“Ash . . .”
“All right.” He drew a breath and gave in. “I was on my second tour and I’d taken a bullet here.” He squeezed his right side. “It wasn’t a big deal but I couldn’t go outside the wire.”
He arched an eye to see if she knew what that meant. She did.
“So you were stuck inside the camp?”
“Right. There was a delegation of Afghani troops there. A couple higher-ups. We were taking them into the village to do some PR, community-building shit. I was riding point, doing some personal body protection for the higher-ups when we spotted a couple of boys selling cigs on the side of the road. We stopped to hand out some candy. The general got out, gestured for the boys to come over. They talked and then the boys climbed inside the back of the truck.” Ash exhaled slowly. “Peterson, he was the driver, looked over at me, but I didn’t know what the fuck was going on either.”
Shit story, indeed. Hell, not many of his stories of deployment were full of sunshine and rainbows.
Cate’s hand crept down to grab his, and he squeezed her fingers tight before continuing. “We went back to the base with those boys in the back. One of the translators took them away. I didn’t see them again, but later, Peterson came to get me. He took me to the med tent and one of the boys was there. He was . . . lying on his stomach and there was blood on the sheet, down below his waist.” Ash swallowed hard.
“You don’t have to finish,” Cate whispered.
He gave her a grim smile. “Might as well. Anyway, Peterson asked what we were going to do, but we both knew we couldn’t do shit. And I suppose if I hadn’t run into the general the minute after seeing that boy, nothing would’ve happened. But the sick fuck came to the tent to collect his property and I laid him out. One punch and maybe I would’ve gotten off with a warning, but I decided one punch wasn’t enough.” Ash closed his eyes. “When I was done, his jaw was broken and his eye socket was smashed in. He couldn’t see. I was shipped back to the States the next day and given my walking papers.”
“Oh, Ash.” She crawled on top of him. “You did the right thing.”
“Did I? I never stopped it from happening in the first place. I should’ve known. Hell, I think I did. I’d heard rumors about it. Tea boys, they called them.” Guilt crept up his throat. “I should’ve told those boys to run off the minute the Humvee stopped. Or maybe told Peterson not to stop the truck.”
“No,” she argued. “You’re one man who did what he could. And you keep doing it—I love that about you. You’re the most honorable guy I know. Isn’t that why you stayed away from me for so long? Because you wanted to honor what my dad did for you?”
He nodded. “I’ll always be grateful for what Morgan did,” he said gruffly. “He took me in, gave me a shot when the military had written me off.”
Cate sighed and sat up. “Where’s my phone?”
“Why?”
“I’m going to call Jim. I need to let him know where I am and that I love him.”
Ash felt a flutter of fear in his heart. Shit. Did that mean Cate was going to leave him?
She seemed to read his mind because she laughed softly. “I’m not going back to Costa Rica without you,” she said in a firm voice. “I want Jim to know that. I can love both of you, but if I have to choose, it’ll be you.”
A smile tugged at his lips. “Just like I’m choosing you.”
Smiling back, she swiped the phone from the nightstand and dialed. Morgan must’ve been waiting by the phone because he answered right away.
“Hey, Dad,” she said softly. “I’m with Ash and I wanted you to know we’re okay.”
Ash couldn’t hear what Morgan said in return, and he wasn’t sure he cared. Nope, the only thing he cared about at the moment was that Cate was snuggled up beside him again.
As she spoke quietly into the phone, he put his arm around her shoulder and held her close to his side. Then, without letting go of her, he found the room service menu on the end table and started reading while Cate mended fences with his future father-in-law.
The grin on his face widened. Yeah, he hadn’t asked Cate to marry him but that was just a technicality. They were a unit now.
Forever and always.
Chapter 35
“So you’re not gay.”
“No.”
“But you like men.”
“Yes.”
“And women.”
“Yes.”
“So you like both men and women.”
Liam raked both hands through his hair and fixed his younger sister with a glare that made her wince. “Yes, Becca, that’s what bisexual means. I like to fuck both men and women.”
