by Wolfe, H. M.
"What is it? Why did you stop?" Vincent asked curiously.
"Hayden is hellbent on protecting Arnett, to make sure he has a good life. That is why I suspected the two of them are in a relationship. So, are they?"
"I guess so. Even from the beginning, the two of them were close. They've done everything together, cuddled, slept in the same bed...Arnett even used to bring Hayden small gifts and flowers." It was Vincent's turn to smile. "Speaking of," he said, "I have to go to the hospital, too. The boy may freak out if he doesn't see me there."
Alastair nodded in understanding. "Sure, go ahead. One more thing, though. We've transferred Arnett from Angels of Mercy to New York General Hospital. Oh, and I think the charges against him will be dropped, too."
Without a word, Vincent shook Alastair's hand, hugging him, then headed to the apartment's door. Hand on the knob, he turned once more to the other man, intending to say something, but changed his mind, walking out and closing the door behind him.
The retired CIA director was alone with his memories again, but this time it wasn't only about his past. Meeting Vincent after almost three decades brought to the surface a part of Alastair's history he preferred not to remember, not to think about. The images invading his mind were of a manipulative, selfish young man who, in the name of family reputation, unleashed hell on two innocent souls.
It all started when Alastair discovered that the youngest of the Bloom heirs he put so much time and resources in gathering together was serving time in a juvenile detention center for drug possession. Sebastian was almost fourteen at that time, a shy boy with big, dark-blue eyes and jet-black hair. Vincent, three years older, took the kid under his wing, protecting him in every way.
Because of his juvenile criminal record, Alastair treated Sebastian harsher than his brothers, although Benjamin, the second-born, was more of a troublemaker who rebelled constantly. When he discovered his younger Bloom nephew and the boy from prison had exchanged letters, Alastair was furious. He accused Sebastian of persisting in his criminal ways and drastically limited the boy's contact with the outside world, homeschooling him.
But yet, on the younger Bloom heir's sixteenth birthday, Vincent found a way to break into the Connecticut mansion, where the party was being held, and kidnapped the boy. Fabian, the older of the three brothers, was devastated, blaming himself for not taking enough care of his brother. Alastair started to worry about Sebastian, for the first time since he became the boys' ward.
Then, two weeks after disappearing, the kid came back unharmed, accompanied by Vincent. The young man wanted to talk with Alastair, but the newly-appointed Supreme Dragon, instead of listening to what he had to say, dragged him into the stables, beating him and making Sebastian watch. He only stopped when his nephew broke down, promising never to see Vincent again if he would spare the young man's life.
Thinking about those moments, Alastair loathed his three decades younger version so much. He wished someone would have killed him back then, to spare the two poor souls of all the pain he put them through. Sebastian kept his promise, had stellar results in the military academy and made everyone proud of him.
More than that, he was engaged to be married to the descendant of a wealthy, powerful and prestigious aristocratic family. Thinking about the hell his nephew endured at the hands of the bastard who pretended to cherish him, Alastair wanted to punch himself in the face. What Vincent did, no matter how wrong it was, saved Sebastian from the nightmarish life he would have lived as MacAllister's husband.
Without realizing what he was doing, the former Supreme Dragon put his hand into the pocket of his trousers, pulling out the business card Grant gave him. With everything that had happened over the last couple of hours, he didn't have the time to examine it closer, intending to do it once all the excitement had ended.
Alastair's hands started to shake as he looked at the name written on the rectangular piece of paper; Jeremy V. Grant. The best stock market broker in the whole country, the very one who helped him to recover the money he lost in those uninspired stock tradings. At the time, one of the broker's many assistants had gotten in touch with Alastair, saying that Mister Grant was interested in helping him.
For the then Supreme Dragon, that phone call was heaven-sent, so he gladly agreed with the only condition Jeremy V. Grant stipulated in the contract they signed. According to it, Alastair wasn't allowed, under any circumstance, to get in touch with the broker in any way other than through his assistants.
The former head of CIA despised his nephew's friend so much that he didn't bother to run a check on him. Because of this, the man wasn't aware of Vincent's middle name, so he didn't associate the prestigious stock market broker with the former juvenile convict who had caused him so much trouble.
Instead of ruining them, Grant helped the Starks and Blooms to avoid financial ruin and social disgrace, rising above all the hate and resentment he must have felt for those who took Sebastian away from him. But, instead of rubbing it in Alastair's face, the man came to him prepared for more personal sacrifices, as long as Hayden was safe.
Alastair didn't see himself worthy to look Vincent in the eyes or shake his hand, not after everything he did to him and put him through. But he knew what to do to atone for his many sins. First, it was with Daniel and Tarquin. Then he had Hayden and Arnett to take care of, to watch them grow into two strong, caring, protective young men, who could battle their demons and win the fights.
And there were, of course, the other two young men, Elliott Spellmann and Mallory Ashburn. No, Alastair's mission didn't end with bringing Daniel and Tarquin together. That was only the beginning of it.
