by Megan Derr
"I think I'm afraid of what you're up to," Jet said. "You've been quiet and too-calm since you arrived, but it doesn't seem like something is wrong exactly …" When Jason shook his head, confirming nothing was wrong, Jet asked, "Does this person we're meeting have to do with whatever drove Uncle Henry off?" Jason nodded, but didn't elaborate. Allen and Jack nodded to them as they reached the lobby and led the way to the car.
The ride to the parking garage was weighted with heavy silence. Jet spent most of it exchanging looks with Dai, but neither one of them could make any sense of the situation. Whatever the hell was going on, Jason held all the cards and was keeping them close.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Dai broke down and asked as they all settled and Allen drove off. "You've been acting fucking weird since you got here, like Jet said. I don't know what the fuck you pulled with Dad, but he looked like you kicked him in the balls twice and then told him his puppy was dead. Assuming he had either, of course, which he doesn't, but you know what I mean. What the hell is going on, Jay?"
"These past few weeks have been complicated," Jason said, sighing. "A hell of a lot more than complicated, honestly." He ran a hand through his hair, leaving it unusually disheveled. Jet fought an urge to smooth it back out, and then remembered he was allowed to do that kind of thing.
Reaching out, he combed Jason's hair back down, lingering when Jason leaned into the touch and some of his tension seemed to fall away. "What's wrong?" he asked softly.
"You'll see soon enough," Jason said, leaning into the touch, some of the tension bleeding out of him. "I promise I'm not trying to be frustrating or obscure, I just … it will be much easier to explain in a little while, when everyone involved in the matter is gathered together. I'm honestly not sure what to say; it's easier to show."
Jet sighed, but let it go, settling for continuing to caress and pet, ignoring the rolling eyes and gagging gestures coming from Dai on the seat opposite. "Shut up, asshole."
Jason smiled faintly, looking between them, and finally sat up. He took Jet's hand, kissed the back of it, then settled their entwined hands on his thigh. "How was the concert?"
Dai shrugged dismissively. "I think half the reason that foundation has us play at their annual show is just to offend their guests. Not sure of the logic there, but whatever, it pays well. They fucking loved Love You Like a Romance Novel, but holy hell did they flip their shit when we did Paid by the Pleasure.
Jason rolled his eyes. "One of these days you two are going to write a song I'll have to flat out forbid you to record. I'm surprised only that it hasn't happened yet."
"At least we aren't boring," Jet said.
"I'm not sure why everyone thinks boring is always bad," Jason replied. "If I had more boring clients, I'd have a lot more evenings and weekends free." He smiled at Jet. "Though, I suppose being my own boss and with new motivation, I may have them anyway."
Jet grinned back, holding Jason's hand tightly, heart thudding.
Dai made a face. "Ugh. I really think I preferred it when you were not making romance eyes at each other."
"Oh, yeah, cause you and Cooper never do that," Jet said, flipping him off.
"We don't."
Jet smirked. "Remind me to show you pictures that prove otherwise."
"Fuck you. Stop taking pictures without permission. Leave that shit to the paparazzi, asshole."
Jason rolled his eyes at both of them. "Knock it off, we're here." They climbed out of the car and Jason leaned over the driver's window to speak to Allen. "Thank you both for everything. I owe you one. Take care."
Allen nodded, shook his hand, and they were gone—this time, it seemed, for good. "Come on," Jason said quietly and led the way up a cobblestone walk lined with purple flowers up into an old house that looked like it belonged in some serious historical movie where someone inevitably died tragically and taught an important life lesson. Jet hated those movies, but the house was gorgeous.
Inside, Jason led them into an enormous front room. He walked across the room to where Leigh stood chatting with a man …
"Holy fuck me," Dai said beside him. "That—you—what the fucking fuck."
"Y-yeah," Jet agreed, not really sure he hadn't lost his mind. The guy looked exactly like an older, still stupid hot version of Jason. "What in the fucking hell?"
"What in the hell is going on?" Dai demanded. "Is he—did mom—when did we turn into some sort of bad daytime TV drama?"