Becca’s cheeks turned redder than the apples in the bowl that sat between them on the kitchen counter. “God, Liam! Don’t be crude!”
“Then don’t be stupid,” he growled. “I’m bi. I’m attracted to both sexes. Why does that require a game of Twenty Questions?”
She had the decency to look sheepish. “I’m sorry. I’m just trying to wrap my head around it.”
The slight crack in her voice chipped away at the armor he’d shrouded himself in before he’d pulled Becca into the kitchen. The rest of the clan was enjoying the Macgregor Sunday brunch in the dining room but Liam had wanted a private moment with Becca. He felt like a shit for ignoring her texts for a week and a half, and he’d known from the moment he’d walked into the house that she was anxious for an explanation.
Well, now she had one, and she was taking it a lot better than he’d expected, if he was being honest.
“Have you ever dated a man?” she asked curiously, twirling a strand of hair between her fingers.
Liam nodded.
“Who?”
“Nobody you know,” he lied, because even though he and Joe were no longer together, he still respected the hell out of the man. He’d never out Conley like that.
“Are you dating one now?” Becca pressed.
A jolt of pain shot up his chest and pierced him right in the heart. “No.” Although his tone stayed light, his body had never felt heavier.
He hadn’t seen or heard from Sully in five days. They’d both been on the plane to Florida but the moment they’d landed, the Australian tracked down a charter and took off back to Aruba. Hadn’t even said good-bye. Nope, not even a handshake or a backslap. Sully had simply disappeared.
Like he always did.
“When are you going to tell them?” Becca jerked a finger at the kitchen doorway. Beyond it, the loud voices of the rest of their family could be heard from the dining room.
Liam smiled when he heard one of his nieces shriek in horror. Sounded like Katie, and either he was mishearing shit or she was accusing her cousin Bobby of spitting in her food. Kevin promptly reprimanded his son in his usual no-nonsense style—“You spit in her food and I’ll spit on you, you little jerk”—which got Kev a sharp chastising from their sister, Kelsey—“You can’t call your child a jerk!”—which in turn led to a heated parenting discussion between Kev, Kelsey, and their sister Monica, who’d dubbed herself a parenting expert because she had the most kids.
Yeah. He loved those fuckers. He really did.
“Eventually,” he said in response to Becca. “I mean, I’m single right now, so there’s no sense in rocking the boat, right? But depending on who I end up with”—if he didn’t spend the rest of his life alone, that was— “I’ll have no choice but to tell them.”
Becca pursed her lips thoughtfully. “I think they’ll be okay with it.”
He arched a brow. “Even Dad?”
“Hey, Daddy’s cooler than you think,” she protested. “Did I ever tell you he came with me to pick out my tattoo?”
Liam couldn’t hide his surprise. “Bullshit.”
“Yes shit.”
“Yes shit is not the opposite of bullshit,??
? he said with a sputter of laughter.
“Whatever. He still came with me. Why do you think I ended up with the cross instead of the sailboat I wanted?”
His heart clenched at the word sailboat. Damn it. Couldn’t he go ten seconds without thinking about Sully?
“Sully’s here!”
Liam froze when his eight-year-old nephew came careening into the kitchen. Okay. He was losing his ever-loving mind here because no way had Denny Jr. just said the words Sully’s here. That wouldn’t make any sense. No, of course it wouldn’t. Pizza’s here. That was probably what D.J. had shouted. So what if they never ordered pizza for Sunday brunch? That was clearly the only thing D.J. could’ve said.
“Uncle Liam, did you hear me?” The little boy waited expectantly in the doorway.
Liam blinked a couple of times. “Do you need me to pay for the pizza?”
“What is happening right now?” Becca asked, shaking her head in confusion.
He ran a hand through his hair again, unable to understand why his sister and his nephew were staring at him as if he’d sprouted horns.
