Page 14 of The Homecoming: The Island

Burying his head in Soames’s wide chest, Cian let out a soft sigh of contentment, filling his nostrils with his best friend’s manly scent. No matter how worried or tensed he was, it never failed to fill him with a sense of utter comfort and safety that went down deep inside of him, to the very core of his soul.

It’s good to be home,Cian thought, wrapping his arms around Soames’s waist.

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“How was your day, my Spitfire?” Ardan stepped into the room, a big towel wrapped around his waist as he energetically rubbed his hair with another, smaller towel. “Any change in Elias’s state?” The man’s turquoise eyes filled with a mix of pain, compassion, and concern when he spoke the last words.

“Yes, there are visible signs of improvement,” Alasdair answered, doing his damnedest to ignore the effect his husband’s naked, muscular torso had on him. “We’ll know more in a couple of days, when we receive the results of the tests. But the prognosis is optimistic. How was your day?”

“I had a meeting with Lothier, Xavier, and the other guys from the security and administrative staff. I inspected all the storage areas and facilities, and after that I paid a visit to our special guest. The best part of the day was witnessing Fergus beating the crap out of the fucking monster. Well, it was Everly, but…”

“No shit!” Alasdair gasped loudly, the wide, toothy grin on his husband’s face coming as a confirmation of his words. “Gods, I wish I was there, it must have been quite a show. Everly for the win.” He wiggled his fist into the air.

“You should have seen him; a big, mean, kick-ass machine,” Ardan said, affection and amusement mixing in his voice as he slipped on a clean pair of underwear and stepped into a pair of warm, comfy cotton pajamas. “At some point, Pater was afraid Everly would finish the fucker off, so he stopped him.”

“I’m glad he listened to Uncle Fabian. Alexander-fucking-Kane doesn’t deserve the privilege of a quick end. He has to die painfully, agonizingly, humiliated, just like you planned. Speaking of plans, what do you intend to do tomorrow?” Alasdair managed to hide his disappointment when he saw his husband getting into the sleeping bag on the floor.

“I want to go to the DA’s Office and talk to Ian about going back on the island and searching the bastard’s villa and that fortress from where Nathan Sanitini’s son ran his human trafficking operation. I’m sure there are a lot of documents, videos, and other things that could be used as evidence against his collaborators.”

“Yes, there must be a real treasure there, both in plain sight and well-hidden. I hope Ian will have the courage to go all the way and will put under accusation not only the traffickers, but also Alexander’s high-profile clients, going deep to the roots of the evil.” Alasdair’s voice was filled with doubt when he spoke the last part.

“I’m sure he will. Ian Saint-Clair is a tough motherfucker, who is not afraid of anything or anyone.” Ardan smiled in the dark. “Anyway, there is another reason why I want to see him. It’s about Nico,” the man continued, after a short break. “I think going to jail for a couple of hours would be good for him.”

“Why on Earth do you think going to jail would be good for your nephew?” For a moment, Alasdair was the embodiment of confusion, then a wide grin stretched on his face. “Of course, how thoughtful of you, my Ardan! Nico will be on cloud nine, not to mention that lovely fiancé of his.”

“Seamus MacAtee, aka the infamous drug dealing ring leader,” the other man said in an amused voice. “That nephew of mine is a disgrace to our family of law abiding citizens,” he continued, then his voice became serious. “I’m really happy for Nico. He’s lucky to have the love and devotion of someone like Seamus. Good men are really hard to find these days.” Ardan paused for a while, then continued in an affectionate voice. “I’m grateful to whoever decided that you are my soulmate, Spitfire.”

“I thank you for taking care of me, supporting and encouraging me to follow my dreams; for showing me what real love looks like and letting me into your life. I love you, my Ardan, now, tomorrow, next year, and next life. I’ll patiently wait for you to come into our bed again, whenever you are ready, to hold you and listen to the beat of your heart.”

Ardan didn’t reply, but his turquoise eyes became incandescent, reflecting the feelings he had for his Spitfire. Alasdair locked eyes with his husband, getting lost in them, finding his own soul reflected there. He could sense the other man still struggling to overcome the preconceptions that Alexander monster ingrained in his mind at a very young age.

Alasdair was sure that, one day, Ardan would emerge victorious from the battle against his demons, and he knew that day wasn’t far off.

You are almost there, my love,he whispered, watching his husband’s features relax and eyes close as he peacefully drifted asleep.

CHAPTER 11

“Hello and welcome home, I can’t tell you how happy I am you and the crew are back safe and sound, bringing the boys home unharmed.” The special prosecutor Ian Saint-Clair left his seat behind the desk and gave Ardan a tight, almost brotherly hug.

“Thank you for the warm welcome, it’s great to be home and meet friendly faces. Although we were away for only a couple of days, it felt like an eternity. And yes, the boys remaining unscathed is nothing short of a miracle, although I think they are secretly dealing with psychological trauma, but…” Ardan shook his head, letting out a long, heavy sigh.

“I know those boys very well, they are loving, dutiful sons, nephews, and grandsons, who think that, by keeping their problems and struggles secret, they spare you of pain. They are well-intended, even if the approach they use is wrong. My kids would do the same,” Ian said with a sympathetic smile.

“The best thing to do is to give them space and time to process everything, keeping a close eye on them at the same time. I’ll tell Pater, Daniel, Dunstan, Fergus, his life partners, and Helen to do the same.” Ardan inhaled sharply, then looked straight into the special prosecutor’s eyes. “I’m here to ask you a special favor on my nephew Nico’s behalf. Among other things.”

“Let me guess, he wants to see Seamus,” Ian affectionately spoke. “Since he found out about the kidnapping, the poor fellow barely slept and ate, asking the guards for news every half hour. When they told him you couldn’t be contacted, he went crazy with worry. Sometimes, I feel guilty for convincing him to stay behind bars for two years, one should have been more than enough.”

“Nico is a wise kid; he understands yours and Seamus’s reasons. He is very patient, too, and knows that true love only grows stronger in time, even if the two soulmates are apart for some time. Anyway, he will be extremely happy to see his fiancé, if you approve the visit, that is.” Ardan grinned, showing his teeth.

“Consider it done,” Ian’s reply came in a lighthearted voice, almost immediately replaced with a soberer tone. “I have the feeling you didn’t come here just to ask approval for Nico’s visit in prison.” The special prosecutor frowned.

“Remind me to never be on your bad side.” Ardan let out a short laugh. “You see through me like I was made of glass, and you are right. I also came to give you a hand in putting some filthy motherfuckers behind bars.” He leaned forward, turquoise eyes burning with hate.

“This is an offer I can’t refuse, always happy to put the goddamn perverts and drug dealers in a dark cell and throw the key away. What do you have for me?” Ian imitated the other man’s gesture, eager to hear what he had to say.

“I’m going to send a team back on the island, under Saint’s command, to search for anything that could take us to Alexander’s collaborators, victims, and clients. One of the two bastards who were the monster’s second-in-command was taken down by the Sanitinis, but the other, who was behind the kidnapping of Alexander’s sons, got away. Are you interested?”

Ardan’s words brought a cool glimmer to Ian’s eyes that all the criminals and their lawyers feared. “Of course, I’m in; you didn’t even have to ask.” The special prosecutor studied the man in front of him. “I heard you captured Alexander; I suppose you want to deal with him your way.”

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