16. Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Sixteen
Ford
“You have a key, sweetheart,” Ford said after opening the door.
He stood in the doorway of the apartment he shared with Jax, seeing the beautiful young man they’d invited into their relationship falling apart in front of him. Things had been going along relatively well, but with recent events, Ford was concerned all forward momentum was only stalled… hopefully, not lost.
Of course, no one could have expected Jax’s mother would become terminally ill and not even call her son to tell him. Ford knew the family was rural, and their handling of events may have been much different than his own, but that seemed unusually cruel.
Jax had explained things, not hiding the bitterness in his heart. “We were backwoods hillbillies… or Cajun trash, as most people thought of us. My papa spoke broken Frenglish, and Mama was only a little better. I took the Tulane football scholarship and never looked back. When Papa died, Mama cremated him and sent me a letter after. It was for the best, I guess.” It had come up when the two of them had first gotten together back in college.
After that, Ford only met the woman a few times. He’d had pleasant conversations with her about Jax as a kid and teenager, but Ford didn’t ask his lover about his mother on a regular basis. It seemed to be a touchy subject which was best left alone.
Ford supported Jax in whatever way he wanted to handle his mother. Gifts were sent for holidays, but as far as Ford knew, no thank you was ever proffered. He knew Jax sent money every month to help her out, too, but they didn’t discuss why or how much.
It simply reminded Ford of all the things Jax kept to himself and how he had to wonder if they really were partners. Did they really love each other or had their relationship become a matter of convenience? Was that why they stayed together—because it was more convenient to stay together than not?
The fundraiser Cade had spearheaded for Rainbow House had raised over two hundred thousand dollars which was enough to put a new roof on the current facility and buy the land next to it to build a large addition in the future where maybe a gym and classrooms could house a host of other activities.
Owen Hatch had sent a formal thank you to Ford, along with an invitation to sit on the newly launched board of directors. Owen was consulting with a lawyer to file for nonprofit status, hoping to garner state or federal funds in addition to tax incentives concerning future donations. Ford was supportive, but he might suggest Kincade was better suited for the seat than himself.
“I’m afraid I’m on sand here, Bix. I’ve fallen in love with both of you quickly, and I always seem to come up short regarding how I should act in certain situations. I guess…” he paused for a moment, “I wasn’t… sniff … sure if I still… wiped eyes … had the right to use it.” Kincade sobbed.
It was like a slap in the face to Ford. “Oh, God, come in, sweetheart. You have as much right to use that key as I do. I don’t want to let you go at all, okay? Jax has to figure out his shit, but I know how I feel about you. It doesn’t mean I don’t love him, but I won’t disappear from your life. We’re going to spend a lot of time together, okay? Jax will just have to pursue the two of us to catch up.” Ford moved Cade’s hair off his face and kissed his tears away.
Ford led Cade back to the closet in the master bedroom, finding two of Jax’s jerseys, both autographed and ready to send to a charity for auction at a moment’s notice. “Here,” he told Cade, handing him one. They were huge, but so was Jax.
“These are… wow, autographed? I shouldn’t—” Cade launched his protest.
“I’d say you’ve sucked his cock and vice versa so you can at least have a jersey.” Ford helped him take off his short-sleeved shirt and slip the jersey over his head, pulling the other one on himself.
Cade’s giggle made his dick plump, but the shirt was long enough to cover it, so Ford leaned down and kissed the gorgeous brunet on the lips before leading him toward the front door.
Ford grabbed the keys to the ugly navy monster that Jax drove and away they went to the stadium. Jax had been dropped off earlier, so Ford was mentally planning for the trip home and what they should do to give their man a wake-up call.
Once they arrived at the stadium, Cade leaned over the console to smile at the guard. “Hi, Troy. It’s me, Cade Hayes, Jax Delacroix’s assistant. This is our friend, Ford Thomas.” Cade pulled the pass and his driver’s license from his wallet.
“Hey, Cade. Mr. D was all fired up,” the young man stated. Ford knew how true that likely was, based on Jax’s behavior on the flight home.