“Your friend Sully is here,” D.J. said emphatically, slowing down each word. “That’s what he said his name was—Sully. He’s at the door.”
What?
Liam shot out of his chair like his ass was on fire. Sullivan was here? In Boston?
“Grandma let me answer the door.” D.J. gave them a proud smile. “And I was like, Who are you? And the man said, I’m here to see Liam. And I said, Uncle Liam? And he said, Yes.”
Hysterical laughter bubbled in Liam’s throat at his nephew’s unnecessary, step-by-step account of his door answering. “You did good, kid.” He ruffled D.J.’s black hair on his way out of the kitchen but his hand was shaking and his legs felt weaker than pool noodles.
What the hell was Sully doing in Boston?
The question ate away at his brain as he marched unsteadily to the door. A part of him still thought D.J. was full of shit. Sullivan was in Aruba, on his boat. Why would he—
Liam skidded to a stop when he reached the front hall.
His nephew was right.
Sully was here.
The big blond man wore a cautious expression as they locked gazes. “Hey, Boston.”
Gravel filled Liam’s mouth. He coughed. “Hey, Aussie.”
A long, long silence descended over the small entryway. Long enough for Liam’s mind to run through a million scenarios. Long enough for his heart to pound faster and faster until it was in danger of stopping altogether.
Long enough for Liam’s mother to pop her head out and release a happy exclamation. “Why, hello there! Are you a friend of Liam’s?”
Sullivan blinked and broke eye contact, shifting his head toward Mary Macgregor. “I am,” he answered cheerfully. “Sullivan Port. And you must be Liam’s gorgeous older sister.”
She blushed prettily. “Well, aren’t you a charmer! I’m Mary, Liam’s mother.”
“Liar,” Sully shot back with a wink. “You would’ve had to have him when you were five.”
She giggled.
Liam had never in his life heard his mother giggle.
Clearing his throat, he brought his gaze back to Sully. “What brings you to Boston?”
Hesitation flickered in those gray eyes. Sully opened his mouth but before he could answer, Mary latched her hand onto his big, muscular arm and dragged him forward. “You can tell us all about it over brunch! There’s plenty of food to go around—we always make extra in case we have guests.”
Liam gaped as he watched the two of them disappear into the corridor. Jesus. What the hell was going on? He would’ve appreciated some warning. And he definitely would’ve liked a moment alone with Sully. Instead, he was going to have to sit there for God knew how long while his nosy family cross-examined Sully over brunch.
Awesome.
When he entered the dining room, he found that Sully had already been ushered to a seat at the table. Liam’s mother was piling up a plate for him, while the nieces and nephews crowded Sully’s chair demanding to know who he was and why he was there and if he—a total stranger—had brought them any presents.
Liam caught the man’s eye and offered a wry smile, which Sully returned ruefully.
“So you’re a friend of Liam’s?” At the head of the table, Callum Macgregor folded his hands on the crisp tablecloth and studied Sullivan from head to toe.
“Yup,” the other man said easily.
Liam’s father narrowed his eyes. “How do you know each other?”
“He’s one of his mercenary buddies,” Kevin spoke up, his tone lined with bitterness.
Liam stifled a groan. He’d been back in Boston for five days and Kevin still refused to forgive him for not telling the family about his work. Liam’s older brother, of course, had already blabbed about the mercenary thing to everyone. Thanks to that, Liam had been bickering with his parents all week. His dad hadn’t been happy to hear he’d been a merc and his mom had guilted the hell out of him for keeping it a secret. At least his sisters didn’t seem to care—they were too busy with their gazillion children to care about what their brother did for a living.
“Indeed I am,” Sullivan confirmed, his accent growing more pronounced.
Callum’s gaze went even sharper. “You’re one of those Brits, huh?”
“Actually, I’m one of those Australians.” Sully looked like he was holding back laughter.
“Huh,” Callum grunted. “So what brings you to Southie?”
Tension gathered in Liam’s shoulders as he waited for the answer. He hadn’t sat down and Becca kept glancing over to where he stood in the doorway, shooting him curious looks.
