TAZ HAD gotten bored, waiting for Reed, especially after Renee had disappeared inside the bar too. He wished he’d gone with them. He liked Renee’s bar. The people were friendly, and the food was good. And dancing with her and Reed had been great fun. A smile crossed his face at the memory. Letting himself out of Reed’s rental, he dance-stepped his way onto the sidewalk, practicing some of the moves they’d done on top of the bar. That had drawn him a few glances from people passing by, equally divided between stares and smiles. Taz had returned the smiles, ignored the stares.
Then his attention was caught by the pretty lights in the bar’s window, brightly colored words that spelled out various names. As he watched, some of them blinked on and off with reckless abandon, reminding him of the lights he’d seen from the top of the Empire State Building, where he’d first met Reed. The very thought made him ache for Reed all the more. Just then, he saw Reed come out of the bar, and he stretched his wiry frame and bounced up to his lover.
“Did you find what you were looking for?”
“Um, yeah. Got them.”
For some reason, Reed seemed disturbed, and Taz frowned. He hated to see Reed upset, and it was clear to him that his previous good mood had entirely dissipated in the short time he’d been back inside the bar. “What’s wrong, Reed?”
He watched as Reed forced a smile onto his face, but Taz could see it wasn’t his usual natural smile. “Nothing, babe, everything’s fine. Why don’t we—” Whatever he might have been about to say was bitten off, as his head snapped toward something, or someone, behind him.
Taz turned to look. A tall dark-haired man approached. Instantly, Taz felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise, and he could feel his claws lengthen slightly as he assumed a defensive posture. There was something cold in the stranger’s eyes, something off-putting, and Taz fell into instant dislike of him, whoever he was. He stepped automatically in front of Reed without thinking about what he was doing, obeying his own instincts. The man seemed surprised, and then taken aback by Taz’s gesture.
“You following us now, Peyton?” Renee giggled, then punched the man’s arm, a move that did nothing to allay Taz’s apprehension. “Just kidding.”
“I just had an idea,” the man called Peyton said in a voice that seemed too smooth to Taz’s ears, too unnatural. “I thought maybe we could go to the hospital together to see Herb, take him some flowers or something. Wouldn’t that be cozy?”
Renee turned toward Reed. “That makes sense. Didn’t you want to talk to Mom about coming home for dinner? Maybe Peyton can join us?”
Taz felt Reed’s disturbance grow deeper, not by anything he said, but Taz knew. He just knew. He reached for Reed’s hand and held it tightly, without words, his eyes never leaving the newcomer who stared back at him with what might have been simple curiosity—or hatred.
“Well, well, who’s this?” Now it was the man’s turn to pretend to smile, but Taz saw through his phoniness, even if he didn’t know why he was shamming. “Are you babysitting, Reed?”
Taz felt the tension in Reed’s arm, but before his lover could answer, Taz had responded. “No, he’s not babysitting. We don’t have any children. Yet.”
That stopped conversation real quickly, as three heads turned toward Taz, who stood his ground, eyes riveted on what he perceived to be a threat to his Reed.
Renee was the first to break the strange silence. “Well, hey, why don’t you and Taz go work on that? I’ll go to the hospital with Peyton, and we’ll bring Mom home and all have supper, how does that sound?”
“So this is Taz, is it?”
Taz didn’t like the way this man said his name, but he was too polite to get into an altercation with someone Renee obviously liked. He had manners, after all, and that would be rude. But he couldn’t help but wish this Peyton person weren’t there. He had brought a disturbance into their lives, and Taz just wanted him to go away. Now.
“Come on, Taz,” Reed mumbled, pulling him along.
Once they were in the car and buckled in, Taz looked at Reed. His lover’s lips were pinched, jaw set tight, and his nostrils were flared. Taz couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen Reed this upset, and that upset him. Usually Reed was calm and easygoing, but not right now. His whole demeanor shouted unease, and he looked like he wanted to hit something… or maybe drive straight back to New York. The grip he had on the steering wheel left his knuckles white with strain.
“Who was that?” Taz asked quietly. They needed to talk about this before Reed broke that thing he used to control this machine.
“No one worth mentioning, believe me,” Reed snapped.
“Reed….”
