Page 36 of Angels of the Night

CHAPTER 27

“I'm ready, more ready than ever to listen to your story, and I promise to not interrupt you, if you'll do the same.” Zachary's voice sounded faraway, and he tried to hide his distress under a smile, without success.

“About a month before your eighth birthday, I was summoned by my supervisor at that time and assigned a rather delicate mission. I was supposed to discreetly look into a diplomatic scandal and directly report to the head of the Agency himself, Colonel Alastair Stark. My cover required teaming up with a young journalist by the name of Yvette Bergson, whom I was supposed to court and win her trust. I fell in love with her instead, and, when they found out, my superiors suggested marriage as the ideal solution.”

“This woman, Yvette...was she the reason mother divorced you? I was ten when it happened, but both of you kept things secret from me, thinking it would hurt less that way. Well, it didn't.” The bitterness in Zachary's voice every time the subject of his parents' divorce was brought into discussion was replaced by an overwhelming sadness.

“To be honest, I don't know. I never questioned your mother's motives, although I don't think she would have cared, even if she had known for sure. I loved her very much, even if I was aware she only married me for my father's professional reputation as an obstetrician. She wanted to run his private practice after he retired, but it never happened, so...” At that point, Lance stopped because he didn't want Zachary to hate the one who gave birth to him.

“What happened to the assignment? I suppose Yvette discovered some pretty hot stuff, otherwise you wouldn't have continued to see her. Something tells me that this assignment of yours was the beginning of the end for your career, and it also affected your marriage.”

“The investigation led to the elite of English society, so I asked my supervisors to be transferred and closely collaborate with MI5. After initially agreeing, they ordered me to drop everything and come back. It had never happened before, so I asked for an official point of view, but all I've got was distrust and a cold silence.” Lance pressed his lips together, remembering everyone's change of attitude.

The man knew it wasn't a good time for a trip down memory lane, not when his son was there, blankly staring ahead, obviously struggling with his own demons. It was time for Zachary to finally let everything out, and Lance suspected the confession would drain him emotionally, so he silently prayed Caleb and Saint were still there, on the other side of the door, ready to support their partner.

Meanwhile, Zachary wondered how his father would react by the end of his story, because he didn't intend to leave anything out. The pain, the humiliation, the shame, his mother coldness and indifference at the news, the feeling of helplessness, everything would be there, for Lance to understand why Zachary became the way he did.

“You always encouraged me to follow my dream of becoming a mechanical engineer, that's why your decision to enroll me in the military academy at thirteen came as a shock. Anyway, I had no choice, mother couldn't afford to offer me something better, and you were not willing to pay for my education anymore. A week after I started, my purity was stripped away from me, my soul shattered, and all my dreams turned to dust.”

Lance stared at Zachary, unable to completely comprehend the horror behind his son's revelation. “Who...what was the bastard's name? And why didn't you tell me anything? I could have helped you, I could...” The man abruptly stopped, a memory resurfacing from the furthest corner of his mind. “That Saturday, when you refused to spend the weekend with me...it had already happened, hadn’t it?”

“Yes, it was the second week after...you know. I was so sick, that they gave me permission to stay at home for the weekend. I decided not to tell you, anyway. I was tired of hearing you saying how sorry you were. Mother knew, but she warned me not to tell anyone because you screwed up really badly at your job, and things could get really ugly for her and me if I blew the whistle, so I didn't.”

Lance studied the expression on his son's face, as neutral as the tone of the younger man's voice, and his heart wrenched in pain. The soulless bitch his wife was crushed Zachary's spirit and broke his heart, making the then-kid think he was unwanted and unloved by his father, who would have moved the mountains to see him happy.

With simple words, coming straight from his heart, Lance told his son how much he wished for a child from the woman he loved so much and was married to. However, she hated the idea of being pregnant and giving birth, and only agreed to it after her father-in-law mentioned how happy he would be if his only child could give him a grandchild.

“When your mother filed for divorce, I was relieved, thinking she wouldn't want anything to do with you, giving how much she detested you. That's why, when I found out about her intention to also ask for full custody, I was ready to fight to the bitter end. But then, she came to my doorstep, and I had to give up.” It was Lance's turn to stare blankly ahead, breaking Zachary's heart.

“What did mother tell you? What did she threaten you with, to make you act the way you did? I'm not judging, only trying to understand what possibly...”

“She threatened you. Not directly, but she insinuated the Agency can sometimes get very harsh in punishing the agents in disgrace, as I was at the time, by harming their nearest and dearest. Once I signed the custody papers, you were out of the harm's way, your mother said, leaving me no choice. I also signed off all my assets, thinking your future would be secured, at least financially.”

