by Sam Crescent
Shaking off those thoughts, he climbed out of the car, and as he made his way up the steps, Liam was already there, waiting for him.
“You okay?” Liam asked.
Staring up at the large, imposing man, Easton felt a flood of heat and shame rush through his body. “I went to see my dad today.”
“You did?”
“Yes.”
“How do you feel?”
“Like shit because I didn’t tell you or anyone else I was going.”
Liam stepped down toward him, cupping his cheek. To anyone else, they were just two friends sharing a moment. To Easton, it meant so much more.
“What is it?” Liam asked.
“My father killed my ex-girlfriend who I had knocked up. He’s in prison for a whole lot of other shit, but he killed a woman I cared about.”
“What did he want?” Liam asked.
“He wanted me to help get him out by discrediting Paul. He’s the guy who testified and saw him dump the body in the lake back home. Carla’s buried there.”
“She’s the girl you imagined,” Liam said.
It wasn’t a question.
“You’ve got to stop feeling this guilt, Easton. You didn’t kill her.”
“But I did. I know everyone is pissed off at Taylor for being angry at me, but she’s right. I did kill her because I didn’t leave her alone.”
“No. You didn’t push her. You were willing to leave everything you’d ever known to be with her. I know you, Easton. You told me the entire truth, and I believe you. You’re not capable of murder. You’re too good to ever do that.”
“But I was relieved. When she died, I felt like I’d dodged a bullet.”
“So? You were eighteen. Your father had spent your entire life hurting you. You weren’t ready, but if Carla was still alive today, you wouldn’t have been at camp. You wouldn’t have had Junior, and you wouldn’t be here now with me. You know why?”
“Why?”
“You’d be with Carla and your children. You are a good guy. You would have done the right thing, regardless of your own happiness. That has to mean something. No matter what your father says or does, you are a good man. An honorable one, and you should never doubt who you are because when I look at you, I know you’re a great man. One who shouldn’t have to justify his life for others. Only you should matter. Only you should care.” Liam pressed his head to Easton’s.
The closeness helped to take the pain away. Liam spoke so much sense to him, but he loved it when he was like this, and held him.
The pain slowly filtered away until there was nothing left.
“Now, Scarlett’s got dinner on the table. You’re home, and Junior’s excited to show you his science experiment.”
“Can I confess something?” Easton asked.
“Yes, of course. You can tell me anything, and I will protect you.”
Easton had no doubt the man before him would do whatever it took to protect and love him. Liam was the man who protected those he loved, and Easton vowed to do the same for him. To always look out for him, no matter what.
“I hate science and I think my son is a nerd, but I love him so much for it.”
Liam burst out laughing. “Yeah, your son is a nerd, that is right.” Liam brushed his lips against his. “Let’s go in and party. It’ll be fun.”
Holding Liam’s hand, Easton walked into the house, and sure enough, his nerdy little son had conducted a science experiment and Easton wouldn’t have him any other way.
****
Scarlett closed the cardboard moving box with the last of Easton’s things from the bedroom. They had put off packing up his apartment for a long time, and she didn’t really know why, but now they had started, there was no stopping it. Putting her hand on the lid of the box, she sighed.
She never thought there would be a time she was so happy she thought she would burst.
This day, it was magical.
Knowing Easton was willing to move in with them meant everything to her. There was no guarantee he’d stick around though.
He slept in her bed every single night, and made love with her and Liam. She had watched her two men together as well, but there was no other commitment.
“That box ready?” Romeo asked, entering the bedroom.
Axton, Romeo, and Karson had offered to help them move Easton into their home.
There hadn’t been any conversation about what it meant for Easton or his relationships with other women.
“Yeah. It’s all done.”
“I cannot believe he’s doing this, you know,” Romeo said, reaching for the box. “I always imagined Easton would stay a bachelor forever.”
“He can still do what he wants. His life is still his own.”
“I’m not stupid,” Romeo said. “You should stop treating me like I am. I see the way you and Liam look at Easton. The love between you all.”
“You’re mistaken,” Scarlett said.
“I’m not. Some may not see it, but I’m glad he’s been able to find not just one person who loves him, but two. All of his life, Easton has been seeking love. He doesn’t know he’s been doing it. I think it’s why he was so easily smitten with Carla. She took his shit and still smiled at him afterward.” Romeo looked so sad. “I thought I was going to lose him after what happened to Carla. We sent him to camp because he just wasn’t dealing like the rest of us were. Why would he? We’d not been with the victim. We’d not gotten to know her and put a baby inside her.”
“What’s your point?”
“When Easton came back, we all knew something had happened, but we figured it was closure on Carla. It wasn’t. He’d met you, and once again, he had to give something up he loved. Carla was ripped from him, and the chance of any kind of happiness. With you, he pushed you away. I don’t know the exact nature of your relationship. What I’m saying is, take care of our guy, love him. He deserves to be loved and to have everything his heart desires. Please.”
