Page 17 of Laken's longing

Derick’s expression became serious again. “Laken will be fine, I’ve seen how Isley can handle him. All he needs is a little bit of encouragement from a friend while I work on our son.”

The wink that followed was about as subtle as a sledgehammer on a brick wall and brought a fit of giggles. “You’re as bad as me!”

“I plead the fifth, now where were we?”

Lane slipped his arms around Derick’s neck while his hands slipped under Lane’s ass to grip hold and lift him effortlessly, soft scented skin brushing against thick sinewy muscles before Lane bounced on the bed. With breathless anticipation, he stretched out on the bed in wanton abandon, his hand sliding down to his firming cock, a spark of delight in his teary eyes. “Right about here.”

Chapter Eight

Jupiter

Walking through the quiet house, Jupiter rocked the baby girl in his arms, humming softly. Sleep pants brushed against the carpeted flooring, barely making a noise as he kept his feet light to not disturb her dads. His sleep pattern was as erratic as Emmy's, who had the excuse of teething, which was why he’d heard her stir before her dads had. The little mite had captured his heart the minute she’d looked at him in a way that touched his icy heart. He couldn’t explain it, having never spent time around children before. In fact, he’d have laughed himself silly if someone had suggested he’d forgo a night out clubbing to spend time with the little tyke.

Yet her explosion into this world had marked her in a way Jupiter understood better than anyone. She’d been touched by trauma—whether she understood it or not—and Jupiter felt the bond of a kindred spirit.

At the bottom of the stairs, guided by the lamp, Jupiter made his way to the kitchen only to pause and tilt his head, listening out.

“Now who is up at this time of night?” he murmured softly to the bright-eyed child chewing on his knuckle, trying to find relief.

He changed direction and pushed open the door to the large family room they used for gatherings. The embers of a dying fire cast shadows over the room, and it took a second to adjust his eyes to see the figure slouched on the enormous sofa, clutching what looked like an empty whiskey bottle. He stepped closer and stared in fascination at Laken.

What the fuck?

For a moment Jupiter thought Laken was asleep until he started muttering.

“Tiny devil, and a damn nuisance.”

The words were slurred, but Jupiter could make them out nonetheless. His lips twitched and he smothered a chuckle in Emmy’s downy hair. She gnawed a little harder to remind him he had been heading to the kitchen to get the teething ring they kept in the cooler for her.

Jupiter left as silently as he arrived and went to retrieve what he’d come down for. The second Emmy had the ring between her sore gums, she released a contented noise that had Jupiter grinning like a besotted fool. “Doesn’t take much to please you does it, baby girl?”

She made several more sounds as her eyelids drooped. Seeing the signs she was going to drop back to sleep clutching the ring—and as tempted as he was to keep her with him, Frey would freak if he got up and found her gone—Jupiter headed back upstairs and placed her back in her crib. The night light cast stars over the ceiling and over the adorable child as he settled her back intothe sleeping bag thing they used to stop her wiggling out from under covers and getting cold.

His mind wanted to stray to the differences between his experience as a child and Emmy’s, but he was an expert at keeping up the barricades he’d built for self-preservation. In sleep they came down, and he often wandered the corridors at night with Emmy until he was too exhausted to dream.

Jupiter stroked a finger over her downy hair, waiting until he sensed she wouldn’t wake again before stepping away. He left her room and went down the stairs to the next level. On his way to his bedroom he stopped and cursed silently, knowing that he couldn’t in good conscience leave Laken downstairs in the state he was in. Popi needed no more excuses to interfere in whatever drama Laken had going on. And Jupiter had a fairly good idea who the drama was. His early childhood had honed his senses to be alert to what was going on around him at all times. His body seldom wasn’t on high alert, and he noticed what others tended to miss.

He moved silently back down the stairs, huffing at his own stupidity. Laken was much like him and Jupiter sensed that he had suffered abuse. It left an indelible mark, unseen by the naked eye. It was there nevertheless, and another victim could recognize it on others. Laken also didn’t talk about the shit that happened to him—or not to Jupiter. He got it. They may all be part of the Starling family in every sense of the word, but there was still a part that remained trapped away from the goodness that was Popi and Dad.

The heaviness of his thoughts was something that had increased since his return to Hazardville, along with the nightmares. There were many wonderful memories here, but they came draped in barbed wire, ready to tear at the pretty, shiny life and reveal what lay beneath.

He quickened his pace, knowing that no one could outrun the ghosts of the past, though it didn’t stop him trying. He came to a standstill in front of Laken who remained clutching the bottle to him, despite it being empty. Had he drunk the entire thing?

Jupiter shook his head, his bangs flopping over his forehead so he had to push them back to get a better look. The stench said he should be grateful it wasn’t him going to wake with the hangover from hell. One Laken would surely suffer in the morning.

His usually immaculately dressed and groomed brother, now he looked closely, looked nothing like himself. His dark-gray hair was dishevelled as if he’d run his hands through it and then tugged it, so it stood up in all directions. The groomed beard had droplets of liquid in it that glinted like glass shards in the fire light. Gone was the suit, and he wore jersey slouch pants and a creased T-shirt that looked like he’d slept in it. He smelled like he’d slept in the bottom of a liquor bottle. Jupiter was tempted to go back to his room and grab his cell phone to snap a picture.

“What you starin’ at,” Laken slurred, bringing the empty bottle back to his lips only to look confused when he chugged on nothing but air.

“At your pitiful, drunk ass,” he replied, keeping his voice down, aware it wouldn’t take much to have Dad or Popi coming to see what was going on. He was surprised they hadn’t already noticed Laken drinking himself into a stupor.

“I’s not drunk,” he slurred badly, “and I’ll ‘ave you know my ass is magnificent.” He rocked forward, more swaying in the seat and rumbled, “There’s pictures to prove it. You’ll find out soon enough,” he said morosely.

“Will we now?” Jupiter replied sardonically, which was completely wasted on the drunk idiot, but he felt uneasy. There was something amiss besides Laken’s feelings for Isley.

The empty bottle swung out towards him as a frown marred Laken’s handsome features. “Now what?”

Jupiter’s laughter rumbled out at his brother's antics. “You’re drunk. Come on, let's get you to bed.”