28. Chapter 28

Aiden and I jumped out of our skin when someone pounded loudly on my door. I hadn’t expected anyone, but who else would it be but my friends? It was Sunday, so they probably came by to drag me to skate, which I hadn’t done since before my manic episode.

I opened the door, and I was suddenly gobbled up in a swarm of hands, arms, and chests. They were all here—all of them. Even Stone, Cueball, and Alpha were there, but they had hung back since they didn’t really do the hugging thing. I reached around my friends—my family—and tried to hug them all back as best as I could as the emotional surge hit me, reminding me how much I was loved and that they’d never leave me.

“Are you okay?”

“How do you feel?”

“We love you, you know.”

“You’re a stupid fucking asshole for not telling us!” That must’ve been Jazz, who sounded more hurt than angry.

Before I said anything, they were getting me dressed, throwing my shoes at me, and grabbing my board.

“We’re skating,” Stix said, dragging me out the door.

I looked back at Aiden, who smiled softly, but looked completely out of place, like a third wheel. He’d never really belonged in our group before, but he did now. He just didn’t know it yet.

Pippin didn’t give me a chance to grab Aiden as he rushed him and pulled him into a hug. They’d become somewhat friends already when Pippin and Nacho struggled for a bit right before Nacho’s accident, and they started to bond more since.

Aiden went stiff at first, but he finally gave in to the hug, making my heart beat faster and smile like a loon. Even through the dark cloud of depression, I knew I could still find some light.

“Everyone,” I said to get their attention. They all stopped yanking on me and yapping to listen. I didn’t take my eyes off Aiden when he looked at me. “Everyone, this is my friend, my boyfriend, my forever person, Aiden. We’re no longer going to call him Blaze. Is that understood?”

They had a slew of questions, but I raised my hand. “It’s up to Aiden to tell you why, not me.”

My poor guy looked like he was about to crumble, but I went to him and pulled him against me. “Look at all the people who are soon going to love you, too. You’re not alone anymore, got it?”

He nodded and gave me a wet smile. “Got it.”

When we all stepped outside, I looked up at the sky and took a deep breath of the warm air. There wasn’t a cloud to be found, and the temperature was perfect. It reminded me that no matter how dark my mind got, there would always be light. You couldn’t have one without the other.

I wasn’t sure I was up for skating, but I was eager to hang around my friends again.

After stopping at a convenience store to grab beer, water, sodas, and snacks, we headed toward Skatepark of Baltimore at Roosevelt Park. The place was cool, with gorgeous artistic graffiti decorating the skate bowl and surrounded by the green park.

While my friends took off on their boards, I held Aiden’s hand. We walked there since he didn’t skate, but the place wasn’t too far.

“You know, I could teach you to skate,” I said.

“Nah, I’d rather just watch you.” He looked up at me. “Do you want to know a secret?”

“Sure, I like secrets. How deeply do I need to hold on to this secret of yours?”

His grin was crooked. “With your life, of course.”

“Of course.”

“I’ve always loved watching you skate. You’re fucking good at it. I may have scowled at you, but I could never take my eyes off you.”

I bumped his shoulder. “I’ll take that to my grave.”

He snorted a laugh. “I appreciate that.”

“It’s nice to see you smile again,” Aiden said, squeezing my fingers.

“It’s still… I’m off. I’m not really better, and I fucking miss feeling good before my crash, but I know I’ll be good soon. I hope, anyway.”

“You will. I know it.”

I just hoped if and when I went manic again, I wouldn’t destroy him or ruin us. It was terrifying. But when I was like that before the depression hit, I had virtually no control over myself. These were things I needed to have a talk about with my therapist.

We reached the park, but I wasn’t in the mood to skate just yet. I sat in the grass and tugged Aiden down between my spread legs to hold him as we watched my friends skate in the bowl.

I rested my chin on his shoulder, enjoying the sun warming my skin down to my soul.

We both lit a cigarette, sitting in silence until Stix and Stone came over to sit next to us. Stix handed me a beer, but I shook my head.

“Can’t drink anymore.”

“Well, that sucks,” he said.

I shrugged. “Yeah, it messes with the meds, and… it’s triggering. ”

Stone eyed me with those pretty hazel eyes of his and nodded. “Good on you.” Then he jutted his chin at Aiden. “I’m glad you two are happy together. And while Blaze… I mean, Aiden is a pain in the ass most of the time, I still like him, so you better be good to him, Ajax.”

I didn’t take offense at all. That’s what friends do for each other. “That’s the plan.”

Aiden craned his neck and smiled, then leaned back into me, closing his eyes to the sun. Happiness looked fucking good on him.

Alpha started to walk our way, and I looked forward to chatting with him outside of work. He needed more breaks in his life. I also needed to tell him how much I appreciated his kindness, friendship, and support. He’s helped so much within our little family, from helping Stone out with a job and medical bills after being attacked on the job by a hate crime to helping pay for Nacho’s medical bills. And he’d arranged all sorts of help with therapy because, let’s face it, we were all messed up a bit, but I wouldn’t take my friends any other way. It was what made us all special and unique. Although, being mentally healthy for all of us was for the best.

Alpha looked in the distance and stopped in his tracks, suddenly scowling.

I followed his line of sight to see a buff man in his thirties heading our way. He wore a white T-shirt over tanned skin, jeans, and brown biker boots. His brown hair was wavy and fell to his shoulders, and he had a trimmed beard. He was kind of hot. Who was that?

I looked back at Alpha, who now stood there with folded arms, his board at his feet.

