Bet on Us

by MariaLisa deMora

  “You don’t have to worry about that.” Trent drifted a couple steps closer to the bed. “Just focus on getting well.”

  The idea of not knowing was terrifying, but that lump in his throat had grown to choking size, and Jericho pressed his lips together, trying to quell the trembling he could feel.

  The other man stepped around Trent, and Jericho noted how he brushed up against this unknown uncle, shoulders touching in a way that seemed to bolster Trent. “Babe.”

  For a horrifying moment, Jericho thought that was directed at him, the endearment something a more-than-friends friend would say. But as he continued, Jericho realized he was talking to Trent.

  “He deserves to know. It can’t be easy, stuck in here without any information for so long and then to have the rug jerked out from under him by the news.” The man turned his attention on Jericho and offered him a subdued smile. “Hey, we didn’t officially meet earlier, but I’m Jacob. I’m with Trent.” He shrugged. “Kinda obviously, I guess.” He paused, and when Jericho didn’t say anything in response, continued. “We’re here to help figure things out, but the one thing that doesn’t need any figuring is that we’ll take care of you. You’re going to live with us because family takes care of family, and we…we just want you to know how sorry we are that this is how you found out about Trent.” He gestured to the side. “And we want you to know we didn’t know about you, either. If we had, we’d have been here for anything you and your mom needed. What Trent was trying to say is you truly don’t have to worry about anything now, because we’ve got you. We’re here, and we’ve got you.”

  Jericho dropped his chin and scrubbed at his forehead again, trying to drive away the fear and anger. I can’t be mad at Mom. She was dead and couldn’t defend herself or her decisions, and it wasn’t fair to her. But it wasn’t fair to me, he wanted to shout. None of this is fair. He lifted his head, and batting the tears from his eyes with the edges of his fist, asked the first question that came to mind. “So you’re Jacob Conway?”

  Both men laughed, Trent a little hysterically and Jacob with a long-suffering tone. “No, I’m a Grimes. Jacob Grimes.”

  “But you’re—” Jericho ignored the twinge of pain from his arm as he used the cast to gesture between the two men. “Together, together. Right? Or not? Did I get that wrong?”

  “We’re definitely together-together.” Jacob smiled at Trent, the expression on his face so loving and sweet something broke inside Jericho. A wall, one of the many his mother had accused him of building over the years, toppled and fell. “I married the guy, but we couldn’t come to an agreement on how to hyphenate the last names. Did I go with Grimes-Conway, or did we do Conway-Grimes? So for now, we’ve kept things as they are.”

  “When you say I’ll live with you, what does that mean?” He thought about his bedroom at the farm, his clothes and the few books he’d been able to squirrel away, keeping them out of Frank’s sight because the man didn’t see any value in something he considered nonproductive. “The farm, the animals, someone’s got to take care of them.”

  “A lot has happened since we left here earlier.” Trent was focused on him as he took the final steps to bring him beside Jericho. “That lady, Ms. Chapman, she called a little bit ago with some news.” Jacob pulled a chair close to the bed and physically directed Trent to it, pressing on his shoulders to encourage him to sit. Trent reached and took Jericho’s hand in his, holding tight as Jacob left the room. “She said the investigators found some paperwork at the farm.”

  Jacob came back in with another chair in hand, and he settled it on the other side of the bed, bracketing Jericho. Jacob sat and propped his elbows on knees, leaning forwards.

  “What?” Jericho chewed on the inside of his bottom lip, waiting.

  “Your mom, Stella. She had a will. Frank didn’t, but since he didn’t really own anything, that’s kind of a moot point. How much did you know about their…relationship? The land and such?”

  “We rented the farm. Frank never could hold on to money long enough to put a down payment on anything. The animals, the horses in the barn, they’re all rent-paying boarders.” Jericho laughed, the harsh barking sound echoing around the room. “Never had much.”

  “Your mom’s will named me executor.” Trent lifted his chin and stared into Jericho’s face. “And guardian. Of you. So, it’s what your mom wanted, too.”

  “Where’s your place at? Have I ever seen it? Maybe Mom drove past one day?” Jericho wracked his brain. “Is it close?”

  The two men shared a heavy glance, full of unspoken words, so Jericho was prepared when Jacob spoke. “No. No, it’s not. We live in San Diego.”

