Chapter Thirty-Five

Tommy

Five Years Ago

Jackson found me sitting on the roof outside his bedroom window. It didn’t matter that he didn’t live here anymore. This would always be his room. Both he and my parents had suggested I move into it, take it over, and make it mine, but I didn’t want that. I suspected my parents didn’t really want that either because everything was still the way he left it. The hockey posters, the television, nothing had changed. Mom cleaned it once a week and had put clean sheets on the bed this morning.

“This is a blast from the past.” Jackson sat down next to me, and wrapped his arms around his legs as he planted his feet flat against the roof. “I spent a lot of time out there.”

I smiled. “It’s peaceful.” I wanted to ask him about Maverick, especially after the disastrous Mulligan show the other night, but I didn’t. Jackson looked tired, his dark eyes holding a hint of something I had never seen before.

Loneliness.

“How’s Blake?” Jackson nudged my shoulder before he leaned back onto his hands. “You still need my help?”

Guilt twisted inside my head. “Please.” I chewed on my bottom lip.

“And his mom?”

“Expects Blake to take care of her.”

Jackson hummed softly. “This might blow up in your face, Tom. Are you prepared for that?”

“I’ll do anything for Blake. He’s my reason for living. I need him to spread his wings, Jax. If he ends up hating me because I saved his future, then at least I know I did something good with my life.” I glanced over to find my brother’s dark eyes, the ones that were identical to mine, shimmering with tears. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Jackson shook his head. “Nope.” He tried to smile, but a couple of tears escaped and slipped down his cheeks. He turned and brushed them away.

“Mav’s not good.” I didn’t want to hurt my brother, but he had to know. “He’s—”

“Don’t,” Jackson warned, his voice thick and heavy. “Maverick made his decision.” He sighed softly as he dragged a hand through his curls. “You said you found a place that could take Blake’s mom when she was released from the hospital.”

I had so many questions. What did that mean, Maverick made his decision? I let my gaze drift down to the empty street, watching a couple stroll by, holding hands.

“Yeah, it’s in Florida. They have a room they can hold for her.” I’d reached out to them this morning, saying that my mother-in-law needed the help. “I emailed you in the information.”

Jackson lifted his hip and removed his phone. He didn’t say anything as he read over what I had sent him. What if it was too much money? What if he didn’t want to spend it all on Blake’s mom if she might relapse? He had acted like it wasn’t a big deal, that he didn’t need all the money he had made, but I was still worried.

“This is a nice place,” Jax commented. “You’re doing a good thing here, Tom. She’s going to get the help she needs, and Blake will get his life back. Are you willing to sacrifice your relationship for this? I mean, if he leaves, he might not want you anymore. He could find someone else.”

My throat grew tight. “That’s a risk I’m willing to take.”

“You love him.” Jackson’s voice was thick with sadness.

I nodded. “With every fiber of my being.”

“Then let me do this for both of you. My brother and future brother-in-law.” Jackson chuckled softly, but once again, his eyes gave him away. I wished he would talk to me. Just confess everything he was going through, so I could at least try to help. Or be a shoulder for him to cry on.

I rolled my eyes. “Maybe.”

“Nah, you two are going to make it,” Jackson murmured, and I wondered if he was trying to confess something to me without saying it. “I’d like to have that someday.”

I wanted that for him, too. “You dating anyone?”

“Trying. Wyatt and I fooled around the other night, but it was weird. I mean, the sex was good, but we decided we’re better off as friends,” he confessed.

My brows shot up. “Wyatt Murray?” I knew they had grown close since becoming teammates, but I hadn’t realized it was like that.

“That would be him. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a great guy, but not someone I could picture settling down with. And he’s in love with someone else.”

“You want someone who’s what, not nice?”

Jax shrugged. “I don’t know what I want anymore.” He started to turn around to climb back in through the window. “Don’t let him get away from you, Tom. If you love Blake, really love him, and want a future with him, fight for that. What the two of you have is special.”

My heart broke for my brother. I knew he missed Maverick. Whatever had happened between the two of them had changed them both. If I asked him point blank about it, would Jackson tell me, or would he act like he had no idea what I was talking about? The nights they had hidden in his room. When they held each other’s pinkies when they thought no one was watching. The way they stared at one another across the room. I knew they had been more than friends.

“Tommy!” Blake called up to me from the driveway as he headed up toward the house, his guitar case strung across his back.

My face broke into an easy smile as I waved back. “I’ll be right down.”

“Stay right there. I’m coming to you, Gretzky,” he shouted back, and so I waited for him. It felt like forever before he finally appeared in the window behind me.

Blake crawled out onto the roof and right into my lap, his hands immediately gliding through my hair. He kissed me hard, and his needy tongue swept through my mouth. He moaned when I nipped his fat bottom lip, my hands slipping beneath his shirt. I felt goosebumps break out over his skin before he nuzzled his face against my neck.

“You want to talk about it?” I whispered, but Blake shook his head. “You want to go inside?”

He shook his head again. “I just want to stay with you like this for a bit. I like having your arms around me. It makes me feel safe.” His lips brushed over my skin. “Maverick and Killian had a huge falling out tonight.”

“What happened?” I kissed his hair.

Blake pulled back to look at me. “Kill was off again tonight. Missing lyrics and checking his phone. Like he didn’t want to be there. Mav ended up inviting those girls who had come to the show the other night.”

I growled. “Did he now?” Rage filtered through me.

“Down, killer,” Blake teased before he pressed his mouth against mine again. “Maverick accused Killian of going out with Matty, called him something I won’t repeat, then it got ugly. Killian smashed Mav’s nose in and tried to choke him to death. They acted like they hate one another.”

Jesus Christ. They were both out of control. “To be fair, Mav acts like he hates everyone. I’m sorry.” I meant it, too. They were supposed to be his bandmates and friends, not guys who hated one another and made shit unbearable to be around.

“You don’t have to be sorry, Tommy. You didn’t do anything. I do appreciate your support, though.” He put his head against my shoulder. “Jax looks like shit.”

I snorted. “Did you tell him that?”

“No, but is he all right? I mean, he looks exhausted. He smiled at me, but it didn’t reach his eyes. Like he was just going through the motions.” Blake played with the neckline of my shirt. “We won’t end up like that, will we?”

My stomach twisted. “No, never, Bug. What we have is forever. We’re going to live happily ever after.” I meant, too.

“Forever,” Blake echoed.

His lips brushed over my skin, and then he nipped playfully at me. My cock perked up in my pants. Blake kissed his way up to my mouth and then we were lost in the moment. Heavy breathing, soft whimpers, and Blake rocking against my hips as he tried to take what he wanted from me.

“I love you,” I murmured, then sucked a hickey behind one ear and then the other. Two matching clues that he was taken.

He groaned. “I love you, too.”

“We should probably go inside before we give the neighborhood a free show,” I teased.

“Will you touch me, Tommy?” Blake whispered into the dark.

I nodded. “Where?”

“Everywhere,” he begged.