Yes, yes, I do.
I remember Damon carrying me to bed, helping with my jeans and top, and leaving me in my bra and panties. That's all I remember. I don't know what I would have done without them last night.
Damon is… different. When we touched it was like our connection was instant. I remember taking him in his image at that moment. 6 foot 2 with a muscular build from, I'm guessing, the gym and training Kane. His brown hair buzzed short at the sides, longer on top, and slicked back off his face. His eyes, a light shade of brown with hazel in them. And his face is very sexy, almost pretty if not for the wicked smiles he gives out.
They kept my mind off everything but the happy buzz in my veins and the games we played.
Thoughts of Kane resurface, causing my heart to squeeze painfully in my chest. My memory of him has done him no justice. He has grown a few more inches and gained alotof muscle. The young boy I fell in love with was gone. In his place is a man. He is gorgeous. Dark hair, shorter than he used to have, Buzzed at the sides, longer on top, slicked back off his strong forehead, and just long enough to get a glimpse of his curls coming through. His slightly scruffy jaw had filled out, giving his face a masculine quality. Even through the rage and pain, I took him all in.
As gently as possible, I lift the covers, relieved to see I'm still wearing my bra and panties. I quietly move out of bed, trying not to wake Braylon. I freeze when he rolls onto his back, scratching at his chest before falling back into slumber.
Braylon's neck and chest are inked with beautiful artwork courtesy of Cade. My heart pangs at the beautiful drawing of a young girl's pretty face next to his heart. Remembering the day Cade finished it. The emotion on both of their faces as Bray looked at it in the mirror. It's a drawing of his sister. She died, but it's something he never talks about, so I don't know the details. Looking away from Braylon, I pull on some clean pajama bottoms and a tank top.
When leaving my bedroom, I hear the shower running in the bathroom. Cade must have slept on the sofa, my poor man, he is large, and the couch isn't that comfortable. I go to the kitchen and jump when I see my mom sitting at the dining table.
I take in her red hair she likes to keep up in a bun, though now hers is artificially colored, a downside of aging. Her deep blue eyes were always warm and gentle. My mom is a plump woman. She told me she put the weight on after my dad's death when I was four. I have always remembered her this way, and I just think it makes hugging her so much better.
"Mom? What are you doing here?" Pulling her into a hug, I kiss her on the cheek before going over to the coffee machine and switching it on.
"Cade called me. Said you might want to talk. What's wrong, Mia?" I turn towards her and lean against the counter. "I saw Kane last night," her eyes go wide, but she doesn't interrupt. "God, Mom, I was a mess. I couldn't even look at him without my heart-shattering." She stands up and comes over to me. She holds my face in her hands. "Did you tell him about -?" I shake my head and sigh. "No, I completely freaked out on him, shouted at him a bit, hit him, I think.
I broke down in front of hundreds of people and then ran out. I don't know if I can see him again, Mom, he left me, and it broke my heart. What's the point in bringing up the past?" my bottom lip trembles, and my tears once again fall. My mom crushes me into a hug. She holds me in her arms like only a mother could her child and lets me cry onto her shoulder.
She leads me over to the dining table and sits me down. "Mia, I'm so sorry. I have always loved Kane, and it took me by complete surprise when he just up and left as he did. You both have so much unsaid between you." Rubbing my shoulders, "you are hurting right now, but I think you should talk to him." Wiping my eyes with the back of my hand, I stand up, go to the kitchen cabinet and take out three cups. Once the coffee has filtered, I pour some into all three cups. Handing one to my mother, I take a large mouthful of my own.
Can't start the morning without at least one cup of coffee.
Cade comes out of the bathroom, drying his hair with a towel. He sees me and smiles while striding toward me, capturing me in a firm embrace. "Are you okay, baby? I didn't want to wake you last night. Braylon stole my side of the bed, so I crashed on the couch," he croaks, pulling away, making sure to keep an arm around my waist.
A smile graces my lips for the man in front of me. "You should have just got in on the other side of me." I almost choke on the mouthful of coffee I had just taken when he pouts, "how could I do that when Damon was on that side?" My eyes widen to saucers as I splutter, making him throw his head back, laughing loudly.
"Excuse me?" Mom asks, tone accusatory. Cade waves her off, taking the coffee I pass him. "Nothing. Mia had some friends with her last night while I was with Kane. I see his eyes shutter as he says Kane's name, making me want to hug him again.
"Where is Damon anyway?" I look around, expecting him to pop out of nowhere. "He took a cab home this morning. He's an early riser. He woke me up all cheery. I wanted to punch his face" I nearly spit my coffee out from laughter.
Okay putting the coffee down now.
Mom clears her throat. "I'm going to leave you to it, dear. Talk to Kane. You know it's the right thing to do." She hugs us both and leaves.
Sitting back at the table, I rest my head in my hands. "Have you decided what you are going to tell Kane?" Looking Cade in his beautiful brown eyes, I don't see any signs of jealousy or anger. "What do you think I should do, Cade?" He takes another sip of his coffee and sits it on the table. Crouching in front of me, taking my hands, "I think he has a right to know the truth, baby. I think you owe it to yourself to get it off your chest."
"You're right. I know you are. It's just so hard," I lament, leaning towards him, touching his face.
He has some blond stubble growing through from not shaving for a few days, and I love the feel of it on my fingers. "I know, baby. I will always be here for you. That won't ever change. You know that, right?" He says in earnest, holding my face in his calloused hands. Leaning forward, I kiss his lips gently. "Of course, I know that," I reply truthfully. Standing up and pulling me into his chest, he speaks softly. "Tell Kane. He has a right to know. I love him just as much as you do. We can't keep this from him."
It doesn't surprise me when Cade talks about loving Kane. I knew Cade was bisexual even before he did, and I suspected when we were kids that he liked Kane. Before Cade and I got together, we spent weeks discussing our feelings for each other and Kane. If anything, it made our bond stronger because we were both heartbroken over our loss.
I take Cade's manly face in my hands and kiss him, putting all my love into it. "I'll talk to him. Did you get his number before you left last night?" I ask, pulling away to look at him. "No, but I know where he is staying. I'll take you there before the fight tonight if you like." I nod my head gratefully.
He bends over and kisses me on the head. Walking away, he shouts, "I'm just going to get that lazy fuck out of my bed! Then I'm going to spend a few hours in the shop." I laugh to myself and shake my head. My man is so sweet and wonderful. This must be just as hard on him as it is on me.
I would love to know what they said to each other last night, but I won't ask. I'll be here to listen if Cade wants to talk about it. Right now, I need to think about how to face Kane.
Kane
Beep,beep,beep.Doyou know that sinking feeling you get in your gut when your alarm sounds? Yeah, well, I'm experiencing it now. Groaning, I turn over in bed and reach for my phone. Realizing it's not my phone, I throw my head back against the pillows and shout out, "for fuck sake! Damon? That better not be your goddamn alarm. It's seven thirty!" I shout, seeing the time on my phone. I hear him laughing, and the alarm sound stops.
I look over at the door that leads to the shared bathroom to see Damon holding a towel around his waist, wide awake and grinning like a psycho. I don't know how he can function this early. "Come on, get up, you miserable fuck. We've got to get breakfast. I'm starving," Damon says joyfully, walking over to his suitcase and getting his clothes out to put on. "I really hope you are going to get changed in the bathroom. It's too early to have to look at your ugly ass," I tell him, getting up and rubbing my eyes.
