Maxwell: Not Without Guilt (Phoenix Club) (5 page)

Horatio grinned and shoved Max’s shoulder. “You can’t beat me.”

“I’m taller than you,” Max pointed out. “I can run faster.”

“Like an inch taller. Big deal,” Horatio laughed. “I can still leave you in my dust.”

“Prove it,” Max challenged, then suddenly broke into a run and took off across the wide expanse of grass towards the pond – their favorite place.

Horatio stared after him a moment. “Hey! No fair!” He raced after the older boy. “You didn’t say go!”

“Too bad, speedy Gonzales!” Max shouted and laughed. “Catch me if you can!”

Pushing himself to run faster, Horatio caught up to him before Max reached the edge of the pond, then surpassed him. “Hey!” Max shouted and grinned, then tackled him to the ground, scrambled to his feet and took off again, whooping and hollering.

“Cheater!” Horatio jumped up and sprinted forward, but Max was already at the pond’s edge, doing a little victory dance.

Max jabbed a finger at him and laughed. “You can’t beat me!”

“You cheated, jerk off,” Horatio scowled, then jumped on him, dragging him to the ground, wrestling. “You knew you couldn’t beat me fair and square.”

“Ha!” Max grinned darkly as he managed to pin Horatio to the ground. “I can beat you at everything. I’m older. Those are the rules.”

“Whatever,” Horatio bucked beneath him, laughing. “Age doesn’t matter. You can only win by cheating. I can so run faster than you.”

Max looked thoughtful, then shrugged. “Maybe,” he relented, “but I’m stronger. And strength is better than speed.”

“You’re not stronger.” Horatio’s face twisted as he struggled to get loose. Max was stronger, but he wasn’t going to admit it to the smartass.

“Really?” Max cocked an eyebrow and grinned. “Then get up.” He sat on Horatio’s stomach, hands gripping the younger boy’s upper arms, holding them in place. Horatio wriggled and squirmed but couldn’t budge him.

“Get off me!” he laughed. Max hovered over him, staring down into his face, his green eyes sparkling with amusement and satisfaction.

Max leaned down closer. “Make me, strong man.”

All of a sudden, Horatio’s heart was pounding hard against his ribs, and he didn’t know why. A startling sizzling sensation zinged through his stomach and into his groin, causing an unexpected erection. He grew still, breath puffing from his lips as he stared up at Max. There was a sudden change in the other boy as well, as his laughter faded and his smile wavered. When he shifted a little, Horatio felt the hardness between Max’s legs pushing against his stomach.

A dryness invaded his throat, and he started to speak – when Max kissed him. Horatio went deathly still, shocked by the kid’s bold move, and then in a heartbeat, they were wrapped around each other, kissing like crazy. Horatio’s body exploded with a multitude of sensations he wasn’t really used to, and it seemed his heart would burst inside his chest.

Max pulled away with a suddenness that left them both breathless and dropped back on the ground on his butt, eyes wide. “What...what the hell was that?”

Horatio couldn’t move and lay motionless on the ground, barely able to breathe. “You kissed me first.”

“But...” Max dragged a shaky hand over his mouth. “Why...why would I do that?” He seemed genuinely perplexed by his own actions or motives.

Because it was amazing
, Horatio thought and realized it was true; nothing had ever felt better than that kiss. He sat up slowly and smiled, “Maybe we’re gay.”

Max frowned, smiled uncertainly, then shook his head. “Whatever. We’re not...” He stared at Horatio, then leaned forward real quick and kissed him again – as if testing Horatio’s theory. This kiss was quicker, but still oh so good. He sat back and licked his lips slowly, thoughtfully. Max had always been a thinker, puzzling things out rather than just taking them as is as Horatio tended to do.

“Well?” Horatio stared at him, a half grin on his face. “What is your deduction?”

“I’m thinking,” Max murmured.

Crawling over to sit beside him, Horatio suggested, “Maybe you need to conduct more tests.”

Max twisted his head and looked at him, then smiled. “That would be the proper scientific method.” He dipped in and brushed his lips across Horatio’s mouth, hesitated, then deepened the kiss. Horatio moaned softly and grabbed him, pulling him down on the ground, eager to experiment.

A short gasp puffed from Max when he broke the kiss and stared down into Horatio’s eyes.
I love you, Max.
The thought hit Horatio so hard he almost jumped, but it felt right, and so true. And the way Max was looking at him...he knew the other boy was feeling it too.

