“Yeah. But I asked her to keep things low-key.”
So Mrs. St. John was doing it on purpose. Not exactly surprising, and not the biggest of Cade’s worries, but still an annoyance.
But then they reached the deck and Cade forgot all about Mrs. St. John and her attempts to make him uncomfortable. Because there on the deck, sprawled on a recliner and looking right at Cade, was Warren.
“Morning,” he said, and his voice sent chills down Cade’s spine. “You two slept well?” His smile was a little too intimate as he lowered his voice and said, “I noticed that the guest room bed wasn’t slept in.” For Aiden, it was an invitation to a joking, smirking conspiracy. But Cade’s mind was frozen on the thought of Warren being in the room where Cade was supposed to have been sleeping. Had the man checked on the state of the bed that morning, or had he gone by at some point the night before? What would have happened if Cadehadbeen sleeping in there?
“We camped out in the fort,” Aiden said. “Old traditions die hard.”
“And you got to initiate a new member for your little club.” Warren’s smile was directed at Cade, but he sounded a bit more businesslike when he turned his attention back to Aiden. “You don’t know where that bird book is, do you? I saw something unusual this morning and I’d like to check it out.”
“I think it’s upstairs,” Aiden said. And then, because he was Aiden, of course he added, “I’ll go check. Hang on.”
He was gone before Cade could come up with any sort of objection. Cade stared after him, then kicked himself into gear and headed for the house. He could go to the bathroom. He could find clean clothes. He could stand in the front hallway and make faces at himself in the mirror. He didn’t care, as long as he wasn’t with Warren.
Warren, of course, had a different plan. “Cade, come here for a minute.”
No “please.” It wasn’t a request, it was an order, no matter how gently it was spoken. But Cade didn’t have to take Warren’s orders anymore. “I’m going to the bathroom,” he said.
“In a minute,” Warren said. “We need to get this straightened out first.” His voice was quiet enough that the others on the deck couldn’t hear him. At least, Cade hoped they couldn’t.
Cade turned and took the three steps to Warren’s lounge chair. “There’s nothing to straighten out,” Cade hissed. “Just keep your mouth shut and forget about it.”
Warren swung his legs over the side of the lounger and sat up straight. He patted the seat next to him, inviting Cade to sit, and then chuckled at Cade’s expression. “Fine, stay standing. Make me talk a little louder. Make it more likely that someone will hear.”
All the deck furniture was heavy wood. Cade could have carried a chair over to set next to Warren, but it would have been a production. He didn’t want to earn that kind of attention from anybody. But there was no way he was going to sit next to Warren. The thought of the man being that close to him? Maybe leaning in so their shoulders touched, or even their thighs? No. It was impossible. So Cade crouched down, far enough away that there could be no accidental touching, but close enough that Warren could speak quietly.
Warren smiled at Cade’s compromise. “I always liked that about you,” he said softly. “I liked the way you never gave up. You’re a scrappy little fucker, aren’t you?”
“I’m not that person anymore,” Cade said. “I guess maybe you still are. I guess you’ve moved on and you’ve found a new—” Cade broke off. It wasn’t that he’d ever lied to himself about what he’d been, but he didn’t want to use the word there, at Aiden’s family retreat.
Warren had no such delicacy. “A new whore? I’ve tried several. An endless fucking stream, if you want to know the truth. But I haven’t been able to find anyone quite as perfect as you were. That combination of weakness and strength? Fragility and resilience? The way you’d stare at me, tears streaming down your face, but your eyes still full of power and anger….”
“Hatred,” Cade hissed. “That’s what I was feeling, and that’s what I feel now. Stay the fuck away from me. You don’t want this to come out any more than I do.”
It was Cade’s best strategy, but Warren just looked surprised, and then laughed. “You don’t think so? Why would I care what came out? I’ve seen the way you and Aiden act together. You’ve got him totally snowed. And you fuckinglove him. I talk, and that’sgone, Cade.”
“You’re married!” Cade knew the conversation was too agitated for a public space. He knew Aiden would be back any second with the damn bird book, and he’d be able to tell there was something going on, and it would all fall apart. Cade had to finish this and get away. “You’ve got kids. You think they’re going to be happy to hear what you’ve been up to?”
“Well, fair enough. You can be the first to hear what I’m going to announce to everyone later today. My wife and I are getting divorced. My kids? Those ungrateful little brats? I don’t give a good goddamn what they think. My friends?” Warren looked around the deck and his smile was a little sad. “They wouldn’t approve, I suppose. But I could get them to be on my side. The problem with compassionate, sweet people, Cade? They’re compassionate and sweet. They’ll believe whatever it takes to allow them to still care about a friend.” He shrugged. “Still, I’d rather they not know my private business. So it would be a minor inconvenience for me if this got out. For you, Cade? It would be fucking devastating.”
Cade stared at the man, looking for any hint of weakness or bluff. As usual, he found nothing. Warren waited patiently for Cade’s inspection, then smiled. “We’ll talk later, sweetheart. If you ask nicely, we can put it all off until we get back home. Then we can figure out where you’ll be meeting me. And if you’re good, I’ll go back to paying you. But for now?” The smile stayed in place, but Warren’s eyes narrowed and turned cold and hard. “Get your ass onto this chair.Now.”
The velvet was gone, exposing the steel beneath it. Warren had given an order, and he expected to be obeyed.
What would happen if Cade defied him? Surely Warren wouldn’t talk. He wouldn’t risk his friendships just because Cade didn’t give him this one little thing, would he? Cade stared at the man and saw the excitement in his eyes. This was what he loved, more than the sex itself. He loved coercion, forcing Cade to bend to his will. If Cade had hated ice cream, the fucker would have gotten off on making him eat bowlfuls of it.
Sitting next to him was a little thing. It would buy Cade time to think, to figure out… something. He couldn’t risk Aiden. This man had already seen Cade naked, had touched him everywhere, so many times. Sitting beside him was nothing.
Itshouldhave been nothing. But as Cade stood up and turned, as he lowered himself onto the foam cushion next to Warren, he heard the man’s throaty moan of satisfaction, and he knew he’d taken a fateful step down a path that led to darkness. He should have run, he supposed. But then Aiden was back on the deck, holding the bird book triumphantly, and Cade knew he could never run. Not if it meant leaving Aiden behind.
Part Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Aiden wasn’tsure if he should feel guilty or pissed off. Cade was obviously having aterribletime at the cottage, and it had been Aiden who’d begged him to come. So Cade’s terrible time was Aiden’s fault. A strong argument for guilt, especially since at least part of Cade’s unhappiness had to be coming from Aiden’s mom and her continued campaign of chilliness. But, dammit, Cade didn’t even seem to betryingto have fun.
They’d gone canoeing and swimming on the first day and that had seemed almost okay, even if Cade was a bit quiet and preoccupied. But on the second day Aiden’s dad and Uncle Warren had taken them golfing. Okay, Cade wasn’t a golfer, but it wasn’t like he wasn’t coordinated and athletic. He’d been fine at the game itself, for a first-timer. But he’d been such a little baby about it all. He’d stood there, staring at the ball as Uncle Warren had helped him position his body properly for the best swing. Uncle Warren played a lot of golf and he could have taught Cade a shitload about the game, but it was like Cade wasdeterminednot to learn.
