THE PHOENIX WEDDING: The Complete 6 Books Series

by CJ Bishop

  He would have taken it back. He wasn’t thinking clearly.

  “So now what?” Jamie asked.

  “Now…nothing,” Grid answered dejectedly. “He’s getting married. He apparently has his reasons and it’s not my place to interfere.”

  “But…” Jamie’s face pinched. “You’re just going to walk away from him? You’re totally crushing on the guy. How can you just forget about it all?”

  “I don’t have a choice.” Grid was making it sound easier than it felt inside. Letting Nolan go would be an uphill battle to the top, with his heart fighting him every step of the way. He headed across the living room. “I’m going to take a shower,” he murmured, then paused at the entrance to the hall. “I’ll tell you this, though…I get what they mean about gays hidingin the closet. Just didn’t know they meant literally.”

  He entered the hallway without clarification, leaving Seth and Jamie staring after him in puzzlement.

  ♦

  “This is a first.” Samuel leaned back in his chair and swiveled halfway around when Nolan entered the office. “You being the one who’s late.”

  The older man walked around to his side of the large desk and sat down. His face was strained with a shitload of tension and a distant look dominated his eyes. “Car trouble,” he mumbled.

  Liar, Samuel mused.

  Nolan’s laptop sat on the right corner of the desk and he opened it then grabbed one of the hardcopy files that Samuel had stacked in the center of the desk. “I want to set up some interviews with a few of the officers who are acquainted with Christian’s stepfather. No one is liked by everyone, regardless how good an actor they are. Someone that he works with is aware of his violent behavior. Also…” he sifted through the file in front of him. “We need to get the names of Christian’s friends who may have witnessed the physical evidence of his abuse. Or who have met Norman Rice.” He looked up briefly. “I also want to schedule a visit with Christian and Nick soon.” He averted his eyes and typed something on the laptop.

  Watching him intently, Samuel leaned forward and rested his arms on the desk. “So tell me about this fiancée. Since when are you engaged? I didn’t even know you were seeing anyone.”

  Nolan’s face stretched tauter. “It isn’t your business, Samuel,” he murmured. “We have work to do.”

  “Is she the woman from back in law school?”

  Nolan looked up and frowned. “What?”

  “The woman you mentioned at the bachelor party,” Samuel said. “You told Caleb and I that the last real relationship you had was back in law school.”

  Nolan just stared at him, uncertainty in his eyes.

  “You don’t remember telling us?” Samuel asked, then nodded. “You were pretty wasted. And speaking of that—since when are you a drinker?”

  Nolan licked his lips slowly and turned his focus to the laptop. “Just get back to work,” he whispered.

  Samuel’s curiosity about the fiancée was driving him nuts, but even more so—and rather troubling—was Nolan’s change of behavior since the bachelor party. Was it due to his engagement? Or Grid, perhaps? Samuel couldn’t let go of the feeling that Nolan wasn’t nearly as straight as he let on. Had he just realized he was gay and now found himself locked into an engagement with a woman, which he didn’t know how to get out of?

  Ah man, if you don’t love her, don’t marry her. You’ll be miserable, my friend. Fucking miserable.

  Chapter 7

  Abel wasn’t expecting company and was startled when Clint and Axel showed up at his door. He invited them in and offered them both iced tea.

  “How’s the kid?” Clint asked.

  Abel wasn’t sure how much to tell him just yet. He was convinced that Noah’s abuse was greater than he’d admitted to them, but he didn’t want to relay false information—especially to the cowboy. “He’s doing good,” Abel said. “Starting to settle in. Devlin took him in for a physical, and to have his leg x-rayed, see if the damage is permanent or if surgery would be helpful.”

  “Let’s hope something can be done for him,” Axel spoke up. “It would be awful for him to have to spend the rest of his life partially handicapped.”

  “It would,” Abel murmured. He lowered his eyes to his glass, absently tapping his finger against the side.

  “Is there something else?” Clint asked with a barely detectable edge.

  Sighing, he looked up and was immediately caught in the cowboy’s jade green stare. Abel shivered—he couldn’t imagine the stark terror of an enemy being seized by those eyes; eyes that now demanded the truth.

