10. Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

They didn't have time to talk again until the kids were sleeping and they snuck out to sit on the steps. "Mafia, right?"

"Here," Silvio said to Prince and handed him his phone. "Got that for you. Sabrina wants it back in the morning."

Prince got on his phone and searched, finding what he wanted immediately. He read, " The Kings, or I Re, in Italian, are an organized crime family mainly running under the radar of law enforcement by keeping killings and blood feuds to a minimum. In recent years, they have been running off the grid, but are thought to be merged with another, possibly larger, group ."

"Holy shit," Silvio breathed.

"That tattoo we saw, it was far away, but this is it," Prince said as he showed Silvio the picture. It was an Italian horn with a crown on top, a red, white, and green ribbon in front of it and on the ribbon were the words Loyalty, Honor, Respect, Pride.

"That's their family tattoo? Kinda cool."

"Cool? They're mobsters."

"Yeah. What? You've never seen The Godfather? Scarface?"

"Have you?" Prince laughed and said, "They weren't feel-good movies, Sil!"

"No, but how cool is that? You're being recruited by the mob. Man, you are gonna be rich and powerful."

"Or, if I don't do whatever they want, as in breaking multiple laws, I'm guessing, they could just…bury me with the fishes or whatever the fuck they do."

"Cement galoshes?"

"See! And unless you haven't noticed, we're next to a lake. I could be at the bottom of it if I don't take this job."

"But…you're taking it. I already see that. Maybe they sent the right guy to talk you into it."

Prince thought of Dex and could still feel the touch of his fingertip running down his face. "Yeah, good choice. They did their research just knowing I'm gay. I didn't advertise it."

"Folks religious?"

He laughed in derision. "No. Far from it unless you count the religion of being rich. My father considers himself an alpha male. He's old as hell, but had two trophy wives in a row. My stepmother is like thirty years younger than him."

"Pretty?"

Prince got in his phone photos and found one of the few of his father and Tory he had.

He whistled quietly. "Pretty. Very."

"Yeah, but she's not exactly motherly. I hardly see her. If she's home and I am, she doesn't wake until noon, then takes four hours getting ready for the day or rather, the night. She has an entourage to do her hair and makeup, a stylist to pick out her outfits."

"Rich people. Jesus," he said, then his head spun to Prince. "Sorry."

"No, it's true. I like having money. I won't lie, but this place has shown me it isn't everything. I wish I had you all, all the time, you know?"

"I get it, Prince, but you can't live for summers. I tell these kids the same. You have to take what you love about this place and these people and search for that in the life you have back home. Take a little of it with you and make it grow everywhere you go."

"You're wise," Prince said with a wink. "Forget being a doctor. Be one of those gurus, you know, you could have a place like this and collect people, and?"

"Shut the fuck up," Silvio said, laughing as he pushed Prince. "You're such a dick."

"I can be sure, but I also appreciate everything you've done for me already. And…I promise to take your advice. I'm going to take a little piece of this camp with me."

"And call me and tell me how your mobster wedding is. You know, instead of a priest, you'll have a godfather presiding."

"You're hilarious!"

"I know."

Parents' weekend arrived and the entire camp was running around, trying to prepare for the bus bringing most of the parents to the camp. The others were coming on their own, but so far, very few wouldn't be there.

Kat's was one of the unfortunate ones whose parents couldn't make it. "They're both working," he confessed to Prince.

"Mine too, so we'll hang out together today."

"You don't have to," he said dejectedly.

"I don't have to. I want to."

Nat's eyes brightened, but he still pretended he didn't mind being alone. "I can use my computer today."

"How about this? I'll get mine too, and we'll go into the boathouse and hang out there on our computers."

"Okay. If you're sure."

That didn't last long, as Monnie came running over to Nat and Prince, grabbing Nat's hand. "My mama said she was bringing donuts and candy and all kinds of stuff. Come on!"

Nat looked at Prince and mouthed, "Sorry."

"Have fun you guys!"

Silvio ran over to Prince, his eyes darting back from the way he'd come. "What's going on?"

"Um, Prince…the parents are arriving."

"I know. I was just gonna head over and make sure it ran smoothly with the rest of you. Why?"

"Well, a really clean, pretty black car just pulled up right after the bus."

Prince's neck screamed at him in pain as he jerked his head in the direction of the parking area. "Are you kidding me?"

"I figured it had to be Toby's folks, but the parents of the counselors rarely come, and when they do, well…"

Prince left him standing there while he took off in a run to the parking area, and once he was there, he saw Leonard Rose getting out of his Bentley. "Holy fuck."

Silvio was beside him. "Is it?"

"Yes. Yes, it is."

He'd never gotten back to his father after the video had been placed on the internet. Prince knew that was why he was there. He walked over cautiously. Finally, catching his father's attention when he scraped the dirt and gravel with his shoe.

"Prince, there you are," Leonard said, walking over to him in his five-thousand-dollar suit.

"Dad, what are you doing here?"

"I was invited," his father said.

"By whom?"

