The panic was hot. It burned beneath my flesh; like lava, it wanted to cling to everything it touched, and I knew if I let it, then it would cool into cement and I’d never fully shake it free.
Fuck that.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Trent said. There wasn’t a trace of panic in his voice, only anger and annoyance.
He didn’t even indicate he wondered what Lorhaven saw. But I knew he was thinking about it, trying to read me without looking back. His body turned in the direction of our visitor, effectively blocking me from sight.
As much as I wanted to declare I didn’t need even just a second to recover, I did. I was grateful for a moment’s reprieve.
“After today, I thought I had an invite to drop by anytime I wanted. Maybe I should have called first?” Lorhaven quipped.
I straightened from the car. T was so close our bodies brushed together.
“After today?” Trent echoed.
I stepped around him, up to his side.
Lorhaven barely glanced at me before giving Trent all his attention once more. “What the fuck happened to your face?”
Trent crossed his arms over his chest. The acknowledgement of his battered appearance made me wonder about his ribs. I hadn’t even asked about them yet.
Trent ignored him entirely and swung to me. “What happened today?”
“I did some driving with Arrow,” I replied.
“And you thought that gave you an engraved invitation to our house?” Trent asked Lorhaven. I don’t think he even realized what he said, how he called this place our house.
But Lorhaven noticed. He smirked. “Where I come from, if I let you into my place, then your door is open as well.”
“Arrow took me where they keep their cars.” I explained a little further.
“You guys have your own garage?” Trent asked, curiosity winning over the anger. He didn’t like my rival, but information was always handy to have.
Lorhaven grunted. “It’s an airstrip. We have several hangars.”
“But you don’t live there.” Trent pointed out.
“Arrow does.”
And that explained the bed I saw in the back of the hangar. Damn. I’d been right. That kid must be hella lonely. I felt bad for leaving now.
“Your brother lives at an abandoned airstrip?” Trent scoffed.
“It’s not abandoned,” I answered, thinking of the security and the planes. I folded my arms over my chest. “Why does he live there?”
If their father had all the money I knew he did, why was his son living at a garage?
“What happened to his face?” Lorhaven ignored my question to ask his own.
“I decked him,” I lied.
Lorhaven looked between me and T. His stare was divided between scrutiny and interest. “Didn’t look like you were fighting when I got here. At least not the kind with fists.”
“You son of a bitch,” Trent growled and lunged forward. Within seconds, he had Lorhaven pinned against the wall, his forearm pressed right at his throat.
To my surprise, Lorhaven didn’t fight back. He let himself be restrained. Correction, he didn’t try to get out. Maybe he knew it would be a waste of energy. The power Trent was clearly pulsing with was no bluff. It was real, and he was pissed.
I had no doubt in any part of me that when T was finally pushed to the edge of that careful control he always imposed on himself, whoever was on the receiving end wouldn’t stand a chance.
Even so, Lorhaven didn’t know Trent like I did. He didn’t know the private fight he’d been battling since I met him. Lorhaven couldn’t possibly know just how dangerous Trent would be if pushed to protect the one thing he valued most.
Us.
Yet he still put up no fight.
Why?
“I don’t know what you think you saw…” Trent warned.
“I think we both know what I saw.” Lorhaven’s voice was strained, like the pressure on his windpipe was starting to wear him down.
“Trent…” I stepped forward.
“If you—” He began, not listening to me at all.
Lorhaven tried to smile, I think, but it was more of a grimace. His body shifted. The black leather jacket he wore scuffed against the wall. “I don’t care.”
Adrenaline was already pooling into my limbs, tingling my fingertips and readying my body in case I had to pry T off, but those words tripled my heart rate.
Did he mean what I thought he meant, or was it just wishful thinking? Was it me being so freaked that someone found out about us before we were ready to tell?
“Don’t you fuck with me,” Trent growled.
Lorhaven held out his hands like he was surrendering.
“T…” I recovered just enough to speak. “He’s not fighting you, frat boy. Step back and find out why.”
A funny feeling was starting to climb up the back of my neck. I wasn’t sure if it was intuition or just a rush from standing here at the ready.
Trent backed off with a huff, but he didn’t retreat very far.
“I underestimated your guard dog, Forrester,” Lorhaven said after he straightened off the wall. “I wish my brother were that lucky.”
Snap.
Just like that I understood.
I stared into Lorhaven’s eyes. “He does. Isn’t that why you’re here?”
“I thought he was wrong about you.” His head shook a little.
“Are you two speaking Japanese?” Trent cut in.
“Arrow’s gay, T,” I said, blunt.
Trent reacted physically, drawing back, surprise widening his hazel eyes. “No shit?”
Lorhaven nodded.
“He was hitting on me,” I whispered to myself. The questions, the offer to help me fix my car, bringing me back to his place… He was trying to feel me out.
“What!” Trent gasped.
“Down, boy,” Lorhaven pushed away from the wall and stepped back into the conversation, not threatened in the least Trent might lose his shit again. He gave T a look. “Your boy here is slow on the uptake just like you.”
