The Love We Found

by David Horne

“Can’t I check up on my little brother?”

  “Detective Prewitt don’t lie to me. You may detect liars for a living, but I can do it better than you.”

  Harry was silent for a moment. Then he chuckled.

  “You’re far too astute for your own good, Jackson.”

  “Stop bitching around, Harry. What is it?”

  “I need a favor.”

  Jackson looked around the lobby. Things were, for once, incredibly quiet. Nobody was screaming, the patient who had smacked him was placated for now, and the nurses were taking a few moments wherever they could to go to the bathroom or have a quick coffee in the staff room. He wasn’t needed.

  “What sort of favor?”

  “It’s about Andrew.”

  That had Jackson sitting up. He hadn’t had any contact with Andrew in the last two weeks, realizing that he had gotten a little too close. After that night in Andrew’s kitchen, when Jackson had comforted Andrew, he knew he needed space from the man. They had almost kissed, and Jackson knew he wouldn’t have pushed Andrew away. The man had nearly lost his daughter. The last thing they should be doing was having sex.

  Jackson had left in the morning before Andrew woke up, after trying to go back to sleep on the couch. That hadn’t happened, not with all the thoughts of getting Andrew naked flying around his head. It had taken a lot of self-control not to walk into Andrew’s room and get into bed with him.

  Close proximity, alone, was dangerous. Jackson had to get his head screwed on. Clearly, Harry didn’t think so.

  “What now? Is he okay?”

  “They’ve just had a court hearing. Antoinette has been put in contempt of court and will be in jail for thirty days. Andrew’s got custody of Billy and Charlie for the time being until Antoinette’s thirty days are up and they’re back in court.”

  “That’s good, isn’t it? And what’s that got to do with me?”

  “I’m worried about him, Jackson. Things are not good right now. Antoinette’s using her lawyer to throw a lot of lawsuits at Andrew, and it’s getting him distracted.”

  “You mean even in jail, she’s causing problems?”

  “Pretty much.” Harry sighed. “I have a feeling that Andrew’s going to end up going out for blood with the Blackhawks. They’ve been gearing him up to get retribution. And that might result in Billy, Charlie and Caitlyn not having either parent.”

  That wasn’t good. From what Jackson knew about the Blackhawk Brotherhood, they not only looked after their own but made sure it never happened again. Andrew had kept them at bay regarding his ex-wife because of his children still being there, but now it seemed to be a free-for-all.

  “Why are you telling me this, Harry?”

  “I want you to talk to him, Jackson.”

  “Me? You’re his best friend.”

  “But he listens to you. God knows why, because most of your patients don’t seem to listen when you’re talking.”

  “You’re good for my ego, do you know that?”

  Harry laughed.

  “But, seriously, you’re a lot calmer than I am. And I’ve noticed since you came back to the area that he actually pays attention.”

  Jackson was glad Harry was there with him. He would be able to see Jackson’s face going bright red.

  “I wouldn’t say he does that…”

  “I would.” Harry sighed. “Please, Jackson. You would be helping me out. My gut says Andrew is going to do something stupid. And I don’t want to have to lock him up. This is putting a lot of strain on him.”

  He wasn’t going to let up. Somehow, Harry wanted to make Jackson’s insides turn into lots of knots. Jackson didn’t think he would be able to do anything, not with Andrew’s stubbornness, but Harry would be pestering him until he did something.

  “Okay, fine.” Jackson rubbed at his eyes. Suddenly, he was feeling exhausted. “I’ve got the day off tomorrow. I’ll come by and talk to him.”

  “Cheers, bro. I appreciate it.” Harry paused. “And no kissing.”

  That gave Jackson a start.

  “What? What do you mean, no kissing?”

  But Harry had already hung up. Jackson could still hear his brother laughing.

  Chapter Ten

  Jackson didn’t end up having the day off. As soon as he woke up the next morning, he got called in to help out with a shift on another ward. Jackson couldn’t argue with it. He was happy to help out, and he loved his job. But there was a limit, and Jackson had a feeling he had hit it.

