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Chapter One

Lake

Soft rock music played from the new stereo system in the corner of the room. His room. Lake looked around the room with pride. The house might not belong to him, but this was the first time that he’d gotten to decorate and claim his space as his true self.

A gorgeous thick gray carpet covered the floor from wall to wall. It had been Remi who had insisted on the thick padding for under the carpet. Remi claimed it would be better for Lake and Dom’s knees when they were crawling around. Lake had wanted to argue about the extra cost but in the end, he agreed and allowed himself to be spoiled.

Lake could imagine what his mom or brothers would say if they knew that Lake had allowed anyone to buy him something. Anything. His father wouldn’t use words to remind Lake. It had taken time, but Lake trusted the men that he now called his chosen family. Not that Lake was under any illusion that his blood family would be pleased when they’d found out what Lake had done.

It might have been cowardly, but Lake had moved out of the apartment he shared with two of his brothers, Jack and Brex, when they were out of town on a camping trip. Lake hated camping and his family knew it. They still pressured Lake to go along with them every year but this time Lake had been able to hold out and blame work. He had worked so it hadn’t been a complete lie. Lake had also moved everything he owned from the shared apartment.

He'd had help moving his stuff too. Eric, Dane, and Remi had taken care of the big furniture as Ezra and Brandon had helped Lake load boxes. Dom still wasn’t allowed to do much after his kidney transplant four weeks ago. Dom stayed home watching Eric and Ezra’s little girl, Annabelle. Lake had moved out of that prison of an apartment in less than two hours.

Immediately after moving out Lake turned off his cell phone.

He cringed, thinking of all the missed calls, voicemails, and text messages that awaited him when he finally turned his phone back on. Maybe he wouldn’t! Lake might just get a new number and be done with everyone else. Lake sighed, knowing he would never be that brave. A second phone wasn’t a bad idea though.

If he shared his concerns with his friends, he knew they would have his back. Dom especially was protective over Lake even though Lake towered over Dom and outweighed him by a lot. Dom understood that it didn’t matter how big someone was or if they looked scary. You couldn’t judge someone by how they looked. Lake appeared to be big and bad and scary, but he would never hurt a soul. Never. That was the entire issue that Lake had with his blood family. His father and all four brothers were military to the core. Even his mom had served.

Lake had tried. He joined the army and did his duty. Unlike his family, Lake had hated every minute of it. As soon as his enlistment had ended, Lake had gotten out. His father had been furious. Since the years of his departure from the army, Lake had disappointed his family over and over.

First, he admitted that he was gay. His brothers had taunted him. His mom had cried. It had been his father that had stepped in and said it was okay as long as Lake was the top and nevertook a dick up his ass. Lake had been too afraid to admit he was a pure bottom, so he simply nodded and never mentioned it again.

His mother had reached the boiling point when Lake became vegan. She couldn’t understand his reasons and refused to accommodate his preferences. Every week Lake was required to attend the family dinner where she piled his plate high with meat and other food that Lake wouldn’t eat.

Lastly his family had a problem with Lake’s job. They swore he was wasting his time working as a bouncer. Jack and Brex tried to get him into construction with them. Justice and Lenon were still enlisted in the army, but Lenon constantly put Lake down for his chosen profession.

He’d stopped defending himself years ago.

Lake loved his job. Of course, his family had no idea that Lake simply worked the door of a private kink club. His family would lose their shit and probably lock him away. He’d already allowed himself to be bullied into sharing an apartment with Jack and Brex because his family stated that he couldn’t take care of himself.

All of that was behind him now. There was no going back now that Lake had made the huge step to move out and start his life his own way.

His bedroom was the first step.

Lake hadn’t been comfortable keeping anything personal in his old room. Both Jack and Brex helped themselves to whatever they wanted of his and if they found anything, like the one gay romance book he’d taken home, they would steal it and give it to his father.

He’d started keeping anything important to him in his locker at work or over at his friends’ places.

His little stuff. Lake’s special clothes? None of that had been touched by his blood family. He’d hidden it all. Lake didn’t have to hide any longer.

Lake grinned. The king-size bed was covered with a gorgeous peach bedspread that matched the curtains that they’d hung. Along with the stereo and speakers to listen to music he liked, Lake had splurged and purchased the most beautiful vanity that he’d ever seen. Lake was still learning the tricks to applying makeup, but he now at least had the space to practice.

A tall bookcase nearly covered an entire wall and held his toys, books, and knickknacks that Lake thought were pretty. There were still plenty of empty shelves to fill. Lake could buy and display whatever he wanted and there wouldn’t be any judgment. Not in his new home. Not by his chosen family.

He turned at the soft knock on his door.

That was another thing he wasn’t used to. His brothers would barge in whenever they wanted. When Lake had put a lock on his bedroom door, they’d removed the knob and said they’d take the whole door if he tried to keep them out again.

“Come in,” he called.

The door opened slowly before Dom stuck his head in the room. Dom tilted his head while frowning. “Why are you standing in the middle of your room?” He gave a saucy grin. “Get lost in this big ol’ space?”

Lake laughed. The room was three times the size of his previous bedroom. “No, I was just admiring my room,” he admitted.

Dom pushed the door open and strolled closer. “It is beautiful. Just like you, my friend.”

He sniffed as his emotions overwhelmed him. How had he been so lucky to find himself in such an amazing friend group?