  “California?” Snippets of movie scenes were the sum of his knowledge about California, and outside of geography telling him San Diego was south of LA, he didn’t know anything about the town.

  Another long and silent communication by the two men drew out the silence after his blurted question.

  Jericho shook his head. “I…I don’t think…” He made a fist inside Trent’s grip. “I’ve never been anywhere but here.”

  “My sister lives in Memphis. That’s where I grew up.” Jacob’s words didn’t make sense, because what did his childhood home matter? “We’ve been talking about relocating back there. My parents scattered after their divorce, and I miss my sister a lot. Our jobs—” He smiled, a slow lifting of the corners of his mouth. “Trent and I work remotely, so we can literally live anywhere. I’ve got two nephews there that are growing up too fast, and I hate I’m missing out on that. We flew out here so we could get to you as fast as possible, but we’ve talked about driving back to California. That’d give us a chance to stop in Memphis and visit. Introduce you to your new cousins.”

  “My cousins?” The concept was foreign enough to be intriguing. After being without family for so long, they seemed to be coming out of the woodwork now.

  “Well, yeah. Trent’s your uncle, so that makes me your uncle, too. Means my sister has to be your aunt, and she’s thrilled at the idea. So her two boys are your cousins.” Trent gave Jacob a look, a fond eye roll followed by clearing his throat. “What? What did I do now, babe?”

  Trent broke in, his rough voice riding over Jacob’s. “What my husband is trying to say is, what would you think about living in Memphis?”

  “When—” Jericho closed his eyes. It was easier to speak into the darkness. “When’s my mom’s... Do you know yet?”

  “Three days.” Trent’s fingers worked his fist open and curled around Jericho’s hand. Softly he said, “The doctor left a note that you’ll be released tomorrow. If you want, you can come with us to help pick out things for the services. Flowers, the music, the…other things. Is there anything in particular you want for her? Clothes or jewelry?”

  “There’s a blue dress she likes a lot. Says it makes her feel pretty. It has yellow flowers on it.” He tried to pull in a deep breath, but his chest jerked and hitched. “She likes daisies. Calls them a common flower with an uncommon beauty.”

  “That’s a lovely thing to say.” Jacob’s voice was followed by a firm grip on his fingers sticking out from the cast. “I wish I could have met your mom.”

  Jericho shook his head side to side, eyes still closed, the safety of the darkness emboldening him. “She’d’ve hated you. Same way Frank hated me. Folks around here don’t have any time for perverts.” Trent’s fingers spasmed and tightened around his hand. “His word, not mine. Sorry.”

  “Nothing to apologize for, Jericho. And it’s nothing I haven’t heard before.” Jacob’s voice was low and gruff, thick with emotion. “The only reason I’m willing to go back to Memphis is because my folks aren’t there now.” He gave a laugh filled with pain instead of humor. “I’m pissed that you’ve had to deal with that kind of hate, but I’ve heard worse, trust me.”

  “’Family takes care of family.’” Jericho repeated his words back to him. “Not always, huh?”

  When he opened his eyes, blinking through te
ar-clumped lashes, he saw water tracks on Trent’s face, but it was Jacob’s expression that left the strongest impression. Through whatever painful memories he was fighting, Jacob had turned to look at Trent, and the love on his face was clear and true.

  “Okay.” His firmly stated word had them both looking at him, brows raised in near-identical expressions of confusion. “Memphis sounds okay.”

  Chapter Four

  Trent

  “Oh my God.” Trent closed the hotel door and settled his shoulders against the firm surface. “Oh. My God.” He leaned his head back, eyes closed. “The expression on his face, Jakey. Oh, my heart.”

  Jacob’s hand closed on his wrist and, with a steady pull, drew him towards the bed. “I know, babe.”

  Trent opened his eyes as he stumbled to a stop. “It’s bringing up bad memories for you.” He knew all about Jacob’s disastrous coming out to his parents. “I’m sorry, Jakey.”

  “No.” The single word was firm, Jacob’s denial unshakable. “Don’t be sorry for me for anything. You know I’m a fan of karma, and I’d like to think the good life we’ve built reflects on me, on us. The sad lives of my parents, that’s on them. But Jericho, there’s no way he’s deserving of any of this. Karma got it totally wrong for this kid, and it’s up to us to help balance the scales.”

