Getting There

by Black Deja

  Lucas looked at Creed while he mulled things over in his head, and Creed’s gaze would often find Lucas’s. He’d smile, his eyes warming then turn to respond to his uncle’s questions.

  After a moment, Lucas realized he was expected to answer something. Looking around at the waiting faces, Lucas was quiet.

  “You must forgive, Lucas. He has learned today he lives with us here on the ranch,” Kiku said, a twinkle still present in her eyes.

  Maddox looked up from his second helping. “Well, that’s silly. Been helping around the yard how long, and he just figured it out.” He squinted at Lucas. “You’re working alongside me when I feed the horses, and when we walk them. You’ve even helped me groom them with Jewels taking a special liking to you.”

  Maddox was right. On days when Lucas didn’t have class or even before he left for the day, he was helping in whatever capacity he was able. It became a regular routine for him to assist Maddox and even travel with him to pick up an item he needed.

  And Lucas loved Jewels, who was so sweet. Jewels made him look forward to coming home in the afternoons to spend time with her, giving her a carrot or an apple as a treat. The horse had taken to him often whinnying to him before he arrived at her stall.

  “Been here for months, damn near a year now and don’t know you’re a part of the family? Now, you’re bright son, but that right there’s just plain stupid.” Was Lucas supposed to feel honored by being included in the family or insulted for being called stupid?

  Maddox rose and gathered his Stetson from the corner of the chair. “You just make sure you’re ready to go tomorrow. You want a garden, you’re going to help me choose the plants we put in it. I got me a date.”

  “A date?” Kiku questioned, but Maddox had already thundered out of the room leaving Lucas to answer.

  “He’s finally asked Tasha Jackson out.”

  “Who is Tasha Jackson?” Kiku sat back, placing her silverware on the table and dabbing at her lips.

  “Every time Maddox and I go to the store to pick up a few supplies he can’t seem to order, Tasha Jackson is working at the counter when he arrives. Truly, I think the man was timing his needs to meet the days she works. So, I asked him about it, and he finally admitted I was right.” Maddox had coughed and snorted, twisting his hat in his hands as he’d spoken to Tasha. Lucas thought it was adorable, and after enough encouragement and some wheedling, he was able to convince Maddox to ask the woman out.

  “He asked her out, and it so happens, she’d been waiting for him to ask. They made a date for tonight.”

  “Well,” Jareth rumbled, “if that ain’t something family would do, you tell me what is? Natural order of things, you moved in even if you were blind to my wife’s machinations.”

  Kiku rose to gather the dishes, smiling gently at Lucas.

  Jareth continued. “Now, if we just got some kids in here, made things official.”

  “Okay, I believe Lucas and I have some things we need to discuss,” Creed said as he stood. Reaching out, he took Lucas’s hand. “Come on, baby.”

  Lucas allowed himself to be drawn out of the kitchen, his mind still in a haze. His arm automatically linked with Creed’s as they walked toward the front of the house and out the open door.

  When they made it to the wraparound porch, Lucas sighed as Creed pulled him against him, his strong arms wrapping around his smaller frame. The sky was a gorgeous array of blue, purple, and pink, the sun paling in the background. The animals were settling for the evening, and Lucas snuggled close, content in Creed’s arms.

  “So, now that you’re away from them, you want to tell me what brought on this epiphany.”

  Lucas lay his head against Creed’s wide chest. “I was standing in the kitchen, helping Kiku prepare dinner.”

  “As you often do.”

  “Shut up. I’m talking. So, I started thinking of how many different ways you can cook a potato and how many ways we’d tried. By the time I’d covered that, I realized not only do I cook here, but I do my work here and sleep here. Hell, even Anthony asked me to tell you he’d be up this Sunday to talk about some things, that he might stay the evening.”

  “Huh. Give Mom time, and she’ll have him here, too.”

  Lucas laughed nervously. “Actually, he said your father wanted to show him the ranch, have him check around. They’ve been talking, and Anthony’s thinking of taking care of security here.”

  Creed placed his chin on the top of Lucas’s curls. “Ah.”

  Lucas noticed the change in Creed’s voice. “What?”

