Chapter 12

Chapter

Twelve

EZRA

D ad was dead. Not playing dead. Actually dead. All the times I'd ever imagined it, I'd relished the idea. Sometimes, I even prayed for it. The fact it was the only thing I prayed for probably wasn't okay with God, but like whatever.

Wallace Graham, my tormentor, the man who hated me more than he ever loved me, and spent most of my life making me endure pain, was dead.

Good. Fucking. Riddance.

The pleasure I thought I would take in his demise, however, was curiously absent. Relief, sure, that was present, but no real joy. The only thing filling me at the moment was an emptiness that stretched out into the void.

While I might never miss him, I wasn't entirely sure I'd be able to dismiss him mentally the way I needed.

"Gentlemen," Leopold said in that firm voice of his after Lainey disappeared upstairs. "There are showers out in the pool house that you can use. Young Mr. Graham there is well aware of the location." Clearly, we were not invited to follow Lainey up.

Adam didn't say a word, just pivoted on a heel and strode out. Leopold's glare followed him. The dislike the old man had for him needed to go.

"Of course," I said, then nodded to Milo and Bodhi. "You guys can take the first showers. I'll go last." Hopefully, Adam was already getting cleaned up. The stench of smoke seemed infused into my skin.

"Go ahead," Milo said to Bodhi. "I'll wait for Ezra."

Wait for…

"I'm good right here," Bodhi responded before he faced Leopold as well. "You wanted to have a discussion, sir?"

Sir.

Holy shit. Bodhi deferred to almost no one . I said almost because I'd seen him with his step-great-grandmother once. Her, he treated with utter consideration and courtesy. Lainey and Em were the only other two I'd seen him offer the same kind of gentle respect.

Now Leopold Benedict fell into that category.

Funnily enough, the old man just gave Bodhi a firm look. "Don't try to charm your way out of this one, Phillip. I'm well aware of your interest in my granddaughter as I am of this reprobate—" Oh look, I had a place in the list. "And Reed ." Reprobate actually ranked higher than Reed.

"Leopold," Milo began, but the old man cut him off with a slice of his hand through the air.

"Milo, my boy, recognizing the competition means identifying their weaknesses, flaws, and points of leverage. I don't doubt for a second they wouldn't take her away from you given the first opportunity."

I frowned.

"I'm telling you all right now, you will not fight over her like some choice cut of prime beef."

Every single word in that sentence was an insult.

"She's chosen Milo here and I've given my approval. The rest of you boys need to accept that." Leopold nodded firmly. "That goes for Reed as well. His family has done enough to mine. I will not let him hurt her."

"Mr. Benedict," I said, inserting myself into the quiet hanging off that last sentence. "Adam loves Lainey without reservation. He's not his father. He's a thousand times better than him."

Leopold fixed me with a look. One I refused to shrink from.

"As much as I hate to admit it, Bodhi is a damn good man. Odd at times. More than a little intimidating. He's also handed me my ass more times than I care to confess, but—he would kill for Lainey. If anyone stands a chance of cutting off a threat before it even darkens her doorstep, it would be him."

Fuck that was so weird offering up the defense for Bodhi, almost like a damn endorsement.

"Is that so?" Leopold glared at me. "I take it you don't approve of my choice in Hardigan then?"

"I don't care about your choice," I admitted, not shying away from that heated look. Fuck, I'd stared my own father down. Leopold was intimidating as hell, but this was bullshit. Hate Harper Reed all you wanted but leave Adam out of it. He was a far better man than I would ever be. "Milo's fine. In fact, he's better than fine. But you don't care about my opinion, so why should I care that you approve of him over everyone else?"

Eyes narrowing, Leopold studied me. "No defense for yourself?"

"You don't like me because I'm Adam's friend." Before, I wouldn't have cared to figure out why he didn't like me. The old man was really important to my kotyonok though, so it was better for me to win him over now rather than put her through the need to defend me. "You also didn't care for my drinking or carousing over the years. That's on me. If I need to earn your respect, then I'll work on it."

Rather than respond to me, he shifted his gaze to Bodhi and Milo. "Nothing to say?"

