“I like cooking for you,” Craig said.
“I know you do. It’s a good thing you like cooking because I’m still useless at it.” Louis chuckled, then winced and held his jaw. “I’ve got to remember that hurts.”
“You were getting better when we were together.”
Louis shrugged. “After you left, I went back to my old ways. I eat at the club most days.”
Craig grinned at him. “Is Vera still there?”
“She is. And you’d better make sure you see her again before you go, or she’ll kill me.”
Vera was the head chef at the club. A dynamo with a very short fuse, she and Craig had adored each other, and Vera had imparted some of her culinary secrets to Craig. Not Louis, just Craig, as she said they’d be wasted on Louis. She was right, but it stung a little.
“I can’t wait to see her.”
Louis hid a grin. His Daddy sounded really excited about the prospect of meeting his chef again. Then the amusement drained away. Not his Daddy, not now. Probably not ever.
“What’s wrong?” Craig asked.
“Nothing.” Louis forced a smile. “I was just thinking about work.”
Craig looked unconvinced but he didn’t pursue it, to Louis’s relief. “We should go. You know Graham will be snippy if we’re late.”
Louis looked down at the leftover soup and pushed the noodles around with his spoon. “I don’t know that I want to go, Craig. I moved away from that life when you left. I don’t want to get sucked back in again.”
Craig sighed and reached out for Louis’s free hand to give it a squeeze. “Graham needs to know you’re all right. Just humor him. Please? You only have to see him once.” He sat back in his chair. “Since he discovered what Cade’s ex-Daddy was doing to him and other boys, he’s been very unsettled.”
“That wasn’t his fault, though,” Louis said. He only knew a little about the abuse Cade endured at the hands of Eric Strada, as he and Cade were business acquaintances, not friends. He shuddered a little, knowing he’d dodged a bullet.
“It happened on his watch,” Craig said. “Graham wants to ensure it can never happen again.”
“But I didn’t get assaulted by one of the Daddies.”
“You’re still one of his boys, whatever you think. Let him see you’re okay, and he’ll relax.”
Okay was maybe overly optimistic, but Louis knew he wasn’t going to win this battle.
“Will you help me with my sneakers?” he asked. “Bending over is still difficult.”
Craig smiled at him in approval. “Sure. Do you want to wear something different? More your usual style. I could help you dress.”
Louis thought about it. He would have loved to wear his usual designer shirts and pants, but he shook his head. “I don’t think I’ve got the energy. Graham will have to put up with me in sweats and a hoodie.”
“He’ll survive,” Craig said, getting up to clear the table.
Normally Louis would have helped him; it had been one of his Daddy’s rules, but his energy was draining rapidly. He would be lucky not to fall asleep before they reached Graham’s place, even though it was just around the corner.
Craig reloaded the dishwasher and set it running while Louis went to the bathroom. They met in the entry, and Craig gently eased Louis onto the large oak wooden bench.
“Which sneakers?”
Louis had a collection which would put a shoe store to shame.
“The blue Nikes, please,” Louis said.
“Sure.”
Craig knelt down and looked at his feet. “You need socks.”
Louis watched him jog up the stairs. After the stress of the past few days, to have Craig find socks for him was almost domestic. Louis leaned back against the bench and yawned. He closed his eyes just for a moment, opening when he felt a hand on his calf. Craig knelt and put one of Louis’s feet on his thigh.
Craig looked up from rolling a sock onto Louis’s foot. “I thought you were asleep.”
“I nearly was,” Louis admitted.
“I’m going to cancel. You were right. You should rest.”
“No,” Louis protested. “It’s one visit. If it reassures Graham, that’s a good thing.”
But Craig pulled his phone out of his pocket. Louis opened his mouth to protest again but Craig held up his hand.
“Graham, it’s Craig. Listen, Louis is not up to a visit. Would you mind coming here? I can’t promise cake, but I have tea.” He smiled and then said, “Wonderful. Thanks. See you at three-thirty.”
He disconnected the call and looked at his watch. “You have time for a quick nap before they arrive.”
Somehow, Louis found himself bundled into the den again and laid on the couch with a throw over him. Before he’d had a chance to utter a word.
Craig knelt beside him and brushed a kiss on his temple. “Listen, I know you’re worried about being on your own. I’ve got to prepare for their visit, but the door will be open and if you make a sound, I’ll hear you, and I’ll be with you.”
Louis grabbed his hand. “You promise?”
“I promise. I won’t leave you alone.”
Louis kept his eyes fixed on Craig as he walked out of the door. If only he could believe that.
Craig
Craig let the bodyguards at the gate know Graham and Ian were on their way. He was glad they’d both been vetted during Cade Connolly’s case, because he winced at the thought of Graham being turned away at the gate.
Sure enough, at precisely three-thirty, there was a knock at the door. Craig jogged to open it. Louis was still asleep. He wanted to talk to Graham before Louis woke. Two men smiled at him, the older one bearing a large cake box.
Graham’s eyes opened wide as Craig put a finger to his own mouth, but he nodded in understanding, as did his boy, Ian. Craig led them past the den into the kitchen and pushed the door almost closed, but open enough he could hear if Louis called out.
“I’m sorry for that,” he said to Graham. “Louis is asleep, and I wanted to talk to you first.”
“I understand. Do you want Ian to sit with Louis?”
Craig looked at Ian and then at Graham, who nodded. Permission given to speak, he smiled at Ian. “Would you mind?”
Ian beamed at him. “No problem, Daddy Craig. Where is he?”
“He’s in the den. It’s—”
“I know where it is. I’ve been here before.”
He bounced out of the room before Craig could say anything more.
Craig turned to Graham. “He’s very lively.”
Graham gave him a wry smile. “He keeps me on my toes.”
Craig held back a snort, knowing Graham wouldn’t appreciate it. The leader of the Daddies was an old-fashioned man and a gentleman through and through. “Tea?”
“That would be wonderful. We brought cake. Red velvet, as Ian told me Louis loves it, and it will be soft for him to eat it if his jaw still hurts.”
“That’s very thoughtful of you.”
Craig took his time pouring Graham a cup of black tea, adding a slice of lemon, and cutting him a generous slice of cake.