“I’m visiting my boyfriend.”
All the air in his lungs whooshed out in a fast gust.
Okay. He was hearing things again.
“Your boyfriend?” Kevin sputtered in shock.
Or maybe he wasn’t.
Liam stared openmouthed in Sully’s direction, unable to understand what the hell was going on. Sully steadily held his gaze and there was no missing the crease of vulnerability on the man’s face.
“You’re gay?”
The tension returned at Callum’s slow, measured words. Liam searched his dad’s face for any hint of disgust. To his surprise, he found none.
“Bi, actually,” Sully replied. His gray eyes traveled to Kelsey, who was undeniably the prettiest of Liam’s sisters. “Blokes, birds, I love ’em all.”
When Sully winked at her, Liam could swear Kelsey sighed in pleasure.
“Oh. Okay. So you’ve got a man in the city?” Kelsey asked.
Liam couldn’t tell if his sister was disappointed or intrigued or both.
“I hope so,” Sully answered with a shrug. “I’m not exactly sure how he feels about me these days.”
“You’re gay?” Kevin said dumbly.
Liam’s mother shushed him loudly.
“Jeez, Kev, we’ve already established that he’s bi,” Liam’s older sister Monica grumbled from the other side of the table.
“What’s bi?” six-year-old Janey piped up, tugging on her grandmother’s shirt.
“It’s nothing, honey,” Mary answered. Her face looked strained at the edges as she glanced over at Liam. “Sit down already, would you?”
He stepped forward and gripped the back of his empty chair, wondering if he wanted to kiss Sully or kill him. The man disappeared and then showed up out of the blue claiming he was in love with a man? Or was it just in lust?
Callum interrupted Liam’s confused thoughts, repeating Mary’s command. “You heard your mother. Sit down.” More cordially, he nodded toward Sully and said, “So you and my son work together.”
“Used to. I’ve been on an extended sabbatical and am just now getting my sh—stuff together,” he
quickly corrected himself. “But Liam and I worked a lot of jobs before that. He was the best partner I ever had. I could trust him with my life or, if I had family, their lives too. He’s a good man. You should be proud.”
Liam remained standing, still confused by the whole situation—Sully showing up, Sully announcing he had a boyfriend, Sully snapping Mary’s linen napkin before settling it across his lap.
“Of course we’re proud of him,” Callum said gruffly. “He’s got a good head on his shoulders.”
“Liam, honey, sit down,” Mary insisted. “You’re making me antsy standing there like—”
“I’m gay,” he blurted out.
A shocked silence fell over the table.
“Ah, I mean, bi,” he said hastily. “I’m bi.”
Everyone continued to stare at him. No, to gape at him. As the silence dragged on, the back of his neck started to itch. His gaze collided with Sullivan, who was watching him in astonishment. Liam had always believed that nothing could shock the man but apparently announcing to a table full of Macgregors that he was bisexual was too much for even Sully to handle.
Why the hell wasn’t anyone saying anything, damn it? His family had the biggest, loudest mouths on the planet. This was the day they decided to shut their traps?
To Liam’s amusement, his nieces and nephews were the first ones to break the silence.
“You’re bi too?” Janey asked as she climbed into the chair next to Monica.
“It means he loves boys and girls,” eleven-year-old Simon announced.
“Girls are gross!” D.J. yelled.
“No, boys are gross!” Delilah, Monica’s oldest, yelled back.
“I wanna be bi like Uncle Liam!” Robbie the toddler declared.
The last exclamation set off an eruption among the adults.
“God!” Kevin gasped. “Do you see what’s happening? This is what’s wrong with the world. A three-year-old asking these questions!”
“Since when are you such a bigot, Kev?” Becca shot from across the table.
“Since Angie Kearney told him that she wasn’t interested because she swung the other way,” Mary said primly.
Liam’s jaw dropped at his mother’s matter-of-fact remark.