Chapter 11
Chapter
Eleven
“ H ey, Momma,” Leo said as he walked in the front door and headed to the living room to join them.
“Hey, baby, is Torres ok?” she asked, her brows furrowing in concern, as she sat up on the couch.
“Yeah, he’s about to come in. Just a heads up, he has his son with him…well the son he just figured out he had tonight, so go easy on him.” He glared at all his brothers while his mother choked on her drink, warning them with his eyes to behave themselves.
Danno held up his hands. “I promise I’ll be nice.” He stated while all the others nodded.
“How did it go?” Kade asked, petting Valk to help calm himself. He’d been buzzing with anxiety ever since they left to go confront Torre’s family.
Leo sighed. “Like fucking shit. Gonna be a rough road, but his brother is leaving the mother.” Leo shook his head, still trying to come to terms with all that had happened and the shit he’d learned about Torres’ family.
Kade snorted. “About time.” That woman had been taking advantage of that family for years.
Torres cleared his throat as he walked in. “Um…this is my son Gabe. Gabe, this is Leo’s family.” He went around the room and introduced his son and was happy that everyone made him feel at home. He breathed a sigh of relief while he knew they would have welcomed his son with open arms and treated him like one of their own. He was still trying to wrap his mind around the fact that he had a son.
When Gabe got to Kade, he threw himself into the man’s arms knowing Kade would catch him. “Hi, Kade!” He said, his voice wobbling.
Kade chuckled as he rocked Gabe back and forth, his legs looking like a windshield wiper. “Hey kiddo, how’re you doing?” Kade ruffled his hair. He adored the kid. He was a good kid, smart, and respectful. How he came from his mother and turned out the way he did Kade would never know.
Gabe shrugged. “I’m ok. My mom hurt my dad, and she hates Vince, so I have no idea how he could be my real dad.” His brows furrowed as his eleven-year-old mind tried to make sense of what had happened. “I probably don’t even want to know, do I?”
Torres winced as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah, I have no idea how to explain it.”
Kade shook his head. “It doesn’t matter, Gabe. All you need to know is that Vince is your father and that he loves you very much.” He shrugged. “Plus, you’ve got me and the guys if you ever need us. Don’t worry kid, we got you.”
Gabe turned to Torres. “Is it ok if I still think of my dad as dad and you as dad too?” He didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings in this, his mom had already done enough of that.
Torres smiled softly at Gabe. “Yeah Kiddo, I think Paul would like that too, ya know?” At least he hoped he would, and it wouldn’t end up causing more damage.
Gabe smiled. “Good,” He said happily. “Now I heard you guys like video games.” He said, rubbing his hands together with glee.
Once Leo’s brothers were able to distract Gabe with games and snacks, Torres was able to take a deep breath and try to relax.
“So wanna explain what’s going on?” Bram asked, chuckling, looking at his wife.
Torres snorted before he took a deep breath. “That’s Gabriel. He was raised as my older brother’s son. Turns out my older brother can’t have kids due to a car accident when he was a teenager. Catherine, his wife, has always wanted to be a mother and things got rough after every failed attempt. Well, rough is putting it nicely.” He said, rolling his eyes. “Apparently, I came home drunk one night when I still lived there and she decided I was the perfect candidate to be the father.” He had to close his eyes, to control his emotions and his stomach. “Thankfully, she didn’t fully rape me and just violated me.”
“Still not ok.” Leo butted in, his voice hard and cold. “She still shouldn’t have touched you in any way and I’m glad she’s gonna get what’s coming to her.”
“Well, yeah, but at least I didn’t actually fuck her.” Torres shuddered. “My dick would have fallen off, I’m telling you.” He gave a mock shudder, his mind conjuring up images that made him want to gouge his eyes out.
Leo choked on a laugh as he tried to hold it in. He was thankful Torres was handling this better than he would have if the roles were reversed.
“Anyway, Leo did some sneaky detective work and had Saint run a DNA test on me and Gabe and what do you know I’m the father?” He dramatically raised his hand. “Now my brother is leaving Catherine and kicking her out of the house. I will fight for joint custody, but at this point, she’s about to lose everything, so I don’t want to take him from her too.”
Sanem smiled softly at him as she patted his back. The fact that he was still considering the woman’s feelings after what she did to him proved Torres was one of a kind. A good man. “Gonna, be a rough road.” She stated softly.
Bram nodded. “If you need a babysitter, just call.” It could be fun to have the kid around, to show him what life can be like on this side of things. He hoped Gabe would not let this event shape him as he got older. He didn’t condone what the woman had done, but he could see that Torres didn’t regret what had happened to him and was happy Gabe was his.
Sanem smiled. “We do love having kids around here again and the animals enjoy it too.”
Torres smiled at them. “Thank you. I really appreciate that. I’m sure Gabe would love it. My family isn’t big on animals so he’s never had one of his own before. I think he’ll get a kick out of being able to see what goes into taking care of one.”