  Once everyone had come back from summer vacation, Jackson was going to take his. And he was going to love it. Maybe not even go anywhere, just stay at home and play video games all day. Just pig out, hide away from everyone. After talking to people at work and dealing with patients who ranged from despondent to aggressive, Jackson didn’t want to interact with anyone.

  But he had made a promise to Harry. He needed to talk to Andrew.

  As soon as the shift was over, Jackson showered and changed and headed over to Andrew’s home. But it wasn’t Andrew who opened the door. A petite mixed-race woman in her mid-thirties stood in the doorway, a smile spreading across her pretty face.

  “Jackson, hey! It’s been a while.”

  “Hey, Elena.” Jackson kissed her cheek before accepting the hug. “Is your brother in? I wanted to talk to him.”

  “He’s at the clubhouse right now.” Elena sighed. “As soon as the kids got back and they had dinner, Andrew said he was heading out. The bugger’s been working very hard, and it’s starting to wear him down. Even the kids have noticed.”

  Jackson shook his head. This was going to be tougher than he thought. When Andrew was in the clubhouse, it was rare to get him to leave if it wasn’t of his own volition.

  “Are you keeping an eye on the kids for now?”

  “Yes. Caitlyn’s gone to bed now, Billy’s doing his homework and Charlie’s watching some TV before bed. I said I’d hang around until Andrew got back.” Elena frowned. “You don’t think he’s going to do anything stupid, do you?”

  Jackson didn’t know what to say to that. Andrew was one of the Blackhawks that didn’t cause much trouble - to him, the Blackhawks were a family who had accepted him when most of his own family turned their backs on him - but some of the stuff things could rub off on a good back.

  He headed back out and across town to the clubhouse. It wasn’t advertised, but it wasn’t difficult to miss, not with the long line of bikes outside. Jackson had been there a few times, and the fellow bikers accepted his presence. After treating too many injuries from bike accidents, Jackson was too scared to get on the back of one, but he did respect the Blackhawk Brotherhood. Underneath everything, they were decent people who stuck together like a true family.

  Jackson was glad Andrew had this backup. But with their animosity so high right now, it wasn’t the right backup for the situation. Andrew would end up in jail or dead, which was worse. Jackson didn’t want to see that happen.

  Nodding at the doorman on duty, Jackson headed into the bar. It was pretty crowded for a Thursday evening, with a group around the pool table and several more at the bar. There was a restaurant area toward the back, and all the tables were full. Jackson’s stomach growled, and he was reminded that he hadn’t eaten properly in days. Everything had been snacks or something quick in the microwave. Jackson didn’t have time to cook a proper meal, and the clubhouse even had their own chef who created delicious dishes.

  But he hadn’t come here to eat. Jackson could see who he was looking for. Andrew was sitting at one of the tables, right at the far end, absently eating fries as he stared into space. Jackson headed through the tables and came to stand before him.

  “Andrew?”

  It was a moment before Andrew came back to earth. He looked up, his eyes focusing on Jackson. He blinked a few times and sat up.

  “Jackson. I didn’t think you’d get in here.”

  “The amount of times I’ve been here before, I think I’ve been classed as an honorary mem
ber.” Jackson pulled out the chair opposite and sat down. “I stopped by your house and Elena said you’d be here.”

  “Did Harry tell you what was going on with Antoinette?”

  “That she’s in contempt of court for violating the custody order, yes.”

  “That’s not all.” Andrew scowled. “She’s also being charged with child abuse. CPS are involved and now I’m also under intense investigation to make sure they’re living in a safe environment, under my own roof.”

  Jackson paused. He hadn’t been told that.

  “When did that happen?”

  “I got told about it this morning.” Andrew picked up his beer and took a hefty swig. “I can’t believe this is happening, Jackson. That bitch...she...I knew she was ruthless, but she would never hurt our children. At least, I thought she wouldn’t. Clearly, I was wrong.”

  Jackson stared at him.

  “Andrew, what planet are you on?”

  “What?”

