Vann stretched his arms over his head and yawned. He rubbed his eyes and looked over at the clock on the nightstand. Damn. He had overslept and missed the breakfast window.

He scrubbed his face with his hand and rose from the bed. Sacrificing food for a full night of peaceful sleep was a fair trade he wouldn’t regret. He made a quick round to the bathroom, grabbed some clothes from the closet, and made the bed, leaving everything spotless before finally making his way downstairs.

Each step in the eerie silence was a reminder he was the only resident in the house for the weekend. Frankie had finished his term at Halfway House and both Ryan and Ben had weekend furloughs. He welcomed the absence of bickering, but hated the solitude.

He peeked into the empty kitchen then walked toward the back door when he heard a sound. He poked his finger between the blinds and spotted Matt prepping the grill for the afternoon. A small smile tugged at his lips. He was definitely going to hover over Matt later on today at the grill.

Matt had taken him seriously with his request to learn how to cook. He had started with the kitchen basics, stressing the importance of seasoning and how to work the stove and what pans and pots were best for what foods. He then dove right into showing him how to make pasta and a few quick meals. The thought of surprising Drayton one night with a cooked dinner made his heart beat a little faster. He had already picked up on how to make breakfast—even if Julian kept interrupting to steal strips of bacon—and he had learned from Bill a ridiculous amount of details about sandwiches and salad ingredients. He even learned how to make several dressings from scratch and Bill’s secret sandwich sauce the customers always demanded. Today, he was going to learn how to grill steaks.

A hand landed on his right shoulder, freezing every thought in his mind.

In a series of rapid movements, he reached across the front of his body and locked his left hand around the wrist on his shoulder. He twisted the enemy’s wrist as he turned around to face the offender, thrusting his right hand across the perp’s throat with enough force to jerk the body back against the wall.

The red veil in his sight cleared and his heart instantly slammed against his chest.

Julian.

“Shit!” Vann yelled, releasing his hold as if he’d been singed. He took a few steps back, stumbling against the end table.

Julian rubbed his neck and cleared his throat a few times.

Vann tried to control the rising panic. “I’m sorry,” he whispered with a gasp. Hitting someone would violate his parole and attacking the house owner was definitely on a “hell no” list of things to do.

“No, I’m sorry,” Julian said, rubbing his neck and clearing his throat as he spoke. “I shouldn’t have snuck up on you.”

“I shouldn’t have reacted like that.” Vann ran a shaky hand through his hair. It was just him and the house owners this weekend. Who the hell else did he think would come up to him? “Dammit.”

“It’s your fight-or-flight instinct kicking in. And now we know how you respond in situations like this.” Julian frowned and planted his hands on his hips. “I was going to ask if you wanted to work out for a bit but now I’m not so sure.”

Shit.

“You’re not in trouble,” Julian said. The house owner often spoke with oozing sarcasm, and right now, Vann couldn’t decipher the man’s level of pissed off after what had just happened. “But I think I’m going to feel a little inadequate benching against you.”

Vann was so nervous, he had almost missed the barely-there hint of a smile curling the corner of Julian’s mouth before it faded again. Relief poured through his body. “I’m game if we spend some time with the bag.”

“Won’t take much convincing to put a bag between you and me while you go at it.” The smile finally reached Julian’s expression. “C’mon. We’ve got a little time until Matt’s happy enough with the grill to fire up the food and our guests start arriving.”

Vann glanced over his shoulder out the window again, chuckling when he saw Matt with the wire brush scrubbing the grill.

From what he had learned of Matt, they had more than “a little time” to work out.

 

 

∞ ♥ ∞

 

 

Drayton pulled out the patio chair and sat at the table under the umbrella. The sun was beating down stronger than usual and he could use the added layer of protection while Matt and Cole finished preparing the grill.

He casually covered his mouth to hide a smile, watching Vann argue with Cole.

The steaks weren’t the only thing getting grilled today. Vann was persistent as hell, interrogating Cole, trying to find out what seasoning he had used on the steak rub. Vann looked over Cole’s shoulder, stood at his side, and sniffed the bowl of seasoning Cole had brought with him.

“He won’t give in. But I’ve got to give Shaw credit. He’s relentless,” Ty said, swiping a chip in the dip and popping it into his mouth.

Drayton bit his lip, remembering many, many moments when a younger Vann was equally persistent in learning the response of every tiny centimeter of Drayton’s body. “He can be.”

