Chapter Seven

While dressed in an uncomfortable but extremely expensive suit, Jupiter watched Boone get ready for the evening. He was very obviously dragging his feet. Meanwhile, Jupiter had his shoes on, ready to get this night over. Jupiter was nervous as fuck. He wanted to revert to his pjs in his anxiety. Instead, Boone had taken him shopping for the level of clothes Jupiter needed to fit in. That had been at Jupiter’s request. Boone hadn’t given a shit what Jupiter wore. He didn’t want to go. Neither did Jupiter, but here they were. Jupiter might as well attempt to be part of the family.

“You should wear that tie with the flamingo on it.”

Boone froze at Jupiter’s suggestion. He looked visibly uncomfortable. “Honestly, I should throw that one away. My ex bought it for me.”

Jupiter shrugged. “Oh.” Honestly, that didn’t bother him, but whatever. He just wanted Boone to get fucking dressed so they could go. “You’re making me extra anxious.”

Boone glanced his way. “Sorry. I just…”

He knew. Boone had made it more than clear he expected Jupiter would be done with him after tonight. “Maybe just trust me.”

A self-deprecating smile passed over Boone’s lips. “It’s not you. I’m aware you’re amazing.”

“Then trust that I can handle this. If it goes horribly wrong and I end up a mess, then you have an excuse to baby me when we get home. God knows I’m already fighting the urge to find my softest pjs and hide. I need to get this over.”

With a nod, Boone grabbed a tie and finished dressing. “I promise I’ll have us out of there as quickly as possible. When we get home, I’ll make us a bubble bath and we’ll get out your bath toys.”

Jupiter smiled at the image Boone painted. “I can’t wait.”

Boone squared his shoulders. “Let’s get this done.”

Together, they headed out. Jupiter didn’t know where Beau lived or how long the drive would take. During the ride, he kept stopping himself from chewing his nails. It was time to call on some acting skills. He could pretend to be a responsible adult. Boone pulled into the driveway of what could only be described as an estate. It wasn’t a house. The place had its own zip code. Jupiter hoped he didn’t hyperventilate. Thankfully, Banks’ car was there. So at least Jupiter knew one person here would like him.

Boone parked behind Banks and then circled the car to open Jupiter’s door. He took Jupiter’s hand as he helped him from the car. Boone didn’t let go. Jupiter was more thankful for that than he could express. As they headed up the front steps, the huge double doors opened. What looked to be armed guards welcomed them inside. Jupiter locked his back teeth to stop them from chattering. He was absolutely terrified. The darker side of Boone’s life was fully on display. He couldn’t pretend any longer this didn’t exist. The guards eyed him. Jupiter half expected to get searched. Boone blew past them with his head held high—like they were nothing. Like he had zero fear.

Jupiter’s attention was caught. The gross extravagance surrounding them disappeared. All Jupiter saw was Boone’s transformation. No longer was he the loving man who cuddled Jupiter at night. He was Boone Bosi. These armed men were beneath him. They were employees. Here, Boone was royalty. He was a dangerous stranger. Jupiter fought to get out of his head.

Forcing his gaze from Boone, Jupiter inspected the house. It was chandeliers and waxed wood. Gaudy wallpaper and overpriced art. It was pretense. Window dressing. The spoils of crime. All the furniture looked uncomfortable as fuck. Honestly, the place was exactly what Jupiter had pictured it would be. They didn’t stop moving until they came to some sort of conversation room. Banks leaned against a polished bar with a drink already in hand. He looked bored.

Beau lit as they came through the door. “Late, as always.” His smile didn’t match his chastisement. He focused on Jupiter. “But I see it was worth it. This much beauty takes time. Yet you make it look effortless.”

Jupiter felt Boone get tenser by the second. All he could do was try to be the friendly one. “Thank you. You’re looking very dashing tonight as well.”

“Don’t fluff his ego. He’s already a ridiculous old man.” The cold admonishment caught Jupiter off guard. He hadn’t noticed the middle-aged woman in the corner. She was oddly dressed, almost identical to the chaise where she sat. Even though she blended perfectly into the background, Jupiter was still stunned by her beauty.

Beau motioned her way, as if she was an afterthought. “My wife.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m Boone’s mother, Tabitha.”

Jupiter flashed her a sweet smile. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“This is Jupiter,” Boone provided.

Her gaze never wavered from him. It was almost eerie. She didn’t have the same dark eyes as Boone. Yet her light green eyes still cut to a person’s soul. “That’s a silly name.”

“Behave.” Boone’s growl had Jupiter shifting from one foot to the other, fighting the urge to dance with anxiety.

