Chapter Twenty-Four

May We All…

Gage

I look around my kitchen, country music playing over the surround sound. Mags is sitting at the table, her gray eyes shining as she watches all of us—her boys—working together, making jam.

If I ignore the fact that Juliana is here, this, right here, would be my definition of a perfect fucking day.

Garrett hasn’t said much, but I see him watching Brand, and even though he looks as nervous as a pig at a bacon factory, he’s fucking here. Not since Brandon’s first Christmas has he been in the same room with him.

When we talked in my city apartment, every damn thing changed. Communication was never a strong suit in this family, but from now on, it will be. I will make damn sure of it, because Brand deserves it, and so much fucking more.

Mom didn’t go easy, but when she saw the three of us—her sons—standing shoulder to shoulder, united, she knew she didn’t have a fucking chance.

When tears formed in her eyes, it was the first time in my life I had witnessed it. When she wiped it away, she looked shocked. My heart hurt for a moment. Just a fucking moment, though. I’m sure she never shed a tear for the pain she helped cause me. She fucking enabled it. When I fought for custody of a boy who was part of me in every way that counted, she and I parted ways.

I had no clue she knew. None. She was my fucking mother, and I thought she was choosing Juliana’s side. She wasn’t. In a fucked-up way, she was choosing Brand, and she was choosing Garrett. I’m not even sure she realizes it. But now...Now she will have a chance to figure it out, alone.

I feel the weight of Phoenix’s eyes on me and look over my shoulder at her.

She mouths, “Nice apron.”

“Get over here and help out,” I say, smiling at her.

She walks over, and I gladly remove the fucking thing and tie her up in it. I pull her back hard against me and whisper, “I’m gonna use this on our date tonight.”’

“Promise?” she whispers back.

“Damn.”

“Damn,” she whispers back.

I groan and step away from her, not wanting to get too fucking hard in front of everyone.

She glances down, raises her eye brows, and smirks.

“I love you.” The feelings I know I have been feeling sure as fuck weren’t supposed to come out in a kitchen full of people.

Her eyes widen, and she shakes her heard. “You, too.”

I hear Mags giggle, and yeah, apparently, I said it loud enough for the seventy-five-year-old woman to hear it. I’m sure the rest of them did, too, but I don’t suppose I should care all that much since it’s the fucking truth.

“Cool,” Brand says.

I look down at him and smile. Then I mess up his hair even more than it is already, and he beams.

“Cool.” I nod. And typical Brand, he mimics me.

I look over at Garrett and nod. He lifts his chin then turns to walk out the door.

I look at Mags, and she closes her eyes and nods.

Three days later, we have made every kind of jam possible. When we weren’t making jam, we were cooking, eating, fishing, or sleeping, all of us.

Phoenix and I got less sleep than the rest because, when they were sleeping soundly in that big old house, I would scoot out the door and head up to that cabin, and her and I, we went hard well into the next day.

I wake up on day four to her already showered.

“Did I miss something?” I ask, sitting up.

“I’m going to work at the diner. Didn’t want to wake you,” she tells me, pulling her tee-shirt on.

“Hold up. Shit like this should be discussed now that you’re mine,” I tell her.

She smiles and shakes her head while pulling her hair up into a ponytail.

“Do I look like I’m kidding?” I ask, serious as shit.

She comes over, hugs me, kisses my cheek, and whispers, “I’m still mine, too.”

When she starts to move back, I try to grab her, but she slips away.

“Get back here,” I order, throwing the covers off and jumping out of bed.

She laughs. “Easy, big guy, I have skills.”

“So do I.” I walk toward her.

She moves around the table. “I haven’t worked in over two weeks.”

“You don’t need to.” I reach across the table for her, and she jumps back.

“I sure as hell do, Gage Falcon.” Now she’s pissed.

“You can work for me,” I say trying to give a little, but not too fucking much.

“Not a chance,” she says, crossing her arms over her chest and unmoving.

I walk around the table and stand right in front of her, crossing my own damn arms over my own damn chest.

“You do know you’re naked, right?”

I shrug. “You do know you’re not, right?”

She laughs again. “Clearly.”

I bite my lip as I look her over. “I’m not okay with you working.”

Her brows knit together.

I think about what to say so I don’t sound too fucking crazy, but she makes me that fucking way.

“I’m not good with you working so much.”

She looks at me like I’m insane. I’m uncertain if I fucking am or not.

“Jesus, Phoenix, I want you here, okay?”

Her lips pop out a little. She’s giving me that look, the one that says I’m going to get my way.

