Page 15

Chapter Fifteen

T he late-night host had a funny monologue, but it wasn't laugh out loud. Ninety percent of his jokes were making fun of the president. Most of them hit because of the truth behind them.

It entertained Yael, but he couldn't put his entire attention on it. He couldn't help but overthink sending Andre money.

Yael hadn't been ashamed of much lately. He had done nothing he was ashamed of. The exact opposite was true, actually. He was rather proud of most of his choices.

So why did it feel as though he'd taken a walk through the dark? It was just money. He'd given Andre money before. When he'd first been arrested, before they trial, when his lies had been believable. But it felt different knowing what Andre had done. The shame sat in the pit of his stomach. Was he helping Andre victimize someone else? Another prisoner? Or maybe a guard?

He blamed it on Eryn still being at the party. He wanted his chick back in the nest, but asking him to come home was a little too aggressive. Especially since Eryn was seventeen years old and a good kid. His behavior didn't garner a call from Yael.

Yael sighed. He always felt the knot in the pit of his stomach when Eryn wasn't home. It didn't matter where he was or what he was doing. The thing with Andre just made it so much worse.

His phone rang, breaking him out of his thoughts.

He put the television on mute before grabbing his phone. He expected it to be Eryn, but Simon's name was on his screen. Seeing it lifted Yael's mood.

He smiled before he even accepted the call. "Hi."

"You're still up. It's late, baby." Simon's voice washed through him. Any stress he had left his body at the sound of Simon's deep voice.

"I'm waiting for Eryn to get home. He went to a party." Yael missed Simon. Maybe that contributed to the knot in his stomach, too. But was it too soon to say so?

"Did they win?" Simon asked about the game.

Yael melted. He said the first thing on his mind. "I miss you."

"I miss you too, baby." Simon treated Yael as if he were special. Even his tone softened. "I'm on my way home. I'll be in town in a couple of hours. Can I come over in the morning?"

"Will you come sooner? I'll wait up." Yael was tired, but he had to wait for Eryn, anyway. "I'll leave a key under the mat."

"Yes, as long as you go to bed as soon as Eryn comes home. You sound tired."

"It's been a long day."

"Why is that? Did something happen?" Simon sounded as though he knew about the letter, but how could he? No one knew about it. Not even Eryn.

"No." He winced when he realized he said it too quickly. "I mean, my day just started early. I'm looking forward to the weekend just because I need a couple of days off."

"Do I need to talk to Gavin about working you too hard?" Simon sounded as though he meant it.

"It's not just because of my job." He’d had to head off a problem between clan members. Gavin wasn’t available, so Yael stepped in. It was a minor issue that Wingspan’s township should have handled, but the clan called the alpha's office first. Yael couldn't count how many times he'd headed off a fight between neighbors over a fence or a tree or whatever other thing people could think of to argue about. "It's Eryn's sports stuff too. Don't tell him I said so, but I'm glad the season is winding down. This soccer mom is tired."

"I thought it was a basketball game. Not soccer."

"Soccer mom is a euphemism for lugging my kid around every field and gymnasium known to the Wingspan School System."

"It's a lot, huh?"

"Yeah, and he participates in everything. Football, Basketball, Hockey. He even does track, and he tried to play golf once, too."

"We have a golf team?"

Yael chuckled. "No. But they have a thing at the Chesterton golf course. Kids can learn the game and then play against each other."

"So, he likes sports. He'll be a big dragon."

"He takes after our father’s side of the family. My older brother does too. I'm the outlier." That was true in more ways than one.

"I didn't know you had an older brother." Simon said it as if he suspected something.

"He's in prison." And that was all Yael intended to say about him.

"Prison for what?"

"Murder. We have different mothers. He didn’t grow up around here." Andre Joseph was easy to look up. His crimes were notorious. Yael didn't want Simon to know how bad his family had been. It wasn't something he wanted to talk about or dwell on. He didn't want Simon to think he had to clean up his problems. Andre wasn't a problem. Not really. He asked for money and Yael gave in to his demands. The blackmail didn't sit right. It would happen again. It made Yael sick to think about. He would dread getting the mail for a while. Beyond that, it wasn't an issue. Not with Andre behind bars. Yael didn't want it to matter anymore. He didn't want to live in fear of what his money might have cost someone else.

"You're not your brother, baby. Or anyone else in your family. Neither is Eryn." Simon pegged Yael wrong, but Yael didn't want to correct him because the truth meant he'd have to admit his shame.

"It's not that big of a deal. It's just that it's Eryn and me now. Sometimes being a single parent is tiring." Not that he would change a thing. He loved Eryn and would do anything to keep him safe.

"I'm here now. I can help." Of course. That was true and something Yael would forget from time to time because he had had no one before. Not only that, but giving Andre money made Yael feel dirty, and he didn't want any of that rubbing off on Simon.

"Listening to me whining about it is more than enough." Yael enjoyed having Simon in his life. He'd never felt safe or had anyone he could rely on. It was nice to know Simon was there. But Yael felt a little as though accepting it would expose his most recent demons.

"Well, I'm here. So, if something goes on, you should tell me so I can fix it." Simon definitely knew something, but how? Yael hadn't said anything. Not even to Eryn.

Yael tried not to let the dread set back into his gut, but it was like a worm he couldn't get rid of. It fed off the anxiety, twisting it until there was nothing left. He’d never been good at handling his own fear. His flight or fight instinct always took over. The only time he'd ever made the right decision had been when he grabbed Eryn and ran from their father. That had been the best thing he could have made. There weren't a lot of opportunities to do much else. It was that or watch their father turn Eryn into another version of Andre. Or maybe he'd become a scared little mouse like Yael had been back then.