"I think he's doing fine, sir. He's also correct. None of us are our parents. Not me. Not Milo. Not Adam. Not Ezra. The same can be said for Lainey… wouldn't you agree?"

Goddamn, I envied Bodhi's directness.

Rather than being put off by it, Leopold met him stare for stare. "One could argue that Melissa was never her parent."

"One could," Bodhi agreed with him. "Yet, you raised both Melissa and Lainey, sir. So, I think at least fifty percent of the problem and the accolades could be attributed to you."

While Milo didn't wince outwardly, his expression took on a firm neutrality. It was a mask. One he did really well. It kept his opinions and thoughts to himself.

"Do you think couching insults in speculation will gain you something?" Leopold countered with an attack of his own.

"An insult, sir?" Bodhi made the inquiry sound deeply puzzling to him. "I didn't think we were insulting at all. No more than you were in your observations. Is this not talking as men do? Putting all our cards on the table?"

"All your cards are not on the table," Leopold pounced on that fact.

"Are yours?" Bodhi dared him.

The silence stretched out almost painfully. Adam's absence had also grown a little more noticeable. I had to wonder if Leopold guessed what I suspected. Adam needed Lainey at the moment. We all needed her, but sometimes we needed her more than the others at different moments.

"I've made my feelings clear," the old man said decisively. "No one will be using my granddaughter for her inheritance or her reach."

"No sir," I said, in absolute agreement. "No one will. We would never allow it."

"While I appreciate your confidence in me, sir," Milo added, his respect clear despite the hardness of his tone. "My father is Julius King. If you disapprove of Adam because of his father or Ezra for his, you can't possibly like me because mine is one of the worst people I've ever met. He's despicable on every level. He doesn't deserve to breathe the same air as Mayhem or anyone else for that matter. He's a bottom feeder in a ten thousand dollar suit."

"They aren't that expensive," Bodhi said. "He uses cheap tailors and moderately priced cloth to make himself look more important than he is."

"Five thousand dollars then?" Milo checked with him.

"Give or take." Bodhi nodded. "Doesn't matter, the clothing can't disguise the man inside."

"Precisely my point." The two shared a long look of understanding. Bodhi and Milo seemed to get each other.

Resentment reared its head as they nodded to each other then faced Leopold Benedict with the exact same expression. They barely knew each other, but they were already tight. Or as tight as two guarded people could be.

A part of me protested. Milo was my cousin. The two of us should be on this same page. Yet he was tight with so many people who weren't me.

And whose fault is that? The nasty little voice crept out to taunt me. You've been an asshole to him from day one .

Only I hadn't known he was my cousin then. Em was a cousin too, but I'd never been a raging dick to her. Fuck, I was such a jackass.

"You can't judge them by their parents rather than the content of their character if you won't judge me on mine. Besides, Ezra and I are cousins, so you could say we were cut from the same bolt of cloth. Doesn't mean we're as bad as the layers that came before."

Surprise jolted me. We're cousins . Milo made it sound so simple. Maybe it was, but at the same time…

"Since when are you cousins?" Lainey's grandfather pinned me with a look like it was my fault and I shrugged.

"My grandfather apparently had a woman on the side. Her son turned out to be Julius King. Definitely not my fault. You wanna blame something, blame your own contemporary." Okay, maybe that came out snottier than I meant it to, but goddammit, I was trying to keep my assholish side under control.

It didn't help that disapproval radiated off of Leopold Benedict.

Wait…

It didn't matter.

"Actually, you know what, I'm going to let you three talk and go shower." I needed the break, but I met Leopold's gaze this time without flinching. "With all due respect, sir , whether you approve or not is moot. Lainey has always had teeth and claws, she will do as she damn well pleases and I'm not going anywhere until the day she tells me to get the hell out."

Even then, I wouldn't go far.

"I'll see you guys in a bit." I made it exactly two steps before Leopold cleared his throat.

Not turning, I stopped and spared him a glance over my shoulder. As volatile as my emotions were at the moment, Leopold was still Lainey's grandfather. For her, I could tolerate his ferociousness.

"Yes, sir?"

For a long moment, the old man said nothing. Finally, he looked from Bodhi to Milo then finally to me again. When he focused on me so firmly, I pivoted to face him. Probably rude not to at this point.