Jason beckoned them closer. "This is why I wanted to wait until you saw for yourself. I'm still reeling myself, honestly. This is Abraham Huxley, and as you've already noticed, he is my real father. He used to work for the firm." He didn't add anything else, but Jet supposed he didn't really need to—the story was pretty fucking clear.
"Holy shit, it just keeps getting crazier and fucking crazier." Jet slipped in close to give him a quick hug. "You weren't kidding about complicated. I don't even know what the fuck to say, except to keep cussing."
"I wasn't really certain myself," Jason replied, and looked at Abraham, then Leigh. "I was certainly the last to know—Leigh figured it out, but I had to be told. It's … well, complicated."
Jet let go of Jason to go to Dai and give him a brief hug as well. Dai hugged him back, but his attention shifted constantly between Jason and Abraham. "How the fuck did you ever figure this out? Sorry, um. Nice to meet you. I think? Yes, I think so," he said, catching Jason's glare. He held out a hand and shook Abraham's. "Look, this is weird. You slept with my mom, which means she cheated on my dad. I didn't know mom had the brass for that. Jesus. We're only half-brothers. Jesus. Every five fucking minutes there's something new happening. My family is a goddamn soap opera. I'm just waiting for somebody to die and then show back up twelve episodes later. Ugh, nobody fucking do that. This shit had better not be a fucking dream."
"No one is dying, and it's certainly not a dream," Jason said. "Are you okay?"
"I have no fucking clue," Dai replied. "What the fuck am I supposed to be? How are you taking it all so calmly? Dude, we're only half-related. You'd think the eyes would have tipped us sooner. You'd fucking think mom and dad would have told us something about this sooner. Ugh." He stopped when Jet shook him. "I'm okay. Tripping, but okay." He blinked. Stared at Jet, then at Jason. "Wait. You're not dad's son. That means you're not related to Jet. You're not cousins—and dad has been flipping his goddamn shit over this when there's been nothing illegal the whole fucking—" he broke off when Jet shook him again. "Fuck this," he said, and went to sit down in the nearest chair. "I need a fucking drink."
Leigh pushed away from the desk she'd been leaning against. "I can help with that. Are you a bourbon fiend like your brother?"
"Yeah," Dai said.
"One moment then," she said, heels clacking on the wood floor as she went to get him a drink.
Turning back to Jason, Dai asked, "How did you even figure all this out?"
Jason made a face. "The answer to that is not very flattering. If you feel punching me when I'm done explaining, I won't stop you."
"What the hell …" Jet said, as Dai scowled.
Sighing, Jason explained, "Azura wanted to apologize for what happened to me and said he would do anything I asked. I took full advantage of that and told him to do whatever it took to convince the world that Jet and I are not actually related. I was—am—beyond caring how it affects mother and … father. They've done enough to all of us that they've long lost any respect or sympathy from me. I stood by them all these years, and they've been lying to me the whole damned time. Worse, they hurt Jet, for no better reason than petty jealousy and greed. So, I told Azura do whatever it took."
"Ouch," Dai said, wincing. "Yeah, okay. I might have punched you if that's how it played, I'm not gonna lie. I'd have been fucking livid with you. Right now … well, fuck them."
Jason nodded. "As it turned out, Azura did not have to manufacture anything. When he told me that, I was ... well, I found it very hard to believe. Then he told me the name
of the man, who turned out to be the stranger who snuck into my hospital room." He looked at Abraham and smiled faintly—a smile that Abraham echoed. If it had not already been obvious they were related, that smile would have clinched it. "As you can see, I really should have figured it out for myself."
"I wouldn't have," Dai replied. "Shit, I wouldn't have fucking noticed if I unwittingly talked to my long lost twin brother. Please, dear god, let that not be the next damn plot twist in this day time drama."
Jet lightly touched Jason's arm. "You must have been beyond pissed."
"I have always stood by them," Jason repeated, then fell silent as Leigh walked back in the room with Dai's drink. When she'd resumed her place at the desk, he continued, "I always tried to understand and take their side even when I did not agree. The one time I really needed their support, I wasn't even out of the hospital when my father fired me. Mother goes on in her usual, willfully oblivious way doing nothing to help anyone. I don't give a damn anymore."