  “Can we do this?” Trent sighed, exhausted and feeling defeated by the enormity of the situation.

  Jacob had seated himself on the edge of the bed, and Trent loomed over him. Jacob nodded fiercely, and Trent reached out to smooth dislodged hair back from his face.

  Staring down at the man he loved with his whole heart, Trent sighed. “He’s going to need so much.”

  Jaw set, Jacob said, “I don’t think there is anyone on this earth more suited to helping Jericho through this and the upcoming years than you and me. Swear.” He reached up and undid Trent’s belt buckle, then the fastening of his jeans. “We’re gonna take care of him, and that’s just how it’s going to be. Always, always bet on us.”

  Trent smiled at the expression on Jacob’s face, tongue tucked into the corner of his mouth as he worked the teeth of the zipper down over Trent’s hardening cock. He swayed as Jacob tugged at the waistband of the jeans, pulling them halfway down his thighs, followed by his briefs. Hand fisting in the hair at the back of Jacob’s head, he tilted Jacob’s face up even as a hand wrapped around his erection. Jacob’s grin turned into his tongue sticking out, which turned into a saucy curl and swipe across his upper teeth. Tip to root, Jacob stroked him with a firm grip.

  “This for you or for me?” Trent’s voice trembled as he took in the vision before him. Jacob, love of his life, straining against the hold Trent had in his hair, mouth already open and ready.

  Jacob twisted his head to the side and pressed a kiss to the inside of Trent’s wrist, then looked back up at him. “This is for us, babe. Because I love you, and I never ever wanna forget how lucky I am to have found you.”

  “Pretty sure I found you,” Trent teased as he relaxed his grip, keeping his hand gentle on the curve of Jacob’s skull. Heat bloomed around the head of his cock as Jacob laved the crown before taking him inside. Fluttering touches of wet tongue tapped along his shaft as he watched himself disappear inside Jacob’s mouth. Full, pink lips closed tight were the only warning he had before Jacob sucked, hard and demanding, fingers jacking Trent’s cock. He was lightheaded as blood rushed to his groin, making him more rigid than before, the beating of his heart overshadowed by the greedy noises Jacob made. “Lover,” he whispered, and was treated to Jacob’s eyes rolling up, hair falling in his face while he blew Trent.

  Jacob tugged on his sac, making his balls draw up hard and fast, tight to his body. Firm strokes along the raphe on his perineum led to his hole, and he gritted his teeth as Jacob teased him, fingertip circling the opening with intent. Trent shifted, widening his stance as much as he could, hobbled by the fabric of his pants. The pressure disappeared as Jacob pulled off his dick for a moment to slick a finger, then renewed, and Jacob’s cheeks sculpted in as he sucked harder, tongue working the underside of Trent’s cock. Trent pushed out, and his body accepted the intrusion easily; then he shouted a garbled warning as Jacob unerringly found his prostate.

  His hips jerked forwards and back as, eyes closed, Jacob swallowed around him. The blissed-out expression on his husband’s face was all it took. “Jesus, Jakey. Look at you.” His cock swelled and pulsed, then shot deep in Jacob’s mouth, Jacob’s throat working as he swallowed. Trent’s fingers again fisted in his hair, holding him in place. “Just look at how gorgeous you are. Jakey. Oh, Jakey. I love you. So much, honey. So much.”

  He eased his dick from Jacob’s mouth, shivering when the movement pulled Jacob’s finger from his ass, too. Fingers wrapped around the root of Trent’s cock, Jacob licked and kissed his way to the tip, where he hummed as he placed a final kiss before opening his eyes and lifting his face to look up at Trent. Lips reddened, his mouth and chin wet, he smiled. “I love you, too, babe.”

  “I gotta sit before I fall down.” Trent made good on his words with a laugh, twisting in place so he could fall to his back on the mattress. “Made me weak in the knees.”

  Jacob curled up against his side, and Trent hooked a finger under his chin, bringing their mouths together for a deep and wet, tender kiss.

  “Want me to blow you?” He lay his head back with a sigh. “Handy?”

  Jacob laughed, the sound so deep and smooth and well-known it made goose bumps raise the hair on Trent’s arms. “No, I’m good. You think I can blow you like that and not get off? I’m the no-hands wonder, don’t you know?”

