Tyler buried his face in the crook of Vince’s neck and cried. His husband had left him. And now his best friend’s husband was hurt. Fuck. What a mess.
“Dad!” Tanner threw the door open to his parents’ house and stomped through every room until he found his dad in his old room. “Why the fuck are you here? Dad’s in the hospital in pain and crying. Why did you leave him there alone?”
“Oh, he’s not alone; he’s got your Uncle Vince,” Damon spat.
“Oh, great. You’ve been drinking.” Tanner took the bottle of beer from his father. “It was a kiss, Dad, it’s not like they fucked.”
“Watch your mouth!” Damon’s hand came out before he could stop himself. The loud smack of his hand hitting Tanner’s face reverberated through the room. “Oh God, Tanner! I didn’t mean to do that. Oh, God, I’m sorry.”
Nico entered the room to find Tanner holding his cheek and Damon’s shoulders slumped in defeat.
“What the fuck is going on?” Nico looked at Tanner’s face before turning to gape at his uncle. “You hit him?”
“It’s okay, Nico. He’s drunk.”
“No. It’s not okay.” Nico turned on his uncle. “Get in the shower. I’ll deal with you in a minute.”
As soon as Damon left, Nico pulled Tanner’s face up. “Are you all right?”
Tanner threw his arms around Nico. “Please tell me they’ll be okay.”
“Call your grandfather.” Nico kissed Tanner softly. “I’ll deal with your father.”
Damon sat in the living room with Lily as his brother told them what was going on. Damon ran a hand through his hair and looked at Tanner. “You stay here with Dad. I’ll go to the hospital. Tell Dad I love him. How are Nik and Uncle Andrei?”
“Nik’s with him at the house but I think Uncle Andrei’s flying to Russia tonight.” Tanner shook his head sadly.
“Dammit. It was a fucking kiss!” Damon pulled at his hair.
Tanner ran his hands over his face. “I think it’s more than that.”
Damon woke up with a headache from hell. A glass of water sat next to the bed with aspirin, along with a note from Tanner. He sat up and looked at the time.
“Fuck.” He grabbed the note and read it over before throwing his jeans on and hopping down the hall as he put on his shoes. He made it to the hospital in record time. The waiting room was packed again, save for one person. Andrei.
“Damon.” Stefan grabbed his son. “Where have you been?’
“Not now, Dad.” Damon pulled his arm back. “I’m going to go see Tyler.” Damon headed down the hall and stopped in front of Tyler’s door. He had no idea what he was going to say. Tyler would want answers and Damon didn’t have any. The pain of knowing his husband had kissed another man was still fresh. Damon took a deep breath and opened the door, only to have his breath sucked out. Tyler was asleep with his head on Vince’s shoulder. Vince was in the bed with his husband.
“You son of a bitch!” Damon grabbed Vince off the bed and threw him. He grabbed Vince’s head and slammed it into the wall.
“Coming back for some more, huh, Vince? Wasn’t enough to kiss my husband when he was half dead! Come on Vince, fight back!”
“Damon!” Tyler tried to get up and but his leg protested. “Stop it, Damon! Nothing happened!”
Vince tried to protect his head as Damon punched him anywhere he could reach. He could have hit back but he wasn’t going to; he could kill him with one punch. Damon shoved him hard and grabbed the serving tray off the table. He pulled back to throw it and lost his grip, sending the tray flying. It hit Tyler instead.
Vince got up and plowed Damon into the wall.
“Stop it! You hurt Tyler!”
Stefan and Jordan came flying through the door with Lorenzo, Paul, and Josh. Stefan went straight to Damon and pushed him back as Jordan went to look at Tyler.
“Dammit!” Jordan yelled. “Get a nurse in here!” Jordan wiped Tyler’s forehead. “Shit, you might need stitches. Are you happy now, Damon?”
Damon stopped fighting his father and stared at his husband. Tyler’s hand was pressed to his head, trickles of blood running down his fingers. Jealousy overrode his concern and Damon clenched his teeth. “You know me, Tyler. This isn’t something I’m just going to get over.”
“Get out,” Tyler whispered.
Josh and Paul took Damon out of the room and Stefan looked at Vince.
“Go get cleaned up.”