Tears filled her eyes, and she had to look away and wipe her face to stop them from falling.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I can promise you, Liam and I, we only want the best for him. Easton deserves a chance to have a clean slate, and unfortunately, one of you isn’t exactly giving it to him.” She looked past Romeo into the other room. Taylor had her daughter on her hip.
She didn’t look threatening and there was a smile on her lips, but Scarlett wasn’t convinced. The woman had made her feelings known within the hospital, and whenever she was around, Scarlett would keep an eye on her so she didn’t hurt Easton.
“Yes. It would seem the pain is still there for her. We all know that. Axton, he can deal with her.”
“Really?” Scarlett asked. “Because if she thinks she can hurt his future, she will have to deal with me. She’s a brand-new mother, but I’ve been one for eleven years now. I know how to protect my family, and Easton, he’s my family.”
“He’s all of our family,” Romeo said. “We’re a fucked-up bunch. I’ll give you that.” Romeo hauled the box out of the bedroom.
Scarlett sat down on the edge of the bed. The mattress was bare, and Easton had told them there wasn’t any furniture he wanted to take.
It wasn’t lost on her the lack of possessions he had. For a rich man, he had a few items of clothing and jewelry, nothing of any real value to him that he wanted to take. He’d not set down roots. The only true enjoyment she saw he had was in cleaning. His cleaning closet was packed with clothes, polish, buckets, bags, and everything a cleaner would need.
Easton had it in abundance.
Seeing his supplies had made her smile.
Now, she felt gutted.
In the past eleven, nearly twelve years, he’d not found anyone else to share his life with or who had shown him how to live properly.
“You okay?” Liam asked, entering the room.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” she said, standing up.
She stepped toward him, wrapping her arms around hi
m. “This doesn’t look like someone who is okay.”
“I’m fine, or I will be when we get him back home. I just can’t help but feel like he’s missed so much, and I know I’m the one to blame for that.”
“Guilt, life, it has a way of knocking you down and making you fight every single last breath you take.” Liam kissed her head.
“Life fucking sucks,” she said. She closed her eyes while resting her head against his chest.
“We’ll take care of him. We’ll help him find roots, settle down, and we will make sure he’s happy. It’s what we do.”
Scarlett opened her eyes, and tilted her head back. “Have you found it?”
Liam smirked. “Yes. I have.”
“Do you even know what I’m talking about?”
“I know what you’re talking about, and yes, I found it. I’m going to keep it as well. What about you? Will you be happy if I keep it?”
“You’re speaking in riddles.”
“Riddles you know.”
Scarlett smiled. “Yes, I’d be happy if you kept it and you never let it go. I don’t know how I got so lucky to be with a man like you, but I’m so glad I did. I’m so glad I went to that interview and met you.”
Liam stroked his fingers down her back. “My only regret is I didn’t fall for you sooner. We could have had more time together.”
“We will. With Easton and with Junior. I can’t believe that stuck, you know.”
“What?”
“Junior. One day you mentioned it, and we all just started following.”
“It’s because, my dear sweet, sexy wife, I know what’s best, and everyone around me knows that I know best.”
“I know what you did to my parents and their company,” Scarlett said.
She’d not spoken to Liam about it. She had seen the news.
“I didn’t know of their tax fraud and evasion,” he said. “I simply helped them to grow desperate. Are you pissed at me?”
Scarlett ran her hands up and down his arms, thinking about her father. The words he’d spewed her way.
“You think we’re going to allow you to raise a bastard child? You’re nothing more than a common whore. A slut who spread her legs for the first man that would offer you a smile. You are not my daughter, and your spawn will never know the life you had. Get out of my house because I have you locked away for trespassing, you fucking whore.”
Her mother had said near enough the same thing.
Her family, the ones who were supposed to love and protect her, had cast her out in her time of need.
“No. I’m not. Does that make me a bad person?”
“No. It doesn’t. You’re a good person.” Liam kissed her. “And together, we’ll protect Easton. We’ll make sure he knows love and happiness again. I promise you.”
“You guys ready?” Easton asked, coming to the room.
“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” Liam asked. “I want you to not regret this.”
“I won’t regret it. This is what I want, and I know it’s to spend the rest of my life doing what I want to do. It’s not being alone here.”
It was good enough for her for now.
“Come on, let’s go home.” She grabbed Easton’s hand and Liam’s, walking with them, side by side toward the elevator.
****
Liam rarely took a vacation. He wasn’t the kind of guy who needed to be away from his home. However, after Easton moved in with them, and Junior’s term ended, it was only fair to take his family to a remote island.
He called ahead to make sure supplies were ready and he had the house completely cleaned, and as they arrived, it did truly feel like home.
Easton grabbed Junior and took him to the beach, while Scarlett did all the unpacking. For Liam, he simply watched his family.
It wasn’t complete just yet, but he intended to make those changes while he was on the island.
Sipping a bottle of water, he watched as Junior and Easton built sandcastles together.
Scarlett, finished, came out and made up a smoothie for them all.
“They look so happy together,” she said. “I never thought my life could get any more exciting and happy.”
“And now?”
