Page 11 of Announcing Love (Sporting Pride #5)

The trip to Arizona passed in a blur. His boss was more than a little agitated about Artem needing more time off only two weeks after Arizona to go to New York.

This one was for his future, though. Artem had to take a risk.

He had dodged being alone with Baba for two whole days.

Artem was convinced it was some sort of record.

He was equally sure she saw right through him, and that terrified him.

Artem spent all his free time painting and only going downstairs for meals.

He felt Baba’s stare boring into the side of his head. It was possible coming for meals was a mistake. They always sat next to each other, but that usually left her focused on Sacha across the table. Not tonight. His reprieve was over.

“I see someone is into erotic asphyxiation.”

Artem’s eyes fell closed for a moment at the comment.

Sacha and Bandit grabbed their plates and ran.

Baba gave a sharp nod. “Good. We’re alone now.” She took Artem’s hand, pulling his full attention her way. Baba rarely looked serious. She did now. “I’ve always thought you were the most like me.”

God help him. It was true. “I know.”

She patted his hand. “That’s good. You’ll listen. It’s important. I’m all for some good choking during sex.”

“Baba—”

“I’m serious.” She sounded like it, so Artem snapped his teeth closed. He loved her, so he would endure. “You see the good and beauty in everyone. That’s an amazing gift. A man who is violent in the bedroom is that way for a reason.”

“I would never let anyone hurt me or stay with anyone if I thought I was in danger.” His exasperation peeked through. He didn’t want to be seen as abused. That was ridiculous. He would die if anyone knew how he begged for it.

Her grip tightened. “That’s not my point.

That type of relationship is all about control.

There’s always some kind of trauma behind the need to own someone on every level.

You know I know about these things. I’ve always had a second sight and high intuition.

” She did, and no one really believed other than Artem.

Baba had said his parents would never come home, and she had been right.

That wasn’t the only time, but it was the premonition that burned into his memory.

“This man, he has something he’s using you as glue to hold together.

I’m not saying that’s a bad thing. Sometimes being used is a very good thing.

” She flashed him a wicked smile. It immediately fell.

“But if that glue comes apart, I fear something will spill from him that’s more than you can handle.

I just want you to be prepared. He’ll love you intensely.

I feel that. I see it for you, but he can cut you every bit as deeply.

You will be the one who chooses. When that fork in the road hits, you have to pick him.

You’ll know it when you see it. Just remember what I’ve told you.

” She patted his hand again. “You’re a good boy. Your love will save him.”

Artem hung on every word. Even if he didn’t believe she possessed some sort of second sight, she had age and wisdom on her side.

While Baba enjoyed misbehaving, she had seen and done more things than he could imagine.

Plus, he had felt exactly what she claimed.

There was something inside Tip. Artem was a little scared of what it might be.

“Look who I found at the door.” Sacha appeared in the kitchen with Tip at his side.

Artem bit his bottom lip, trying to squelch the huge grin that wanted to explode.

Tip ignored Artem for Baba. “I was downtown today, and I saw this in the window of a crystal shop. It had your name on it, so I had to get it.” He passed a gorgeous multicolored tree made of crystals and golden wire.

It was close to a foot tall and captured the light, making it twinkle.

Its sparkle didn’t compare to the light it brought to Baba’s eyes.

“Oh my. It’s a tree of life. How beautiful. Thank you. I was just telling Artem how any man who left erotic bruises on his neck was a good boy.”

Artem covered his eyes.

Tip’s sexy chuckle only made his blush worse. “He’s always safe with me.”

Artem wondered if the floor would swallow him if he asked nicely enough.

“I know exactly where to put this. Help an old lady to her feet, Sacha. Let’s leave these two alone. Thank you for my gift. It’s lovely.”

Artem couldn’t tear his hand from his eyes. He wasn’t sure if a person could actually die of embarrassment, but he wanted to try just to get away from the situation.

Warm lips caressed his nape.

A shaky breath escaped him.

Those amazing lips moved to his ear. “It’s okay. We’re alone.”

“I don’t know if that’s better. We should probably call your mom and talk to her about things too. I may as well be humiliated all around.”

He claimed Baba’s chair but faced him. Tip took his hand. To Artem’s surprise, he looked slightly hurt. “Are you embarrassed?”