Ty sipped his lemonade then looked over his shoulder when Julian held open the back door for Aidan Calloway and his partner, Jessie Vega.

“Where do we put these?” Jessie asked, holding two trays full of corn on the cob and potatoes, glancing between the patio table where they sat and the grill area where Vann and Cole were having a heated discussion.

“Um, I’m not sure I want to head over there right now,” Aidan mumbled, holding an obviously heavy tray of ribs and skewers as he watched the exchange between Cole and Vann. He set the tray of meats on the table and did the same with Jessie’s, all while stealing glances over at Cole and Vann. “I think I like watching Cole up against someone who doesn’t give in so quickly.”

“They’ve been at it for a while,” Ty said to his brother.

Cameron walked through the back door with his partner, Hunter Donovan.

“Tell me one of those is full of cookies,” Julian said more than asked, his focus pinned on the two sealed bowls they carried.

“These are salads Pop made for us. I have a tray of cookies Matt asked me to keep stashed in the car until the end,” Cam said, giving Julian a pointed stare. He shielded his eyes as he watched Cole and Vann together. “Oh, I’ve got to see how this plays out. Shaw won’t give in easily.”

“Should we take bets?” Hunter asked, wrapping his arm around Cam.

They talked over each other, trying to pin down how many minutes and who would cave first.

“Are you getting in on this?” Aidan asked, digging into the back pocket of his jeans for his wallet.

“My money’s on Vann,” Drayton said, with his arms crossed and tugging his bottom lip. He leaned back in the chair, watching the exchange escalate, seeing shades of the old Vann shine through in his hand gestures and facial expressions.

Aidan scoffed. “Your money to lose, man.”

“Are you okay?” Jessie asked, watching Julian with concern and drawing everyone’s attention.

Julian pressed his hand to his shoulder as he circled his bent arm. “I held the punching bag earlier for Shaw during our workout. I think I put my arm into it too much or I’m just getting old.”

“I’d say it has more to do with his strength than your age,” Hunter said, opening the salad bowl and unpacking the bag of bread. He straightened when Matt walked away from the grill area and approached the group. “Who’s winning that argument?”

“Dead even so far,” Matt responded, smiling when his comment was met with a round of groans.

“Just the one extra canopy?” Julian asked, leaning in for a quick kiss when Matt nodded. He corralled some of the guys to help assemble another canopy while Ty and Drayton remained seated, completely enthralled with Cole and Vann’s exchange.

“He’s strong,” Jessie absently said as he leaned his hip against the table.

Cam rose from his seat. “Yeah, he is. You should see him working the delivery boxes.” He excused himself then jogged over to where the other guys held another debate, pulling canopy parts out of the back of Julian’s truck.

“That’s not what I meant.” Jessie gave Drayton a sideways glance, the edges of his lips curling into a smile. “I didn’t know him from before, but the man I met earlier in the living room is not the violent criminal his file paints him out to be. I’m glad he’s out of there. He never should have been there considering the circumstances of that night.”

Drayton nodded, holding back the bubbling anger, knowing his mother had played a key role in making sure Vann went to and stayed in prison. “Thanks for everything you and Aidan did to get him out of there. I’ll always be in your debt for that.”

Jessie ducked his head as a hint of red colored his cheeks. “It was your legal team who got him out. We just pulled away the barricade.” He looked off to the side, quietly observing Cole and Vann’s interaction. “I’ve heard the new governor is causing quite a stir behind the scenes. He’s made it his mission to clean house and is pushing a review of each case tried by all the judges Aidan’s team arrested in the last few months to ensure the integrity of the judicial system.”

Drayton cocked his head, not wanting to utter a single word and risk Jessie quieting.

Jessie turned to face him again, giving him a knowing look. “It’s my understanding the casework of the judge who tried Shaw’s case is up for review. So don’t have your legal team back down yet.”

A smile pulled at the corners of Drayton’s mouth. “They never stopped.”

“Good.” Jessie nodded and pursed his lips. “Have them contact the clemency board. Make sure they draw attention to Shaw’s case so it’s not overlooked with the current mess they’re dealing with over there.”

“I’ll do that first thing Monday morning. Thank you.” Drayton swallowed heavily, battling to calm the emotions brewing in his chest at the thought of Vann finally getting a reprieve.

