Chapter Thirty
Laken
“What the fuck were you playing at?” Laken demanded from the doorway of Jupiter’s bedroom.
He hadn’t been wrong about the paint. It had taken several showers to stop him glowing in the dark. He dreaded to think about what Isley’s pale gray carpet would look like after what they’d done on it.
“I’m not playing with anything right now,” Jupiter murmured silky, rising from the chair beside his bed, dressed in night attire.
His gaze was as observant as ever. The phone he was looking at when Laken had barged in was placed on the bed as he passed to step into Laken’s path, arms crossing over his chest. “I also don’t remember issuing you an invitation. ”
“Fuck an invitation, you set me up, you asshole!”
His head tilted to the side, a gleam in his eyes showing amusement even though he wasn’t smiling. “How so?”
“Drums and fucking paint!” he snarled and shoved his hands into his jeans to resist shoving the fucker.
Jupiter’s lips thinned as if he was clamping them together to stop himself laughing. “You need to loosen up. And”—his gaze swept over Laken from head to toe—“I’d say looking at you, you’re fairly loose after your fun adventures with the tiny devil.”
Laken rolled his eyes in exasperation, because he couldn’t argue with that.
Laken was still reeling from that and the fact he’d cum from nipple play.
His nipples had always been super sensitive, but he’d never been able to come from just touching them.
How the tiny devil had gotten him there with so little fucking effort…
Laken couldn’t say it was a fluke. He wished he could, only Isley had proven just that morning in the shower that when he wrapped those tiny teeth around them, Laken was done for.
He lost his composure so fast it was damn embarrassing.
Heat at the memory attempted to spread through him, and Laken wasn’t giving Jupiter anything else to gloat about. “You’ll owe me and Isley for the dry cleaning, and cleaning bill for his carpet.”
Laken cursed under his breath when he saw the second Jupiter registered what he’d said without thinking.
“Carpet cleaning?” he laughed, a big booming sound. “I think you should be paying me for my inspiring date suggestion.” His shoulders shook as he continued to laugh, slapping Laken on the shoulder.
How could he stay mad at him when it was such a rarity to see him so genuinely carefree. Laken released a grumbled groan. “You’re an asshole.”
“What’s new about that? I’ve got another idea for next weekend if you wanna hear it?”
Laken recalled the dreamy eyed look Isley wore and found himself nodding, despite knowing this could lead to more uncomfortable situations.
Isley is worth it.
The simple truth of it slipped into the crack in his heart, the one that Popi and Dad hadn’t been able to heal fully, but Isley was working his magic on.
“It better not involve paint or drums!” he growled, more for effect because he was a damn sap, just like his brothers. it would seem.
Alphahole
Booker: Jup, why is Laken roaming around the house cursing you six ways to Sunday?
Silas: ‘Cause Jup is breathing?
Jupiter: Funny fucker. And who knows why Laken does half the stuff he does.
Kari: What did you encourage him to do?
Booker: It’s not like that one time you suggested Kodi get a perm. Is it because the guy he had the hots for was into men with curls?
Kodi: Fucker, you had to go there, didn’t you Booker. I rocked that perm.
Silas: Come on… you resembled a poodle. Few could carry off that look. Oh yeah, that’s right, you couldn’t and Popi had to clip off all your hair.
Rue: Remind me again how Jupiter sweet-talked him into doing that?
Jupiter: What can I say, I’m a man of many talents.
Silas: Your talent is being a mischief maker.
Booker: So what did you talk Laken into?
Laken: Nothing! He talked me into nothing. Jupiter, I’m warning you…
Booker: Are you sure? Doesn’t sound like nothing to me.
Laken: Drop it.
Dad: Laken, when you have finished with Jupiter, I need a word.
Silas: Is this about the… situation? If it is, shouldn't we all be there?
Dad: I’ll leave whatever needs sharing to Laken.
Laken’s stomach dipped at the possibilities and how Dad should have been his priority, not mouthing off at Jupiter.
He’d gone to shower after Jupiter had booked tickets for next Saturday’s date.
This one, at least, Laken had vetted properly first. No more hidden surprises.
Wanting to concentrate on something other than leaving the tiny sugar glider with a pout of disappointment at him leaving, he’d picked up his phone straight from the shower when the alphahole group chat sound alerted him to the messages.
I’m such a selfish fucker! His thoughts were on what Dad had discovered as he tugged on clean underwear, dressing to go in search of answers.
When he’d finally gotten home on Friday morning, after leaving Isley’s, Dad hadn’t been home and Popi’s nervous energy said he was worried, so Laken hadn’t pushed because the message he’d received had reassured him.
After dinner out with Isley on Friday night, he’d returned home to find Dad still hadn’t reappeared.
With Popi hollow eyed and looking decidedly pale, Laken had used his weekend plans with Isley to distract from whatever had gone down—what mess needed cleaning up.
He was also doing his best not to jump to assumptions when he knew that Oakland was with him, along with some of his team.
They would protect Dad, not that his wolf wasn’t more than capable of dealing with a threat. But multiple threats…
Don’t go there.
Laken shut down that line of thought, focusing on the fact Dad was home and Popi wasn’t freaking out.
Barefoot, he headed along the corridor, knocking on his parents' bedroom door. His nose wrinkled at the smell the door didn’t quite mask.
His parents had found retirement most certainly invigorating by the number of times they’d been literally caught with their pants down.
They had traumatized them all since they’d moved back home.
He released a relieved breath after listening out and hearing nothing to cause him to run away and hide his eyes.
