "I figured that out twenty years too late. My ex-wife, she drags me to these marriage counselors. Quacks, the lot of them, but over the years, I've heard enough of their nonsense for the bits of truth in there to sink in." He smiled a completely different smile from before, this one making him look years older. "I was a terrible husband, a worse father, and now it's too little too late. I keep trying to tell Robert that, but he's never listened to anybody but himself. I can't stand to disappoint him, too ."

  "I don't think it's too little, too late." Patting the older man on the arm, he tried to smile. "I think you just have to be consistent. It took a long time to get here, it'll take just as long to get somewhere better ."

  "Anywhere is an improvement," he muttered. "Even if it takes me till I'm in my grave ."

  "Hopefully it won't be that long," Jay said, although he had his doubts .

  "You have no idea how stubborn we Carters can be ."

  "I have a few ideas ."

  They smiled at each other, and Jay was just about to suggest that they went to join the others when the front door swung open with a bang .

  "Harry," a tall brunette in a dark fur coat sobbed dramatically, draped against the door frame as though she'd collapse without the support. "Harry, how could you !"

  "Oh, shit ."

  21

  E very time he thought about it, all the years of teasing and women, Luke had to fight the urge to plant his fist in his father's face. It wasn't like it would do anyone any good. No matter what Jay said, he knew better than anyone what an oblivious asshole his father could be .

  For Jay, though... For Jay, he'd try .

  Straightening his shoulders, Luke smoothed his hair down. He was going to go out there and enjoy having his brothers nearby, and nothing Harry Carter did was going to stop him .

  "You son of a bitch! How could you do this to me ?"

  Stopping just short of the door to the bedroom, Luke froze, every muscle in his back knotting with tension in the space of a heartbeat. This was every nightmare he'd ever had rolled up in tinsel and presented with a side of gravy .

  "What the hell?" he said to the empty room. He took a single step forward, almost stomping as he peered down the hallway .

  Meredith was draped across his father's chest, beating him with her handbag and weeping. Her face was artfully covered by her hair, but he would bet that stupid yacht that her eyes were dry. "I had to borrow money from Marilyn Cosgrove to pay for dinner. My card was declined! Declined. Me. In front of the entire board." She wailed dramatically, smacking him across the cheek. "I'm never going to be able to show my face again. How could you? And at Christmas !"

  "Meredith, honey, the judge notified you weeks ago that the accounts were going to be frozen." Harry patted her awkwardly on the back, flinching as the dainty chain strap caught the hair at his temple. He didn't make any move to dodge her hits, but she was clinging to him so firmly with one clawed hand that it would take a crowbar to pry her off .

  &
quot;What the hell?" Luke said again, stomping further down the hall with each word .

  Robert came into view as he cleared the arch into the living room, hovering just out of reach with his hands fisted at his sides. "Harry's accounts were frozen, too, so you may as well move along. No one here is going to fall for your sob story ."

  "Robert," Harry said, glaring at the omega when Meredith sobbed into his shoulder. "I'm sorry about dinner, sweetheart. I didn't think the hold was going on until after the first of the year ."

  Subsiding with a hurt look, Robert stormed toward the kitchen. "Where is that vodka?" he asked Nikolai as he passed. "I have a feeling we're going to need it ."

  "I will help," the Russian said in perfect, unaccented English. He whispered something in Cody's ear before he disappeared after Robert, his eyes hard as they stared at Meredith, or maybe Harry .

  She didn't notice any of it, dropping her handbag in favor of slapping Harry with her bare hand. "You selfish son of a bitch," she said, her hair briefly revealing her rage-crinkled face. "If you would have just signed the papers, this would have all been decided already ."

  "I'm sure that would have worked out brilliantly for everyone," Kurt muttered, standing protectively in front of Jay and Teddy. The architect looked vaguely distressed, a red mark across his face. Luke wondered if he'd tried to remove Meredith already .

  "I've already asked you once to leave," Jay said, ignoring everyone else. "If you don't get out of my house, I'm calling security ."

  "Do you hear that?" she shrieked, collapsing against Harry's chest, the nails on both razor sharp hands stabbing into his arms. "How dare that little freeloading gold-digger threaten me, Harry. I can't believe you'd let him speak to me that way ."

  "What. The. Hell?" Luke roared .

  Everyone froze, even Meredith staring at him with a deer-in-the-headlights look on her face. It wasn't a pretty look, accentuating the lines of stress that creased her heavy makeup .