Tabitha snorted. “It’s not as if he named himself, so I’m hardly insulting the boy. He is very beautiful. I’ll give him that much. Of course, I wouldn’t expect less from anyone in this house.” She tossed back a glass of whiskey before loudly setting the glass aside. “The men here do love a good boy half their age.”

Okay. Boone was right. This would be horrible.

Tabitha stood. “Let’s eat before Banks blacks out.”

Jupiter shot a look Banks’ way. He did look rather fucked up already.

Banks winked and followed his mom from the room. Sometimes, Jupiter wondered how much of Banks’ bullshit was an act.

Boone squeezed Jupiter’s hand. Jupiter squeezed back. He could do this. They followed the family into a formal dining room. The table was set and the food actually smelled delicious. Of course, he didn’t expect less from a family of excess. Boone pulled out a chair, placing Jupiter between Banks and him. Jupiter’s shoulders relaxed a hair. Things got even easier when he seemed to be immediately forgotten. Tabitha focused solely on drinking. Beau spoke solely to Boone. It was all business Jupiter tried not to hear. Banks ate like he gave no fucks about any of it. Jupiter tried to do the same. He only recognized half the food because he loved to cook. It seemed they had a high-dollar chef. Jupiter lost himself in sampling everything and trying to decipher each recipe by taste alone. It was something he did on awkward dinner dates to calm his mind. Honestly, he didn’t think things were going horribly. More than anything, everyone just seemed fake. That thought had Jupiter looking around the table. His curiosity was piqued.

At the restaurant, when it was just the men, they seemed more relaxed. He wondered what it was about being here that changed things. His gaze skimmed the room. Surely it wasn’t Tabitha. She didn’t seem to even notice they were there. There were strategically placed guards, but they were damn near invisible in their silence. While the place felt too stifled to be a true home, Jupiter didn’t understand why Boone thought this would be the end of them.

Silence fell over the room. Jupiter felt Boone stiffen next to him. Jupiter’s gaze shot in every direction, trying to figure out what happened. The most beautiful man Jupiter had ever seen bounced into the room. Cat ears donned his head, sticking out from his dark curls. His eyes shone bright with mischief as he obviously reveled in having all eyes on him. He wore a matching set of fire truck pajamas and bunny slippers. The ears flopped with every step he took. Everyone stared at him except Boone. Boone kept his gaze locked dead ahead. Rage bled from him.

“There’s my kitten.”

Jupiter was stunned speechless by not only the new arrival but Beau’s claim. His gaze slid toward Tabitha. She was trying to shake the last drops of whiskey from her glass, seemingly oblivious. Maybe this was a third brother Jupiter hadn’t met.

The way the guy stared at Boone as he headed their way made Jupiter’s stomach hurt. As he passed behind them, he dragged his hand along Boone’s shoulders and nape. A muscle jumped in Boone’s jaw.

Beau pushed his chair back.

The guy plopped down on his lap. “You didn’t wake me from my nap for dinner, Daddy.”

Beau kissed him. “I know you need your sleep.”

Jupiter’s horror was sky high. He honestly wanted to puke. Jupiter thought it couldn’t get worse. Then it did.

The guy’s sparkling green gaze locked on Boone. “You’re not wearing the flamingo tie I gave you. Disappointing.”

Well, fuck. Jupiter officially wanted to die.

The guy immediately dismissed Boone again. His hand ran inside Beau’s jacket. “How long will this take? You promised me cookies.”

“For fuck’s sake, Adan. Stop acting like a thirsty whore at the dinner table. Just because I let you fuck my husband doesn’t mean you can do so during a family dinner. Find a goddamn chair or get out.”

Adan stuck out his bottom lip at Tabitha’s lecture, but he dutifully moved from Beau’s lap to a chair that Beau immediately moved as closely as possible to him. Unfortunately, while his ass changed locations, his hands didn’t. He very obviously fondled Beau beneath the table. Yet he looked at Boone.

Banks surprised Jupiter by squeezing his hand. He had been so quiet, Jupiter had forgotten he was there. Boone was like a goddamn statue. He didn’t eat or look at anyone. Jupiter wanted to walk out and not look back.

“Who are you?”

Jupiter had lost himself worrying about Boone. He hadn’t noticed Adan staring at him. Jupiter opened his mouth, unsure of what to say to the hate-filled question.

“He’s Boone's new boy, Jupiter.” Beau sounded bored with the topic.

Adan’s gaze moved over Jupiter, openly inspecting him. “He put you in a suit. Look at you playing big boy dress-up.”

Beau laughed.

Jupiter refused to show an ounce of weakness. He had a thousand comebacks, but he didn’t want to embarrass Boone. Instead, he kept it simple. “Look at you.” He let Adan fill in the blanks for himself.

Banks laughed.

