Chapter 25 Minns #3
A reporter in the front row raised his hand, and the rainbow lanyard he wore around his neck poked out from underneath his suit jacket. “How were you injured, Mr. Minns?”
This was the part of the speech my agent had warned me not to talk about.
It was the whole point of going in front of the media, but he still hadn’t wanted me to talk about it.
Divulging names or even hinting who it was opened me up to the possibility of a lawsuit, and my father and brothers had enough resources behind them that they would be able to do more than threaten me.
After I’d met with Coach and Keeley yesterday, I telephoned the Boston PD and advised that I wanted to press charges against my family. But because I’d done that, I couldn’t give any details until the investigation was complete.
“I was assaulted. It's the subject of an active police investigation, so I can't name names. But it’s enough to say that their actions didn’t feel very Christian when they were raining kicks and punches on me.”
My cell phone started ringing in my jacket pocket, the vibration loud in the quiet room. I winced, ignoring it.
“What are your injuries?” the same reporter asked, unperturbed by the interruption.
I detailed them, and he nodded his thanks.
“Why did you come out now?” another reporter asked.
I couldn’t help but look toward the door I’d come through and smile. My heart swelled, and I sighed.
Gauthier chuckled. “You have hearts in your eyes,” he murmured just loud enough that I could hear.
I nodded, unable to deny it.
“My wife and I met someone. I didn’t want to make the same mistakes with him that I made with Hux and hurt him.”
“Who are you dating?”
“Have you and your wife separated?”
I shook my head. “Like I said, my wife and I are happily married. We—plural—are dating a man together. The three of us are in a committed relationship.” I flicked my gaze to Hux, and he smiled.
“I’m so happy for you, man.”
“Thank you. For everything, but most of all for being here, for supporting me.”
I turned back to the reporters and said, “Thank you for coming.” It was my sign to Keeley to wrap up the press conference.
She stood and spoke into her microphone, “On behalf of the Seals, I’d like to reiterate our support for our LGBTQIA+ players, staff, and supporters—”
The door to the room was yanked open, and Mironov raced through. “Am I too late?” he asked, out of breath. Without waiting for an answer, he clarified, “To be here for you? I was halfway to my car when Sasha sent me the link to your interview being livestreamed.”
I stood up, needing to thank him for coming back, but Mironov wasn’t finished.
“You know you could have come out to me, right? I would have been your friend anyway. Forget about anyone who doesn't accept you. They don't matter in your life.”
I blinked back the sudden tears and embraced him, giving him a back-slapping hug. I hissed and pulled away from him, my ribs reminding me that they were still broken. “Thank you for showing up. These guys having my back is incredible, but you having it, too, means the world.”
“You’re my boy,” he said affectionately and roughed up my hair.
“Mr. Minns, are you and Mr. Mironov dating?”
I rolled my eyes and laughed, while Ivan shook his head, then opened his mouth to speak. I could see the wicked glint in his eye, and I knew whatever he had to say was going to be cringeworthy. He wasn’t often interviewed because he didn’t have a subtle bone in his body.
“I prefer—”
“No. He’s not,” a voice boomed over Mironov’s.
I closed my eyes and let the gruff rasp wash over me. I’d know that voice and that Australian accent anywhere.
“They’re mine,” Locke announced to the world.
For a split second, the room went silent, and then all hell broke loose. Questions were fired at us left and right, the volume increasing until we were in the middle of a shouting match. Cameras clicked, the flashes from cell phones blinding me from my peripheral vision.
I watched Locke and Kam, hand in hand, stride toward me.
Locke stepped close, and with infinite gentleness, he tilted my face up to his.
Then he pressed a kiss to my lips. It was chaste, but it was mind-meltingly possessive and potent.
My knees went weak, and I gripped Locke’s suit jacket to keep me steady.
“Yours, huh?” I asked against his lips.
He hummed. “Forever.”
“That was subtle,” I teased, grinning at him.
“Fair dinkum? Do I need to make it more obvious?” he grinned, then pressed another kiss to my lips.
“He doesn’t do things by half,” Kam added, and I drew her into my arms, hugging her to my side.
"I love you. Both of you," I murmured only loud enough that they could hear.
My cell phone vibrated again, but I continued to ignore it, especially when Kam replied, "Me too. Love both of you too."
Hux, Gauthier, Rune, and Mironov stood between us and the wall of media, giving us a moment of privacy, then changed tact, herding the three of us out the door while Keeley finished up the press conference by saying, “We will be announcing new, ongoing initiatives to work with LGBTQIA+ charities in the coming weeks that both the team and the community can get behind. Thank you for being here this evening.”
I paused and nodded my thanks to her as she turned to us.
I didn’t know she had that planned. It was obviously something she and the rest of her PR team were working on.
They’d announced a donation when news of Hux’s relationship was made public, but something ongoing was definitely an expansion of that.
We got through the door, and I checked my cell phone. Mom had called me three times in the space of five minutes. Emotions I didn’t want to admit to slammed into me, hope being the biggest.
“You okay, boy?” Locke whispered.
I closed my eyes and leaned into him. “Mom’s calling me.”
“Are you going to call her back?” Kam asked, her brow furrowed and lips turned down.
My gaze bounced between them, both worried, both ready to support me with whatever I decided.
I looked across at Mironov joking with Hux, Gauthier, and Rune, and finally at Keeley, who entered the room last. They’d each shown up to demonstrate their support.
Kind gestures, encouraging words, and most importantly, unconditional love.
The memories from my weekend that I couldn’t forget played on a loop, each blow—both verbal and physical—reverberating through my body. My so-called family hadn’t shown me a single act of kindness, encouragement, or love. They’d responded with vile hatred and violence.
I clicked on Mom’s contact and pressed Block. “No, I’m not. I have everyone I need right here.”
Locke wrapped a protective arm around our shoulders and held us close.
I exhaled slowly, then pressed a kiss to Kam’s hair.
Like fog blowing away on the wind, the hatred my family had spewed at me dissipated.
The shackles they’d bound me in dropped to the ground.
I’d closed the chapter on them, but coming out, being true to myself, and living my authentic life had opened another one that I couldn’t wait to see unfold.