Chapter 4

4

Thomas

Sam is sleeping.

Thomas’s text wasn’t unexpected, just sooner than he’d anticipated.

River

Kacey too. Casey? K.C.?

Thomas

I have no idea

River

Is Sam okay?

Sam had been pretty beat up, but River was more concerned about his mental state. The boy had been fried.

Thomas

A little jumpy. We’ll work it out.

River gave Thomas a second to come back and ask about Kacey, but he didn’t. It wasn’t often he’d seen Thomas this angry. Probably better he not say anything until he’d cooled off.

River

Good to hear.

Thomas

Thanks for taking the kid.

Hm. Well, that was something anyway.

River

You’re welcome.

He wasn’t used to this dynamic. Things were rarely so… up in the air in his universe. He had a strange boy in his guest room, with nothing but a T-shirt and a pair of blue jeans and cowboy boots with holes in the soles. Thomas was furious, Sam seemed confused, and Kacey was… lost.

If the sub, Kyle, had shown, he would have missed it all.

Tomorrow, he’d probably wish he had. He wasn’t convinced he was going to be able to send Kacey back to Thomas and Sam even if the boys worked it out. He wasn’t a babysitter, though, so either Kacey went back, or the kid was going to have to…

He’d just have to…

Fuck a duck.

River considered taking his coffee to the bar and adding some whiskey to it.

He knew he couldn’t do it. He couldn’t toss this beat-to-hell clearly broken kid with nowhere to go out into the street. He’d been raised better than that.

No, he was just going to have to convince the kid to let him send him home. Somewhere that he’d get into less trouble, fewer fights, and have a chance. He didn’t understand what a cowboy was doing up here anyway. Why of all places on Earth would a cowboy choose New York City? So much noise, so much traffic, so many people… wouldn’t he just get lost up here?

That was a question for Thomas.

River

Do you know why Kacey is in NYC?

Thomas

Sam says he was outed and beat to hell. Lost everything and ran the opposite way of the cowboys

River

Jesus, really?

Well, fuck a whole fucking raft of ducks. He couldn’t send Kacey home now.

Thomas

It’s rarely a vacation when a rodeo cowboy shows up here.

River

damn

He couldn’t imagine putting up with this over and over again.

Thomas

Yes. But he’s not someone Sam can handle. The stories are

Then he waited on those three dots again. River hated waiting.

Thomas

intense. They set fires, fights, nothing good.

He’s not someone Sam can handle. So no way was Kacey going back there. No way in hell.

He found Thomas’s number and called him.

“I’m so sorry, River.”

“No. No, I get it. We spent half the night in the ER. I’ll keep him for a few days, if he’ll stay.” Maybe he could help Kacey find some work when he was feeling better.

“I’d appreciate that. Sam needs a few days to get his head on straight.” Thomas started grumbling again. “It’s insane how those two ramp one another up.”

“Well, that’ll happen when you’re cut from the same cloth.” He was only half joking. Kacey had Sam’s number, and there had to be a reason why. He’d seen it before. Hell, he remembered hanging on the first Dom that mentored him, desperate for approval, for belonging.

“Maybe that’s it. Sam and I will get to the bottom of it.”

Poor Sam. He really seemed at war with himself. “I think he honestly believed he was doing the right thing.”

“Oh, no question. Sam has a strong code, and I can’t hold that against him.”

River nodded to himself, wondering what Kacey believed in.

“Not that I’m not going to underline the point with a ballpoint pen that he needs to come to me before he gets in over his head.”

“Reasonable. I mean, he did try to use his safe word,” he teased. He couldn’t help it. That was the most adorable thing ever. He was picturing Sam, this little voice going “revolver?” half a second before someone threw the first punch.

“Yes, and then he waded in and started losing his mind.” Thomas made a low sound that read as part frustration and part fondness. “I am proud that was his reaction, though. That it is that deep inside him.”

“It is. He’s brave. He’d have to be to keep up with you.”

Thomas snorted. “Trust, River. That’s trust.”

He knew that. “I’m teasing. You need a drink and a nap.”

“I do. I intend to be out of pocket until Monday. I do have a duffel for Kacey. Would you like me to send it over?”

“That would be good. Whatever he decides, he’ll want his things.”

“I’ll send them over in the morning.”

“Let’s catch up on Monday.” He had no intention of interrupting Thomas and Sam.

“Thank you again, River.” Thomas hung up, and River set his phone down. He wanted a shower and then some sleep. He decided he should look in on the kid first, so he slowly pushed the guestroom door open.

Kacey was rocking himself in his sleep, hands held to his chest, tears streaking his cheeks.

“Shit. Kacey.” He kicked off his shoes and climbed onto the bed. “Kacey, you’re okay.” He shook his head at himself. “Fuck. Fine.” He moved up close and put an arm over Kacey’s waist. “Shh. Hey. You’re okay.”

Kacey whimpered, fighting to wake up, even as he pushed in closer. “I’m so fucked, man.”

“You’re not. You’re safe here. At the very least, you’ve bought some time. Breathe, boy.” He held on tight, afraid Kacey was going to hurt himself.

Hurt himself more.

He breathed in deep, held it a moment, then exhaled fully, making sure the breaths were audible and physical, something to keep and catch Kacey’s attention.

It took about three breaths before Kacey’s body found his rhythm, tension easing with each exhale.

“That’s it. Good boy.” He spoke softly to soothe nerves and kept breathing, listening to see if Kacey was awake or asleep. Either way, it seemed like the boy was in a nightmare.

“Is this real? Feel like I’m drowning.”

He understood that. Even he was feeling off-balance right now, and he wasn’t in pain and on meds. “This is real. Drown if you need to. I’m here. I’ve got you. Nobody knows where you are, Kacey. Let it go.”

Kacey sobbed once, then leaned hard, trusting River to support him.

He accepted that trust, knowing it meant he was committed now, for as long as Kacey needed him. He held Kacey carefully and whispered softly, telling him he was safe, that he was a good boy.

It didn’t matter if Kacey was awake. Kacey heard him. The boy believed in him.

He ran his fingers through Kacey’s unruly curls and watched as the boy’s face relaxed. The boy looked ten years younger like this, without the tight lines of worry and eagle-eyed mistrust of everything in his way. River felt a little rush, a little high that made his skin tingle and his heart beat harder. Kacey had given him a gift he wasn’t asking for, hadn’t planned on seeking at all.

Fuck, he was in deep, deep trouble.

He might have to kick Thomas’s ass.