“Yeah, let’s hope for a win,” Cade gushed before Ford took back the credentials and rolled up the window as the gate opened.
“Park… well, you know where to park.”
Ford stopped and looked at him. “Honestly? I don’t know where to park. I’ve never been allowed to come in this way. Jax was stringent regarding what part I was to play regarding his career and his teammates. Hell, that’s why he didn’t know I came to the games. I usually took the ‘L.’ Meeting those guys at the event a few weeks ago was the first time for me.”
“You’re not joking?” Cade’s surprise was evident as he pointed toward Jax’s designated parking spot.
Once the Hummer was parked, Ford released the seat belt and pulled the keys out of the ignition. “No, I’m not. I couldn’t tell you what half of the keys are for on this key ring, and I’ve been the man’s partner for over ten years. We just… hell, Cade, I don’t know what we’ve become.” Ford’s self-confession churned his gut.
His young lover released his seat belt and kissed Ford’s palm in the middle. “Well, we’re not gonna be that throuple, okay? We’re gonna learn to share the trials, Bix, because if we don’t, we’ll never make it. I want the three of us to stay together more than anything I’ve ever wanted, and I’m just selfish enough to demand it.” Cade’s statement brought a big grin to Ford’s face.
He leaned forward and brushed his lips against Cade’s. “I believe you. If anyone can do it, Kincade, it’s you.” The pair kissed again, and when they broke away, they both beamed. Yet more new ground had been traversed.
After they climbed out of the Hummer, Cade took them to the Players and Authorized Staff entrance. “I’m on the list. I’m Kincade Hayes, personal assistant to Jackson Delacroix. This is my best friend, Ford. I’m allowed to bring a guest, and Albert Swift is waiting for me in the players’ lounge or somewhere nearby,” the younger man announced with authority.
Ford watched the guard, who he’d never met in his life, peruse the list. He reached behind them and pulled up two lanyards with passes attached to the end. “Yes sir, Mr. Hayes. Here’s your pass, and Mr. Thomas, this is yours. You can go right to the players’ family box with these, and you don’t have to worry about tickets. Mr. Hayes, this was delivered for you earlier this afternoon. Enjoy the game, gentlemen.”
The guard pulled out an official-looking brown envelope, extending it to Cade. “Oh, Mr. Swift is up in a hospitality suite on three, Mr. Hayes. Take the elevator up. Just wave your pass over the security box.”
Both men thanked him before they went through security and then into the bowels of the stadium. “I guess Albert isn’t as useless as I thought.” Ford followed Cade through the halls as the younger man opened the envelope and leafed through the papers while they walked.
Cade chuckled. “I can guarantee you, based on the few conversations I’ve had with Albert Swift on the phone, he is as useless as you believe him to be. This is all Jax. He had to set this up, which means he wants us here. Why don’t you go find the players’ family box and get our seats? I’ll go meet with Albert.”
Ford grabbed Cade’s arm and led him to a family restroom, opening the door and pushing him inside as he pulled the door and locked it. “I appreciate your trying to save me from the fucking homophobe Jax employs as his agent, but I have a few words to say to the man. The first thing he told Jax after those pictures came out was, ‘Tell people he drugged you and took you to Mexico against your will. Say he raped you. You’ll get sympathy for being raped by a fag . ’ You can’t expect me to let that go unchecked.”
He saw the wary expression on Cade’s face, so he leaned down and kissed his soft lips. “I’ll only embarrass myself, okay? You stand up for Jax’s reputation, but let me get a look at this asshole, please?”
Cade nodded and grabbed his hand. “Okay. I called my mother’s attorney and got a referral for a talented sports attorney who specializes in working with professional athletes. These documents mean Jax has taken the guy’s advice. On second thought, you probably won’t want to miss this.”
They walked down the hallway to a large room with food and drinks spread over every surface. There were tables and chairs, and the front part of the room was glass enclosed, facing the field where the fans were settling into their seats. Waiting for them was a short, balding man with a paunch and an ill-fitting suit, pacing frantically. He was chewing on the end of an unlit cigar as he yammered into a Bluetooth earpiece. When the two of them walked into the room, he eyed them both.
