“Nice arse.”
I grinned into my pillow. “Where are the boys?”
“Leland is in charge of cleanup tonight, so he has recruited all of them to help.”
I rolled onto my back, and said, “Get your fine ass over here then.”
Alannah approached me, and said, “I think I’ll miss the beard, but Noble was right. Alec would end ye’ with jokes over it.”
“I know.” I sighed. “He’s a dick.”
My wife laughed as she climbed on top of me. She leaned down and brushed her lips over my freshly shaved skin. I slid my hands around to her ass and squeezed. She moved her lips to mine and smiled.
“Do we have sex or take a nap?”
I looked up at her, and said, “We had sex this morning, so I vote for a nap.”
Alannah laughed and rolled on her side next to me. She cuddled against me, and said, “I’m so proud of Kailen.”
“Me too,” I said, hooking my arm around her body. “I had no idea that he was dealing with it, though. Did you have any idea?”
“None,” Alannah answered. “I’m so glad we all know, and everyone is happy for him because it breaks me heart thinkin’ how scared he was that maybe we wouldn’t accept ‘im.”
I kissed the crown of her head. “Me too, but he’s happy now. Did you see his smile?”
“Yeah.” She relaxed. “He doesn’t have to hide anymore.”
I sighed, feeling content. “I love you, freckles.”
“I love ye’ too, Jack Frost.”
I smiled. “Can you believe it’s been twenty years since I first met you?”
“No, because it feels just like yesterday. Now we’re married and have five handsome young men. I love our life.”
“Me too, freckles. Me too.”
I closed my eyes and relaxed. I loved my wife and my kids more than life itself, but I would be lying if I said they didn’t wear me out. It was worth it, though. They were worth it. I counted my lucky stars every single night when I slid into bed next to my wife that I led the life I did because things could have turned out very different for me had it not been for my brothers.
I owed everything to them, and I always would.
CHAPTER TWO
Fifteen years old ...
“Damien?”
Please, go away.
“Damien, listen to me.”
I kept my eyes closed and didn’t move a muscle. I pretended that if I stayed still and didn’t speak, then no one could see me. I told myself I was trapped in a nightmare, and that at any minute, I would wake up and everything would be back to normal. That was all this was—a horrible dream. There was no way any of it could be real.
“Damien, open the door.”
I gritted my teeth and tried to force my brother’s voice out of my head. I kicked the door I laid next to, but still, I didn’t speak.
“It was an accident,” my eldest brother assured me through the white oak wood. “Everything is gonna be okay. Just open—”
“I killed him!” I cut Ryder off with a scream. “I killed Trent! I shot him. He’s dead because of me!”
I didn’t realise I was crying until I felt hot tears slide down my temples and into my hair. I reached up and covered my face with my hands as sobs tore free of my throat. I had been lying on my bedroom floor for what felt like hours, but in reality, it was probably only one. I had run up here and locked myself in when Dominic told me that the doctor said that Trent was dead. I lifted my hands from my face and punched myself in the head as I cried.
I wanted to run away and never look back, I wanted to forget my life and start over somewhere new ... but I knew that would never happen.
“Damien.” Ryder sighed, long and deep. “Please, just unlock the door so we can talk.”
There was nothing to talk about. Trent was dead because I lost my temper and shot him.
“Just go away!” I shouted. “Just leave me alone!”
I heard commotion outside in the hallway, then Kane snapped, “Open the door or I’m breaking it down. I’m deadass serious.”
I believed him, but I simply didn’t care. My chest hurt so much, my stomach felt sick, and my mind raced with terror. My brothers were the least of my problems at the moment.
I jumped when an uproarious smack sounded next to me.
“Kane!” I shouted. “Stop!”
“Open the fucking door then. Now!”
I scrambled to my feet, unlocked the door, and pulled it open. My four brothers stood in the hallway staring at me. Dominic was the first to step forward, but I jumped back away from him. Hurt cascaded across his face, but he said nothing. My brothers knew I was upset, but Dominic knew that what happened was killing me inside. He didn’t have to ask me; he just had to look in my eyes. We could always tell what was wrong with the other without asking questions.