Shatter (Unbreakable Bonds Series Book 2)

by Jocelynn Drake

  Apparently, she’d been overly excited about Jude bringing someone home, because she’d made even more than usual. Leftovers Friday was going to be fun for his brothers this week. Carrick, his middle brother, showed here for dinner most nights still.

  “Oh yeah,” Jordan breathed in awe as he caught sight of all the food. “Is it a holiday or something? Do I need to hide the ropa vieja before Uncle Rick gets here?”

  Snow shot Jude a look and Jude hoped the red that was probably creeping up his neck could be explained away by the heat from the oven. Snow was too smart not to realize his mother was acting like this was something special. So what if he’d told him this was a usual thing for their family? It was true that he’d brought Brian here. But it had been after two years of dating.

  Jordan grabbed a plate and a big serving spoon. “Did you make the mac and cheese with that one white cheese Yiayia uses?”

  “Gruyere.” Anna squeezed his face so his lips poked out. “It’s not that hard. You can say it. Gruyere, psychi mou.” She drew the words out as she squeezed his face.

  His brother just grinned as she called him my soul and he pressed forward to kiss her forehead. “I don’t care what it’s called as long as it gums up my braces.” Their mother only came up to his shoulders.

  “Hey now, you’d better be brushing those properly.” Jude pointed his fork at him and frowned.

  “Don’t worry, your investment in my teeth is being fully appreciated.” He turned and grinned at Snow. “So, you’re the one who had my brother answering the door looking like he’d been mauled the other morning?”

  “Jordan!” Anna smacked his arm.

  “What?” He shrugged away from her. “He did. Had a big ass grin on his face, too. Said he thought it was the guy who’d spent the night at his door. That you?”

  One brown eyebrow went up as Snow looked at him, obviously not sure how to answer the question.

  “Yeah, squirt, he’s the one who spent the night.” He pushed his brother out of the way, grabbing the serving spoon before he got too far. “Let’s let our guest get food first, eh?”

  His poor general looked so out of place and uncomfortable; Jude knew then he’d be bringing him back over and over until he never looked that way again. His family would be good for the man. He could see it. Could see this buried need for affection.

  Fuck, the man broke his heart.

  Then Snow looked at Jude and the heat in that brief glance made blood fill his dick. To keep it from getting worse, he handed the spoon to Snow. “Get whatever you want, carbs or not. It’s all good.” He turned, found his mother talking to Jordan just far enough away to give them a bit of privacy. Grinning, he leaned in and whispered in Snow’s ear. “Go ahead and eat the carbs. I’ll work them off your ass later.”

  “Maybe I’ll work them off yours,” Snow murmured.

  “Oh no, General, let me explain my plans for your body. First—” he broke off when he realized Jordan had come back. He looked over his shoulder to find a stupid grin between bright red cheeks on his brother’s face and his other brother, Carrick, standing behind him. Along with Rebecca. Her eyes were wide.

  Oh man, they’d all heard that.

  Snow followed his gaze and surprised them all when loud laughter spilled from his mouth. Jude stared at him in shock, his gut in knots because that warm, rich laugh rolled into him and clenched around his heart. And that stunning smile—the one that had poleaxed him earlier in Lucas’s place came back and stole all the air from his lungs.

  Still chuckling, Snow filled his plate and walked to the chunky, pine table that took up most of the small dining area off the kitchen. His mother loved to cook for as many people as possible. Jude and his brothers had grown up in this house, and were used to this small area being overly loud and full of the best smells on Earth. Aunts and uncles and cousins had a habit of dropping by around dinner time, always knowing they were welcome and always carrying something to add to the feasts.

  Anna grabbed the ceramic salt and pepper shakers off the counter and set them on the table before plopping into the seat beside Snow’s. “So,” she said, placing her chin on her hand. “How long have you been seeing yie mou…my son?”

  Snow held his fork halfway to his mouth. “Not long actually.”

  “But you like him a lot, right?” She did that eyebrow wiggle again.

  Jude let her have at him. It wouldn’t hurt the general to deal with his tiny Greek mother. He grabbed a plate and added the stewed beef.