Vince walked over to Tyler. “Are you all right? God, I’m sorry Tyler.”
Tyler looked at Vince’s face. “Go, I’ll be all right.”
Vince left and Stefan palmed Tyler’s face. “Are you okay?”
“Dad!” Tyler broke down and cried. Damon had a jealous nature and Tyler knew what he had done was like a stab in the heart to him. Damon might not ever forgive him.
Vince walked out into the hallway and saw Damon with Paul and Josh. “He’s bleeding, Damon, do you even care?”
“I guess you can take care of him now, huh?”
“What the fuck is your problem? It was just a fucking kiss, Damon. He is still your husband!”
“Bullshit! I saw you in there just now! You wanted to protect him from me! Just a kiss, my ass!”
Vince glared at Damon.
“Maybe you shouldn’t have hit him with a tray. Or, gee, maybe you should have asked him if he was okay. He still has a broken leg and he’s in pain! But your pain is more important right?” He was furious. No, they shouldn’t have kissed, but it was a life and death situation and people do crazy things.
He gave Damon a challenging look.
“Whatever happened to ‘for better or for worse’? One slip and you’re ready to throw an entire marriage away? That’s some ego you have, Youngblood.”
“Fuck, you Vince!” Damon growled.
“Why don’t you calm down and go sit with your husband. He needs you.” Vince turned and left.
Vince rinsed the blood off his face and looked up to find Jordan standing behind him. “I just stayed with him last night. Nothing happened. He was hurt.”
“I believe you, Vince.” Jordan sat on the counter. “But something tells me things were different in that cave. In fact, things changed in a big way.”
Vince looked at Jordan’s reflection in the mirror. “It was a kiss and that was it.”
Jordan stood up and handed Vince a paper towel. “You trying to convince me or yourself?” Jordan patted Vince on the back and left.
Vince sighed and wiped his face. He looked at the reflection of himself in the mirror. “Oh, shut up.”
chapter seventeen
Andrei opened his eyes to find Chris inches from his face. “Oh, no. I am having a nightmare.”
“Shut up.” Chris smacked Andrei’s ass. “Why didn’t you call me? I had to fly all the way to Russia to talk to you.” Chris crawled into bed with Andrei and pulled him into his chest. “Talk to me.”
“He kissed Tyler,” Andrei sighed. “He thought they were going to die and he kissed Tyler.”
“Okay. Well that shit happens in the movies all the time. Hell, it’s how Beth got pregnant on Guiding Light.”
“Christophe.”
“Oh, come on. Vince loves you.” Chris pulled Andrei’s face up.
“You did not see his face,” Andrei closed his eyes. “He cares for Tyler.”
“They are best friends, Andrei.” Chris pulled Andrei to him and ran a hand through his hair.
“So are we but I do not kiss you.”
“I know, how fucked up is that?” Chris smiled when Andrei’s lip curved up in a smile of his own. “Look, I’ll stay as long as you need me. And if you want revenge, I’ll kiss you silly. Let me just call Dimitri and ask him if it’s okay.”
Andrei looked up at Chris and smiled. “You know how to make me laugh even when I am sad.”
“I could make ya scream.” Chris waggled his eyebrows.
Andrei sighed and nestled into Chris. “Why did this have to happen?�
�
Chris kissed Andrei’s head. “It will be okay. You guys love each other and you will work it out.”
“I am glad you are here, Christophe.”
Chris smiled. “I know.”
Damon was halfway out the terminal door when he heard his father’s voice. He turned and looked at him. Damon and Tanner were with him and Damon felt his heart aching.
“I’m leaving, I need time.” Damon looked at his sons.
“For what, Dad? To put distance between you and Dad? That’s the last thing you guys need right now.” Tanner looked at his dad. “Don’t do this.”
“I’m going to Malta.” Damon grabbed his stuff.
“If you leave now, Damon, you may push Tyler right into Vince’s arms.” Stefan looked at his son.
Damon looked at his father. “He was already there, Dad.”
