Chapter Thirty

Eagle

Several hours later, Eagle strode through the Pegasus bunker looking for Link.

He found the man in one of the small rooms at the back. Standing in the doorway, he watched while Link tossed clothes in a bag. The man glanced up, caught his expression, and then sank to the edge of the bed with a t-shirt in his hands.

“I’m presuming, aren’t I?” Link whispered.

“What?” Eagle frowned.

Link gestured to the open duffle bag. “Packing my stuff?”

Eagle stepped inside and snapped the door shut. Stalking over, he cupped the back of Link’s neck and lifted the man upright before bringing him into his chest.

“I was coming to help you pack,” he admitted gruffly against Link’s temple. Fuck, Link felt so good in his arms. “I want you…no, I need you with me.”

Link drew back and smiled up at him. “Let’s get a hotel room and talk first before we go back to your aunt’s place.”

“I like that idea. Jordan already said he had a bunk for Tyler here.”

Tyler was overjoyed at being included to hang out with the guys at Pegasus.

“Hey, you two,” Mason called before a knock sounded on the door.

Eagle rolled his eyes, glad the action brought a grin to Link’s lips, before he yanked open the door.

“Ace called a meeting,” Mason said with a grin, holding his hands up and backing away.

“Of course, he did,” Eagle muttered, and Link snickered.

Everyone was in the meeting except for Maverick, Gage, Holden, and Kellum. Link knew that three of the men were on a job up north to help fill in for Phoenix. Kellum he wasn’t sure about, and he thought the techie would be back from his leave by now.

“Thank you for taking the time. I know this meeting is unexpected, but there’s some temporary department changes I need to make.” Ace gazed around the room, cleared his throat, and then went on. “Kellum is taking an indefinite leave of absence and while he is gone, Jacob will be covering as much as possible, and Jordan will be staying here to help out since Phoenix already has Reggie.”

“Is this permanent?” Owen asked, his eyes on Jordan and not Ace.

“No, Kellum just needed to take more personal time,” Ace said.

“Is he okay?” Creed spoke up from where he was leaning against the back wall.

“Honestly?” Jacob said before Ace could respond. “We don’t know. He’s going through something that he won’t share.”

“And…” Ace cut in. “We are going to respect that.”

Jacob scowled and gave a sigh. “Yes, we are.”

Creed looked ready to take someone’s head off, but he didn’t say another word.

“I also wanted you to know that Bakersfield SWAT has rounded up what was left of Elron’s gang and Kenneth Richards has been arrested for stealing drugs with intent to sell, but because of his age, the DA cut him a deal if he turns on the rest of Elron’s gang.”

“Well, that’s something at least,” Dalton said, with several men nodding in agreement.

“In other news,” Eagle spoke up, and all eyes turned on him and Link. He casually slipped his arm around Link’s shoulders.

“Link and I are together.”

“Like together together or just together?” Beckett chimed in with a cackle.

“Figure it out,” Eagle murmured, and when Link turned that sunshine smile up at him, Eagle dipped his head and kissed the man right there in front of everyone.

They both ignored the hooting and hollering until Ace groaned and told them all to get out.

Amidst laughter, they complied.

Sometime the next morning, he nuzzled into the hair at Link’s temple.

“You awake?” he whispered.

“I’m awake.”

Pulling the man closer, they lay quietly for a moment. The hotel room was a nicer room than the cheaper motel in Bakersfield. He’d picked this one because of the view of the Ventura coastline right outside the window.

“Whatcha thinking about?” Eagle murmured and pulled Link closer.

“Just how fucked up Tyler’s life has been.”

“Mhmm. I hope Tyler accepts the help he needs.”

“Yeah, me too.” Link shifted to sit up and Eagle released his hold and did the same. The faraway look in Link’s eyes worried him.

“Do you remember back in the alley before we were shot at, you were going to tell me why you encouraged Tim.” Eagle rolled over to gaze into Link’s eyes. “Can you tell me now?”

“I didn’t know about your uncle until a few days ago when I talked to Mary.”

“You did?”

Link smiled. “Yeah, we kept in touch even when I moved out.”