“What the fuck is he doing here?” Alpha groused.

“Who?” asked Stix.

Now we were all looking at the handsome and confident man getting closer to us, who smirked, not taking his eyes off Alpha.

“Who’s that, Alpha?” I asked.

“A pain in my ass is who he is.”

“He’s hot!” Blondie said, making Alpha growl.

“He’s not.”

The man stopped in front of Alpha, mirroring his pose, except he was way more chill than Alpha. “What’s up Kingston? What a surprise. ”

“Surprise? Please. You following me, Harley?”

He smiled brightly, raised his face to the sun, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. “I’m only here because it’s a beautiful day.”

“You don’t even skate.”

He shrugged. “I could learn.”

The man called Harley, looked at us, watching him closely. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friends, King?”

“Don’t fucking call me that,” Alpha hissed. “And no, I’m not.”

He stood close to Harley, staring him down, though he was a few inches shorter. “I’m not doing this with you. Give it fucking up.”

“You know damn well I’m more interested in you than the business.”

“Bullshit. I’m not going to be manipulated. You know what? I’m not in the mood to skate anymore.”

Alpha popped his board, picked it up, and walked off, leaving us all to groan because what the fuck? Alpha never got out to skate with us. Whoever this man was disturbed Alpha’s day off. If Alpha didn’t like him, then we wouldn’t either.

It was Nacho and Stix who rushed off to drag Alpha’s ass back. We would always choose him over anyone else.

I looked back at Harley. “It seems you’re not welcome here, man. I suggest you leave. This is Alpha’s rare day to be out, and you’re not going to fuck it up for him. Just go.”

Harley glanced at me, smiled, and nodded. “I’m not here to ruin days.”

“Tsh,” Alpha grunted.

“I’m gone, but we need to talk, Kingston.”

“The fuck we do.”

Harley ignored him and sauntered off.

“What was that fucking about?” Aiden asked quietly. “Did you feel that sexual tension between them? Wild, man.”

“Whatever’s between them doesn’t matter. Alpha doesn’t like him, so we’re going to side with him.”

“You got it. I’m only saying…”

Alpha huffed, sat down, and lit a smoke. “Asshole,” he muttered when Harley was gone. “Don’t any of you ask me a fucking question about what just went down, or else I’m leaving. ”

We all zipped up and distracted ourselves with skating.

Later, I took a few turns in the bowl, but I was more in the mood to be close to Aiden, so I sat back down with him and held him until we were ready to leave.

“I could get used to this,” I said as I held Aiden in bed. “I love holding you. Who knew I’d finally find someone to love and care about, and it would be the very person I couldn’t stand at first? I don’t mean to say that to hurt you, but to show all that I’d been missing.”

“I didn’t make it easy.”

“Neither of us did.”

“True enough.”

Aiden snuggled tighter into me and rested his head on my chest, making me smile. The fear was so strong that he’d leave me or I’d hurt him, but I swallowed it back, trying desperately to remember to enjoy these times together and not stress about things currently out of my control. It wasn’t easy. It may never be easy again. I needed to prepare for that.

“I’m leaving for a bit tomorrow.”

My body tensed, unable to shut out the negative and intrusive thoughts. “What? Why?”

He rested his chin on my chest and dragged his fingers along my jaw. “It’s just for a little bit. I… need to try to see my mom. God, I don’t want to. If I could shut her out of my brain forever, I’d be a happy man. But I need my things. While she fought me hard before, I’m going to make her listen this time, and not with my usual defiance and anger, because that’s always worked so well for me.”

I snorted a laugh. “I love my spark plug.”

Aiden’s smile was crooked, but he rolled his eyes. “Anyway… after I visit her, part of me wants to visit my stepfather.”

My entire body went rigid. “Why the fuck would you do that?”

“Don’t be upset with me. I just said I’m thinking about it.” He sighed and rested his cheek against my chest again. “I don’t know. I guess I just want to tell him I know he used and manipulated me. All these years, he’s believed he tricked me into loving him so he could have me and toy with me. I know I fell for it, but still…”

“If you had evidence against him, I’d say use it and get his ass arrested. Or better yet, I could go with you and beat the shit out of him. That would definitely make me feel better.”

Aiden chuckled. “Sometimes I want to do that, too. But a part of me still doesn’t hate him for it because I did feel better for a while.”

I dragged my fingers across his back, and he melted into me. “Don’t do it. He doesn’t deserve you, and…”

“And what?” he hedged.

“What if… he manipulates you again and takes you away from me?”

Aiden sat up and frowned. “Don’t you trust me?”

I rubbed his thigh. “I trust you with my life. What I don’t trust is him. He was very good at what he did to convince you that you needed him.”

He rubbed his face and nodded. “You’re right. I don’t need to see him. That’s a door I shouldn’t open again. I’ll leave it closed, but I still need to see her.”

“Good. I’m coming with you, then.”

Aiden pressed a kiss to my lips. “Don’t. Stay and rest. I’ll be back before you know it.”

“Nah, I’m coming with you. I’ll help make sure you get what you need. We’re in this together now.”

Aiden’s smile was soft and shy. It was a good look for him, but I loved all his faces… angry ones, cocky ones, happy ones… Despite his faults, I loved all of him.

“Okay. Yeah, thanks,” he said.

I pulled him back down to me. “No one’s going to hurt you again as long as I can help it, even if that means I protect you from me.”

“No more fucking talk like that. I mean it.”

But that was one thing I’d never stop worrying about.