Page 54 of Man of Honor
Ben finally pulled back, gasping for air, wearing a wry, crooked smile that hit me like a wrecking ball. That’s when he noticed me.
“Damn, little bro.” His voice was hoarse. “You sure filled out. Been hitting the weights, huh?”
I blinked furiously, fighting the burn in my eyes. “Take a look in the mirror. Prison didn’t make you any smaller.”
Ben’s grin widened, and some color returned to his washed-out cheeks as he yanked me into a bone-crushing hug. He smelled different and felt different, but none of that mattered. All the fear and guilt melted away the second I felt how solid he was.
“Missed you, man,” I muttered into the soft fabric of his shoulder.
Ben’s rumble was low and reassuring in my ear. “Missed you, too.”
I couldn’t let go, and Ben let me have my moment, but I felt his patience stretching thin. Then Wyatt’s warm, grounding hand touched my back, and I found the strength to pull away. I turned into Wyatt’s embrace. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and extended a hand toward Ben, who stared at it for what felt like an eternity.
“I’ll understand if you don’t take it,” Wyatt said calmly.
Ben hesitated, throat working as he swallowed, and then he finally reached out to clasp Wyatt’s hand. “You were just doing your job,” he said quietly. “Can’t hold that against you.”
“I can,” Dominic interjected.
Ben glanced his way but ignored him, turning back to Wyatt with a faint smile tugging at his lips. “Keep looking after Gage, and we’ll call it even.”
Wyatt’s arm tightened around me. “Always,” he promised.
The moment was shattered by a sudden cry, and Loretta burst into the room, tear-streaked and wild-haired. “My boy!” she sobbed, throwing herself into Ben’s arms.
Dominic plucked a serving bowl from her trembling hands before it shattered, setting it wordlessly on the table. She was too busy weeping into Ben’s chest to notice. Ben held her gently, stroking her hair clumsily with his big hands. My heart twisted at the sight. I glanced toward Gideon, who sat silent, white-knuckled hands clenched on his thighs. He looked like he was physically holding himself back—and losing the fight.
Dominic peeled Loretta away and into his own chest. With her cradled safely in Dom’s arms, Ben stood awkwardly, hands fluttering at his sides like he didn’t know what to do next.
“Go on,” Dominic said, nudging Ben’s ankle with the toe of his polished shoe. “You know he’s been waiting for this longer than anyone.”
Ben moved toward Gideon heavily, like each step was taking all his strength. Gideon watched him, eyes burning with something so raw the hairs on my arms stood on end. Slowly, he extended his hands, palm up, and commanded, “Come here.”
Ben dropped to his knees in front of Gideon’s chair. He pressed his forehead to Gideon’s knees, shoulders shaking, and rasped, “I’m tired, Gideon. So damn tired.”
“You were never meant to carry this burden alone.” Gideon’s voice was steady, but his hand shook as he rested it on the back of Ben’s head. “Let it go now. You’re home.”
Ben didn’t reply. All I could hear was his shaky breathing as Gideon cradled his head like he was a child. After the first year in prison, Ben had broken off contact with all of us. Even Mason. Gideon was the only one he’d kept in touch with, capable of taking Ben’s sins and fears and carrying them like they weren’t too heavy.
It felt like I was intruding on confession, so I turned away and caught Wyatt watching me with dark, compassionate eyes.
Loretta’s loud sniff broke the moment. “Dominic Beaufort! You spilled my gumbo!”
Loretta broke the moment with a loud sniff. “Dominic Beaufort!” she scolded, swiping at her cheeks and swatting at him like he was sixteen again. “You spilled my gumbo!”
Dominic raised a brow and glanced down at the serving bowl he’d set on the table. “I guess I did,” he said, accepting the blame without a hint of remorse.
“Chicken and sausage, right?” I asked, dread filling my every word.
“Comfort food,” Loretta confirmed, wagging a finger in my face when I grimaced. “We all need a little comfort tonight, and you’ve been eating gumbo since you were knee-high to a crawdad!”
“That’s the problem,” I groaned, untangling myself from Wyatt and dropping back into my chair. The rest of the family followed, though Gideon had to prop a hand under Ben’s elbow to get him moving. “You let Dom learn the recipe, and now I’m traumatized for life.”
“It’s a favorite at Saxa Fracta for a reason,” Dominic said smugly, pouring himself a glass of whiskey at the sidebar before taking his own seat. “People love it.”
“Yeah, well, I’d rather eat a boot.”
“Dom would put that on the menu too if he thought it would make money,” Mason quipped, dry as a bone.