42. A Trope Interrogation
42
A Trope Interrogation
Matt
We've been sitting here for hours waiting for God only knows what.
Or, in this case, only Antoinette knows what.
I spent the last hour or so sitting in the corner, conversing quietly with whomever swings by while Jessica naps in my lap.
I'm attempting to have a serious conversation with Kaian, but a lingering presence to my right finally draws my attention.
Antoinette.
I give her a bored look and ask, “Can I help you?”
She grins at me, and then Carolina shifts from behind her, giving me the same grin. I sigh, already knowing where this is going.
Neither of them says anything; they just continue to stare at me with that same knowing grin on their faces. Finally, I huff, “Just get it over with.”
Antoinette's grin breaks into a beaming smile. “This friends-to-lovers thing is super cute.”
I groan, and Jessica squirms in my lap, so I wrap my arms around her a bit more snugly. She presses her face into my neck, breathing a soft sigh against my skin as she settles back in. I narrow my eyes at Antoinette. “Seriously? That's what you want to talk about right now?”
Her smile brightens, and Carolina takes a step toward me as she adds, “We've never had any variation of friends to lovers before.”
Antoinette nods enthusiastically. “I know, right?”
“Really?”
They both nod. And then Carolina says, “Definitely not. We've had enemies, dislike, and even some hate, but no friends.”
“But would this even be friends to lovers?” Antoinette asks, more to herself than any of us in the room. “Like when did the lovers part happen?”
“Yeah,” Carolina asks. “Did you even take the time to become friends first or was it more strangers to lovers?”
Antoinette frowns. “Is that a thing?”
“I don’t fucking know, but it is now,” Carolina responds with a shrug.
I glance between the two of them, certain my eyebrows must be in my hairline, but they both look so happy and eager that I give in. “What else?”
Part of me doesn't want to humor them, but the bigger part of me understands that, if anything, Antoinette needs to lean on her many inappropriate coping mechanisms right now.
She laughs gleefully, clapping her hands with such pure excitement that I don't bother trying to hide my smile.
She walks over to Kaian, shooing him until he shifts down to the end of the sofa, making room for both women. They perch on the edge of the seat as if they're about to conduct some super fancy interview.
Antoinette turns her focus to me, her hands rubbing over the tops of her thighs as she says, “First, you have to answer a question for me.”
I groan, immediately wishing I hadn't opened myself up for this interrogation. But being the good sport I am, I incline my head for her to proceed. “Was this insta-love?”
I quirk a brow at her. “Insta-love?”
Carolina gapes at me as she squawks, “Yes, insta-love. You know, love at first sight.”
“Well, our first interaction was a phone call that I intercepted,” I reply dryly.
Antoinette leans closer. “But was that the moment?"
I laugh, shaking my head. “Certainly not.”
Antoinette squints at me and then murmurs, “But it must've been pretty quick.”
“Why would you think that?”
Antoinette smirks at me, tossing her head side to side as she sings-songs, “Because I saw you and how you were with her after that whole thing with Declan.”
Carolina giggles next to her, reaching out and patting Antoinette on the leg. “You told me all about that. It was so cute.”
“For the love of fuck, would you quit calling it cute,” I sputter. “I can assure you there was nothing cute about any of it.”
Antoinette bristles, and Carolina purses her lips at me.
Once again, I groan, knowing I'm going to be in the shit if I don't get in line. I wait a moment and then say, “You really want to know?”
Antoinette and Carolina both nod vigorously, excitement back in their eyes. So, I sigh and reply, “It was the first time she wrapped her fingers around my neck and squeezed.”
Their jaws drop simultaneously. They both sit there, gawking at me, and I have to repress the laughter bubbling up in my chest because I know for a fact that was not what they were expecting.
After a beat, Antoinette manages to recover. “Choking?”
And then Carolina recovers. “Wait. She chokes you ?”
I nod, squirming around in my seat as my cock pays heed to the conversation and the memory. “She sure does.”
“And you like that?” Antoinette asks. “Like, that's what you want?”
“Yes,” I reply seriously. “She wouldn't do it otherwise.”
“Don't even think about it,” Tony interjects from behind me.
He walks around my chair, coming to a stop in front of Carolina, who's looking up at him innocently, a less-than-innocent glimmer in her eye. “You even think about choking me, and you're going to find yourself back in the box.”
Her eyes widen, and I can tell from her expression that she's not too worried about the threat, an assumption confirmed when she smiles saucily. “Promise?”