  “Better load up on those carbs,” Jordan muttered as he leaned in close. “He may be an old guy, but he looks like he works out.”

  “He’s seven years older than me, so he’s not an old guy.”

  “Hell, Jude, you’re an old guy to me.” He wiggled around him, bumped him away from the stove with his hip, and grabbed the entire pan of mac and cheese. “She hardly ever makes this. Says the cheese is too expensive. So this can be my meal.”

  “Hell if it is!” Carrick reached around him and grabbed the pan.

  “Boys,” Rebecca gave them a sweet smile and stepped between them. She flipped her hair over one shoulder and reached for the tub that Jordan gave up to her with a dumb grin. She winked at Jude and carried the dish to the table. “I think Dr. Frost didn’t get any of this.” She put it on a potholder on the table. “Trust me, doc, you want some of this.”

  “You’re a doctor?” Anna asked, her tone squeaky.

  “I introduced him as Dr. Frost,” Jude said. “Were you not paying attention?”

  “Sorry.” His mother didn’t in the least look sorry. “I was just shocked that you brought someone home. You haven’t since Brian and that’s been years.”

  “Oh God,” he muttered as Carrick snickered behind him. Jude hurriedly filled his plate and walked to sit in the chair on the other side of Snow. “Snow doesn’t want to hear about Brian, Mana.”

  “I don’t?” Snow asked before taking a bite of the macaroni and cheese Anna had just dished onto his plate. His eyes went wide as he looked down at the next forkful of mac and cheese. “This is something else. I have this friend, a chef. He has a restaurant and I bet he’d love to know about this.”

  “Is he as pretty as you?” his mom asked.

  Snow grinned. “Way prettier.”

  She narrowed her eyes and grinned. “If he’s pretty enough, I might share my mana’s recipe.”

  “So… Brian?” Snow glanced at Jude, then back at his mother.

  “He was pretty, too. But not so nice.”

  “Mana,” Jude growled. “Brian has been out of the picture a long time. He’s not important now.”

  “But he was,” she insisted. “You lived with him for three years. Don’t you think your current partner should know about past ones?”

  Snow choked on his food.

  Jude patted him on the back, but he couldn’t help but laugh. “We aren’t partners—we’re just… hanging out.”

  “Oh, I can see that it’s more than that already.” She nodded at Rebecca who sat down next to Jude. Carrick and Jordan followed and for a moment, there was only the sound of forks hitting plates and the clack of Jordan’s utensil also hitting his braces. And Snow’s choking.

  Jude winced.

  “So Rebecca, have you ever thought about surrogate parenting?”

  This time, Jude choked on his food. So did Rebecca.

  Anna winked at Snow and this time, when that gorgeous, throaty laugh spilled from his mouth, his head was back, his neck stretched into a long, sinuous line, and Jude wanted his mouth on the man so badly, he began to eat faster. The doc knew she was messing with them, but if he knew the underlying seriousness of the question, he wouldn’t have been laughing so hard.

  Still, the rest of the dinner passed with lots of chatter and teasing. Luckily, it moved to Carrick, who had apparently picked up Rebecca for the meal. And Jude suspected the one who’d given her the huge hickey. After he left to take her home, Jude touched Snow’s shoulder, loving when the li
ght blue eyes turned to him. “Do you mind waiting for me to help clean up the kitchen?”

  “Not at all. I’ll help.”

  “You’ll do no such thing. Guests do not do dishes in my home.” Anna stood up and hurried to the single serve coffee maker Carrick had bought her for Christmas the year before. She loved the thing more than anything else in her house and had an entire drawer filled with different coffees, teas and cocoas. “How do you like your coffee? Are you a coffee drinker, doctor?”

  “You can call me Snow. I love coffee. The strongest blend you have. Black. But only if you join me.”

  “Is Snow a family name?” She chose a coffee serving and put it into the machine, then turned to lean on the counter.

  Snow shook his head. “Nickname. My name is Ashton, but my hair started going gray when I was in my twenties while still in the army. The other guys gave me a hard time about it and gave me the nickname. It stuck. The only person who still calls me Ashton most of the time is my best friend.”

