Chapter Six

 

Cade leaped across the interior, wrapping Dean into his body, taking them both to the damp ground with a crunching thud right as a huge chunk of the roof caved it. Dean gasped for breath, a low moan following. Cade covered as much as he could of the man beneath him, keeping him from being hit with falling shards and pieces of soggy insulation and debris.

Looking over a shoulder, heavy gray clouds now dominated the space where the ceiling and a portion of the wall had stood. Barely two feet behind where Cade had been taking pictures. The squeal of wet rubber hitting pavement registered, then it was gone in the distance.

“You okay?” Cade asked, listening, but hearing nothing else beyond the newer sounds of broken wood settling.

Dean coughed. “Yeah.” He trembled beneath Cade, shook up regardless of if he was going to admit it.

Cautiously, Cade searched the room, then stood, offering a hand to Dean. “Better call your Sheriff friend.”

Rough hacks were eventually followed by calmer breathing. “Are you okay? You were closer to the wall.”

“I’m fine.” Pissed, but fine.

When Dean pulled out his phone, Cade saw how much his hand trembled. “Let’s get outside. No telling if anything will stay upright now.” He’d feel a lot better if Dean wasn’t standing in the middle of all that damage.

They walked around outside the opposite side of where the corner stud had been pulled. Cade spotted truck tire welts in the mud, along with the snapped stud and a length of shredded rope that had been left behind.

Dean spoke to the personnel on the other end of the phone, answering questions.

Cade slowly swiped a hand down his body, clearing bits that clung to his coat. Nearing Dean, he did the same. Brushing his back, soot smeared. “Damn.”

Dean glanced at Cade when he raised a filthy hand.

“It’ll wash.” He turned off his phone screen. “Thank you.” Confusion lay heavy between them.

“Any ideas on what is going on?”

Dean faced the broken stud. “Now? Not one.” His chest rocked with a shuddering breath. “That was fucking intentional to the extreme. I have no idea.”

A few minutes later, two county cruisers pulled in next to their cars.

“Dean.”

“Sheriff Archer.” Dean made introductions for Cade. “This is a friend of mine. We were inside taking the photo catalogue of damage I called about earlier when that happened.” He motioned toward the pulled wood. “He heard somebody and we both heard the vehicle accelerate.”

The Sheriff started writing. “Saucedo, go take a look at the tracks. See if we can get a good visual for make and model.” The other officer went into his car and grabbed a camera of his own to take photos.

“How long have you been here?”

Dean glanced at Cade. “I really don’t know. Less than an hour.” Sheriff Archer was taking down notes.

“Do you think this has anything to do with the fire?” he asked Dean.

He looked over his shoulder at the quickly deteriorating building. “I’d have to think so. I don’t know if the intent was to catch us inside or not, but I believe it was.”

All three walked around the side to examine the view inward. The gaping hole displayed a huge portion of the interior now. “That’s a support brace.” The Sheriff scribbled some more notes. “If there had been enough weight above it, the whole roof would have come down. How close were you?”

Dean pointed. “I was there, about three feet in front of the bar. Cade was closer to the collapse, almost standing right where the fallout range is, there.”

“Damn close,” the Sheriff muttered.

Cade had to agree.

The Sheriff eyed Dean. “Who’d you piss off?”

“I have no idea.” He sighed, discouraged.

Cade knew the man was exhausted. He shoulders slumped.

Officer Saucedo joined them with the rope bagged. “Is there anything for evidence inside?”

“No. The building was gone through this morning, after the fire department cleared it,” Dean explained.

“Doubt we’ll get much if anything but any little bit helps.” Officer Saucedo gave Dean a sympathetic shrug.

“I’m going home. I need some sleep. If you hear of anything, let me know. I’ll do the same.”

They traded information then shook hands and the officers left.

Dean’s phone jingled at him and he winced. “Shit. Hold on. I have to take this.” He fished his phone out and answered. “Hi, Mom.”

Cade smirked, hearing the absolute lack of desire in his voice to have to take that particular call.

“Happy New Year to you. No. I was at a friend’s for breakfast.” He scrubbed stiff fingers into shadowed eyeballs. “Gemini’s burned down last night.” He held the phone away from his ear as a loud, maternal squawking filled the air. “Are you done?” he griped. “I haven’t been home to talk to you, so no, I haven’t had time to call and tell you.” He groaned. “Don’t. I’m fine. You and Dad stay up there, okay? I’ll call after I’ve gotten some sleep and tell you what I know. No, not much.”