Reed clenched the steering wheel again, then blew out a breath. “Sorry, babe. Jesus, I didn’t mean to snap at you. Long story short, he’s an old boyfriend. When we dated, he was in the closet, so no one knew we were seeing each other. That includes my family. And thank God they didn’t.”
Taz watched the way Reed’s hands tightened and untightened on the wheel. Reed’s body was as stiff as a Malgar tick after it fed… the nasty things. “And…? There’s more to this than that. He makes you very uncomfortable, I can tell.”
Another deep breath sounded from the driver’s seat. Taz reached over, pried one of Reed’s hands off the steering wheel, and rubbed it against his cheek. “I love you, you know that. You can tell me anything.”
“Aw God, Taz. I was young and stupid. The fact he didn’t want anyone to know he was screwing me should’ve told me something, but I didn’t listen. But that wasn’t the worst of it.” Reed squeezed Taz’s hand. “He talked to me like I didn’t have enough sense to come in out of the rain.” Reed shook his head. “What I mean is he talked to me like I was stupid. He belittled me and….”
“And…?”
“Fuck. He even went so far as to hit me a few times. Just openhanded slaps, no fists but, after the third time, I’d had enough and—”
“By the stars, he hit you?” Taz actually growled, the sound low and menacing.
Reed took his eyes off the road for a second and glanced at Taz. “Easy with the claws, babe.”
“Oh, oh, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to—He hit you? That makes me want to…. Wait a minute.” Taz’s eyes widened. “You said he was screwing you? But I thought you didn’t really like to bottom?”
“Yeah. He’s the reason I haven’t bottomed until you. Look, I’m going to swing into this fast food joint and grab a bucket of chicken and some side items. It’ll have to do for dinner. I just don’t feel like cooking right now.” Reed pulled into line, craning his neck to see how far it went, not that it really mattered. Luckily not too far. “This is hard for me, Taz. Hard to look back at that time and see how much of a fool I was. But, yeah, I was on the receiving end of things. Plus, he’s a control freak and nothing, nothing I did was good enough. And when it wasn’t good enough, he sure let me know. And usually in the most hateful way possible.”
“I am… I am so sorry, Reed. Even on my planet that’s called abuse.”
“You’re right. It just took me a while to see that.” Reed moved up in line, and placed the order. After he rolled up the window, he turned back to Taz. “So, when I finally got my head on straight, I broke up with him. Things really got hot and nasty then. That time, when he swung at me, I fucking swung back. Surprised him, let me tell you, but that was just the beginning. For the next month, he stalked me. Followed me everywhere. Did things. Creepy things. It got so bad, I moved to New York, just to get away from him.”
“What did he do?” Taz laid their joined hands down on Reed’s thigh.
“Well, I can’t prove anything, and I don’t know for sure he did these things, but I’m pretty sure it had to be him. My tires were slashed, all the plants on my front patio at my apartment were torn out of their pots, a brick was thrown through my bedroom window, the word fag was painted on my door along with other slurs….” Reed shrugged. “Those were just a few of the things I think he did.”
“Why in the world would he call you a fag and those other things?”
“Makes it kind of hard to convince the local police that the ex was doing it when all they could see was a hate crime. I wasn’t ashamed of being gay, but Peyton was.” Reed pulled up to the window, paid, got the food, and pulled off. “The man isn’t stupid, Taz. No, he’s very smart actually. The police never looked at him. And I left town shortly after the last incident.”
“Then it is imperative that we tell your family about him. He’s a terrible person, and they should not be exposed to him. He’s dangerous. Who knows what he might do?” Taz set his mouth in a determined line, as if everything was settled. Reed wished it was that easy.
“Look, babe.” He sighed. “I can’t do that. I can’t drag them into the middle of my mess. It’s not fair. He wouldn’t hurt them. I know that’s hard for you to understand or to believe, but it’s just me, and once we leave here, things will go back to normal.” Reed turned down the street his parents lived on, concentrating on the road. He was afraid if he looked at Taz, let him see into his eyes, he might see the truth—that Reed didn’t want his family to know to what depths he had fallen with Peyton. What he’d permitted Peyton to do to him. He couldn’t stand knowing it himself, but to admit how he’d groveled, allowed Peyton to have control over him… that had to stay his own dirty little secret for the sake of his own sanity.