  “Ashton is a lovely name.”

  “Psst!”

  Jude dragged his gaze away from Snow and blinked at his youngest brother.

  “You know she’s already picking out baby names,” Jordan muttered around the food he was still shoveling in at a steady pace. He glanced up at Jude. “You are so screwed.” His laughter said a lot about how much he loved the idea.

  Jude smacked him on the back of the head. “Shut up, squirt.”

  “I’m taller than you now, so maybe you’ll find me a new nickname. Something cool. Like stud.”

  Snow, who was apparently still paying attention, snorted.

  His youngest brother just gave the doctor a cheeky grin before he abruptly stood and started clearing the table of dishes. Their mana trained them all well.

  Anna handed Snow a cup of coffee. “You want to take this into the living room? My youngest is still all legs and elbows and it’s too dangerous for you to sit there. I’ll be in there in just a moment.” She patted his shoulder.

  Again, blue eyes locked with his and it took all he had not to lean over the table and kiss Snow. “It won’t take us long,” Jude murmured. “Jordan and I have this down to an art. Enjoy your coffee with Mana.” He did lean then, just close enough to lower his voice. “Don’t let her talk you into having kids yet. There are other things I’d like us to get around to doing first.”

  Snow’s mouth fell open.

  Laughing, Jude stood up and began helping his brother. Snow sat in the living room with Anna and right before they finished, his mother came back in for more coffee. She scooched up close to Jude who was putting the last dish in the dishwasher. “I like him, Jude,” she whispered. “But he has a sadness about him. It breaks my heart.”

  “He recently lost a close friend in a car accident. Another friend, the chef he mentioned, was also hurt.” He explained, even though he knew what she was talking about. His mana was no dummy.

  “Oh yie mou, this sadness goes deeper. Come.” Jude’s mother touched his arm and he looked down at her. She tilted her head toward the living room, her eyes full of concern. He walked to the opening of the kitchen, glanced in there, and his heart clenched so hard, he raised his hand to rub the heel of his palm against his chest. Snow stood at the window, one hand in his pants pocket. He stared at the falling flakes and it was like he’d forgotten to wear the mask he showed most of the world, his profile displaying his downturned mouth…the defeat in his expression. His relaxed, amused state of earlier was gone—just like that.

  For a time tonight, they’d been able to take Snow’s mind off things, but all that pain and worry lay just under the surface. All it took was a few moments alone in the living room of his mother’s house.

  The man couldn’t even go home. His safe place had been desecrated.

  He was completely displaced and though Jude knew he was close to Lucas, he also knew that Snow was the kind of man who needed his privacy, his space. There was something else he needed—something deeper that Jude had glimpsed several times tonight.

  Jude’s pulse began to race and his knees went weak. He leaned against the door jamb, staring. In that moment, Jude wanted to give everything to him. He wanted to give Ashton Frost whatever it took to erase that expression from his face forever.

  His mother tugged him back into the kitchen, her eyes suspiciously shiny. “Maybe you should take him home with you tonight,” she whispered. “I don’t think he should be alone.”

  “He’s not alone. He’s staying with friends.”

  She looked away from him, but her hand tightened on his arm. “That’s not what I meant.”

  He could only stare at her, too shocked to figure out how to respond. She wore rainbow shirts, went to meetings, and outwardly supported him, but this went farther than he expected.

  “Don’t look at me like that. I’m not naïve and I know sadness and that man has so much of it, my heart is breaking.” She patted Jude on the chest. “You have so much love to give. I think you should give some to him.”

  “We’ve only been dating a short time and I wouldn’t even call what we’re doing dating. Too many things have been happening in his life.” He shook his head and tugged her in for a big hug. “But your heart is in the right place. I love you, Mana.”

  “I know. Don’t worry, you have enough to share.”

  He walked into the living room and picked up Snow’s coat. “Hey General, ready to go?”

  Snow flinched at the first sound of Jude’s voice, but he smoothed his expression out fast and turned to nod. He took his coat and Jude slid into his own. His mother came into the room, carrying a covered dish of leftovers.