Matt bumped Jessie’s shoulder and did a chin-up gesture toward the guys by the truck, nudging him to follow. They both worked their way over to their partners, probably trying to settle whatever debate had ensued.

“You know, every now and then, they do something quirky and they look like brothers,” Ty absently said, staring at Cole and Vann standing by the grill.

There was one thing Ty Calloway knew more than customizing and restoring cars, and that was his larger than life partner, Cole Renzo.

Drayton’s smile faltered. How had he missed the similarities? There had always been an ease between him and Cole when he visited the shop, but he had simply attributed that to an odd luck of the draw. Now, seeing Cole and Vann standing side by side, a sudden realization blindsided him: that ease stemmed from a level of comfort that only came with familiarity.

Vann and Cole shared a similar thick-muscled physique overall, but everything about Vann was sharper and harder. He stood a few inches taller, and his muscles were more defined. The cocked eyebrow and smirk were obvious similarities people could see. But it was the underlying elements that shook Drayton to his core. Ty was right. The quirkiness, the snark, the odd humor and unfiltered words that used to escape Vann freely only peeked through now and would escape the eye of the average person. But to someone who knew them on a deeper level, those quirks defined the true nature of each man.

A sudden ache hit the pit of Drayton’s stomach. Prison had dimmed that ever-present light in Vann’s spirit and had forced him to revert back to that cautious young man who had first walked out from the hedge to defend him from those bullies. The young man who kept everyone at a guarded distance to shield himself from the pain others often inflicted on him with their harsh looks and painful words.

It had taken so much time for Drayton to peel back the layers and draw out Vann’s true self. But in the end, he had uncovered the joy Vann privately held close to his heart. And Drayton knew Vann would undoubtedly love to share it with the world…if only life would give him a chance to do so.

Drayton pinched the bridge of his nose and blew out a heavy sigh. His body battled between mourning the absence of that side of Vann and anger at prison for its attempt to stomp on his spirit. He straightened in his chair when Cole approached, the pout on his face an obvious sign of defeat.

“Just let him vent,” Ty whispered, biting back a grin. “Or you’ll never get him to stop.”

“He’s an asshole,” Cole mumbled, yanking out one of the chairs and planting his ass in the seat. “Fucker is a pushy jerk who doesn’t know when to stop and shut up. He can’t pick up a damn hint to go away or just give up.”

Drayton rested his elbow on the table and cupped his chin in his palm, shielding his grin with his hand. “Is that so?”

Cole nodded and tugged on his beanie. “I don’t know how you put up with him. He’s annoying. I’m surprised he doesn’t have a line of people ready to kick his ass and shove one of those steaks down his throat to get him to shut the hell up.”

Pot calling kettle black.

“He doesn’t respect boundaries. That seasoning rub blend is my brother’s secret recipe with a tiny twist I added.” Cole scowled and crossed his arms with far more force than anyone needed to prove a point. “He made me uncomfortable.”

“Why’s that?” Ty asked, playing with the dark black hair that peeked out from the back of Cole’s beanie.

Cole looked over to his partner, his eyes pleading. “My Ty, he pulled some mind-controlling trick on me.” He looked over to Drayton and narrowed his eyes. “It’s the only way I can explain caving.”

Drayton rolled his lip into his mouth to hide his smile. Cole was used to always having the upper hand and wearing out those around him with his big personality. But Vann had a gift for reading people and he had obviously read Cole well enough to know what he needed to do to draw the information he wanted.

“My brother’s going to kill me,” Cole mumbled.

“You said you added a twist to the recipe. So it’s technically your recipe, not your brother’s,” Ty said, rolling the black curls of Cole’s hair between his fingers.

“Huh. Okay. I’ll buy that.” Cole gave Drayton a sideways glance. “He’s still…annoying.”

As if on cue, Vann approached the table. Cole’s eyes widened, and he pulled the beanie over his ears. “Get away. I hate your superpowers.”

Vann chuckled and extended his hand, holding a fork with a piece of cooked steak. “Try this.”

Cole gave him a glare but snatched the fork and took the bite. His features transitioned into surprise as he chewed. “What did you do to it? It’s different.”

“C’mon back and I’ll tell you.” Vann quickly glanced over to Drayton before returning his focus to Cole. Drayton might not know how to read people, but he knew Vann and that quiet joy that flickered with acceptance. “But it’s top secret so I can only share it with you,” Vann added before turning and strutting back over to the grill, without question, knowing Cole’s curiosity would launch him from the chair and force him to follow.