Tony sighs, looks over at me, and says, “Would you quit giving them ideas.”
I raise a hand defensively as I retort, “I think my ideas are the least of your problems.”
He snorts and turns his focus to Antoinette. “Don't forget the possibility of a love triangle.”
Antoinette makes face. “But is it a love triangle?”
Carolina presses her lips together, her brow furrowing in concentration as she makes air quotes and says, “Love triangle? Maybe?”
“But does there have to be love to make that triangle?” Antoinette asks seriously.
Tony takes the chair opposite us, sprawling back and getting comfortable. “I don't know. I don't think there's any such thing as a coercion triangle, but maybe there should be.”
Antoinette laughs. “Let's not go making up a bunch of new tropes. That'll get you in trouble.”
Tony snorts and says flippantly, “I do what I want. You should fucking know that by now.”
“I'm pretty sure all of y'all do what you want,” Jessica pipes up from my lap. She squirms around, half turning her body so she can look at Tony as she adds, “Some people might think you have a fuck-around-and-find-out problem.”
Antoinette laughs and says, “Well, what do you expect when that's the only fuck we have left.”
“Good point,” Jessica answers affably. She's quiet for a moment, and then she giggles and says, “Don't knock the choking until you try it, Tony.”
She slides her hand up my chest, bracketing my throat just the way I like it. I lean my head back, a quiet moan falling from my lips before I can stop it. She squeezes just a touch, and my arms tighten around her involuntarily as I press my hips up into her ass, my head coming forward so I'm pressing my face against her neck. I bite down gently, eliciting a laugh from her, and that familiar warmth rushes over me as I nuzzle her ear.
“Oh, Jesus fucking Christ. Cut it out,” Tony grumbles.
“I'm pretty sure he owes us all a few at this point,” Antoinette says.
Everyone falls silent for a moment, and I hug Jessica to me, just breathing her in and enjoying the moment of calm.
Eventually, I'm forced to release her. She turns, sits up, and places her feet on the floor, immediately jumping away as I make a grab to pull her back. She tsks at me, putting some space between us by moving across the sitting area and squishing in between Carolina and Kaian.
She leans into him comfortably, and I glare at him, earning a smirk in return. Then Antoinette says, "So, shall we speak of the elephant in the room, Mr. Ferro?”
I groan, knowing I wouldn't get out of it but still wishing I didn't have to talk about it. “Must we?”
She gives me a serious look. I sigh, straightening in my chair as I prepare myself for the onslaught. “Lilith gave us the short story version already, so we get the gist of it. If there's any pertinent information you feel would be helpful, now is the time.”
I shrug and shake my head as I reply, “There isn't much to tell.”
“Why didn't you say something sooner?”
“I never planned on saying anything at all. It was supposed to be my dumb little secret to take to my grave.”
“Why?” Antoinette asks incredulously.
“Because no good could come of it.”
“But by birthright, you're one of the most powerful men in the world.”
“So fucking what?” I growl. “That entire,” I pause, making air quotes, “’dynasty' should have died with this generation.”
Antoinette rolls her eyes, and I bristle. Then she retorts, “If it's being run by people who can do good in the world, then it shouldn't have to die.”
“Maybe I don't want to be responsible for doing good in the world for the rest of my fucking life.”
She frowns, looking at me and then over at Tony with a dumbfounded expression, and Tony sighs. “What does that even mean?”
“Maybe I just want to kill all the fucking bad guys once and for all and then go about my life as a regular goddamn person.”
Everyone falls silent, and I give myself an internal eye roll at what a drama queen I am probably coming off as. But when I say I didn't sign up for this, I absolutely mean it.
The silence drags out, and I'm just to the point of starting to squirm when Tony says, “You can have that, you know.”
“What?”
“A regular life like a regular person.”
I snort with a shake of my head. “How?”
Tony raises his eyebrows at me, and the expression on his face makes it clear that he thinks I'm the stupidest person he has ever seen. And then he says, a little more slowly than necessary, “You're only the smartest fucking person any of us know. Just go. Cover your tracks. No one will know.”
Antoinette snickers, and I turn my gaze to her, glaring. “What's so fucking funny?”
Humor immediately falls from her features, and she shrugs. “Nothing.”
My lips twist, but I don't bother calling her out on her obvious lie. Instead, I turn back to Tony and respond, “It's not that simple.”
He laughs hollowly. “It is that fucking simple. You're the one making it more complicated than it needs to be.”
“I can't just fucking leave you all.”