Jet hugged him, leaned up to kiss him softly. "I'm sorry. You deserved better than this—so did Dai and Abraham."
"And you," Jason said softly. "They made their choices and so have no one but themselves to blame for the consequences."
Jet didn't reply, but he had been on the receiving end of Jason's lectures and rants on family enough times to know the decision would not have been easy for him. He leaned up to kiss the corner of Jason's mouth, then pulled way and held out a hand to Abraham. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
"You as well," Abraham said warmly, and holy hell it would never stop being insane that he had Jason's smile. He also seemed a lot more casual about flashing it. "It's quite disconcerting to realize all the people Jason knows and that he's related to a few of them. Not so disconcerting that I won't take full advantage should there ever be a chance to meet some of them." He smiled at Jason and winked. "Especially if it is Shine the Moon."
Dai laughed. "I think it's a pretty sure thing you'll meet them sooner rather than later."
"You can meet whoever you want," Jason said. "These two know everyone, I swear. Oh, speaking of knowing people, what do you say to coming with us to Paradise for a couple of weeks?"
Abraham blinked. "Uh. You can't mean the Paradise?"
"That's exactly what I mean," Jason said with a laugh.
"When?"
"Tonight," Jason said, mouth twitching.
Abraham's eyes widened. "That's rather sudden. I'm not sure—"
Leigh laughed. "You should go, Abe. I went there for my honeymoon. It's beautiful. I would totally guilt Jason into taking me too, but it's no fun without my husband, and if I went without him he'd never speak to me again." She pursed her lips, as if briefly debating the merits of that, then patted his cheek playfully. "Definitely go." Turning to Jason, she said in exasperation, "You just want me to spend all afternoon rescheduling the appointments I made this morning."
Jason kissed her cheek. "Sorry."
"Yeah, yeah," Leigh replied. "If you're leaving tonight, you lot need to get lost and get packing. If you stay here too long, I'm sure someone else will come along to threaten or beat you, and we've all had more than enough of that. Time to turn off the soap opera." She patted Jason's cheek just as she had Abraham's. "Though as to that, I'm pretty sure there is still a conversation you need to have that you are putting off."
"Right," Jason said with a sigh. "Dai, I can give you a ride home if you want. Ex drove me to the office, earlier, so my car is here."
Dai waved him off. "Nah, I'll have someone bring me my car." He set his empty glass on the desk. "I've got errands to run on this side of town, anyway. I also need to have a talk with my fucking parents, but if I do that now then I'll spend the night in lock up and I'd much rather go on fucking vacation. Good luck with your conversation."
"Thanks," Jason said. "I—"
"Please don't say something like you're sorry. I'm—this is the happiest I've ever seen you, and I didn't know you were capable of romance eyes, it's still kinda weird and ugh, and clearly you have no taste—" He grinned when Jet flipped him off. "It's like you said—enough is enough. You maybe weren't doing a nice thing … but they did way fucking worse. So fuck them. Good luck with dad, tell him I'll talk to him when I get back. I'm going to call for my ride, then call Coop. See you guys in a few hours."
Jet embraced him briefly, then nodded to Abraham and Leigh before he and Jason left. He settled into the passenger seat of Jason's Camaro and closed his eyes. "I wish I'd been here when you first learned about Abraham. That must have been hard."
"It was, but you're here now," Jason said quietly.
Opening his eyes, Jet stared at Jason's profile, smiling faintly when Jason turned to look at him. "Hi."
"Hi," Jason said. He fussed with his key ring for a minute before pulling a key off of it. "Here, this is yours. I have no idea how long I'll be at my dad's, so get your stuff and then go to my place."
Jet took the key, swallowing, and quickly put it with his own. "You got it." Jason pulled out of the small parking lot behind the house, and Jet sighed softly. "I really thought there'd be more screaming and shouting happening today. Everything went so smoothly it leaves me nervous. I hope that doesn't mean you're going to get all the shouting at Uncle Henry's. I'd offer to go with you—and I totally will if you want—but I think I'd just make it worse."
