Chapter 51
Tyler Warren
I stood in the kitchen at Vincent’s house, leaning against the sink and sipping a juicy box.
Peering at him past the bendy straw, I couldn’t help the smile that tugged at the corner of my mouth.
Almost from the first moment we hung out together at the house in Georgia, I knew he was gay.
He may have thought he’d concealed it well, but to those who knew what to look for, the signs were all there.
Not to mention, I’d caught him checking me out a few times here and there, especially when I walked around in only a pair of sweatpants.
The gray sweats obsession was gender fluid.
That was also how I suspected Dash had homosexual tendencies, as well. Usually, the ones who protest the most, have secrets hidden in their own damn closet. At least, that was from my experience from living with my uncle before he and Roman reunited.
Now that the two of them were together and getting married, I wasn’t surprised, at all. In fact, I had called it a while ago. Even told Violetta as much. In my opinion, there wasn’t a more perfect partner for either. They were made for one another.
“So, how’s everything going? The Serpents give y’all any troubles?”
He shook his head, his lips pursed on the end of a beer bottle. Smacking them away, he replied, “No, not really. A couple people said something here and there, but we pretty much put them in their place right away.”
“Meaning someone got beat, strangled, stabbed, or shot.”
He chuckled and cast a humorous glance my way. “That obvious, huh?”
I rolled a shoulder and twisted my waist to look out the window at Violetta and the kids playing in the yard. “I’m a people watcher. I study them and figure them out.”
“That why you don’t got too many friends?”
For a split second, I was defensive, but a quick look told me he was genuinely curious and not trying to be a dick. It still amazed me how far our relationship had come, with him and Dash since that mountain.
“Yeah, I guess. One of many,” I sighed and took another sip.
An arm folded across his chest, the other propping on top. His head tipping, he scrutinized me long and hard, his eyelids narrowing. “You had a pretty shitty life growing up, didn’t you?”
Snorting bitterly, I pushed off the counter to dig my cigarettes out my pocket. Lighting one, I grumbled through the smoke, “I think you fucking know what I’ve been through, thank you.”
He flipped a wrist and shook his head. “No, no. I mean, before all that bullshit. I meant, growing up. You know, with your folks, and all.”
“Oh, uh, ahem. Yeah. Well, no worse than what you and Letta had to go through. I mean, at least my parents were there which is more than I can say for yours.”
One side of his face scrunched as he clucked his teeth. “Did that really make things better, them being there?”
“No,” I huffed, taking a drag. “Not at all. Sometimes, I wished they’d not been there. It woulda been better without them constantly breathing down my back, telling me I was shit unless I bowed down and obeyed.”
He flinched and set the beer bottle down. “I bet shit really hit the fan when you lost your scholarship, huh?”
Snorting and rolling my eyes, I chuckled bitterly, “You got no idea, man.”
His sight focused out the window, and a lazy smile curled his mouth. Following his trail of sight, I smiled, as well, finding Dash and Violetta chasing the three small kids around, making them squeal and burst into laughter.
“We gotta break the chains, man,” he offered quietly.
“Does that mean you and Dash are raising Piera together, or are you gonna be stepdaddy”
“Daddy,” he answered sternly, arching a brow to cast a stare that dared me to challenge the decision.
“That’s how I think it should be, honestly, so don’t go looking at me to start shit. I think what’s happening between you too is pretty fucking great.”
His stance straightened, his chin lifting. “Do you?”
“Yup. I saw things in Georgia. Dash asked a few questions.” I held my palm out and mocked in a teasing, playful manner. “‘I ain’t asking about me, I’m just curious. I swear.’”
We both chuckled, the mood lifting.
“What kinda questions?”
“I dunno. He was pretty much just fishing for validation, I think, cuz he was starting to realize he ain’t as straight as he once thought. Asking all kinds of questions about ‘gayness,’” I laughed, hooking my fingers.
Vincent snorted and shook his head, shifting his weight to the other foot. “Yeah, I don’t think he’ll ever stop using that word.”
“Naw, dude, I think he’s trademarked that shit. As far as he’s concerned, that is a bonafide, legit word.”
A proud grin puffed out his cheeks, his hazel irises glossing as he continued to ogle the object of his affection. “He’s kinda cute about it.”
A little taken aback, I squinted against the smoke and took another drag, rather enjoying this conversation.
“What?”
“Hm?”
“What are you looking at me like that for?”
A shoulder nonchalantly rolled. “I dunno. Thinking back to that first night I met you, I never woulda thought one day, we’d be standing here, talking about your love life with another man.”
His smile faltering, his throat constricted. “I never thought I’d be standing anywhere talking to anyone about this. I wasn’t never allowed to.”
Sadness sank my stomach. “Yeah, I heard a little bit about what was going on with you and that Billy guy. You gotta know that wasn’t right, what he did to you. Letta says you still hang on to some guilt, but you did nothing wrong, Vinny.”
He coughed and bowed his head, his pinky tapping the bottom of the bottle.
“I mean, what he did was emotional entrapment, man. He put you in a prison, and strung you around like a puppet so he could have his cake and ea—”
“Yeah, I got it,” he barked, standing upright to get a cigarette for himself.
“Sorry.” I slumped against the counter once more, letting the silence fall around us. “I just...I dunno, it really pisses me off you were tied down that way for so long and had no one to talk to to let you know it was wrong. You had no one on your side and...it seriously pisses me off.”
His head tilting, he gazed at me with a rueful smile. “Sounds like I got someone in my corner now, though, huh?”
My heart skipped a beat, a sense of relief flooding my system. “You sure do, man.”
His smile grew bigger.
