28. Royal

Chapter 28

Royal

Royal tumbled onto his back and waited for the earth to stop shaking. Drained and sated, he stared up at the stars. The bliss he currently felt must be how it felt to walk in heaven. Every pore in him resonated with ecstasy. But why was everything delectably delicious—deep-fried Twinkies, bacon, sunbathing, vaping—so unhealthy? Fucking one's best friend definitely fell into this category.

"That was incredible," Easton stated between jagged breaths. "I came so hard, I think I cracked a vertebra."

"Well, I think both of my nuts ruptured into my spleen."

"Let me check." Easton rolled onto his side and cupped Royal's softening dick in his hand. "They feel intact to me."

Royal swatted Easton's hand away. "Stop that before you stir something back up."

"Maybe I like stirring things up."

"You? Mr. Play By Every Rule?" Royal snorted. "I'm the reckless, irresponsible one, remember?"

Hitching up his underwear, Easton rolled onto his stomach. "I don't know why people say that about you."

"Maybe because it's true."

"True to who? Aside from Nonc, you're the most responsible person out here. You're always looking out for me, Upton, Cody, and even Wade."

"I'm d?—"

"Don't deny it. You're now looking out for Jerry too. It's why you got so upset earlier."

"He's a kid, and I didn't get upset."

"Families have problems, Royal. They have to work through them. Maybe a lengthy car ride together is what they need."

Royal shrugged.

"Want to know what I think?"

"No, because you have that look like you're about to spout some bullshit."

"It's not bullshit, but I am going to give you a dose of reality. I think this entire situation with Jerry and Gerald has you thinking about your father."

"As I said… bullshit."

"Roy—"

"I don't want to talk about this."

"You don't have to talk. You can listen."

"I—"

"You have a big heart, Royal. Huge. And it's big enough for both a mother and a father. The fact that he hasn't reached out to you doesn't mean you shouldn't reach out to him. There may be plenty of reasons why he hasn't, and that's not me defending him. But someone always has to be brave enough to make the first move, and you're no chicken."

"But—"

"Jerry looks up to you."

"I never told him to do that."

"Doesn't matter. How do you ever expect him to get to the point of one day standing up to his father when you can't demonstrate that you've done the same?"

"The situations are completely different."

"Only because you're trying to convince yourself that they are. Not only are you not a chicken, you're also not a hypocrite."

"But Duchess?—"

" Ta mère will understand."

Royal detested when Easton made logical arguments. Sighing, he nodded. He knew when he'd lost the battle, and he didn't feel like putting up an argument when his bare ass was on the ground in the middle of a field and his underwear around his ankles. "Okay."

"Okay? You'll reach out?"

" Oui. One call, but that's it."

"One is all it takes." Easton planted a soft kiss on Royal's lips and replaced his hand on Royal's crotch. "Let's play some more."

Despite being spent, his cock twitched, not completely depleted.

"What game did you have in mind?"

"How about I suck you off again?"

"You could, but…." Royal rolled onto his side and pushed Easton onto his back. Being impatient, he jerked at Easton's briefs, ripping and leaving them to dangle on one hip.

"Damn, Roy."

"Spread 'em." He sucked on two of his fingers and then stroked Easton's taint.

"Oh." Obeying, Easton bent his knees and allowed his legs to fall open wide.

"You ever play down here?"

Easton shook his head. "No."

"Never?"

A bright pink bloomed in Easton's cheeks. "No."

Royal slid his slick fingers to Easton's hole and traced it. "Why not?"

" Je ne sais pas . Have you?"

"No, I've never played with your ass before."

"You know what I mean."

A playful smirk curled Royal's lip. " Peut-être un petit peu ."

"A little? What's that mean?"

"It means I may have been a little curious." Had it been anyone other than Easton asking, Royal would have never admitted it without being tortured—and even with suffering brutalizing punishment, a confession was doubtful. He moved his fingers in a teasing circle. "Maybe inserted a finger or two."

Easton's mouth dropped open. "And you never told me this?"

"Why would I tell you?"

"Because… because…." He shook his head as if attempting to clear it. "Just because. I'm your best friend. We tell each other everything."

Royal's smirk widened. "Well, I'm telling you now."

"Are you going to put your fingers in me?"

"Do you want me to?"

Please, please, please say yes.

" Oui. "

Thank you, merci.

He slid his fingers down but halted at the sound of his phone buzzing. However, it wasn't only his phone buzzing. Easton's was as well. He glanced to where his phone had slipped from his back pocket and lay abandoned on the ground.

Shit! Marcel.

Seeing the name caused his dick to go soft instantly. Reluctantly, he sat erect and retrieved his phone to read the text.

"It's Nonc," Easton stated.

"I see."

"He's back at the RV and wants to know where we are."

Dammit.

More playing would have to be put on hold. "I can't wait," he griped, hoisting up his pants and underwear, "to get back to Maringouin and away from—" He was going to say people, but that wasn't accurate. He'd agreed to vlog.

Fuck!

* * *

A promise is a promise .

Royal stared at the ceiling, lulled by the choppy white noise of Upton's fan, and pondered the stranger things in life—although he doubted things could get stranger than his day already had been.

