Chapter Four #2
It was rare for Salem to be uncomfortable, but he hated conflict.
He didn’t mind a good word-sparring match, but actual contention was too much.
One reason he had been so content with JD had been the peace.
He could sit in total silence for the rest of his life and be fine. His life had been so goddamn loud.
Salem shifted from foot to foot. “Are you sure you’re good to leave?”
“I said I was fine!”
Salem jumped at the barked words. Then his spine stiffened. “Good. Enjoy your lunch.” He strolled right back out the same door he had just entered.
He didn’t make it to his car before Shaw overcame him. Shaw was in his space, blocking his way to his car before Salem could make a clean break. “I’m sorry. This has been a terrible morning. I shouldn’t have snapped at you. You didn’t deserve that.”
Salem drew a steadying breath. He had to admit Shaw seemed genuinely apologetic, but abusers always were. Salem managed a small smile. It was best to be polite and fade away. “I appreciate your apology, but you truly have your hands full and I…”
“Won’t be yelled at by some guy you just met,” Shaw finished for him. “I get it. No one knows better than me how bad of a first impression I’ve made with you.”
Damn. He was smooth. Salem didn’t know what to think. “I think it’s just bad timing. Maybe another time.”
Shaw crowded his space. Salem didn’t know why he didn’t step back, but his feet simply didn’t move.
Shaw rubbed Salem’s arms, almost as if trying to warm him.
Salem didn’t realize until he focused on the gesture how badly he shook.
He fucking hated that. Salem locked his back teeth, trying to force his body to obey.
A sexy, dark green gaze moved over his face.
“I’m okay with postponing this, but I’m not okay with you leaving here thinking I’d ever hurt you.
Sometimes I get loud and intolerable.” Shaw smiled, looking contrite.
“It’s my job. I’m argumentative and stubborn.
There’s nothing I hate more than to lose.
Joesph is the same and we drive each other nuts. A lot.”
Despite himself, Salem smiled at Shaw’s not bothering to pretend it was only a little. “Are you sure you don’t want to go try to win back your…” Salem had no idea what Joesph did. “Joesph back?”
“I should probably let him cool down first. He likely owns a gun.”
A laugh fell from Salem’s lips and he knew Shaw had won. “Okay. I guess I can’t let you get shot. Let’s get you something to eat so you’re not facing him hangry.”
To Shaw’s credit, he didn’t look overly triumphant.
“Good idea.” With the ease of a master, Shaw swept him toward a nearby luxury car.
Salem wasn’t a car guy, so he didn’t recognize the brand, but he was a money guy, so he knew expensive when he saw it.
Shaw hadn’t quite lost his attention yet.
Maybe, if nothing else, they could be friends.
Dodge couldn’t recall the last time he felt so much at peace.
While he knew things weren’t settled or set in stone, he didn’t feel like everything slowly slipped away.
The way he had for a long time now. He had hoped Salem would come home in time for lunch, but he refused to dampen the day by overthinking it when he didn’t.
Instead, Quest offered to take him to their favorite restaurant.
Quest held the door open for him and Dodge had to squelch an idiotic smile.
It wasn’t often he got to feel like someone took care of him. He was usually the one opening doors.
The place was slammed. Crowd size didn’t matter. Dodge spotted Salem with Shaw like Salem had magnetized his eyes. He drew Quest close and nodded toward the table where the pair sat across from one another. There were four chairs. Two were empty.
“Two?”
Quest looked the hostess’ way. “Our party is right there.” He motioned toward Salem.
With a smile, the woman grabbed two menus and led them to Salem’s table. Dodge didn’t hesitate to grab a chair and sit, interrupting a date Salem had a lot of goddamn nerve to be on.
Annoyance flashed in Shaw’s eyes. He was smart enough to quickly mask it.
A smile exploded across Salem’s face, easing the pressure in Dodge’s chest. “Hey, guys. Where did you two come from?”
Dodge answered as he scooted in. “Home.”
Quest visibly bit back a laugh. He knew Dodge too well. Dodge often leaned into people, thinking he was dumb. That was the label the upper crust community had given him a long time ago. So, fuck people like Shaw. He knew he wasn’t Ivy League or anything, but goddamn. Dodge didn’t eat glue.
“We didn’t expect to see you here, but wow. This place is slammed today.”
Salem nodded at Quest’s words. “We were surprised too. Apparently, there’s some sort of convention in town. You probably would’ve had to wait over an hour if we didn’ t have extra seats.”
Dodge gave a sharp nod, satisfied by Salem’s willingness to accept their gate crashing.