They’d arrived, and conversation was momentarily tabled by the business of bringing dinner inside and setting the table in the dining room. As he busied himself putting down plates and silverware, Reed wondered if Peyton had been here before, had shared meals with his parents in this very room. The thought sickened him. But what could he do about it? He wasn’t one for confrontations. That’s why he’d fled to New York. To get out from under Peyton’s thumb, run away from the memories, and start a new life. And he had. Between his store and having Taz with him, everything was perfect and he was happier than he’d ever been.
So why was he so afraid that Peyton was going to fuck things up for him somehow? A tremor ran through his body, and a plate nearly slipped through his fingers. He was only dimly aware of Taz suddenly beside him. Taz slipped an arm around him and pulled him into the living room. They hadn’t turned on the lights yet, but the shadows of evening were slipping inside, creating pockets of darkness. Before he quite realized what was happening, he found himself lying on the sofa beneath the front window that overlooked the street, his head cradled in Taz’s lap.
Taz admitted to himself that he didn’t understand Reed’s fears, but he felt them, knew they existed. And, against his better judgment, he reluctantly agreed not to do or say anything to upset him any further. He loved Reed too much to do that. He just hoped Reed was right in this matter. He gently caressed Reed’s cheek, willing him to relax.
“I will never let anyone hurt you,” he whispered, his eyes intent on Reed’s face, watching for any and every sign of his state of being. He was gratified to see some of the anxiety lessen as Reed melted into the couch and Taz’s touch. He would do anything for Reed, even if it wasn’t easy. Like not telling his family about the evil in their midst.
Their idyllic moment was interrupted as lights flashed inside the room, bounced off the wall and went out. “That must be them,” Reed murmured, struggling to sit up. “Guess we should turn on the lights in here so they can see to come in.”
Taz watched him rise, following him with reluctance. Reed had just turned on a floor lamp, and then the hurricane lamps that graced the tables on either side of the sofa, when the front door opened.
“Goodness, I was wondering why it was dark in here,” Jeanette exclaimed. “I saw your car, so I figured you were here.”
“Yeah, we’re here, Mom. How’s Dad?”
“Sleeping, when we left. Said he didn’t want to see us again until tomorrow.” She laughed. “Just like him to try to arrange everything, even from a sick bed. I’m hoping the doctor will tell us tomorrow when we can bring him home.”
“That would be nice,” Reed agreed. “Where’s Renee?”
As if on cue, his sister stepped through the door, arm in arm with Peyton Wheeler. They were both laughing, and Reed’s heart tightened at the sight. “Do I smell chicken?” Renee closed the door behind them, sniffing the air appreciatively. “Reed, you’re a miracle worker! How’d you cook fried chicken so fast?” she teased.
“Very funny. It’s takeout and you know it. I thought it would be easier all the way around. We can eat better when Dad gets home.”
She ruffled his hair. “I love their fried chicken, bro, just giving you shit. Need some help with that?” Not waiting for an answer, she latched onto his arm and dragged him into the kitchen.
“Be right back. Make yourself at home, boys.” Jeanette gave Taz and Peyton a warm smile before heading down the hall. Taz found himself alone with Peyton. He stared at him in silence, studying the other man carefully.
“So, you and Reed, huh?” Peyton began in a forced conversational tone. “How long have you been dating?”
“We’re not dating. We live together.”
Peyton’s eyebrows shot straight up. “That’s a bit fast, isn’t it?” He took a step toward Taz, lowering his voice. “Since when has Reed been willing to commit to one guy?”
Taz met the other man’s forceful gaze without flinching. “Since me,” he said. “And I am not you.” Leaving the words hanging in the air between them, he turned on his heel and walked out to the kitchen, afraid if he stayed another moment, he’d have to put his fist into Peyton’s nose, and he knew that would upset Reed too much, so he could not do that.
REED IMMEDIATELY saw the change in his lover when Taz entered the room. Tension crackled around him, and he looked… well, damn. He looked like he wanted to rip someone apart. Reed had little doubt who’d caused this reaction, but still it was a shock to see this side of Taz. Maybe it was wrong of him, but he tended to think of his lover as being a little innocent, a little… playful, and fun-loving. There was nothing easygoing or fun-loving about him now. Oh no. His eyes were narrowed, his lips pinched tight, and frown lines creased the area between his eyes.