Here's to hoping.

Easton had been his only highlight and scrap of normalcy—as always. In a perfect world, Royal would have bounded from his bunk and crawled beneath the sheets with him. It took every ounce of self-restraint not to, but he knew it wasn't possible with Marcel and Upton a few feet away. Still, the temptation was real. He could use Easton's strong arms around him—his encouragement and strength. Despite most people considering him to be the strong one, they couldn't have been further from the truth. He siphoned his tenacity from Easton.

He should have been asleep, but it had been hours of dozing off and on in fitful sleep and bizarre dreams. As it happened, he'd nearly rolled over the rail and out of the bunk. That would have been a story to have to explain. His body averred that he was exhausted, but his mind…

Ugh!

His thoughts were in overdrive, as if energy was boundless. They could give The Flash a run for his money. Sleeping was pointless.

Might as well get up.

He didn't move. Instead, he thought about Jerry, who he'd texted shortly after returning to the RV. Reportedly, so far, so good. Gerald hadn't been acting a complete ass. Maybe Easton was right, and they only needed time to work things out. But then again, it was hard to be a dick behind the wheel and focus on the road. And speaking of…

Shit.

Royal hopped from his bunk, threw on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, grabbed his phone, and headed to the cab. After plopping down in the captain's chair, he opened the curtain and drew his right knee to his chest, resting his foot on the seat as he observed the faint morning glow at the horizon. Peaceful. The sun would be up soon—or soon enough.

What time is it?

He glanced at his watch. Converting the time, he concluded that it was close to 9:00 a.m. where Ignacio Araujo was, and his mind reverted to his previous thought.

A promise is a promise.

He searched for an excuse, came up blank, and studied the time again.

Not too early. Damn.

He sighed.

Okay.

Scrolling through his phone contact list, he stopped at a number he'd had secretly stashed there for years. Maybe it wouldn't work. Maybe it had changed. Maybe it was disconnected. Maybe it wasn't. Maybe, maybe, maybe.

Unsulfured molasses fuck.

His finger hovered over the Dial button for several seconds before pressing. He didn't want to do this.

I should hang up. I'm going to hang up.

" Olá ?"

At the sound of the voice on the opposite end of the line, Royal's voice lodged in his throat like a boulder.

" Olá ?" the male voice repeated.

"Um… oui …. Olá … um…."

Calm yourself. Breathe in. Let out.

Royal took a deep breath. "I'm trying to reach Senhor Ignacio Araujo."

" Sim . This is Ignacio."

Shit! What now? What do I do?

"My name is, um… Royal Guérin. I'm Salethia's son. Salethia Guérin."

There was a brief pause before the man responded. " Sim ." His voice changed.

Royal recognized the change. It was one of, well… recognition. Recall.

This is madness. Hang up.

But then what? Why bother calling only to hang up?

Idiot! Why did I call? I shouldn't have called.

"Um," he began again. "She informed me that you're my father. But," he quickly added, not allowing time for a response, "it's okay if you want to deny it. I'm accustomed to your absence, and it's fine."

"I see."

"You don't have to be concerned with me wanting anything from you. I'm too old for child support, and I don't need a kidney or any other vital organ. I just…. I…." His voice trailed off, and he stared out the front windshield again. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have called."

"It's okay, Royal. It's good to hear from you."

A small amount of tension in Royal's shoulders eased. "Yeah?"

"I've been hoping you'd reach out."

"Why wait for me? You could have."

"These things are complicated, though they don't seem so much so now. I was young. Stupid. Scared. When I finally discovered some sense, I didn't want to be a disruption."

"Why would you think that?"

"You were doing so well… in school… bull riding… winning championships."

Royal's breath caught. "You know I've won championships?"

" Sim . I've followed your career."

Gripping the steering wheel for anything to hold onto to reassure himself that he was still grounded, he clutched it tightly. "You've followed my career?"

" Sim. I've seen you ride."

"You've watched me on TV?"

Dammit, Royal, pull it together. Say something other than sounding like a fucking parrot.

" Sim . And in person."

Do what?

Royal nearly tumbled from his seat. "I… I… I gotta go," he blurted abruptly.

"Call again," Royal heard as he disconnected with trembling fingers.

What the absolute fuck?

"Roy?"

Royal's head snapped up from staring at the phone to see Easton standing in the cab's entry.

Easton's brows bunched. "You okay?"

" Oui, oui. " Royal slid his foot onto the floor and straightened in the seat. "About to get us on the road."

"You look shook."

"Naw, it's nothing. Ce n'est rien ."

"You don't sound like it's nothing." He placed his hand on Royal's shoulder.

The warmth of his friend's touch gave him comfort. Grasping Easton's hand in his own, he flipped it over and lightly kissed his palm. " Merci. "

"What for?"

"For always being there."

The frown lines on Easton's face deepened. "Roy, what is it?"

Sounds of shuffling drifted from the rear of the RV.

Royal shrugged and displayed a reticent smile. "I'll tell you about it later. How about putting on some coffee?"

"Okay. Sure." Easton's response lacked confidence.

Turning back toward the dashboard, Royal cranked the engine.