CHAPTER 10
Daniel had been driving for about ten minutes, focused on the road, but thinking about all the things he had found out that morning, at the same time. How did his father and Hayden's mother end up together? Why did he choose to reveal the existence of the child to his best friend, but not to his husband?
From time to time, he cast short glances to his younger brother through the rear-view mirror. The poor boy looked exhausted, but he made great efforts not to show it, not to give up his internal turmoil. Daniel felt the urge to stop the vehicle, get in the backseat and wrap Hayden in a warm, assuring hug. On the other hand, he was aware of his little brother's need to be at the Arnett boy's side, so, instead of slowing down, he sped up.
"You are driving too fast, the police are going to pull us over and give you a speeding ticket," Hayden warned. "Besides, I think you are driving in the wrong direction, at least according to this," the younger Bloom indicated the GPS on his phone.
"The direction is right, little brother, don't worry about that. Soon, you will see your friend, and you wouldn't want him to see you like that, would you?" Daniel's voice was calm but somehow amused.
Hayden rolled his eyes. "Listen, I lived at a horse farm, not in a cave. I may not be a hotshot computer expert, but I know how to use one, or a phone. But maybe you are smarter than the GPS," the kid pouted, then fell silent.
From the passenger's seat, Tarquin shot daggers in Daniel's direction. "Your older brother is trying to say that Arnett was transferred from Angels of Mercy to New York General Hospital. They are better equipped and the doctors working there are some of the best in the country. Your friend will have all their attention and the best possible care.”
Hayden's eyes widened in surprise. ”When... Who did it?”
”I did, earlier at great-uncle Alastair's apartment. I took care of everything. You don't have to worry about any of those things. Daniel is right, seeing you like that would upset Arnett, and that won't do any good to his physical or mental health.”
Tarquin's voice had a soothing effect on the boy's tense muscles and nerves, making him relax. From the very second he saw the blond, Hayden took an instant liking of him. While the boy perceived his older brother as the most protective of the two, he found him somehow intimidating. This made the younger Bloom feel attracted more to his brother-in-la
w's calm, affectionate, nurturing nature.
Exchanging glances with Daniel, Tarquin started to tap on his phone, then looked over his shoulder at Hayden who had seemed to doze off. The kid was awake though, studying with great attention the buildings the car passed by on the way to the hospital. Judging by the expression on his face, he couldn't wait to meet Arnett, to see for himself how the hospital was treating Arnett.
Finally, the three of them arrived in front of an impressive, modern building, that didn't look at all like Angels of Mercy, where the homeless and other less fortunate people were treated. Daniel knew about the desperate financial situation of the clinic, and he planned to invest, a considerable amount of money from the Dragons' House's funds in it.
”Wow, this place looks impressive!” Hayden exclaimed, staring in awe at the sleek, tall structure. ”Are you sure this is a hospital?” he asked Tarquin, while his older brother pulled the car into one of the numerous spots in the parking lot.
”Take a look yourself,” the blond smiled, gesturing to the silver, shiny letters composing the name of the medical facility.
”When they came and took Arnett into custody, my godfather offered to pay for his medical care,” Hayden barely whispered, his eyes shadowed with sadness. ”But they pushed him aside and laughed in his face, saying that Angels of Mercy is more than a criminal deserves. They also said my godfather should be grateful they didn't let Arnett die on the streets."
Tarquin's eyes narrowed, becoming two blue slits, and his face reddened in anger. "Don't worry, little brother, no one will bother him here," the blond assured the black-haired boy.
"Oh, no! They are here!" Hayden's eyes widened again, only this time the reaction was one of fear. With a shaky hand, the boy pointed to the police car stationed near the hospital's entrance.
Tarquin rubbed soothing circles on his brother-in-law's back, calming him down. "Leave everything to me. Daniel is inside, taking care of the paperwork, but we have more backup nearby, in case it's necessary.
”OK,” Hayden managed to say, inhaling sharply.
Wrapping an arm around the boy's shoulders, Tarquin cast fugitive glances around them, then headed straight to the three cops who were leaning against the car. As soon as they saw Hayden, the policemen's attitude changed from relaxed to defying, patronizing, threatening even. They got closer to the boy, ignoring the blond young man by his side.
”What are you doing here, son?” the older of the three spoke. ”You should be at home, mourning the loss of your mother, instead of coddling her killer. Give the poor woman the justice she deserves, boy!” he concluded in a threat-laced voice.
”Good day, officers!” Tarquin stepped in, smiling sweetly. ”Now, what did he do?” he continued, feigning ignorance.
"This is none of your business, young man. Go your way, or else you risk an accusation of obstruction of justice," another cop growled the warning.
Hayden clung to his brother-in-law's jacket, trying to make himself as small as he could. But the blond didn't show any sign of being intimidated. "Obstruction of justice," he said, with a thoughtful expression. "That's right, that is what the three of you would be accused of if you don't mind your own business.
”Oh, really? Says who?” the older policeman smiled ironically.
The blond shrugged, taking out a badge from the back pocket of his jeans. "Special Agent Tarquin Ballard, FBI," he stated his official identity. "The kid you are talking about is not the criminal. He is a witness. I hope you understand all the implications, standing in the way of a federal investigation could have. Have a good day, officers!"
