4
Jack
That damn boy was under my skin like a giant sliver. No matter how much I tried to push him out of my mind and enjoy my brother’s party, I couldn't stop myself from watching him. By the third time he disappeared into the loft, I debated following him to see what he was up to. Last I knew, the third floor was Doug's space and I didn't want anybody screwing with his art.
“You good tonight?” Doug slapped a hand on my shoulder.
“Yeah. It's a nice, low-key party. Do you think you achieved what you hoped it would?” I cringed, hoping the question didn't sound as sarcastic as it had to my own ears. I still didn't understand why they coddled Jordan the way they did, but it wasn't my place to question. What they had going seemed to work for them. And, really, who was I to doubt them when I was so focused on work that I hadn't even played with a boy in over a year?
“I think so,” Doug responded. He scratched at his jaw as he searched the room. There was no missing when he found the man in question; his eyes lit up.
I followed the direction of his gaze. Like me, Jordan was looking toward the loft, his eyes sad and brow furrowed.
“You sure about that? Jordan doesn't look like he's having very much fun,” I pointed out. “In fact, he looks like he'd be more entertained if he was in the middle of a root canal.”
“He's worried about Slade. The kid is one of his only friends, and he's been going through a run of bad luck lately,” Doug explained. It wasn't any of my business, but I wanted Doug to keep going. I had assumed Slade's attitude was a front—a way to keep everyone at a distance so they couldn't judge him.
And what had I done? I’d judged him hard, from the moment I laid eyes on him. No wonder he was so standoffish toward me.
“How so?” I pried when Doug didn’t offer any further information.
“I don't know Slade all that well, but from what Jordan has told us, he put all of his eggs into one basket. Now, that basket has been dumped out and he's been left trying to pick up the pieces. Between you and me, I'm not sure how much longer the kid’s going to be able to go on, but he's almost as stubborn as Eli and won't accept what he sees as a handout.”
“So, you've tried to help him?” Of course, he had. Doug had a bigger heart than most people I knew. He hated seeing anyone in trouble. When we were kids, he would beg our parents to give him money for anyone who was down on their luck. More than once, he got in trouble for feeding his lunch to animals in the park. I used to tease him mercilessly about it, when, in reality, I envied his innate nurturing streak.
“Jordan keeps telling him to talk to Eli, but he hasn't so far. He's got it stuck in his head that Eli thinks he's a deadbeat, and he'd rather starve himself to death than prove Eli right.”
“That's ridiculous,” I scoffed. “Someone needs to teach that boy that, eventually, you have to set your pride aside and do whatever is necessary to keep moving forward.”
“You offering to take on that job?” Creases formed at the corners of Doug's eyes. Both of us seemed to be imagining how I would knock some sense into Slade. I was certain Doug’s idea was all puppies and bunny rabbits, while mine included tossing Slade over my lap, his bare ass sticking high in the air. I would spank him until he cried out, begging me to stop, then I would cradle him in my arms as he fell apart. By the time his sobs quieted, he’d be more receptive to accepting help.
I swallowed hard and tried adjusting myself as discreetly as possible. There was no logical reason as to why this boy had gotten under my skin the way he had. And damn Doug for putting ideas into my head. He knew damn well that stubborn little boys were my kryptonite.
When I glanced past Doug to see Slade stumbling down the steps again, my brother pursed his lips to keep from laughing out loud. “Look at him, Jack. Think how proud you’d be of him when he finally broke. He’s exactly the type of challenge you need.”
“Even if that was an option, and it's not, because he’d need far more time than I can offer him,” I pointed out. “How do you know he would even be into someone else telling him what to do?”
And why in the hell was I considering this? I didn't need my brother and his partners playing matchmaker. Doug checked over his shoulder, shaking his head and sighing. When Slade bumped into the edge of the island countertop in the kitchen, he looked back at me and smirked. “I suppose it's a good sign that he's finally eating, but I'm pretty sure it's too little, too late. Just look at him, Jack, he needs you. Almost as bad as you need him.”
“I don't need a boy to be complete, Doug,” I stated. “I understand why it's hard for you to understand. You are a natural-born caretaker, and when you don't have anyone to watch over and nurture, you feel lost. I am not that way.”
“Whatever you say, Jack.” Doug tossed his hands in the air. “I swear, sometimes it's like you and Eli are the same person. If it wasn't for the fact that you and I look so much alike, people would assume that the two of you are brothers, not us.”
“I'm nothing like him,” I argued. Doug quirked an eyebrow and I paused, rethinking what I had said. “It's not that there's anything wrong with Eli, but we are totally different.”
“No, you're really not. If you'd like, I can ask Jordan over. I'm sure he'd agree with me.”
“Of course, he would. Your boy isn't going to dispute you.”
“And that just goes to show how little you know about him.” Doug laughed and shook his head. “Jordan is more and more outspoken every day. He has completely lost the ability to tell anyone what they want to hear. The only person he still holds back with is Slade. And that's only because Slade is skittish, and Jordan is afraid of running him off.”
So much for steering the conversation away from the more than tipsy boy, with the messy long brown hair that I’d love to tangle my hands in and use to drag him somewhere more private. The boy who was, once again, attempting to climb the spiral staircase to the third floor. When he stumbled, nearly falling backward, I jumped into action without a second thought. No one else in the room existed as I darted over, steadying him with a hand against his back.
Slade spun around, draping his arms over my shoulders. And then, I felt the moment he realized what was happening. His entire body tensed, and he pushed away. “I don't need a knight in shining armor or my own personal superhero coming to rescue me.”
I took a step backward, biting back my laughter when Slade bobbled again. I quirked my head to the side, as if to silently ask him if he was sure about that, then I took the bottle of beer out of his hand. If there was one thing Slade absolutely did not need tonight, it was more alcohol.
When Slade tried swiping it back, I held it out of reach. “Give it back, you pompous prick.”
