AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He nodded, even though Finn probably couldn’t see him in the dark. Finn’s fingers tightened in his hair so maybe he felt Jackson’s agreement. Jackson bit his lip to keep from complaining about Finn using his name. When had Jackson accepted Finn calling him his boy? And why did he hate to hear his own name come from that deep gruff voice?
Chapter Twelve
Michael
Michael huffed before he pushed bubbie’s hand away. “No!”
“What?” Jackson complained. He didn’t even lift his head. “I’m helping!”
No, no he wasn’t. Jackson was messing everything up. He’d get frustrated and try to shove two pieces together that didn’t fit. The chain between the leather cuffs gave Jackson just enough room to be a nuisance.
Finn lowered the book he’d been reading on the couch behind them. “Jackson! Leave Michael’s puzzle alone. Let him do it.”
Jackson rolled his eyes. “It’s taking him too long.”
That wasn’t fair. It wouldn’t take Michael long to put the 101 Dalmatians puzzle together if Jackson would stop moving his pieces!
“Boy.” Finn’s growl was low and deep. “Leave him be.”
Jackson grunted as he pushed back from the coffee table. Not that he could go far since the long chain of his cuffs was attached to Finn’s belt. His Daddy hadn’t let Jackson out of the cuffs. Not even to shower that morning.
Finn passed Jackson a tablet.
“Oh! Minecraft! I’m going to destroy Jayme!” Jackson dropped onto his ass and leaned against the couch between Finn’s legs. The tablet set against his legs and knees to keep it close enough to his cuffed hands.
Looking over his shoulder, Michael sent his Daddy a thankful smile.
Finn winked in response.
The easy morning that they’d been having could continue. Michael didn’t mind Jackson wanting to be close to him, but he didn’t know how to play right! This was Michael’s puzzle and he’d been looking forward to putting it together once Finn showed him the present he’d picked up for Michael.
This was why he didn’t try to do puzzles with his little friends. They didn’t have the patience for it. Michael enjoyed the difficulty of putting the dogs together with so many similar pieces.
Puzzles had been one of the only things that he could turn to right after his parents’ deaths. Having to concentrate on the difficulty would allow Michael to let go of all the worries that he’d been struggling with. This was of course before he found regression. Now he could mix the two together. It was great!
His brothers had taken his love of puzzles and tried to find the most difficult ones out there. There was at least one puzzle for every Christmas or birthday. Michael had confessed his obsession to Finn one night and now it looked like Finn was also going to feed his addiction.
Michael didn’t have this puzzle though and he appreciated that it fit in with his little persona.
He returned to his puzzle as Jackson muttered by his side.
Yes, this worked much better.
Jackson began to cackle beside him, and Michael felt bad for whoever he was playing against.
When they’d woken that morning, Michael had felt like something had changed. It was not the first time that they’d all woken in the same bed, but when Michael gazed at his two men, it was with love. And they loved him too.
Michael wasn’t a big fan of change. It was one reason he and his brothers still lived in the shitty apartment that Michael had barely been able to afford when he’d taken custody of two sixteen-year-old twins. Michael had money in savings and even though there were still tough times, he refused to use his savings for anything other than an emergency and to send his brothers to school. He’d made the vow that they would never again be in the position of not knowing where they would sleep or if they would have food.
He didn’t regret anything that he’d had to give up to keep his brothers with him. Michael had just started community college, but it wasn’t like they had much when his parents were alive either. But at least the income from his parents had given Michael a small sense of safety.
Finding out that they were six months behind on the mortgage, that his parents hadn’t been paying most of their bills had been a shock. Michael hadn’t had a clue how close they had already been to losing everything.
Then his parents died.
Michael wished that he could say that he knew his parents had loved him and his brothers. And there were vague memories of happier times. He just wished he knew when everything had changed. What had made his parents put their addictions above their children. And how did Michael make sure he never became like them?
Jackson cheered next to him, and Michael looked over.
