Page 22 of Adonis (Salt and Starlight #1)

Connor passed out in the backseat, only grunting when Laurence climbed in with him and lifted his legs onto his lap. When Laurence rubbed his calves and started saying how “cute”

Connor was while sleeping like a little “angel,”

Connor found the energy to open his eyes and glare.

In the front seat, Trevor laughed.

“Feck sake, Laurence,”

Nick muttered, obviously deeply perturbed. For once, Connor agreed with Nick.

“If you say anything else, next time we’re swimming, I’ll drown you,”

Connor warned him. His voice came out hoarse. It itched, and he suspected he had a cold starting up. Perhaps all his time spent in the water with Adonis was having an effect on him… that wouldn’t stop him from sneaking out tonight, though. So long as he stayed awake.

“Dad, he can’t say stuff like that,”

Nick said angrily.

“I’m more concerned by what’s coming out of Laurence’s mouth, to be honest,”

Trevor said. “Of all the ways I could describe Connor… no offence, but ‘angel’ isn’t high on the list.”

“I would be offended if it was,”

Connor said back.

Laurence poked Connor’s calves. “Connor won’t drown me, Nick,”

he said, unconcerned. “He might drown you, though. If you don’t learn to be nice.”

“I’ll be nice to people who deserve it.”

“And maybe you should be worried about whether or not you are also deserving, no?”

Laurence said, kicking the back of Nick’s chair.

“Okay, boys.”

Trevor stepped in as Nick swung around. Connor peeked through his lashes to see Nick scowling at Laurence.

“Don’t kick my chair,”

Nick warned, pissed.

“I didn’t,”

Laurence said and kicked it again.

“Boys, please,”

Trevor said, voice rising. “Laurence, leave Nick alone. And Nick—leave Connor alone.”

“Suppose I am the angel in this situation, hm?”

Connor said aloud. “I’m the only one behaving.”

“I didn’t even do anything,”

Laurence said.

“Neither did I!”

Nick said, irritated.

“Oh, look at that. We’re home. Just in time,”

Trevor said as they turned down their dirt drive.

Connor didn’t even bother sitting up, lying on his back as they bounced their way to the house.

Laurence leaned forward abruptly. “Your dad’s here,”

he said, tapping Connor’s knee.

Connor frowned at the ceiling. “Really?”

He quickly brainstormed, but he was sure he’d already returned everything he’d borrowed from Ben.

“And another Jeep just like his,”

Laurence added.

Connor sat up; two identical jeeps were parked in front of the house. “That’s Arthur’s one. He works with my dad at the lab. No idea what he’s doing here.”

Connor’s mind immediately jumped to Adonis. Had something happened to him? Concern spiked in his blood. As Trevor pulled up, Connor got out of the car first, trotting to the door. He opened the front door and followed the hub of voices to the kitchen. Arthur and Austin sat at the kitchen table while Edith and his dad stood by the sink. All heads turned toward him when he walked in; Connor’s gaze snagged on Austin, confused by his presence. The only other car outside was Edith’s… had he ambushed Connor at the house because Connor wouldn’t meet with him?

“Throwing a party, Mom?”

Connor asked. His gaze jumped to where Edith gripped the counter so tight her knuckles had turned white. Ben seemed bored, his gaze travelling lazily to Connor like he was hardly interested in him. Arthur offered him a smile while Austin’s gaze was solemn.

“We saw the news earlier, son. I just wanted to come and offer my support.”

Arthur broke the silence. As he spoke, Trevor came in. He patted Connor’s shoulder before continuing on to Edith’s side. Plain relief filled her face as she laid eyes on Trevor, and she gravitated close to him.

“I didn’t see the news.”

Connor leaned against the door frame. “Support for what?”

An awkward look passed over Arthur’s expression. His gaze darted toward Ben like he didn’t want to be the one to answer.

Connor glanced at Ben. “Dad?”

“Your probation is being re-examined.”

Austin was the one that answered. His piercing eyes met Connor’s, not a hint of guilt or shame in them. “And investigated for corruption.”

“I see,”

Connor said as Trevor tensed up.

“I’ve contacted your lawyer so that he’ll be available if we need him,”

his dad offered.

“I’ll need a new one if there’s a corruption investigation,”

Connor said. He thought about Alice and her advice. She’d obviously known about this already.

“I’ll sort that out for you if needs be,”

his dad said.

Connor hummed. Maybe leaving something so important up to his dad had been a mistake from the start? Connor had been pleased, at the very least, that even though his dad didn’t travel to see him in his small court trial, he’d gotten him an expensive lawyer. But that lawyer hadn’t exactly pointed Connor in the right direction. In fact, Connor couldn’t recall the lawyer even asking what happened. He’d spent more time telling Connor what he did when he had come-to confused.

“You don’t want a lawyer?”

Arthur jumped on Connor’s ambiguous response instantly.

“I’ve already done research into who I want next.”

Connor lied. He trusted that whoever Trevor had hired was going to do a better job than the last one, by virtue of Trevor being there to make sure of it. Though if it looked like Connor was going to be locked up, he was fleeing into the ocean with Adonis. There was no way Adonis would understand if he explained it to him. Not when separating for only a few hours at a time upset him. And worst of all, what if Adonis was gone when Connor got back?

Austin stared hard at Connor, but he pretended he didn’t notice.

Arthur shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Who were you thinking of? Because a bad lawyer can do much more harm than a good one.”

He looked toward Connor’s dad.