Ford could tell the asshole knew who Cade was, and he believed he could intimidate him into submission, but he didn’t know who Ford was, nor how he fit into the mix. “I’ll call ya back, Abe.”
The guy hung up and shoved the cigar in the breast pocket of his blue suit. “I guess you must be the secretary. Kenny, right?” Obviously, the man was trying to take Cade off guard.
“Actually, I’m his personal assistant, and my name’s Kincade. This is Branford Thomas. You’ve probably heard of him, Mr. Swift.” Cade ushered Ford into the room and closed the door.
Until the man rolled his eyes and got a snarled look on his face, Ford wasn’t sure why Cade introduced him, but the younger man was asserting a more dominant status by leading with the element of surprise.
“Why’d you bring the fag?” Al Swift hissed.
Cade laughed. “Why do you hate fags, Albert? Latent homosexual tendencies, maybe? Or did a fag steal your lunch money?” Cade taunted with a pout.
“You and that other one are only trying to confuse Jackson. He’s not gay, and no matter how well you blow him, he’s not gonna turn. Scurry off, you fairies.” Albert grabbed a phone on the side table and requested security.
Ford reached for Cade’s hand to lead him out before the guards showed up, but the younger man wasn’t moving. He leaned into Ford and kissed his cheek. “Trust me, Bix.”
The door opened, and Ford turned to see a bouncer from his club. The guy—Tobin, if he recalled correctly—smirked at him, giving a quick wink as he walked into the room. It was then he remembered Jax asking if he could hook a guy up with a night job for extra cash. When he looked at Cade, the younger man grinned.
“Get these two queers outta here and take their credentials. They don’t belong here,” Albert Swift waved his hand at Cade and Ford before retrieving his unlit cigar and chomping on it. Obviously, Albert thought he’d won.
As Cade giggled and reached into the envelope to withdraw a stack of papers, Ford could see the bald man was claiming privileges he no longer had. “Actually, Tobin, could you remove Mr. Swift and revoke his credentials? According to these documents, Mr. Delacroix fired him this morning and has retained new counsel. Here’s the termination agreement, Al. Take it to your lawyer and get back to the man at the bottom of the stack. Best of luck getting another client, by the way. I sure hope word doesn’t get out about that dancer. Trixie, right? Featured on the middle pole at Gentlemen’s Pleasure. I bet the little woman would be pissed about that.”
Ford was shocked when the man left with a sneer and his middle finger over his shoulder. When the door closed, he turned to Cade and gave him a slow clap. “Well done, Mr. Hayes. How’d ya—”
“Eh, I know a guy who knows a guy. That man was fleecing Jax on his cut, so he had to go. Let’s get to our seats and watch our man. Hopefully, he won’t kill himself on the field,” Cade said.
Ford seconded that notion.
Jax sat on the bench. They’d won the coin toss and chose to receive, so the special team took the field. Avery Sumter sat down next to him and took out his mouth guard. “You okay? I heard you lost your momma, Cajun. Are you focused? Don’t get yourself hurt. We need you this season and you know it, so if you’re too upset, duck out. Sort your business and come back when you’re ready. Ain’t nobody gonna hold it against ya.” Avery was being nice, but he was mistaken.
Jax turned to him and smiled, watching the man next to him cringe a little. It was likely the deadly smile his teammates had told him they’d seen on his face when things were about to get bloody. Yes, he had pent-up emotional energy, and he was going to work it out on the football field instead of continuing to be a prick to the two men he loved.
Standing from the bench, Jax turned, scanning the crowd to find the players’ family box. He saw wives and kids of the other players as he continued to search. Just then, he laid eyes on the two most important people in his life walking down the stairs in his jerseys.
The number 79 across the front settled him. He knew his name was on the back and while, to anyone else, it could mean he was their favorite player—many other fans wore his jersey to games—Jax knew they wore it for him. His name was across the back of the jerseys, marking the two men as his, and he was ready to get his head right.
