Scream For me

AARON

I walked into the Cavaliers Headquarters the next Friday.

“Hey, man, where the hell have you been?” Gunner asked when he saw me. “It’s been for fucking ever.”

“I have a couple of things to take care of,” I said with a grin.

Noah looked up from the bar where he’d been in deep conversation with his dad and Landon, another one of the older Cavaliers, and he came to us.

“Nice to see you back here,” he said and nudged me.

I chuckled. “Thanks, man.”

“How is she?”

“She?” Gunner asked and frowned. “Who?”

Noah and I both glanced at Gunner before we burst out laughing.

Jade and Ben were with Ava and Warner, spending the afternoon on a playdate. I’d introduced the two women just after Jade and I had gotten togetherI figured it would help her get settled in this life she knew so little about. I didn’t care about the money and the image, but if Jade was going to be a part of the family, she needed to understand what it was like dealing with the people we rubbed shoulders with. If anyone could show her the ropes and be a shoulder for her, a support system, it was Ava.

“Come on, man, give a dog a bone,” Gunner said and threw back the rest of the drink he had in his glass. “And buy a friend a round, would you? I need a drink if you guys are going to fuck with me like this.”

I laughed. “I’ve got you.” I walked to the bar when I didn’t see a server around and waited for the bartender, who was mixing drinks for a few other guys.

Richard came in. I saw him from the corner of my eye, and when I turned to look at him, he nodded at me. I nodded back. He walked to my dad, where they got into a deep conversation right awayprobably about business.

It was weirdRichard, and I had had that heart-to-heart just before I’d told Sabrina off, and it had been eye-opening to know that my brother didn’t think I was as bad as I’d thought he did, but after that, we hadn’t suddenly become close friends.

I guessed that would come with time. We had a lot of years to catch up on, and we weren’t going to be best buddies overnight, even if we were brothers. It was good to know I had another family member in my corner, though. It was also nice to know that Richard and I were equals. There wasn’t some kind of fucked up hierarchy between us because of the choices we’d made in our lives.

The bartender took his sweet time with the other drinks, and eventually, Noah and Gunner joined me at the bar.

“I think I’ll die of thirst before I get a drink around here,” Gunner complained.

“It will do you good to drink a little less, eh?” Noah asked with a laugh and patted Gunner’s stomach. He had a bit of a belly.

“Hey, Maddison likes it,” Gunner hedged. “She says if I start with the dad bod, the dad bit will follow soon enough.”

Noah sorted. “That’s the stupidest shit I’ve ever heard.”

“Not that stupid,” I pointed out. “You want the whole family scene, don’t you?”

Gunner shrugged. “It’s not so bad. I always thought I wasn’t cut out for that shit but with Maddison…I guess I can see myself settling down.” He looked around the Cavaliers HQ. “It’s hard to imagine we were the ones coming up in the ranks once upon a time, and now we’re talking about having kids. Or rather, I’m talking about having kids. You guys…you’re already there.”

We all nodded, thinking about what Gunner had said. We’d been the kids, the ones our dads had high hopes for, and now we were becoming the dads with the high hopes. I just didn’t know if I wanted to subject Ben to the kind of pressure that came with all of thiswith being a Steele and a Cavalier…but it was a part of who we were. I didn’t even know who I was without the legacy passed down to us and my parents’ pressure to work harder, be better, and make a bigger name.

Jade wasn’t like that. She was different in every way, sweet and caring and unassuming. She was unapologetically herself, and being with her taught me to be the same.

“So…are you guys going to tell me what the hell is going on, or what?” Gunner asked.

I had half a mind to screw with him and not tell him anything but I decided against it.

“Jade and I are together,” I said.

“Jade…the nanny?” Gunner asked. “Oh, talk about juicy gossip.”

I laughed and shook my head. “Well, she’s not a nanny anymore. She’s my girlfriend.”

“What happens if you get a new nanny?” Gunner asked. “Will that be weird?”

“I don’t know,” I said. “I don’t think I’m getting a new one. I think I will ask Jade to move in with me, and we’ll figure it out together.”

Gunner glanced at Noah, who didn’t look as shocked as Gunner might have hoped for.

“Early days, isn’t it?” he finally asked me.