  “Well, I mentioned to dad that Anthony was asking how you were doing up here, that he hadn’t seen you in a while. He hasn’t heard anything from Ira, and while he doesn’t think anything might be brewing, he does want us to be aware.”

  “What could Ira do, Creed? He’s an academic, not a Green Beret.” Lucas shook his head. “With as much time that’s passed, whatever was going on with Ira has to be done. Anyway, my life is here.”

  Creed held Lucas tighter, bending down to kiss his ear, nibble at his neck.

  “Are you okay with that, Lucas? Being here with me, my family? Are you ready for us, because it’s all I’ve wanted, but if you’re scared or afraid, I can—”

  “I love you, Creed.”

  Lucas heard the moment Creed’s breathing stopped and the second his heartbeat raced faster. The words couldn’t be stopped, the moment too right. He was intoxicated with the joy love could bring, and he was safe. Lucas was a part of Creed’s family. His own family had made plans to join Creed’s for the holiday. This was right, and he needed Creed to know it and no longer worry if Lucas was ready. He was.

  “Say it again, Lucas. God, please, say it again.” Creed’s arms dropped to his hips, his eyes taking in Lucas as he waited.

  Lucas smiled, put his hands on either side of Creed’s tanned face. “Creed Hamasaki, I love you. I’m grateful to be here with your family, to live my life with you. I love you. It took me a moment to figure it out, I know, and I’m sorry. I wanted to be sure. And, I’ve never been surer than I am today.” He reached up, wrapping his arms around Creed’s neck and brought his lips down to his.

  Their kiss was sweet, tender, and all Lucas ever dreamed.

  In bed that night, their bodies met for the first time as two men who openly loved each other, with kisses and sighs, with shouts of pleasure and tears of joy. Lucas was grateful for every touch, every caress, for the way Creed sank into him, spilling inside him.

  When he took Creed, he cried as the man held him close, slid his ass over Lucas’s dick and gazed at him with those golden eyes he loved. Lucas gasped with pleasure when his orgasm blazed over him, bathed him in the flames of his and Creed’s love.

  It was a night of whispered promises for the future, of hope for tomorrow, and for dreams.

  ∞ ∞ ∞

  Sunday morning, Lucas heard his phone ringing. It was the weekend, and other than Anthony, he couldn’t think of anyone who would need to speak to him. He’d spoken to his parents yesterday, to Myra that afternoon. Neither of them was surprised to hear he was still at Creed’s home. It seemed everyone knew he’d moved in except for him.

  There was something going on with Myra, though, a reticence he hadn’t heard in her voice before. She sounded fragile, and it worried Lucas, so he invited her to the ranch for her spring break. Creed told him to be patient and wait, but he’d never heard his little sister so unsure. He needed to find out what was going on.

  But now, the phone was still ringing. Easing out of Creed’s hold, he reached for the offensive thing. Creed mumbled unintelligible words but remained asleep. Kiku wasn’t kidding when she said Creed slept like the dead. Rarely did anything wake him, not even the insistent ringing of a phone.

  Still, Lucas walked away, not wanting to disturb him, answering quickly even as he realized that the call was from Ira.

  “Lucas,” Ira whispered. A shiver of something crawled over Lucas’s flesh at Ira’s voice. He rema
ined calm, though, tried to remember the Ira he knew and not the crazy man who had attacked him. Ira hadn’t been back to Lucas’s office since. If anything, Lucas hadn’t seen Ira anywhere.

  “Ira.”

  “Lucas, I’m sorry. I just wanted to say that and ask for you to talk to me.” Talk to him? No that wouldn’t be a good idea. In fact, he should probably just hang up the phone. “Ira, I can’t.”

  “Can’t or won’t? Please, Lucas, I need to speak to you. I’ve been having some problems and made some mistakes, but I’m fixing them. I can’t do it without you, Lucas. I need you to forgive me, to help me.” Ira’s tone was sad, broken and Lucas’s heart went out to him, but he couldn’t forget the last time he’d seen Ira no matter how hard he tried.

  “Ira, you fuckin’ scared me. You strangled me, and I wore the bruises for a week.” It was the first time he admitted how terrifying it was to be held against the wall by a crazed, irrational Ira. Ira had always been calm, never angry. Being on the other end of his rage, his need to hurt Lucas still haunted him.