"Not you," he sneered. "Why is that?"

"This is my job. Why would I invite you to visit me at my job?"

Leonard pointed to a picnic table under some trees right off the parking area. "Let's sit."

As much as he wanted to be suspicious, he felt a strange feeling moving through him. He didn't know who had invited him, but he was there. He'd never come to anything for Prince before, so he didn't know why he'd start then.

They sat across from one another after Leonard slapped his handkerchief over the seat. "Dad, it's good to see you, but I'm just surprised."

"As was I when I found out you were taking this job. Really, Prince, why this? You could have and should have come to me and started an internship at the company."

He didn't want to argue with his father. "Sure, Dad, next summer, sure. Come and let me show you around."

"I came to bring you home, Prince. This is not…" He looked around the camp, what he could see of it, anyway, and his face pinched like he was smelling feces. "It's not for you. Go get your things."

"Dad, I'm sorry, but I'm staying. I like it here."

His father was a handsome older man. His skin was mostly smooth, with the only lines around his eyes and between his brows. Those were from frowning, Prince thought. He saw a lot of frowning.

His manicured nails clicked over the wood of the table, signaling Leonard was becoming irritated. "How can you possibly like it here?"

"I have friends, I like the work, I like it. Do I need to give you reasons?"

"Friends? Did these friends post that disgusting, humiliating video of you?"

There it was. The real reason he'd come. "No, definitely not a friend. In fact, he's gone out of his way to become an enemy."

"Oh? Maybe, if you hadn't chosen…people that aren't in your class, you would have made the right kind of friends."

Prince had lost all hope his father had missed him and that was the reason for the visit. No, he was there because he was humiliated. It was as if he were the one who was caught without clothes. "So, let me guess, Toby somehow got in touch with you and gave you this story that he tried to befriend me, and I was, what? Rude to him?"

"Something like that. I want you to apologize."

Prince rose from the bench seat as he said, "Go home, Dad. Go home to Tory. She enjoys you being a snob. I don't."

"Prince, you sit down this instant!"

"Dad, why couldn't you just come and…?" He lost all energy to finish. His father wouldn't listen or care.

He walked away from his father, knowing he'd likely try to cut him off all his money. He thought Prince was like him, and only interested in his bottom line.

As he walked toward the camp, he saw the smiling faces of children with their parents, dragging them to see this or that, excitement and laughter, a song in the air that washed over him and made him long for the same.

Long for something he'd never have.

He couldn't take all the smiling eyes and happy voices, so he ran, and as he did, the blood pounding in his ears, his heavy breathing, and his shoes hitting the hard-packed dirt of the trail blocked out the noise of the camp.

Running, the memories in his mind taking over, all the time as a child he'd reach for his father, only for a nanny to come and take him away from his busy father. The begging he'd do to show Leonard what he was working on and how he could contribute to the family, only to be ignored. His father's face, always scowling at him, turning from him, or not there at all…

Not knowing where to go, his feet took over and before he realized he was going there, he was in front of the cabin where Dex Monarco was staying. He didn't have it in him to knock. If the door didn't open, he figured he'd slink off into the woods and hide out until all the happy families were gone from the camp.

But it opened. The door swung open, and Dex stood there, his brows drawn hard, eyes soft but worried. "What's wrong?"

He couldn't speak. Hell, he could barely breathe. He moved to Dex and fell against him right in the doorway.

Before he knew it, Dex's arms were around him and as soon as he felt that kind embrace, the tears that had been threatening flowed. He sobbed like he'd lost his mind, but Dex didn't push him away in revulsion like he thought might happen. No, he was brought into the cabin, and he heard the door close right before he was taken to the couch and Dex sat down, pulling Prince onto his lap.

He was held like a child, and maybe that was what he needed most. Prince sobbed against Dex's big shoulder, being cradled, and he felt Dex's lips on his forehead, tender kisses placed there while he quietly held Prince until his sobs subsided.

That's when Prince realized what he'd done and he pulled away from Dex, his face so hot, he figured a steak could cook on it. "I'm…god, I'm really sorry."

He started to climb off Dex's lap, but he was shocked when Dex pulled him back. "Not so fast."

Dex caught his face with both hands, pulling him just enough and closing the distance after, but when his lips pressed against Prince's, Prince was too surprised to move or return the kiss…at first.

When the kiss went on, Prince's eyes closed and his lips moved against Dex's, and Dex's hand moved to his shoulder, pulling him closer, deepening the kiss just enough to warm Prince right through to his bones.

The kiss regretfully ended, but Dex didn't let him get far. "I'm not sorry for that. If anyone in world history needed kissing, it was you when I opened that door."

Prince turned his head away, embarrassed. "You must think I'm immature and ridiculous."

"No. I think you're sad. Care to tell me why?"

Dex's voice was like a beacon in the stormy sea. "No way. I will not bother you with my stupid problems."

Again, he tried to move off Dex's lap, but again, he wasn't allowed. Dex held him solidly and whispered, "Talk to me, Prince. Tell me what happened."