I shrugged. “If you know, you know. You know?”

Gunner shook his head. “I need a drink if you’re going to talk in riddles.”

He waved at the bartender. “What are you guys having?” “Nothing for me,” I said.

“What?” Gunner asked. “Come on. Your cut-off is fucking low, but not nothing.

“I think I’m done, too,” Noah said. It was nice of him to back me up.

Gunner rolled his eyes. “Whatever. More for me, right?”

“Hey,” Noah said, looking at me. “Do you want to get out of here?” “Actually, yeah,” I said.

Gunner groaned. “Now you’re going to leave me to drink alone? Fuck, man, what’s gotten into you? Both of you?”

I shrugged again and laughed. “We just have better things to do with our time than hang around and get wasted.”

“Well, I’ll take one for the team…pussies, the both of you.”

Noah and I laughed and waved goodbye to our fathers before leaving HQ.

“Where are you parked?” I asked Noah.

“I came in a cab. I meant to take the night off and get wasted, since Ava is all good with me having a guys’ night now and then, but I don’t think it’s what I want. I’d rather be with them.”

“I get you,” I said. “Come on; I’ll drive you.”

We walked to my car and got in. I felt the same way Noah did. I wanted to be with Jade and Ben, not out drinking myself into a stupor only to feel like shit the next day. I would get around to hanging with the guys, but I wanted my family right now.

“It’s weird,” I said to Noah when we were in my car, headed toward the high-rise where he lived. “I used to want freedom, to get away from all the responsibility and just live my life. When I had the chance to get it, I didn’t want it anymore, and now…who even says no to drinking with the guys? It’s fucked up, right?”

Noah laughed. “I think it’s a matter of choice. When you felt like you couldn’t choose it, you didn’t want it. Everything changed the moment you chose this life, and now, you know it’s exactly what you want, so why would you want to get away from it?”

“That sounds about right,” I said, nodding. “You can be pretty fucking wise if you want to be.”

Noah laughed. “Yeah, it’s because I have a good woman behind me.

She’s the one that’s wise, you know?” “I know,” I said with a chuckle.

“Things are good with you and Jade?” Noah asked.

I nodded. “Better than good. I fucking love her. I want her in my bed all the time. I want to share my life with her in every way possible. I was never like thiswhen last did you hear me get this serious about a girl?” “Not even with Sabrina,” Noah said.

“That’s exactly it. I guess they’re right about finding your person.”

“It appears that they are…whoever the fuck they are.” I laughed, and we drove in silence for a while.

“She makes me want to be better,” I said. “But in a good way.”

“I know what that’s like.”

I nodded and parked against the curb in front of Noah’s building. We got out and walked into the lobby. When we opened the front door, we heard laughter from the living roomlaughter that bounced around the living room, the laughter of children, the pure sound of happiness. Ben lay on his stomach when we walked in, wriggling around and rolling over. Every time he did, Warner erupted in an explosion of giggles.

Ava and Jade had their phones out, recording it all.

“Dad!” Ben cried when he saw me and jumped up, running to me. “Come play with us. Warner is so funny; he laughs at everything.”

“He thinks you’re really funny, too,” Ava said and kissed Noah. Jade came to me, and I pulled her against me, planting a kiss on her lips, too.

“You guys are home early,” Jade said. “I thought you would stay out late.”Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

“We wanted to be home instead,” Noah said.

I dropped a kiss on Jade’s light brown wavy hair. “I missed you too much.”

“Charmer,” she said, but she blushed. Warmth traveled through meI loved making her blush.

“What did you guys have in mind for supper?” I asked. “Did you make something yet?”

Jade and Ava both shook their heads.

“We were going to use the opportunity to get takeout with you boys being gone,” Ava said.

“We can still do it,” Noah said. “Anything in particular?” “Can we go get something from Skylark?” Ben asked.

Ava and Noah both looked at him.

“What’s that?” Noah asked.

“It’s a great place Dad and I get stuff from sometimes,” Ben said. “Can we, Dad?”

I looked at Jade, who smiled. “I think it’s a great idea. I have a friend on duty there tonight, and she’ll whip us up something great.” “Why don’t we go sit down rather than get takeout?” I suggested.