“You are totally adorable when you are on the edge of losing your damn mind.” She looks at her phone. “I’m going to be late, so just...move away. Go find your balls.”

I must be hearing things. No fucking way did she just say that shit to me.

When I turn around, she’s damn near at the door.

I hop over the chair as she’s opening it and get to her in time to slam it right shut.

“Gage—”

“The fuck did you just say?”

She laughs, but I see no fucking humor in it. Not one bit.

I grab her by the waist, haul her up, and carry her to the table.

“Let me go! I have things to do.”

I push my hand down the front of her shorts and right between her sexy, little lips.

“Damn you,” she moans.

I use my other hand to undo her button and pull down the zipper. Then I pull my finger out of her tight, little twat and bring it to her mouth. “Who got you wet in two seconds?”

“You,” she says, and I push my finger into her mouth.

“Owned. I did that.” I pull it away and push her shorts and underwear down. Then I push her flat against the table.

I squat down and spread her little ass wide before licking her up and down really fucking roughly.

“Gage, fuck,” she moans as I lick again and again.

“I plan to.” I stand up and rub my cock against her hot, wet pussy then thrust in.

“Oh, God!” she cries out as I move in and out, watching my cock get coated with her wetness.

When she’s nice and fucking soaked, I bend down and grab her throat, pulling her up to me and kissing her hard. As I pull away and look at her eyes, I see they are filled with pure want.

“I found something,” I tell her, pushing her back down.

I fuck her again, hard and fast, and she is crying out my fucking name as my balls slap against her pretty, little cunt.

Reaching around her, I cup her pussy and rub circles around her clit until I feel her body tense; my balls doing the fucking same.

“Gage, condom!” she cries. “Fuck, Gage!”

She comes, and I pull out just in time to jet off on her bare ass.

“Jesus Christ, that was close,” I groan as she starts to stand. “Don’t move.”

I hurry to the sink and grab a few paper towels, running them under hot water. Then I go back to where she is panting on the table and wipe between her legs before cleaning my cum off her ass.

“Still feel like working?” I ask.

“You’re an ass,” she says, turning around and pulling up her panties and shorts.

I smile. “My balls were on yours.”

She reaches up and grabs a handful of my hair to pull me down. She gives me a kiss then lets go. “I love you, Gage Falcon, but I’m going to work.”

“But—”

“We’ll discuss it when I get home,” she says, looking at her phone as she walks toward the door. She looks back and just stands there, saying nothing, waiting for something.

I groan. “Have a great day at work.”

“And?”

I glare at her. “I found my balls.”

“And?”

“I love you, you pain in my ass.”

“I know you do.” She smiles, blows me a kiss, and then walks out the door.

Fuck!

At six o’clock in the morning, I head down to the house after a shower, knowing no one is awake. I plan to head right to my office to check on everything I have been blowing off, because this place clearly allows me to forget shit.

When I walk in, Juliana and Garrett are sitting on the couch, and even though that shocks me, I try to avoid looking at them.

Juliana jumps up, and I see her wipe away tears, while Garrett looks like he may fucking lose his shit.

“Gage, it’s—”

I hold up my hand, stopping her. “None of my business.”

I walk into my office and straight to my desk, where I turn on my computer and type in my password, Dad2Brand1.

My irritation flares when the door opens and the two of them walk in.

“I’m working.” I don’t even look up.

“It’ll just take a couple minutes,” Juliana says in a voice that is very unlike her.

“Go ahead,” I say as I hit my inbox and eight hundred emails appear.

“We need to wait to tell Brand,” Garrett says.

That makes me look up.

“We said a week,” I remind him.

“I need more time,” he says with a pained look in his eyes.

“Why?” I ask, pushing back from my desk so he knows he has my full attention.

“He and I aren’t clicking. He and Gray are closer. I need more time.”

“I told you, as soon as he knows—”

“Shut the fuck up, Juliana. Jesus, just shut up,” he snaps at her.

“Dad?”

I stand up as Brand comes to the doorway.

I look at Juliana and Garrett, letting out a slow I-need-to-calm-the-fuck-down breath, and then walk toward him.

“You have a nightmare?”

“Why are they fighting? What do you need to tell me?”

Son of a bitch.

“It’s nothing,” I lie, and by the way he looks at me, he can fucking tell.

His face scrunches up like he’s pissed. “Just tell me!”

“Hey, bud, come here,” I say, reaching for him.

“No. Just tell me why they fight all the time, Dad. Please, just tell me.” His pleading eyes bring me to my knees, literally.