An arm wrapped around Hayden's shoulder, the blond nonchalantly passed the three policemen, entering the hospital's main lobby. Instead of heading to the reception desk, they took the elevator to the fifth floor. The young Bloom wanted to point it out, but he was still under the impression of the scene from earlier.
To Hayden's surprise and confusion, the entire corridor of the fifth floor was full of heavily armed men, who were either sitting or standing. At the sight of Tarquin, all of them bowed their heads with respect. The blond answered with a curt nod, the little Bloom imitating him.
”Who are they?” Hayden whispered, as soon as the two of them passed the guards.
”Our men,” Tarquin answered, smiling gently. ”We dispatched them here to protect Arnett,” he added.
"We, like the FBI?" The young Bloom still couldn't believe it that the cute, friendly, sweet guy next to him was a badass federal agent."
"No, we, like the Dragons' House. Anyway, I have to report the incident to my superior," the blond grinned. "I just messaged great-uncle Alastair, and he confirmed my suspicions. We have an investigation on our hands."
"What's the Dragons' House? What has great-uncle to do with mom's shooting? Are you even an FBI agent? A real one?” Hayden wanted to know.
"You have plenty of time to find out what Dragons' House is. Great-uncle Alastair has everything to do with anything. And yes, I am a special agent working in the IT department of the FBI. I am in charge of protecting the databases and servers from cyber attacks. That's it for now. I'll tell you more after you see Arnett. Tell him I said hi and I'm looking forward to meeting him."
"Is he... Is he all right? Is he awake? Can he speak?" Tears pooled in Hayden's eyes, threatening to spill.
"Yes, yes, and yes," Tarquin smiled, lightly shoving his young brother-in-law to one of the room's door. "Come on, don't make him wait.
The curtains of the room were closed, so it was pretty dark inside. Once Hayden's eyes got used to the lack of light, he could see a form shifting on the bed. He got closer and closer until he could see Arnett's face. The other boy blinked a few times. Then he ran a hand over his face. Clearing his throat, he was finally able to speak.
"Hayden, is that you? How did you manage to visit me? Didn't they give you a hard time? Are you all right?" Concern was etched into the boy's beautiful face as he looked young Bloom in the eyes.
"I missed you very much, Arnett, and I was worried sick, afraid of what those brutes might do to you." As he spoke, Hayden took the other boy's hand between his own, caressing it with the pad of his thumb.
"How did I end up here? It was your godfather. He managed to pull some strings to save my sorry ass, didn't he? How can I repay his kindness?"
"It wasn't him, although he tried very hard to transfer you to another hospital, where you could be taken better care of. It was my brother's husband's doing," Hayden widely grinned. "You should have seen how he put Detective Lytton and his minions in their place!"
”Your brother-in-law did what? How reckless could he be to mess with them?! Those three brainless gorillas are police officers, after all! Your brother-in-law is insane!” Arnett slowly shook his head in disbelief.
Hayden grinned again. "No, he's not. Tarquin is an FBI agent. You should tell him everything you know, he and my brother will keep you safe. They are nice guys, you know."
The other boy didn't say anything, but the little wheels inside his brains started to spin at warp speed. Arnett was illiterate, he barely knew how to write his name, but that didn't mean he was stupid. An FBI agent whom Hayden trusted, who was willing to protect him at all costs was the perfect solution for everything. Maybe the guy would listen to him. Perhaps he would know what to do with the information Arnett would entrust him with.
"Is something wrong?" Hayden's worried voice brought the other boy back to reality.
"No, everything is all right," he said, smiling weakly. "I was thinking about what you told me about your brother’s husband. How high is he ranked in the FBI's hierarchy?" Arnett was waiting for the answer holding his breath, as their future depended on it.
"Special agent or something along that line," Hayden answered, frowning a bit. "He said he works in the IT department, protecting the agency's servers against attacks."
The other boy felt like he just won the state's lottery jackpot. A hacker, his best friend's brother-in-law was a fucki
ng governmental hacker! But special agent...the guy must have been at least thirty years old. How could a man of that age take someone like Arnett seriously? He would dismiss everything the boy would tell him as the product of his imagination. But then again, he had to try.
"Your brother's husband... is he here, at the hospital? I want to talk to him," the boy said, looking into his friend's deep blue eyes.
Hayden shook his head. "No. It's not that Tarquin wouldn't listen to you or anything. We have to make sure you're healed completely, Arnett. You could speak to him as soon as you get back on your feet and regain your strength."
"Please, do this for me! It's the perfect time to talk to him, the more the discussion is postponed, the worse it'll be," the boy spoke, giving his friend a pleading look.
Meanwhile, Daniel finished talking with Doctor Stuyvesant about his kid brother's friend's condition, and now he was sitting next to Tarquin, outside the room, patiently waiting for Hayden to come out, so the two of them could speak with the boy. He couldn't get out of his head what Doctor Victoria told him, the new found information shocking the young Bloom and making him wonder how anything like that was possible.