Zane hadn’t never been so nervous in his entire life. It had been one whole year since he’d last set eyes on Tyler Grady. They hadn’t parted on the best of terms, in fact the younger boy hadn’t even spoken to him the last time they’d seen each other. Just walked away. Zane couldn’t believe he’d been so stupid as to have said something that would lose him his best friend. They may have only spent one week a year together but that’s what they were, best friends.
Texas was growing on him. Horses were not. He’d get on one, hell he was pretty good rider but he just didn’t trust them. He knew the reason he was a good rider… It was because of Zane. Ever since they’d happened across each other that day two years ago the older boy had made is almost his mission to make Ty love horses. Ty had told him countless times that he was barking up the wrong tree and that it was never going to happen but still. He insisted.
What is love? At what age do you know what love is? Is the day of your eighteenth birthday when they decide you are legally an adult and you can have a say over your life? No one really knows what age you are when you realise just what love is but for Ty and Zane, they can trace it all the way back to that day on the Carter Garrett ranch when they first met.
Ty had been dating Zane Garrett for four months. They hadn’t gone public with their romance and this was mostly because of the age difference and then there was Zane’s job. His bosses probably wouldn’t like the fact he was screwing an eighteen year old.
He’d realised he was in love with Zane after living with him for just six weeks. It hadn’t even been something big that had made him realise, no. It had been something as mundane as Zane running his fingers through his hair after getting home from work and kiss his neck. It was in that moment that Ty had felt it. He loved him.
They’d just finished their second round of lovemaking and Zane was fast asleep next to him. He’d been lightly drawing patterns on his back since Zane had fallen asleep but it took him a while to realise just what his hand had been doing. He was writing, again and again “I love you” upon realising this his hand stopped and he’d quietly laughed to himself before consciously once more writing the three little words that he hadn’t found the strength to say out loud on the back of his lover.
Satisfied and content Ty rolled onto his side and settled down to sleep, it was a few minutes later that he felt the bed move and strong tanned arms wrap around his waist.
Lips kissed the base of his neck and the words “I love you too” were mumbled from a sleepy voice. A small smile played over Ty’s face, he didn’t reply. He didn’t know what to say, so instead he pulled the arms around him tighter and went to sleep.
I just want to say to those that have messaged me I’m not ignoring you and I’m thankful for your messages but this is a sideblog and therefore I can’t reply to you from this account.
“you’re supposed to be in the witness protection system but until that’s set up my cop friend is making me let you live with me au”
“Nick, no!”
Ty Grady was following his friend around the kitchen as he kept one eye on the guy sitting on his couch.
“Come on Ty, you’re on leave, I need help until I can get him the protection he needs”
“He’s a junkie... and an alcoholic from what you say and you want me to let him stay with me? Do I look like a babysitter?”
“It won’t be for long and hey, you need something to keep you from going stir crazy, right?”
“No”
“Yes, I’ll owe you”
“Take him back and you don’t have to owe me anything” Ty replied with a frown. He wasn’t looking forward to this. Nick, his best friend of twenty years was trying to use him as a babysitter for a junkie/alcoholic because he was flippin’ on the Vega Cartel. Apparently Nick trusted him above anyone else to keep him safe.
“Please Ty? It’ll only be a few days, three at most”
Sparing one last glance at the man on his couch and looking at his best friend Ty knew what was going to come out of his mouth even although he was less than pleased about it.
Seeing his weakening resolve Nick grinned triumphantly, grabbed Ty’s head and kissed him the forehead hard. “You’re the best and I need to go!” with that Nick quickly moved back into the sitting room, gave his witness/prisoner a pep talk and then left them to their own devices.
“I’m letting you stay here for Nick, you touch anything and I’ll kill you”
“I won’t, I’m sorry he’s dropped me on you” It was the first time Ty had heard him speak and damn if that Texas accent didn’t do things to him, he’d always had a thing for accents but this guy was a junkie and alcoholic and to top it off he would be leaving in a few days. It would not be a good idea to make a move on the man and then, he probably wasn’t even into guys.