“Okay.” I grab him and pull him into a hug. “Okay.”

I don’t want to let go. I don’t want him to know. I don’t want the boy I love so damn much to feel betrayed. I don’t want him to stop calling me Dad.

“Dad, you’re squishing me,” he mumbles against my shirt.

“Sorry, bud.” I release him, stand, and take his hand. “Let’s talk.”

We walk out into the living room and sit on the couch. Garrett and Juliana follow, sitting in chairs across from us.

“Why does everyone look sad?” Brand knots his hands on his lap as he looks around.

“We’re not sad, bud. We’re hoping you’re big enough to understand something that’s very adult.” I take his hand so he stops knotting them up.

“I’m a big boy, Dad. Your little man. I can even use a hammer and measure.”

My voice is stuck in my throat. I’m so fucking afraid when I use it that the things that follow are going to let him know just how fucked up this is. He can’t. He can’t because he has to be okay.

Fuck.

“You know how we talked about Grandpa Falcon not being my real dad?”

“You mean biological?”

Sometimes kids are too fucking smart, and adults regret the hell out of being so honest with them, like me right fucking now.

“Yeah, well...” I force a smile. “I’m always gonna be...” I pause. How the fuck do I say this?

His expression changes, and his little mouth drops open. Then he cocks his head to the side. “Did my biological father die?”

“No, bud, but he was sick. Really, really sick for a long time.”

His brows knit in confusion. “So, you’re not my biological dad?”

“I love you and have since the day you were born. I love you and will never ever not be here for anything you need.”

His lower lip starts to quiver. “Dad, I don’t want you to go. I don’t want to go.” Tears spring to his eyes, and fuck if I don’t get the same shit.

I pull him into a hug. “I’m not going anywhere, bud. I’m not.”

At this moment, I hate Juliana. I’m even hating Garrett and our mother. My fucking mother can rot in hell for all I care.

“Is he gonna try to take me? Is he gonna make me see him? And Mom and you, and...”

I hug him tighter. “I’m always gonna be here.”

He pushes away from me and yells as more tears fall, “No! No, you aren’t! You made me go with Mom when I wanted to stay with you! You made me go there, and I don’t even like to! You made me! You—”

“Brandon, she’s your mom, bud,” I say, trying to grab his hand.

“You made yours go away! Make her! Make her go away!”

He looks at Juliana and screams, “I hate you! I hate you, and I hate Paul. And I don’t like your house!” Paul is the doctor Juliana is shacking up with.

“I understand you’re angry, confused—”

“No! I want to be here! I want to be with Mags and Dad. And I want to know my uncles and Phoenix!” he screams.

“Hey. Hey now. What’s going on in here with you, my boy?” Mags asks, coming in from behind us.

“I hate them!”

She slowly walks over and sits down. “Come here, Brand.” She holds her arms out, and he can’t get to her fast enough. “Tell me. Tell me what’s causing you to be so angry,” she says, holding his head against her chest as she rubs her hand down the back of it over and over again.

His body shakes as he sniffs and heaves, trying to catch his breath.

“He’s gonna let my biological dad take me, Mags. He’s gonna, just like he did Mom. I wanna stay here, Mags. I wanna stay here with you and Dad. And...” He sobs. “I wanna stay here.”

“Okay, let’s try to put your worry to rest, my boy, shall we?” Mags gives him the same soothing smiling she always gave us when shit was bad.

He pulls away and looks up at her then points his finger. “Don’t you lie to me.”

“I’m not going to. Neither is your dad, your mom, or your other dad.”

“I don’t want”—he stops and takes a breath, trying to calm himself as his body shakes—“another dad, Mags. I don’t. He’s gonna try to take me. He’s gonna—”

“Hey, Brandon,” Garrett says as he gets up and walk over to sit on the arm of the couch next to Mags. “Buddy, he...I...That will never happen.”

Brand looks at him, and then at me. I move closer to him and take his hand. He lets me this time. Then he looks at Juliana before looking at Mags again.

“Brandon, I was in a bad place.” Garrett pauses. “I was sick for a long time. I knew I couldn’t be a good dad, not like Gage. I’m really sorry about that, but I’m here now. I want to get to know you. I want to answer whatever questions you have, and I want you to know I will never come between you and Gage. But, Brand, I wanna be a part of your life. I do. And I hope you can give me a chance.”

Brand looks completely fucking confused, but the tears, the worry in his eyes, they have subsided enough to where I think I can fucking breathe, something he’s doing a little easier, too.

