Chapter Twenty-Two #4
Everyone piled into the van, spirits high.
As Matt eased away from the curb and navigated through the streets toward the freeway, he could hear Pauly declare he’d never been choked out before, which prompted at least two guys to go for him.
A free-for-all ensued, the van jerking and rocking, shouts and curses echoing through the open windows.
Matt drifted to a stop at a red light next to a small car containing a middle-aged couple. He glanced at them, catching their curious stares, and raised his hand in a lazy salute. “Evening, folks.”
Shane leaned across him to see who he was talking to, and at the sight of his gory countenance the woman gasped and powered her window up as fast as she could.
“Have a nice night,” Matt called, laughing as the couple accelerated through the now-green light with a screech of tires. He looked over at Shane and gave a mock shudder. “You’re so scary.”
Shane sneered at him before slumping in his seat, the adrenaline of the fight obviously leaching away.
Matt could imagine his wound was starting to throb, so he shut up and concentrated on getting them home as quickly as he could.
After they pulled into the barracks parking lot, he waited until everyone was out of the van and staggering off toward their rooms before tossing Aaron the keys to give to Pauly later.
“Thanks for driving, my man.” Aaron pounded Matt enthusiastically on the back. “What a fuckin’ awesome night. See ya Monday.”
When he was gone, Matt turned to Shane. “You wanna go crash in your room or do you just want to go home?”
Shane pointed at Matt’s truck. “Left my fucking car at the club. You’ll have to drive me.” His voice was low, plaintive, and Matt rolled his eyes.
“I take back the ‘badass’ part.”
It wasn’t long until they were pulling up into Shane’s dark, quiet driveway. Once inside, Matt flipped on some lights and went in search of first aid supplies while Shane collapsed on the couch.
In the guest bathroom Matt found a bottle of liquid bandage in the cabinet, so he filled a bowl with water and grabbed a clean washcloth, making his way to where Shane was sprawled, head back, eyes closed.
Standing behind the couch, Matt dipped the cloth in the water and attempted to wipe the blood off Shane’s face.
“Looking at you upside down is making me dizzy,” Shane groused. “C’mere.”
Matt put the bowl of water down on the coffee table and straddled Shane’s lap. Taking his chin in his palm to hold him steady, he wrapped the washcloth around one finger to gently clean the gore away. As he worked, Shane let his hands wander, along Matt’s thighs and up his back, under his shirt.
The feel of his calloused palms against his skin made Matt shiver. “Stop it,” he grunted. “I’m trying to clean you up so you don’t scare any more innocent people.”
Shane subsided with a smile, leaving his hands resting lightly on Matt’s hips.
For a while the only sound in the room was the sound of sloshing water as Matt dipped and rinsed the rag.
At last he tossed the cloth into the bowl and dropped a kiss on the tip of Shane’s nose.
“Best I can do. Luckily it’s just a scratch. ”
“Thanks.” Shane looked up at him, one battered eye bruised and swollen. “And thanks for sticking up for me tonight. It—” He swallowed. “It means a lot.”
“Mmm. You realize that if you were going to jail, we were all gonna go,” Matt said softly, sifting his fingers through Shane’s hair. “You’ll never be left behind again.”
Shane closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them again, they were glowing with emotion. He started to say something, but before he could, there came a muffled sound at the front door.
“Matt? Shane?”
Alexis tiptoed into the room, a sleeping Libby in her arms. She stopped short when she saw them. “Oh, shit, I’m so sorry. I saw your truck but I was hoping—I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
Her face was pale and drawn, her voice congested, as if she’d been crying. Matt climbed off Shane’s lap as Shane demanded, “Lex, what’s wrong?”
She took a deep, shuddering breath, shaking her head. “Derek, uh, didn’t come home last night.”
Shane’s face shuttered at the mention of Derek, so Matt went over to lead Alexis to sit down. As she sank to the couch, Shane reached to take Libby out of her arms and settle her against his own shoulder.
“Is he home now?” Matt asked her softly, patting her clenched hands. She gave a jerky nod.
“Yeah, his dad found him in one of his old—the old places he used to—”
Matt winced. A drug house.
“He’s at his parents’ now and he’s okay, Matt. I just wanted to give them all some space and I didn’t think you guys would be home…”
Squeezing her hand, Matt said, “Last time I talked to him, he said he was feeling great, really into the workouts I designed for him. What happened?”
“It’s all my fault.” Alexis’s eyes were shimmering with tears. “I sprang some news on him that I know he wasn’t ready for, not yet. I should have—I should have—”
“What news?” Shane’s voice was tight, and when Matt looked at him, he could see how pinched and white his face was, the wound on his eye a lurid contrast.
Alexis trembled for a moment, then sat up straight. “I’m pregnant.”