“You can sleep in the spare room, follow me”
Zane got up and followed the man whom all he knew was his name and the fact that he had a rather nice behind, in fact, in those jeans he was wearing Zane was quite sure he’d never seen anything as perfect as that ass ever in his life.
The sun was just beginning to go down and Ty hadn't moved. He knew he was meant to. He knew what was meant to happen now but his feet wouldn't move, they couldn't move because as soon as they moved and as soon as he moved, that was it. It was real.
He heard the footsteps falling behind him and he knew who they belonged to. His best friend of twenty years.
"Ty"
"Did I do the wrong thing?"
"The wrong thing?"
Turning his head towards is best friend Ty nodded "I fought to have him here, his parents wanted him in Texas"
"He was your husband"
"He is"
"What?"
"You said he was my husband. He is my husband, I married him Nick"
Nick exhaled loudly, the enormity of the situation wasn't lost on him. He'd never lost someone he was in love with so he couldn't say for certain he knew what Ty was feeling but then again, he knew Ty better than most and he knew what love meant to him, he knew what Zane meant to him and so he had some idea what he was going through.
"We have to get going Ty, they need.... We have to get going"
"I know what they need but... How do I leave him alone? He wouldn't leave me alone"
"You don't have a choice Ty, I left you here as long as I could but now we need to move"
"I was selfish to keep him here. Away from his family but I couldn't do it. I couldn't let them put him beside his ex wife because he's not hers. He's mine and he should be with me, was that wrong?"
"No, he'd want to be here, with you"
"I might get drunk tonight"
"That's okay" Nick assured him "You're allowed"
"He wouldn't be, if it was the other way around. You wouldn't let him drink would you?"
"No"
"Then why me?"
"Ty... Come on"
"He didn't have a problem till his wife died. Do you think I'll have a problem now too?"
"No, come on" before anything else could be said between the two old friends Nick wrapped an arm around Ty's shoulder and pulled him into his side. He wasn't about to let go and he wouldn't let go. He'd hold him for as long as he needed until Ty felt he could hold himself up.
xXx
It was five days after Zane's funeral that Nick found himself sat in the kitchen of the row his with Kelly, Owen, Digger, Deuce and Ty's father Earl.
"We need to do something" Earl says loudly, running his hand through this hair in frustration. "I'm not about to let my son do this to himself"
"Dad" Deuce tried but was cut off "No! I get it. He lost his husband but he needs to deal with it and not hide himself away. I've gave him this week but no more. He's going to have to face it"
"Do you not think that's what I've been doing?" Ty's voice made them all jump, even Nick who had been listening out for him "Ty"
"Don't Ty me" Ty walked further into the kitchen, crossing his arms over his chest "Zane's dead. I get it. I'm dealing. What do you want me to do Dad? Head to the nearest bar and drown my sorrows in a one night stand?"
"No Beaumont, I want to you grieve and then I want you to heal. I'm not asking you to think about meeting anyone else. I'm asking you not to run"
"I'm not running" Ty confirmed "I'm planning"
"Planning? six voices repeated but looking at them one by one Ty could tell they knew what he meant. They were just awaiting confirmation.
"The Cartel came into my home and killed my husband. I never planned to retire from my life until I met Zane and for the first time I saw my future. I wanted a future. That's gone. He's gone and now I'm going to make the people who took him from me pay"
"Ty, you don't know who it was"
"I don't care" he admitted "It was the Cartel, I'll take them all out. I'm not asking any of you to help me, I'm not asking you to risk your lives but this is what I'm going to do and no one is going to change it" with his speech finished Ty walked out of the kitchen, leaving only silence behind him.
xXx
"I don't want to leave him alone" Deuce admitted "But I don't think he'll come home with me"
"Not after that little speech" Owen agreed "He's going to get himself killed"
"He doesn't care" Earl spoke outloud "he doesn't think he's got anything left to live for. Took him thirty seven years to fall in love and now he's in more pain than I can imagine, the only thing keeping him going right now is the thought of revenge.
"We'll watch him" Kelly assured the Grady's. "We'll keep him safe and sane. I promise."
xXx
Zane was going out of his mind. He'd been hold up in a house, in the middle of nowhere for almost three weeks now. Three weeks in which Ty was left thinking he was dead and it was driving him insane.