  “I know, Lucas, and I’m sorry. So sorry.” There were tears in Ira’s voice that worked to bring down Lucas’s defenses. He thought he’d loved Ira once, and to hear the man break and not do anything?

  “What do you want, Ira?” Lucas asked.

  “If you would come home, speak to me, I could move past this, move past what I did to you, to us.”

  “If I come speak to you, you’ll get help? See someone?” Lucas asked. He’d probably regret this, but he couldn’t let Ira fall apart without trying to help.

  “I promise. I’ll do whatever’s necessary.”

  Lucas sighed, making his choice.

  ∞ ∞ ∞

  Lucas was in his car driving when he considered turning around, driving back home. Home? Home was with Creed, Kiku, Jareth, and Maddox. It was Jewels and the ranch. Ira asked him to come home, but Lucas wondered if the place where they’d lived had ever sincerely felt like home to him.

  When he walked out of the house moments ago, he waved at Maddox who asked him where he was going. When Lucas said he had an errand to run, Maddox asked if he needed help. He said no, that it was something he could handle.

  Lucas smiled when he asked Maddox how the night had gone then noticed the cowboy was still wearing the same outfit he’d left in the day before. Maddox’s blush could be seen miles away. Apparently, all had gone better than expected.

  He sighed. Hopefully, all would go well for him, and he could convince Ira to get help. He was going to need it himself when Creed awoke to see the note he’d left on their bureau, running out quickly after the deed was done. He’d promised not to be alone with the man. Now, he wasn’t just going to be alone, he was driving to see him. Creed would kill him. For that matter, Anthony would, too.

  His brother was coming to the ranch that morning. He and Jareth wanted to start early, walking the land, seeing what the next steps would be to level up the security. He thought of calling him, but it would be safer if he just sent him a text.

  All of these thoughts crossed his mind as he drove to see Ira.

  When he got to the house, he saw Ira’s car in the driveway, but other than that, there were no signs anyone was present.

  Lucas stepped out, taking in the neighborhood where he once lived. If he had expected the neighborhood to have changed in the months since he’d been to the home, it hadn’t. The same vehicles remained on the street, trash cans pulled to the front for pick up. Mrs. Callahan’s cat roamed the driveways looking for prey, scampering away while Lucas made his way to the house.

  Lucas pocketed the keys to the car and thought again about calling Anthony. Thinking now would be the best time because he was already here, he pulled out the phone and began dialing the number only to see the door open slowly.

  “Ira,” Lucas called, but no answer followed. Unsure, he stopped dialing and went to the door.

  “Ira.” Where was he? Lucas closed the door behind him and listened for signs of Ira’s presence. It was quiet and smelled… off. He supposed it may have been the meal he was preparing that fateful day when he thought his world was going to end but surely not. Ira had to have been back since then. As for Lucas, he had everything he needed and had chosen to never come back, until now.

  Whatever it was entered his nostrils and clamped itself to the roof of his mouth making the threat of vomiting a near reality.

  “Ira, I’m here. Where are you?”

  “Tommy was nothing like you.” Lucas took a deep breath and let it out again, his heart trying to climb out of his chest as Ira emerged, scaring the absolute fuck out of him, standing against the wall. He observed Lucas, eyes slowly tracing over his body as he spoke. “I thought since he’d graduated, since he worked with you, his accompanying me would be an asset rather than a detriment. But, no. He was an embarrassment. The ability to work a room and be beloved as you did was nonexistent.”

  Ira walked out of the shadows, and Lucas saw him fully. His clothes had seen better days, his face beaten and bruised.

  “Ira, what happened?” Lucas asked. He stepped back, a sixth sense warning him maybe, just maybe he’d made the wrong decision.

  Instead of answering, Ira measured Lucas with his eyes, his head turning this way and that. “Tommy was a piranha who attacked others, not worthy. I’m so sorry, Lucas.” He groaned then, a choked off sob erupting from him before he quieted suddenly and turned toward the dining room, his shoulders stiffening as he pulled himself together. Lucas followed, worried. “But, I can make it up to you.”

  The source of the smell grew stronger as they neared the room. Glancing to the right, a vase lay broken in pieces on the floor, picture frames askew. It was all wrong.