Bram nodded. “Just know whether you and Leo work out you’re always welcome here and if you need help, just call. You’re Kade’s best friend and Sanem is obsessed with Kade at this point, so you’re thrown into that mix. She can’t have him and not you, too.”
Salem huffed. “I’m not obsessed. I just want to mother the shit out of him. There is a difference.” She stated—like they should know what she was talking about.
Torres snickered. “He needs it.” He sucked in a deep breath. “Thank you for welcoming Gabe. He really is a good kid.”
Bram grinned. “I can see that, gotta say he looks just like you.” He snickered when Torres rolled his eyes.
Torres grinned sheepishly. “Yeah, so I’ve been told.” He turned to find Leo laughing at something Gabe had said, and he could have sworn he felt his heart skip a beat. Fuck him, he was in love with Leo. While that was a scary thought, he didn’t panic. He knew his heart, his body, his mind, and his soul was safe with Leo. His writer was a force to be reckoned with when things went sideways. He sighed happily as he sat next to Kade and watched his son kick everyone’s ass at Mario Kart.
“Are you doing ok?” Kade asked softly as he felt Valk place his big head on Torres’ leg to help soothe the man.
Torres sighed. “I think so, but I’m ready for a nap. It has been a wild day.”
Kade smirked. “I feel that. Just remember, brother, whatever you need, I’ll do my best to help.”
Torres threw his arm over Kade’s shoulder. “I know, man, and I can’t thank you enough for all you’ve done.”
“Love you, brother.” Kade said solemnly.
“Love you too, man.” Torres replied.
“Getting soft on me, you two?” Levi asked, grinning from the other side Kade.
“Oh, hush up.” Kade grumbled, wrapping an arm around Levi’s neck to pull him close for a noogie.
“Ah fuck me, let me go, you big dope.” Levi said breathlessly, around his laughter as he struggled to get free of Kade’s hold.
“Nope, you were insulting, now you have to pay the consequences.” Torres said, totally ignoring his smacks for help.
“You jackass!” Levi heaved out as he panted as he scooted away from Kade. “I’ll ask Valk to help me next time.” He stuck his tongue out at Torres.
Torres chuckled. “How’s it going with Sheriff?”
Levi’s face split in the first genuine smile Torres had seen in a while. “Good, he’s a sweetheart and so smart.” Levi gushed, and Torres sat back to catch up with his old friend.
Later that night, when they made it back to his place, Torres carried Gabe inside, the actions of the day proving to be too much for the kid who’d passed out the second they got on the highway. He set Gabe up in the spare bedroom and gently closed the door before heading back to his room to find Leo sitting on the edge of his bed. “You ok?”
Leo snorted. “That’s my line.”
Torres chuckled, then sighed. “I honestly don’t know what to think.”
Leo nodded. “I can understand that. How about we head to bed and see if things make sense in the morning?”
Torres kissed him softly. “That sounds like the best idea I’ve ever heard.” He stripped down to his boxers while Leo did the same before crawling into bed after him and pulling him close. “Thank you for being there today.” He said drowsily.
Leo kissed the corner of his mouth. “You’re welcome. Now get some sleep. I have a feeling we’re going to need it.”
Leo was right, the next morning It was all hands on deck as they received another threat. Torres had just dropped off Gabe with his mother when he came back to find it in Leo’s apartment mailbox. Thankfully, he had already dropped Leo off with Kade so he headed back to the office.
“Hey, how’d it go?” Leo asked as he met him in Kade’s office.
Torres rolled his eyes. “As well as can be expected. Got another threat.” He held up the paper. “Do you want to read it? You don’t have to.”
Leo deflated. He was hoping the threats would stop, but he should have known that wasn’t how it worked. “Yeah.” He held out his hand for the note. SCARED YET PRETTY BOY YOU WILL BE SOON. Leo sucked in a deep breath. “Well, that is definitely creepy.” He handed it over to Kade and told him what it said.
Kade nodded. “Yeah, they’re escalating, which can be a good thing because that’s usually when mistakes are made.”
“That’s true and with us at your side, you have nothing to worry about Leo. I won’t let anything happen to you.” Torres vowed.
Leo scoffed. “I know that. I guess I should be complimented. They called me pretty.” He raised a brow at Torres, who narrowed his eyes.
“Don’t be cheeky.” Torres admonished.
Kade chuckled. “He is pretty Torres, even the blind man thinks so.”
Leo laughed. “Why thank you, Kade, you are quite dashing yourself.”
Kade smirked. “All the men tell me that.”
“Oh piss off.” Torres grumbled as he pulled Leo from Kade’s office.
Leo snickered as he wrapped his arms around Torres’ neck and hugged him tight. “You don’t have to worry about anything Vince. I would never give you a reason to doubt me.”
Torres smiled softly. “I know, but it’s a joy to see you and Kade tease each other. Kade doesn’t usually tease people.”
Leo nodded. “I know. Kade is a special person and, hopefully, my mom will tear down his walls soon and he’ll be able to get loved on.”
Torres scoffed. “I give Kade less than six months before he submits to her love.”
Leo chuckled. “Deal.”