Baba had him questioning every exchange, searching for where Tip needed to be shored up. “Of you? No. I’m just not… I guess I’m…” Fuck. He didn’t know how to explain.

“You’re a private person who doesn’t like discussing their personal life at the dinner table.”

“Thank you!” Artem threw his hands up. “Most adults have learned that by now. Not Baba.”

Tip’s sexy smile eased the pressure on Artem’s chest. “Have you ever doubted that you could take a single problem to her, no matter how personal?”

“No.” Artem didn’t even have to think about it.

“That’s why she does what she does.”

Artem blinked. He had never thought about it that way. It was true. Her outlandish behavior made it impossible to fear any topic. He was still a little embarrassed, though. Artem had to move along.

“Have you eaten?”

Tip shook his head, but his gaze never wavered from Artem.

“Would you like a plate?”

“That depends. Were you finished?”

As if he would say yes now that he knew Tip hadn’t eaten. “No. We’d just sat down when Baba cleared the room with her dinner topic of erotic asphyxiation.”

A huge grin split Tip’s face. “I wish I had been here for that.”

“You really don’t.” He stood. “I’ll fix your plate. What would you like to drink?”

“What are my choices?”

Artem opened the fridge. “Let’s see. We have water, Coke, Gatorade—”

A hard body molded against him, making Artem forget how to talk. “If it’s okay, I’ll take this.” He grabbed a yellow Gatorade from the fridge. His lips caressed Artem’s neck before he backed away again.

Artem was grateful as hell for the cold air gushing from the refrigerator.

Tip had awakened something in him that Artem couldn’t easily pack away again.

He forced himself to take steady, even breaths as he made a plate for Tip.

Artem swore he felt Tip’s hungry stare following his every move.

He moved Baba’s plate and set the fresh plate in front of him. “How was your day?”

Tip took a bite. “Oh my god. That’s so good.”

“Baba is a wonderful cook. She might not get around well, but she won’t give up feeding us.”

Tip took another bite. “Wow. I should’ve brought her two trees.”

“Don’t let her catch you praising her too much. She’ll try to go home with you.”

Tip’s laughter made Artem realize he had barely stopped smiling since Tip arrived.

Still, he wasn’t a complete idiot. “Is there a reason you’re avoiding my question?”

“I love being with you and you make me smile. If I answer that question, I won’t be smiling any longer.”

Artem didn’t know how to feel. He didn’t want to steal Tip’s smile. Artem equally didn’t want him to carry any burdens alone. “I don’t know how to respond. Your happiness matters to me. Take what you want from that, I guess,” Artem added with a nervous chuckle.

“It’s nothing you can change. My sister’s husband wrecked the brand-new car I just bought her to replace the other one he just totaled. He didn’t even do me the solid of taking himself out too.”

That was harsh, but Artem let him have that one. He was obviously angry.

“Anyhow, now I’m getting the guilt trip about how she can’t take her baby to the doctor and whatnot without a car.

Like fuck. That’s what insurance is for.

But I guess it’s too much to ask for anyone to pay for any goddamn insurance, because that’s just too much when everything is handed to you.

” The more he spoke, the angrier he sounded.

Artem set his hand on his arm, bringing Tip’s rage-filled gaze from his plate to hold Artem’s stare.

“One thing I know from experience is, people can and will find their way on their own if they have no other choice. Maybe it’s time they had no other choice.

By all accounts, you’ve given them more than enough foundation to build on.

If you stop, they’ll be absolutely fine.

But it’s not my business and I get it if you feel like you’re stuck.

They’re your family. But seriously, if they can stop loving you after all you’ve done for them, is that really family? ”

Tip’s shoulders fell. “But I can afford it, so what does it say about me if I don’t help?”

Artem absolutely loathed these people he hadn’t even met. They were destroying a wonderful man. “Tough love is still love. Sometimes that is the help needed. I mean, why does this guy keep trashing cars? Is he a drunk or something?”

Tip pulled a face. “Worse than that. I think he does it on purpose so he can get the latest vehicle he has his sights set on. This is a very familiar pattern.”

A thought hit. Sometimes it took an outsider.

“Do you know for a fact these cars are actually wrecked at all? I mean, surely, they’re not really out here driving with no insurance.

Wouldn’t they go to jail when they got in these wrecks?

Those cars are probably stashed in a garage somewhere and that dude’s showing off his collection to all his buddies, bragging about how he’s about to get another. ”