AllFreeNovel
Share Us
That didn’t mean my guilt went away or the vision I’d concocted in my mind of him walking up the aisle to the stage to get his diploma with no family cheering him on left me. That gutted me still. I cared about Cody.
Pia never wanted children. She said what we had was more than enough. I was getting my career started and at the time agreed with her. Pia worked and complained about it throughout our relationship. I didn’t offer for her to stay home. We had a big house to pay for, a life she got used to. On one salary we’d have to cut back, and Pia enjoyed material possessions too much. That could have been another reason she didn’t want children. The money we had would have been taken away from her.
The more I thought about it, I wondered if Xaiden and Val would want children. It was too soon to bring it up. The thought took root in my mind though. Our future together was wide open.
29
VAL
Cody was different than I expected, not that I had a lot to go off of. After Corbin told us about him, I’d searched online and found a few stories about his family and what had happened. There were pictures of him and his sister outside his house, both of their faces tear-streaked. But that Cody looked different than the one in front of me. This Cody was too skinny, obviously wasn’t sleeping, and his clothes hung on him. I wanted to pick up a meal for him, or twenty.
“You finished high school?” I asked. He wasn’t that much younger than me, only five years.
“I graduated last week. I asked my manager to give me more shifts. I have a lot of free time now and he said he couldn’t. I’ve been looking for another job. I spent all weekend going to the local businesses to see if they would hire me.”
“Do you have a place to live?” Xaiden asked.
“Yes, but rent’s due so I need to find another job.”
“How much is your rent?”
Cody sat up straighter, squared his shoulders. “I don’t want your money. Just because you’re rich doesn’t mean I need your charity. Or Corbin’s. Or yours.” He pointed at me.
I held up my hands. “I’m not exactly rolling in it. Believe it or not, I came from nothing. I left my home with a bag of clothes and didn’t look back.”
After I left, I got a job and was able to rent a room. That was how I eventually met that asshole whose name I didn’t want to speak. One person knew another who knew another. The only good thing he did for me was put me in front of JJ’s lot and told me to steal a car.
“You did?”
I nodded. “It wasn’t easy, but I eventually found my way. I get that you don’t want to take a handout, but sometimes that little bit can change the course of your life.”
“How did it for you?”
“I found the wrong crowd of people who wanted me to lift a car. They said they could help me if I did it for them. Turned out it was JJ Altair’s lot I was trying to steal from.”
“Holy shit,” Cody breathed.
“Yeah. Anyway, Jay caught me, scared the fuck out of me after telling me who he was. Everyone knew the Altair name and I was on the wrong side of the city. I knew his dad was in the mafia. Jay offered me a job, a place to stay, and taught me how to fix cars. Now I work at PJS for Jay, under his cousin Perry.”
Xaiden took my hand in his. I didn’t need to hear the words to understand how he hated what my life had been before I met JJ. I squeezed his hand and focused on Cody again.
“Without Jay giving me a hand up, I would have continued on a path that would have led me to prison and who knew what after.”
“Wow.” Cody wouldn’t have gotten the picture unless I told him my story. He probably didn’t think I understood. No, I didn’t lose my parents like he did, but I had a shit life while they were alive. “You’re with Corbin and Xaiden.”
“I am. I wouldn’t be with them if I hadn’t met Jay. He’s in a relationship with Xaiden’s brother. Not only did I get two of the best men in the world, but I was brought into the fold. I have friends who I consider family. I have people who give a shit about me. They lift me up, not drag me down. Teenage me couldn’t ever have predicted I’d be this happy, safe, and loved.” Fuck, I was getting sappy. That was what Corbin and Xaiden did to me. They made me a better version of myself.
Cody turned to Xaiden. “You don’t mind that he’s younger than you or doesn’t have the same amount of money?”
“No,” Xaiden said honestly. “I had a very different life than Val, but that didn’t mean it was always easy. Money is well and good. If you don’t have someone you love to share it with, it feels empty fast. I was going through the motions, living every day, working. Then Val and Corbin entered my life. They opened my eyes and showed me how wonderful and compassionate they are. But I had to have been at a place where I was ready for them, and I was. If we’d met years ago, it wouldn’t have worked. My money built my house, bought me cars, lets me give back to others. It doesn’t buy happiness. As for Val’s age, we don’t care how many years separate us. Society does and they can kiss my ass.”
Cody laughed. “I like you. I can see why Corbin does too. I wish my sister was here to meet you.” His eyes dropped to where his hands held the bottle of soda on his lap.
“Do you want to tell us what happened?”
Once we got him talking, it was an endless stream of words with tears mixed in and a few pauses so he could breathe. So many feelings hit me in the chest. I knew Corbin would have an idea how to handle this. He would have the right phone numbers of who to call and report what he was told. I hated Cody’s sister was with someone who wasn’t treating her right. Maybe she wasn’t being abused physically, but I knew firsthand internal scars ran deeper than the visible ones.
Xaiden studied him for a bit, not speaking, letting Cody get everything out until he collapsed against the chair, his body hunching over as all his energy finally left him. He’d been through too much. He worried about his sister, where she was, how she was. I was certain she missed her brother. It sounded like they’d been close before losing their parents. Cody was her only link to them, and she was pulled away from him. I didn’t blame Cody for wanting to stay here. If only he could be reunited with his sister permanently.