He'd already tried to leave but he'd been hit with a taser gun which had caused him to pass out and he appeared to have a constant guard detail, complete with Liam Bell.
"Bell, I've had enough"
"Garrett, you need a new song to play, this one is getting old"
"Ty thinks I'm dead!"
"Which is the only reason he's still alive!" Liam retorted and Zane scoffed "Okay" Liam relented "Maybe not but it's helping. I told you. I'm going to help you take the Cartel out but we need to hit them when they don't expect it. Right now they're expecting it"
"They're expecting Ty you mean"
"You say tomato -"
"Shut up, have you seen him?"
Reluctantly Liam nodded his head, he'd been keeping an eye on Tyler just incase he went off half cocked and got himself killed but Liam was secure in the fact that Sidewinder wouldn't let him go. They'd keep him safe but Liam also knew that sooner or later Ty would give them the slip and avenge the death of his husband.
"Wrecked"
"Damn it! Tell him"
"Not yet"
"Let me call him!"
"Oh yeah, I can see him being real receptive to that phone call" Liam rolled his eyes "He wouldn't believe it was you"
Just then one of the men in black as Zane liked to call them came in and pulled Liam aside. Whatever was said looked to piss Liam off and two seconds later Zane had a backpack thrown at him "Pack your shit, we're moving"
Before Zane could ask anything else Liam stalked into the next room and Zane quickly followed. He wanted answers and he wanted them now.
Two weeks. It had been two weeks since Tyler Grady had started at his school and in those two weeks Zane was surprised that he hadn't left his side. He didn't care that he didn't talk, he talked enough for the both of them.
"Lunch" at the sound of the other boys voice Zane looked up, blocking the sun from his eyes so he could see better. Ty was holding two brown bags "You didn't have lunch this morning, and you weren't in the line, thought I'd bring it out to you"
Zane frowned. Ty paid more attention to him that he had originally thought and Zane tried to ignore the butterflies in his stomach but it was getting harder every day. In every way. Ty was one of the best looking guys that he had ever seen but Zane was sure he wouldn't feel the same and so he controlled his emotions around him as much as possible. He didn't want to scare off the only friend, if he could call him that, that he had in years.
"I'm not stalking you, I just heard your Dad yell it out this morning as you met me at that large gate of yours" Ty grinned at the other boy. He was in danger of falling for this guy and falling hard. He's been hanging around him for two weeks now and in those two weeks Zane still hadn't spoken a single word to him but he'd made him laugh and he enjoyed the company also every now and then he would catch Zane looking at him with his head tilted to the side and Ty had to stop himself from kissing him. Damn it! His right hand was getting a work out, more of a work out in the past two days than it had gotten his entire life.
. . . . . . . . . .
Zane had just been coming out of the classroom when a voice stopped him in his tracks. It wasn't anyone talking to him. Everyone had long since given up trying, apart from Ty. No, it was someone calling out to Ty "Ty" being in front of him Zane stopped and Ty walked into his back "hey man, what you doing?"
"Ty" the red headed girl said again, only this time she smiled. Zane wanted to push her out of his way.
"Hey...." Ty started and then trailed off, glancing at Zane. Zane knew her name and if he spoke he would have told him. It was the first time in a long time that Zane was happy he wasn't speaking to him, or to anyone.
"Annie"
"Annie, I knew that. What can I do for you?"
Not wanting to hear anymore Zane walked away, even ignoring Ty as he called out to him, asking him to wait. He might understand that Ty wasn't into other guys but he wasn't about to stand and listen as he set up a date.
. . . . . . . . . .
After class Ty found himself having to talk his way out of a date with "Annie" which he did by telling her he had a girlfriend back home and that they were very much in love. Lies. All of it was lies. He didn't have a girlfriend, but he had his sights set on a boyfriend. A six foot, build like a good boyfriend who had never spoken a word to him and who had just stormed off when Annie had approached them. Ty had no idea what was going on in Zane's head but he was a patient man and he was willing to wait to understand.
"Damn him" Nick muttered as he took the stairs to the bedroom two at a time. The bedroom door was closed but that wasn't about to stop him, pushing it open he found his best friend sitting on the edge of his bed holding a ring in his hand.