  “Even before I left for Spokane, I saw how she was with Caitlyn and Billy as little kids. She palmed them off onto whoever she could and used them as excuses. It got her out of a lot of things. I don’t know how she was after I left, but that’s what I saw.”

  Andrew was staring at him. Jackson was half-expecting the man to launch himself across the table to grab at him. Then Andrew’s shoulders slumped, and he stared at his bowl of fries.

  “You’re right. As always, you’re right.”

  “I’m not always right…”

  “You are with this. I’ve just been looking at it with a biased opinion.” Andrew rubbed at his eyes with a heavy sigh. “I should have noticed something going wrong. Then my daughter wouldn’t have been stabbed and Charlie wouldn’t be walking around with a cast on his arm, concussion and broken ribs. Do you know how heartbreaking that is to see my kids in pain? To know that my wife had a part in putting my five-year-old into a cast? They don’t even know if he needs to have another surgery later on for that break.”

  Jackson stayed silent. There was nothing he could say to that. He wasn’t a father, but he had seen many children come through the emergency room when he was on the rotation, and the injuries that they sported after violence at home was painful to see. And he was just the one treating them; he couldn’t begin to imagine how hard it was for parents who gave a crap about their children.

  “I’m such a shit father.” Andrew went on, still staring at his half-empty bowl. “I should’ve fought more.”

  “You’re not a shit father, Andrew. You’ve always provided for your kids, and not even Antoinette can argue with that. And in spite of everything, you made sure you were around.”

  Andrew was silent. He sat back in his chair and gave Jackson a woeful smile.

  “You’re a good guy, Jackson. You should’ve stayed here instead of going to Spokane.”

  “You can’t rely on someone to keep you on an even keel.” Jackson pointed out. “You need to do that yourself. If you rely on others for your own emotional needs, that’s going to be detrimental to you.”

  “And you’re right, as well.” Andrew grunted. He ran his hands over his head. “Want something to eat? I bet you haven’t eaten properly in a while.”

  “I thought you’d had some dinner with the kids.”

  “You know I have a healthy appetite. And the meal Elena made was vegetarian. Those don’t fill me up as they’re meant to.”

  Jackson paused. A meal with Andrew did sound tempting. His stomach was still growling, and the food at the clubhouse was delicious. The Blackhawks president had been raised with chefs for parents and he prided in taking care of his club’s money and their bellies.

  It was a strange way of approaching a motorcycle club, but it worked. And Jackson wasn’t about to complain, not when their baby back ribs were the best in Sacramento. In his mind, they were. He shrugged and reached for a menu.

  “Why not? A decent meal for me would help. And will you go home afterwards?”

  “I will.” Andrew picked up his beer. “If you’ll join me in a drink.”

  “I’m not driving after I’ve had a drink, Andrew. You know my rules on that.”

  “We can get a cab. Come on, live a little. I know you work yourself to the bone at the hospital. Unwind a little. The guys here will look after your keys and make sure your car doesn’t disappear.”

  He did have a point. And how much could one beer get him into trouble? Jackson grinned.

  “Fine. Just one, though. Wash it down with those rib racks.”

  Andrew grinned back.

  “Just what I wanted to hear.”

  Chapter Eleven

  The meal was pleasant. Jackson hadn’t had good ribs in a long time. His parents were intent on having healthy food at home, so he had never tasted ribs until he was in university. Now they were his favorite dish, and he couldn’t get enough.

  His mother complained that he was going to get overweight from eating too many ribs. That hadn’t happened yet, and Jackson was happy to keep getting sticky fingers.

  Andrew’s mood did pick up a little with the food, but not much. However, over Jackson’s ribs and Andrew’s burger, they did talk. Andrew ended up telling Jackson more about his life that Jackson hadn’t been aware of. Over the next couple of hours while they nursed their food and a couple of beers between them, he began to understand Andrew more than ever.

  And that just built on his attraction. Andrew was just looking even sexier, and Jackson wasn’t sure that was even possible. He wasn’t sure if it was the beer or the lighting, but Andrew was starting to act a little more flirtatious toward the end. He sat forward and started stroking Jackson’s hand. He was smiling more, and Jackson could feel his body responding. His cock was hard to the point it was complaining about being restricted, and he kept having to shift in his seat.