“I thought you hated science.” Max’s voice trembled a little as his body pressed down comfortably on Horatio.

Horatio smiled. “I never had a teacher like you before.” They both laughed and dove into another kiss.

* *

“H
oratio?” Max’s brow pinched as the other man just stared at him distantly, lost somewhere in his thoughts. “Are you okay?”

Horatio blinked. “Huh?” He glanced at Max, then quickly at Cole and Gabe, then shifted his eyes to the floor as he rubbed his face. “Uh, yeah.”

You were never a good liar
, Max thought as Horatio shifted anxiously, his gaze darting around and avoiding any direct eye contact.

“We’re going to go inside,” Cole murmured slowly, glancing between the two men. He touched Gabe’s arm, and they entered the courtroom.

Max let the door close a little and looked at Horatio. “Are you sure?” Just moments ago, Horatio had been asking him the same thing.

The man’s gaze skipped across Max’s eyes and caught, and in that look was the warning –
Don’t ask unless you really want to know.

“I’m fine.” Horatio whispered the practiced lie, though not so convincingly. When Max just stared at him, he added, with a quiet strain to his voice, “Are
you
okay?”

Max swallowed. “Fine.”

Did either of them really think they were fooling the other? Neither he nor Horatio had been “okay” or “fine” in two fucking decades.

♦

A
bel gasped when Cole squeezed him in his arms, then kissed his neck. “You’re going to do fine, babe.”

There was great comfort to be found in Cole’s arms and his words. Abel felt safer, more secure, with all of his family there with him. He was having a difficult time shaking the fear that something might go wrong and the jury would ultimately turn against him. The prospect of prison terrified him. Besides the common knowledge of what happened in prisons, Abel had heard the story of Caleb’s brother, Nick, and his boyfriend, Christian...what had nearly happened to Christian. If he ended up in a place like that – he would have no one to look out for him, watch his back. And he wasn’t exactly built tough, not tough enough to fight back, anyway.

Encased in Cole’s strong, warm arms, he found himself wanting to burrow in deeper and hide from the task ahead. He could feel himself shaking but couldn’t stop. Cole tightened his embrace. “Don’t be scared, baby,” he whispered in his ear. “Even if things went bad – which they won’t – I would never let you go in there alone.” He kissed his ear and told him, “I would punch the fucking judge and go in with you. There’s no way in hell I’ll ever let anyone hurt you ever again, not in this lifetime.”

The truth behind Cole’s declaration afforded Abel an unexpected rush of relief. Cole meant exactly what he said. If Abel was convicted – he would do something to get thrown into prison as well, just to protect him. And, he had no doubt, Gabe would be his willing accomplice.

Tears stung as he pressed his face to the man’s shoulder. Gabe reached over and slid his fingers through Abel’s hair, then kissed his head. “We’re right here, babe. We’re not going to let anything happen to you.”

Abel blinked quickly and nodded. When Cole finally released him, Abel hugged Gabe, trying to be careful, but the guy wouldn’t settle for anything less than a full blown crushing embrace.

“Don’t squeeze all the air out of him, Gabe,” Max smiled, approaching with Horatio a step or two behind him.

“Can’t help it,” Gabe chuckled and kissed Abel’s cheek. “He’s so damn huggable.”

Max laughed softly and nodded, taking his turn. “How you doing, kid?”

“The truth?” Abel looked at him, an unsteady smile on his lips.

“You’re going to do great.”

“So they keep telling me,” Abel murmured doubtfully.

Max stepped back and allowed room for Horatio. His arms slipped around Abel, and he hugged him close, his embrace retaining the same deep love and affection that Abel remembered. The man drew back and cupped the sides of Abel’s neck, his thumbs caressing the curve of his jaw. “My guys will take good care of you,” he said softly, his eyes warm as he gazed at him. “I promise. Don’t worry about a thing, okay? Jensen has assured me that all the odds are in your favor. Most likely, this will be a short trial.”

“I hope so,” Abel whispered thickly, then hugged him again. “Thank you. For everything.”

“There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you, baby,” he murmured and kissed his cheek.

“I’m trying to be a supportive boyfriend and all,” Devlin interjected, smiling, “but I’m starting to get a little jealous.”