I scowled. “I’ve never been hit on by a guy before.”
“So I’m assuming this is your first, uh, relationship with a man?” Lorhaven asked, glancing between me and Trent.
“How is that your business?” Trent snapped.
“We’re making it his business,” I said mildly. “Isn’t this what we were just talking about? Coming out?”
By the way? What the fuck kind of term is coming out?
Coming out from where? Hiding? The closet? La-La Land?
I never had to “come out” when I was dating a girl. I wasn’t hiding my relationship with Trent… Okay, fine. Maybe I was. But it was a defense mechanism.
Kinda pissed me off I had to be defensive for falling for my best friend.
I looked back at Lorhaven and nodded. Seemed like starting right here, right now and telling him what was between me and T was as good a place as any. Besides, Lorhaven was an asshole. Maybe his reaction would give me some practice for the rest of the world.
“Makes sense. That’s probably why I never pegged you as gay.”
“I’m not gay,” I said insufferably.
“You know what I mean,” he rebutted and rolled his eyes.
Okay, so maybe he wouldn’t be great practice because it really seemed he didn’t give two shits.
“So the Biebs is gay.” Trent mulled it over.
“Watch it,” Lorhaven growled.
“Like you don’t agree he totally looks like Justin Bieber.” Trent scoffed. “And you’re here because he’s into Drew.”
The black boots on Lorhaven’s feet planted a little more firmly into the concrete, his weight settling into an almost alert stance and his fingers flexing. This guy was a lot of things, but clearly, he was loyal to his brother.
And this was why his brother was loyal to him.
“He’s never brought anyone back to our place before,” he said, his voice a little vulne
rable compared to his body language. I understood that paradox far better than he likely realized.
It was the way a man acted when he felt vulnerable but, even so, would fight to death to protect himself and anyone else he cared about.
Trent looked like that a lot.
Looking between the two now… Trent and Lorhaven had a lot in common.
“He’s young, he’s trying to figure shit out, and for some reason, he likes you.” He looked at me straight on.
“And you’re afraid I’m going to hurt him,” I surmised.
“It hasn’t always been easy for my brother. I came to warn you off.”
Trent made a sound. “You mean scare him off.”
Lorhaven shrugged like there was no difference between the two.
“And now?” Trent asked.
Lorhaven lifted an eyebrow.
“Now that you know about me and Drew?” He elaborated.
Lorhaven’s dark, intense gaze came back to me. “He said you gave him some pointers today. Worked with him on his driving.”
I shrugged. “A little. He’s a good driver. Seems like he really wants to learn.”
“I’ve always been into cars,” Lorhaven said. “It’s more recent for Arrow. Racing is an outlet for him. A place to channel his energy. It’s become a passion. I think it’s good for him.”
I understood that. There was nothing quite like the freedom of flying down an empty stretch of road.
“And Drew gives him a hard-on,” Trent said.
You know, if we were a bunch of women standing around, everyone would be all offended by that. Good thing we weren’t women.
“Pretty much.” Lorhaven shrugged. “He told me you left kind of abruptly today. He didn’t seem to think too much of it, but he always wants to believe in people.” He shook his head like the idea made him sad.
“You thought I figured out he was hitting on me and couldn’t get away fast enough.”
“Pretty much. There’s a lot of bigoted assholes out there.”
That’s what I was afraid of.
“Now you know you don’t have to worry about me or Trent making it hard on him. We get it,” I said.
His stance changed. It was like this invisible weight lifted off him. He looked between me and T again, studying us. “I’m guessing the bruises on your face and the reason your favoring your one side is because you’ve met some of those bigoted assholes.”
“Yeah,” Trent replied.
“Look, I know we have the whole rivalry thing going on…” Lorhaven motioned between me and him. “And you and I…” Lorhaven turned back to T. “Well, we kinda hate each other.”
“Why the hell do you hate each other?” I wondered out loud.
They both shrugged.
Unbelievable…
“That shit doesn’t have anything to do with this. This isn’t something I would use against you. There are some lines a man just doesn’t cross. You don’t have to worry about me. You have my support.”
“You support me and Drew,” Trent reiterated like he wanted to be sure.
Lorhaven nodded. “You gotta let people be who they are.”
“Your brother is lucky,” I said.
“No. He struggled for a while before I realized what was going on. I was caught up in my own life, my cars, women… but I know now, and I’m trying to make up for it.”
“You can’t make up for it,” Trent said nakedly. “But being there now counts.”
“It’s hard,” Lorhaven whispered. It was like Trent’s truth allowed him to speak his own.
“I know,” Trent replied.
Are they getting along? Bonding?
Was that a little bit of jealousy stirring in the depth of my belly?
“I’d like to maybe hang out with Arrow again,” I said. “If that’s okay with you?”
“Yeah.” Lorhaven rubbed a hand over his head and blew out a breath. Again, I felt a feeling of relief tumble off him. “Yeah, I think that would be good for him.”
“For sure,” Trent said, leaning back against the side of the Fastback, finally relaxing. “But I am gonna have to tell him Forrester is spoken for.”
