Chapter One
The sharp buzz of a phone vibrating on the nightstand tore Willem William from his well-deserved sleep. His eyes flew open, seeking the holographic display on the ceiling in the far corner. The bright red numbers of the digital clock his boy had brought with him when he’d moved in told their own story. Who in the hell was calling him at three in the morning? Struggling to his side, thanks to the warm body wrapped around his torso, he snagged his phone, only to realize it wasn’t his that was buzzing when Eli’s phone lit up and clattered once more from the nightstand on the opposite side of the bed.
“Shit,” he mumbled under his breath. He and Eli had only been in bed for a couple of hours after the Thanksgiving feast they’d attended at the Ranch. Wanting to silence the phone before it woke up his boy, he carefully rolled Eli half under him to reach the offending cell and silence it. That’s when the words ‘non-emergency’ registered in his sleep-fogged brain. Sliding his thumb across the screen, he carefully lifted it to his ear. “Hello.”
“This the Montana State Patrol. Have we reached Elias Atheron?”
“Yeah, I mean…give me a second to wake him.” Willem shook his head, then rolled to his back in an attempt to untangle himself from his lover. Of course, Eli, missing the warmth of his body, immediately sought him out, his longer body curling around him once more. “Eli, babe. You need to wake up.” Willem injected a bit of sternness in his tone, knowing how reluctantly his boy gave up sleep.
“Daddy.” Eli pressed his cheek against Willem’s chest, his inquisitive fingers burrowing into the silver curls between Willem’s pecs.
“Wake up, Elias.” He tipped his boy’s face up. “The State Patrol is on the phone asking for you.”
“Wha…” Dazed green eyes peeked out through slitted eyelids. “… I didn’t do anything.”
“I know.” He was quick to soothe. “But you need to talk to them.” He held out the phone while keeping one arm wrapped around his boy. “Whatever it is, Daddy will be right here.” He promised in a soft whisper. The sinking feeling in his stomach told him that this was no ordinary call. Official calls like this at three a.m. never led to anything good.
“Okay.” Eli cleared his throat, then took the phone from him. “Hello?”
There was a pause, and a quick nod before Eli remembered to speak. “Yes, this is him.”
The sudden stiffness filling his boy’s body concerned Willem, but he knew that they’d discuss it once his boy got off the phone. “I…give me a few minutes to get dressed and I’ll be on my way. Which hospital?”
“Shit,” Willem whispered again. Something must’ve happened to Eli’s brother. That was the only biological family member the State Patrol could be possibly calling about. The only member of his bio family that Eli still had consistent contact with. Reed and his wife had gone to her parent’s home in Northern Wyoming. They were due back later today. Eli, who still hadn’t forgiven his mother after the scene she’d caused last Easter, had remained in Montana and stayed with the family he’d built with Willem at the edge of the Rawhide Ranch.
“Thank you, Officer. That’s at least three hours away, but we’ll get there as quickly as we can.” Eli hung up the phone, his sad eyes meeting Willem’s.
“What is it, boy?”
Eli drew a deep breath, ran his free hand through his red curls, then sighed. “There’s been an accident. They can’t tell me how bad since they don’t have current information, but Reed is in route to the hospital. Because of the kids, they need me there as soon as possible. Raelynn and Jeremy are fine, but it doesn’t look good for Reed. They were hit on the driver’s side…” A painful noise escaped Eli. “What am I gonna do if he dies, Willem?”
Rubbing his hand up and down Eli’s back, he tried to comfort his boy. “Don’t borrow trouble, boy. Our hospitals are top notch. They will do all they can to save your brother.”
“But what if…” Tears threatened to roll down Eli’s cheeks.
“Shhh…if the worst happens, that’s what Daddy is here for.” He gave him a stern look. “Daddy will take care of you. Always. Remember?”
Almost angrily, Eli wiped at the tears. “I remember, Daddy.”
He rolled away from Willem and came to his feet. “I have to get going. Try to get some sleep and I’ll call when I find out what’s going on. Let Derek know what’s going on, and that I’ll be back in plenty of time to discuss Christmas stuff with Sophie.”
Willem sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. “Like hell. I’m going with you.”
Eli seemed startled by his response. “But they asked for me and you have…”
“So?” Willem stood with his hands on his hips. “You’re in no shape to drive, even into town. I’ll be damned if I let you drive for over two hours by yourself. Besides, what kind of Daddy would I be if I didn’t take care of my boy when he needed me?”
“Not a good one, I guess.” Eli looked a bit lost. “I wasn’t thinking. You have that meeting with Derek and-”
“And Derek will understand. Family comes first, boy.” Willem drew his bewildered boy into his arms. “I’ll give you a pass – this time. You just got bad news in the middle of the night. I think that deserves one. But next time, it’ll be over the punishment table for you. Got it?”
“Yes, Daddy.” Eli sounded contrite.
“Good.” He pressed a kiss to Eli’s collar bone, one of his favorite spots to kiss. “Now go get dressed, while Daddy starts the coffee and cleans off the truck. I’m sure it’s covered again.”
Eli glanced out the window to see the snow falling still. “Yeah, it looks like it’s coming down pretty hard still.”
“Yeah.” He nodded toward the closet. “Clothes, now. Only Daddy gets to see you in those sexy jammies.”