Cade zoned out as Dean gave a lackluster report. Even Cade knew he’d never get off the phone with that kind of a non-answer. He walked over to the tire tracks, crouching down to study them. Wide surface tires. Definitely for a pickup truck. Probably four-wheel drive. He examined the angle and the fall of the wood. Tracks of mud vanished into the distance on the asphalt, where the driver had simply kept going. He’d watched Officer Archer drive in that direction when he’d left, possibly hoping to follow the mud trail. Cade had his doubts it would be that easy.

Whoever had done this knew the piece they were pulling could bring down the roof. Someone who was familiar with the building, or at the least, had been inside. He watched a frustrated Dean verbally battle a now clearly harried parent. Getting a closer look at the tracks on the ground, he hunted for footprints. Finding those, he followed them from where he guessed the truck had sat waiting to the rear of the bar.

Cade’s hackles rose. The person who’d tried to take down the bar had most definitely had one plan in mind. They’d snuck to the rear, deeper imprints showing where they’d stood in the mud and slush to either listen or to make sure there were people inside. The prints were clearer in the back. Boots. Smooth, like western cowboy boots. The slap of feet Cade had heard had been the driver being less cautious, knowing he had to hurry to catch his quarry — them — inside. He’d almost succeeded, on all counts.

Retracing his own steps, he waved over Dean.

“Mom. I have to go. I will call. I promise.” He sighed, the sound of utter defeat. “Please. Let me find out before you spend the money to fly down here, okay? Okay. Thank you. Love you, too. Bye.” He hung up the phone and shook his head. “All hell is about to break loose. I should warn Kelly my mother and father are flying in. They’ll never get a moment’s rest until this is figured out.”

Cade put a hand on his shoulder. “Be thankful you still have yours, annoying as they are. They care enough to be here for you. That says a lot.”

“Yeah, I know. I’m exhausted and my brain departed about twenty minutes ago.” Relaxing by force, he put his phone away. “What did you want to show me?”

Cade walked with him from the start of the footprints. “Do you see this any differently?” he asked, after giving his own interpretation.

“Actually, no. But do you have any idea how many guys wearing shit kickers come here?”

“I know. The whole lot was pickup trucks the night I was here.” He wasn’t about to admit that was partially why he’d chosen to stop. He knew the crowd dynamics and hadn’t been disappointed. Only now, Dean was paying for something, with everything.

Cade saw him rub at his eyes again. “Is there anything else we can do?”

Dean shook his head. “Not right this minute.” Sorrow radiated off him in waves as he took in the destruction. “Daniel and I had worked so hard on Gemini’s. It really hurts to see it gone now, too.”

“What happened to your brother?” he asked gently.

“He was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Tried to break up a fight and was shot.”

“Shit,” Cade managed, almost choking on the deep gasp.

“It’s why I’m still here and didn’t go home to Michigan. Mom really wanted me to when that happened, and now? She’s going to do everything short of blackmail. We pooled our resources after college to go into business for ourselves. I know. Why a bar?” He slid his hands into his coat pockets, taking his time to circle to the front of the building. “Believe it or not, neither of us really drink, or got drunk. Even in school. But it’s one of the few recession proof businesses out there. There’s always money for liquor. We had plans to buy this, and trade up when we had some financial stability. Then he died.” Dean stared outward, though Cade could tell his thoughts were deep inside. “I couldn’t bring myself to sell. This was ours. And it’s all I really have — had — left.”

Cade swept an arm around his waist and gave him a supportive hug. “I’m sorry.”

“It still hurts, but I had something of his, of ours, in Gemini’s.”

Cade spotted the tear that slipped from Dean’s lower lashes. Surprisingly, Dean didn’t try to sweep it away, or hide it. A man not scared to show his feelings. That told him a lot about the man on the inside. And the depth of affection he still felt for his brother could be heard in every word.

“If he was your twin in every way, then I know he was an amazing person.”

Dean rested his head on Cade’s shoulder, leaning for support. Cade doubted he realized he was doing it.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do. He’s gone. Gemini’s is gone.”

Cade knew he was emotionally wrecked and exhausted on top of it. The day was catching up to him. “Let me drive you home. You shouldn’t be behind the wheel this tired.”