The guys returned to the table after setting up the canopy. “So? Who won?” Cameron asked.

“Shaw,” Ty said, laughing at the collective groans from the group as they dug into their wallets and surrendered their losses. “Cole says Shaw is pushy, annoying, doesn’t respect boundaries, and doesn’t know when to shut up.”

The guys laughed so hard Vann and Cole glanced at them for a moment before returning their focus to the grill.

“I like Shaw. He earns major bonus points for putting up with Cole and not strangling him,” Aidan said smugly.

Drayton leaned back in his seat. That was what Vann wanted. That was all he had ever wanted. To be accepted and liked by his peers, to be treated equally without the judgmental eyes that had plagued him his entire life. Drayton craned his neck around the group to steal another glance at Vann, enjoying the smile plastered on Vann’s face as he spoke with an animated Cole.

As if sensing Drayton’s eyes on him, Vann slowly turned his head toward Drayton while Cole continued the conversation, unaware of the momentary distraction. Something silent exchanged between them. Something happy and hopeful.

Hope.

The one thing he knew Vann feared yet wanted more than anything. The one thing that always kept him in check and seemed to rise in teasing bursts to spur him on just before life came and beat him down.

But when hope made an appearance and burned bright in those amber eyes, Vann’s true nature peeked through, revealing a giving soul who craved acceptance and wanted nothing more than to selflessly spread that same joy to others.

Drayton’s determination ignited. He wanted everyone to see that secret side of Vann he knew so well—his strength, his intoxicating laughter, his resilience. Drayton wasn’t generous enough to share him completely, but he’d willingly offer a peek so people would know what they were missing if they chose to discard Vann, as most people often had when they were young. This was Vann’s chance at a fresh start, away from the people who saw the black eyes or bruises on his knuckles or the worn out clothes that screamed multiple stages of hand-me-downs.

A swell of love surged in his heart, seeing the happiness in Vann’s expression as he spoke with Cole. He had to find a way to make that joy overpower the hesitation and fear.

He was a master at finding solutions. And this was one formula he was determined to solve.

 

 

 

Drayton set one foot in front of the other, mimicking a highway sobriety test, holding Vann’s hand as they walked the perimeter of the halfway house property. Even though all the guests had left the house and Matt and Julian were inside, he wanted their walk to be the longest, most delayed stroll in history to secure as much private time as possible.

“We can do hopscotch or jump over the lines in the pavement if you want,” Vann said with a teasing smirk, his focus sweeping Drayton’s body from head to toe. “C’mon. Once we make it around, we’ll just keep doing it again until curfew.” He tugged Drayton by the hand, speeding their stroll around the lot to a normal pace.

They walked around a few laps, enjoying each other’s company, talking about little things and recalling memories.

Drayton smiled each time Vann lowered his guard a tiny bit more, seeing glimmers of the old Vann making an appearance. “You didn’t close yourself off from anyone today. It looked like you got along with everyone.”

“They were all really nice and treated me like a regular person.” Vann ducked his head and brushed his thumb against Drayton’s hand. He chewed his lip and lowered his brow, probably processing a stream of thoughts in his mind. “They’re good people,” he whispered, staring at his boots as they leisurely strolled along their path.

Drayton leaned in and placed a quick kiss against the side of Vann’s head. “They are.”

They were on their fifth round of the perimeter, quiet for the last few minutes when Vann finally spoke. “I know I don’t have a right to ask, but…” He stopped and turned to face Drayton, his lips set in a straight line. “While I was inside…”

He knew exactly where Vann’s mind had gone when his voice trailed off. Drayton wasn’t sure if it was pain or anger brewing in his chest as he waited for Vann to voice his thoughts.

“I’d understand if you were with someone,” Vann finally said, his jaw muscles pulsing as he obviously tried to bite back his words.

Drayton planted his hands on his hips. “Bullshit.”

“I know you like sex—”

“Because it’s with you.” Drayton crossed his arms, taken aback by Vann’s words. “It’s always been just you.” Vann knew him better than anyone, and once Drayton made a commitment to a decision, it was set in stone.

“So…uh.”

“Spit it out.”

“Are you going to want me to wear a condom now? They tested me inside before I left. But, I’ll take another test if you want me to.”

