Page 2 of Social Sinners

“You’re right, this ends now,” I blurted out, but Easton still had one hand on the door handle prepared to bolt. So, it was now or never. “There’s a reason why I won’t be settling down with a nice girl.”

“Oh yeah, why is that?” Easton said, challenging me.

I stared at him and only at him, my eyes never strayed. He needed to hear and see the sincerity behind the words I was about to say and pull his head out of his fucking ass, “Because I already have someone.”

“You do?” the room questioned in stereo. Well, all but Easton that is.

“Really?” Easton spat like a defiant child. “Do tell.”

“You know, there’s really no need for that fucking attitude.”

“Go tell it to your little waitress,” he pushed.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out the paper she’d given me, tossing it down on the coffee table. I’d never even looked at it. I wasn’t interested in her or anyone else, and Easton needed to get that through his thick skull.

Easton was shaking now and looked to be on the verge of tears as he creaked out a shaky, “Why?”

“Because I’m in love with you.” Those words flowed far easier than I’d envisioned and now I couldn’t grasp why I’d taken so long to say them.

He stormed off, slamming the door to our room behind him. Not the response I was expecting.

“FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! I can’t fucking win with that man!” I yelled before following him. “Easton,” I began after the door closed behind me, this conversation was meant for us and not the group.

“Don’t,” he held up his hand to stop my forward movement but refused to turn around and face me. “I’ve waited so long to hear you say those words to me and you chose to blurt them out in front of our friends?”

“That alone should tell you how much I meant them. Not only did I say them, but I outed myself at the same time in front of my family.” His shoulders quivered, and I knew he was crying. Crossing the room, I wrapped my arms around him, fully expecting him to fight off my advances. But when he didn’t, I hugged him tightly to my chest, repeating the words he needed to hear most. “I love you, Easton.”

His sobs increased as he turned in my embrace, the tears that streamed down his face broke my fucking heart. Why had my dumbass waited so long? We probably could’ve avoided this whole dramatic scene had I removed my head from my lower orifice earlier. “I love you t...” My mouth found his before he could finish sounding out the last syllable. Each time we kissed; it was like the first time all over again. This man did things to me, things I couldn’t explain, and I knew without a doubt that I’d do everything in my power to protect him. Even if it meant keeping secrets from my brothers as I had been.

I wasn’t the reason we’d kept our relationship in the shadows, not entirely that is. Easton was. He was afraid the guys wouldn’t understand and feared they’d say he was playing favorites. I told him time and again, that wasn’t how we rolled. None of them would think that but having Stoli threaten him as he did tonight made me see things from Easton’s point of view. Stoli and I would be having a “come to Jesus” conversation real fucking soon about that shit.

“East, I’ve told you more times than I can count that there’s no one but you. I can’t control what others do. I ignored her, and you saw that firsthand,” he nodded, so I continued. “What’s it gonna take for you to believe me?”

“Look at me, Diamond. I’m the skinny kid in the back of the room that no one sees. You’re this, this gorgeous percussionist with equally beautiful people fawning at your feet. How am I not supposed to feel insecure?”

He was playing with the buttons on my shirt, avoiding eye contact. “Baby, look at me.” When his eyes met mine, I continued, “I see two people who love each other. I see the handsome, loving man in my arms who takes care of his friends no matter what it costs him. I see the man who found my heart, something I didn’t even know I had. When I look at you, I see my future for the first time.”

The guys were worried about Easton getting hurt, well Stoli was. All along their concern should’ve been directed the other way. Neither they nor Easton understood the depth of my feelings or the control he actually had over me and my heart.

“I suppose we better go talk to them before they call my dad.”

“They won’t do that, I’ll see to it,” I assured him, kissing his forehead. “It’s now or never, East.” I held my hand out, reluctantly he took it knowing we were headed out to face the firing squad. “It’ll be fine. They’ll be more zoned in on the fact that I’m dating a guy. Ugh, who am I kidding? This is not gonna go well.”

Hand in hand, we walked the plank, entering a room where all eyes were glued on us. Faces full of questions, some even laced with anger. I knew, in the end, it would be fine but at that moment, my stomach was up in my throat. Benny was grinning from ear to ear, so I winked at him, thankful for his playful distraction. That little shit got under my skin, bringing out the protective big brother in me but I loved the light aura he brought to the team. He and River were perfect for Mickey, and I was glad the three of them had found one another.

Papa Stoli was standing guard, arms crossed over his chest. “What the fuck man?” I knew he’d be the first to open his pie hole, he’d never been one to hold back unless it came to Joey.

“First and foremost, drop the attitude,” I warned him. His stance eased up, but he didn’t drop his arms, nor did he release his clenched jaw.

“How long has this been going on?” he asked us.

“I’ll answer you because I owe you that much, but I’ll tell you right now treating me like a fucking child will only end our friendship. I’ve never treated you with any disrespect, and I expect the same in return.” I loved Stoli, for all intents and purposes he was my brother but I wasn’t gonna sit back and take his holier than thou horse shit.

“You’re right. I apologize. You don’t owe us any explanation, but I will say it hurts to be lied to.” His words both surprised and cut me deeply.

“I didn’t lie to anyone. I just didn’t feel like my personal life needed to be on display to the whole fucking world. I’m no poster child for how anyone should live their life. Hell, most days I don’t even know what the hell I’m doing,” I said to him, which was so spot on it scared me.

He wasn’t finished though, not by a long shot. “You’re in a band full of gay dudes, and you let us believe you were straight this whole time? That’s the worst kind of catfishing there is. We love you like a brother, we trusted you, and this is how you repay us?”

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