“It hardly matters, Arthur,”

his dad said.

Trevor’s spine stiffened. Anger flashed in his eyes as he directed his gaze to Connor’s dad. “It doesn’t matter whether your son has good representation?”

Ben glanced at Trevor, the corners of his mouth tugging down. His gaze drifted to where Trevor’s hand was planted at the small of Edith’s back.

Now that was a curious look in his dad’s eye.

“Now that you’ve offered your support, I’m going up for a shower,”

Connor said, breaking the uncomfortable silence in the room. He didn’t do it to spare anyone aside from himself.

Connor stepped into the hall. Laurence and Nick bickered outside as they unloaded the boot of the car. He was surprised that Trevor had convinced Laurence to stay out there and help Nick; he thought he’d storm in here, bursting with curiosity.

Light footsteps pattered up the stairs after Connor. He glanced over his shoulder and scowled to see Austin following him.

“You’ve got some thick skin,”

Connor said. He didn’t want to waste his energy on even a glare. He didn’t want to give Austin the satisfaction of seeing how upset he was at the sight of him. See how deep his betrayal had cut.

“Shut up,”

Austin muttered. He shouldered past Connor, marching straight to his room.

Connor’s jaw worked over, infuriated, as he watched Austin stride to the bed and lie down.

Connor stood in the doorway, not stepping in. “Get out.”

Austin glanced at him, then returned his gaze to the ceiling.

“Austin, fuck off.”

“No.”

Connor resisted the urge to go over there and drag Austin off the bed. “We’re not getting back together. We’re not friends. We’re not anything.”

“Just get in and close the door, moron.”

Austin cut him a glare.

Connor stared hard at Austin, not moving. Austin used to get his way with Connor all the time. Not because Connor was a pushover—he wasn’t—but because he never cared to tell him no. The only thing he’d adamantly held his ground on was waiting before they had sex. And by god, was he glad he’d done that now. Even with Austin glaring from the bed, Connor’s gaze was drawn toward the window and the ocean. He wondered if Adonis was waiting down there now. For Connor to meet him like he’d promised.

“Oh, for—”

Austin got up. He grabbed Connor and dragged him into the room, shutting the door and standing with his back to it. “I want to help you,”

he hissed.

“If you wanted to help, you would have done that months ago.”

“I couldn’t. Okay? I couldn’t, and I don’t mean about the court cast either.”

“Then what do you mean?”

Connor asked, at a loss.

Austin glanced nervously over his shoulder like he was afraid someone might be listening. “The case is the least of your problems, trust me. And I want to help, but you’ll have to start listening to me if that’s going to happen.”

“So if we get back together, you’ll help me? Is that what you’re saying?”

Connor asked. And he knew that his voice came out mean, but he was more than glad for it. Fuck Austin. Fuck his cheating ass. Fuck Connor for caring so much about him for so long.

Austin reached out. Connor immediately stepped away, remembering the little stunt he’d pulled earlier. “How many times do I have to say it, Austin? This isn’t happening.”

Anger filled Austin’s eyes. “Why do you have to be so stubborn?”

he snapped.

Footsteps came up the stairs. Connor recognised the heavier footfalls and moved around Austin to open the door before Trevor could even knock.

“Austin, Ben said you got a lift here with him. He’s heading out now,”

Trevor said.

“Why were you here with my dad?”

Connor asked, another bout of irritation filling him. They’d never met while Connor was dating him, and his dad had never had more than a vague interest in Connor’s life, even at the best of times. Even if Austin had introduced himself to Ben, why would he offer him a lift here? Where had they even met when his dad was usually stuck in his lab?

Cessair. It was the only answer Connor could think of. He bet Cessair was behind the lawyer that had screwed him, too, even if he still didn’t understand why.

“You want to give me your new number?”

Austin asked.

“No.”

“Then you’ll just have to guess,”

Austin snapped. He stormed past Trevor, his light body making a louder ruckus going down the stairs than Trevor’s heavy one did coming up them.

“Are you okay?”

Trevor asked Connor.

“All good.”

“Do you want to talk?”

“I think our talk earlier was enough for one day, don’t you?”

Connor said. He saw the worry swimming in Trevor’s eyes and was filled with the urge to ease it. “We talked about it earlier, anyway. The probation I got was bullshit from the start. A hate crime shouldn’t be met with a slap on the wrist. I’m not surprised that it’s being investigated.”

“Yes. Although this happened faster than I expected.”

“Yeah,”

Connor agreed. Although since news broke about the guards who had arrested him being bribed this morning, he wasn’t blindsided by the development. “I’m going to turn in. Everyone’s had a long day, and I’m sure I’m not the only one that needs sleep.”

“If you want anything else, let me know. I’m here for you. I want you to know that.”

“I know,”

Connor said, hiding how reassuring that really was. It felt like now there was someone who really would try to help Connor. To believe in him and have his back. “Tell Laurence not to wake me up, please.”

Trevor smiled. “I’ll give him a stern warning.”

“You don’t do ‘stern’ too well, Trevor. Just remind him I won’t take him surfing ever again if he does,”

Connor asked.

“I’ll pass that along.”

Connor closed the door. He dug his phone out of his pocket alongside the business card Alice had given him. Her email and phone number were on it, so he could reach out if he decided to. Connor was already considering it. He put that and his phone on the desk. He would sleep on it and determine whether reaching out would be helpful to him in the morning. His brain wouldn’t do much thinking until he calmed down.

Plus, he had a promise to keep.