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Brian gazed off as if he was thinking about something, then walked over to the dimly lit shelves. He picked up a picture of himself and Ford in his military uniform, and brought it over to the couch. Sway noticed that the picture was well-worn. “How old are you here?”
“Eighteen.” It appeared as if a fond memory crossed Brian’s face before he continued. “I was already enlisted. This was the day Ford came home to pick me up to take me to boot camp. I was so damn happy, baby. Happy to leave that farm. If I never saw another goddamn chicken again, it’d be too fuckin soon.”
Sway laughed and took the picture. He snuggled in closer to Brian’s side, yep snuggled, and stretched his legs out on the rest of the couch. “Damn, that’s Ford in the uniform. You’re bigger than him!”
“I was back then. We were always about the same height. He was the big brother, but I was bulkier. Farm life does that to you. Ten hours a day of straight labor, what hours were left were balanced between school and sleep. My father could care less if we got the schooling in or not, as long as the work was done.” Brian looked over at the picture too, those dark brows furrowing again. “I used to be even bigger than I am now. Over the years I’ve regained a lot of the muscle and weight that I’d lost while in captivity… but…” Brian paused. “Not all of it though. There was lots of PT, then Ford pushed me hard in the gym when I got back home. But… I… now Ford really is the bigger brother.” Brian tried to shrug it off, possibly put up a front but Sway still saw the hurt.
Sway honed in on Brian’s feelings immediately. He could see that brilliant mind of his trying to read—and most likely—overthink the situation. Sway understood stress, trauma, and what it did to the mind. He also knew that time, love and compassion healed all wounds. He believed in modern medicine, but he also believed in the medicine of his ancestors too. Sway felt he could give Brian that if he could drop his guard and let him. Trust him. Brian thought he wore his heart on his sleeve, but he didn’t. He was more guarded than he knew. A man who could enter a room and demand all eyes on him without uttering a single word, then strut as if he owned the world; but when faced with a real chance at love, he lost all confidence. The panic attacks and maybe even some of the flashbacks were a result of Brian’s fear of Sway flaking out on him… for no good reason. How the hell did he convince his boyfriend that he wasn’t a damn pussy?
“He may be the bigger one, but you’re way sexier,” Sway said huskily, meaning every word. Sway suddenly perked up as if a lightbulb turned on over his head. “Oh, I never had anything good on Dana. I can definitely brag about having the hotter brother.”
Brian laughed, all dark and throaty. That downhearted frown he’d been wearing had been replaced with a humorous one. “I could only imagine Ford’s face. Even though I know he’d care less.”
Sway was glad the palpable cloud of uncertainty had lifted again. Brian got up and put the picture back. “I can tell he’s a good brother.”
“He’s the best. Interfering as fuck. But… I wouldn’t be here without him.”
Sway knew Ford was the one who’d disobeyed direct orders and put together a search and rescue team to save him—Dana had told him that much—but Sway didn’t even want to know the details anymore. Not after seeing Brian’s back. That was enough. God, what Ford must’ve experienced, finding his baby brother like that. It was all probably classified information anyway and he could respect that. Sway swallowed hard and fought to take his own mind to a different place. To where they’d been that afternoon.
“You like working with your brother and D? Bounty hunting,” Sway said, smiling seductively. He hoped Brian could hear the desire in his voice. He had to know by now that his job turned Sway on to no end, even if it terrified him sometimes. But, Brian had already confessed that he sat and watched people, more than anything. Rarely did things turn dangerous.
Brian dropped beside him and picked up his still waiting cheesecake turning slightly towards Sway. He took a heaping forkful and began to chew, before setting the plate down between them. “It’s cool. I get to do what I’m good at. Find people. I owe Duke and Quick for taking both us on. Ford was adamant about us working together when I decided to head into the workforce. Needless to say, we got tons of rejections and the job search got narrower as time went on. We did good financially after leaving the military… our pay and retirement, I mean, so we were surviving. It’s complicated how Ford still got his, but anyway, he felt we had to work together, live together, everything when we first got home. He had to be close to me.”