It was over when Prince looked into his dark blue, caring eyes. He was lost in them, but what was remarkable, he barely remembered what had made him sad. At that moment, there was nothing that could touch him. There was nothing that could hurt him. He'd never felt that way in his life.

"Talk."

"It was…it was my father. He came to parents' weekend."

"Isn't that good?"

"You'd think, right?"

Dex's hand came up to his face and his thumb ran over his cheek, brushing away a new tear. "Yeah, it should have been. How could anyone make you cry like that? It would never happen on my watch."

"Your watch?"

Dex placed his hand on Prince's thigh, and his hand so big, and Prince's thigh so thin that Dex's hand wrapped around almost half of it. "Yeah. My watch, Prince. I came here to offer you a job, but…but I discovered I want more than that. I want to take care of you, and it's stupid and I don't even know you, but I feel like I do."

Prince felt the same way, and it was insane. Dex's face felt familiar to him, the way he felt when his arms wrapped around Prince felt familiar too. No one had ever embraced him that way. Even old boyfriends.

He was allowed to climb off Dex, but he didn't get far. He slid over to sit by him as they both grew quiet. Finally, cutting through the awkward silence, Dex got up and said, "I'm gonna make you some tea. My mom always does that when people are upset."

The tea kettle whistled in minutes and Dex was back in the living room, holding his hand down to Prince. "Let's go to the table, drink a cup of tea, and talk."

He let himself be pulled to his feet, but Dex didn't let go of his hand until they'd taken a few steps. Sitting in chairs next to one another, Dex waited for Prince to tell his story, but he'd done enough whining.

"It's…been my whole life. I don't want to think about it, let alone talk about it."

"Okay, then let's talk about something else."

"Like the fact you're in the mob?"

Dex had brought the cup halfway to his mouth, but he froze once Prince had asked the question. Prince thought for sure he was in for it, so he was surprised when Dex laughed and said, "Oh, you found me out, huh? Or should I say, you and your friends found me out."

"You're not denying it?"

Dex winked and said, "Oh, right! No, I'm not in the mob. No!"

He was being completely sarcastic. Prince laughed a little, never dreaming he'd confirm it. "You want me to be in the mob, too?"

"We're not handing you a Tommy gun and asking you to settle scores for us when our boss is baptizing his godson."

Prince didn't get the reference. "Excuse me?"

"The Godfather?"

"Oh. Oh, right."

While Prince tried to drink his tea to hide his embarrassment, Dex saw it anyway. As Dex pinched his cheek gently, he said, "You're cute when you blush."

He sipped noisily, something that would have made his father lose his mind, then delicately set the cup back on the table. "Are you flirting with me?"

More deep laughter that was so sexy, Prince had to cross his legs to try to keep his dick from getting hard. "Would you like me to stop?"

"You deny nothing, do you?"

"Why should I? I saw your picture when I got the research. I liked your face, liked your brains, saw in you things I liked beyond that. Then I came here, saw you and thought, damn, he's beautiful and needs someone to hold him through the hard times. Is that so wrong? Isn't that how people meet and like each other?"

"Not really, not now."

"Oh, right," he said, slurping his tea and laughing as he set it on the table. "I didn't meet you online and like all your posts. I could, I suppose, but it would take time."

Prince was laughing then, and it felt good. "I don't like social media. You didn't do your research."

"You're on all the main platforms and a few of the not-so-popular ones, but no, you post little. That says a lot too, Prince. Maybe I have advanced in my…my company because I am good at reading people. I read you, without ever meeting you, and that's not fair. But it is what it is. I found I liked you. When I came here, I liked you more. Whether or not you take the job, I'm glad I came."

Honesty wasn't easy in situations involving others. He'd hidden himself for so long, it didn't feel natural, but he pushed himself regardless. "I'm glad too. And I will…I will tell you that even if I hadn't wanted the job, which, I was seriously considering, pending the acquisition of more of the facts…"

"Of course."

He'd found his smile, and it felt like a crown on his head, like he was finally living up to his name. "I would have liked you even if I hadn't wanted the job. Better?"

"Better. I, uh, think that you should hear more about the job, and I'll let you decide that. As for the rest…we have some time to explore. And I'd like to explore."

Prince felt himself flush again, which only made Dex smile.

"That's not what I meant, though…I'm not opposed to it by any means."

Prince had to change the subject. Crossing his legs wouldn't work for long. "Tell me about the job, then."

"Right," he said with a laugh. "It's a good job. It's made Neil very rich."

"Neil…I know of two Neils that dropped off the radar in hacker circles like…over ten years ago. One was a genius, nearly equal to my mother. I think his name was Neil Harrison."

Dex turned away to stare into his teacup, but Prince caught his smile.

"So, that's the one I'd be replacing."

"He's a good man, but he deserves to have a real life without missing his son's first steps or his daughter's first words. Whichever is born to them."

"I suppose anyone does, as long as they treat their kid right."

Dex reached over to Prince's hand that was on the table. After taking it, giving it a squeeze, he said, "We all deserve that, Prince."