“That’s it?” Damon Jr. stared at his father. “You just give up and leave Dad alone? Well, shit Dad, I’ll make sure my relationship with Lily never goes down this fucking route where I won’t even stay to fight for what I want. No one is perfect.” He blew out a breath of frustration. “The one constant in this family, besides regular gunplay, has always been love. No matter what anyone did or said or didn’t do or say, nobody EVER just walked away. Even with all the crap Stefan and Phoebe went through, they never gave up. True love is worth fighting for.”
“He kissed Vince. When it came down to it, he wanted Vince. I wasn’t enough.”
“The hell?” Damon raised his voice. “I think if any one of us finds ourselves in a life and death situation we might do something out of character. It’s human nature to react to fear, real fear, in ways we would never imagine. I love you, but you’re way off base here.”
Damon opened the door to the airstrip. “I’ll be back.”
“When, Dad?” Tanner called after him. “When it’s too late?” Tanner watched his Dad walk out and looked at his grandfather. “What do we do?”
Stefan sighed and hugged his grandsons. “There’s nothing we can do.”
The repercussions of Tyler and Vince’s kiss trickled down through the group. Max stared at his brother. Stefan looked like shit. Max hugged him and felt Stefan’s body shaking.
“Hey, they will work it out.” Max looked at Stefan’s face.
Stefan sighed. “Damon has a jealous streak a mile wide. I’m surprised he didn’t kill Vince.” Stefan saw Tyler with his crutches. “Where do you think you’re going?”
“To find my husband.” Tyler limped down the hallway.
“Shit.” Stefan sighed. He stopped Tyler and Max helped get Tyler in a wheelchair. “Look, he went to Malta,” Stefan’s cell phone buzzed and he looked down to see Damon’s number. “Speak of the devil.”
Stefan handed the phone to Tyler.
“Hey, Dad.”
“It’s me, Damon.” Tyler held his breath.
“I need to talk to my dad.”
“Please talk to me, Damon. I love you.”
“Is Vince with you?”
Tyler heard the sarcasm dripping from Damon’s voice. “No. Look, we have been married for more than twenty years, Damon. Don’t you trust me? You know, I could have never told you but I wouldn’t do that. We’ve always been honest with each other.” Tyler heard silence. “Damon?”
“No Tyler. I did trust you but now I don’t. I don’t know if I ever will.”
“So that’s it? You’re just giving up on me? On us?” Tyler heard the line go dead. He handed the phone to Stefan. “He hung up.”
“I’ll take Tyler home, Max. Go check on Jesse.” Stefan hugged Max and looked at Tyler. “You sure you don’t want to come to our house? We can take care of you.”
“No. I just want to go home.”
Three weeks after the explosions and capture of Augusto and Phillip, Jesse and Toby walked out of the hospital. Both of them had been informed of their parents’ deaths by Damon Santorno. Jesse had kicked Max out of his room and Toby had told Cameron he needed time.
The limo pulled up and Jesse got in with Toby. Lorenzo sat on the seat opposite of them and smiled sadly.
“Your suits are hanging up. We will meet everyone at the cemetery.”
Jesse sat back and felt Toby take his hand. He looked down and threaded their fingers together. Three weeks, three weeks of needles and doctors and crying. Jesse just wanted to put everything behind him. He was truly on his own now. By the time they reached the cemetery, Jesse could see all the coffins waiting to be lowered. Max stood in front of his father’s casket and Jesse felt his chest constrict. The limo stopped and Jesse took a deep breath. He felt Toby pull his hand.
“Come on.”
The priest stood behind all the coffins and Toby closed his eyes as he spoke. His parents were dead. Jesse’s parents were dead. Cameron’s father as well as Max’s dad were dead. So much loss, it was overwhelming. Toby saw Cameron with his head bowed and took his hand. Cameron looked down at their hands and then back up at Toby’s face. Toby tried to smile and squeezed Cameron’s hand. Cameron had left him alone like he had asked and Toby had missed him.
“I love you,” Toby mouthed. Cameron mouthed it back and Toby smiled.
Max tried hard not to look at Jesse. Jesse had screamed at him and kicked him out of the room telling him he didn’t want to see him. As hard as it had been, Max had left him alone. Jesse’s hair was swept up by the wind and Max wanted so badly to comfort him. His own pain was ripping him apart.
Damon gave a speech about all of them and Max felt the tears rolling down his cheeks. He took his white rose and put it on the casket.