He wasn't going back to that place. That much he knew for sure. But giving Andre money had been a step backward.

"I'm fine. Nothing I can't handle on my own." As soon as Yael said it, he knew it was true. All he had to do was not send Andre more money. Easy peasy.

"Just don't forget I’m here for you." It was what Simon did. He helped people who needed it the most. When no one else would. It’s why he was out of town.

Yael didn't have the type of problem that needed Simon's help. He just needed to stay strong and not give into Andre's threats.

The conversation lasted a little longer. Yael could tell Simon's attention was a little more divided, probably because of highway traffic, so he ended the call.

It didn't take him long to fall asleep soon after. It was a testament to how soothing Simon's presence was, even if it was only through the phone.

He wasn't asleep long before the front door lock opened and he woke up. He sat up, trying to appear more alert, as Eryn came through the door.

Eryn met Yael's gaze. "You didn't have to wait up for me."

Yael smiled. "I actually fell asleep on the couch."

"It's no wonder if you were watching that." Eryn nodded toward the television where the late night host talked with some celebrity about his kids. Eryn wouldn’t have found that interesting.

"He was on his monologue when I got off the phone with Simon. That part was entertaining." Yael looked at the clock on his phone. "You're home early."

Eryn kicked off shoes and took off his coat. "Abbie Watson got drunk off her ass and started flirting with all the guys at the party, including me. Especially me, if I'm being honest."

“Abbie Watson is the redhead, right? In your grade. Tall and thin." Yael knew some kids in the school because they were also part of the clan, but some he just knew in passing, not connecting a face to the name, so he wanted to clarify if he was thinking of the right girl.

"That's her, yeah." Eryn fell onto the couch beside Yael, laying his head on Yael's shoulder. "Her friend and I forced her to go home. One of those guys would have taken advantage of her. So, I drove her and her friend home in her car and then went back to get our car."

Yael sucked in a breath. "You should have called. I would have called Gavin to help."

"She only lives a few miles away. Like four maybe.” Eryn shrugged. “I jogged most of the way. It was fine." Of course, Eryn jogged four miles. He probably did it without getting winded.

"You did the right thing by taking her home. That poor girl wouldn't have been the same if someone had taken advantage of her." Drunk meant vulnerable. That's what Yael had drilled into Eryn. And they were supposed to help people. Not hurt them.

"So, Simon called, huh?" Eryn drew out Simon's name.

Yael smiled. "He's coming over again."

"I thought he was out of town."

"He's on his way back to Wingspan now. Should be here soon."

"Are you waiting up for him, too?"

"He told me not to."

"But you're going to, anyway."

"Of course. I'll worry about him now that I know he's traveling."

"That mate thing is for real, huh?"

"I’m pulled toward him."

"He's part of the family now." Eryn met Yael's gaze. "Are you going to tell him about Andre?"

"He knows Andre's in prison." But Simon suspected something. Yael just didn't know what or even how he knew anything was wrong. "But I haven't told him about the letters."

"Are you going to?" Eryn frowned.

"No." Yael wouldn't tell anyone about sending Andre money. No one needed to know that. Not even Simon or Eryn.

"You should tell him. Maybe he'll know how to handle it." Eryn lay his head on Yael's shoulder. "Andre wants to do something with that money. I can feel it."

"Maybe." Yael might try to get information on Andre. If he could find out what Andre was up to, he could figure out why he’d demanded money from Yael after all these years.

"Skippy might know someone in prison who could check up on Andre. Maybe find out what he has planned."

"Don't ask him." The last thing he needed was Simon's suspicions being realized. "I'll find out myself."

“Wait. You said letters, plural.”

Yael sighed and stood, walking to the office where he'd put the letter. He should have burned it after sending the money. But he'd stuck it in the desk drawer.

He handed it to Eryn. "I didn't want to worry you before the game."

Eryn took it. His eyes widened, and he seemed as if he’d seen a ghost. "What does he mean by educating me?"

Yael sat beside him. "It doesn’t matter what he means. I won’t let it happen. And besides, he'll die in prison. The council will see to it."

Eryn met Yael's gaze. "I don't remember Andre or our father."

Thank the gods for that. "You don't want the memories. Trust me."

"But you obviously remember them."

Yael nodded.

He didn't want the memories either, but he had them. The worst of it had faded. What was left were the things he'd needed to learn in order to live a better life.

"Someday, I want to know about it. I think I need to hear the hard stuff."

"I'll tell you, but not tonight."

Eryn put the letter on the coffee table. "You should give it to the sheriff. It’s an outright threat. That has to be illegal."

Yael didn't want to do that because he would have to tell the truth.

Eryn yawned. "Whatever you do, don't send Andre money."

Yael winced. Thankfully, Eryn didn't see it, or he'd known Yael already had.

When Yael didn't answer him right away, Eryn met his gaze with raised eyebrows. "Don't send him anything. Money. A letter back. Nothing. Got it?"

Yael nodded. "Got it."

Eryn met Yael's gaze. "I know you. You'll do it because you’re scared, but you can’t."

"I hear you." When did the kid become smarter than the adult?

Eryn stood. "Just don't, Yael."

"Okay." He wouldn't send any more money, and he definitely didn't want to write Andre a letter.

"Skippy's going to be here in the morning, right?"

"Yes. So knock before entering the bathroom this time."

Eryn smirked. "Not that it was a hardship to walk in on him the first time."

Yael growled and stood. He never thought he'd be so possessive of someone, but there it was.

Eryn chuckled and quickened his pace as he headed toward his bedroom. "Kidding. I'm kidding."

"Good night, Eryn."

"Night."

Yael settled onto the couch again and waited for Simon to come home.