by Anya Byrne
The pieces of the puzzle began to slide into place. Finn didn't know much about Gavin's family, but bits and pieces of scattered conversation had suggested Gavin was estranged from them. However, Finn was fairly certain Gavin would still want to know about his mother being injured, and about the fact that his brother seemed to be relying on him. But both things would shake him, perhaps more than it was smart right now.
"He's just a little sick and he can't come to the phone," Finn tried to reassure the child.
It didn't work. At his words, the boy actually started to cry. "He doesn't want to talk to us."
Before Finn could reply, Parker Knight retrieved his cell phone from the child. "My apologies, Mr. Simmons. Jackie and Kyle are very resourceful."
"I take it they're Gavin's brothers," Finn guessed, not that it was that hard.
"Yes," the other man confirmed tightly. Obviously, he didn't want to say more—or perhaps he couldn't since he only had Finn's word on his connection to Gavin. "Unfortunately, Mrs. Cook—their mother, and that of Mr. Price—is temporarily incapacitated. I work with Social Services and have been helping her out, but she's expressed her desire to leave Jack and Kyle in Mr. Price's care. But if he is hurt too…" A sigh. "Can you tell me if he will be available soon?"
With the corner of his eye, Finn caught sight of Doctor Orwell hovering in the doorway. Andreas and Jessie were nowhere to be seen, and Finn surmised they must have gone to check up on Gavin. "One moment," he told Parker. "I need to consult Gavin's physician."
Covering the receiver with his hand, he directed his attention toward Doctor Orwell. "How's Gavin? How's the baby?"
"The procedure went well," his father's mate said. "The baby is completely healthy. As for Gavin, he should be able to get out of bed normally tomorrow and make a complete recovery by next week. But for the moment, he's completely exhausted. I wouldn't recommend straining him with any sudden information."
Doctor Orwell must have caught bits and pieces of the conversation, which was probably a good thing since his input was very important. Finn considered the situation and made a split second decision. "Look, here's the thing," he told Parker. "Gavin literally just came out of surgery. He's going to be fine, but he's not in any condition to handle things like that. I'll give my brother a heads up so he can tell Gavin about it, but it'll be a few days until Gavin could even travel. Besides, news of his mother's sickness could harm him."
"That's quite understandable," Parker said, sounding torn and deep in thought. Obviously, he believed he was on his own when it came to caring for Jack and Kyle.
"In any case," Finn hastened to assure him, "that doesn't mean he won't want to take them. In fact, I'm sure he'd be more than happy to."
"But here is the problem," Parker mused. "Will the children be well cared for given Mr. Price's condition?"
"Definitely," Finn replied without missing a beat. "Gavin is great with children and he'd want to have Jack and Kyle living with him. And even if he's sick, there's my brother. He and Gavin have a child of their own so he knows how to handle youngsters." He paused, feeling like he needed to add something else, but not quite sure what it should be. "Mr. Knight, here's what we're going to do. I'll travel there and give you a hand. Maybe I could meet the kids, ease their minds a bit? Hopefully, by the time all the arrangements are made, Gavin will be better."
"Sounds good," Parker said after a small moment of hesitation. "Do you have a pen? I'll give you my address."
A shiver of something unidentifiable swept over Finn at the offer. He shook it off and focused on the practicalities of what he was doing. Given the circumstances and his current situation—specifically Alpha Adler's imminent attack on them—he should probably be focusing on ensuring his pack was safe. But his brother needed him, and so did Gavin. Finn owed them for being an asshole when the two of them had first gotten together.
He quickly jotted down the address Parker gave him, all the while hoping he was doing the right thing. He was making some decisions he might not have been entitled to, but what choice did he have, really? "Okay," he told Parker. "I'll be there tomorrow."
"I'll be waiting," Parker said.
Finn didn't know why, but those words went straight to his dick. He missed Parker's voice no sooner had it turned into the unyielding dial tone, but he banished that thought as quickly as it popped into his mind.