Eagle should have known. His aunt loved Link, and Eagle was pretty sure the feeling was mutual on Link’s part. It warmed his heart that they’d kept in touch even after he’d fucked shit up.

“My uncle was an abusive drunk, but my father didn’t need alcohol to be an asshole.” Haltingly, Eagle told Link of the hell of his childhood. If he got it all out, perhaps he could put it behind him. He didn’t want to be a man like his father who said nasty shit to loved ones. Not like he’d said to Link that day when he’d found out about Mary and Tim. Remembering when he told Link to butt the fuck out of family business would haunt him for the rest of his life.

“Hey…” Link said softly. “I’m so sorry.” Link pulled him closer, and Eagle clutched the man to his chest.

“So, what did Mary say?” he asked gruffly, clearing his throat.

“She told me…‘Make up with Eagle.’” Link tried to mimic his aunt’s voice and failed miserably, but it made Eagle give a small laugh.

After a moment, Eagle grew serious.

“You never talk about your parents other than telling me your mom died when you were young.”

Link nodded and when he didn’t say anything, Eagle didn’t hesitate to ask. The time for secrets was over. They had to share about things, their pasts, and whatever the fuck else was going on in order to make this work.

“I know we agreed never to talk about our dads, but I need you to tell me,” Eagle said, and when Link spoke, it caught him off guard.

“I had a stepmom, Gemma. She was awesome. She was there when my dad walked out.”

“What?” Walked out? Link had never even hinted at that.

“Yeah, that was the reason I so quickly agreed we wouldn’t talk about it.” Link drew in a breath, situated the covers across his lap, and Eagle held his breath, waiting. “He was an alcoholic and abusive when he drank.”

Eagle’s heart squeezed when Link looked so sad. “I’m sorry.”

“Thanks. He bailed when I was thirteen and showed back up when I turned fifteen.”

Link grew quiet and Eagle waited him out.

“He was sober and asking for another chance.” Link shot up, tossed back the sheet, and stepped from the bed before Eagle could blink.

Yanking on tight gray briefs, Link went to the coffee pot and started coffee brewing. Eagle shoved the sheet aside and slid into a pair of jeans, not bothering to button them. He walked barefoot across the hotel room and sat at the small table near the counter with the coffee.

“What happened?” Eagle searched Link’s shadowed blue eyes.

Link sighed and then shrugged. “He came home.”

Turning back to the coffee, Link removed the cup and placed it on the table, and then started another one brewing.

Eagle took a sip and the last of his sleep fog faded. With his own cup in hand, Link sat in the other chair.

“Was he better?”

“Yeah, but…” Link closed his eyes. “I never forgave him. He was killed two months after my seventeenth birthday during a freak accident at the construction site where he worked.”

“Jesus, Link. I never knew that.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before.” Link rubbed at his lips.

“Hey.” Eagle reached over and lifted the man’s hand. “You have nothing to be sorry about.”

“He died thinking I hated him,” Link rasped, eyes on his cup.

Well fuck… now it all made sense. Link jumping to a drunken Tim’s defense, trying to give the guy another chance. Eagle let out a heavy sigh.

“I’m sorry, Link,” he said gruffly, and he would keep saying it. “And that’s why you stood up for my aunt’s neighbor.”

“Yeah, but it almost cost me you,” Link said, sounding suddenly broken.

“Hey,” Eagle said softly. “You’ll never get rid of me. You’re my haven.”

A sheen hit Link’s eyes and it sucked the air from Eagle’s lungs. He stood and came around the small table. Link lifted up and wrapped himself around him—arms and hips close, latching on to him as if he’d never let go.

“I love you,” Eagle whispered into Link’s hair, and his man nodded emphatically. “And I’m so fucking sorry I lost my temper that day. I was so scared of what Tim would do to my family. Then when you walked out, I was afraid you’d never forgive me.”

“I forgave you a while ago.” Link ran his fingers through Eagle’s hair.

“I’ll never speak to you like that again,” he said, holding Link tightly in his arms.

“You better not.” Link eased slightly away and quirked one eyebrow and Eagle smiled.

“I promise,” he vowed, took Link’s hand, and strode back to the bed. Once there, he lowered them down.

He had no more words and let his body do the talking.