Dread washing away the ooey gooey good feeling, I cleared my throat and shuffled my feet once again. “And as your supporter, I think it needs to be said that before you marry Dash, you and he need to have a serious chat.”
Bit by bit, he tensed, his expression falling. “About what?”
“Look, I ain’t telling you this to be a snitch or nothing, but you’re Letta’s brother, you’re gonna be my brother-in-law, so you’re my family now.
” My palm slapping to my chest to shake my next few words, I added, “I am honored that Dash confided this to me and, under other circumstances, this bit of info would go to the grave with me.”
“What, Ty?”
Huffing, I deflated a bit and said, “You may not know this, but Dash’s parents are mafia. From Florida.”
His look of astonishment quickly faded into a hysterical laugh, his thumb and fingers digging into his eyes when tears popped out the corners.
“I ain’t kidding, man. I looked them up.”
Doing a doubletake, he abruptly quieted, his eyelids rounded. “Dude, you ain’t joking.”
Very slowly shaking my head, I jutted my chin. “Look ‘em up. They’re tied to someone named Maximus Giordana. They are cousins.”
“No, shit?”
“I’m dead serious. I thought he was fucking around, too, until we got home and I checked it out online.”
Tossing the cigarette into the sink, he quickly dug his phone out his pocket and tapped his thumbs on the screen. “Spell it,” he barked, getting frustrated. “Maximus what?”
Calling out the letters, I hated to watch as all the color drained from his complexion and his eyes bulged.
“Holy shit,” he croaked, gradually lowering the phone to dangle at his side.
Stretching my neck, I grimaced at the screen before it turned black, showing a picture of Dash and Maximus as teenagers standing with his father, Luciano Giordana, at a party of some sorts. Yup, same picture I saw.
“If it makes you feel any better, I don’t think he had anything to do with it...
besides, what’s so different about mafia and gang life?
They got more money than you and their power reaches a little further.
At the end of the day, you’re all doing the same thing.
That’s the only reason I felt comfortable enough telling you, because it really ain’t no different than what y’all do. ”
Glaring, he repocketing the phone and snatched the beer from the counter. “And you’re suddenly okay with what we do, Mr. Grammy award winning country star? How’s that gonna work for your career?”
“I honestly could care less,” I snorted, fanning my hands out. “I got what I wanted, I got Letta back. Everything else is trivial. I got enough money saved up to take care of her, the kids, and any future kids that—”
“You already knocked up my sister?” he blasted, lunging forward.
“No, no,” I laughed, waving a hand. “It’s way too soon for that. The kids have already gone through too much, I don’t wanna add to their confusion. We got plenty of time for that in the future.”
His head bobbed once and he retreated just a bit. “Good answer, bitch. They all been through enough for a lifetime. Let things settled down for a while.”
“Exactly. We ain’t even gonna discuss it until the house is done and we move back to Tennessee.”
He scowled and then pouted. “You dead set on Tennessee, huh?”
I chuckled and took another drag. “Where else am I gonna go? It’s home and that’s where all my animals are.”
“There’s land here, too, you know.”
Taking one last drag, I twisted my waist, turned on the water, and wet the cherry. “What are you talking about?”
“Dash has been doing some searching and he thinks he mighta found you a place here you might be happy with.”
Bit by bit turning around to face him once more, I was mildly amused. “Really, now?”
“Uh huh. I can drive you out there, if you wanna take a look.”
Crossing my arms, I tipped my head and smirked. “Y’all really don’t want us going back to Tennessee, huh?”
“Well, it’s my sister and niece and nephew, of course, not. Besides, she’s a Serpent, we kinda like all our people nearby.”
I nodded with a forced laugh. “Yeah, don’t worry, Vin. I ain’t dumb enough to think y’all did all that for me.”
“Not necessarily true,” he grumbled quietly, casting a timid glance my way.
My stomach sank and I gawked.
“Gotta have someone in my corner, right?”
My insides softening, a smile curled my mouth. “I reckon you do.”
We stared at one another for a long moment, neither of us saying anything.
Clearing my throat, I pushed off the sink and motioned for the door. “How about we take that ride and lemme check out my possible new home.”
He blanched and bristled. “No shit?”
“Like you said, she’s a Serpent. Her place is here.”
Slowly shaking his head with a sense of disbelief, he patted the side of my bicep. “You ain’t so bad, you know that, bitch?”
“Neither are you, man. Let’s go.”
“Hey, uh. Ahem.” Antsy, he was only meeting my gaze briefly before looking away. “Y-You…You’re basically Serpent, too, now.”
Ice hit my veins with astonishment.
“I mean, unofficial, and all.” Snickering, trying to lighten the sudden tension, he waved a hand along my figure. “I guess you done been through enough. Don’t really think you’re body can handle a proper initiation,”
A knot in my throat, I tried to shake my head. “Unofficial is just fine with me.” And it was! After all these years of first fearing then resenting the Serpents, it was almost an honor to be considered part of their world. That meant I was trusted, and that was something I would never take lightly.
Beaming ear to ear, he tossed the beer into the sink and rushed over to the wall to snatch his keys off the hook. Swinging open the door, he hurried outside to tell Dash where we were going.
I finished off my juice box and set it on the counter, eyeing the partially empty beer. My lips pursing, a voice in my ear whispered no one would know if I took just one little sip.
My head tilting, I chewed the inside of my cheek, my focus flitting out the window at my family.
Slowly, a grin spread across my face, and I put that voice in its place, locked away.
Nope, not a single desire to touch it. My days of addiction were over.
From here on out, I would be addicted to my future wife and kids.
Taking my time, I followed, my hands in my pockets. Tennessee was a good place to live, but my home was here, in Mobile, Alabama. I was always meant to come home.