“Sure. I can get a neighbor to help me get my car in a few hours.”

They made sure Dean’s car was locked, then he poured Dean into his truck. “Just tell me where I’m going.”

Dean navigated them into Cassan and down a side street. Cassan didn’t look much larger than Silo. A town that was more community than bustling metropolis. Pavement turned into dirt road as he followed directions. Divided lots with grounded trailers appeared. Mostly single-wides with a few doubles tossed into the mix. Short fences or chain link separated yards. Yards filled with snowmen. It made him smile to see them all. He could imagine the kids and the havoc they would cause to make those stacks of snow.

Pulling into a driveway, he waited for Dean to make the next move. The house wasn’t the cream of the crop on the street, but it wasn’t in bad shape by any means. “Not what I pictured.”

Dean snorted. “Why spend huge bucks on a house, when all I really need is a roof?”

“Did you share this?”

“No. I bought this after Daniel died.” He fiddled with the buckle. “I appreciate your help today. I know I said thank you, but I mean it. You saved me again.” He grinned loosely. “You’re getting way too much practice at it for my liking.”

Cade reached but his hand halted midair. “I owe you an apology, a big one, for earlier today.”

“Forgotten.” Dean hit the release on the belt.

“It’s not that easy.” He looked around at the fairly quiet street. “Can we talk inside?”

Dean shrugged. “Sure.”

Cade followed, wondering how he was going to fix that morning’s fuckups, and what he was going to say. How much he was going to say.

Dean unlocked the front door and let Cade in to shut it behind them. He unclasped his coat and hung it on a single standing rack, checking the smears on the back. “I’ll have to take this to the cleaners. That is nasty.” He faced Cade. “What did you want to say?”

Cade swallowed, actually feeling it when Dean’s gaze locked with his. His toes tingled. His fucking toes. “I don’t know how to do this,” he finally pushed past his lips.

“What? Be friends?” Dean’s brow furrowed.

Cade closed his eyes, reopening them a few seconds later. “No.” He stiffened his spine, both physically and mentally. “Being gay has never been an option.”

Dean’s eyes narrowed. “It’s not an option.”

Cade avoided that stare; it knifed straight through him. Fuckup number three hundred and twelve. “No, it’s not. But I tried to make it one.” He shoved his hands into coat pockets to hide the fists he was making. “I refused to be gay, so I wasn’t,” he explained. At the least, he’d refused to allow any interest in men. Too much he still had to sort in his own mind. He only hoped he could make a sound argument to get Dean’s forgiveness.

Dean canted his head to the side. “Refused? Is that even possible?”

Cade huffed. “I can see you have never visited the land of denial.”

“No, I’ve known since Daniel and I were kids. Why would you do that to yourself?”

“Too many reasons,” he admitted. “At least for right now.”

Dean crossed his arms. “Not that tired. Try me.”

Cade now wished he hadn’t been so quick to start this. Wouldn’t a solid apology have been enough? Now it was too late. Time to own up.

“My brother, for one. We’ve always been a tag team of sorts. One-upmanship was invented for us. He’s found his mate…soul mate,” he quickly corrected. Dean wasn’t the only one feeling drained. Cade felt like he’d already gone rounds with Chris. Now… He had to be careful how to approach this. There was a shitload more to this, and so much at risk. “And I’m the last one standing. Again.”

“Ah. When you say you’re last, that’s what you mean. You’re the youngest.”

“Yeah.” He stretched his shoulders, trying to alleviate the building tightness. “So, there’s that. And I want children. I need a woman, a wife, for that.”

“No you don’t.”

Cade groaned. “Okay, okay. Alternatives, I get it. But that’s the tip of the whole iceberg. The two largest reasons.” At least two that he was willing to admit to.

“So you felt to be equal and then better than your brother, you had to find a woman? Do you really think Chris feels that way?”

“No,” he replied in confusion.

“Then you have no reason to either.” When Cade opened his mouth, Dean cut him off. “Look, if anyone understands that sibling rivalry tie, I do. But hiding who you are is wrong. You have amazing brothers and an incredible family. I can guarantee not one of them will look at you differently…okay, maybe shocked, but not different if you finally start being true to yourself.”

“I don’t know how to be gay. I don’t even look gay!” He growled in exasperation.

