Brandon caught his eye, and Tash recalled the massage Brandon had given him yesterday, which ended with a blowjob of such epic proportions it had rendered him weak at the knees. From the intensity of Brandon’s stare it was obvious he remembered it as well.
Shit.
“Need a moment?”
Tash inwardly groaned at Ash’s amused voice in his ear.Don’t let him get to you.“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He spun back around. “Everyone want to get started? There’s food in the back so we can eat while we talk.”
He didn’t wait for anyone to answer and strode down the hall. To his great relief he heard everyone follow him, and they streamed into the conference room. After they’d all taken their food and sat around the table making small talk, Tash cleared his throat. Avoiding Brandon’s glare, he began to speak.
“In continuation of our discussion last week, we here are teaming up with the center and Wanda at the shelter to bring as many kids and teens together in a safe environment, whether it’s to talk to a counselor, like myself or Rachel, work with Brandon on their schoolwork, or simply have a place to go when they think there is no place for them.”
“Brandon, you’re on board with this now, right?” Gage had finished eating and pushed his plate away as he faced Brandon. “No more freaking out and running?”
“No.” Brandon shook his head. “I’m good. I invited the two boys from my school who get bullied constantly. They seemed really eager.”
Gage’s eye lit up with approval. “Dwayne and Wilson are so excited. I heard them this afternoon planning what books they want to bring with them.”
“Yeah,” said Brandon. He put down his fork and stopped chewing his baked ziti. “I want to get them into helping some of the kids from the neighborhood around the shelter.” He glanced over his shoulder. “That’s okay with you, right, Luke?”
Luke had his arm around an exhausted Jordan. “Of course. It’s what we envisioned the center to be, right?” He nudged Jordan, who lay drowsily against his shoulder.
“Hmm?” Jordan yawned and stretched. “Yeah, exactly. Keep the kids off the streets and out of the way of the people who might hurt them.” He drank some water and wiped his mouth. “Say, I meant to ask you. I know you can’t give any specifics, but how’s the kid, Johnny, doing? Has he been working out?”
“Good news to report on that front.” Tash shared a smile with Jordan. “He’s following everything we’ve asked from him and made friends with the others here. I think he enjoys it. Saturday he plans to come to the center as part of his treatment plan.” Tash’s eyes softened. “Honestly, I know how hard it was for you, but it might have been the best thing that ever happened to him to get involved with you. It may have saved his life.”
“Well, I’m not saying it was worth it, but that gives me tremendous satisfaction to know that boy is off the streets and getting helped.” His pale blue eyes lit up. “I guess you could call me a lifesaver.”
Luke groaned and appealed to Tash. “Now why did you have to go do that? You know how big his ego is.”
Jordan leaned over and ruffled Luke’s curls. “Matches the rest of me.”
With that comment, Drew rolled his eyes, Brandon cackled with laughter, and Ash’s facial expression was a picture of pained resignation. Luke, accustomed to Jordan’s overinflated opinion of himself, ignored him and spoke directly to Tash.
“I’m happy the kid is getting help. I know he’d be going nowhere if he was still with the guy he worked for.”
The humor wiped clean from Jordan’s face. “In all seriousness, I spoke to Neil earlier today.” He glanced at Tash. “You remember him; he was Keith’s partner.”
At Tash’s nod, Jordan continued. “Neil said with Johnny’s help they were making good progress on nailing down this Donovan bastard, and they hope to make an arrest shortly.”
After today’s session, he couldn’t have received better news. “I know Johnny will be relieved. That kid really wants to make something out of himself.”
“And you think he can, don’t you?” asked Luke, a thoughtful look on his face.
Tash knew Luke was still somewhat suspicious of Johnny, because he’d sold Jordan his drugs. But Johnny wasn’t the one who’d beaten Jordan, sending him to the hospital, nor did he run a gun-running, drug-dealing cartel in New York City. The kid was only seventeen, after all.
Before he could answer, to his surprise, Brandon cut him off. “I do. I know kids like him. Hell, Iwasa kid like him.” He dragged his hand through his hair. “Not the drug dealing, but the gutting hopelessness of life, when you wake up in the middle of the night wondering why you were even born.”
There was no need to wonder anymore, as Tash watched Ash place a comforting hand on Brandon’s back and lean over to speak quietly in his ear. The three brothers proved sometimes good things happen. It might’ve been a journey through hell for them, but through sheer determination and a strong will never to give up, these three men had survived, though each had to go through a very different personal hell to reach the point where they were today.
As young as Brandon was, he seemed to have come out of it the most unscathed. Despite losing two siblings, an abusive father, and life on the streets, he’d risen above it all and become a teacher, untouched by bitterness. It was a remarkable story.
Minutes ticked away as the men continued to talk among themselves. Tash busied himself cleaning up the table when Gage slipped up behind him. “I’m happy for you, man.”
Tash faced Gage. Losing a lover was heartbreaking, losing a brother or sister, inconceivable. For a moment he thought of Valerie. “I—we…” There was nothing he could say to Gage. The man could always read him. Plus, as Valerie always told him, he was the lousiest liar; every emotion showed on his face.
A weak laugh escaped him. “There isn’t much to talk about.” Stealing a surreptitious glance over at Brandon, watching him share a laugh with his brothers, so carefree and beautiful, Tash couldn’t put into words the music that filled his soul.
“There’s no need to talk. I know you. You wore your sadness like a dark cloud over your head, no matter where you went. Since you met Brandon, though, it’s all different.” Gage leaned his hip against the table, effectively blocking out the rest of the group. “You’ve come back to life.”