He put the cell phone away and turned toward the doctor. The other man was giving him an unreadable look. "You do need to mention it to Saul. But Gavin won't be fit for travel so soon, and he probably won't want to leave his son. You going there is likely our best bet, but you also have to consider the fact that Gavin's mother might not trust you with her children."
Finn grimaced. "I'll speak to her and then make sure she and Gavin talk on the phone."
Doctor Orwell nodded approvingly. "That would work, I think."
Still puzzling over the call, Finn forced himself to put it out of his mind. He'd come here for an entirely different reason, and while Doctor Orwell's words had reassured him, he needed to see some things for himself.
He headed toward Gavin's room just as Jessie and Andreas stepped out. Jessie frowned at him, like he couldn't understand what phone call could be more important than Gavin's newborn. Finn had to admit that the situation was pretty strange, but he had no way of explaining it to Jessie and Andreas. And so, he just nodded at the two men and walked inside.
The room smelled like blood, but not in a scary way. Finn had visited recent mothers in the pack, and it hadn't been much different. Gavin would probably be moved soon—in fact Finn would bet money that Doctor Orwell had planned to do exactly that when he'd left. But for the moment, both he and Saul were here, Gavin lying in bed, very pale, but conscious, while Saul stood next to him, rocking a small child.
The sight made Finn's heart do a funny leap, but then, he'd been dwelling far too much on what Saul had and he didn't these days. He walked to Saul's side and took in the reddish face of the newborn. He couldn't say the baby looked like anyone in particular, but then again, they never did. Finn suspected that went for babies of all species, human, werewolf, or otherwise.
Still, he needed something to say that would sound halfway coherent so he tried, "He looks just like you."
Saul turned and threw him a crooked grin, every inch of him the proud parent. "He does, doesn't he? Although he has Gavin's hair."
Indeed, a tuft of blond hair covered the child's scalp. And then, the baby opened his eyes and fixed Finn with a piercing gray gaze. Finn looked back at him, and suddenly, the child started to wail.
Finn flinched, while on the bed, Gavin stirred, obviously very tired, but too anxious about his son to rest. Saul sat down next to his mate, petting Gavin's hair and whispering, "It's all right. I have him."
Saul wordlessly passed the baby to Gavin. As soon as he was in his birth father's arms, the newborn settled down. Finn knew he needed to get out of here, so he leaned in closer to his brother. "I need a word with you when you're free," he whispered in Saul's ear. "It's important."
Saul nodded, but Finn didn't think his brother was listening. Not that Finn blamed him. In fact, he didn't even have the heart to interrupt him now, in this moment that obviously meant so much to him. "I'll wait for you," he offered and left the room without another word.
It was hours later that Saul finally came looking for him. Finn was outside, staring at the darkening sky and wondering what he'd tell his father about his sudden trip. He'd called earlier to let the older werewolf know he was a grandfather, but he hadn't mentioned anything about Parker, or Gavin's brothers.
"Hey," Saul greeted him. "Thanks for sticking around. I know there are a lot of things you need to do with the pack."
Finn didn't even bother getting into that. If he thought about it too much, he'd give himself a headache and it wouldn't help him make any headway with his current problem. "Remember that phone call earlier?"
Saul just stared at him with a blank look that to
ld Finn his brother didn't have any idea what Finn was talking about. It was probably true—the last thing Saul could have focused on during Gavin's labor was a call. "I took a call on Gavin's cell. It was more instinct than anything else, I can't really explain it. Anyway, here's the thing. The man on the phone was from Social Services. Apparently, Gavin's mother is in the hospital—I don't know the details."
Saul cursed. "Shit. That's going to hit him hard. Is she going to be all right?"
"Yes, but there's more," Finn replied. "It's about Gavin's brothers. Turns out that while she recovers, the two kids need to come stay here."
It complicated the situation severely. Gavin's brother were both human, and they'd be forcibly introduced into the paranormal world. Then again, Saul and Gavin would probably be able to keep the secret for the weeks or months it took for Gavin's mother to recuperate.
Saul must have known this as well, because he said, "Of course we'll care for them. Moon be blessed, this is just the worst possible time."