  “Maybe,” he admitted quietly, glancing between the two men. “But…I don’t think I should say anything until Devlin gets back and we talk to Noah.”

  Clint leaned toward Abel, his eyes narrowing. The man would never be a threat to Abel, but still, he was damn intimidating. “Talk to him about what?”

  “We won’t say anything,” Axel assured and took Clint’s hand. “Is there something wrong with Noah?”

  “I don’t know.” Abel hesitated then went on to tell them about their initial suspicions of Noah’s sexual abuse, finding the phone in Noah’s room, and the voicemail message when they redialed. “But Devlin called from the hospital. He said there was no physical evidence that Noah had been sexually abused.” He stared anxiously at the cowboy as a firestorm began to roll through Clint’s eyes.

  Axel noticed, too, and gripped his hand tighter. “Maybe there’s some other explanation to why Noah was acting that way when Devlin asked him about the abuse.”

  “I hope so,” Abel said. “I can’t bear to think of Noah having suffered that way.” He shook his head, voice lowering. “That shit never really goes away. You rise above and move on, but…it’s always still there to some degree.”

  Clint withdrew from Axel and excused himself. He left the kitchen. Abel watched him till he was gone.

  “He talks about Noah a lot,” Axel said quietly. “He really likes him. He’s been wanting me to meet him since you guys got back.” He looked anxiously at the empty doorway. “If Noah was sexually abused…” His gaze slipped back to Abel’s face. “No force on earth will be able to stop him from taking vengeance.”

  Dark memories of Abel’s own past crept in. “Good,” he whispered.

  ♦

  “Whose car is that?” Noah leaned forward a little and looked out the front windshield as Devlin pulled into the driveway.

  Devlin smiled. “Clint’s.”

  Noah’s face instantly brightened. “He’s here?”

  “Him or Axel.” Devlin nodded. “Or both, most likely.”

  Once out of the car, the boy moved as quickly as his gimp leg would allow, heading for the front door of the house. Devlin easily caught up to him entered right behind him. They found Abel in the kitchen with Axel. No cowboy. Noah’s face fell a little.

  “Hey.” Devlin grinned and nodded to Axel. He touched Noah’s shoulder. “This is Noah.” He winked at Axel. “I’m sure you’ve heard plenty about him.”

  Axel chuckled and shook Noah’s hand. “Oh yes.” He gazed at the boy. “It’s good to finally meet you, Noah. Clint talks about you all the time.”

  “He does?” That made the boy happy.

  “Yeah.” Axel smiled. “And that’s saying a lot, because that cowboy isn’t much of a talker for the most part.”

  “Is he here?” Devlin asked.

  Axel nodded, a faint shadow passing through his eyes. “He’s out back.”

  “Okay,” Devlin murmured and told Noah, “Wait here.” He left the kitchen and walked to the backdoor and stepped outside. Clint stood at the top of the porch steps, staring across the backyard, his brow cinched and eyes hard. “Axel said you were out here.”

  Clint acknowledged his presence with a slight shift of his eyes but didn’t look at Devlin. “Did that motherfucker rape Noah?” his voice was low, brittle, and thick with his southern drawl. “Tell me, Doc.”

  “I don’t know,” Devlin whispered. “
There’s no evidence. But Noah’s behavior insists something happened, worse than what he previously told us.”

  The cowboy went silent, his breath heavy in his nostrils, his stout frame as unyielding as a stone wall. With a slight shift of his feet, boots scraping against wooden planks, he finally looked at Devlin. “He needs to tell us the truth. If his stepdad raped him…” Clint’s eyes turned to ice. “I will kill him.”

  The cowboy didn’t deal in ‘figure of speech’; Jim Evers—if guilty of this wicked sin—would suffer beyond measure before he was granted death. Devlin nodded.

  Clint twisted his head, his taut face shadowed by the brim of his cowboy hat, and looked at the door. “The boy is here with you?”

  “Yes.”

  “Do you think he will talk to you?”

  “I’m going to try and get him to tell us what’s going on,” Devlin said.

