“No.”
Pussy. It was a good thing he wasn’t part of this conversation.
“Why not?”
Yeah. Why not?Crisp had his back on these questions.
A nervous laugh that had to have come from Foster cut through the silence. “Have you been listening? The guy had the training to put Zeus and me on our asses. I mean, that seems like something you should look into before going to bed with someone.”
“All right. I’ll give you that. What did you find when you looked into it?” Crisp paused. “Why are you blushing? For fuck’s sake, Foster. You’ve got to get the point on this one. I’ve never seen you blush so much—like, seriously.”
“Because my dumb ass never considered going to Tracker for info. I kind of decided to stalk him instead.”
Crisp burst out laughing. It sounded like he immediately tried muffling the sound.
Jay couldn’t stop smiling. He loved the sound of Crisp’s laughter.
“Sorry.” Crisp chuckled. “No, seriously. I’m sorry. I swear I’m not laughing at you. This entire story is wild as hell. What did you learn by stalking him? Goddamn, another blush.”
“Damn, Crispy, do you want to hear this story or not? You’re supposed to be on my side.”
Crisp’s voice turned serious. “Awww, sweetie, I am on your side. You’re just not a blusher and this guy has you frazzled. It’s honestly a little nice to see. You need a little shaking up in your life.”
“He basically wants to fuck and never look back.” Foster said the words fast and sad.
Crisp groaned. “Oh, babe. That sucks. I know you’re not that guy. You deserve better than that shit.” Crisp’s tone turned angry. “How dare this guy be like that with you? You’re worth way more than that. If he can’t see that, then he’s a fucking loser.”
“Actually, this is him.”
The room went silent.
Jay strained to hear any hint of sound.
“Yeah,” Foster said after a moment. “I know. He’s fucking beautiful.”
“No doubt he knows it too.” Crisp sounded full of spite.
Foster laughed. “Yeah. He’s not one to pretend to be oblivious. I just feel kind of dumb, you know? Even though I was the one stalking him, he was the one pursuing the hell out of me. Why am I like this? Any other guy in the world would jump for joy at this situation.”
Crisp didn’t miss a beat. “You’re a good man who deserves an equally amazing partner. It’s frustrating and hurtful to know your worth and have your effort and kindness overlooked time and time again.”
“Are we still talking about me?”
Jay had a bad feeling they weren’t. There was too much hurt in Crisp’s voice. They had been together long enough for Jay to see how little effort his brothers put into him. Foster had been the only one who really called and showed up, Tidy withstanding, of course. Tidy was the one closest to Crisp, but they were so close, they didn’t need to constantly seek each other. They were beyond only brothers. They were best friends. Hell, in the time he had been with Crisp, Fabrice had shown more care for Crisp than his so-called brothers. Jay rubbed his chest. None of this was happening directly to Jay, and it still broke his heart. He wondered if things had always been this way. Had Crisp always been the one who had to hang on to them? Was there ever a time when they had met him more than halfway? Jay would likely never know the answers, but he knew what he saw now. Maybe it was time for Jay to insert himself into this. If he saw any more neglect, then it was time for Crisp to be done with this. Jay was his real family now.
Chapter Ten
Jaycouldfreelyadmithe had gotten too comfortable. Everyone at the Hawaii compound knew he existed. There was no reason to hide. Crisp had gone swimming with Foster. That kept Foster tethered to one spot, so Jay wasn’t trapped in the bedroom. He hadn’t thought twice about heading for the kitchen. Jay still took back corridors meant for staff to get there. Fabrice and Tidy sipped coffee at the island. They both smiled at his arrival.
“Hey. I see you’re feeling brave this morning with Foster here.”
Jay shrugged at Tidy’s observation. Truthfully, he liked Tidy more than most. He chose the stool next to him and sat. “Crisp is hanging out by the pool with Foster. I risked the kitchen was free. You know I can’t skip coffee with you two. Who will give me all the gossip?”
Fabrice snorted out a laugh. “Stand still long enough and Jett will find you. He’s the household herald.”
The three of them laughed. Jett was well known for telling everyone’s business. Thankfully, he only shared harmless info. When it came to keeping Jay hidden from the rest of the brothers, Jett was a master.
Fabrice slid a cup of coffee his way. “I knew you’d be here.” The cup was steaming hot from the world’s coolest countertop. It kept food and drinks warm without ever getting hot to the touch. He had no idea how it worked, but with enough money, anyone could have anything.
