“Same.” He caught Tarius’s eye and tilted his head to the side. “I think I’m going to inspect the buffet while everything is warm.”
“I’ll go with you,” Tarius said. “I had my eye on these sausage skewers when I first got here.”
“Yum.”
They approached the ample buffet together, and Branson’s pulse jumped from Tarius’s nearness. He enjoyed the older beta’s company, and with Caden’s newest no-show drama, he needed the simplicity of his friend. A friend who always settled him when things were off-kilter; a friend whose voice soothed his anxiety like a warm balm.
They put food on their plates and moved to the side of the ballroom to nibble.
“So, have you talked to Caden since yesterday?” Tarius asked.
“Not directly, just texts and a voice mail. Eriq said he stayed out all night, maybe with the new friend he mentioned yesterday. I just wish Caden didn’t feel like he has to hide part of his life from us.”
“Sometimes that’s part of growing up. Familial relationships change. Aven has his own life and family with Yosef and Tobias. Same with Demir and his husbands. I doubt Layne will ever move more than two miles from our parents’ house, but he’s also been through so much. In a year and a half, Linus will probably be a thousand miles away, playing soccer for the Territorial League, and living his best life.”
Branson took a bite of a mini quiche tart. “Linus is definitely good enough to make the league.”
“Yeah.” Tarius’s smile was a little sad, though.
Tarius’s youngest brother, Linus Higgs, was in his third year of university and a breakout soccer star. He’d been playing since he could walk, and all Linus talked about was a career in soccer. Sponsorships and traveling and seeing the entire Northern Territory. That sort of nomadic existence sounded like a nightmare to Branson, but it was Linus’s dream. And Branson totally understood why Tarius would be sad to see his baby alpha brother gone for most of the year.
“My bigger point,” Tarius said, “is that Caden is going to keep things to himself. We never stop loving our siblings, but sometimes they need space to branch out. Be themselves.”
“I know. And I know Caden has struggled for years with being a twin and wanting his own identity. I hate seeing him struggle.”
Tarius gently elbowed him. “That’s because you’re a fantastic big brother.”
“Yeah, I am.”
They both laughed and ate their food, while silently people watching. Friends came over to chat, and eventually, he spotted Caden in the crowd. Finally. Caden also looked kind of pissed, so Branson chose caution over curiosity, and he gave Caden space with his big mood, trusting his brother would come to him when he was ready to talk.
THREE
Branson wasn’t terribly alarmedwhen Eriq called him in the middle of the afternoon, even though they typically texted. He paused the movie he’d been watching, because Tarius had recommended it the other day. So far, his film recs had been legit, if a bit obscure. The only downside was that Tarius hadn’t been available to chill today and watch it with him. “Hey, man, what’s up?”
“First of all, he’s not hurt,” Eriq said.
No good conversation ever started like that. Branson stood, the remote falling to the floor. “Who’s not hurt? Is it Emory?”
“No, Em’s fine, he’s home with the boys. It’s Caden. He’s been taken to division for questioning.”
“Questioning? For what?” Six days. Their parents had only been gone for six days. “Do I need to go down there?”
“No, I’m on my way to see what’s going on, and hopefully, I can handle this without formal charges.”
Branson started pacing the length of his apartment, from the balcony door, past the sofa, to the kitchen counter, and back again. “What did he do, Eriq?”
“Disorderly conduct and public intoxication.”
“In the middle of the afternoon?”
“I don’t have all the information yet. Constable Corinth called me as a courtesy, since Caden is family. Caden was at Pete’s, likely smoking in the backroom, and he tried to punch the bouncer who was trying to throw him out.”
“Fucking hell.” Caden got high and then got into a fight? That was…not his brother.
How well did Branson still know his brother, though?
“Listen, Branson, I’ll be at division in about five minutes, but there’s a good chance this is going to end up on the evening news. I wanted to give you a heads-up so you can call your parents. I don’t want them blindsided by the press during tonight’s book signing.”