“Dad?” he says, looking at me. “Is he my...? Is he my...?”

“Yeah, bud, Garrett’s your dad.”

“And you, too?”

I nod.

“And he’s not gonna try to take me away?”

“No, bud. He’s gonna live here and get to know you. He’s better now and wants to be a part of your life, too.”

“So, you’re really my...” He pauses and scratches his head in thought. “My uncle?”

Those words feel like a fucking knife through my chest, but I nod. “Yeah.”

“Gage is your family. Always has been, and always will be,” Mags tells Brand. “Garrett’s home now, he’s better, and now that you’re older, it was time to tell you. But nothing changes, my boy; just more people around to love you and help raise you.”

“Like you do, Dad.” He pauses and swallows hard. “I mean Gage?”

“Pretty much.” Mags smiles sadly as she looks between him and I.

He sits still, looking down at his hands quietly.

“Brandon,” Juliana says quietly, and he looks up at her. “I’m so sorry I haven’t always been here. I really am. But please don’t be mad at me. Please don’t. I love you so much.” She stops and sniffs.

Holy shit, the ice queen is going to fucking cry.

“I am begging you, Brandon. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. You’re the best part of my life.”

He nods and looks up, lip quivering as he continues to nod.

“I’ve gotta tell you, Brandon...or do you like to be called Brand?” Garrett asks.

“Dad...Gage...Uncle Gage”—he wipes his eyes, and I see a smile. That smile takes away the pain of all the names he just called me except Dad—“calls me Brand.”

“What do you want me to call you?” Garrett asks, and I see some fucking light return to his eyes.

Fuck, I want to like it; want to love it. It’s been gone for so fucking long.

Brand looks at me. “Brand?”

I nod. “Yeah, Brand suits you.”

He looks back at Garrett. “Brand.”

“Okay then, Brand.” He pauses and smiles. “I gotta tell you as fu—”

Mags elbows him hard, and Brand laughs.

“Sorry, Mags. Sorry, Brand. It’s gonna take some getting used to.”

Brand smiles and giggles.

“Like I was saying; as messed up as things are, you sure gotta lot of people who love you in this room. We all want to be part of Brand Falcon’s life. That’s sayin’ something great, right?”

Brand nods as his smile seems to grow.

“Not one of us wants you to be sad or upset, either. Gage, my big brother, your daddy-uncle.” He pauses and smiles at Brand, and Brand smiles back. “He’s someone to look up to. I hope someday you can look up to me, too.”

“You’re tall; I think it’ll be easy to look up to you.” Brand giggles at his own joke.

Garrett lights up right along with him.

I look over at Mags, who’s looking at me. She smiles sadly, and I do the same.

I watch out the window at the dock where Brand, Garrett, and Jules are sitting and fishing.

“How you doing, my boy?” Mags asks from behind me.

“I’m doing, Mags.”

“You did well today, really well,” she says, pushing her walker beside me and wrapping her arm around my waist.

I lean down and kiss her cheek. “Thanks for helping us out with that.”

“Anything for you, my boy.”

I nod. “Don’t know what I did to deserve you, Mags, but I’m damn lucky to have you.” I look over, and she smiles.

“I feel the same. Blessed. The love of my life, he couldn’t give me kids. When he died, I didn’t want any. Your daddy and the other men under his command became my children. When they...” She pauses and shakes her head slowly back and forth. “When they died, your mother was a mess, and I needed to do what my husband would have wanted me to—be strong for the survivors. You, you reminded me of what I could never have, and while she worked, while she tried to find a way for a twenty-three-year-old single mother to move past her loss and build a future, I got you. You were my light in the darkness. When you left, it was hard, so hard, but you all came back. And when your mother offered me a job, I took it. I would have taken it without pay because I got my boy back.”

“And we got the best mother on the planet,” I tell her.

“You have two very different mother figures,” she tells me.

“You can say that again,” Gray says as he sneaks up behind us.

“Come here,” she says, holding out her arm to him.

He stands on the other side of her, and she sighs. “I love you, four boys.”

“We love you, too, Mags.”

“You love me enough to do something for me?” She looks at me then him.

“Yes,” we say at the same time.

“Forgive her. Forgive her because she did what she needed to do to keep you boys fed and loved. And you’ll never have to worry about putting food on any of your tables. Forgive her because she was once just as lost and as scared as you have ever been in your lives. Forgive her because, if you don’t, it will ruin you. Forgive her so that little boy knows how to do the same when he goes through whatever he may in the future. Forgive her as a gift to yourselves and her. Forgive her.”