This was totally not the Taz he knew.
Seeing that his mom and sister were busy setting the table, he stepped closer to Taz. “Hey, babe, what’s going on?” Reed kept his voice low so they wouldn’t draw attention.
“I do not like your past boyfriend, Reed. He’s not a pleasant person. I would like to put my fist into his nose, but I know that would upset you.” Taz shrugged as the aforementioned person entered the room. “I don’t see how your mom and sister can be so friendly with him.”
“They don’t know, remember? To them, he’s nothing more than a family friend. But yeah, I know what you mean.” Reed hugged Taz quickly, then walked him to the table. He did know what Taz meant. The fact that Peyton was hanging around his family made his skin crawl, but there was nothing he could say, not if he didn’t want all the ugly facts to come out. While he doubted Peyton wanted his family to know about them any more than he did, it still made him uncomfortable. He was willing to bet his reasons for keeping everything under wraps were different than Peyton’s. Reed heard a door shut and a voice drift down the hall. Oh lovely, the day just went to hell in a handbasket. Jacob had arrived.
“Hello? Mom? Where you at?”
“Back here, Jacob.”
“Is that fried chicken I smell?” Jacob walked in, looked around, and scowled at Reed. “That smells really…. Oh, you’re here. I had hoped…. Hey! Peyton! I didn’t know you’d be here.”
Reed’s stomach dropped as he watched the two men shake hands like they were great friends or something. As he listened to them talk about getting together to play a round of golf, he wanted to scream. What the hell was Peyton doing? Didn’t he know how Jacob felt about gay people? Jesus, Jacob would have a fit if he ever figured out Peyton had been in a relationship with his own brother. But, knowing Jacob, he’d just blame him… somehow. Probably think he’d turned Peyton gay or some nonsense. God, he wanted this day to just end. He wanted to hide away with Taz and forget all of it.
“You okay?” Taz asked.
“Been better. Let’s just get this over with, then we can get out of here. Maybe go for a drive or hide out in our room. Something.”
“Well, everyone have a seat and I’ll say grace.” Jeanette motioned to the table while Jacob glared at Reed again, but a sharp look from their mother cut off whatever Jacob had been tempted to say. This time.
THIRTY MINUTES later, Reed pulled Taz out of the house behind him. Dinner sat like a lead balloon in his stomach. That had to be one of the more unpleasant meals he’d had lately, but at least it was over. Jacob had kept his insults vaguely subtle, and Peyton had kept his mouth shut.
“Thank God that’s over.” Reed leaned against the railing that ran around the patio, his arms wrapped securely around Taz. Twilight covered the land, and the night creatures were waking up to greet the oncoming darkness. Crickets chirped and frogs croaked. Turning slightly, Reed stared out over the lake, slowly relaxing. He loved to be near water, but the rivers that riddled New York City weren’t exactly what he had in mind.
“Sorry that was so awful for you.” Taz leaned his head back against Reed’s shoulder. “At least Renee seems to like us. And your mom and dad.”
“Ignore Jacob and Peyton, that’s my best advice. In a few more days we’ll be out of here and never have to see them again.”
“Works for me.”
“And you work for me.” Reed tilted Taz’s face toward his and kissed him softly. Taz reacted, pressing their lips together again when Reed released him, a small moan issuing from the back of his throat. Their bodies automatically drew closer, as if magnetized.
Taz placed one hand behind Reed’s head, anchoring himself in his touch, willing him to forget all about his unpleasant sibling. Thank the gods Cal wasn’t such an asshole. His older brother might have his ways, and a tendency toward order and organization, but he accepted Taz as he was.
He heard the sound of a door opening and closing, the clatter of footsteps on the deck; someone was coming out of the house, but his eyes were closed and he wasn’t inclined to look to see who it was. Time enough for that. He was comfortable as he was. All too soon, though, he became aware of the identity of that person by his angry bellow.
“Don’t you two have any shame? What if Mom or Renee saw you? Or the neighbors? Can’t you at least show some decency and be queer in private?”
Taz felt Reed stiffen in his arms. Even in the dimmer light of evening, he could see the flush that overtook his lover’s cheeks, feel the conflict that raged through his body. “Reed, don’t let him get to you,” he whispered. “He’s not worth it.”