“I’ll miss you,” Max whispered.
Stefan stood with Jordan. His eyes fell on Tanner McKinley’s gravestone and Stefan felt the tears building as the caskets were lowered. The wind was blowing softly and butterflies were everywhere. Stefan felt Jordan’s hand tighten in his and he looked up to find his husband crying. Jesse put his roses on his parents’ caskets and kissed them. He felt Toby’s arms around him and pulled him closer. He heard Toby in his ear and tried to smile.
“It’s only goodbye for now.”
Jesse took Toby’s hand and they stood in front of their parents’ caskets as they lowered. The crying could be heard from all around and Jesse closed his eyes. This is where his life had taken him. He had met Hunter and now this is where he stood. Watching his life fall apart. The sounds were so loud; Jesse covered his ears and willed it to be quiet.
“I have to get out of here.” Jesse walked toward the parking lot.
“I’m sorry, Jesse.”
Jesse stopped and closed his eyes. “Just leave me alone, Max.”
“Isn’t that how you’re acting now, alone? Except you’re not, you still have me.” Max made his way closer. “I’m not going to let you push me away, Jesse. I love you.”
“Look what your love cost me!” Jesse shouted. “Everything’s gone!”
“I’m still here!” Max grabbed Jesse’s shoulders. “I love you. Don’t push me away, please.”
Jesse broke down and Max wrapped his arms around him. “God, I’m sorry. I do love you.”
“Shhh, it’s okay. I understand, baby, I really do.” Max tightened his arms around Jesse. “I’m not leaving you. Not ever.”
Toby smiled at Jesse in Max’s arms. He felt Cameron come up behind him. “That’s better.”
“Yes, it is.” Cameron put his arms around Toby and kissed his neck. “I love you, Toby.”
Toby turned and looked up at Cameron. “I never stopped loving you. I just needed time to grieve by myself. I don’t blame you for anything, Cam. I blame Augusto and Phillip.”
“Speaking of which,” Cameron motioned to Stefan and Damon. “Is everything ready?”
“Yes.” Stefan took Cam’s hand. “When you are both ready.”
The cemetery was clearing out and Paul stopped and looked back at Tanner’s grave. Tyler had struggled to sit down in front of it by himself. He motioned to the rest of the group and they all we
nt over to Tyler. Josh sat down and took Tyler’s hand.
“How are you?”
Tyler looked at all the guys. “My husband won’t talk to me and my best friend is hiding from me. I’m just great.”
Dylan sat down and held Tyler. “Vince is confused, Tyler. He didn’t know if you wanted him around. You did scream at him.”
Tyler closed his eyes. After Damon left, he had gotten into a screaming fight with Vince and told him to stay the fuck away from him.
“I didn’t mean it. I was just upset.” Tyler looked at all of the guys. “Look at us; it’s like old times.”
“The…” Parker looked around. “Shit, how many musketeers are we?”
“Too many to find the right feathered hats,” Alex laughed.
They all laughed and sat down around Tyler. Mark put his arms around Tyler and kissed his forehead. “We will always be together.”
Jake put his hand in the circle and winked at the group. “All for one.”
One by one all of them put their hands in the circle and Tyler looked at his friends.
“And one for all.”
afterword
To say this book was hard on us, is to put it mildly. We both loved Sandy and working with her was a joy. The emails that would go back and forth would make us smile, laugh, and bang our heads on our desks. She had so many plans for her books — it wasn’t funny.
We know that there are some plot lines hanging but we felt this book should stand as it was written. We do have a little bit of knowledge to make it a little less painful. Phoebe and Stefan’s baby arrives safe and sound (sorry, we can’t remember if the baby was going to be a boy or a girl); Tyler and Damon along with Vince and Andrei work everything out amongst each couple and get back together with their spouses; and the grandchildren all marry their true loves and start their own families.
There was a lot of the Santoro/Youngblood story that Sandy had written eons ago. Hopefully, one day, those words will be found and will be released but for now… alas, this is the last new work from Sandrine Gasq-Dion. Know that she loved and appreciated her readers and if there’s a way, she is looking down on us while drinking her coffee and having a cigarette, smiling.
Conquering Love (The Santorno Stories) Page 29