Page 40 of One Step Sideways

“He’s just left for his first assignment with Diesel, or I’d introduce you to him,” I explained.

“No rush, son,” Dad said, but I could tell he was as pleased as Mom. He just showed it in different ways. Neither of them had ever given me a single day’s worry over being gay, and my mind flashed back to that day.

“Dad?” I remembered thirteen-year-old me shuffling into the TV room. I’d waited until Mom was busy bathing my much younger brother Stephen, who had been a shock to us all. I felt that I needed to tell Dad first. I wasn’t sure why, but it had seemed important.

“I need to ask you something,” I said hesitantly. I was scared witless, if I was honest. Would they stop loving me? I’d read all the horror stories online.

He put his book down and smiled. “Yes, my boy?”

Emboldened, I sat on the padded stool Dad sometimes put his feet on. “I needed to ask you something.” I’d already said that, but they were words to say before I thought of the right ones. “Do you remember why Jamie’s older brother ran away?” I asked, almost whispering. His god-fearing parents prayed in church every Sunday for him to come home as if he’d run away, but according to Jamie, his dad had thrown him out because they’d caught him in the barn with Axel from the feed store.

“Yes, Danny. We talked about that, and I said I would never want any of you to think that was your only choice.” He reached out and patted my hand. “It’s important to both your mom and me that you feel able to tell us anything.” I remembered, which was why I dared to say this.

“Well, I’m not sure…” I wasn’t totally lying, feelings confused the hell out of me, “But, I might feel the same.”

Dad smiled gently. “Thank you for trusting me with this, Daniel. I know feelings are very bewildering at your age, but the most important thing to know is none of them are wrong, and no one else gets to say what they should be.”

I blinked because Dad’s face kept getting fuzzy. “So, it’s okay?” I thought that was what he’d said, but I wanted to be sure.

“It’s okay,” he said solemnly in his dad voice, the one that told me I was safe. Mom bustled in at that point and asked if I wanted a warm drink before bed and had I done my homework? And because it was all so normal, I flew at her and hugged her really tightly. She hugged me back just as fiercely, which made me think afterwards that she might have been standing outside the door while I talked to Dad, but that wasokay.

“I want to bring him to meet you. He hasn’t had a good home life, so all the family might be a bit overwhelming.”

My mom nodded. “Then if you can get the time off, why don’t you drive up a couple of days early so he can get to meet us and be comfortable before the horde descends?”

I nodded eagerly. It sounded perfect. Mom filled me in on a few updates, but then I reluctantly said I would have to go as I was monitoring the computer. And this time it was genuine. I promised to talk again soon, told them how much I loved them, and then ended the call just as one came in from Diesel.

“We’re on our way back. The ops a bust.”

I blinked stupidly and tried not to be ridiculously happy. “Why?”

“Shae ran. The paramedics were transferring him and despite four cops all standing there aiming their guns, the second he was untied he moved so fast the cops never even saw him. One second he was there and the next he was gone. I’ve never heard of an enhanced that could move so fast.” Diesel hesitated. “Just expect the building to be watched. They’ll think he might come here.”

But I knew he wouldn’t. They’d found him here. Shae wouldn’t risk it again. I was pretty sure that would be the last we would ever see of him.

Chapter Seventeen

Danny

Over the next ten days, I did my best to find Shae by hacking into whatever camera feeds I could. The team looked for him. Rawlings had people out everywhere and called in what favors he could. Ringo seemed particularly intense, which could be argued was his natural state, but he seemed different to me. I don’t know why he would feel responsible, but after a week and when he’d lost his cool and snapped at Diesel, Diesel sent him on a private bodyguard gig for five days.

Kane was even worse. It seemed like guilt hung over him like a cloud. And it also seemed like we’d gone back to mistrusting each other, as if the touching, the hand-job, and the kisses had never happened. As far as I was concerned the only good thing to have come out of the last week was that Kane had taken to defensive driving like a duck to water because as Jay had pointed out, with Kane’s sharp eyesight, nothing was getting past him. Judging tight distances was a science he excelled at, and he certainly wasn’t about to hit another car. Kane had shrugged, but I could tell he was pleased with the praise.

Jay added later that in his opinion it was like Kane had seen and reacted to things almostbeforethey happened, which was fascinating. I didn’t think he had any pre-cog, but maybe there was something with his vision that differed from our eyes reacting to a movement and that allowed him to pick up on something instantaneously. I knew that involved brain signals, but maybe it wasn’t just that his brain processed faster, he just didn’t have a delay between seeing and reaction? I filed it away for later.

The second thing was that anything I cooked, he ate, which made me insanely happy. When Wednesday rolled around, and with my dad’s party on Saturday, I couldn’t put off asking him any longer, so over coffee when we were alone I took the plunge. “Do you want to get out of here for a couple of days?” Kane seemed to go really still, and he glanced up at me. I sighed at the wariness in his expression and got fed up with dancing around. “Did I do or say something that’s upset you?”

His eyes seemed to focus even more intently on mine, but he didn’t answer.

“Look, all I’m saying is, if for whatever reason, you’ve decided what we did was a mistake, or you don’t want me getting ideas that it meant something other than a mutualwhatever, you don’t have to worry. I’m not suddenly gonna get all clingy or shit.” Annoyed, I took my tea to the sink and emptied it. My belly was churning enough without more liquid in there.

I sensed him behind me before I felt him. I turned around and he was right there. “You move quieter than Ringo,” I commented, simply to have something to say.

“I had practice,” he murmured in that low tone that went straight to my dick. He held my gaze, then nodded as if he was making a decision. “I’m sorry.”

Disappointment knifed through me, and I had to get out of there. I moved to the side for a quick exit, but he moved with me. Normally, that type of caged-in position would freak me out, but with Kane it just made me curious.

“I didn’t mean what you thought I meant.” He hesitated. “I’m no good for—”

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