"Unfortunately, I think you're right," Jason agreed. He put the car in park halfway down the driveway, then turned and tugged Jet close. He dragged his tongue across Jet's lips, then kissed him intently. Jet groaned, shifting in his seat so he could sink his fingers into Jason's hair and hold him as close as the awkward confines of the car permitted. He poured every ounce of fear and longing into the kiss, let the heat and hunger of Jason's mouth banish the last of the negativity curdling his stomach.
Eventually Jason drew back. "I'm all healed up you know. Back to one hundred percent."
Jet snickered. "Are you saying you're up to going swimming when we get to Paradise, then?"
Jason flicked his nose. "You know damn good and well what I mean."
He started driving again, pulling out of the driveway and onto the road, and Jet settled back into his seat once more. Closing his eyes, still smirking, he said, "Whatever you want, it's yours. If there's a super-secret kink you'd like to share, now's your chance."
"I don't have any secret kinks," Jason said, and Jet could practically hear his eyes rolling.
Jet scoffed. "You call me a rentboy so often I'm pretty sure there's a bit of roleplaying potential there."
"Shut up," Jason said without heat—but with a hint of something in his voice, a certain fine tension that made Jet sit up and take notice. He sat up and opened his eyes, skin prickling with anticipation, wondering what Jason was hiding. "You do want me to—"
"I do not want you pretending to be a rentboy," Jason cut in. "God only knows how far you'd take it and how quickly you'd get arrested."
Jet burst out laughing. "Okay, maybe you have a point there. But you're hiding something. Give it up, or I'll just start rattling things off."
Heaving a sigh, clearly aware Jet's words were no idle threat, Jason admitted, "I like when you're dressed up for your concerts."
Jet could easily figure out every single reason Jason had never bothered to mention it, from the angry tension that had always existed between them to not wanting to bother him. He waited until they had stopped at a light, then leaned over and kissed Jason's cheek before murmuring in his ear, "I can do that."
Track 14: Love You Like a Romance Novel
Jason reluctantly climbed out of Jet's bed and pulled on his slacks, then went down to his car to get the duffle bag he'd packed since he'd been fairly certain that his suit would not survive until his meeting with his father. The suit probably would not survive at all given just how thoroughly they'd made up for the weeks apart.
He was already dreading the eventual day when the band went on tour again. Being apart month after month had suck
ed enough when he and Jet hadn't gotten along beyond the sex. It was going to be unbearable going forward.
Putting the worries aside for the moment, because there was nothing he could do about it and it was hardly a problem right then, Jason got his bag and returned upstairs. He dropped the bag at the foot of the bed and stripped off his pants before padding into the bathroom to grab a quick shower. He was more than a little amused at all the places he had to scrub away make-up.
Returning to the bedroom, he quickly pulled on boxers, jeans, and a short-sleeved maroon button down. He borrowed Jet's brush to put his hair in order, then pocketed his wallet and buckled his watch in place. His poor suit was scattered about the room, and he was pretty certain not a single button remained on the shirt. There would also be no saving the tie. Ah, well, it wasn't like it had been a favorite.
A soft, sleepy groan drew his attention and he turned to the bed, all thoughts flying from his head as he was completely distracted by Jet, who looked the very definition of well-fucked. Jason knew he was nothing to sneer at, but he still marveled a bit that Jet was his, when he had travelled the world and probably could have anyone in it.
"You have a weird look on your face," Jet said around a yawn. "Like you expected sweet and got sour."
"Just wondering why I'm here instead of someone else," Jason replied.
Jet snorted. "That's a stupid thing to wonder. I'm pretty sure it should be the other way around. How about we just agree to stop asking dumb questions? I think we've got enough dumb on record." He rolled over to flop on his back, limbs spread out. "Stop with the doubts, stop with the games."
"Stop quoting your cheesy song lyrics at me," Jason said, ignoring the way his heart started pounding as something abruptly occurred to him. It seemed really stupid that he hadn't at least wondered before if some of Jet's songs, especially that one …