"When the time comes for her to decide between you, will you respect her decision even if you're not the one she chose?"

I opened my mouth, then snapped it closed without commenting. Biting my tongue wasn't so painful after all if I gave it any thought.

"Absolutely," Bodhi informed him.

"Will you?" Milo asked.

Holy shit. Better him than me, but at the same time, I kept my attention on Leopold. What would he think of that challenge?

The older man let out a long sigh and his age seemed to just suddenly be there. Hard to not notice what a force of nature the man was. My father had always done his best to never cross him.

Frankly, I'd never met a person who was eager to draw Leopold Benedict's attention or ire. Except maybe us…

But Lainey was worth it.

So, if the old man hated me. I'd accept it. It was the least I could do.

"I don't have to like Lainey's choices to respect them," Leopold admitted finally. "I want her to be happy. She deserves it. Her mother was not good to her. We did everything we could. But I won't allow anyone to treat her badly."

"Then I think all of us are on the same page," I said, not letting the surprise rippling over the older man's face faze me. "Because we won't allow anyone to do that either."

When Leopold's gaze locked with mine, I didn't hide my meaning. Her grandfather wielded tremendous influence with Lainey. I didn't doubt my kotyonok's will. She would do as she damn well pleased, she always had even when it put her in danger.

But any kind of fight or falling out with Leopold would hurt her. That I didn't want.

Ever.

"Very well," Leopold said with a slow nod. "Shower, I'll have clothes sent out for you and you can get those laundered. Then we'll eat. Tonight, we'll sort out plans. Tomorrow, we have a memorial service to attend."

That hit harder than I expected. Not just the inclusion but the fact Adam, Lainey and I had all lost parents this week. To be fair, Adam and I got rid of ours, but Lainey's mother had also died.

None of us argued, I rather doubted we would. Instead, I pivoted and headed out to the pool house. I'd stayed here plenty of times before. There were two fully outfitted bathrooms. I let Milo and Bodhi figure out who was getting the other one first.

I'd barely stripped off my clothes when the door opened behind me and a freshly showered Adam stood there, dressed in clean clothes and sporting a smooth face.

He'd shaved.

He also smelled like Lainey's preferred shampoo.

"Lucky bastard," I muttered.

"Yes, I am."

Adam stalked forward and pinned me to the wall. His hands were hot against my chest, hotter still when he gripped my neck. It wasn't until we were practically nose to nose that I realized the acrid taste of smoke burned my nostrils.

"How are you?" The soft words lulled me and I dragged my attention up from the way his mouth shaped the lips to find him staring at me.

"I'm—" I searched for the right words because I wasn't fine or even okay but I was… "I'm content."

His eyebrows rose at that description.

"Don't ask me why." It was a plea. "Not because I don't want to tell you but I don't think I know myself."

A slow nod was his only answer. Then he worked his fingers against my neck, the slow massage melting away some of the tension holding me rigid. My dick saluted instantly. I was painfully naked and he was standing right there looking absolutely delicious in his button down with the collar open and giving me a good look at the solid chest beneath.

"I won't," Adam whispered and his breath feathered over my lips. "I didn't mean to abandon you with Leopold."

"You didn't." I licked my lips. "I mean you did, but I got it. You needed Lainey. I've been there. She probably needed you. Bodhi and Milo backed me." That still had me marveling.

"Good." Adam teased his nose along my jaw and then tilted his head until our lips were just millimeters apart. "I'm going to work on learning how to suck your cock, but how do you feel about me jerking you off right now?"

Fuck.

I would die.

All I said was, "Really?" It came out the most embarrassing of squeaks. When he wrapped his hand more thoroughly around my throat and gave the lightest of squeezes, I swore my dick stiffened even harder.

"Yes, really. I told you I was serious about you being mine and you need a release. I want to be the one who does it."

I'd died. I'd gone up in flames in that house and this was my heavenly reward. Adam wanted me and he…

The warmth of his free hand wrapping around my cock stuttered my thoughts and scattered them. A moan so low and needy it should have embarrassed me, escaped my throat.

