“About what Jonny said last night. I’m guessing he said something?”
I glanced at Bailey, the pair of us silently weighing up how much we should tell them. I didn’t want to reveal all of Aiden’s secrets—he deserved privacy—but I could also see how worried Jonny was. “A little, yeah. I think he’s a bit freaked out that you’re not… angry and upset. I think he kind of expected you to be. I think we all did.”
Pain flashed across Jonny’s face and his expression crumpled. He exhaled slowly as Devon put his hand out and squeezed his arm. “I suppose I should’ve expected that. But I’m trying. I really am. You’re all adults. What you do in private is none of my business. Besides, Aiden’s scarier than you two. I’ve seen both of you drunk, naked, and doing karaoke. Nothing about you worries me except your taste in music, your lack of tidiness, and maybe your dancing. But you don’t shit on people you sleep with, especially women, you’re not dickheads, and you’re not… I mean I know the bar for men is low but you’re climbing over it, not going under. And if you had a problem with Aiden, then trust me, I’d be the least of your worries. Aiden’d have your heads before you’d even blinked, and then there’s Bacon.”
“Yeah, we’ve heard about Bacon,” Bailey said. “He seems nice?”
“Oh, he is. Loves Aiden to bits. But he’s handed out more broken noses and busted ribs than we ever have on the rugby pitch,” Jonny said.
“Bacon reminds me of a Rottie. Or a Doberman,” Devon added. “Soft as butter most of the time, but protective as fuck about his people. And his pub.”
“Anyway,” Jonny continued. “I don’t care about what you and Aiden do, and this isn’t a threat. It’s just… take care of him, okay? Please. He’ll tell you he’s fine on his own, and maybe heis, but deep down I think all he really wants is to be loved. And I don’t know if that’s how you feel or if it’s just sex, but I’m saying, if you want him,reallywant him, know that he’ll resist every step of the way. He’ll fight you like his life fucking depends on it, but don’t let him go. If you want a relationship with him, then prove it. Show him what he means to you. Because once he realises you mean it, then you’ll become the centre of his universe.”
He sighed and glanced out the window for a second. “I know I’m asking a lot. And maybe I shouldn’t be saying this, maybe it is too much to ask. But Aiden deserves to be fucking adored. He won’t ask for himself, so I’m asking for him.” He shook his head, a little smile playing across his lips. “He’d kill me for saying any of this.”
“Don’t worry, we won’t tell him how much you care. Because you’re right. He deserves everything,” I said.
It felt strange, sitting here listening to Jonny talk about Aiden with such love and worry. I didn’t know how close they were, but it was obviously more than both of them let on. Jonny had always been a quiet guy, and up until last year most of us hadn’t even realised he had a brother. But I got the feeling that was Jonny’s way of protecting Aiden from people who might have had an issue with him.
There’d been a few toxic guys on the team in the past, but they’d all ended up either transferring or leaving the sport altogether. Still, that didn’t mean everyone was automatically a safe person, and Jonny had always been private about his personal life. The only reason any of us knew about his feelings for Devon was because it had bled into our team dynamics.
And Devon had come to training with his inner thighs covered in hickeys.
There was no way of hiding those, or blaming them on bad tackles, no matter what people in the locker room had suggested.
“This is looking very cosy.” The four of us turned in sync to see Danny and Charlie, the Knights first-choice wingers and resident gossips, standing in front of the table with full trays in hand. Danny was smiling like he knew something.
“I’m six foot seven, Wheeler. I make everything look cosy,” I said casually, hoping he’d take the hint and sod off.
“True, but that’s not what I meant.” He put his tray down and looked between all of us. “Firstly, you all look really fucking preoccupied, so there’s definitely something going on. Especially because Mason and West usually sit here, but they’re all the way over there”—he gestured to the other side of the room—“and they came in late, and you two usually sit in the middle. Often with me and Charlie. Sometimes with Matty if he’s here on time. So, I’m going to assume this little get-together is about something serious… probably about the fact Hunter and Bailey are shagging Jonny’s brother.”
The four of us stared at him with various expressions of shock, annoyance, and resignation as Charlie pulled up two extra chairs so they could sit down, turning our cramped table of four into an uncomfortably tight table of six.
“Am I wrong?” Danny asked as he sat down.
“Go away, Danny,” Bailey said.
“Attempting to get around the question. Not helping your case there,” Charlie said with a nod as he took the seat next to Danny. “Next you’ll try changing the subject.”
“Or we could stop talking until you leave,” I said.
Charlie shrugged. “Again, not helping your case.”
“It’s all right. We won’t tell anyone,” Danny said. “I swear on my mullet. And Ezra’s dick.”
“Danny!”
“What? They’re my two most prized possessions. I mean, I could swear on my sister’s life, but I don’t think she’d be too happy about it.”
“Jesus Christ,” Jonny murmured, shotting his orange juice like it was vodka. The look on his face made it clear he wished it was.
“I’m right, though, aren’t I?” Danny asked, grinning proudly at Hunter and me.
“Yes, congratulations, you figured it out,” Bailey said with a roll of his eyes. “Now will you shut up and go away. And keep your opinions to yourself.”
“Please,” Danny said. “You forgot to say please.”
“That’s it,” Bailey said, his chair scraping on the floor as he pushed back, anger twisting his face.