Jax put his forearm on Sumter’s shoulder and tilted his head. “I’m fine, Sumter, but thanks for checking. Keep me on the bench as much as possible by movin’ that fucking ball down the field, and I’ll be even better.” Jax gave a wink for emphasis. Avery nodded as he took to the field.
Jax watched the game with a narrow focus. He wanted the offense to succeed in the scoring drive, but he was itching to get on the field. Yes, he was going to hurt someone, but not too much… he hoped.
When they failed to make a first down on third and eight, Jax rose, sure they would punt it off. It was the first drive of the preseason, and as he waited for his time on the turf, Jax turned to the stands to see Cade and Ford on their feet, cheering the team for a first down.
When they didn’t get it, his two loves pointed to Jax and blew him kisses. Both of them. He wondered why on earth he’d never given Ford tickets to support him as he played. It quickly became important to see them in the stands every chance he could.
When the whistle blew, the offense left the field, and the defense took over. Jax knew they were an intimidating force as they walked out together to their preseason theme music… George Thorogood’s “Bad to the Bone.” He was the defensive captain, and he’d picked the tune for that year.
The defensive line tried to find a new song every year, and that song seemed to be perfect to pump them up. When he put it to a vote, the rest of the line had appeared psyched over the choice. He glanced up to the stands to see Cade and Ford standing and cheering. His heart sped up.
As the lyrics played, Jax turned to his brethren on the field. “I guess I should have some sort of fucking motivational speech, but all I give a fuck about is bustin’ heads and sackin’ QBs. You with me? We don’t give ’em a yard they don’t shed blood to earn, right?”
His teammates nodded and clapped before breaking the huddle and heading toward the line of scrimmage. When the offense lined up, Jax smiled at the rookie offensive tackle in front of him. “Hello, meat. I’m your worst fuckin’ nightmare.”
There was fear in the kid’s eyes and when the snap came, Jax lowered his shoulder and took the lad down before he circled around the outside and went after the QB. The young guy was also a newbie the opposition had picked up in the first round of the draft earlier in the year.
The kid got the ball off just as Jax hit him, so there was a flag on the play, but Jackson Delacroix had his head on straight for the first time since he’d showed up at training camp. He was ready to play ball.
At the half, the home team was ahead by sixteen. The visitors, Denver, were looking at a big goose egg, since the Chicago defense had been flawless at shutting them down. Jax was in his rhythm when he walked into the locker room.
Colby Napier, the QB for Chicago, walked up to him and grinned. “You’re spot-on today, Cajun. Their fuckin’ offense is so scared of you guys, it’s joyful. When we get out there, the defense is talkin’ smack, but my line, they look at what you guys are doin’ and they won’t… we won’t let ya down. We’re with ya.” Napier smacked him on the back.
Jax appreciated it, but he wanted the game to be over so he could go home with Cade and Ford. Maybe they could take a nice soak in the big tub? It sounded like a good idea to him. A shout ended his daydream. “Delacroix, your agent’s here!”
He knew what it was about, and he wasn’t going to let Al Swift fuck with his mojo. He was playing a game, and he didn’t give a flying fuck about the guy who’d fucked him over more times than he could remember.
“Ex-agent. I’ve got new representation. Please escort Mr. Swift out.” The team rep, who was standing at the entrance to the locker room, smirked. The other guys clapped because they’d all warned him against signing with Albert Swift, but the guy was the only one willing to represent him after he’d been dropped by his last agent when he came out at minicamp.
The attendant nodded and left the locker room. They heard the call for the teams to return to the field, so Jax turned to his defensive line and smirked. “Okay, boys, are we gonna let some pussies from Denver show us up here at home? If we keep scarin’ their offense, our teammates on the offense can scare the defense. Let’s show ’em whose house this is.”
They all shouted before filing back out to the field, waiting for the high school band to finish the half-time show. He knew it was the moment of a lifetime for those kids, so Jax listened and clapped, egging on his teammates as the defense waited to take the field. If they could hold the lead, they’d bring home a win for the first preseason game, which would give the team a boost of confidence going into the regular season. It had been too many years since the team was in contention for a Super Bowl bid, but if Jax had his way, he’d drag them there, kicking and screaming.