“Why the fuck not?” Antoinette asks. “We're grown-ass adults. We'll figure it out.”
Lost for words, I frown in her direction then back to Tony, who's nodding in agreement. I glance at Jessica, who's looking on with a neutral expression on her face, and then to Carolina, who, other than the small smile on her lips, isn't giving anything away.
I switch my focus to Kaian, meeting his gaze. He gives me a little shrug and then he responds, “It could be done. If you really wanted to.”
I curse under my breath, sitting forward in my seat and dropping my head in my hands as I think over my response.
“Whatcha guys talking about?” Declan asks when he drops down beside me.
I turn to look at him but say nothing, so Tony answers, “Just discussing the possibility of Matt being a regular guy with a regular life.”
“Why the fuck would you want to do that?” Declan asks with a tinge of disgust in his voice. “You weren't born to be boring, man.”
“Being a regular guy with a regular life wouldn't be boring.”
“Like fuck it wouldn't be,” he scoffs.
“Then I guess being boring wouldn't be so bad,” I retort pissily.
Declan peers down at me, squinting slightly, and then he says, “For a smart fella, you're really fucking dumb, aren't you?”
“What?”
“Seriously,” Declan persists. “If you think you're the type of guy who can live a regular life, you're really fucking stupid.”
I grit my teeth, saying nothing, knowing full well that now I'm just acting like a petulant child. But I feel like a goddamn petulant child.
Declan squats down beside me, looking me right in the face as he murmurs, “I'm sure this asshole,” he pauses, pointing his thumb over at Tony, “said that you being a regular guy with a regular life was possible and that everyone here would be fine if you decided to choose that path, but let me assure you, he's fucking lying.”
I glance at Tony, who now has his poker face on, but he doesn't argue. So, I turn back to Declan as he continues, “Most people always assume that Darius is in charge around here. And sure, Darius makes a good figurehead, and having The Beast at the top of a roster is a great strategy. But anyone who has even an inkling of what goes on here knows that that's bullshit.”
“What are you talking about? Everyone knows that Darius is the big man on campus.”
Declan laughs, shaking his head as he waves a hand dismissively. “Yes, Darius, the big and scary. We all get it. But being big and scary isn't what gets shit done.”
“I think you're crazy. Being big and scary has certainly gotten a lot of shit done.”
Declan inclines his head in acknowledgment but then replies, “Sure, but that isn't what has gotten your team where it is. You guys wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for you.”
“I'm not sure if Darius would agree with you at this point,” I mutter.
Declan’s fist snaps out, connecting sharply with my thigh. “I'm being fucking serious, fuckface. It's your constant oversight and guidance that has kept everyone alive this long. It’s your dedication and devotion to not only the mission but to the entire family that you all have built for yourselves.”
He gives me a slight smile, then pats me on the leg where he previously had punched me, and rises to his feet. I stare up at him, saying nothing, mostly because I don't know what to say, and then he nods almost to himself, looking completely self-satisfied. “And let's not fucking forget that none of us believe in that whole, 'If you love someone, let them go' shit. So, be warned.”
I chuckle, shaking my head. “Can't forget that.”
We all fall silent again, and I look over at Jessica, who gives me a little wink, and I revel in that now-familiar warmth that settles over me.
I glance at everyone sitting around me to see each one of them is still looking at me, and I sigh and then groan, shaking my head as I rush to my feet, knowing this tail end of our whole conversation was completely pointless because where would I even fucking go.
I turn to Declan, who was still standing by my chair. “What did you even come over here for?”
“Oh,” he replies, “Lilith told me to come over here and let you guys know our visitors are here.”
Antoinette's eyes widen, and she jumps to her feet. “It's fucking showtime.”
Everyone else follows suit, taking off across the room behind her, and then it's just Tony, Declan, and I standing there watching after them.
Declan pats me on the shoulder, giving me a smug look, before he, too, walks off, leaving me with Tony.
Tony rests his arm over my shoulder, maneuvering me with him as he starts to walk across the room, and I fall into step beside him. And then he murmurs near my ear, “Shields or Ferro, makes no fucking difference to me.”
I choke on a low laugh, emotion churning in my chest as I loop my arm under his. I squeeze his shoulder, letting him pull me into his side like we did back when we were kids, and he’d razz me for being a boy scout.
With a final squeeze, he pulls away, shoving me to the side and stalking off without further comment.
But I know what he’s leaving unsaid.
Brothers in life, brothers in death.