“And now, I’m happy. I’m excited, and I look forward to the future. I’m not wanting to rush into anything, but I’m happy.” Scarlett pressed the blender on, and it whizzed to life. Once it was finished making some fruity goodness, she poured it into four glasses. “Are you going to tell him?”
“Not yet. I don’t want him to be upset.”
“The man spent his entire childhood being hurt by the man. I think you should tell him.”
“Tell me what?” Easton asked, walking in. “Our little boy wants a drink, and I see you’ve already beaten me to it.”
“I always know what my men want,” Scarlett said.
“So, what do you have to tell me?” Easton took his glass, taking a sip.
“It’s about your father,” Liam said.
He’d learned the news that very morning, and well, he didn’t want to cancel the trip and have Easton dealing with all the bullshit.
“What about him?” Easton asked.
“Have you heard from him recently?” Liam asked.
“No. I told you when I last went to see him, he wanted me to find a way of getting him out of jail. I told him no, and he got pissed. The end.”
“He’s died,” Liam said.
He watched Easton. The other man’s eyes went wide.
“He died?”
Scarlett took the smoothie from him. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. Do Axton and the others know?”
“No.”
“I think I should tell them. They have a right to know,” Easton said.
Liam moved toward and helped Easton into a chair.
This wasn’t exactly how he imagined Easton reacting. He’d expected more tears, anger, pain.
Easton just sat, and his mouth was slightly open in shock.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m relieved,” he said. “I’m fucking relieved my dad is dead. Is that wrong? What happened?”
“He picked a fight with another inmate who had a shiv. He stabbed him in the jugular, and he bled out within seconds,” Liam said.
“Wow, you know, I’m not surprised.”
“I’m so sorry, Easton,” Scarlett said.
“I’m not. I’m fucking glad. He was a monster. He was the reason for so much pain and suffering. With him dead, I know he’ll never hurt our son, or any children we may have.”
“Any children?” Scarlett asked.
Easton turned to Scarlett.
“I love you,” he said. “I should have said it all those years ago, but I was too much of a fucking coward to stand up for what I wanted, and that is all on me. There’s no getting away from the mistakes I made. My fear stopped me telling you the truth. It held me back, and I didn’t get to marry you, or watch my son come into this world. I missed his first steps, and I don’t blame you for not seeking me out. I wasn’t a good man, but I want to be. I want to be the best for you, for Junior.” Easton turned to look at him. “And for you, Liam. I love both of you. I don’t know how the fuck it happened, but it did. Call me crazy, but I love the both of you. I’ve been thinking about this for a long time, and I want us to make it work. I know I can never marry you, but in here.” He put a hand over his heart. “I am married. I will make the vows to love, honor, cherish, obey, and to be whatever you need me to be. I’ve never felt or been more in love than I have with you guys.”
Okay, now Liam was taken aback. He’d expected to have to nudge them both into this step.
“I love you too. So much,” Scarlett said. “I know it’s crazy for us all, but I want us to make this work. I know we can, with Junior, with each other.” She turned toward him. “What do you think?”
Liam smiled. “You think I’m going to turn down what I’ve been wanting for a long time? I didn�
��t see it being like this, but this is perfect.”
“Liam, I’ve got one thing to ask you, and then I’ll never bring this up.”
“Go on.”
“Did you have anything to do with my father’s death?” Easton asked.
Liam smiled. “No. I didn’t. I’m not lying. I told you before. I don’t make it a habit of breaking the law, and if I do, it’s not something that will get me thrown away. Believe me, I know how to cover my tracks. I didn’t arrange to have your father killed. I was planning to make his life uncomfortable and looking into his past deeds to get him put in a more secure and locked-down prison, but his death means I don’t have to look into that. Shame. I really wanted to see the look on his face when he was locked in a cell for a longer time with the key thrown away.”
Easton grabbed his hand. “I don’t need that. I only need the two of you.”
“Will you be telling your friends?” Liam asked. “If so, they will have to sign non-disclosure agreements. I don’t negotiate in any other terms. I’m protecting all of us, and I know they’re your best friends, but I need to know you’re safe as well. One day, I will tell you everything as to why it has to be this way. For now, can you accept that it is for your own protection, and not because I’m being a selfish asshole? Friendships come and go, and I don’t want you hurt in any way.”
“I’m not telling them. I don’t want them to know everything about me. I like this. I like that no one can meddle with this, that no one can take it away from me. When I eventually tell them, we’ll have everything in place. I don’t want them to try and talk any sense into me or think they have a right to tell me what to do. I don’t want them to have that kind of power. For once, I do want something that is just all mine, and I don’t have to go to my friends to do it.”
Chapter Seventeen
One month later
The vacation with Scar, Liam, and Junior had been exactly what Easton needed. He’d been trying to find the perfect words to say how sorry he was to Scar for what he’d done in the past. The lies he told her.
The truth was, he’d fallen in love with her against all the odds, and he’d not wanted to lose her.
In having to follow his father, he had no choice but to let go of the only woman he’d ever truly loved.