Something in the Way He Needs (Family 1)

“I know because five different people have come to me separately to tell me they’re worried about you and they’re too scared to say anything. Asher, listen to me. This needs to stop.”

Asher didn’t say anything. He just looked down at his desk and started shuffling papers around.

“I was wrong,” Oliver said sadly.

The words took Asher off guard, startling him enough get him to dart his gaze over to Oliver.

“I was so focused on your kinky sex stuff and your temper that I was sure you’d hurt my brother.”

The comment hit so close to the mark, it felt like an arrow to Asher’s heart. He’d lashed out at Daniel in more than one jealous rage. And the way he’d treated Daniel at the Leather Lounge… Asher squeezed his eyes shut in horror at the memory.

“But I should have realized that I had it backwards,” Oliver continued.

Asher opened his eyes and blinked at Oliver in confusion.

“Do you know that in all the years we’ve known each other, we’ve never double-dated?” Oliver asked.

“That’s because we’re not in junior high school,” Asher replied sarcastically.

Oliver ignored him. “You never brought a date to any parties I’ve thrown, and I’m including my wedding and my engagement parties.”

“Which is a real tragedy, because we all know how well those turned out.”

Oliver kept talking, letting the taunt fly past him. “I can’t tell you the name of a single guy you’ve dated. Hell, I’m not even sure if you’ve ever really dated.”

“Are you working up to a point, Ollie, or are you just here to kick me while I’m down?”

“You see? That’s what I’m saying. A year ago, you wouldn’t have taken offense at any of those qualities. You would’ve made some off-color joke and gone out to wherever it is you go to find men to beat. But now, it’s different. You’re different. And I should have realized that when you followed my brother around Las Vegas—”

“I didn’t follow—”

“Save it. I was there. You walked into that casino with him like you owned him and you didn’t let him out of your sight the whole time we were there. Then you moved him into your place, which was totally out of character. And the way you doted on him—” Oliver shook his head. “I should have realized you really cared about him, that you were falling in deep. I love my brother, you know that, but he isn’t somebody to build a life on. Him running was inevitable. Danny’s a vagabond, has been since he was a kid. The longest he’s lived in once place since he left his mother’s house was….” Oliver paused and furrowed his brow in thought. “Hell, it was probably the six months he spent here.”

And while Daniel had lived with him, he’d been happy. He’d never seemed itchy to leave. Hell, if anything, the man acted like he was putting down roots, decorating their home, making friends in the neighborhood, becoming an integral part of Asher’s life. Why Asher couldn’t have realized that before flying into a jealous snit and pushing Daniel away, he didn’t know. But it wasn’t too late to fix what he’d broken. It couldn’t be.

“There has to be a way for me to find him.”

“How? Asher,” Oliver sighed. “We’ve talked about this. You’re not going to be able to track him if he doesn’t want to see you.”

“What about your father?”

“What about him?” Oliver asked.

“Maybe he knows something.”

“He hasn’t talked to Daniel in months.”

“His mother, then,” Asher tried. “You can get her number right? Just give it to me and I’ll—”

Oliver stood up. “Let’s go,” he said gently, gesturing to Asher to get up.

“You have an idea?” Asher asked hopefully as he quickly got up from his chair.

“It’s eight o’clock on a Friday. My idea is for you to go home, take a shower, and get some sleep. It’s time to move on.”

He wasn’t moving on. And neither was Daniel. Oliver was wrong on both of those counts. But he was right about Asher needing some sleep. He was so exhausted that every part of him hurt.

It didn’t take long to get home. He stumbled groggily up the stairs, down the hallway, and into his apartment. He was standing in his great room trying to figure out why all the lights were on when he heard a noise coming from the bedroom. Slower than usual reflexes meant he hadn’t quite gotten his gun out of his holster when Daniel walked in from the hallway.

Chapter 23

DANIEL’S gaze met Asher’s. He opened his mouth. And then he stumbled, tripped over his own feet, and hit the floor.

Asher dropped his hand from his piece and hurried over to Daniel, squatting down next to him and helping him sit up. “Are you okay?”

Those beloved brown eyes widened from behind a curtain of shaggy blond hair. Then the freckled nose scrunched up. “When was the last time you took a shower,” Daniel asked. “Because you smell like… well, kind of like this apartment before I scrubbed everything.”