Chapter 13
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Nick
JJ sent out the group message, and we gathered that evening at around nine. We chose to do it in the living room; it was large enough for us all to fit with ease. JJ stood beside me in the front of the room—a united front was what he’d called it—even though he’d also said he wouldn’t step in when my brothers tore me a new one for waiting this long to vote.
“We’re gathered here for a vote?” Mason asked as he joined Gabe on the love seat.
“Yes we are, friend.” JJ laughed, and it was unsettling.
“Why are you acting weird?” Mason eyed JJ and looked over at Gabe. “He’s being weird, right?”
Gabe shrugged. “It’s JJ—he’s always been odd.”
“Well, fuck you, then.” JJ shot Gabe the finger and turned toward Shep. “You hear how he talks to me?”
Shep pinched the bridge of his nose and, in the most bored tone I’d ever heard, responded to Gabe. “Don’t talk about my man like that. He’s an angel from heaven, the love of my life. He’s not odd.”
JJ frowned. “No lovin’ for you tonight.”
Shep gasped. “I defended you!”
I snorted. “You placated.”
JJ pointed at me. “Yep. That.”
“Maybe we can get down to it before this turns into some episode of a teen drama?” Angel was leaning against the doorway, arms folded.
With one last glare at Shep, JJ smiled at the faces staring at us. “Hey, family. So happy to have you here with us today.”
“Fuck my whole life right now,” Angel muttered.
“Shut it, Angel.” JJ pointed at the man, who was lightly banging his head against the wood. “I’m here to assist Nick with his speech.”
Noel cackled. “Is this about his crush?”
“Crush?” Gabe perked up. “We’re voting to what, kill them, help them, maim them?”
Mason slapped Gabe’s chest. “Why was kill the first choice?”
I held up my hands. “Focus, guys.”
“Now,” JJ continued. “We’re voting on whether or not we help Matt.”
“Matt’s in trouble?” Shep sat forward. “What’s going on?”
“Hold up…Matt’s the crush?”
“Gabe!” Mason snapped and rolled his eyes. “JJ, Nick, go on, please.”
JJ narrowed his eyes at Gabe but proceeded. I was totally letting him take the wheel on this for as long as I could.
“As I was saying.” JJ sighed. “Matt has, like, a volatile admirer? Maybe that’s what we call them.”
“A stalker.” Noel raised his brows, his sunglasses resting on the top of his head. “We don’t need to pretty up the words.”
“Do we know who?” Shep asked.
I decided to answer. “No, we don’t, and that brings me to the next part of this.” I glanced at JJ, hoping he’d take over for me, but he stood akimbo with a very stern expression on his face. I guess I’m on my own.
“Let me finish before any of you yell at me,” was how I started.
“Fucking hell.” Angel hung his head.
I opened my mouth and let it rip. I started from the very beginning, leaving nothing out. Well, okay, I did. But whenever that happened, JJ interrupted. There were grumbles, wide eyes, some soft cursing. Angel banged his head a few times…He did realize he was only hurting himself doing that, right?
When I finished, earning a thumbs-up from JJ, I scanned every face in the room. Four’s hadn’t changed at all throughout my speech. At first, I wasn’t even sure he was paying attention, but then I quickly remembered he was always paying attention.
Mason’s expression was soft and understanding, much how JJ was after he’d gotten his anger out. Shep and Gabe had matching looks on their faces. Not so much disappointment but more like, “We have rules for a reason.”
Angel was glaring…and totally grinding his teeth. No surprise there that he was angry.
Noel…he was grinning like he’d won the lottery. I loved him to the core, but he was a typical brother. He waggled his brows.
“So, let me get this straight.” Shep scratched his chin and smoothed his hand over his long beard. “You want us to vote on whether or not we should help Matt, if he decides he wants it. And we’re voting to hunt down this stalker and make them stop, however that may be. The details are murky there, and we’re doing this not because Matt asked for help but because you”—he waved his hand in my direction—“also stalked him and found all this out and want to get involved because he makes you feel all tingly inside?”
“Wow, babe.” JJ wrinkled his nose.
“Am I wrong?” Shep looked at everyone, and they all agreed with him.
“I want us to help him because this person is escalating. It’s getting serious, and he’s leaning on the police to make it better.”
“Mendez, you said his name was?” Angel asked.
“Yeah, and he’s a good cop, but they can’t do much, unless…” I didn’t have to finish my sentence, they all knew what I was alluding to.
Noel stood and smiled. “And it has nothing to do with the fact that Matt makes Nick’s penis happy.”
I went to hit him but he darted away too fast, giggling as he hid behind Four, who cocked his head to the side and regarded me.
“Do I vote?”
“Of course, Four.” JJ stepped up. “You’re a part of this family.”
He nodded curtly. “Then I say yes.”
“Why do you vote yes?” Angel wondered.
“Am I required to explain my vote?” Four genuinely seemed curious.
“Not if you don’t want to.” JJ glared at Angel. “So, Four votes yes; I also vote yes.”
“Same.” I shrugged because obviously I did.
It was quiet for a beat and then, one after another, each person voted yes. Angel took a few steps closer.
“We only get involved if he wants it, Nick. If he doesn’t, he deals with it his way. I know you got some warm and fuzzies for him, and we all like Matt. He’s a great guy, and he helped JJ tremendously. But, his word is final. Got it?”
I glanced at my family, seeing that they were all clearly in agreement with Angel. “Yeah, I got it.”
“Okay, then when we see Matt, we bring this offer to him.” With that, Angel walked out of the room. That had gone better than I’d hoped.