"Ty... We've got to go"
Ty shook his head "I'm not going. I don't deserve to be there so go without me because I'm not going"
"The hell you're not, he's your husband and you're going to say goodbye to him"
"Do you think he was waiting on me?" Ty speaks but he's not talking to Nick, not really, he's talking to himself. "Do you think he died waiting on me? Do you think he wasn't worried because he trusted that I would find him and at that moment when he knew it was the end and I wasn't there... Do you think he was angry?"
"Never"
"I think he would be angry"
"I think he would have died loving you, hoping that you were safe because that's all that would have mattered to him" Nick forced Ty's head up so he could look into his eyes. "You've got to go man, if you don't you'll regret it"
"I regret quitting but there's nothing I can do about that"
"It wasn't your fault"
"I wasn't there! I should have been there. If I'd been with him no one would have gotten close to him!" Ty snapped. Couldn't Nick see how much he was hurting? He'd lost the only man he had ever loved, he had been killed and Ty hadn't been there to stop it.
"Man up Captain, it's time to put on your big boy trousers and say goodbye. Stand out there and tell everyone exactly how you feel. We'll all be right there beside you"
Taking a deep breath and against his better judgement Ty stood and nodded solemnly at Nick. "You'll be there?"
"I've got your back"
"Okay..." No other words were shared between the two friends as they walked of the room Ty had once shared with Zane towards the stairs where everyone was waiting.
At seventeen Ty was a runaway, not just a runaway he was a gay runaway who had ran away from home after his Father's adverse reaction to catching him on bed with his boyfriend. It hadn't gone over well with the former marine and he had said that he didn't want Ty 'sort' under his roof it was 12 hours later that Ty found himself on a bus to Baltimore with all of his savings in his pocket. His savings weren't going to last him long. He had just over two thousand dollars but he was seventeen, he had no idea what he was going to do or where he was going to do it.
He'd only been in Baltimore for four days, having slept rough for those two days so that he didn't run out of money any faster than he was already going to. What he hadn't expected to happen was for him to be confronted whilst hiding from the rain by what he could only describe as a fucking wall who looked at him as if he was about to break into a car. He didn't think he looked like a criminal but then the hadn't had much chance to look at himself in four days, maybe he did and the guy was justified. Having left the garage before the guy could ask anything else Ty found himself in the middle of a downpour in Baltimore with no idea what he was going to do.
Strolling down town he happened to spot a run down motel that was offering rooms for cheap. He needed a bed, at least for one night. He needed to think. He was months away from finishing school, he didn't want to be a drop out. He wanted to finish but he had no idea how he was going to that, he also needed to charge his cell, it had lost all it's battery life the day before and he hadn't had a chance to recharge, a crappy motel room would help with that. Deuce, his brother would be worried, he'd been calling, as had his mother but he'd ignored both of their calls. He wasn't in the right frame of mind to talk to them.
At twenty five Zane Garrett was successful, he'd joined the FBI straight out of College and was slowly making his way up the ladder despite his Mother's protests but luckily enough he only had to listen to them once or twice a year when he made the trip home. No, he was happy and content in his life. It was going the way he wanted it to go.
Having just parked in his garage something to the left caught his eye. Stopping the ignition and sliding out of the car door Zane tried to find the source of the movement and that's when he seen it or rather him a six foot something brown haired guy was crouched down beside a car looking less than trustful.
"Hey!"
At the sound of his voice the guy jumped and whirled around to face him, green eyes widening "What's your problem dude!?" Now that he could see his face Zane could tell he was young, barely eighteen even if he was that old. "What are you doing?"
"Standing in a garage" the kid replied pulling his bag further up his shoulder. "What are you doing?"
Zane couldn't help but laugh at the attitude the kid was giving "You don't live here"
"How'd you know?"
"I live here, I've never seen you before" he explained, suddenly wondering why he was explaining himself to a kid who looked as if he was about to break into a car.
"It's raining out, I ducked in to wait until it clears alright? I wasn't going to break into any of the cars, I know that's what you're thinking I was planning"
"Have you..." before Zane could ask the question the kid brushed past him and ran from the garage, leaving Zane perplexed as to what had just happened.