Quest didn’t seem as easily appeased. “Still, imagine our surprise.” He held Salem’s stare.
Dodge decided he had better distract Shaw. “How long did you two have to wait?”
Dark green eyes focused on him. “Not long. We had reservations.”
Damn. This was a planned date. “Smart.” Hands landed on his shoulders. “Excuse me. Sorry.” Dodge scooted his chair closer to the table, making room for the woman to pass.
Salem snorted .
“Whole goddamn football field back there,” Quest muttered under his breath.
Dodge looked around the table, trying to figure out what he missed.
Salem and Quest were exchanging a knowing glance while Shaw had death daggers in his eyes as he stared across the room.
Dodge followed his gaze. A guy in a wheelchair sat with another man at a table, seemingly oblivious to Shaw murdering them with his stare.
“Do you have something against disabled people?”
Shaw blinked at Dodge’s question and tore his gaze away from the pair. “What sort of idiotic question is that?”
“Whoa.” Quest was obviously ready to square up at Shaw’s words.
Dodge was used to it, and he had been baiting him.
Salem was already scooting his chair back. “I can’t believe I fell for that apology.”
Dodge ignored it all. “I was only asking because of the way you were trying to kill that guy with your eyes.”
Salem looked over his shoulder. “Oh. It’s Joesph. They had a fight earlier.”
A muscle ticked in Quest’s jaw .
Dodge decided it was time to defuse the situation. “That was on me. I shouldn’t have assumed something like that about your character. Sorry, man.”
Shaw looked Salem’s way. It was obvious his decision to accept Dodge’s apology rode on if Salem left.
Salem didn’t scoot back toward the table, but he no longer looked angry. “Should we go somewhere else? You just calmed down.”
Shaw’s shoulders visibly relaxed. His smile turned genuine. “It’s fine. I’m over it. Let’s just enjoy lunch.” He focused on Dodge. “It’s okay. I get the feeling you’re someone who calls out injustices. That’s admirable, even if it was directed at me.”
Oh no. He was smooth. Dodge didn’t know if he could compete with that. He looked Quest’s way. The same muscle still jumped in his jaw, but he stared at the menu.
A beer appeared in front of him. “This is from that lady at the bar.”
Salem laughed and looked toward where the server indicated.
Quest sighed.
A low chuckle rumbled from Shaw.
Dodge blinked at the glass. “Oh. Okay. Uh, thanks, I guess.” He didn’t bother looking toward the bar. Having a drink delivered to someone was weird. He pushed the glass toward Quest.
“Dodge doesn’t drink,” Salem explained.
Quest pushed the glass Shaw’s way. “I’m cutting back.”
Shaw glanced at the glass. “I’m technically working today.”
“For fuck’s sake.” Salem snatched up the drink and headed for the bar.
Dodge watched in horror as he carried the beer to a woman in a red top and black leggings. She was blonde and pretty, but he wasn’t interested. Salem spoke to her, wearing all smiles before returning empty-handed. “There. She’s really sorry for the misunderstanding. Is everyone satisfied?”
Not really. Now he felt bad.
Obviously reading his mind, Salem stroked his arm. “It’s okay, puppy. She wasn’t upset. I’m superb at rejecting people.”
Shaw snorted, but wasn’t dumb enough to speak.
The muscle in Quest’s jaw worked double time.
Dodge really wished he felt better.
Quest stood. “Come on, Dodge. We’re obviously interrupting a date. Let’s go to The Three-Legged Cowboy instead. I noticed they had a menu taped by the door and we got a lot of interesting offers last night.”
Whoa. Quest was for real pissed and would make a scene if Dodge didn’t leave with him.
Shaw looked amused.
Salem stared at his menu like his life depended on it, but there was no missing the way his shoulders were set—the way they always were when he tried to hold himself together.
“Okay. Sorry, guys. I didn’t realize.” He stood and pushed in his chair.
Without looking back or waiting for a response, Dodge followed Quest to the door.
He rushed ahead and held open the door for Quest, hoping to smooth things over.
Dodge wasn’t sure exactly what he had done wrong, but it definitely felt like his fault.
The second he heard the doors unlock on Quest’s truck, he ran to open that door for Quest as well.
Instead of climbing inside, Quest snagged Dodge’s waist and swept him inside the open doorway. The tall vehicle somewhat hid them from sight. Quest’s mouth covered his. Their tongues battled. The quivering inside Dodge eased. He didn’t feel quite as much tightness in his chest.
Quest pulled away and kissed his cheek. “I’m sorry. Let’s just run through the drive-thru somewhere. I didn’t mean to ruin lunch.”
“Okay.”