Technically speaking, it would have been worse if they'd gotten the call a week ago, when Gavin had still been heavily pregnant, but Finn didn't bother saying it. Jessie's pregnancy could still be an issue, but Jessie was a stranger and didn't have to spend a lot of time with Gavin's brothers. Besides, it would be shitty for them to even discuss the timing when it wasn't something that could be helped.
"I promised the man I'd travel there to make some arrangements, speak to the children and maybe to his mother too."
Saul nodded jerkily. "That's a good idea. I'll talk to Gavin soon, once he feels better. But in the meantime, Finn... Thanks for this, for handling it in my stead, I mean. I don't think I could have left his side now, not even for something so serious."
"Don't worry about it," Finn said. "I want to go."
And unsurprisingly, he found he actually meant it. He suspected he'd only learn why once he finally met Parker Knight.
Chapter Two
Parker didn't know what to expect from his meeting with Finn Simmons. He wanted to pace, and probably would have if not for the presence of the two boys. From their place at the table, Kyle stared at him, while Jack just played with his soggy cereal and analyzed his bowl like it was the most interesting thing in the world.
Parker wanted to say everything would be all right, but he didn't know that for a fact. If anything, the conversation the day before had made the children more anxious, their one anchor in the world—their elusive older brother—in danger of being taken away.
But Parker had assumed a responsibility when he'd agreed to care for the boys for a few days, and he couldn't just let them wallow in their distress. He walked to Kyle's side and patted his shoulder. "Gavin's brother-in-law will be here any moment now," he said. "He'll tell us more about Gavin's condition and when you can see him."
Kyle scowled fiercely. "I wanted to talk to him. Mom said we could."
"And you will, Kyle, I promise," Parker said. "Just be a little patient. Things aren't always as easy as we'd like. I do think Mr. Simmons was honest with regard to your brother's injury, which means that you'll get to see him very soon. That's a comforting thought, isn't it?"
Jack finally looked up from his cereal, his big eyes teary. Much to Parker's surprise, the boy launched himself at Parker and hugged him—insofar as he could, at least, taking into account the height difference. He didn't say anything, but he didn't have to. Parker just knelt by his side and hugged him back. "Shh... Don't be afraid. I'm here for you."
Kyle soon joined in the embrace, although he was still scowling, like he was resentful of himself for succumbing to it. It was so easy for Parker to see himself in the two boys, the way he'd been during the perpetual leaps from foster house to foster house and all throughout his long stay at the orphanage. More than once, he had wept just as Jack did now, and he'd put up a mask of hostility when it had become obvious that tears just made him vulnerable. But that was in the past, and Parker wanted to teach these kids to smile again.
They were still hugging when Parker heard a car pull in. Parker pressed a kiss to Jack's forehead and ruffled Kyle's hair. "Okay, that's probably him," he said as he got up. "Finish your breakfast while I go greet him."
The two boys complied, returning to their seats at the table. Parker gave them one more look and mentally reassured himself that they'd stay out of trouble even if he wasn't physically present. He was truly reluctant to leave them alone—especially since he'd gotten ever more attached to them—but it couldn't be helped.
The doorbell rang, announcing the arrival of his visitor. Parker turned on his heel and rushed to his hallway. He opened the door, only to freeze when he found himself facing the hottest man he'd seen in his entire life.
His guest's elegant business suit did nothing to disguise his muscular build, and Parker had the urge to peel off the layers of clothing and find the tanned skin underneath. He wanted to bury his fingers in the man's close-cropped, black hair and press his mouth to those full lips that seemed to be made for kissing. He wanted to drop to his knees and shove the man's pants off, to see if he was just as big all over.
But of course, he did neither of these things. Instead, he took refuge behind his wall of professionalism and offered his hand to his guest. "Mr. Simmons? I'm Parker Knight. Welcome."
Piercing gray eyes studied Parker from head to toe, and Parker felt that gaze like a physical caress. "Finn Simmons," the man replied as he took Parker up on his offer. When their hands touched, electricity sparked between them, and Parker couldn't help a shudder. Finn's nostrils flared, and Parker had the strange impression that his eyes were glowing with a slight golden sheen. He blinked, and the odd phenomenon disappeared. Finn smiled. "Thank you for being so accommodating with all of this."
