Page 123 of Lucky Boys
Luca finally had Diego dump all the information we had on Bradley including his location to the Feds. Unfortunately he was no longer there when they got there, and was in the wind. For now, I’d leave him to law enforcement to deal with, but if they failed I had every intention of finding him. He went after my boy, destroyed his home, made him feel unsafe, and that was fucking unacceptable.
“I think we can come to an arrangement.” I finally responded to Luca, after being lost in my own thoughts.
He snorted, but he was happy.
“Thank fuck. I can’t do this without you anymore, Wes. I need you with me.”
A vulnerable Luca always went right to my heart. “I’m here. I’ll always be here.”
We drove the rest of the way home in silence, but holding hands. There was a whole bunch of bullshit left to deal with, but we’d be dealing with it together, all six of us.
CHAPTER 46
BROOKS
I stumbled into the kitchen,still half asleep, and not paying attention to my surroundings until I crashed right into something, or should I say someone.
“Oh shit.” I scrubbed my eyes, trying to get my bearings, and realized it was Matty, who was now pushed up against the counter, and looking terrified.
“I’m sorry!” He rushed out.
Well, hell, great job Brooks. Barely up for five minutes and already traumatizing the kid.
“It’s okay. It’s totally my fault. I wasn’t paying attention to where I was walking.”
The kid squeezed the side of the counter so tightly his knuckles were white and he was looking somewhere in middistance. Not at all with me.
My mind raced back to all the techniques my parents and Diego’s therapist taught us when he first came to live with us. I was young, but most of it still stuck with me at least subconsciously. Sometimes we still needed those techniques when D got lost in his own head.
“Hey, Matty? It’s me, Brooks, remember? We escaped that building together? You’re safe. We’re far away from them and in Luca’s mansion.”
Nothing. I walked closer, but careful not to get totally in his space. So far he hadn’t seemed too freaked out by touch, but I didn’t want to put that to the test. “Matty? Can you tell me five things you can see?”
“Um, a cage, white walls, chains…”
I took my own deep breath. “Matty, you’re not there anymore. Look please, really look. You’re in Luca’s mansion. In the kitchen. Can you see that?”
He blinked. Fucking yes. “The kitchen?”
“Yeah. The kitchen. What do you see here?”
His eyes cleared as he looked around. “Um, a table?”
“Good. What else?”
His eyes scanned the place. “A—red toaster. A coffee bar. A basket of fruit, and um, the fridge?”
I relaxed. “There we go, you’re back to me. I’m sorry I scared you.”
Matty shook his head, his arms wrapped around him. He was wearing a sweatshirt that was like six sizes too big for him, and I had to wonder if it was Maverick’s. The sweats looked like they fit. He had only been here for one night, after spending a couple nights at the hospital. I didn’t know all the specifics of what he went through or what was wrong, the doctor spoke to Maverick, since Luca was still being treated, and I went home to Diego, but physically there wasn’t any permanent damage. He only had to stay as long as he did because he was extremely dehydrated.
Mentally, I was sure it would be a much longer battle, and Maverick already set up for him to have a virtual therapy appointment. Unfortunately, right now, until we knew he was safe, he was stuck on the property and wasn’t even allowed to the tell the therapist his true identity. Too many loose ends that stillweren’t resolved. I couldn’t imagine how terrified the kid was right now.
“It’s not your fault. I’m just—I hate how jumpy I am.” He finally responded, his voice weak.
“Try not to stress about it, all those things take time. You’re in a brand new place after going through hell, with virtual strangers. I’d be more worried if you weren’t jumpy.”
Matty just shrugged. Sighing I backed away from him and over to the fridge. I didn’t want to make him feel more nervous than he already was.