Cole laughed and slipped his arm around the doctor, then kissed his face. “No worries, doc. Abel would take you over the lot of us any day of the week.” He winked.

“Well, to be on the safe side,” Devlin grinned and looked at Abel, “I’ll not force him to choose.”

Abel laughed softly and stepped over, wrapping his arms around Devlin. He was a lucky man any way he looked at it. When it had just been him and Savannah in their cold, uncaring home, at the orphanage, out on the streets – Abel had thought God didn’t care about them, possibly even hated them. He’d had no idea that the tragic events of their lives would be what led them straight to the people who would love and cherish them the most. Apparently sometimes the path to heaven had to cut through hell first.

When Jensen Taylor motioned for him to come to the front of the room, the others followed and took the two benches just behind the short barrier. Devlin embraced him, then kissed him deeply. “When you’re up there,” he murmured, “just remember, baby...those past events, they’re done and over with. None of it can hurt you anymore. You’re safe here with all of us.”

Abel nodded, struggling to put on a brave face. “I still wish Savannah didn’t have to be in here.” Taylor had suggested she stay, as it was important for her to hear Abel’s testimony and know exactly what he said, because in her own cross-examination, bits of his statements would come up in the questioning. He glanced at his sister. She sat in the first row with Dane, Angel, and Maddy on one side, and Cole and Gabe on the other, all of them like guardian angels hovering around her – with Maddy the closest. Max, Horatio, and the others took the second row bench. Behind them, a few of the other boys from the club were there as well, including Ricky, who winked and gave him an encouraging nod.

For a quick moment, Abel forgot about the trial and just stared at Savannah and Maddy. Neither Angel nor Maddy knew about Savannah’s condition; it was Savannah’s decision when to tell Maddy. The boy didn’t seem the type to run from such a thing, but there were no guarantees. And Savannah seemed aware of that as well. Abel didn’t think she would allow herself to get too close to Maddy...not until she told him everything.

“It’s time,” Jensen motioned to him. Abel liked the man’s tough-as-nails exterior and suspected Horatio had meticulously hand-picked Taylor for this case. He couldn’t imagine anyone getting the best of him.

He cast one last glance at Savannah and Maddy, letting his eyes caress the faces of all his family as they gazed back with encouragement.

You’re gonna be okay. Just get through today, like Devlin said, and that will be just one more thing behind you. You can do this. You can
.

Devlin kissed him again before he stepped through the gate and took a seat with Taylor and his two assistant attorneys, Sanders and Thomas. Devlin sat down in the first row, next to Gabe.

Resting his hand on Abel’s shoulder, Jenson said, “We’ve gone over this multiple times. You’ve told me in detail all that happened. You just have to tell it one more time to the jury, and then it will be over. Okay?”

Abel nodded, his guts churning. It had been different when he’d rehearsed all this. There hadn’t been anyone else present but his attorneys. Now...Devlin would have to listen to the fine details of Craig’s abuse and assault on him. And Savannah would hear it, too.

“I’ll take you through it exactly as we rehearsed,” Jensen said, “and then you will be cross-examined. But I assure you, I won’t allow the prosecutor to badger you. You have nothing to hide, so don’t worry about him trying to trick you. Just tell what happened, and I’ll take care of the rest.”

Abel swallowed thickly. “Okay.” Sweat was already breaking out all over his skin beneath his suit, and tiny beads sprouted across his brow at his hairline.

“Ready?” Jensen asked.

Not even close
, Abel thought sickly, but nodded. “Yeah.”

♦

W
hen Seth had initially entered the courtroom with Carl, the man had walked over to the group from the club and lingered, speaking with them, encouraging Abel. Seth didn’t know any of them and was here because it was important to Horatio, because Abel was important to him. Horatio had told him that he was glad Seth was coming with him today, but when the man had lingered out in the hall with Max, Seth had found himself questioning the depth of truth in that.

Having taken a seat at the far end of the second row bench, Seth had watched Carl conversing with his friends but hadn’t missed the repeated flick of his eyes to the door.
You know you can’t compete with Horatio, don’t you?
Seth had thought.
Just as I’ll never be able to compete with Max
. He’d thought about the Xeroxed papers stuffed in the bottom of his sports bag...and the originals tucked securely inside Horatio’s safe. At least Seth assumed that’s where they were, since they were no longer in the waste basket – though the other paper trash remained. Horatio hadn’t been able to throw them away.