“Mother always complained about the lack of money. She kept telling me you didn't care about us anymore, and you stopped loving me. Now, that I know about that journalist, I can't stop wondering if...” Zachary cut himself short, shaking his head, gaze lowered.

“At some point, I told Yvette the truth about who I was and what I did for living, and I also confessed to her that I was a married man. As expected, she didn't take it easy at first, but everything changed after I mentioned you. She wanted to find out more, came to love you, and was completely prepared to welcome you into our life.”

“Yvette...would she have accepted being my stepmother? And if yes, why didn't you take me to live with you?” Zachary gasped in surprise as the realization hit him with the force of a sucker punch, making him expel all the air in his lungs. “That was the plan, wasn't it? You intended to take me with you, make me part of your family, then mother came and twisted your arm to agree on her getting the permanent, full custody.”

“Yes, you are right. Yvette even decorated your room and chose everything for it, from the furniture to the bedding. The room remained untouched, we kept hoping you would come and visit us one day. No one used your stuff, not even your younger brother Elijah, who grew up worshipping you.”

****

The three men lay in Zachary's king size bed, rolled on one side, with Saint spooning him from behind and Caleb facing him. All of them were naked, not because they wanted to initiate something sexually but because the skin-on-skin contact deepened the intimacy between them, allowing the three men to feel each other with every part of their bodies.

They needed that form of expressing their love for each other, especially Zachary, who was left emotionally drained by his father's surprising, painful confessions. It was another kind of emotional drain, totally different than the one he experienced a couple of days before, after spending almost twenty-four hours by Lance's bedside.

Slowly, his fingertips and palm barely touching Zachary's skin, Saint ran his hand down his lover's side, starting from the ribs and going down over the waist, hip and thigh. At the same time, Caleb cupped Zachary's face with both hands, caressing his cheeks and peppering sweet, barely there kisses all over his face. As his lips descended to the other man's neck, Ardan's brother nipped at the tender flesh, then teased his lover even more, gently sucking at his collarbone.

The warmth radiating from Saint and Caleb wrapped around Zachary, making him relax and feel safe. In the short time since the three of them got together again, his lovers offered him the comfort and support he needed in rough times. The overwhelming sensation of loneliness that accompanied Zachary most of his life was gone forever, replaced by a pleasant feeling of belonging to someone and somewhere.

As Caleb and Saint continued to shower him with affection, his mind wandered, memories of his happy childhood coming through the heavy door behind which he kept them locked. Zachary remembered the summer holidays he spent at one or another of the many residences the Abramsky family owned, and how his father's parents treated him like a king.

“They loved to see me happy. They would have done anything to see me smile, and they did the same with dad, especially Grandmama. Grandpapa had a very stern appearance but was a softie on the inside. I don't know how I could have forgotten all these things and believed her instead.” Zachary's voice, filled with melancholy at the beginning, turned bitter when he indirectly mentioned his mother.

“You said in the car your father had another son and a wife, who couldn't wait for you to become part of her life. What happened to them?” Seeing the sadness clouding Zachary's eyes, Caleb regretted asking that question, but it was too late to take it back.

“They both died when their house was blown up, more likely by a criminal hand. Dad said their bodies were never found, but he doubted they would’ve made it out alive. I wish I hadn’t been such a prideful little shit back then and talked to him more, maybe his pain would have lessened faster, and he wouldn't have suffered so much.” Zachary's voice died down as he lowered his gaze in shame.

“Hush, my sweet one, everything is over now. It's time to put the past behind you once and for all and start thinking about the present. We will never leave your side and will help you to work on the relationship with your father, to build it from the start.” Saint tenderly kissed Zachary's cheek, his voice sweet music to the other man's ears.

“Yes, and we'll also work on building a future for the three of us. Me, you and Saint have a lot of things to figure out and think about, but together, we'll get there. We don't have to adopt three or four kids at the same time, one should be enough at the beginning. It would be the best way to practice our parenting skills. Once we get used to the whole thing, we could add two or three kids to our family, and...What?” The huge grin on Zachary's face made Caleb frown in confusion.

“Nothing, my love. Your enthusiasm is so contagious, it makes me impatient to start this new life with you and Saint by my side, so how about taking first step tomorrow?” The man's light-green eyes were shining with hope as he was waiting for Caleb's answer.

“I have a better idea. How about tonight?” Saint hugged both his lovers, taking them into his heart, where they belonged.

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