It wasn’t a large house by any means but the rooms it had were spacious enough and once it was complete and furnished, it was goingto be an amazing home. Not one I would have ever imagined Hudson Kelley living in.
“War considered getting a place down here too, but he decided it was too risky. He prefers having a place off compound. It’s Connor’s place, but he spends a lot of his time there.”
“That sucks,” I said turning back to face him.
“It is what it is,” he shrugged.
“Would it be that bad, if they let people know?”
“I don’t know, Wave,” he said, heading to look out of the windows. “I want to say it wouldn’t be, people know them well enough to know being gay doesn’t change who they are or what they do for the club, and I hate to think there are any bigots here.
“It’s not something they’ve had to consider before and there is no way of knowing how people will react. There are a lot of old timers, a different generation, with different ways of looking at things.”
“Would dad kick them out? Connor is like a son to him too.”
“If there are enough people who aren’t happy with it, King would feel the pressure.”
“He’s the President,” I furrowed my brow, letting a little of the indignant anger seep out. “And Warren is his son, his VP. He wouldn’t let anyone tell him what to do.”
Hudson held up his hands. “I ain’t the one you need to get pissed at,” he defended. “I support them, I always will. I’d be right there by their side if they needed me. War doesn’t want to say anything. It’s his secret to tell if he wants to tell it.”
I blew out a heavy breath. He was right. It was up to Warren and Connor. I’d only been here a short while though and already I could see how hard it was wearing on them both.
“If Connor was a woman, it’d be just as tough for them, differently granted, but with him being the VP, Con would always be on the outside,” Hudson said, as if he could read my mind.
“Are you calling Connor an old lady?” I asked with a short laugh.
“Kinda,” he agreed with a grin. “But I’ll deny it if you tell him.”
I stood beside him and looked out of the window. It was a gorgeous day, and the yard got a lot of light. It was private, nothing overlooking the space. I could see why Hudson had picked this plot.
“Is he going to be okay?” I asked quietly.
Hudson didn’t need to ask about whom I was talking. “He’s never going to be the same. I know that much. Something in here,” he tapped the side of his head. “It got messed up. I don’t understand the medical terms or how the brain functions, but it can’t be fixed. We have to learn to handle him the best we can.”
“Handle him,” I said sadly. I’d seen his mood swings and irrational outbursts already. At times, it was like he was a child with the way he was behaving, but in a frustrated adult body. I could see the exasperation in him every time something happened.
“I’m used to it,” he said with sadness. “War, more so. He knows how to bring him back. I’m just worried that…”
“That what?” I turned to him and looked up. He tilted his head, so he was looking down at me. Even at my height and with the heels lifting me a couple more inches, he still had to look down.
“If something happens when we’re not there, the others don’t realize the extent of his brain damage. They don’t want to because that is not how they think or behave. It’s a brotherhood for sure, they’d do anything for each other, protect each other without question. When it comes to something like that, they’d just see him throwing a tantrum, acting out. Hell, he’d get into fights without a second thought, and they’d go for it too because they don’t understand.”
“Is it safe for him to be here?” I asked anxiously.
“We’re always with him at parties and Rosa looks out for him the rest of the time.”
“You should make the second room here for them. So they have somewhere to go.”
“You want me to open up my new place to them like a sordid fuck pad? So I can lie in bed listening to my two best friends fucking in the next room. Yeah, that isn’t in my plans,” he said dryly.
“Would it bother you if it was a girl?” I challenged.
“Yes. The whole point of this place is to get away from that. I wanna watch or hear people fucking, I’ll stay up there.”
I scrunched up my nose. “Fair point,” I mumbled, and he laughed at my discomfort. “I just don’t want them to be unhappy.”
“Most of the time, they’re fine. They’re happy with Connor’s place. They have all the privacy they need without worrying about being seen.Stop worrying about them. They’ve beentogetherfor years. They’re good.
