Chapter Twelve #2
Jay held on to Crisp. He wouldn’t let anything blow back on Crisp. None of this was on him. Jay was the one who had the gall not to die after that torture session. Crisp had been the beautiful soul who couldn’t watch a light extinguish.
Jay tucked Crisp beneath his arm and tried not to limp or lean too much weight on him as they left the building.
He needed to get Crisp alone so he could see his injuries.
He knew Crisp had to be in worse shape than he was after getting hit by a car.
Plus, Jay’s heart just needed all the reassurances.
He had died a little when he saw Crisp flying up and over that hood.
Jay had fought with everything he could to get to Crisp, but they had knocked him out before he could get free.
Three against one was some bullshit. A couple of years ago, those odds wouldn’t have mattered.
He wasn’t who he used to be. Jay hadn’t stayed sharp or worked to regain his every skill.
His body had gone through something no one fully recovered from.
He lived in pain every day. Jay pushed past it every single day because it was worth it to him to be with Crisp.
Now they rode in silence, playing with each other’s fingers.
The guys had needed three vans to fit everyone who was determined to come.
That warmed his chest even though he knew it had nothing to do with him.
They had Crisp’s back in spite of Jay being the one in trouble.
He knew that. The reasons didn’t matter.
They had shown up for Crisp, and Crisp had really needed that reminder he was loved.
As if they were connected in their minds, they turned their heads at the same time and held each other’s stare.
They had endured much worse. They would survive this too.
Their love was too big for any other outcome. It was them against the world.
They showered together in silence, taking turns nursing every scratch and scrape.
Their eyes kept meeting, but still they never spoke a word.
There wasn’t anything to say. It had been their plan to tell the family about them in the morning.
They had already known they were about to face this.
But Crisp hadn’t expected to sit down with his brothers while Jay and he were exhausted and hurt.
Crisp helped Jay pull a T-shirt on. Hopefully, Austen would be willing to patch Jay up again when this was over. For all he knew, Jay might have internal injuries. That thought alone had Crisp breaking the silence.
“Do I need to skip this and take you straight to Austen?”
Jay gently stroked the bruised side of Crisp’s face.
“I’m good, baby. You’re the one who needs to get checked out.
My heart shattered when I saw you hit. I was very scared for you…
and me.” The confession sounded like a pained one.
“Without you, there’s nothing here for me.
I only lived for you. If you’re gone, so is my will. ”
Sadness had settled into his chest that had to show on his face. “I wish you wouldn’t say things like that. You’re amazing. Without me, you could do anything at all, but I’m not going anywhere. You still owe me sixty years of servitude.”
A bark of surprised-sounding laughter burst from Jay, just as Crisp had hoped. “Servitude?”
Crisp nodded while never breaking eye contact. “It was in our vows. Neither of us can die until you’ve given me at least sixty years.”
The way Jay smiled made Crisp’s entire night better. “Yes. I suppose I do. We’ve been married for about four months. So, technically, it’s fifty-nine years and eight months.”
Crisp shook his head. It was hard to hang on to his serious expression. “Nope. Still sixty. Even when we hit one year: sixty. Ten years: sixty. Understood?”
Jay had such a sexy smile, even with a busted lip. He always captivated Crisp. “Yes. I’m your humble servant.”
A laugh burst from Crisp. He couldn’t hold it back any longer.
“Everyone’s waiting, guys. Do you want to go together? I’m with you guys all the way.”
At Tidy’s sudden appearance and statement, Crisp’s heart dropped and then soared. Tidy never failed him.
Crisp nodded.
Together, they made their way to the family room, holding hands.
When they stepped into the living room, Crisp looked around and eyed each face.
Tracker, Rain, Shadow, Edge, Ridge, Scout, Foster, Shore, and Briggs sat huddled close together.
Their various spouses and several security guards were scattered around the room, including Rhodes and Cairo—who still wore his bloody rabbit outfit.
He wondered if he could do this. There were a lot more people than he expected. He felt exposed.