  Clint nodded and dragged his hand over his mouth. “Mind if we’re here?”

  “I actually think that might be good,” Devlin told him. “He is very fond of you. I think you make him feel safe. Protected. He may need that sense of security when opening up about things that frighten him.”

  ♦

  The cowboy returned to the kitchen with Devlin and walked over to Axel, sliding his arm around his shoulder. Noah and Axel had talked a little bit. Axel told him about Jonah, the puppy Clint had rescued and given to him. He’d talked about their friends next door, and the little boy – Jules – that Abel and Devlin had mentioned on the plane. Axel invited him to come visit anytime he wanted. The guy was nice and Noah decided he liked him a lot.

  “Noah.” Devlin approached him slowly. “I think we need to talk about some things.”

  “What things?” Noah asked quietly. His eyes darted at the others, catching briefly with the cowboy’s tense stare.

  “Why don’t we go into the living room?” Devlin suggested.

  Noah hesitated, his stomach pinching. “Is something wrong?”

  “We just want to talk,” Devlin assured gently. “You don’t have to worry.”

  Would they ask him about the phone? It didn’t make sense that they wouldn’t ask. He nodded. “Okay,” he whispered.

  Clint continued to stare at him without speaking. Something about the cowboy made him relax a little and he followed the four men into the other room. Devlin and Abel sat on either side of him on the sofa while Axel took the armchair and Clint remained standing beside Axel’s chair.

  “I know you may not want to talk about some of the things we ask you,” Devlin said. “But it’s very important that you do. You’re family now, and you will always be safe with us, no matter what.” He cupped the back of Noah’s head with affection. “Okay?”

  Noah nodded, but felt a little sick to his stomach.

  “All right,” Devlin murmured. “Good. Now first…” He lowered his hand from Noah’s head and rested it on his shoulder. “I need you to give me a definite yes or no…did Jim sexually abuse you?”

  Images exploded through Noah’s mind and he ducked his head, his ears ringing with the screams…fists pounding against wood…vicious shouts and…Noah trembled, his nausea rising…the other sounds; the bedsprings squeaking, heavy breathing, grunting—like an animal—and afterward…the crying. So much crying.

  Tears dripped off Noah’s face. He was shaking, chin trembling. Devlin wrapped his arm around him. “Noah…”

  The cowboy moved closer and sat down on the coffee table before Noah. He touched two fingertips to Noah’s wet chin and lifted his face. “I need to hear you say it,” he spoke low, tense. “Yes or no.”

  Noah watched a glimmer of shock ripple through Clint’s green eyes when he whispered, “No.” The shock touched the others as well. Fresh tears formed and ran down his face and his voice shook. “Not…me.”

  Clint held his eyes, his brow tight, as the other three men exchanged confused looks. “Tell us.”

  Noah’s chin dropped to his chest as the cowboy withdrew his hand. Sobs racked him. “He didn’t rape me,” he choked. “He…He raped Noel.” He broke down, burying his face in his hands, crying.

  ♦

  Noel?

  Both Abel and Devlin hugged the sobbing boy. “Who is Noel?” Abel asked.

  Noah lifted his head, tears streaming. “My…My twin brother.” His chin quivered and he choked on a sob. “After our mom died, Jim…Jim started…” he ducked his head again, eyes squeezed shut as more sobs broke in his throat. “I-I tried to help him. Jim would lock me out of the bedroom and…and rape Noel. I couldn’t stop him!”

  “It isn’t your fault,” Devlin whispered and hugged him tighter. He kissed his head and held him a moment before asking the question on Abel’s mind as well. “Where is Noel now?”

  “In…in Chicago.”

  “Chicago…” Abel frowned. “With who?”

  Noah shook his head. “No one,” he whispered. “He’s alone.”

  “On the streets?” Dread permeated Devlin’s tone.

  Nodding, Noah said, “After the last time that Jim…” his face pinched in anguish and fresh tears spilled over. “Noel was going to kill himself. He said he couldn’t take it anymore and he just…” sobs shook him. “…he just wanted to die.” He wiped his face but more tears ran free. “He was so scared and in so much pain. He ran away in the middle of the night. I thought…” Noah hugged himself and cried. “I thought he ran away to kill himself, so…so I wouldn’t have to see it.”