Parker gestured Finn into the house and Finn stepped inside, brushing slightly against him. Parker bit his lip to suppress a whimper. What the fuck was wrong with him? He refused to turn into a walking hard-on just because a hot guy had turned up on his doorstep.
He cleared his throat as he closed the door. "I appreciate you making the trip here," he said. "The kids are quite frightened and disheartened."
Finn faced Parker, his expression now completely serious. "What exactly happened?" he whispered, having probably guessed the boys were in the house.
"The boys' mother... Alicia Cook. She divorced her husband a few years ago, on account of him being abusive of her and threatening the children's welfare. She even got a restraining order against him." Parker sighed, since the story never got easier to tell. "But that was only the beginning of the problem. As soon as the guy took off, creditors started coming out of the woodwork. Overnight, she was saddled with debts not only from her second ex, but from her first one too."
"Gavin's father," Finn guessed, and Parker nodded.
"It became very hard for her to handle both the expenses of day-to-day life, and pay the debts. Social Services became involved, but I could tell she was trying very hard to give her children a decent life, so I've been helping her out, more or less unofficially."
Finn smiled, and the sensual twist of lips made Parker's body heat up. "That is very nice of you," he said.
Parker shrugged. "It was the least I could do. But anyway, I'm not family, and right now, that's what the children need."
Finn stole a look toward the kitchen, and Parker distantly wondered how the man had even known the kids were there. "All right," he finally said. "Gavin's doctor advised against him being under too much stress over the next couple of days. Still, I need to drop by to talk to Gavin's mother too. She'll probably want to know what's going on."
Parker had anticipated that since Finn had mentioned Gavin's injury. "I've already talked it over with some friends I have at the hospital. It shouldn't be too hard to arrange it. In the meantime, come meet the boys."
Parker guided Finn into the kitchen, where the boys were still waiting. He had to wonder whether they'd overheard the conversation or not, given that they were looking anywhere
except at Parker. Swallowing around the knot in his throat, Parker gestured to the two boys. "Mr. Simmons, meet Kyle and Jack. Kyle, Jackie, this is Finn Simmons."
The boys finally directed their attention to Parker and Finn. "Hi there," Finn said. "Remember me? We spoke on the phone."
"I remember," Jack said, his eyes still a little red from crying. "Are you Gavin's friend?"
"I'm his brother-in-law," Finn replied. "Do you know what that means?"
Kyle frowned a little. "That our brother is married and you're the brother of his wife."
"Pretty much," Finn confirmed. "Except Gavin doesn't have a wife. He has a husband."
Thankfully, Parker didn't have to explain to the boys that sometimes, two men could love each other the way a man and a woman did. Jack made a sound of realization. "Oh! Like our neighbor Lisa. She has two dads!"
"Yes, exactly like Lisa," Finn agreed, sounding relieved. "And you know what else? Gavin and my brother have a baby boy. So when you move in with them, it'll be just like having another younger brother."
"I love babies," Jack said with a wide smile. "They're very cute."
Finn chuckled and walked closer to the table, nodding. "Yes, they are."
Kyle seemed a little less inclined to be open to his new family. Perhaps he'd hoped he'd only have to get accustomed to Gavin. "I already have a younger brother," he muttered.
"Well, he's actually your nephew," Finn rushed to explain. "So you can be his uncle."
Kyle nodded, this time in satisfaction. "That's better. Yes, an uncle." His expression sobered. "So does that mean our brother will be fine?"
"Yes, of course," Finn replied. "It was just an unfortunate injury that happened very recently. That's why he couldn't come see you himself. But he'll be meeting us there in a few days."
Jack's face fell. "A few days?" he repeated in obvious distress.
Finn sighed heavily. "To be perfectly honest, my brother hasn't told him about you yet. We're worried that he'll be so eager to see you that he'll get sick again, and we don't want that. I know it's hard, but think of it this way. You'll have plenty of time to be with your brother."