Surprisingly, Jay broke the silence first. “You could have been killed coming in like that, but I appreciate you, nonetheless.”
Crisp looked over and followed Jay’s gaze to a smiling Cairo.
Cairo bounced in place. “I wasn’t in danger.
Shore, Field, Ridge, and Edge all had those men literally in their sights.
They could’ve dropped them immediately if it wasn’t important to find out who they were.
” Cairo whipped a gun from his pocket and waved it wildly, making several guards hit the ground. “Plus, I had this.”
Rhodes gently took Cairo’s wrist and grabbed the gun. “We’ve talked about this, angel. You can’t wave a loaded weapon around like that.”
Cairo still beamed as he shrugged. “I’m a very good shot.”
A murmur of several “he actually is” went through the room.
Crisp found himself smiling despite the situation.
Austen crossed the room. At his urging, Jay showed him his ribs. He poked around while Jay remained stone-faced.
“Why did you keep such a huge thing from us? Do you not trust us that much?” The hurt in Tracker’s questions squeezed at Crisp’s heart. He supposed someone had to be the first to start.
Before he could answer, Scout spoke. “I actually knew about this since I’m married to the head of security here.”
Clay nodded.
Henry chimed in, “I’d never keep such a thing from Field, so he knew too.”
“Me three,” Rain said. “Austen treated Jay’s injuries after he had been tortured. We don’t keep secrets.”
Shadow nodded. “Rain and I also don’t keep anything from each other, so I knew too. Plus, Ridge obviously did as well. He’s my husband.”
Edge raised his hand for a second. “I’m married to Henry’s second, so I've known for a while also.”
When Foster spoke, he was the only one who sounded genuinely angry. “I knew too, but I only learned about it today.”
Atticus cleared his throat. The noise just sounded guilty. “I was forced to tell him after I cut into our wedding cake ahead of time. That was one antic too far for even Foster’s patience.”
An older gentleman stood behind Atticus, nodding as if he had witnessed the entire thing.
Briggs raised his hand. “I knew, but I have no plans to admit to how.” His gaze slid Jett’s way, and Crisp nearly burst out laughing, especially when Shore spoke. “Yeah. I know for the same reason.”
Crisp huffed. He wondered how Jett survived working for Beau, with his complete inability to keep a secret.
“I should never have pressed for that DNA test.” Zeus sounded more than a little upset. He stood behind the couch and squeezed Tracker’s shoulders. “This is on me. I drove this wedge.”
Tracker looked stunned. “I can’t believe everyone knew except me. I—”
Foster cut him off. His eyes flashed with hurt and anger. “Neither did I, technically.”
Crisp’s chest hurt.
Tracker wasn’t finished. “I saw your face when we opened those results. Right then, I should’ve burned those papers.
They didn’t matter, but I also fully recognize that I haven’t done everything possible to make sure you know they don’t matter.
It’s my own damn fault you couldn’t talk to me.
I got so excited about a new project that I couldn’t stop and didn’t think of the consequences.
Then life turned on its head with Zeus and me, and I don’t know.
I was too focused on myself to think about anyone else.
” He looked directly at Crisp and held his stare. “Why would I do that?”
“You weren’t the only one,” Field chimed in. “This is on me too. I decided to work on my mental health, and I’ve swept everything else to the wayside.”
Everyone started speaking over everyone else, arguing about how it was their own fault in some fashion after those results landed.
Crisp couldn’t take it. “Maybe it was never about that.” At his shout, Crisp realized it was true. “Maybe it was never about any of you at all.”
Tidy squeezed his hand.
Crisp pressed on. “In the beginning, yeah. I worried what one of you might do to Jay if you learned he was still alive. But once he was healed, and I knew he couldn’t take care of himself, keeping him secret wasn’t about you or even Jay anymore.”
Someone brought chairs for them. Crisp sat with Jay and Tidy, both still holding his hands.
Jay’s thumb brushed over his, showing his solidarity.