  Clint stood up and walked to the far side of the living room, his back to them as he stared out the window, his body rigid. Tears glistened in Axel’s eyes as he asked thickly, “But he didn’t?”

  “No,” Noah whispered. “I thought I would never see him again, but then he…he called home when he knew Jim would be gone. He was scared to be out there by himself but was more scared to come home. I…I told him not to come back there. I knew Jim would keep hurting him.”

  Devlin frowned. “But Jim never did those things to you?”

  Noah shook his head.

  “Why Noel but not you?” he asked, confused.

  The boy went still, his arms tightening around his waist. “I don’t know.”

  Clint turned his head slowly and looked at Noah, eyes narrow and intent on the boy’s face. Abel glanced at the cowboy. He’s lying, isn’t he? And you know it.

  Chapter 8

  “Hey, guys. Come to check up on us?” Chris greeted Cole and Gabe with friendly handshakes as they entered Dante’s. “Just so you know, we’re on schedule. Miranda would kick my ass if I didn’t stay on top of things.”

  “Good for her,” Cole chuckled. “Actually, we’re just here for lunch.”

  “Great.” Chris grinned. “Your reserved tables are waiting for you. I’ll send someone right over to take your orders.”

  “Thank you.”

  When they were seated, Gabe asked, “Is this really just lunch?”

  “What do you mean?” Cole looked at him. “I can’t ask my fiancé out to lunch without having an ulterior motive?”

  Gabe smiled. “Of course. I just get the feeling that maybe there’s something you want to talk about as well.” He raised an eyebrow. “Is there?” Cole had been acting off since the mention of adopting children had come up earlier that morning.

  “Maybe there is,” Cole admitted. “But I would’ve still invited you out for lunch even if there wasn’t.”

  Gabe chuckled. “I believe you.”

  A young waitress of eighteen or nineteen approached with a warm pleasant smile and took their order. When she left again, Cole sipped his ice water but didn’t immediately speak.

  “So,” Gabe pressed gently. “What did you want to talk about?”

  Cole rubbed his eyes then met Gabe’s inquisitive stare. “My past.”

  His answer floored Gabe. “Really?” he murmured.

  “Well…kind of,” Cole stammered. “Not in detail. More in the…abstract.”

  “Okay…” Gabe frowned. “What, exactly,
does that mean?”

  “It means…” Cole sighed and pursed his lips, clearly not comfortable with the subject of his past. “I don’t know. It’s just that, we’re going to be married, Gabe. And I need you to know that I don’t want to keep things from you. I want to tell you everything. And I wish I could.” He looked away and sipped more water. “But just because I can’t, it doesn’t mean I’m trying to be secretive or deceptive.” Cole took Gabe’s hand and brought it to his lips, chilled from the ice water. “And it sure as fuck doesn’t mean that I don’t trust you.”

  Gabe gazed into his soft gray eyes. “I never thought it did,” he murmured.

  “I know how lucky I am,” Cole whispered, emotion in his voice. “To have you. You’re everything to me, Gabe. But sometimes I feel like I’m not giving you as much as you deserve because of the things I can’t tell you.”

  “Cole.” Gabe reached over and cupped his neck. “You’ve given me everything I could ever want. I don’t have to know everything about your past to know that I want a future with you. And I have never looked at you and thought ‘who are you really?’. I know who you are to me, I know who we are to each other. And that’s good enough for me.” He leaned closer and kissed him. “Can I ask you one thing, though?”

  Cole nodded.

  “Do you really want kids? Or was that just for my benefit?” Gabe gazed at him. “It isn’t something I’ll insist on if you really don’t want it. I just can’t help seeing you as a father to our children as well as just my husband.”

  The brief hesitation in Cole caused Gabe a bit of anxiety. Cole squeezed his hand. “We’re going to have a family, Gabe. I want to have a family. I’m not going to let anything stand in our way.”