Page 105 of The Chameleon

“Uh-oh, someone’s having an inappropriate Daddy M sex thought,” Isaac blurted next to him.

“I was just thinking about all the chores you boys need to do before… Daddy M gets home.”

All of the chuckling around the table suddenly stopped.

“But…” Levi began before looking over at his best friend across the table. “You were right. Daddy A is the mean one.”

Little shits.

Ares smiled to himself.

One by one, the rest of thestrippers guildtraipsed in, joining them all for breakfast. The twins, the Spaniard, the guy who talks to his tattoo. Even the little traitor from Spain moseyed on in.

Matteo had taken the kid in, forcing him to attend school during the day, and then assisting in the kitchens at night. Apparently, the kid enjoyed cooking, and Matteo hoped that he might learn a thing or two from Chef while working in the kitchen.

Ares watched the group of young men sitting around the table, each of them shoveling food in their mouths as they chatted and joked. All around the table, people laughed and made faces at one another.

Watching them all, Ares finally realized what Matteo had seen all along. These boys were family. They stood by one another, they took care of one another, and when in trouble, they went to war with one another.

Lost in the sound of laughter, Ares’s thoughts drifted to his own brother. It had been years since he heard the sweet sound of laughter coming from his voice. It had been ages since the two ofthem sat down and hung out together. Worst of all, it had been years since he told his brother that he loved him.

Rubbing the soreness in his chest, Ares hoped that one day Matteo would find it in his heart to forgive Abel. Only then would Ares consider allowing his brother to come home.

Matteo was Ares’s future now. He loved the man with all his heart and would never do anything to betray that love. One day, hopefully soon, Ares would make the ultimate commitment to the man whom he had loved since forever.

Now, that thought made him happy.

“Ares?” a timid voice called from across the room.

Ares’s hand began to shake as his breath caught in his chest. Slowly, his gaze turned toward the man standing in the doorway of the elegant dining room.

“Abel?” Ares managed to get out, his voice choking as he struggled to breathe.

Sensing something deep was going down, everyone around the table stopped talking and watched.

“It’s good to see you, brother.”

“Did he just say, brother?” someone whispered across the table.

“Yes, shut up,” someone else responded.

“I didn’t even know he had a brother?” Isaac added.

“Why would anyone ever tell you that to begin with?” Jared responded, tossing a breakfast roll at his boyfriend.

“Wh–what are you doing here?” Ares finally managed to say. His eyes drifted to the man standing next to his brother.

“I checked him out,” Matteo answered, placing his hand on Abel’s shoulder and giving it a tiny squeeze.

“But, Matté,” Ares began before Matteo jumped in.

“Look. I’ll never forgive your brother for what he did to me and my parents. But he’s your brother. And I can see how much it pains you not to have him in your life. So, I’ve decided to moveforward with our lives. Your brother can’t continue living in that nightmare of a facility. Whether he stays here with us or with you at your place, it’s totally up to you.”

Ares stood from the table and took a few steps toward Matteo and his brother.

“But… what my brother did to you… I…”

Matteo stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Ares’s trembling shoulders, giving him a warm hug.

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