Boone stood and tossed his napkin on the table. He moved to his mother’s side. She tilted her cheek his way, unconcerned by everything. He kissed the offered cheek. “Lovely to see you, as always, Mother.”

Her gaze finally locked on Boone. If Jupiter wasn’t mistaken, a hint of sympathy flitted across her features. A silent message passed between them.

“Don’t ruin dinner, Boone.”

Boone ignored his father. He took Jupiter’s hand and helped him from the table. “Good luck, Banks.”

Banks held up his whiskey glass in a bit of a salute. Jupiter tried like hell not to look at anyone as Boone practically dragged him from the room. They made it to the car. Jupiter was in the passenger seat with the door closed when Beau bore down on Boone.

“It’s been a goddamn decade, Boone. You can’t keep avoiding your childhood home and family over this.”

Jupiter wanted to pretend he didn’t hang on every word, but he literally leaned closer to watch every detail.

“It’s fine, Dad. Go back inside and humiliate your wife. I just want to go home.”

“For fuck’s sake. No one is humiliating your mom. She couldn’t care less what I do. She’s been here for the money since day one. Adan is here for love.”

Boone’s snort was the ugliest sound Jupiter had ever heard.

Beau motioned toward the car. “You have a new Little. There’s no reason we can’t let this go and get back to being a normal family.”

“We’ve never been a normal family!” Boone’s angry yell made Jupiter jump. He had never heard Boone like this. Boone motioned wildly toward the house. “What about this is normal? Normal people don’t turn their wife and youngest son into junkies. Normal people don’t steal their son’s fiancé.”

“None of that is fair. I’ve given all of you everything and I didn’t steal Adan. We just… we just fell in love.” He sounded defeated.

Jupiter felt like Beau sounded. Being abandoned by his parents suddenly didn’t look so bad.

Boone swiped his hand through his hair. “It’s fine, Dad. Go back to him. I promised Jupiter a bubble bath.”

Beau’s gaze slid his way before moving back to Boone. “All right. We’ll plan dinner for another night.”

Jupiter rubbed his chest. This was a bad place. He wanted to go home. Tears burned at the backs of his eyes. It truly seemed like this Adan guy had been the one for Boone. Why else would Boone still care? He wanted his things back home. His blankets and bears. The anxious feeling inside grew bigger by the second. This was adult stuff. Someone had to take it from him before he melted down. Adan was so pretty. Fuck.

Boone climbed behind the wheel. He didn’t start the car. He clutched his head. Jupiter’s full focus shifted. His anxiety vanished. He tore open the glove box and found a bottle of pills. Jupiter shook one out.

“Take this.”

Boone dutifully popped the pill into his mouth. Jupiter dug around until he found half a pack of cigarettes that smelled exactly like the cigars Boone smoked. There was a lighter tucked inside. Jupiter lit one. He immediately choked on the smoke.

“Take this too,” Jupiter ordered through a coughing fit. He couldn’t let Boone get so bad he was bedridden again.

Boone stared at nothing and smoked.

Jupiter watched him. “It’s no wonder you have migraines.”

Boone didn’t laugh like he hoped. “I have migraines because I caught my fiancé blowing my dad, and I put a bullet in my brain.”

Jupiter’s mind stuttered to a stop. Banks had told him Boone had been shot in the head. He hadn’t said Boone had been the one to do it. “Oh.” Jupiter twisted his fingers in his lap, trying to stay in control. “I guess you really love him.”

“No. I really loved my dad.”

The pain that sideswiped Jupiter was massive. He heard the hurt in Boone, and it broke him.

Boone kept his gaze locked straight ahead, staring at nothing. “I know this is a fucked-up family, but despite what people see, I used to have an amazing father. Everything he’s ever done has been for this family. He gave us everything. He’s right. It’s been a decade. I should’ve already let this go, but every time I step foot in this house…” He shook his head.

Jupiter got it. He had been betrayed by one of the very few people he trusted. Someone he never dreamed would do such a thing. Worse than that, Beau now openly flaunted Adan, as if he hadn’t done this horrible thing to his son. Boone had almost died over this, and still Adan mattered more. Beau’s greed mattered more.

“Do you want me to go back in there and pull Adan’s hair?”

Boone finally looked his way. He wasn’t smiling, but he looked a little less dead.

“I could bite him. He looks like the wimpy type. I’ve spent a lot of years carrying heavy serving trays. I could punch him in the eye.”

Boone shook his head. A small smile played on his lips. “It’s okay, baby. I appreciate it, but I don’t give a shit about Adan. He saw dollar signs and an opportunity. People don’t cheat because they found someone better. They cheat because they found someone weaker. He could never manipulate me the way he does Dad. I’m so sorry you came here.”