I suppressed a smile. Kinda made me proud Trent wanted to stake his claim.
Lorhaven grunted and then offered me his hand. I shook it.
Then, to my surprise, he did the same to Trent. For a second, I thought maybe T would rebuff him, the way he looked down at the outstretched hand. But then he straightened and slid his palm against Lorhaven’s.
“You ever need some backup dealing with the douche nozzles that pounded your face, call me. Some guys just deserve a good ass kicking,” Lorhaven said as they spoke.
“I got it handled,” Trent replied.
“I figured.”
In the wide doorway of the garage, Lorhaven stopped and turned back. “Maybe let him down easy,” he said to me.
I half smiled. “Done.”
Trent made a sound. “Drew’s too old for him anyway.”
Again, that sad smile crossed his features. “Arrow’s a lot older than the calendar. Wise beyond his years in a lot of ways.”
He jogged out into the rainstorm, not even wincing when the splattering rain attacked his shoulders and head. I watched him until he disappeared into his Corvette and the headlights cut across the pavement.
Trent leaned back against the Fastback, his eyes focused on me. “That was the last thing I expected today.”
“No shit.” I agreed.
But as far as surprises went, it was pretty good one.
Not only did I have the people I lived with and Trent by my side, but now I had an ally in the racing world.
An ally in the form of my rival.
Which, oddly, made the fact he offered us alliance a lot more legit.
Today was a good day for me. So much support. So much acceptance. It wouldn’t all be like this. I wasn’t so naïve to think that.
However, I wasn’t as alone as maybe I’d thought.
Trent
That confrontation with Lorhaven pushed me off the ledge I was teetering on. The second he looked at Drew and me and the realization hit his eyes, I stepped.
No. I didn’t just step.
I leapt.
Something in me snapped. It was an audible sound inside my head.
I was reminded exactly who I was.
Exactly who I wanted to be.
I was strong. I was capable. I might not be what everyone thought, but I was better.
Possessive and protective. That was us.
There was no turning back now. We’d come too far. My love was too deep. The point of no return was an interesting place. It was a state of mind, an acceptance of the future and a vow to leave the past exactly where it belonged.
Behind me.
All that was left now was to move forward.
The week went fast. I had to admit watching Con and his three little accomplices squirm was a special kind of fun. Some might say I was playing with my food…
But didn’t they deserve it?
Did knowing punishment was coming, but not knowing when or how, make it worse?
By the looks on their faces every time I saw them… oh yeah.
Those weeks Con spent chirping in my ear like an annoying little insect, whispering dirty words and intentions… Now I was giving him a dose of that, too. Every chance I got.
On Wednesday night, we had a frat party. Not a new occurrence. But this was a special party because my brothers were using it as a recon mission, trying to figure out who jumped me.
And me? I was very hospitable.
I handed out beers, taking care to make sure I gave one each to my four special friends. Ah, the dubious way they stared at those beers, silently wondering what I’d put in them when no one was looking.
Of course I stood there and waited for them to drink them. There was no way they could get out of it. What kind of blasphemy would it be to deny a personally poured beverage from your leader?
&nbs
p; Suckers.
I admit I thought about slipping a little special something in their drinks.
But almost as soon as the idea occurred, I nixed it. Something like that was done to Ivy once. That shit wasn’t funny, and doing it would only pull me down to the level of the creep who did it to her.
Plus, I’d rather they be conscious and alert for my payback.
By the weekend, the bruises on my face and body were yellowed and fading. The cut on my head no longer needed a butterfly. My ribs still hurt, but at least I didn’t favor my opposite side as much.
I gave some credit for my healing to the Wolves coach. Even though technically the season was over, he was still committed to his players.
I walked into his office busted, and he made it his mission to make sure every time I walked out, I was a little bit stronger. It was the football way of life.
Busted happened. Healing happened, too.
The Wolves had a damn good medical and training program for the players. I had access to the trainers, the physical therapist, and all the equipment in the state-of-the-art gym.
I’d seen the trainer three times this week. The therapist dropped in the first day to help write out a plan and approved exercises that would help accelerate the healing, but still be safe and not make my rib area worse.
Coach asked me once what happened to me. I gave him the same exact story I told the frat. I knew he smelled my bullshit, but he didn’t call me on it.
Once word got around I was training in the gym, some of the other players came around, and we’d all work out together. So in a way, getting jumped was a blessing.
A fucked-up blessing, but one all the same.
I missed my football brothers. Sure, I saw them on campus and they came to the frat parties, but I missed the comradery of the team. The sounds and echoes of the locker room.
I had that back now. I had them rallying around me because someone beat my ass. I even got several of them involved in the charity football game we were putting together.
It was going to be sweet. Romeo, Braeden, and the boys all back on the field together again for one last time.
Hells yeah.
But, yeah. I often wondered if the Wolves would still come if they knew I was gay. I wished I didn’t have that doubt whispering in the back of my head. I knew someday I wouldn’t.
#Rev (GearShark #2) Page 13