“I trust you.” Why would Vann think their relationship would be different, regardless of the distance and time that had kept them apart? A hollowness spread in the pit of his stomach. He had heard stories and had researched enough online about prison life to know that solitude and convenience were a combination that sometimes drove men to do things out of character. Maybe…shit.

“Did you—”

“No,” Vann responded without hesitation.

“But you were always just as horny as I was.”

“My dick’s anti-social and only wants to be your best friend. He’s perfectly fine being a hermit otherwise.”

Drayton bit his lip. “I miss your dick.”

“Did you really just say that to me?” Vann’s jaw muscles twitched. He switched his weight from one foot to the other as he pressed the growing bulge in his jeans.

“Uh-huh.” Drayton slowly nodded, deliberately letting his focus sweep up Vann’s body as he licked his lips.

“You’re not helping.”

“Kiss me.”

Vann nervously glanced over to the house.

“They finally have the house to themselves. I can’t read people but I can imagine what the hell they’re probably doing right now.”

Vann didn’t need much prompting. He stepped forward and gripped Drayton’s face, crushing their mouths together.

Drayton moaned with every sweep of Vann’s tongue, returning each possessive suck and pull with one of his own. He fisted his hand in Vann’s T-shirt, holding him close as he guided them to the side of the house, away from prying eyes. He shoved his hand inside the back of Vann’s jeans, growling into the kiss as his hands kneaded the firm muscles hidden inside the denim. He pulled Vann closer just as Vann twisted Drayton’s shirt in his hands.

The breath whooshed out of his lungs when his back hit the house wall. He leaned his head against the stucco and closed his eyes, letting Vann pull and tug to unbuckle his belt and jeans. Calloused fingers wrapped around him and a tongue swept up the column of his neck, the soft and hard contrast drawing a gasp of breath.

“Make no mistake, Dray,” Vann whispered in his ear, sucking his earlobe into his mouth and slowly releasing the tender flesh between his teeth. “I missed every inch of you just as much.”

Drayton barely had a chance to react before his jeans were yanked down past his ass. Vann dropped to his knees and wrapped his mouth around him, taking him to the root in one gulp.

Drayton dug his teeth into his lower lip, holding back a yell into the night as Vann pulled and sucked him deeply. The blood rushed in his ears, muffling all the sounds except for the hungry grunts and slurps pushing him closer to the edge. He ran his fingers through Vann’s hair and canted his hips forward, begging for more, letting out a strangled whimper when Vann gripped his hips and held him in place, controlling the pace as he always had when they were together.

Bolts of electricity crackled throughout his body, awakening a starved libido craving more. Something inside him snapped. A slow rumble-growl stirred in his gut and rose up his throat.

He twisted his fingers in Vann’s hair and thrust his hips forward, closing his eyes and throwing his head back, letting his body take control and losing himself in the sensation. The heat, the tightness, the need for more pushed his body forward, deeper into the warm, wet, welcoming heat of Vann’s mouth and throat.

The air sawed in and out of his lungs, and fire sparked in his blood. It had been too long. He gritted his teeth, trying to cool a decade-long inferno burning through his veins.

“Vann…” He barely had a chance to warn him before waves of fire and lightning shook his body and exploded into Vann’s mouth. A wash of numbness flooded him, weakening his legs as spasms rippled through his limbs. He hissed an inhale when Vann slowly released him and pressed a kiss to his hip while still holding him firmly in place with a steady grip on his thighs.

“I think that’s the quietest you’ve ever been,” Vann said in a gravelly voice. His eyes slowly swept upward to meet Drayton’s stare. “I must have lost my touch.” He ran his tongue along his lips as if savoring Drayton’s lingering taste. He slowly rose, slid his hand behind Drayton’s neck, and pulled him into a slow, deep kiss.

Drayton moaned with the spike of possessiveness that stirred within when he tasted himself on Vann’s tongue.

They lazily separated from the kiss, still brushing their mouths together in a caress.

“What about you?” Drayton asked, enjoying the scrape of stubble against his cheek.

“One thing I’ve learned in the last ten years is how to pace myself. When I finally get to have you again, I want you yelling so fucking loud everyone in a ten-mile radius will hear.”

Drayton’s breath hitched at the promise burning in Vann’s eyes. He’d missed this. Vann’s fire, his passion, and his unquenchable thirst.

And Drayton damn sure couldn’t wait for more.