A snicker and a raised eyebrow chastised him. “Oh? I look gay, do I? What gave it away? My rainbow farts?”

Cade blurted a laugh.

“No, I know. It was my trail of gold glitter, wasn’t it? Did I have too much swish today?”

Cade cupped his chin to cover his mouth, chortling heartily. He turned away. “Stop!”

A firm tug on his elbow brought him front and center. “So what gave it away?” Dean asked with concerned gentleness. The absolute lack of anger was almost Cade’s undoing.

Gasping, he took a few panted breaths. “Honestly, I thought you were straight until you said you weren’t. Just very open-minded,” he said when he could speak normally. “Still doesn’t help me understand the how of it.”

“I can’t help you there.”

That surprised Cade.

“It’s too personal. It’s a journey. Only you get to experience it.” He scooted closer a couple of inches. “But unless this whole train wreck of you being an unmitigated asshole has been a product of something else, and not me, I can share that journey with you.”

Cade’s heart tripped. Green eyes impaled him. The fear that Dean didn’t like him, wasn’t attracted to him, was smashed to little bits beneath that stare. He couldn’t define what he’d been more scared of: being proven a fool, or baring himself after decades of refusing to acknowledge what he felt.

“Close your eyes.”

Cade blinked. Then shivered.

“Do it,” Dean commanded quietly.

Cautiously, Cade did. Fingernails bit into his palms where they remained curled in shuddering fists in his coat pockets. Blood rushed through his veins. Anticipation, and a hint of wary fear roiled inside his chest like a pending storm.

“Relax,” Dean offered. “Slow, easy breaths.”

A small shiver slipped under Cade’s skin at the timbre of his voice. He wasn’t cold.

He realized with no small amount of shock that it was turning him on, hearing him, finding his scent between them. Hearing Dean’s own slow breathing.

“Relax.”

The touch, when it happened, was feather light. A stroke of skin over his lip. He didn’t know if Dean was kissing him, or if it was a fingertip.

He realized he didn’t really care which it was.

“Still okay?”

Cade gulped, a harsh, hollow click following. He nodded when his voice couldn’t be found.

“Keep your eyes closed. No pressure.” More of the light caress. “Has any guy ever touched you?”

“No,” he whispered hoarsely.

“And you’ve never, either?”

He shook hard, rocking his stance.

“Easy. It’s okay. Take your hands out of your pockets. Leave your eyes closed.”

Stiffly, he managed to do as Dean asked. Harsh panting filled his ears. A needy void that had grown like a black hole over several months was suddenly calming. Dean continued to touch him, traced his lower lip, then his upper. Cade swore he was seducing him. The whole experience was surreal.

“Are you still hiding?” he asked kindly. “If this is what you’ve been missing, why fight it?”

“Because—”

“That argument is invalid. Try again.” Wry humor. He couldn’t see it, but he heard it.

“There’s more that you don’t know,” he finally admitted. So damn much more.

“I know. This is a big step to make. It’s a brave step. But lying about who you really are hurts yourself the most.” The light tease of skin to flesh didn’t stop, didn’t speed up. “Do you trust me?”

Cade trembled. “Yes.”

“Open your eyes.”

Disoriented, he did. Dean still stood before him. Cade swore he felt body heat though he’d moved no closer. Gentle fingers ghosted over Cade’s lips in butterfly sweeps, letting him see what he’d been doing. Then his hand fell away. Neither blinked for several heartbeats. Dean watching for something Cade didn’t know, and Cade waiting for the unknown. When it happened, he almost short circuited.

Dean tilted to close the distance between them and pressed warm lips to Cade’s.

He stiffened in shock. His immediate reaction was to shove him away, to deny, but he caught himself.

Barely.

A flicker of eyelashes proved Dean had caught the lightning swift battle. He made no noise, made no demands. It was simply pressure. Warmth. It felt…different. Firmer. There was the rougher brush of skin. Staring into Dean’s eyes was like staring over the edge of a steep cliff.

And Dean didn’t move. Not forward, not away. Sharing space and breath. The next action would be Cade’s choice.

Heat replaced shock as time stood still. A heat unlike anything in his life exploded beneath his skin, bone deep. Slowly, his tripping heart found a rhythm.

And with the knowledge that Dean was as steady as a rock in this decision, he let his eyes close and he returned the kiss.