Page 25 of Doubling Down

Ezra collapsed on the bed, hoping that he wasn’t making a horrible mistake.

Chapter Five

Eric

Pacing, Eric listened to his brother over his cell, but he really wanted to be home. He trusted Brandon to care for Ezra and Annabelle but that was his job. Except Eric had a serious and time-sensitive case he was right in the middle of.

“Do you hear me?” Brandon demanded. “They’re fine. Now get back to work so you can come home on time. I promised Ezra that we’d catch up onLove Island.”

Eric gasped. “You didn’t!”

“Reveal your little secret to the man that caught your attention?” Brandon teased. “Would I do that?”

He growled into his cell.

“I didn’t,” Brandon said laughing. “I told little E that we’d be able to talk you into watching it with us. He has no idea that you’re a closet reality-television junkie.”

Eric smiled at the nickname that his little brother had given Ezra. Since Eric was E, Brandon had started referring to Ezra as little E. The two of them had hit it off and after a long night of fevered nightmares, they’d bonded. “I just need to have this meeting with Jesse and then I’ll be home.”

“I’ll make popcorn!” Brandon said. “Ezra knows a recipe where we can add chocolate or caramel.”

Just thinking about that made Eric’s teeth ache. “Sounds good.”

“Oh! Annabelle’s calling for me! See you soon!”

His brother hung up before Eric could respond. Or ask to talk to Ezra. He’d been hoping if he’d kept Brandon on the phone long enough that Ezra might have woken from his nap. Could it be a nap if it was already eight at night? Brandon had called it a nap.

Turning, Eric straightened his suit jacket. He’d already been at work ten hours and still wasn’t done for the night. Just one more meeting though to update Jesse Lambert and he could get home to his family.

His family.

Eric was getting ahead of himself, and he knew it. He couldn’t help it. Ezra and Annabelle were the family that Eric hadn’t even known that he wanted. With Brandon and Ezra becoming so close, Eric could picture a future where they could all live happily. Their own version of happily ever after.

It had barely been twenty-four hours since he’d brought Ezra and Annabelle home, but time didn’t mean anything. Not when Ezra looked at him with warm brown eyes like he’d done at breakfast before Eric had left for work.

Standing in front of the private club Jesse Lambert owned brought another issue that Eric wasn’t sure how to address. He wanted to explore a Daddy and boy dynamic with Ezra. He wasn’t sure what Ezra would say about that though. There were many misconceptions about the lifestyle. If Ezra would give them a chance, Eric could see them really connecting. Building something strong.

Maybe once his case was over, Eric could bring Ezra and Brandon to the club. Eric had spoiled his brother rotten, tryingto encourage Brandon to be little around him. Brandon had shared more and more as time had passed but he still refused to even discuss letting anyone else in.

If Ezra stuck around, there could be playdates, adventures, so much fun. Healing times for Brandon and quality time with Eric’s hopeful future family.

His phone beeped, reminding Eric he had a meeting to make. He strolled across the wide hall and to the discreet front of the club. He smiled, approaching the bouncer of the Teddy Bear club. “Hey, Lake.”

The big bouncer turned with a wide smile. Lake, the massive six-foot-four, two-hundred-eighty-pound guy was probably one of Eric’s favorite people that he’d met while on this assignment. Excluding his boy, of course. The bouncer with a heart of gold and little tendencies proved to be an amazing person. So much so that if Brandon ever allowed it, Eric could see the two of them becoming friends.

Lake was one of the few employees of the casino that knew Eric’s true purpose there. The exclusive club was run separately from the casino. Jesse Lambert trusted the employees of the club more than anyone else. Research done on all the employees didn’t raise any red flags either.

“Eric!” Lake yanked him into a hug while pounding his back.

He tried not to wince as he pulled back. Sometimes Lake did not realize his own strength. “How are you?” he asked, honestly curious. While Lake appeared big and strong, he had the softest heart. He’d been the one to find the latest victim from a drug overdose in the employee parking garage and had cried for days.

Eric had been tempted to take Lake home just to make sure he would be okay. Luckily, Lake’s roommates had come to collect him and had seemed to know what the big guy needed.

“I’m good,” Lake told him. He leaned closer. “I must accept that people make their own decisions and sometimes that can lead to bad things. It’s not my responsibility to save everyone.”

“That’s right.” He patted Lake’s shoulder. Before Lake had become a bouncer for the club, he’d been in the military. From what Eric had learned, Lake’s time in service hadn’t been easy. The man just couldn’t handle the violence.

“Mr. Lambert arrived about ten minutes ago,” Lake informed him.

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