  Someone had to see what was going on. Jackson had never seen Andrew act like this in public. The booze had to be making its mark on him. But nobody else seemed to be paying attention. Jackson wondered if they were aware of Andrew’s sexuality, or if they even cared. The few times he had displayed emotions toward a man in public, they hadn’t taken to it too well.

  Andrew had more accepting friends than Jackson had met in his life. His parents hadn’t been too impressed that Jackson was gay, but they had accepted it. It had taken years to get to the point where Jackson was comfortable but, even then, he kept looking over his shoulder.

  Clearly, Andrew had no such qualms.

  When they left, Jackson passed his keys over to the bartender and hailed a taxi. Andrew got into the back of the cab without any complaints, and he sat right next to Jackson as they went back to his house. It was dark in the back, but Jackson could feel Andrew’s hand trailing up his thigh.

  The booze was well and truly kicking in. And Jackson knew he should push Andrew away. But he just couldn’t. It felt too good. After years wondering what it would be like to have Andrew putting his hands all over him, Jackson wasn’t about to pass it up.

  He almost jumped out of the cab as soon as it stopped outside Andrew’s house. Paying the cabbie, Jackson led Andrew up the path, allowing the biker to lean on him. Elena was at the door before they reached it, letting them inside.

  “The boys are both asleep.” She whispered to Andrew. “And Caitlyn’s gone down as well. She’s taken a lot of painkillers, so she’s going to be out for a while.”

  “Thanks, Elena.” Andrew kissed his sister’s cheek. “I’ll take it from here.”

  Elena frowned.

  “Are you sure you can? You’re swaying.”

  “It’s nothing I can’t handle.” Andrew patted Jackson on his backside. “Jackson’s here to keep an eye on me.”

  Jackson started when he felt Andrew patting him. He had to bite back a gasp as Andrew then squeezed, clasping his butt in a firm grip. The man was doing all but nibble at his neck.

  Elena looked between them with a curious expression. Then a sly glint appeared in her eyes and she giggled.
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  “I’m sure he will.” She hurried into the lounge and picked up her purse. “I’ll head off now. Just don’t be too loud. I’m sure you don’t want to be indisposed when Charlie wants you, Andrew.”

  “I’ll do my best.”

  “What?” Jackson was confused. “What do you mean, don’t be too loud?”

  Elena didn’t say anything. She simply winked and walked out the house, closing the door behind her. Jackson turned to Andrew, who still hadn’t taken his hand away.

  “What did she mean by that?”

  “She meant this.”

  Andrew pushed Jackson up against the wall, grasping onto Jackson’s shirt with his fists. Then he was kissing him.

  Jackson was too surprised to respond. His brain had frozen. Then, for a moment, he kissed Andrew back. Seconds later, reality kicked in and Jackson’s fears kicked in. He set Andrew away.

  “Whoa there, Andrew.” He searched Andrew’s face. “What are you doing?”

  Andrew sniggered.

  “What does it look like? I’m doing something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.” His hands slid over Jackson’s chest. “No time like the present.”

  He began to unbutton Jackson’s shirt, his knuckles grazing over his skin. Jackson shivered, hardly believing this was happening. The man he had been obsessed over for years, his first crush, was getting him undressed. But this couldn’t be a dream come true. There had to be a catch somewhere.

  “You’re drunk.” Jackson’s heart was racing, freezing him to the spot. “You’re going to regret it later on.”

  But Andrew was shaking his head.

  “Not a chance.” One hand slid between them and cupped Jackson’s erection, making Jackson hiss. Andrew’s smile widened. “You can’t deny that you want me, Jackson. I’m not going to back out of this. Are you?”

  He gave Jackson’s cock a squeeze, and Jackson let out a moan. Andrew bent his head and started kissing his neck, licking up to Jackson’s jaw. He found an erogenous spot that Jackson didn’t realize existed, which made Jackson shudder. His resistance was rapidly weakening.

  “You’re a bastard, do you know that?”