  Trent smiled up towards the ceiling as his eyes drifted closed. “I’m that good, am I?”

  “So good.”

  They lay like that for several minutes, listening to the far-off sounds of traffic muted through the windows.

  “We should get undressed.” Jacob’s mumbled words made Trent chuckle, because he sounded like he’d rather lie there together. “Get a good night’s sleep.”

  “Yeah.” Trent didn’t move. “We should.”

  “You first.” Jacob stretched and nestled his cheek against Trent’s shoulder. “I’ll go next.”

  Trent slipped his hand down Jacob’s back and into the waistband of his jeans, stretching and pushing until he cupped Jacob’s ass.

  Then he pinched firmly.

  Jacob shouted as Trent’s planned rolling escape was thwarted by Jacob lying on his arm, and his husband’s thrashing hadn’t moved him away.

  He pinched again, gasping when Jacob’s fingers found his nipple.

  “Don’t,” he pleaded, eyes already blinking away the expected burn. Then Jacob’s mouth was on his in a slow, sweet kiss that ended with their foreheads pressed together. “Jacob,” he’d just begun, intending to restate his love, when the burn hit, Jacob’s fingers twisting brutally. “Ohmygod.” He gasped and slammed himself backwards.

  “Titty twister.” Jacob chortled a laugh as he jackknifed from the bed. “I call dibs on the shower. My underwear is sticking to me.”

  “I hate you,” Trent called after him, trying futilely to rub away the pain.

  “Nah, pretty sure you love me.” The door closed on Jacob’s jaunty whistle, and Trent smiled.

  “Pretty sure you’re right,” he whispered, lifting his head to see his nipple was as reddened and puffy as Jacob’s lips had been earlier. “Ow.”

  ***

  Jericho

  The car door beside him opened, and Jericho took a deep breath before swinging his feet out, planting them firmly on the gravel driveway. Looking up to where a tent rode the top of this slight incline, he saw a larger group than he’d expected milling around. Jacob stood just to his side, and Trent was in front of him, hand outstretched. Jericho pretended he didn’t see it and stood on his own, immediately swaying as his head swam. It didn’t matter, because as he was coming to know and believe, neither Trent nor Jacob would let him fall. Sure enough,
one hand landed under his elbow, and another gripped his arm just above the cast. Either alone would have steadied him, but both buoyed him up.

  “Thanks,” he muttered, gaze downcast, studying the tips of his new dress shoes.

  It was the second day after he’d been released from the hospital, and a lot had changed since then.

  The hotel had been a revelation, Jacob somehow wrangling a suite where the two men had been staying in a single before, and Jericho’s bed felt larger than his entire bedroom had been at the farm. The tiny soaps and bottles of shampoo had all smelled good, even if he couldn’t shower because of the cast. Nearly a week had passed since he’d broken—since Frank had broken—his arm, which meant he had another five long weeks before the annoying and heavy plaster could be removed.

  They’d driven from the hotel to the closest mall, and Jericho had dawdled until he was walking behind the couple, unsure of his place in this world they inhabited. They’d been careful about even touching in front of him, something he could see in the aborted movements of hands, the way Jacob always crowded close to Trent, and the looks they gave each other that he knew they thought they hid. Through the past two days he’d been wondering if it was just him they were afraid of, but watching them at the mall had shown him more of the same. There, even Jacob had kept his distance from Trent, arms crossed imposingly across his chest. The two men had shown up at the hospital earlier that day with new everyday clothing for Jericho that they’d bought at the local discount store. And the shoes and the suit Jericho now wore had been the fruits of that mall trip, with alterations to the one sleeve to account for his cast.

  Being discharged had taken forever, and he didn’t understand half of what the doctor had said to Trent and Jacob, but the earnest concentration in both men’s faces had convinced him it was okay not to know. Just like that, he’d understood and believed that they’d take care of him. Then, once in the rented car, with Jacob driving and Trent turned halfway around to talk to Jericho, he’d directed the way to the farm. He’d swallowed hard as they turned into the drive, disoriented to see the yellow police tape flapping in the breeze, broken and disconnected in places so it became a buttery-colored snake trailing along the ground, twisting in place and threatening ankles with a good trip if he got too close.