Unspoken Vow (Steele Brothers 2)

“What about my kids?” Rachel whines.

“Do you have kids we’re unaware of?” Brody asks.

“No, but I could have one.”

“You’re single,” I point out.

She huffs. “You two are no fun. I’m gonna go hit up the bar.”

“You do that,” Brody says and then lowers his head and nibbles on my neck. “Can we go home yet?”

“No.”

Brody and I both snap to attention at Law’s voice. He’s now right in front of us with his fiancé, getting back pats and congratulations all round.

“Bold move, brother,” I say when there’s a din in the crowd.

“It’s not my only bold move. I have something to show you.” He tips his head towards the exit.

Brody holds my hand and mirrors my confused expression as we follow my brother and Reed outside.

Mum and Dad are already waiting out there for us.

Mum has been hesitant about Brody ever since she found out we’re together. It’s not that she doesn’t like him—she loved him before I told her he’s my new boyfriend—but she worries about me getting hurt again or losing myself worse than I already have.

That’s just her worrying nature. I’m sure over time she’ll come to realise how good Brody is for me.

“I was going to show everyone this and do a big reveal type thing, but I changed my mind at the last minute. I wanted to show you first.” Law takes hold of a rope connected to the banner covering the sign. “I give you the Steele Brothers Dojo.”

The sign is revealed, and I stare at the name. I can’t stop.

“You … you named it after us,” I stutter.

“Uh, yeah, I did.”

“It’s … It’s …”

“It’s perfect,” Brody says for me.

Law steps forward and hugs me. “Love you, brother.”

This means so much. Law’s doing what I don’t have the strength to. I’ve come to talk to his students before about what I went through, but they’re teenagers, so it’s not like I gave them the deep and gory details.

Law’s teaching queer kids how to protect themselves from more than random hate crimes. He’s teaching them how to protect themselves against those who are also supposed to love us.

He’s teaching self-confidence and awareness, and if it helps one person walk away from a situation like mine before it’s too late, then I think my brother’s a hero.

“I want to help,” I blurt.

Law smiles. “I thought you might. I was thinking I could set a block of time for you to teach your own beginner’s class.”

“I really, really want to do that,” I say.

Law hugs me again.

Tonight’s been a bit of a whirlwind, but if it’s shown me anything, it’s reiterated that I’ve changed from the guy I was a year ago—sleeping around, not looking after myself, and thinking I was cured because I hadn’t needed therapy in a long time.

The truth is I was running. I was running away from everything I should’ve been facing head-on.

Here I am twelve months later, surrounded by an amazing support system, the greatest partner anyone could ask for, and I have faith I won’t crumble under pressure.

And when my brother lets me go, my biggest supporter takes his place.

Brody’s strong arms wrap around me. There’s barely a time where he’s not touching me in some way these days. Now that I’m used to it, I crave his hands on me. It’s not a possessive thing but a comfort thing—reassurance to let me know he’s still there.

He’ll always be there.

Long gone are the days of flinching and trying to get away from him.

My weakness doesn’t define me when I’m with him. It doesn’t claw at me and try to suffocate my soul.

“I love you,” I say.

“Oh wow. Now that it’s out there, you’re going to be saying it all the time, huh?”

“Yep.”

He holds me tighter. “Good. Because I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Neither would I.