“Fuck,” Pete says. “You just licked that man’s ass.”
Jaden nods proudly. “I sure did, sir. I licked it really, really good.” His tongue travels across his lips. “It’s not the only thing I’m good at licking, Daddy.”
“Daddy?”
“God dammit,” I groan, closing my eyes and sighing. “Jay, buddy, he don’t understand what Daddy kink is. I told you how we grew up. About us not having television or books or nothin’. He don’t know about none of this. You’re going to traumatize him.”
“Fuck,” Pete repeats, his thumb brushing even faster against Jaden’s thigh.
Ezra looks up at me and smiles. “That was a big word. I’m proud of you, baby.” Any other time, I would think he’s making fun of me, because that’s his M.O. He isn’t staring at me like I’m stupid this time, though, so I think he actually means it. He’s also doing everything he can to avoid looking at Pete’s penis. Any other time, he’d be eyeing it like a late night snack. Is he doing that for me? Because I asked him to?
“Yeah?” I ask.
“Yeah.”
“So, about this gay thing,” Pete interrupts, his voice a little shaky. His eyes are focused on Jaden, and Jaden’s staring right back at Pete. Pete licks his lips. “Tell me more. This little guy told me that’s what you are now, and when I said I didn’t know what it meant, he offered to show me.” Pete lifts his hand and holds Jay’s cheek. “Thank you for showing me that. I don’t understand it, but I think I kind of liked it.” My brother continues staring adoring into my god-nephew’s eyes. My very married brother.
Jaden beams at him. “I wish Dad and Johnny would’ve brought me with them when they came to visit your family, all those times. I could’ve helped you sort your issues ages ago. I could’ve led you into the light.”
“What issues?” I ask.
He nudges his head in Pete’s direction. “That you and your brother are obviously gay.”
My eyes bulge. “Pete ain’t gay. He’s married.”
“And you dated a woman for years. What’s your point, Richard Simmons?”
“I don’t know who that is,” I admit. “And neither does Pete. That’s the point. Jay, you can’t go around showing videos of yourself eating other men’s asses. It ain’t appropriate, buddy. Especially folks from Dunsberry. We ain’t worldly people like you. We ain’t well-traveled or college educated.”
“You still have functioning eyes. You still have dicks that like to be licked. The only thing different is that it’s another guy doing the licking instead of a woman you’re not sexually into.”
“Don’t be so fuckin’ mean to him,” Pete growls. “I don’t care that he showed it to me, so you shouldn’t, neither. Mind your fuckin’ business before I whoop your fuckin’ ass.” He holds Jaden close as he leans back on the sofa, his throbbing cock fully visible. “I don’t really understand it, though. You’re both men, Jaden. Why were you doing that to a guy and not a woman?”
“Because I’m gay. I like other men. I don’t like women.”
I move toward the sofa and plop down between my brother and Ezra. There’s a throw blanket hanging on the back of the sofa, and I’ve seen enough of my God-nephew’s dick, so I carelessly fling it at them.
“I’m not warm,” Jay says, tossing the blanket on the floor, beside Pete’s foot. I grab it and cover them myself this time.
“I don’t give a damn if you’re being baked alive. There’s a lady upstairs. Cover up.” My tone startles him, because I rarely, if ever, lose my temper with him. “You were raised to know better. I ought to know, considering I helped raise you. I know we’ve gotten a little lax on social graces, since it’s just us boys, but come on. Have you lost your damn mind?”
“Uncle Johnny, I—”
Before Jaden can finish, Pete roars like a lion and shoves me with his foot, sending me flying past the coffee table, soaring across the room, and falling on my back. I lie here, trying to understand what the fuck just happened, staring at the ceiling. Ezra rushes to my side in a heartbeat, touching my face like he’s trying to examine me or some shit. He places a finger on the side of my neck and keeps it there.
“He’s gone,” Ezra cries out. “You killed him, you monster.”
“He ain’t dead, he’s playing possum. He always does that when he gets his ass whooped.”
“Nuh-uh,” Ezra shrieks. “He’s fucking dead!”
“Uncle Johnny?” Jaden whimpers.
“I ain’t dead, Ez,” I groan.
Ez scowls at me. “Okay, maybe not fully dead, but you’re on death’s doorstep.” Stupidly he holds his hands over my eyes and cries out, “Don’t go into the light. Don’t even look in its direction.”
I cock an eyebrow. “Are you done?”
