“We’re staying here?” Kell asked when he stood on the porch beside him.
“Yes. Is that okay? I know we’ll be cool here.” Ty gazed down at his fierce knight. “Just for tonight. It’s always best to be safe, not smug. Guys like Black don’t call the cops and report an assault. They serve their own justice. So I’m gonna lay low like I been doing and fall off this gang’s radar. I’m not worried about the hood no more, because our home is already ready for us. Neither of us are going back.”
“You keep talking about that but—”
“You guys come in and close the door,” Brian said, walking toward them in a pair of sweats and a USMC t-shirt.
Ty picked up his bag, took Kell’s hand and led them inside. It wasn’t his first time at Brian’s place, but Kell hadn’t been there before.
“Your home is really nice, Brian,” Kell said, glancing through an opening just off the foyer that looked like a massive living room or den. “It’s just you here?”
“No. My partner Sway lives with me. He’s at work. He won’t be in until almost midnight.”
“Oh. What’s he do?” Kell asked.
“He’s a RN at Emory hospital.”
Brian stared at Ty for a moment. He knew what he was asking, without him having to voice it. Brian’s eyes, his entire face was extremely expressive.
“We’re good,” Ty mouthed.
“You guys hungry?”
Kell shook his head.
“No thanks we’re all right. I think we just wanna chill, ya’know,” Ty told him.
Brian’s house was mostly dark except for the light filtering from his bedroom. He walked them down a long hallway that had several closed doors on both sides before he made a left and went down another hall to a set of French of doors and swung them open. “This is the guest suite.”
Ty stepped in first after Brian flicked a couple of switches. It was more than he could’ve asked for after he’d just popped up on the man’s doorstep. The “suite” had a living room area and a small wet bar. There was a half-wall that divided the large bed from the rest of the room. It had its own master bath and private entrance to the back patio.
“This is amazing, did you do all this yourself?” Kell asked, easing past Ty and looking around the nicely decorated room.
“Sort of,” Brian answered.
Ty was relieved Kell wasn’t upset he’d had to fight in the streets tonight. That he’d had to hurt another man on Ty’s behalf. Kell didn’t seem to be stressed or worried about their current predicament, so Ty finally loosened up. He thought he’d screwed up royally. Putting Kell’s life in danger behind some silly shit. Behind gold chains and a dishonorable man with a bullshit reputation. Unacceptable. He had to do better than that as man and definitely as a husband.
“You are welcome to go anywhere in my home except my bedroom,” Brian told them, chuckling a little at Ty’s scoff. “Eat whatever you want. And if you need me, just knock on my door.”
Brian left, closing the door behind him.
Ty went to the bathroom and turned the light on. The tub was huge and the shower was large enough to fit two people. Kell was looking out of the patio doors when he came up and hugged him tightly from behind, whispering in his ear, “Hey shorty.”
“Hey,” Kell said softly.
“Bathroom looks nice. Why don’t you get cleaned up and I’ll go to the kitchen and get us some water and see if Brian has any citrus fruit for you,” Ty said, knowing what Kell liked to snack on before bed.
“That sounds good.” Kell nuzzled his forehead into the bend of his neck. “Can you ask Brian one thing for me?”
“Yes.” Ty kissed his temple.
“Can you ask him where I can meditate in the morning? If he has a quiet place that gets good sun.” Kell turned in his arms and rested his hands in the center of Ty’s chest.
“Yes. I’ll do that,” he told him and left the room with a final kiss.
He went in Brian’s kitchen and got them two bottles of water out of the refrigerator. He also grabbed a bag of baby carrots and was pulling out the second vegetable drawer when Brian’s raw voice shattered the silence of the kitchen.
“Need help looking for something?” he asked.
Ty didn’t startle but he hadn’t heard Brian until he was right up on him. Damn. He’s too big to move without making a sound. “Um, yeah actually. I was wondering if you had any citrus fruit. Kell likes to eat a lot of Vitamin C.”
Brian’s eyes glittered with amusement as he pointed at the very bottom drawer. “Got some oranges and maybe one grapefruit down there. Cutting board and knife are next to the sink.”
“Thanks,” Ty said, going about his duty. He wanted to have it waiting when Kell came out of his shower. “One more thing, also. Do you have some place Kell can meditate in the morning that gets good sun?”