Page 20 of Escape into the Night

“Works for me, babe.” Elias exhaled a sated sigh and let his eyelids close again. “Love you.”

“Not nearly as much as I love you, El.”

Afternoon sunshine glinted off the granite countertops of Elias’ kitchen, giving the space a warm, ambient glow that typically brought him comfort. Freshly brewed coffee and the aroma of summery linen candles Caleb had strategically placed around the house perfumed the air. The only sounds were the clink of ceramic mugs against the surface of the island and the occasional susurrous swish of bodies shifting in place. Everyone was there. The heart of the home pulsed with life and bowed under the visceral tension hanging heavy around them. Their gatherings were usually boisterous affairs, filled with laughter and joy, but not today. Today, Elias was suffocating on the unspoken words that filled every nook and cranny of his beloved home.

“I suppose this is news to no one, but I owe you all a direct confirmation.” Elias’ eyes swept over the faces gathered around and flinched as his gaze met Theo’s stony scowl. It was warm,but the baggy sweatshirt hung from his lean frame like a barrier, his hands hidden in the sleeves and the damp curls of his hair framing his face from beneath the hood. He snorted aloud at Elias’ meager words.

“I think this is a good move. It makes sense.” Abriella, dressed casually in a floral sundress with her auburn waves neatly arranged around her shoulders, shrugged and twisted her coffee mug to and fro between her palms. “Completely loco, but also, logical.”

Silent nods from Lily and Luke and Connor were a slight balm for Elias’ nerves, but the outliers simply glared. Taz was damn near a mirror image of Theo as they squared off across the island, occasionally aiming their icy gazes at him. Both of them hand their arms crossed, hidden in the folds of sweatshirts too big for their bodies, with light-haired protectors flanking them in stolid support. Nostalgia hit like a freight train—was it really only eight years ago that he, Taz, and Theo had stood around this same island in a stare-off as he’d played mediator for their first fight as a teenage couple? If only their concerns were so simple now. He would much rather be navigating the hormonal woes of two young men unable to properly voice their needs and boundaries. Instead, he fought the rising nausea brought on by the fact that everything was about to change forever.

“We’ve filed all the paperwork, so it's official. I—”

“Would have been nice to hear it from you first.” Theo’s ragged voice cut through the air with the efficiency of a dagger straight to the heart. Elias pressed the pads of his fingers to his sternum to ease the ache.

“I know, and I’m sorry—”

“I already said I'm fucking sorry, dude.” Taz cut off Elias’ apology with one of his own. His narrowed eyes and angry tone stood in stark contrast to his hunched shoulders and antsy shifting. “Get the fuck over yourself, T.”

“Fuck all the way off,Timmy.” Theo’s hand appeared from within the folds of the sweatshirt as he flipped Taz off across the island. “Your fucking snooping is what led to the fucking security breach, so I really don't want to hear it.”

Elias opened his mouth to intervene, but Caleb's hand against the small of his back gave him pause. Taz looked crushed. Devastation played over his face as his eyes glittered with unshed tears.

“Theodore,” Luke warned in a low tone, resulting in the predictable bristle of Connor’s protective instincts. He somehow managed to add an extra few inches to his height as he squared his shoulders and shot Luke a stern glance. This was turning into a nightmare.

“Guys, listen.” Elias pressed his palms to the cool granite in an attempt to ground himself. “I should have said something sooner. I know. Please forgive me. But what's done is done, and I need your help to do this.”

“Now he needs our help.” Theo’s eyes rolled clear around their sockets, the hazel color sparking green and gold with the intensity of his hurt and anger. “Whatever, Eli. You know where to find me when youneedme.”

Another blow. Elias tensed as Theo stepped back from the island and pivoted with a soft squeak of his Converse on the hardwood. Without a doubt, Theo would help when asked. Everyone knew that. Guilt surged in Elias’ chest as he watched the man he thought of as his son storm out of the room. A collective flinch rippled through the kitchen as the front door to the house opened and then slammed shut with enough force to rattle the windows in their frames.

“I’ll w-wait in the…” Taz made a feeble gesture with his shaking hand before creeping out of the room on swift footsteps. Luke moved to follow him, but Bella stopped him in place with a palm pressed to the center of his chest.

“Let them cool off, loves.” Caleb poached Elias’ coffee from the counter and took a gulp before continuing. “You can't always reason with someone when they aren't working with a fully developed prefrontal cortex.”

“Hey, now!” Connor’s temper flared as he turned his scowl on Caleb. Luke’s expression was nearly identical.

Caleb grinned and shrugged. “Please tell me I’m wrong. I love them to death, but let’s be honest—they're twenty-two and twenty-three, respectively. I’m actually delighted to see them both acting their age for once. I think therapists call this a breakthrough moment. Let them work through all their big feelings and learn from it the way nature intended instead of expecting the same unhealthy levels of maturity they've both been conditioned to embrace.”

Uncomfortable quiet blanketed them as the truth of Caleb’s words hit home. Elias, in particular, struggled with the weight of the truth. It had been all too easy for him to unintentionally take advantage of Theo over the years. Granted, they were inconsequential infractions when compared to the burdens Adelaide had placed on his shoulders, but all the same, he'd unwittingly played a small role in perpetuating the same. Countless instances of asking Theo to babysit, attend parent meetings at the school, or listen to his venting rattled through his mind. Expecting him to take the news of his intention to run for President well was not only unfair, but exceptionally unrealistic. Especially when he took stock of how horrifically his mother’s presidency had impacted—and nearly ended—his life.

“I'll talk to him,” Lily volunteered in a soft, serene voice. “He needs someone to talk to that isn't so close to this.”

All Elias could do was nod before dropping his gaze to stare into the rapidly cooling coffee in his mug. The sigh that escaped his chest felt ominous.

“Reckon it's all gonna work out. Y’know he loves ya, Eli. Ain’t nothing gonna change that. He’ll come around.” Connor leaned forward to brace his hands on the edge of the counter. “In the meantime, we can run through the safety measures. I requested the job. I got the paperwork with me.”

Caleb squeaked and did a little happy dance beside Elias, lightening the mood just enough to inspire a chuckle in Elias. “Excellent! I was hoping you would. I adore the twins, but that chaotic energy is just a bit too much to handle in large doses”

Luke’s laugh was reluctant and rough around the edges, his head shaking side to side before his gaze snuck toward the front of the house. “Keep me posted, O’Brien.”

“Wilco.” Connor hesitated for a moment before jerking his head in the direction Luke’s gaze had traveled. “G’on. Git. I know you’re eager to kiss it all better.”

Soft snickers and quiet giggles eased a little more of the tension, postures relaxing with a collective sigh that only somewhat soothed them all. It wasn't perfect, but it was perhaps, hopefully, a step in the right direction. All Elias could do was hope. Hope he was making the right decision, hope that they'd find a way to reconcile, and hope that this wouldn't result in disaster. He didn't think any of them could handle more disasters. That thread of hope strained to keep his heart from shattering. A silent appeal to a God he'd rarely prayed to invaded his mind as he blanketed Caleb’s hand on the counter.Please, please let this work.

Chapter Eleven

Connor

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