AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Mrs. Greene took them down to the pond to go swimming for a bit,” Dane said gently.
Beck nodded. “I owe you all an apology for making you worry last night. I just needed some time to calm down, but I forgot my phone and then my car got stuck in the mud...it wasn’t intentional.”
“We know that,” Jax said. “No one believes you meant for things to happen like they did. We’re just all glad Roman found you.”
Beck nodded. “I lied to you,” Beck said softly as his eyes shifted from Dane to Jax. “That day in the clinic after Harley’s check-up. It wasn’t the heat that made me act like that.”
I had no idea what Beck was talking about, but remained silent.
Beck’s eyes went to Dane. “When you made that joke about employing my services for the night, my mind…it took me someplace else…to the past.”
I stiffened because it didn’t take a rocket scientist to realize what Beck was talking about.
“Oh God, Beck, I didn’t even think of that,” Dane said, his eyes wide as he looked at his husband. Jax immediately reached out to take his hand. It was clear both men had some insight into Beck’s past that Brody and I didn’t.
“There was no reason for you to,” Beck quickly said. “It happened so long ago and my life is so different now that it shouldn’t matter…”
“It absolutely matters,” Jax cut in. “But yes, we got the impression from your fathers that therapy helped you work through some of that stuff.”
I saw tears fill Beck’s eyes, but he dashed them away. “It didn’t,” he whispered. “But I let my fathers believe it did. I let them believe a lot of things.”
I put my hand on Beck’s knee and saw that Brody had taken hold of his hand. The fact that we were exposing our relationship with Beck to Jax and Dane didn’t bother me in the least. Beck was ours and they needed to know that.
Beck took in a couple of deep breaths which seemed to calm him. “I’ve been keeping secrets,” he said. “A lot of them.” His eyes shifted between me and Brody and I squeezed his knee.
“It doesn’t matter,” I said softly. “Nothing you say will change anything.”
Beck nodded. When he glanced at Brody, Brody lifted Beck’s hand to his lips and kissed it. No words were needed to show he was on the same page as me.
His attention went back to Jax. “I was talking to Hunter this morning and he was telling me about the stuff he went through when he was my age. He gave me the name of his therapist…he said he used to see him while he was still in school and then again last year when he and Roman didn’t get to adopt their baby. I called him and made an appointment for tomorrow.”
Beck’s gaze shifted to me. “I want to tell you and Brody everything, but I need to talk through it first with someone who doesn’t mean anything to me. I’m afraid of what will happen if I don’t.”
I felt tears stinging the backs of my eyes, but managed a nod. “Whatever you need,” I said. “Brody and I will wait for as long as you need.”
My heart hurt for how much pain this young man must have had to live with over the years.
To Jax and Dane he said, “I’m going to tell my fathers about what happened and that I’m going to talk to someone about it. I’m going to ask them to stay in Seattle until I’m ready to tell them everything too.”
Jax nodded. “I’ll make sure your father knows this is what you need.”
The comment seemed to ease a little bit of Beck’s tension because he nodded.
“Quinn and I will be done with our work at the resort soon,” Beck said softly. “When we are, I’m going to be staying with him and Brody instead of coming back here.”
A mix of elation and relief went through me at his words and my eyes shifted to Brody’s. We hadn’t talked about what would happen once we left the resort, but then again, everything had changed in the last hour.
Because I’d finally had the courage to tell my men how I felt.
Brody sent me a small smile and I knew in that instant that we’d figure it out. It might not solve the long-term problem of Beck’s impending return to Seattle, but his words had bought us at least another month together to figure it out.
Jax and Dane shared a look between them and I felt some of the tension return. Would they fight this?
“It’s not that I don’t love staying with you-” Beck began.
“You don’t owe us any explanations, Beck,” Dane said softly. “We’ve seen what being around them has done for you. You’re a grown man and it’s your decision.”
I let out a breath I hadn’t even realized I’d been holding.