When the door swung open, Laken didn’t know how to take Popi’s swollen, red-rimmed eyes.
He glanced over his shoulder to the man sitting on the bed wearing a grim look that hurt Laken’s stomach.
“Come in, sweet boy.” Popi motioned him in and shut the door behind him with an ominous click.
He stood just inside the door, feeling like the teenage boy he’d once been, unsure, with terror holding his throat hostage.
He couldn’t look directly at either man.
Instead, his gaze traveled the room that was both warm and welcoming in shades of brown and creams. The color schemes had changed over the years, but the feeling of being welcome in this space no matter the time of day or night, was missing.
Right now, with the icy dread growing with each passing second the silence continued, it sucked away the warmth.
“Sweet boy, it's going to be okay.” Popi took hold of his icy hand and rubbed at it as Dad rose and walked to him, looking as if he’d aged overnight.
He searched those blue eyes for answers, and his chest constricted at what was coming.
“I knew who did this to me,” he uttered into the quiet, letting the thought slip out as his nose picked up something he had not scented in many years.
Dad took his other hand, linking them all as he slowly nodded. “It was your father and brothers.”
Laken’s breath hissed out so fast, his chest caved in while his brain worked to process Dad’s words. Trembling started in his legs, and Dad and Popi guided him to the small couch they had sitting by one window, overlooking the garden. Popi used it to sit and read.
His backside sank into plump cushions, and Popi sat next to him while Dad crouched in front of him. Neither let go of his hands and he clung to them, needing that solid reminder that these two men were his parents. Were his family, not those who had thrown it out.
“Why?” he choked out on a sob. “How?”
He couldn’t compute how they’d known about the rape and…
“The men who used you thought they could blackmail you—them. They kept the pictures—”
He was grateful Dad hadn’t said family; they hadn’t been that in years.
“And thought they could make a buck or two off me,” he said in a lifeless voice.
His foundation was not as steady as he’d have liked.
Why would they want to punish him further?
“Why wasn’t kicking me out enough of a punishment for being me? ”
Popi’s sobs broke Laken. To be the cause of his suffering was too much.
He let go of their hands to pick Popi up and put him in his lap, forcing Dad to move.
He squashed himself onto the couch and his arms came around them both, bringing them into his chest. Laken gave in to the need to accept the support.
To acknowledge that, by whatever divine plan the universe had for him, these two men were the family it had picked for him.
The one who loved him. Cried for him. Hurt for him.
It was humbling. Even now, as an adult, they were there to hold him up when he needed it.
“I’m sorry,” Laken whispered.
Dad’s powerful arms crushed him tighter. “You have nothing to be sorry for. That worthless sack of shit isn’t worth it.” There was the fierce love that Laken accepted came with nothing but a hope he’d see it for what it was—genuine.
“I love you, love you both. I don’t think I’ve ever said this before. Thank you for picking me.”
“Ohh.” Popi’s sobbing came out as a harrowing wail at his declaration, his chin wobbling as tears ran in a torrent down his pale cheeks.
“You’ve done it now,” Dad replied in a hoarse voice that sounded close to tears.
When the first one slipped free, Laken couldn’t hold back his own and buried his face in Dad’s neck. “What are we, the blubber family?”
The wet chuckles helped settle the anxiety partying in his tight chest.
When they all managed to stop crying, Laken and Dad didn’t look any better than Popi had when Laken had first come into the bedroom. He kept hold of Popi when Dad loosened his hold. “What happens next?”
There was something so threatening about the glint in Dad’s eyes, Laken was glad that, from the way he was cuddling Laken, Popi wouldn’t see it. “It’s dealt with, they won’t bother you again. The pictures have been destroyed. All of them this time.”
“What’s to say they won’t try some other tactic?” Laken questioned, not as assured as Dad came across.
Dad pinched his chin, holding it steady and meeting his gaze. “He isn’t able to bother anyone, anymore.”
Popi’s head turned in Dad’s direction. “Tell me we won’t find the police at our door arresting you?” Gone was the soft, sobbing man. In his place was the iron willed man that could make Dad cower. Because sure as hell he was, despite doing his best to fight it. “You promised.”
“No, my love. The police won’t be bothering us. There was a hunting accident up at their cabin. The two sons have attested to the police that a wild animal attacked their father.”
The way he said it, careful what words he picked, Laken got the impression they had had little choice but to agree, and the wild animal had been Dad.
He kept quiet as Popi eyed his husband, seeking what he wasn’t saying. “Is that why it took two days to come home? To clear up the mess?”
Evidently not hoodwinked at all.
He nodded before Popi had finished speaking. “I needed to make sure the authorities were clear about what had happened. And they were happy with so many witnesses to close the case.” He came forward and kissed Popi. “The threat is gone, my love. That’s all you need to concern yourself with.”
The heated stare between them was Laken’s signal to leave. He couldn’t put Popi down quick enough and offered the fastest good night before slipping out the door.
Jupiter was coming out of his bedroom and raised a brow. “Why are you looking like you had a lucky escape?”
He had, in more ways than one. Driven by the emotional turbulence of the evening, he strode to Jupiter and before he could dart away; he gave him a hard hug.
“W-what the f-fuck,” Jupiter spluttered, but his arms came around Laken and he hugged back, if not a little stiffly.
“Shut up. I love you.” He held him closer when he felt Jupiter tremble and pretended not to notice the choked noise he released that sounded suspiciously like a sob.
“I love you, too,” he whispered so quietly that his words were barely more than air leaving his lips, but Laken heard him and he clung on a little longer, unsure which of them needed it more.