Rather than being disgusted or amused, Adam stared at me with a fiery intensity and I didn't dare look away. I could drown in the blue-violet of his eyes. This close, they were almost pure purple. His hands were bigger than mine, at least that was how it felt. He could easily grip over half my cock without trying. When he glided his hand up and down again, my hips thrust forward.

"Fuck," I whispered and then bit my lip. Maybe I should shut up… He was pushing himself for me. I'd seen him jerk off before. It had happened a couple of times while we were together, but I'd always made myself not stare while also pretending that he stared at me.

Him touching me was so fucking different. So fucking…

"You're a noisy boy in bed, Ezra," Adam said, before he licked my lower lip and pulled another moan out of me. "Tell me what you like. Harder? Tighter? Smoother? Slower? Tell me how to make you feel good."

"You're already doing it."

"Yeah?" His breath was hot and his words more scorching. "What am I doing?"

"You're touching me." Admitting that took everything, yet I was violently eager for me. "Fuck, Adam… Getting to touch you is fan-fucking-tastic. Having you touch me? I could die a happy man."

He bit down on my lower lip, the nip more painful than erotic. The sting ripped apart the hazy curtain of pleasure. "You don't get to die," Adam said, the order curling around me like the stiffest pair of shackles and chains. The locks clicked into place. "Do you understand me?"

"Yes, sir," I whispered. The flare in his eyes had me thrusting against his hand. "Can I come please?"

"Since you said please…" He stayed close. His mouth teased mine like he was on a precipice of a kiss, but he didn't quite fall over.

Every stroke of his hand took me from balls to tip. He toyed with my piercings, the tugs gentle, but they lit me up more. When he didn't reject my thrusts, I met his strokes with my own and I gripped his shoulders as much to stay on my feet as to keep him close.

My balls were dragging upward as my spine went liquid. "I'm gonna come…"

"Good boy," Adam whispered as he kissed me hard once then went to his knees. His mouth closed over my tip and everything exploded out of me at once as my brain went white-hot.

I wasn't fucking his mouth but he was swallowing me… my cum…

The world shattered and then came back together again. If not for his grip on my hips, I might have collapsed. I fought to open my eyes as Adam moved his whole head, carefully taking my length past his teeth. I could feel the suction of his swallows and I swore it pulled another load right out of me.

The elation I'd wondered about earlier flooded me. Sure it was endorphins and hormones, but it was also Adam, on his knees—sucking me off after he made me come.

When he finally let up, I was shaking. My cock ached for more and at the same time, even the teasing whispers of his breath against the damp flesh of my tip was too much.

He licked his lips. "Almost as tasty as Lainey…"

My eyes widened as a speculative gleam filled his eyes. I ran my tongue over my lower lip as a shudder went up my spine. "Tastes even better when I eat you out of her," I told him. "You should try it."

"I plan to." Then he stood slowly, the bathroom had shrunk to just him and his shirt clung to him, like he was sweating. Oh, it was steamy in here. "Now shower like a good boy."

Oh, I could be a good boy. "For you, I can do anything," I told him and then pressed my lips to his. He didn't make me fight for it. His mouth opened. The salty taste of my own cum added to the earthy connection that seemed to have opened between us. He had his hand around my throat and his mouth dominated mine.

I was fine with that. Adam could have everything. No more secrets. No more running away. No more life without him and Lainey.

My cock twitched. I wanted to be between them again. I wanted to fuck Adam between me and Lainey and for them to fuck me. I wanted to explore all the ways we could have each other.

He dragged out my lower lip, licking gently over the small bite cut he'd left earlier. Finally, he leaned back and he made sure I was steady before he took his hands off me.

"Shower." The order wrapped around me. "I'll be out there until you're ready."

"Okay… and Adam?"

He was at the door. "Hmm?"

"Thank you."

His grin turned wicked. "It was my pleasure and I am looking forward to learning more about what you like."

Then he was gone and I swore my legs went rubbery. I nearly fell down. Had that really just happened? Had Milo and Bodhi defended me to Leopold? Had the old man accepted my presence? And more… Had Adam just sucked my cock?

Eyes closed, I embraced the startling amount of emotion all of the above provoked in me. The death of my father had nothing on this new life with my real family.

The earlier elation surged through me again and when I climbed in the shower, it was with a smile on my face. Oh yeah, I was all in for this new life.