  Jordan walked in on his way to the kitchen and veered their way. He threw his arm around Jude and punched him in the stomach with the other. “Leaving so early? I don’t wanna hear why.”

  “Jordan Torres!” his mother snapped. She handed the covered dish to Jude, then slapped her youngest on the arm. “You seem awfully interested in your brother’s sex life. Is there something you want to tell me?”

  “Mana!” he whined, having perfected the way Anna whined to her very traditional Greek mother. “It’s my brotherly duty to give him a hard time! It’s a sacred tradition passed down from brother to brother since the beginning of time.”

  Snow snorted.

  Jordan grinned at him. “It was nice to meet you, Doc Frost. I really don’t care what you and my brother do together.”

  “That’s good to know,” Snow muttered. “It was nice to meet you, too.” He turned to Anna. “Thank you for the wonderful dinner. I enjoyed the food immensely.”

  “You come back with Jude anytime. Or you can come back by yourself.” She lurched forward, wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed. “I want you to feel welcome.”

  Snow looked so startled, Jude had to bite his lip to keep from laughing. Jordan didn’t even try to hold back. He snickered all the way into the kitchen. “You didn’t give them all of the leftover mac and cheese, did you, Mana?

  She just kept hugging Snow, who awkwardly patted her shoulders. “Your batch is the second I made today, Jude. It’s a whole pan for you and the doctor to share later. The leftovers are in there for my youngest black hole with teeth.”

  Snow laughed again and Jude realized something then. His general needed more than what he could give him. He needed a family, too.

  And holy hell, was that something Jude had in spades. Lots and lots and lots of family. Nosy aunts and uncles, half Greek and half Spanish and all of them ready to crawl into his business. Some would have trouble—they had with Brian—but the majority would probably see what his mother had the moment Snow walked into her house.

  This man had a heart of gold and he needed love like nobody Jude had known before.

  Chapter 20

  Jude hugged his mother goodbye and walked into the wintry night, carrying the precious dish of mac and cheese. The evening was bright, with fresh snow layered over the ground, cars and trees. Flakes sparkled
in the light from the tall street lamp. The glow turned Snow’s head to a stunning white. Jude glanced back and saw his mother disappear into the kitchen through the window. The lane was deserted and with overgrown trees and bushes blocking the view of the train storage buildings, they were fairly secluded. He stalked ahead of Snow to his Jeep, set the casserole into the back seat, and turned to grab the man. He backed him into his car, opening his coat, leaning in and pressing the front of his body against Snow’s. He slid his hands up Snow’s neck and cupped his cheeks. “Thanks for being so nice to my mother, General.”

  Confusion brought Snow’s brows together. “Why wouldn’t I? She’s a nice woman.”

  “She can be overbearing and her filter disappeared sometime in the early two thousands.”

  He stood, stiff with tension. He didn’t wrap his arms around Jude—but he did stay still and he did spread his legs just enough so Jude fit perfectly in the notch between them. “She loves you so much,” he murmured. “I like her.”

  “Do you?” Jude pressed his lips to the light stubble on Snow’s jaw, dropping nuzzling kisses all the way back to his ear. He sucked the cold lobe into him mouth, bit gently, then sucked it back to warmth.

  Snow shuddered and his hand clenched on Jude’s waist. He tilted his head, giving Jude more access. Jude ran his tongue around his ear. “I shouldn’t be doing this outside my mother’s house,” he whispered. “And it’s cold. But you make the sexiest sounds I’ve ever heard when my mouth is anywhere near your ear.” He stuck his tongue inside.

  The low, rumbly moan that came out of Snow made Jude rock hard. He pressed his dick into the warmth of Snow’s groin and felt that Snow was just as hard, just as hot. “Come home with me tonight,” he whispered, not giving Snow time to answer as he slanted his mouth over his. He didn’t open his mouth right away, didn’t try to lick him open. He merely offered pressure until Snow groaned and opened his lips. Jude slid into that slick, wet heat, twined their tongues together. Slowly…so, so slowly.