It was proving harder than he thought though because Ty seemed to be intent on getting his attention but he'd been able to ignore him for most of the day since the first morning class and it was the final class of the day and Zane thought he was safe. The class had started and Ty Grady wasn't in it. Another class he wouldn't need to worry about. Until the door opened and in walked one Ty Grady and as usual the only spare seat in class was right next to him. He watched as Ty's face lit up upon noticing the empty seat and he stalked towards it.
"Hey" Ty said as he slid into his seat and Zane couldn't help but look at him. He was attractive and had the body of a runner, probably from all that running on the field, he'd heard something about Ty being a player.
"You don't have to talk me" Ty began to talk at him again, all the while smiling "I'll get you to trust me, then you can talk to me. Then you'll see that I want to get to know you too, okay?"
Despite himself Zane felt himself shrugging his shoulders, just a little in response to Ty's question and it was all the response the other boy needed clearly because his face lit up and he said "Trust me Zane Garrett, I'm not a dick like all those other guys, you'll see"
Following the teacher to his first new class of the day wasn't something he was looking forward to but he didn't mind being the centre of attention he would just rather have been back home with his friends and playing ball on his own field, instead of hoping for a space on the team here, where they more than likely square danced than played any contact sports.
He'd caught his eye as soon as the teacher had walked in into the class. How could he not? The kid was tall, Ty could see that even although he was sitting down, he was built too and even if he couldn't admit it out loud he could admit it to himself that the guy was hot, like seriously hot and he had to stop himself from staring and focus on the teacher. "Can you introduce yourself?"
Rolling his eyes Ty did as he was asked "I'm Ty, just moved here from West Virginia, I play ball, I'm good at it and I'm only here until I'm eighteen or my parents move back home, whichever comes first" he finished with a grin before throwing a smirk at the teacher. Smiling at him she told him to find a seat and Ty look around, the only free seat was next to the guy he'd noticed when he first came in. Hitching his bag further up his shoulder he strode towards the empty seat and slid into it "Hi" he said with his most charming smile but it didn't receive a response, any response, not even a turn of the head or smile. Frowning Ty wondered if he'd come across one of those people he didn't like or if the guy was possibly deaf. Tapping him on the shoulder to get his attention Ty couldn't help but notice him tense at the contact before he slowly turned around "I'm Ty, I'm new, you are?"
Watching as the guy licked his lips and his eyes widened a fraction Ty knew he had heard him, he wasn't deaf but still the guy bit his lip and turned back around, leaving Ty very confused as to why he wasn't being acknowledged.
....
"I'd give up if I were you" Ty had gotten out of his seat to follow his table partner when a voice behind him stopped him "You what?"
"He can't talk" the girl offered him
"Can't talk?"
Nodding her head and flicking her hair over her shoulder she eyed him as she smiled, Ty felt as if he was being undressed with her eyes and he probably was "Never talks to anyone, hasn't for a long time"
"So he can talk?"
She shrugs "No one knows, anyway enough about that weirdo"
Ty's eyes narrow at her as she makes a move to grab his arm, he doesn't enjoy people talking about other people and this girl was going to figure that out quickly. "See you around"
Quickly shuffling out of the classroom trying to find the guys whose name he didn't know, Ty stopped someone who had been in his class "The kid I was sitting beside, what's his name?"
"Zane"
"Zane what?"
"Zane Garrett but you know what? He doesn't need your type around him, just leave him alone"
"My type? What the hell?"
"Ball players, he was bullied and now he doesn't talk, ever. To anyone and all because of knuckle head bullies like you"
Ty watched the girl disappear as he started to understand exactly what was going on around here and why that kid had completely ignored him. With a renewed stride he made his way towards his next class hoping to see the familiar face. He was going to show this Zane Garrett kid that not everyone was horrid and he hoped to get Zane to talk because really he wants to hear what he sounds like.
You know what's always got me about this book? Ty saying he didn't care who knew anymore, was this a lie? Was he playing Zane because he knew they wouldn't be able to tell? Remember he was still hiding the reason they had been partnered together, after reading book 7 this part of book 5 has always bothered me.