“There’s a special place for people like you,” Jacob snarled. “They call it Hell. God puts all the homos there, and the liars and the murderers too.” He took a step toward them, and Reed took a step away from both Taz and Jacob.
Taz stepped in between the two men, drawing himself to his full height. A low growl had replaced the moan, and it was directed straight at Jacob Hatcher. Taz felt his muscles tense, and the hair all over his body stand on end, his nails lengthening.
“Taz….” He heard Reed’s voice, cautioning him, but he was too far gone to listen for the moment. Every protective instinct he had was in force. He wasn’t about to let Jacob come between him and Reed if it took the last breath in his body to do it. Jacob might be bulkier than Taz, but Taz was fairly confident he could take him on if it came to that. He was stronger than he looked, and his survival instincts were high.
“Come on, Taz, let’s just go inside.” Reed stepped around Taz with every intention of dragging his lover back in the house if he had to. The last thing he wanted was a brawl on his parents’ back patio. Although, to be honest, it wouldn’t be the first time Jacob had swung at him, but they’d been kids then. Some things didn’t change.
“Yeah, why don’t you take your faggotty self back inside where decent folks don’t have to look at stuff like that? Better yet, why don’t you just go back to New York? I’m sure your kind fits in better there.”
Reed saw red… literally. Of all the things to call him, that one word made his head explode and his temper spike. He spun around, unable to keep from responding to his brother’s intentional slur. “You’re such a goddamn idiot, Jacob. And it must really gripe your ass that I went to New York and made something of myself. Unlike you.”
Jacob snarled. “How dare you use the Lord’s name in vain? Blasphemer!”
“Tell you what? Why don’t you stick the god you worship up your ass, hit the spin button, and rim yourself real good? You need something to loosen you up and a good ass fucking might do the trick. And I’ll tell you something else… the God I worship loves us all. Besides—”
That was as far as Reed got. One second, Jacob was foaming at the mouth, and the next his fist was flying toward Reed’s face. Before Reed could even react, however, another hand shot out and wrapped around Jacob’s fist… the same fist that was on a crash course with Reed’s jaw.
“I don’t think so,” Taz hissed.
All three men stood frozen: Jacob struggling against the strength that held him hostage, Taz furious that anyone would strike his lover, Reed with his mouth hanging open.
“Damn,” Reed mumbled, goggling at Taz as Jacob strove to break Taz’s hold. Reed knew firsthand how much power Jacob had in those bulky arms of his from other times they’d had occasion to fight. Taz must be strong… damn strong. Holy cow, he’d had no idea. His kitten just turned into a tiger right in front of his eyes. And, speaking of which, Taz really was starting to show some of his more… interesting traits. Not a good thing. “Babe.” Reed put his hand over Taz’s, the one that was wrapped around Jacob’s fist. “This isn’t the way. And I really need you to calm down, kitten.” Reed hoped the use of Taz’s nickname would catch his attention and get his point across. Now was not the time to go alien.
Even if he would enjoy watching Taz throw Jacob across the backyard. And something told him Taz could do it.
Taz didn’t look at Reed, but a calmness seemed to come over him. Still holding Jacob’s fist, he walked the nasty man back several steps, making his point—he was the stronger of the two.
“No one, and I mean no one, tries to hurt my Reed. This I won’t allow. Consider this the only warning you get.” Taz flung Jacob’s fist away from him. “The only warning.”
Jacob, panting, glared at Reed, but didn’t say another word. Turning on his heel, he stalked back to the house, his pride hanging in tatters. The slamming of the back door snapped Reed out of his daze.
“Well, damn, babe. Just… damn.” Reed ran a hand through his hair. “Got to say this is a side of you I’ve never seen before and I’m… damn impressed. Holy hell, am I impressed.”
Taz curled himself into Reed, his anger at Jacob having been released, returning to kitten mode now that the immediate threat had been removed. “I will never let anyone bring harm to you, my Reed. Even if he is your brother.”
Reed shot a quick glance into the night sky, and thanked again whatever lucky star had sent Taz in his direction. His guardian angel had certainly been looking out for him that night. Now, if only his angel could make sure that Reed’s happiness wasn’t fleeting, as had been his experience up until now. He was almost afraid to hope anymore.