  “Ira, where’s Tommy?”

  “I said to myself, if I removed the failure, the reason why you needed to leave me, then you would come home. Let me show you how much I regretted my decision. Let me show you it’s time to come home.”

  Lucas hadn’t wanted the Mikasa dinnerware sitting on the table. Parchment blue wasn’t his choice. He’d wanted a more exotic design. Ira wouldn’t bend, though, so for special occasions, the dinnerware was used, but Lucas hated it every time. He hated it now as it lay on the table, two place settings, a large covered dish rested between the two of them.

  Looking around the room, his eyes caught an object out of place in the once immaculate room, a room that was essentially a showpiece where he’d cooked for Ira—who watched him now, the heat of his gaze unnerving.

  Lucas swallowed. What he saw couldn’t be right. Feet lay attached to legs that were unnaturally still. Lucas’s stomach plummeted, and that urge to vomit rose as he recognized the body that lay there.

  “Oh, Ira. What have you done?”

  Lucas turned back to see the serving dish lid in Ira’s hand, the top lifted to reveal Tommy’s head, the mouth opened in a scream that would go on forever.

  Chapter Ten

  “Tommy was no John the Baptist, but I have his head for you. I feel it only fitting that a man who embarrassed us both with his tongue should have the offending organ removed. Would you like it, Lucas? It’s my gift to you after all.” A small serving dish sat to the side, a sliver of meat, pink and wet displayed.

  Lucas backed away, his blood running cold. “Ira! Oh, my God, what have you done?”

  The same gaze that traveled over Lucas crawled over his skin now as Ira set the lid on the table. In the full light from the window, Lucas saw the blood on Ira’s clothing, the dark spots he’d missed in the shadows.

  Lucas turned to run, but Ira was fast, grabbing his clothing before he could get away.

  “Don’t go. You promised we’d talk.” It was there again, the anger, the icy rage Lucas saw months before.

  “I can’t, Ira. Ira, you killed him. I never thought… Never believed…”

  Lucas had to get out of there, get away from Ira, but he couldn’t shake Ira’s hold, so he reached for something, anything, realizing too late that the st
atuette he’d gripped would do little to hurt Ira. But, it was to enough to surprise him. Freed, Lucas turned away only to have an object thrust into his back, the searing pain that resulted taking his breath away.

  Lucas screamed and fell but rather than stay on the floor like a victim in a horror movie, he rolled to get away with Ira storming after him. He stood and ran toward the front of the home, his breathing labored as the pain from the blow coursed through him. He had to get out. If he could get out of the house, someone would see him, help him.

  “Look at what I’ve done, Lucas. You should be grateful I even want you back.” Ira was so close, and Lucas’s energy was failing. He was going to die here, like Tommy. “But, it will be different this time. This time I’ll show you what I need, teach you to satisfy my needs. People make sacrifices when they’re in love, Lucas. Tommy knew how to sacrifice, how to submit. You will, too.”

  Ira was insane.

  Lucas made it to the door, struggled to turn the knob, but his hand was slippery with blood and it slid out of his grasp. Lucas couldn’t get the grip he needed. Exhausted, he turned and fell, his back against the door.

  Ira stood there, the knife he’d used to stab Lucas in his hand.

  “I’m trying to give you a chance, to help you see, but you refuse to understand, to accept, you need to be with me. You’d rather be with him, trying to get to him,” Ira roared.

  “No, Ira.” Lucas didn’t want to die, wanted more time with Creed, a life he’d begun with the man he’d only just told he loved him. He prayed and prayed someone would help him as Ira neared. The crazed look in his eyes telling Lucas it wouldn’t be long before he was dead, too.

  “I’m sorry, Lucas. That won’t do.” He bent over Lucas, the knife held tightly as he moved forward. Ira prepared to stab Lucas, lifting his arm, the glint of the knife visible as it caught the light from one of the open windows.

  Lucas breathed in, tried to reach up to stop him, but he couldn’t. He didn’t have the strength. Suddenly, there was an explosion then a popping sound, and Lucas saw a spot appear on Ira’s dingy shirt, the stain spreading before his would-be killer fell over to the side.