Jupiter’s hands lifted and fell. “It’s okay. I suppose a part of me kind of always knew I wasn’t good enough to catch your eye. It was never in the cards for me to fully own your heart. It’s okay. I’m used to being alone. Don’t feel bad for not loving me the way you wanted. It’s not your failure. It’s just me. I’m not lovable enough to make people stay.” Even Jupiter heard the resignation in his voice. This was just life for him. At least, for a little while, he had gotten to dream. Despite what he said, Boone had tried to kill himself over Adan. Jupiter would never be special like him. He wouldn’t be the one.

Boone’s expression was completely closed to him. “Is that really what you think? Do you honestly believe anything going on with my fucked-up family could possibly dampen the way I feel about you? The night you showed up and nearly killed yourself with drugs you can’t handle, just to save me, you truly saved me. I realized how completely stupid I had been to even date Adan all those years ago. He was the first Little I had ever encountered. Meeting him forced me to see myself and accept my daddy side. But that was just life, preparing me for you. You’re my person. My baby boy. You’re the one place I don’t hurt. You’re my home. I love you so much that it makes me want to tear my skin off when we’re apart. It would kill me if you decided you don’t want this.”

Jupiter had been fighting tears since the moment he learned Boone had tried to end his own life. Seeing the desperation now, in such a strong man, broke Jupiter. He swiped at the tears running down his cheeks. “I want you. Our relationship, us, we’re everything to me. I was only half joking earlier. You have no idea how much I want to go back inside and tear this place down. How dare anyone hurt you? You deserve so much better.”

“You are better. You’re so much better than anyone I’ve ever met. Nothing else matters to me anymore but us.”

Jupiter linked fingers with him. The smoke in the car had him lightheaded, but Boone needed him. “I love you. Can we crack a window?”

A bark of laughter burst from Boone. He started the car and hit the button to lower the window. “Let’s go, baby. There’s nothing here for us.”

Jupiter didn’t know if that was totally true. In spite of everything, Boone obviously loved his family, but Jupiter would be happy to be his family too. Boone and him against the world. There was no place Jupiter wouldn’t go with him.

Boone wasn’t in the right headspace to go home, nor could he face The PlayPen. He wanted to be somewhere that felt like it had only ever been touched by Jupiter and him. That was how they ended up at the playground.

Hand in hand, they made their way to the swings. Jupiter motioned for Boone to sit. “Let me push you for once.”

“I’d probably break it.”

Jupiter released a loud sigh. “You won’t break it. Sometimes it’s my job to take care of you.”

Boone gingerly sat, listening for any sign he might stress the chains. Thankfully, it held him.

Jupiter kissed his ear. “Good boy.”

“That’s my line.”

“Not tonight.” Jupiter pushed.

Boone used his feet to help him get started. He was too heavy for Jupiter to handle alone. The longer he swung, the less his chest hurt. His head still pounded a little, but the fresh air helped. Jupiter really was the best part of his life. He had felt bitter and very alone for a long time. Boone had gone through the motions and played the dutiful son while avoiding all the triggers he could.

Tonight, he had felt dangerously close to losing the new life they built. The walls had been closing in around him. He’d felt the confusion and hurt emanating from Jupiter, and he hadn’t known how to stop it. Boone had wanted to scream and rant. He had already done those things. His feelings had never mattered to anyone but him.

Boone dragged his feet, stopping the swing. He mattered to Jupiter. Boone stood. When he turned, Jupiter looked so serious and beautiful. He looked at Boone with love etched in his every feature. They were real. They were the only family he truly needed. He took Jupiter’s hand and led him to sit. With Jupiter filling the swing, Boone hovered over him, holding his hands.

“The first time I pushed you on this swing, that was the first time in years that I had a spark of life inside me. Then my hands touched yours. For a moment, I was paralyzed. I couldn’t breathe. Now I know that was life, forcing me to be still and feel. To recognize you as my other half.”

There were tears in Jupiter’s eyes.

Boone needed him to only shed happy tears for the rest of his life. They were it for each other. Boone dropped to his knees. “Tell me you’ll love me forever, no matter what.”

“I’ll love you forever, no matter what.” Jupiter’s voice quivered with power. He meant every word.

“Marry me.”

Tears rolled down Jupiter’s cheeks. “Okay.” Jupiter fell forward and pressed his forehead against Boone’s. He sniffled. His eyes were closed, as if he absorbed everything about Boone. “You have no idea how empty and alone I felt before you. How touch starved. When you covered my hands that night, I begged God for it not to stop.”

Boone swallowed past a lump in his throat. They were so alike. Meant for each other. “I’ll never stop.”

Time passed and neither of them moved. They just held on. This was where they had started. It was like they imprinted the place with love. They were the phoenix born from the ashes of his world. Boone would treasure Jupiter until the day he died. This was all he needed.