Page 83 of Winning You
Fallon said nothing, but he did shoot Frankie a smile as he moved into the back room, and when the door was shut, Frankie collapsed on the couch and grabbed his phone from the side table. Luckily, there were no messages from anyone except Fenton with a good-morning selfie of Elodie.
He hit his brother’s contact and waited as it rang.
“We’re all alive, nothing has burned down?—”
“Charlie tried to attack Fallon at his work last night.” He couldn’t beat around the bush. “I need to take him downtown to get a restraining order.”
“Oh, what the actual fuck. That dude is unhinged.”
“I know,” Frankie sighed. “He also attacked Lucas a few hours before that. Punched him in the face a couple of times. Broke his cheekbone and eye socket.”
“Wait…are you serious? Your neighbor? The blind dude?”
Frankie felt irritation rush up his spine. “He’s not the blind dude, Fen. His name is Lucas, and even if he wasn’t blind, he didn’t deserve to be fucking punched.”
“No, I—you’re right. I’m sorry.”
“We need to talk about him,” Frankie said.
“Why? Because you’re?—”
“Watch what you say,” he warned.
Fenton must have thought better of himself because he took a breath before he spoke again. “You’re sleeping together, aren’t you?”
“It’s more than that, but yes.”
“Isn’t he a little young?”
“He’s exactly the age he is. He’s an adult, and I am respecting him as best as I know how. And I need you to do the same. He’s fully capable. He owns a business, and he’s put up with a lot of shit from people. I’d rather he not put up with yours.”
Fenton was quiet again. Then he took a breath. “Yeah. I get it.”
“No more mouthing shit because he can’t see you.”
“Yep. Dick move. I knew it when I did it.” Fenton groaned softly, then said, “You really dropped this shit on me now? During this Charlie thing?”
“Because it involves Lucas, and I needed you to know why I’m invested. My relationship with him is very new, and it’s fragile. I’d like to protect it because you know what it’s been like for me in the past.”
Fenton let out a quiet sigh. “Yeah. I’m sorry. Things have just been weird lately, and…anyway. Look, we’ve got Elodie for the day. I’ll get her to school and pick her up. She won’t mind spending another night here if Fallon needs the space. I know he’s always more comfortable with you.”
Frankie shook his head, but he didn’t really disagree. Fallon loved his brothers equally, but Frankie had always been more like a dad to him. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“You’d get by. You always did. But I’m here, and I can help. Tell Lucas I’m sorry, and I’d like to hang out soon. Maybe do family dinner when shit isn’t upside down.”
Frankie felt the tension in his chest unknot. “I’d really like that. I’ll text you when it’s over. I’m going to make sure we include you and Ivy in the protection order. Probably your work too, though I’m not sure how I’d do that with the ferry…”
“Just add in the ferry station, maybe? While I’m there. I’m not sure. The court person will probably help you with that.”
“Yeah. Okay. Anyway, I’ll include Ivy’s office and Elodie’s school. Am I missing anything?”
“I don’t think so. Give Fall a hug for me, okay? When he’s ready to have one.”
“I will. Talk soon.” He hung up, then waited a beat before pushing to his feet and wandering into the hall. He felt strangeabout it, but then he saw Lucas’s front door cracked open, and he felt a surge of panic.
There was a microscopic chance Lucas was in danger, but considering the events of the last twenty-four hours, he was taking no chances at all. He burst in, heart racing, only to come to a skidding halt when Lucas came out of his bedroom. His hair was wet, hanging around his shoulders, and he was wearing nothing but a towel.
“I. Ah.” Frankie cleared his throat, gaze fixed on his abs and the small trail of hair that disappeared behind the terry cloth.