Quest didn’t release him. He held Dodge’s stare. His heart was in his eyes. “I love you. I just can’t sit there with that bastard.”
Dodge nodded. “Okay. I love you too.”
“Really, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”
“How did you embarrass me?” Dodge was confused as hell.
Quest swiped a hand over his eyes. “That whole Three-Legged Cowboy thing and claiming people offered us a bunch of shit. Jesus. I don’t know what happened.”
Dodge cupped Quest’s face between his hands so he couldn’t get away.
“Stop. I’m not embarrassed. If you think I care if people think I’m gay, you should know I don’t.
If you think I don’t want anyone to know we’re more than ex-stepbrothers, that’s bullshit.
I love you. I’ll never be ashamed of that. Okay?”
Quest nodded. He looked devastated. Dodge got it. Quest hated losing his temper, even more so when Salem was around. Salem couldn’t handle other people’s anger.
Dodge kissed him. “It’s okay. You didn’t do anything wrong.”
Quest nodded again.
Love swelled inside Dodge’s chest. He saw how hard Quest fought to hold everything and everyone together. He had to feel like no one did the same for him. “Get in. I’m driving. I have an idea.”
With another defeated-looking nod, Quest circled the truck and climbed inside. Dodge filled the driver’s seat and waited until Quest had his seatbelt on to pull from the lot. Sometimes, knowing someone for a long time paid off. Dodge knew exactly how to fix this.
Defeat sat heavily on Quest’s shoulders.
From the moment he saw Salem with someone else, rage coated his vision.
Then Shaw had called Dodge an idiot. Someone else had blatantly hit on Dodge.
Salem didn’t leave with them. Everything felt like a fucking mess.
He had no idea where they were headed. Quest didn’t even pay attention to his surroundings.
All he saw was the dozen ways he had fucked up today.
Then Dodge pulled into the parking lot of a mini golf course that was owned by one of the biggest gossips in town.
They had come here a lot back when Dodge first came to live with him.
Then the owner had kept spreading rumors about Dodge among the upper crust. They had all been true, but that was another story, and a huge part of Dodge’s mental destruction.
Until then, though, Quest had loved this place.
It was loud and bright. Fun. It reminded him of Dodge’s personality when he was happy—like when they worked on creating a new game.
Dodge could be so animated. Mesmerizing.
“Come on.” Dodge climbed from the truck before Quest could remind him who owned the place .
Quest reluctantly slipped from the vehicle. He barely made it two steps before Dodge was at his side, holding his hand. He dragged Quest toward the door.
“What are we doing?”
Dodge flashed him a smile so blinding, it stunned him into silence. He forgot what they were talking about. “Just trust me.”
“I do.”
Inside, in the semidarkness, arcade games flashed and played various competing sounds. Quest never knew where to look first.
“This way.”
It wasn’t like he had a choice. Dodge still held his hand.
“Two for course one, please?”
Quest awkwardly accepted the club he was handed, and he picked a yellow ball. Even once they were outside, his head didn’t clear. Still, he placed his ball at the first hole and swung. He hit it too hard. “Damn. I’m rusty. It’s been a while.”
“I know. Go get your ball and try again. That one doesn’t count. Call it a practice swing.”
With a smile, Quest jogged to get his ball and came back. The happiness in Dodge’s expression was contagious. Dodge never let him stay down for long.
Before he got set up to swing again, Dodge crowded his space, pressing against his back.
He wrapped his arms around Quest. His lips brushed Quest’s ear.
“You just need the right pressure.” He helped Quest swing.
Quest didn’t even see what happened to the ball.
He was turned on and blind to everything except Dodge.
Then Dodge didn’t let up. Hole by hole, he touched Quest. Kissed him.
His gaze fucked him. The air felt too thin.
Everything had a haze to it. It was like the only thing clear in his eyes was Dodge.
Maybe his beauty simply outshined the rest of the world. Quest couldn’t say anymore.
At the eighteenth hole, Quest tried to focus. The game was almost over and he could end this torture. He moved to hit his ball. Dodge stepped into his path, blocking him. Without warning, his mouth covered Quest’s in a kiss so carnal, Quest nearly came right then.
Dodge pulled away and swiped the moisture from Quest’s bottom lip with his thumb. His gaze never wavered from holding Quest’s stare. “Let them spread that rumor. It’s long past time for everyone to know you’re mine and they can’t have you. ”
Quest had never felt weaker in his life, or stronger. There was nothing he wouldn’t give this man, and he would tear apart the world if anyone tried to harm him. He had been drowning in love since they met. Dodge was right. It was time everyone knew.